A Little Question
Nalan Qing stiffened, his fists clenching tightly under his sleeves. When Baili Ming Zhen spotted several veins on the former's neck swell and pulsate, he instantly panicked, whirling to face Li Mo Shang.
"His Imperial Highness wishes not to listen! Those grievances, you may report later!"
Watching the two leave, the squadron of black-uniformed men guarding them from behind, Su Xuan felt cold sweat trickle down his brow. Thanking himself for making the simultaneously rational and fearful decision of not intruding at the scene beforehand, he waved for the fellow policemen to disperse, himself rushing for the nearest staff exit.
The target they had invested so much effort and time into cornering, had suddenly leaped to an unsurpassable distance. The evidence that they had prepared for many years had indeed been exploited to their maximum effect.
It was just that neither him, Magistrate Yang, or even the Third Prince Nalan Qing, had ever noticed Su Yuan'er finding refuge within the Li Family's influence. Who cared if it was a nominal relationship!?
Forget about their previous evidence, a royal's might or dominance, nothing would be able to pierce the Li Family's reputation, nor would anyone dare!
"Go, go! Get away from my sight!"
Su Xuan anxiously howled towards the worried employees approaching him, sending them scurrying away in fear due to his explosive rage. His countenance warped, he quickly withdrew his terminal, attempting to establish communication.
Moments later, as Su Xuan's grip on the terminal began to stiffen, a rough voice could be heard.
"Hello?"
"…Magistrate Yang," Su Xuan nervously spoke, wishing to swallow yet finding his throat parched.
"Please…inform his Majesty that the Third Prince's plans…have failed."
"Oh?" the voice was unhurried as it replied. "Why has his Imperial Highness failed to accomplish his duty? I believe that my pressure on the Blue Rose City's upper echelons should have eased the commencement of the task?"
"…the target…has acquired the protection of the Li Family." Su Xuan spoke, his voice nearly cracking from his tensed nerves.
"A scion of that family has a self-proclaimed nominal relationship with the target."
"…I will inform his Majesty." Magistrate Yang responded, his voice hesitant.
"Advise for the Secret Service Commissioner to withdraw his forces with due swiftness. I will be unable…to restrict the Blue Rose City's socialites any longer."
"The event has received considerable public attention. Please inform his Imperial Highness to be wary of the Second and First Princes' actions following this failure."
"…I understand."
Nodding shakily, Su Xuan terminated the communication, before walking towards the restricted areas of the Golden Tail Mall. Finding himself in a secluded alleyway, Su Xuan shifted his gaze around.
Ensuring that nobody was in the vicinity, he swiftly manipulated his terminal to call someone.
"…This is Su Xuan. I wish to inform…"
-
"-Ah!"
Su Yuan'er released a pained cry as she was slammed against the wall in Li Mo Shang's room, the hard material sending dull reverberations of pain alongside of her spine. Wincing in pain, she lifted her gaze only to be met by Li Mo Shang's indifferent countenance, an eyebrow raised in cold interest.
"So?" he spoke, leaning closer until their faces were merely centimeters apart. Observing her every reaction, he continued to speak, his countenance ground into an ironed, cold mask.
"What else do you have to trouble me with, my 'nominal' partner?"
"…Brother Li, I didn't have such-"
"Oh? What intention? Was it to secure your identity, to wash away your previous humiliation?"
A light smirk gracing his face, Li Mo Shang whispered into her ear.
"Did my Li Family appear as a tantalizing branch for you to perch on? Hide under our identity, forging yourself a new identity? That sounds…like a rather great motive. Living in a paradise, dumping your problems on my family."
"I didn't mean such a thing! I only wanted-"
Ignoring Su Yuan'er's protests, Li Mo Shang moved backwards and sat onto the bed, affixing his gaze onto her eyes. Withdrawing his terminal and fiddling with it in his hand, he recalled the events that had transpired just recently, causing his expression to darken.
With narrowed eyes, a frightening pressure emanating from his body, Li Mo Shang's handsome appearance caused her to cower as he spoke.
"There were some interesting articles of information I heard tonight," he said.
"Who would have thought that a member of the Li Family was in a relationship, though, nominal, with someone who had been sold to another as a lifetime slave? Not only that, but to a Prince of the Nalan Imperial Family. That seems to have effectively taken my face and dashed it to the ground, what do you think?"
Appraising her with a lofty gaze, Li Mo Shang's voice was unhurried and calm as he continued, a little cold at times.
"Say, Ms. Su, what other trouble will you drag into my life? I was under the impression that you sought me out with the intention of evading a senior student at the university…perhaps I am indeed too foolish and shortsighted to fail to calculate such incongruity…"
At this point, Li Mo Shang's voice trailed off, standing from the bed and walking towards the window. Pulling back the curtains to observe the starless night sky, he remained silent for a few moments, prompting Su Yuan'er to raise her head to gaze at his figure.
As she slowly regained clarity, a detached and cold voice rang throughout the silent room, striking deeply into her heart.
"There's still some time. Ms. Su can reveal exactly what other troubles she will bring unto me and my Li Family…and perhaps, we can discuss exactly how compensation should be measured. Otherwise, I can only wish Ms. Su the best."
"…please don't cast me away. I'll…I'll say-"
Knock!
Interrupting Su Yuan'er was a light knock on the door, capturing both of their attention. Watching Li Mo Shang stride towards the door while not even looking at her a single time, Su Yuan'er swallowed the next words, a sinking feeling in her heart.
Meanwhile, when Li Mo Shang opened the door, he found Wang Xing dressed in a violet Blue Rose University uniform.
"Hey, Brother Li," Wang Xing spoke, his countenance pale and frail. "How about we go outside and chat? I wanted to ask about a few things."
"…A few things?" Li Mo Shang appraised Wang Xing's appearance, finding the violet uniform to be similar. When he realized that it was the uniform worn by students in the underground city, he released a light breath of appreciation.
"Alright," he replied. "I'll be out right after."
Nodding, Wang Xing departed from the commons, heading outside of the dormitory. Turning back to see Su Yuan'er huddled against the wall, her head between her knees as her body lightly trembled, Li Mo Shang said nothing before leaving to catch up with Wang Xing.
-
"…what did you want to ask?"
Li Mo Shang questioned Wang Xing, finding the latter to be leaning against the wall next to the Magnolia Dormitory's entrance. Noticing Li Mo Shang, Wang Xing faintly smiled as he began walking towards the fringe of the dormitory complex, gesturing for Li Mo Shang to follow.
"Brother Li, did you ever enter the underground city?" Wang Xing asked as they walked.
"It's so huge! Installed in a natural cave, roads of powdered Cold Iron, even a natural lighting core of adamantine. The research facilities within are simply like a fantasy, they're so advanced! The advanced studies library, have you been there before?"
"…I did explore around for a while," Li Mo Shang answered. "Something interest you in there?"
"Mm, nothing regarding that. I just wanted to ask, how did you pass through that white corridor? It was simply disorienting, completely unable to differentiate your location."
"…Just continued walking."
As they walked, Li Mo Shang noticed that they had arrived before the abandoned courtyard. Perhaps, it couldn't be called abandoned or neglected, for the university had cleaned up the courtyard following the incident with the black uniformed men.
The knee-height grasses had been neatly trimmed, any loose objects removed. Upon entering, Wang Xing walked towards the center of the courtyard, closing his eyes. Waiting at the entrance, Li Mo Shang raised an eyebrow at his actions, but remained silent.
Within his perception, Wang Xing seemed to have merged with the environment, his individual presence nowhere to be found.
Suddenly, Li Mo Shang felt a cold chill race through his entire body, the spiritual core trembling fiercely. As if someone had taken control of his body, strands of spiritual qi pulsed within his bloodstream, his body dropping into a crouch before rolling to his right.
Whoosh!
Just where Li Mo Shang had previously stood, an object passed through at high velocity. When Li Mo Shang had regained control over his limbs, he lifted his gaze to find that the ground around where the impact had occurred was completely razed, not a single shred of grass to be seen.
Looking over, he discovered that Wang Xing had an odd smile, his countenance deathly pale.
"Well, Brother Li," he spoke, his voice odd, as if belonging to someone both young and old, male and female. "What I truly wished to ask was simply this."
Swish!
His eyes narrowing, Li Mo Shang felt his instincts scream danger once more. Dodging to his right whilst manipulating the
This time, the object soared directly above Li Mo Shang, no more than a few centimeters higher than his forehead. Stepping backwards whilst coalescing a longsword, Li Mo Shang noticed the object come to a rest next to Wang Xing.
Observing closely, he noticed that it was a small dagger with a serrated edge.
"How is the
Hearing Wang Xing's words, Li Mo Shang's brows furrowed, an unsettling premonition forming in his mind. Nonetheless, his body moved towards Wang Xing, his limbs accelerated by the usage of the
Charging at Wang Xing, Li Mo Shang directly unleashed Supporting his right arm with his left as he unleashed a downwards, diagonal strike to his right. The longsword swatted the dagger away with ease, Li Mo Shang rushing forward after landing nimbly.
With merely two steps, he had closed the distance and had gripped Wang Xing by the throat.
"Where did you hear about the
Faced with Li Mo Shang's question, Wang Xing merely smiled, appearing unaffected by the former's chokehold. While it appeared gentle, there were hints of an eerie intent that perplexed Li Mo Shang.
"Just a lowly cultivator is what I would call myself…but I suppose calling myself your executioner will do?"
"..!?"
A sudden surge of heat raced through Li Mo Shang's fingertips, causing him to inadvertently loosen his grip. Easily prying Li Mo Shang's fingers away from his neck, Wang Xing dropped to the ground, stretching his body with a grin.
Leaping back several meters, Li Mo Shang glared at Wang Xing, alarm evident in his gaze. Just what was that heat and how did it appear?
"Merely in the initial stages of Body Tempering after so long…such a blessing has been wasted on you. Did you not realize, that it was best to complete the refinement of the marrow in a single take?"
Whilst sardonically grumbling, Wang Xing made a slow grasping motion with the fingers of his right hand, a steel shortsword appearing within. With a light frown, Li Mo Shang shifted his right foot back, the sword engraved with the nine suns grasped in his hands.