Chapter 499: Too Easy to Be Hated

Hearing this, Lu Yu looked up at her with a serious look: "Of course."

Just these few words made Ye Lingling's smile pause slightly. She turned her head away and stopped teasing. The room became quiet for a moment, with only the sound of Lu Yu flipping through books.

Not long after, the dormitory door was suddenly pushed open, and a fresh fragrance came to the face. Dugu Yan walked in with a brisk pace, holding a small basket of fresh fruits in her hand. As soon as she entered the door, her eyes fell on Lu Yu, with a bit of amusement in her eyes.

"Hey, Lu Yu, are you practicing again? You are indeed a practice maniac." Dugu Yan put the fruit basket on the table, pulled over a chair and sat down.

Lu Yu raised his head and glanced at her: "Why are you here again?"

"Why, do you find me annoying?" Duguyan crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head to look at him. "Don't you forget that last time you asked me to help you test the effect of your thunder attack? Now that I'm here, why don't you thank me?"

Ye Lingling looked up from the side with a smile on her face: "Dugu Yan, you are a celebrity in our school. You come to Lu Yu every day, be careful of being gossiped about by others."

"Just say it." Dugu Yan shrugged nonchalantly, "I don't care about those gossips anyway. However, Lu Yu should be careful, don't let people say that he can only gain a foothold in the academy because of me, the descendant of Poison Douluo. That won't sound good."

Lu Yu shook his head helplessly: "I'm really not interested in these gossips."

Duguyan smiled when she heard this: "That's right. But to be honest, I admire your attitude towards cultivation. By the way, have you researched anything new recently? Bring it out so that I can see it?"

"There are new things, but they are not perfect yet." Lu Yu said lightly, and then took out a talisman from the book beside him. Lightning light could be vaguely seen flowing on the talisman.

Dugu Yan's eyes lit up instantly: "Is this... the second level of the Divine Summoning Talisman?"

Lu Yu nodded: "Yes. But it is still in the trial stage, and the power is not stable enough."

Dugu Yan couldn't help but move closer and carefully observed the patterns on the talisman: "Tsk tsk, such a fine rune carving, it seems that you have really worked hard in this area. But, are you sure this thing won't explode?"

"No." Lu Yu smiled faintly and put the talisman into his sleeve, "I know my limits."

Dugu Yan was about to say something else when Ye Lingling suddenly interrupted, "Dugu Yan, I noticed that you've been visiting Lu Yu quite frequently recently. Are you really attracted to him?"

Duguyan was stunned for a moment after hearing this, and then smiled slyly: "Ye Lingling, don't provoke me. I admit that Lu Yu is indeed quite interesting, but this does not mean that I am definitely attracted to him. Besides, what about you? You come here every day, shouldn't you explain yourself?"

Ye Lingling blinked and said innocently: "Lu Yu and I are friends. I came to see what happened to him. Do I need to ask you for your permission?"

Lu Yu helplessly watched the two girls bickering and sighed: "If you two want to quarrel, can you change the place?"

Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling were both stunned, then looked at each other and laughed. Dugu Yan stood up and patted Lu Yu on the shoulder: "Okay, okay, I won't disturb you from practicing today. But next time I come, I have to see some progress."

"No problem." Lu Yu nodded, with some determination in his eyes.

After Duguyan left, Ye Lingling leaned against the table with a complicated look in her eyes. She looked at Lu Yu quietly and lowered her voice a little: "Lu Yu, do you really think that cultivation can protect everything?"

Lu Yu was slightly stunned, then nodded: "At least, I want to try."

Ye Lingling did not speak again, but sighed softly and continued to flip through the medical book in her hand. The dormitory returned to silence again, with only the sound of the wind outside the window mixed with a little noise, as if whispering the youth stories of these three people.

The palace of the Tiandou Empire was brightly lit. Through the towering dome, the starlight seemed to shine with the splendor of the earth. The Emperor Xue Ye of the Tiandou Empire sat in the main seat, with a majestic look between his eyebrows. His eyes swept over the representatives of all parties standing in the hall, and his voice was low and penetrating.

"Everyone, this time the Xingluo Empire has extended an invitation to our Tiandou Empire, hoping that we will send a delegation for exchanges. This is not only an important step in the relationship between the two countries, but also an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the national strength of Tiandou." Emperor Xue Ye said slowly, his voice echoing in the hall.

The representatives below were talking in low voices, and the atmosphere was subtle. The deans of the five elemental academies stood on one side, with different faces, and seemed to have their own ideas about this mission. Standing next to them were Lu Yu and Meng Shenji from Tiandou Royal Academy, who were particularly eye-catching.

The first to speak was Lie Yan, the dean of the Flame Academy. He was about fifty years old and his voice was as loud as a bell: "Your Majesty, this trip to the Xing Luo Empire is probably not just a simple cultural exchange. Xing Luo has always been strong. I suggest sending the top academy representatives, which can not only show the strength of our Tian Dou, but also be able to deal with any emergencies."

As soon as Lieyan finished speaking, Yuehua, the dean of Shuiyue College, took over the conversation: "Dean Lieyan is right, but top strength also requires matching negotiation skills. If we show too much strength, it may backfire and cause dissatisfaction from Xingluo."

Emperor Xue Ye listened to the debate below and nodded slightly: "That's right. Only with both strength and wisdom can the Xing Luo Empire truly realize our sincerity and majesty."

At this time, Meng Shenji, the dean of Tiandou Royal Academy standing in the center, coughed lightly and said, "Your Majesty, our Tiandou Royal Academy is willing to take on part of this mission. Lu Yu and I will go together as representatives. Lu Yu is a leader among the younger generation, with both cultivation and knowledge, and is fully qualified for this mission."

As soon as Meng Shenji's words came out, they immediately attracted everyone's attention. Lieyan raised his eyebrows, with a hint of doubt in his tone: "Although Lu Yu is an outstanding student of the Royal Academy, this mission concerns the fate of the country. Can he be competent alone?"

On the other side, Lei Ming, the dean of Thunder Academy, snorted coldly: "I don't deny Lu Yu's strength, but young people are not sure of their character, and this mission involves complicated state affairs. Isn't it a bit hasty?"

"Dean Lei Ming." Meng Shenji smiled slightly, his voice was neither hurried nor slow, but with a sense of confidence, "Although Lu Yu is young, his record and performance are obvious to all. He has performed well in all the previous competitions of the academy, and he is meticulous and humble. I believe that he can be competent for this mission."

At this time, Lu Yu, who was standing beside the Dream God machine, bowed slightly and said in a steady tone: "I understand the concern of the deans, but I am willing to serve the empire. Please rest assured that no matter my strength or my character, I will always put the glory of Tiandou first."

His attitude and words brought silence to the hall. Even the most demanding Lei Ming nodded slightly and said no more.

Emperor Xue Ye saw that the atmosphere had eased a little, and said, "In that case, the Royal Academy will send Meng Shenji and Lu Yu, the two are a good match. Each of the five elemental academies will send a representative, and the specific candidates are up to you to decide. This exchange group is not only a cultural exchange, but also a time to show the temperament and strength of Tiandou. Be sure to be careful and cautious."

"We will obey your majesty's command!" everyone responded in unison.

After the court was dismissed, Lu Yu and Meng Shenji walked side by side in the corridor of the palace. Although Lu Yu's face was calm, his eyes revealed a hint of determination: "Dean Meng, this mission is not only a test for me, but also an opportunity. There are many powerful people in Xingluo, and I hope to see more through this opportunity."

Meng Shenji smiled and said meaningfully: "Lu Yu, your ambition is great, but remember, we are not only representing ourselves, but also the honor of Tiandou. You need to think more and not be reckless."

Lu Yu nodded: "I understand, thank you for your teachings, Dean."

**

At the same time, representatives from the five elemental academies were also preparing intensively. The representative sent by the Flame Academy was a red-haired young man named Liefeng, while the Water Moon Academy sent the slender Shui Lian. Representatives from various academies arrived one after another, and the two representatives from the Tiandou Royal Academy were particularly eye-catching.

On the day when the exchange group gathered, many people from the Tiandou Empire gathered outside the city gate, waving flags and watching the delegation leave. Lu Yu, wearing a sky blue school uniform, stood in the middle of the team, while Meng Shenji beside him observed the surroundings calmly.

Liefeng walked forward, patted Lu Yu on the shoulder, and said cheerfully: "I heard that you are the only student representative of the Royal Academy this time. It really lives up to your reputation. I hope we can have a chance to learn from each other on the way."

Lu Yu smiled slightly: "Brother Liefeng, you are too polite. I am always waiting for you to discuss things with me."

Shui Lian stood aside, and glanced at Lu Yu with a cold gaze: "I hope you are not only good at talking."

"Thank you Miss Shuilian for the reminder." Lu Yu said calmly, not angered by the provocation.

Meng Shenji stood aside and watched this scene, his eyes showing satisfaction. In such occasions, a calm attitude can often better reflect a person's inner maturity than showing off one's edge.

**

The convoy gradually went away, and on the way to the Xingluo Empire, the Tiandou flag fluttered in the wind. Everyone in the exchange group had their own plans in mind, and Lu Yu looked into the distance, as if he was thinking about the next challenge and response strategy.

# # #

In front of the gate of Tiandou Empire, there were crowds of people, and students from various colleges had already gathered here. Teams in various uniforms were neatly arranged, and each team showed their style. However, the atmosphere at this moment was a little subtle, because as one of the focuses of this competition, the team of Tiandou Royal College had not arrived yet.

The Xiangjia Academy team was in the center of the crowd. The burly students stood straight, and the team leader Hu Yanli was already looking a little impatient. He crossed his arms and glanced at the surrounding academy teams, with dissatisfaction in his tone.

"What's going on? Are the people from Tiandou Royal Academy so unruly? As the number one academy in the empire, they make so many of us wait here?" Huyan Li's voice was loud and sarcastic, and it was obvious that he was saying it for the other academies to hear.

His teammate standing next to him echoed, "That's right. He usually shows off his power by relying on his royal background. Now, everyone is waiting for the show."

The students from Tianshui College stood a little further away. Several slim girls were talking in low voices, their expressions revealing a mixture of disdain and expectation.

"The Royal Academy is so arrogant, aren't they afraid of bringing shame upon themselves?" a short-haired girl sneered.

Another older girl said softly, "After all, they are a royally supported academy and have the capital to be arrogant. But being late is being late, and it doesn't look good anyway."

Just as everyone was talking, a deep and clear voice came from behind the crowd.

"It's our fault for being late, but there's no need to make such a fuss, right?"

The crowd looked in the direction of the sound and saw a group of students in gorgeous blue and white uniforms approaching from a distance. Leading the group were two young men, one of whom was gentle and elegant with a calm smile, while the other was as cold as a knife and handsome. They were the captain of Tiandou Royal Academy, Meng Shenji, and the vice-captain, Lu Yu.

Meng Shenji smiled slightly and said calmly, "Sorry to have kept you waiting for so long. We encountered some minor problems on the way, which delayed us."

Hu Yanli snorted coldly, his eyes locked on Lu Yu, obviously dissatisfied with his calm attitude: "Waiting for a long time? This is the gathering time before the game. Are you people from the Royal Academy so arrogant?"

Lu Yu glanced at him calmly, without any fluctuation in his eyes. His voice was cold, but it had an unquestionable power: "The gathering time is for everyone to prepare, not for who arrives first. If you think punctuality equals strength, then I am looking forward to the duel later to see if Xiangjia Academy can continue to be punctual and undefeated."

As soon as the voice fell, the surroundings instantly became quiet, and everyone held their breath. The sharpness in Lu Yu's words was obvious, responding to Hu Yanli's provocation, but also concealing invisible pressure.

"Humph, you're quite arrogant." Huyan Li said threateningly, but there was a hint of fear in his eyes.

Meng Shenji at the side immediately interrupted with an elegant smile: "Okay, okay, everyone is here to compete today, not to quarrel. Since we are already here, let's not waste time, right?"

At this time, several girls from Tianshui College were already whispering to each other.

"That's Lu Yu, right? He's even more handsome than the rumors say!"

"The way he spoke just now was really cool. He didn't care to argue with Hu Yanli at all."

"Meng Shenji is also very elegant, but I still prefer the type like Lu Yu."

Shui Bing'er, the captain of Tianshui College standing in the middle of the team, frowned slightly and raised her hand to signal the team members to be quiet: "Be serious, this is a competition, not to see handsome guys."

Despite this, her eyes couldn't help but look at Lu Yu. That cold face and indifferent aura were indeed hard to ignore.

The atmosphere at the city gate gradually calmed down, and the teams from each academy stood up again and began to prepare to enter the competition venue. Meng Shenji glanced at Lu Yu and whispered, "Your personality is too easy to make people hate you."

Lu Yu did not respond, but smiled faintly. His eyes swept across the field, as if he had taken all the opponents in his sight.

Hu Yanli gritted his teeth and whispered to the players beside him: "We must teach them a lesson in the game later, so that these self-righteous Royal Academy will know how powerful we are!"