28 I Want It All

Mo Qingkuang sat on the chair cautiously, only daring to touch half of his buttocks to the surface so that he could be ready to pull his legs and run at any moment. 

"Young as you are, you're quite timid. Back in the day, I always used to have a brawl with Old Fu and others in front of His Majesty," remarked Zheng Tao, giving Mo Qingkuang a disapproving look. 

"Dean Zheng, aren't we supposed to check my age?" Mo Qingkuang mentioned the main business. 

"I could see through you the moment you walked in. There's nothing worth checking," scoffed Zheng Tao disdainfully, pouring a cup of hot tea for Mo Qingkuang. "Here, have some tea." 

Mo Qingkuang hastily took the cup, sipping it cautiously without saying much. 

"Don't be so afraid. Are you afraid that I covet the divine-grade technique you possess?" Zheng Tao played with the tea leaves on the surface, speaking slowly. 

Mo Qingkuang suddenly stood up in shock, looking at Zheng Tao with amazement. "How do you know about my..." 

Zheng Tao did not lift his head, maintaining a calm demeanor. "Young man, I've lived for a long time, seen a lot, and understand more than you do. Sit down; if I really wanted your technique, do you think you could escape?" 

Mo Qingkuang gazed deeply at Zheng Tao for a while, constantly seeking guidance from Mo Fan on how to proceed. 

"Why panic? Since we can't resist him, why not try to enjoy it?" Mo Fan whispered. 

He wasn't worried that Zheng Tao would covet the 'Wind and Fallen Leaves Technique' because Zheng Tao was an upright person and had been a model teacher for many years. 

Thinking about it again, the ancestor was right; he couldn't escape anyway. 

Mo Qingkuang relaxed his whole body, sat back in the chair, picked up the teacup, and took a long gulp, then comfortably leaned against the backrest. 

"Tsk. Senior, if you have any orders, just let me know," Mo Qingkuang said casually, breaking through the tea leaves tangled in his mouth. 

Watching Mo Qingkuang suddenly loosen up, Zheng Tao first froze, then smiled. 

"Hehehe, so this is your true self. I suddenly feel that you're better the way you were just now." 

Mo Qingkuang shrugged nonchalantly. "It's not like the you told me not to be nervous." 

"Well, maybe this old man is asking for too much," chuckled Zheng Tao. "Do you know why I brought you here?" 

"I have no idea." 

"In this martial examination, there are over a thousand participants. The top one hundred participants from both the martial and literary exams will be selected for the Imperial Academy." 

"I know that. I'm only taking the martial exam, not the literary exam. I haven't read any books," Mo Qingkuang nodded. As a playboy, he always kept a distance from reading. 

"I haven't finished yet. I received information that the Yuan Sword Sect has secretly sent numerous disciples to participate in the martial examination, intending to humiliate the disciples of our Central Province." 

"Oh? What does that have to do with me? I just need to enter the top one hundred." Mo Qingkuang dismissed it nonchalantly. 

"Originally, it had little to do with you. However, the Yuan Sword Sect, though it had meddled in the past, never went to such great lengths. Ultimately, it's because you helped that girl Yan'er in the Nianhua King's Tomb, causing them to lose face. They've come to make trouble," Zheng Tao pointed at Mo Qingkuang, calmly stating. 

"Because of me?" Mo Qingkuang was surprised. Was the Yuan Sword Sect so petty? 

In his heart, Mo Qingkuang was taken aback, wondering if the Yuan Sword Sect was so narrow-minded? 

Considering Zheng Tao's words, Mo Fan wasn't surprised. According to the original plot, the Yuan Sword Sect had also sent many disciples to participate in the Imperial Examination, winning it, and later abandoning the Imperial Academy to join the Yuan Sword Sect, further suppressing the royal family's prestige. 

Notably, the winner was Lin Yang. 

This time, the Yuan Sword Sect had come again. 

"Do you want me to stop them?" Mo Qingkuang was not a fool; he quickly understood Zheng Tao's meaning. 

Zheng Tao nodded, "Exactly, I believe you've also seen that the luck of Central Province is gradually declining, and the quality of young talents is not as good as that of the four major sects. Originally, we could take advantage of a loophole in the rules, using older participants as references to obstruct them. However, it doesn't look good on the surface." 

"You're exceptionally talented, and you meet the rules. I think you're quite suitable." 

Mo Fan was also clear about this. In the past, Central Province had made preparations, falsifying ages and having young talents take pills to increase their cultivation. 

There were over a dozen people with the strength of second or third-rank martial masters. In the end, in the finals against Lin Yang, there was even a fourth-rank martial master. 

Although the Central Province had calculated everything and changed the rules of the game, they were defeated in the end by the protagonist Lin Yang. From this, Lin Yang's fame skyrocketed, and there was no turning back. 

"Don't agree too quickly, get some benefits first," Mo Fan reminded. He brought Mo Qingkuang here to win the title of the Martial Arts Champion, so why not take the opportunity to gain some benefits? 

Hearing Mo Fan's words, Mo Qingkuang nodded secretly. After pondering for a while, he pretended to hesitate, "Director Zheng, it's not that I don't want to help, but I'm afraid my strength is insufficient to handle the outstanding disciples of the Yuan Sword Sect." 

Zheng Tao was a crafty old fox who had lived for many years. As soon as he heard Mo Qingkuang's words, he knew this kid was angling for some benefits. 

"Well then, what benefits do you want?" 

"Ancestor, what should we ask for?" Mo Qingkuang asked secretly. 

"What do you think?" 

Mo Qingkuang's mind moved, "Senior, what do you think about asking him for some high level cultivation techniques?" 

"Being greedy will get you nowhere. Don't you have enough skills already?" Mo Fan shook his head. 

"Then, how about asking for some divine weapons or high-level pills? I still don't have a handy weapon," Mo Qingkuang asked again. 

"Fool! Why don't you ask him to accept you as his direct disciple? He is the director of the Martial Arts Department. By then, you'll have everything—skills, weapons, and pills. He will be your biggest backer!" Mo Fan rolled his eyes, thinking this kid was really stupid. 

That's right! Techniques, martial skills, divine weapons, pills—He wanted them all! 

Mo Qingkuang's eyes lit up, and he turned around to kneel and kowtow, saying, "I have been self-taught all along, suffering from the lack of guidance from a renowned master. If the director is willing to accept me as a direct disciple, I dare not spare any effort to uphold the honor of my mentor." 

Zheng Tao, upon hearing this, couldn't help but show a trace of astonishment on his face. This kid knew how to strike while the iron was hot and asked for benefits directly from him? 

But considering Mo Qingkuang's talent, he was also very satisfied. As soon as he received the news that Mo Qingkuang had signed up for the martial arts examination, he rushed over immediately. Seeing him drive away Li Ang with a single move outside, he was even more satisfied. In his heart, he had long harbored the idea of accepting him as a disciple. 

However, on the surface, he still needed to handle it carefully, "With your exceptional talent, you can achieve success through self-study. There are many renowned teachers in the Imperial Academy, and I have never taught students in my life. I'm afraid I might mislead the younger generation." 

"This is inappropriate. If you have any other conditions, feel free to suggest. Techniques, pills, divine weapons —believe me, the royal family will not be stingy with rewards."