Chapter 97: Li Sheng
Following the direction of the voice, they saw a young man dressed in luxurious clothing with a sinister look on his face, disdainfully looking at Mo Qingkuang and Han Yan.
"Senior Brother Li? What brings you here?" Han Yan's eyes quickly turned cold as soon as she saw the newcomer, even showing a strong sense of disgust.
This young man in luxurious attire was named Li Sheng, the second-place winner in the previous martial examination, second only to Chen Kong. However, upon entering the inner courtyard, he had allied himself with Han Kongming, becoming a loyal follower under the sixth prince's command. Therefore, he didn't show much respect for Han Yan, the Ninth Princess.
Additionally, he was also a cousin of Li Ang from this year's examination, with talents comparable to Li Ang's.
"Ninth Princess, your demeanor doesn't quite match the rumors of your aloofness and nobility. Who would have thought you would display such an attitude in front of a man?" Li Sheng smirked at the two, but there was no trace of kindness in his smile.
Li Sheng was accompanied by several young followers, all dressed as disciples of the inner courtyard. One of them also sneered and added, "Yeah, according to rumors, Ninth Princess is cold and noble, with high standards. Who would have guessed she would show such a stance in front of a man?"
Mo Qingkuang's expression turned cold upon hearing this. These people had clearly come here to pick a fight!
"Excuse me... Senior Brother Li, aren't you being a bit too presumptuous?" Mo Qingkuang's face darkened, and he spoke with a cold tone.
Li Sheng looked at Mo Qingkuang's gradually darkening face and couldn't help but sneer inwardly.
'This ignorant kid, just because he made some achievements in the martial examination, now he thinks he's a hero?'
He was under Han Kongming's command, naturally opposed to Han Yan's side, and he was also aware of the incident where Mo Qingkuang had humiliated Li Ang, his cousin. Li Ang had even asked him to help him save face back then.
Putting aside these matters, after this battle, Mo Qingkuang's ranking on the Young Qilin Ranking rapidly rose to seventeenth place, two places higher than him. Li Sheng was ranked nineteenth on the Young Qilin Ranking, and this was his limit. In a few months, he would turn twenty and lose his qualification to be listed.
Originally, there was no problem; when he surpassed the age limit and was no longer listed, it could be considered a happy ending. After all, in the inner courtyard, apart from Chen Kong ranking in the top three, he was the highest ranked.
However, it was regrettable that a junior like Mo Qingkuang was ranked ahead of him. In recent days, the inner courtyard had been spreading Mo Qingkuang's deeds, hinting at a trend of him surpassing Chen Kong as the top talent.
This made Li Sheng even more displeased!
Mo Qingkuang hadn't reported for several days. In Li Sheng's view, it was Mo Qingkuang being arrogant and conceited. Therefore, he had instructed the gatekeeper disciples to inform him as soon as Mo Qingkuang entered the inner courtyard.
He needed to teach this kid a lesson, not only to consolidate his own position but also to gain some credit from the sixth prince, Han Kongming.
"Young Master Mo, such arrogance isn't good for you. It seems that in our inner courtyard, you are not well-regarded. You've been absent for so long, which not only reflects poorly on yourself but also invites criticism. What a young talent indeed," Li Sheng mocked sarcastically.
Mo Qingkuang's voice turned cold, "It's just that Yan'er was introducing me to the rules of the inner courtyard. As for reporting, it was delayed due to some family matters, but I've already informed Teacher Zheng. You do not need to concern yourself with this."
Hearing Mo Qingkuang's address to Zheng Tao, Li Sheng felt a surge of anger. Being a disciple under the dean was almost every student's desire in the inner courtyard.
Originally, Li Sheng had the highest chance of being taken in by Dean Zheng, but now Mo Qingkuang had taken the lead before even entering the inner courtyard. How could Li Sheng not be jealous? What virtues and abilities did this kid have to attract the attention of Dean Zheng?
Narrowing his eyes, Li Sheng said with a sinister tone, "So, Ninth Princess was introducing the rules to your junior brother. But I don't think that would be sufficient. After all, the Ninth Princess has just entered the inner courtyard and may not fully understand the rules. How about this Senior Brother explaining them to you in detail?"
Mo Qingkuang's eyes narrowed, "Please enlighten me, Senior Brother Li."
Li Sheng casually nodded, "The first point is to follow the rules. Being a disciple under the dean is indeed a privilege, but it's not a reason for special treatment. As a disciple under the dean, you should uphold and abide by the rules of the inner courtyard, carefully watch your words and actions, and not tarnish Dean Zheng's reputation!"
"Senior Brother Li is right. I have been at fault. I will go to apologize to the dean later," Mo Qingkuang replied with a sardonic smile, cupping his hands.
He didn't want to cause trouble when just entering the inner courtyard. Entangling with these people would only make things worse. To be honest, perhaps only Chen Kong in the inner courtyard had the qualifications to contend with him. Other people were just a few years older.
With that said, he intended to lead Han Yan away to complete the registration.
Seeing Mo Qingkuang about to leave, Li Sheng moved swiftly, appearing mysteriously in front of him, blocking his path. He said meaningfully, "Junior Brother Mo, don't be in a hurry. I still have some things to instruct you on to prevent you from making mistakes and being bullied in the future in the inner courtyard."
"No need for Senior Brother to worry. After I complete the registration process, I will carefully study the rules and regulations of the inner courtyard," Mo Qingkuang replied, again cupping his hands, indicating he didn't want to continue the conversation.
But Li Sheng disagreed. He didn't come here just to give a few pointers.
"Junior Brother Mo, be patient. This Senior Brother came today after hearing your great name, wanting to witness the young hero of our Tianxuan. The all-around talent known as 'Lotus Prince', proficient in both literature and martial arts," Li Sheng said with a hint of meaning.
Since Mo Qingkuang presented 'Love for the Lotus' at the Lu Ming Banquet and it gradually spread throughout the world, he had accumulated a good reputation. Many people have bestowed upon him the title of 'Lotus Prince,' attributing to him the reputation of a gentleman akin to a lotus.
"I believe the Ninth Princess just mentioned that our inner courtyard is not like children playing house. Within the inner courtyard, all resources for self-cultivation are obtained from this arena. Junior Brother has just arrived, so let Senior Brother enlighten you about the knowledge of the arena," Li Sheng continued without waiting for Mo Qingkuang to speak.
"Senior Brother Li, you have been practising in the inner courtyard for three years. Do you still want to bully newcomers like Mo Qingkuang and challenge him in the arena?" Han Yan immediately countered.
It wasn't that she lacked confidence in Mo Qingkuang, but Li Sheng, who had achieved the position of runner-up in the previous martial arts examination, possessed considerable strength and talent.
Coupled with the support of the Li family, the provisions of the inner courtyard, and three years of arduous cultivation, his strength had reached the level of an Eight rank Martial Master.
Li Sheng chuckled, "You don't have to worry about that. It's just a friendly exchange, with no need to determine a winner or loser."
His words sounded nice, but once they stepped onto the arena, wouldn't they fight to the death? If Mo Qingkuang were to be defeated, the entire inner courtyard would know within an hour. Then, Li Sheng's reputation would soar.
As for whether Mo Qingkuang could win, no one held high hopes for him, not even Han Yan. After all, facing an Eighth rank Martial Master was no small matter, even if Mo Qingkuang had the ability to challenge opponents above his level, the gap was still too significant.
"Senior Brother Li, I am currently of humble strength. It may not be enjoyable for you to spar with me. How about I practice for a year or so to improve my skills before accompanying you?"
***
some stones would be appreciated~
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