Li Tianen planted himself squarely in front of Zhao Qingya, his gaze unwavering. "Miss Zhao," he began, his voice laced with feigned concern, "you must consider this carefully. The badge is a symbol of the Empire's glory, not to be bestowed lightly. As the mayor of a major district, wielding your authority for personal gain would only sow discord."
"Li Tianen, spare the theatrics," Zhao Qingya countered sharply. "The classification of the quest's outco is entirely up to my discretion. Your interference is unnecessary."
Impatience flickered across Zhao Qingya's face. Li Tianen, with a deep, dramatic breath, retreated to a corner, his back turned demonstratively. The surrounding crowd, cowed by his earlier outburst, remained silent, afraid to make a single sound.
Undeterred, Zhao Qingya proceeded to pin the badge onto Lu Yu's chest. "Henceforth," she declared, "you are considered an honorary warrior of the Imperium. Your contribution to the Empire rits this recognition and reward."
"This badge grants you exclusive benefits, such as access to special privileges at royal auctions and weapon shops. Treat it with respect."
Lu Yu acknowledged her words with a curt nod. "I will."
A tense silence hung in the air. No one dared to express their approval, fearing Li Tianen's wrath. His eyes swept across the crowd, a silent warning to anyone who dared to defy him.
"I will dispatch soone to trace the Venomous Dragon's trail," Zhao Qingya announced. "Once we have a lead, I'll inform you, Lu Yu. Given your prior encounter, your experience would be invaluable."
At this, Li Tianen swiveled his head back, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Miss Zhao, why wasn't I inford about this? Is this so kind of favoritism?" He demanded, his voice tinged with dissatisfaction.
"Because you haven't faced this creature before," Zhao Qingya explained. "You lack the necessary experience and could potentially act rashly, endangering yourself."
Li Tianen bristled at this. "What do you an 'act rashly'? Are you implying I'm incompetent?"
"Not at all," Zhao Qingya reassured him. "You are a highly skilled warrior who has served the Empire admirably on nurous occasions. However, regarding this specific task, I'm inclined to entrust it to Lu Yu, if he's willing, of course."
Her gaze shifted towards Lu Yu, silently seeking his agreent.
Lu Yu offered a slight nod. "I accept. I'm prepared to take responsibility for this quest. If I manage to locate the dragon, I will engage it again and eliminate the threat."
A smile, laced with malice, stretched across Li Tianen's face. "Quite confident, aren't we, Lu Yu? Just wait until you find yourself outmatched and whimpering for help."
Lu Yu cast him a disdainful glance. "I have no ti for your childish taunts. I'm leaving now. Inform if there are any developnts."
Without another word, Lu Yu turned and exited the room.
Li Tianen watched Lu Yu depart, a growing unease settling within him. "Who is this kid, anyway? This is my turf! Why is he suddenly stealing the spotlight?"
Zhao Qingya sighed, her helplessness palpable. "Enough with the dramatics, Li Tianen. The mission is open to you if you wish to take it on. Whoever eliminates the target first claims the glory. If my scouts locate the Venomous Dragon, you'll be notified."
A smug laugh escaped Li Tianen's lips. "So you still acknowledge my strength, do you? If this quest had been mine from the beginning, it would have been resolved ages ago. All this wasted ti... truly frustrating."
..
As Lu Yu erged from the crowd, Hu Zhan followed closely at his side.
"It looks like there's no love lost between you and Li Tianen," Hu Zhan observed. "Stealing his thunder might stir up so trouble for you."
Lu Yu chuckled. "Let him co. I'm not afraid of him."
"Sure, I know that," Hu Zhan conceded. "But a fight between you two could escalate quickly, and Li Tianen isn't exactly a nobody."
Lu Yu patted Hu Zhan's shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry about it. Go handle your business. Ti for dinner."
Hu Zhan offered a helpless shrug. "You're far stronger than . Guess I'll be following your lead in this team from now on."
"Not necessarily," Lu Yu countered. "As long as our overall goal is getting to the capital, I wouldn't mind helping you with quests. Besides, performing well reflects positively on , making it easier to connect with higher-ups."
"Alright, alright," Hu Zhan conceded with a grin. "It seems like I still hold so weight as captain."
They continued their walk down the quiet path towards the villa. The villa complex wasn't bustling like the city center.
Upon returning, Lu Yu spotted Jiang Xun playing with the Frost Dragon in the courtyard. Though still a cub, the Frost Dragon was already the size of a tiger, dwarfing Jiang Xun standing beside it.
Thankfully, the Frost Dragon exhibited no hostility towards Jiang Xun. While they seed to enjoy their playti, taming the creature completely was another story.
"Brother Lu Yu! You're back!" Jiang Xun exclaid, rushing towards him.
"Big Brother Lu Yu, there was a big commotion in Skyplu City today! Wanna hear about it?" Jiang Xun asked with a mischievous glint in his eye.
"Let guess," Lu Yu played along. "A festival?"
"Nope, a big shot arrived!"
"The daughter of the Heavenly Dragon Chamber of Comrce president is in town! Everyone's buzzing about her."
"The daughter of the Heavenly Dragon Chamber of Comrce president is drop-dead gorgeous, has a killer figure, and is a high-level dragon trainer!"
"She's practically a Level 30 Dragon Trainer!"
Lu Yu acknowledged this with a nod. "Level 30 at her age isn't bad at all."
"Definitely impressive," Hu Zhan chid in. "Must have benefited from a lot of family resources to reach that level."
"Did you get to see her?" Lu Yu inquired, turning to Jiang Xun.
"Yeah, for a brief mont before the crowd sward her. But man, is she ever pretty! Definitely a match for you, Brother Lu Yu!"
Lu Yu chuckled, patting Jiang Xun on the shoulder. "Don't be silly. I haven't even t her, and you're already making comparisons."
"Speaking of which, do you even have a girlfriend?" Jiang Xun pressed.
Lu Yu playfully rubbed his head. "Who do you think I'm here for?"
"Ah, right," Jiang Xun acknowledged. "But hey, if you have so free ti, you should check her out. Apparently, she's in town to issue a high-paying quest. Skyplu City attracts a lot of skilled people, so that's why she's here."
Lu Yu nodded thoughtfully. "I appreciate the offer, but money isn't my main concern. What I really need is a way to expedite my entry into the royal family."
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