Awakening The Weakest Talent: Only I Level Up

Chapter 1014 A Cruel Teaching

Li Tianen stood before Lu Yu, his hands clasped awkwardly in front of his chest. "Big Brother," he began, his voice strained, "please forgive my earlier outburst. I know I have a bad habit of boasting, but I hope you won't take it personally." A weak smile played on his lips.

"You're a divine artifact holder; you must be magnanimous, right?"

Lu Yu's gaze remained cold. "Magnanimous, you say?"

Li Tianen chuckled nervously. "Of course! A mighty figure like yourself wouldn't hold a grudge against a small fry like me, right?"

"Small fry?" Lu Yu scoffed. "Weren't you just brimming with arrogance a moment ago? But yes, magnanimity is not out of the question."

Li Tianen snapped to attention, relief washing over him. "Thank you for your understanding, Big Brother! From now on, consider us the best of friends! I'll treat you with the respect a friend deserves!" A wide, eager grin stretched across his face.

"The strong are truly magnanimous," he fawned. "You're an incredible person, Big Brother! I never expected such easy forgiveness."

Lu Yu shook his head slightly. "Don't get ahead of yourself. I haven't finished speaking." n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Li Tianen's smile faltered. "Of course, of course. Speak your mind, Big Brother."

"I'm willing to let this go," Lu Yu continued, "but consider it a lesson. However, I do require a token of your sincerity."

Li Tianen's heart plummeted. "A token? What kind of token?" he squeaked.

"Your most prized dragon battle pet," Lu Yu declared. "The strongest one."

The color drained from Li Tianen's face. He froze, eyes wide with disbelief. He opened his mouth, then sucked in a shaky breath.

"Y-you... what did you just say? Take my dragon? My main battle pet? That's... that's practically taking my life!"

Lu Yu shrugged indifferently. "The choice is yours. Your life, or the dragon."

Li Tianen's knees buckled beneath him, sending him crashing to the floor. Despair etched itself onto his face as he stared blankly at the ceiling.

"Please, forgive me!" he wailed. "I truly regret my actions. Don't punish me like this. I can't bear it!"

Just then, City Lord Yuan approached, rubbing his palms together with a forced smile. "Lu Yu," he began placatingly, "you are a valued guest of Skyplume City. We treat our guests with the utmost respect."

"Perhaps, for my sake, you could show some leniency? He understands his mistake now. You can have him apologize profusely, anything you desire. But losing his dragon would cripple him. It would strip him of over 70% of his combat power! He'd be demoted to the lowest rank, maybe even lose his position entirely."

Lu Yu considered this for a moment, a flicker of something resembling acceptance crossing his features. "Very well," he conceded. "I respect your position, City Lord. I'll grant you some face."

Yuan Huan's relief was palpable. He burst into excited laughter. "That's fantastic! Thank you, Lu Yu! Consider yourself my sworn brother from now on! We'll face any challenge together!"

Li Tianen scrambled to his feet, a surge of hope rekindling in his eyes.

But Lu Yu wasn't finished. He pointed a finger at Yuan Huan, the amusement in his eyes instantly replaced by a steely glint. "You can replace him in his punishment, then."

The smile vanished from Yuan Huan's face like a wisp of smoke. His jovial expression morphed into one of stiff apprehension.

"What? Me?" he stammered, his voice barely a whisper.

"But I'm the City Lord. I can't be punished for the mistakes of his subordinates, can I? Who will manage Skyplume City then?"

"No, no, absolutely not. This is unacceptable."

Lu Yu simply shrugged, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips. "Then it seems we have no choice but to proceed with the original plan."

He turned back to Li Tianen, extending a hand expectantly. "So, are you going to hand it over willingly, or should I help myself?"

Li Tianen, defeated and trembling, reached into his interspatial ring and retrieved a fist-sized, crystal pearl that shimmered with an otherworldly glow. With trembling hands, he offered it to Lu Yu, his gaze fixed on the ground in shame.

Yuan Huan, unable to bear witness to this scene and averted his eyes.

However, just as he was about to hand over the orb, Li Tianen's face contorted in a desperate struggle. He snatched his arm back, clutching the orb protectively to his chest. With a final, desperate glance at Lu Yu, he bolted in the opposite direction, his speed reaching near his maximum.

"Arghh! There's no way I'm giving up my precious dragon, which I've raised for years! Absolutely not! I'd have to be insane to do that!" Li Tianen shouted back over his shoulder, his voice laced with panic. "Lu Yu, you've pushed me too far! This is a dealbreaker. Goodbye!"

He disappeared into the distance in a blur, leaving Yuan Huan rooted to the spot in dumbfounded silence.

"He... actually ran?" Yuan Huan stammered, bewildered.

Lu Yu, his hand still outstretched, reacted swiftly. With a flick of his wrist, he drew his Star Piercing Demonic Sword. A menacing aura crackled around the blade as he prepared to give chase.

"You think you can escape me? You're courting death with your foolishness! Time for a lesson," A blinding flash erupted as Lu Yu unleashed a potent sword strike. The concentrated energy sliced open the very fabric of space, creating a shimmering portal. With a confident stride, Lu Yu stepped through the rift, vanishing from sight.

Moments later, he reappeared a dozen meters ahead of the fleeing Li Tianen, effectively cutting him off.

Li Tianen screeched to a halt, his eyes widening in terror at the sight of Lu Yu blocking his path. "H-how did you...?" he stammered, his voice barely a whisper.

He spun around, throwing a desperate plea towards Yuan Huan. "City Lord, help! Please!" His face was pale, a stark contrast to the beads of sweat glistening on his forehead.

Lu Yu held his gaze unwavering. "It looks like escape isn't an option anymore, Li Tianen," he stated calmly. "Do you still think you can defy me?"

Defeated, Li Tianen hung his head and shuffled back towards Lu Yu, resignation etched on his face. He extended the dragon orb towards Lu Yu with trembling hands.

"You're absolutely right. I was dishonest. I take full responsibility for my actions."

Lu Yu accepted the orb, his expression unreadable. However, before Li Tianen could breathe a sigh of relief, Lu Yu lashed out with a swift kick aimed at his abdomen. The impact sent Li Tianen sprawling to the ground with a pained grunt.

Gasping for breath, Li Tianen stared up at the cloudless sky, a storm of emotions swirling within him. Regret gnawed at his insides as he watched Lu Yu turn and leave. His gaze lingered on the departing figure, a deep longing evident in his eyes for the lost dragon orb.

"Goodbye, my loyal companion," he whispered, a tear slipping down his cheek.

Lu Yu reached a secluded spot and examined the orb in his hand. A holographic image flickered to life, revealing a magnificent crystal dragon curled within. This was indeed Li Tianen's strongest battle pet, and confiscating it would effectively cripple his combat prowess.

With a satisfied nod, Lu Yu tucked the orb away. He cast a final glance at Li Tianen's slumped figure, then turned and disappeared into the horizon.

Back at their original location, Yuan Huan approached a dejected Li Tianen.

"Well, that didn't go as planned." Yuan Huan sighed sympathetically.

Li Tianen, his voice choked with despair, croaked, "City Lord, I've failed you. Everything is ruined. What am I supposed to do now?"

"Don't fret," Yuan Huan reassured him with a pat on the shoulder. "Pack your things and move out of the mansion for now. But don't lose hope! Train harder, and you can still climb back up the ranks. You have a solid foundation, after all."

Li Tianen's shoulders slumped further. The weight of his situation was too much to bear, and tears welled up in his eyes once more.

Suddenly, a woman approached them. "Greetings, City Lord," she addressed Yuan Huan before turning to Li Tianen. "Assistant to District Head Zhao here. We have a new mission for you, Li Tianen. Recent intel indicates traces of the Poison Dragon planning another attack. Considering you're Skyplume City's strongest fighter, District Head Zhao believes you're the most suitable candidate for this task."