Chapter 261: Liu Qing, the Conflict
In the Inner Academy, fifteen minutes ago, on a street leading to Mo Clan.
This street, usually an ordinary road for Inner Academy students, suddenly became a hot spot today due to certain events. The once quiet road was now surrounded by a crowd of onlookers, layers deep. Chatter filled the air as countless eyes focused on the source of the conflict.
"You must be Xiao Yu. I've heard your fiancé is quite influential in the Inner Academy. But let me tell you, if I want something, you either give it to me willingly, or I'll make you trade it."
The speaker was a girl wearing a luxurious snow-fox fur dress, surrounded by a large group of people. This girl, with her delicate and pretty face, almond-shaped eyes, cherry lips, and elegant brows, gave off a sense of beauty that was pleasing to everyone around her.
This girl was none other than Liu Fei, the sister of Liu Qing, ranked third among the strongest in the academy.
With a powerful background and her outstanding looks, it wasn't surprising that Liu Fei was constantly surrounded by admirers. After all, there weren't many girls in the academy, and even fewer who were as beautiful as her, making her highly sought after.
Wherever beauty goes, admiration follows.
Despite her sweet and calm smile, those who looked closely could see a hint of arrogance and vanity in her eyes. Vanity was something that women often couldn't resist, and as Liu Fei walked down the street and saw the dazzling wolf fang necklace around Xiao Yu's neck, glowing under the sunlight, she couldn't move forward without demanding it.
For some reason, women often had a fascination with jewelry that men found hard to understand. Xiao Yu's wolf fang necklace, though not particularly ornate, had a special design and unique charm that instantly made Liu Fei fall in love with it.
Hearing Liu Fei's unreasonable demand, Xiao Yu bit her red lips tightly, her pale fingers turning red from clenching so hard.
Back when Mo Yu had brought out the treasures from the Wolf King's lair, Xiao Yu hadn't chosen any of the valuable items like the others. Instead, she had specifically picked a simple wolf fang from a fifth-rank magical beast.
While magical beasts of that rank were valuable in many ways, an ordinary wolf fang held little significance, so Xiao Yu had easily obtained it. Afterward, instead of putting it aside, she spent the night crafting it into a necklace with special meaning.
To Xiao Yu, this necklace was a gift from Mo Yu, and there was no way she would give it up to Liu Fei. Naturally, she flatly refused.
When Xiao Yu declined, the surrounding onlookers quickly realized something interesting was brewing. Many looked on with expressions that said they were eagerly anticipating some drama.
On one side was Xiao Yu, the fiancée of Mo Yu, the newly risen powerhouse and leader of Mo Clan. On the other side was Liu Fei, the sister of Liu Qing, an established third-ranked elite of the academy.
Both Mo Yu and Liu Qing were titans in the academy, and their factions, Mo Clan and Li Shan, were major forces. A conflict between them was bound to draw the attention of everyone nearby.
Liu Fei's delicate brows furrowed at Xiao Yu's outright refusal, and a trace of surprise flashed across her face. It had been a long time since anyone had dared to reject her so bluntly. The last time that happened was about six months ago. That person had ended up bedridden for half a month after being beaten by her admirers.
Since then, very few in the Inner Academy dared to cross Liu Fei. Today, however, she was once again facing such an affront.
"Heh, Fei'er, it seems like you've encountered someone who doesn't know their place again," said a tall man behind Liu Fei, glancing at Xiao Yu with amusement. For him, this was the perfect opportunity to show off in front of the beauty.
Liu Fei smiled faintly and shook her head slightly. "Reiner, be polite. After all, she's the fiancée of Mo Clan's leader, Mo Yu."
Hearing Liu Fei's thinly veiled warning, Reiner, the man beside her, grinned and nodded. "Mo Clan, huh? Don't worry. Newcomers like them need to be taught the rules, so they don't get too full of themselves. Besides, I don't care about Mo Clan. Liu Qing himself told me to look after you. As your cousin, he wouldn't want you to be wronged in any way."
A smug smile appeared on Liu Fei's lips upon hearing this. She had long disliked Mo Yu and Mo Clan, especially after hearing people compare him to her mighty cousin, Liu Qing, just because he had survived an encounter with the Storm Wolf pack. To her, such comparisons were an insult to her cousin.
So, when she saw Xiao Yu today, her interest in the wolf fang necklace was partly fueled by a desire to provoke.
Receiving Liu Fei's subtle cue, Reiner took a step closer to Xiao Yu. His towering presence exuded pressure, making Xiao Yu's face tense.
"I'm sorry, Xiao Yu, but since Fei'er wants that necklace, you'll have to give it up. Don't worry, Li Shan will compensate you later," Reiner said with a condescending tone, moving to snatch the necklace by force.
Seeing this, Xiao Yu's face turned pale. Though she was strong, Reiner was a four-star Dou Ling, a member of Li Shan, and far stronger than her.
"Reiner, how dare you touch our leader's woman? Is Li Shan looking to start a war with Mo Clan?"
At that critical moment, Fu Ao arrived with a group of Mo Clan members, instantly raising the tension. The crowd sensed the shift in the atmosphere.
"I'm sorry, Xiao Yu, for being late. Leave this to us," Fu Ao said, comforting Xiao Yu before glaring at Reiner with a fierce look. "Reiner, you owe Xiao Yu an apology for what you just tried to do!"
"Hmph," Reiner scoffed, unconcerned. "And what if I don't?"
"Then you're challenging Mo Clan's leader, Mo Yu, and me, Fu Ao, personally. I won't let this go!" Fu Ao's face darkened as he spoke.
Xiao Yu wasn't just Mo Yu's fiancée; she represented the pride and dignity of Mo Clan. Fu Ao's words weren't just his own; behind him, the Mo Clan members glared at Reiner with fury.
Reiner exchanged a glance with Liu Fei, their faces shifting slightly. They hadn't expected Fu Ao to react so strongly, which hinted at just how deep Mo Yu's influence ran within Mo Clan. This could turn into a major problem.
"Hmph, Fu Ao, you're just a three-star Dou Ling, and you want to challenge me?" Reiner said with a mocking sneer, trying to suppress his irritation.
After all, behind him stood Li Shan and the powerful Liu Qing.
Ignoring his taunts, Fu Ao's hand flashed, and a deep blue trident appeared in his grasp.
"Hmm?" Reiner narrowed his eyes at the weapon, sensing something unusual about it. "Not bad, but do you really think that's enough to beat me?"
With a small shake of his body, a wave of deep yellow energy surged out from Reiner, enveloping him.
"Fu Ao, you're an experienced student. Why would you follow a newcomer like Mo Yu? Isn't that humiliating?"
Reiner's voice came from within the yellow energy as he stomped the ground and charged at Fu Ao like a rampaging beast, bringing a fierce gust of wind with him.
"Hmph, our leader's brilliance is beyond your comprehension. You'll regret crossing Mo Clan, even if you're from Li Shan!" Fu Ao coldly retorted. His battle intent surged as he gripped the blue trident, a weapon personally crafted by Mo Yu. His heart filled with respect for Mo Yu, and his fighting spirit soared.
The trident spun in Fu Ao's hand, the tip pointed directly at Reiner. With a ferocious grin, Fu Ao stomped the ground and shot forward like a blue shadow. As he charged, blue Dou Qi gathered around the trident, forming the shape of an energy shark with its jaws wide open. Its razor-sharp teeth gleamed ominously under the blue light.
"Boom!"
In the blink of an eye, the blue and yellow figures collided like two meteors. The clash sent a shockwave of energy through the street, even cracking the ground beneath them.
"Clang!"
The sound of metal clashing rang out, accompanied by sparks. Reiner's yellow energy collided with Fu Ao's deep blue trident, sending ripples of force through the air before crashing into both fighters.
"Thud! Thud!"
Both figures were knocked back by the force, but Fu Ao managed to stabilize himself after just two steps. He let out a low grunt as the trident in his hand trembled, but he quickly dispelled the energy coursing through it.
Reiner, however, was far less fortunate. He staggered backward four or five steps before finally stopping, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, and his breathing became uneven. It was clear that he had suffered internal injuries.
"Your weapon... there's something strange about it!" Reiner wiped the blood from his lips, his face filled with disbelief. He couldn't understand how he had lost to a mere three-star Dou Ling. That weapon had unleashed a hidden force at the last moment, catching him off guard.
"Hehe, a loss is a loss. It seems Li Shan isn't as tough as they claim," Fu Ao said with a light chuckle. The Sea Shark Trident, crafted by Mo Yu himself, was far more than an ordinary weapon, and releasing hidden energy was just one of its abilities.
However, just as Fu Ao was about to celebrate, a sudden gust of wind came from above. His expression shifted as he instinctively raised the trident to defend himself.
"Clang!"
The seemingly ordinary gust of wind carried the weight of a mountain, slamming into Fu Ao's trident with a sharp metallic sound.
With the sound of the impact, Fu Ao felt a tremendous force hit him. His face paled as the trident shook violently in his hands. In the next moment, he was sent flying through the air and crashed into a nearby wall, leaving a deep dent before falling to the ground.
This unexpected turn of events stunned the onlookers. After a long pause, Fu Ao struggled to his feet with the help of Xiao Yu, coughing up blood as he stood.
"You've got some nerve. Now let's see how my Li Shan is 'just as you said—nothing special,'" came a deep voice after Fu Ao fell.
All eyes turned to the source of the voice as a tall figure appeared on a rooftop. With a powerful leap, the figure landed heavily on the ground, sending cracks through the stone beneath his feet from the impact.
The imposing figure slowly walked toward the battlefield, his domineering aura suffocating those around him.
With a cold gaze fixed on the towering figure, Fu Ao muttered through clenched teeth, "The Tyrant Spear, Liu Qing!"
"So, you've heard of me. You've got some skill, I'll give you that. But if you leave Mo Clan and join Li Shan, I'll forgive your insolence," Liu Qing said indifferently.
"Hmph, not a chance!" Fu Ao wiped the blood from his lips and flatly refused without hesitation.
"Oh?" Liu Qing's calm eyes flashed with surprise. It had been a long time since anyone had rejected him so quickly.
Just as Liu Qing was about to speak again, he sensed two familiar presences approaching. Turning, he let out a mocking laugh.
"Lin Yan, Qian Mo, you two are here too? I can't believe you've both lowered yourselves to join a faction led by a newcomer. Have you no shame for your positions in the top ten?"
As he finished speaking, the crowd parted, and Lin Yan and Qian Mo stepped forward.
They ignored Liu Qing's taunts, but when they saw Xiao Yu's red eyes and Fu Ao's injuries, the two exchanged a glance. Knowing how furious Mo Yu would be when he arrived, their faces grew serious.
"Liu Qing, you're in big trouble now," Lin Yan said.
Liu Qing raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "Oh? This trouble you speak of—is it that newcomer Mo Yu? Where is he? I'd love to see if he's really as impressive as people claim."
"As you wish. I'm here."
Before Liu Qing could finish, a calm voice rang out in the air. The crowd froze and quickly turned their gaze toward the silver-eyed youth who had appeared in the center of the battlefield without anyone noticing. Shocked expressions filled their faces.
In the middle of the street, the silver afterimage solidified, and the young man with silver eyes looked up with a slight smile on his face. But beneath that smile, anyone could see the cold killing intent brewing.
"An old powerhouse and a rising star—it seems I've stumbled upon quite the scene just after finishing my seclusion," a handsome young man lounging by the railing of a nearby building murmured, his eyes gleaming with interest.
Anyone familiar with him would recognize this man as Lin Xiuya, ranked second on the Inner Academy's strength list.
(End of Chapter)
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