A slight hint was enough.
Dozens of fruits were collected into Ilya's prayer beads. Chen Yu then rose from his seat and approached Liya, patting the dust off his shoulder.
"It's all dust."
"You've worked hard during this time."
"It's what I should do," Liya grinned and kicked the half-beast kneeling on the ground fiercely. "As for this blind fool, I was only away from the city for a moment, and he actually dared to offend you."
"He looks unfamiliar."
This was not intentional on Chen Yu's part; he truly had no impression of the half-beast before him.
"You certainly wouldn't recognize him. He's the head of the transit specialist between the upper and lower cities." Liya lowered his eyebrows and licked his lips. "Your delay in reaching the upper city was due to his poor management."
"Is that so?"
Chen Yu sighed softly, not taking it too much to heart.
"My lord, what do you think should be done about this matter?" Liya gestured to the half-beast on the ground. "With just one word from you, I'll chop him into pieces..."
"Young Master Liya, you have quite the temper."
Suddenly, a playful voice came from outside the lounge, accompanied by a few not-too-loud claps. Then, a young noble, dressed in opulent attire, walked in.
As he entered the lounge, the mockery in his eyes did not diminish in the slightest.
"Tar?"
"I didn't expect you to come down to this city either?"
"If Young Master Liya can condescend to come down to this city, why can't I?" The noble youth stretched lazily, his gaze sweeping around the lounge.
Although his eyes seemed casual, Chen Yu keenly sensed that they had lingered on him for a moment.
In that single instant,
Chen Yu judged that the newcomer meant no good.
This person before him was likely inextricably linked to the royal family of the Tatu Kingdom.
"Finally, they can't hold back and have started sending people."
Chen Yu chuckled inwardly; he had waited for this moment for a long time.
"Stop spouting nonsense." Liya's eyes were filled with disdain. "What are you doing here? If you have nothing to do, get lost quickly and don't obstruct me. I have important matters to attend to and no time to deal with you."
"Liya, watch your words."
In an instant, Tar's face, which had been full of playful smiles, turned gloomy.
"What? Are you going to kill me?" Liya cringed fearfully, tucking his neck. "I'm really scared. But on what grounds can you touch me?"
"What you just said is enough to get you killed."
"What did I say?"
"Playing coy?" Tar pointed at the half-beast on the ground. "You assaulted a high-ranking official of the kingdom and brazenly threatened to chop him into pieces. Who do you think you are, an official appointed by the King, that you can kill whomever you please?"
"Is there a problem with that?"
Liya maintained his nonchalant demeanor.
"You're truly accustomed to acting high and mighty in the kingdom, looking down on everyone? Your reliance is the status of your father, the Chief Financial Officer. But in the end, this kingdom is ruled by the royal family. How can a servant dare to speak with such arrogance?" Tar sneered coldly, his posture haughty.
"Do I?"
Liya feigned surprise, exhaling into his cupped hands.
"There's no arrogance here, perhaps the arrogance is coming from you? I say, ever since you started speaking, the air in this lounge has become much more polluted. Although you are illegitimate, you should also mind your image? Barking at me, I'd like to ask where you got the courage. After all, I am legitimate, and you?"
"Disrespectful!" Tatu reprimanded.
"Respect?"
Liya suddenly grinned and let out a loud, unrestrained laugh.
"Tatu, if your legitimate eldest brother said that to me, it would be fine. What qualifications do you have to say such things to me? If your mother knew about this hierarchy, would you even exist? A mere maid, rising to power through underhanded tricks, giving birth to you, an illegitimate son, and you talk to me about hierarchy. My mother is my father's lawfully wedded wife. Your mother... I don't think he even has a shack in this royal city, hahahaha..."
The mocking laughter echoed throughout the lounge, and Liya looked at him with disdain.
"Calling out someone else's mother, don't you feel ashamed?" Liya chuckled playfully, his face full of emotion. "Alas, when I go back later, I must act cute with my mother. I have a mother, do you?"
"Liya!!!"
After several exchanges, the veins on Tar's head bulged.
Alas—
Before he could even clench his fist,
Liya's retinue had already blocked Tar.
"Tar, I don't know what you're here for, but coming to find trouble with me is seeking your own humiliation." Liya displayed his decadent demeanor to the fullest. "I travel with at least ten Black Obsidian realm escorts, while you travel with no attendants. Although my clan serves as subjects, we are favored by the King. You... a mere illegitimate son are not worthy of conversing with me. Have your elder brother come!"
With that, several escorts began to escort Tar out.
As they reached the doorway,
Liya suddenly raised his hand and called them to a halt.
From somewhere, a sharp blade appeared in his hand, and then, accompanied by a flash of cold light, the kneeling half-beast had his head instantly severed.
Blood gushed out.
"I killed him, what can you do to me?" Liya calmly looked into Tar's eyes, wiping the blood from the blade with a handkerchief, and gave his escorts a look.
No matter how Tar shouted, Liya didn't even bat an eyelid.
He truly didn't take Tar seriously.
"Just killed him like that?" Chen Yu glanced at the corpse on the ground. Liya quickly reverted to a fawning smile, repeatedly bowing to Chen Yu. "My lord, I am truly sorry. That Tar fellow was too ungrateful. If I didn't kill this guy, he would think I was afraid of him."
"Are you two very familiar?" Chen Yu raised an eyebrow.
"Who would be familiar with an illegitimate son?" Liya's eyes showed disdain again. "He is the illegitimate son of a maid. He wasn't even qualified to stand beside me and play. Why would I bother knowing him?"
"Royal family?"
"On the surface, he's a sixth prince, but in reality... no one thinks highly of him." Liya snorted. "The other illegitimate children of the royal family at least have some strength from their mothers, but only him... his mother, a maid, used schemes to gain a position, and no one respects him."
"Then the legitimate eldest son you mentioned earlier..."
"He's the Queen's first son," Liya said softly. "That Tar just now was also adopted by the Queen and is now a lackey of the legitimate eldest son. His coming down to the lower city at this time is probably because that legitimate eldest son sent him to deliberately cause me trouble. I snuck a peek at his sister bathing a few days ago. They can't openly harm me, so they thought of this way to deliberately disgust me."
"You... peeked at the princess bathing?"
"What's the big deal about that?"
Liya's expression was completely nonchalant, and he flicked his hand.
"Let's not talk about this, my lord. Shall we move to another place... How about my residence in the Sky City? It's secluded there. What do you think?"