Start of the Banquet

"Student Mo Qingkuang pays respects to the teacher." 

As Mo Qingkuang entered the hall, he immediately attracted the attention of almost everyone. With his solemn bow, the entire hall fell silent. 

After a moment, discussions erupted once again. 

"Is that Kuang Qing actually this Mo Qingkuang? Why does he look different from the one on the stage?" 

"So Mo Qingkuang is a disciple of Dean Zheng? No wonder he's so powerful!" 

"Mo Qingkuang is Dean Zheng's disciple? Didn't Dean Zheng never take any disciples?!" 

"You guys are clueless. With such talent, how could Dean Zheng not be tempted? Back then, Dean Zheng intended to take Chen Kong as his disciple, but President Fu grabbed him. This one is no worse than Chen Kong." 

"But you have seen that Dean Zheng hasn't shown any expression yet. Dean Zheng has always been cautious and reserved." 

As the newly promoted candidates had described, Zheng Tao, at this moment, wore a slightly surprised expression as he carefully examined Mo Qingkuang. 

He hadn't expected that Mo Qingkuang, whether impatient or intentional, would actually kneel and seek apprenticeship in front of everyone. 

Zheng Tao was quite satisfied with Mo Qingkuang's intellect, talent, and achievements, whether it was turning the tide in Tianxuan or winning in the martial arts examination. He believed that Mo Qingkuang deserved to be his disciple. 

Moreover, he had promised Mo Qingkuang that he would take him as a direct disciple once he became the martial champion. Chen Shi, the other candidate he had promised, had already been disabled by Lin Yang, so there was a sense of cherishing a rare talent in his heart. 

Even though Mo Qingkuang was deeply calculating and driven by clear goals, he was still a promising seed. Regarding his character, he was still young, and Zheng Tao had confidence in guiding him to stay on the right path and avoid deviating. 

With these thoughts in mind, Zheng Tao lightly tapped the table in front of him. 

A cup of tea floated gently and suspended in front of Mo Qingkuang. 

Seeing this, Mo Qingkuang was overjoyed. From ancient times, offering tea to a master was an indispensable ritual in apprenticeship. 

Zheng Tao placed the teacup in front of himself, and his intentions were clear. Mo Qingkuang quickly received the teacup and took a few steps forward, kneeling before Zheng Tao. 

Holding the tea with both hands, he respectfully said, "Teacher, please enjoy the tea." 

In the eyes of the astonished crowd, Zheng Tao smiled as he took a sip of the tea. "Hmm, as you become my disciple today, you must uphold etiquette, serve the country and the people, and focus on the right path. Otherwise, I won't spare you!" 

Mo Qingkuang nodded repeatedly. "I will heed the teachings of my esteemed master." 

The onlookers hadn't expected that the lively Lu Ming Banquet would open with such a splendid scene of an apprenticeship ceremony. Mo Qingkuang had just become Zheng Tao's disciple. 

This unexpected event filled many martial examination candidates with envy and admiration. 

Zheng Tao, as the dean of the martial arts institute at the Imperial Academy, strictly speaking, had all the students in the martial arts institute under him. However, he seldom appeared in teaching. Could a direct disciple be treated the same as a named disciple? 

Although Zheng Tao came from a prestigious family, he had no children. Wouldn't Mo Qingkuang, his sole direct disciple, be raised like a son? 

With Zheng Tao, a powerful figure in the Tianxuan Empire as his teacher, Mo Qingkuang could now walk proudly in the Tianxuan Empire. 

"Tao Ge, congratulations! It's such a joyous occasion for gaining such an outstanding disciple." The person next door, Dean Hua, leaned back, raising his wine cup in a distant salute. 

He was aware of Zheng Tao's promise to take Mo Qingkuang as his disciple. Having learned more about Mo Qingkuang's character and talents, Dean Hua couldn't help but feel tempted. Mo Qingkuang's talents and combat wisdom made him an excellent choice. 

However, he had also discovered Mo Qingkuang's questionable behaviour from his personal file —bullying and domineering since childhood, causing trouble in the city, and disrespecting others. His actions against Lin Yang and the involvement of a girl in their dispute further revealed a narrow-minded and vengeful nature. 

For him, these traits weren't a big concern, as he himself had an unconventional personality. What bothered him more was that Mo Qingkuang had chased away nearly twenty teachers from a young age, leaving him with little literary talent besides recognizing a few characters. 

Despite his carefree demeanour, Dean Hua was the top scorer in the literary examination, a talented individual with a splendid background. Disliking Mo Qingkuang's lack of respect for classical literature, he was reluctant to compete with his old friends for disciples. 

What frustrated him the most was that his disciples were always overshadowed by Chen Kong, who was under the tutelage of the respected Headmaster Fu, despite his carefree lifestyle. 

Nevertheless, he had never expected that Zheng Tao, a meticulous person, would actually accept Mo Qingkuang, a reckless troublemaker, as his disciple. 

Zheng Tao, of course, understood Dean Hua's thoughts, but he had his own considerations. He casually nodded to Dean Hua, saying, "You're welcome." 

Then, he turned to Mo Qingkuang and asked, "Is your injury mostly healed now?" 

Mo Qingkuang respectfully nodded. "Yes, Teacher, I have fully recovered." 

"That's good. Return to your seat; today, you young folks are the protagonists today." Zheng Tao waved his hand, signalling Mo Qingkuang to go back to his place. 

Following his instructions, Mo Qingkuang returned to the seat reserved for the top scorer in the martial examination. 

On his left was Gu Hongyi, and on his right was Han Yan'er, creating a harmonious scene. 

"Congratulations! You finally got what you wished for," Tang Yu congratulated with a cheerful smile, not far from Mo Qingkuang's seat. 

"Congratulations? He just took advantage of the situation, giving Zheng Tao no reason to refuse," Gu Hongyi rolled her eyes. She couldn't help but think negatively about Mo Qingkuang's recent actions. 

Mo Qingkuang, feeling content after gaining such a renowned mentor, shrugged off Gu Hongyi's comments. He replied, "Teacher promised me before the competition that if I could seize the top position, he would accept me as his disciple. Now that I've fulfilled the conditions, it's only natural to take him as my teacher!" 

"But at that time, he didn't know what kind of person you were," Gu Hongyi hadn't spoken yet, but Han Yan'er mumbled quietly beside her. 

Knowing that Mo Qingkuang had officially become a disciple of Zheng Tao, his status as an outsider from the Southern Province would soon be erased. Zheng Tao had already sent people to move Mo's family members, and they were expected to arrive in the capital shortly. 

Considering his future position in the capital as the Martial Arts Champion and Zheng Tao's disciple, Mo Qingkuang's status was bound to rise. However, Han Yan'er couldn't forget Mo Qingkuang's dubious actions in the past, making it difficult for her to accept his recent elevation. 

As he observed Han Yan'er's peculiar expression, Mo Qingkuang couldn't help but chuckle. 

She still wore a veil, resembling a celestial being who had descended to earth. Without his Martial Arts Champion aura, people's attention would probably not shift from Han Yan'er to him so easily. 

At this moment, Zheng Tao on the stage spoke in a soft voice, his words reaching every person in the hall, "Firstly, welcome all of you to join the Imperial Academy. Secondly, celebrate your success after years of hard work. I won't say much more! Cheers to this year's Lu Ming Banquet!" 

He raised his wine cup, sweeping his gaze across the entire hall, and continued, "Let the feast begin!"

***

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