Duan Chongfeng: "..."

Yuan Shang: "..."

Both were silent.

Xu Ke really did mention it several times!

Feeling guilty, Duan Chongfeng coughed twice before hastily asking, "Never mind that. I want to know, what's this all about?"

He pointed at the Dragon Badge that Xu Ke had produced, his voice full of surprise.

Seeing he had no choice, Xu Ke replied, "I joined the Northern Dragon Guard, so Madame Yu gave me this Dragon Badge to represent my status."

Yuan Shang and Duan Chongfeng were dumbstruck. "How did you join?"

"I just... joined." For a moment, Xu Ke was genuinely unsure what they were asking.

Yuan Shang quickly waved his hand and pulled Xu Ke closer. "No, what we mean is..."

"How did you get this Dragon Badge? Aren't these only issued after you reach the Northern Territory and officially join the Northern Dragon Guard?"

That was precisely why they were so surprised. Xu Ke was still in Tianhai, yet he already possessed the official symbol of a Northern Dragon Guard member. Wasn't that outrageous?

However, Xu Ke replied innocently, "Madame Yu said this was my proof of identity, gave it to me, and I took it."

Duan Chongfeng sucked in a sharp breath. "So, you've really joined the Northern Dragon Guard now?"

"That's right," Xu Ke nodded.

"And Madame Yu didn't take you back to the Northern Territory but officially recognized your status anyway?"

"That's right."

"Isn't that breaking the rules?!"

Xu Ke hesitated for a moment, then nodded again. "I suppose you could say that."

Yuan Shang slapped his thigh. "I get it now!"

"Looking at it this way, Madame Yu is quite honorable."

"I was worried they didn't let you join, and that's why they didn't take you with them."

"It turns out they acknowledged your identity from the start. They even gave you the Dragon Badge ahead of time to ensure you could travel to the Northern Territory without any trouble."

"Not bad, not bad at all. Having the Northern Dragon Guard make an exception for you... you must be the only one."

Duan Chongfeng also looked pleased. "In that case, I take back what I said earlier. The Northern Dragon Guard really is much stronger than the Duan Family."

Xu Ke smiled. The three of them finally clinked their glasses and drank in unison, celebrating Xu Ke's success.

Afterward, Duan Chongfeng set down his glass. "So, when are you heading to the Northern Territory? We'll see you off."

Yuan Shang nodded in agreement. "We have to see you off. We should escort you all the way to the Northern Dragon Guard headquarters to ensure your safety."

The two began discussing the best time to see Xu Ke off from Tianhai.

But Xu Ke, still holding his glass, was taken aback. "See me off? I'm not going to the Northern Territory."

The other two froze again. "What?!"

"I don't need to go to the Northern Territory to be a member of the Northern Dragon Guard," Xu Ke explained.

The two exchanged a bewildered glance. "Wait, let me get this straight."

"If I'm not mistaken, you didn't join the Northern Dragon Guard just to be a foot soldier. You want to achieve great things, get promoted, and earn merits, right?" Duan Chongfeng asked slowly after a moment of thought.

Xu Ke nodded.

Yuan Shang pressed, "Then if you don't go to the Northern Territory and just stay in Tianhai, how are you supposed to get promoted and earn merits?" 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Xu Ke paused for a second before saying, "I can get promoted and earn merits right here in Tianhai."

"I'm a Seasoned Envoy of the Northern Dragon Guard. As long as I do a good job overseeing their training, I can be promoted..."

Having learned his lesson, Xu Ke silently produced a black card this time.

It was irrefutable proof.

They had no choice but to believe him.

Duan Chongfeng and Yuan Shang: "..."

The entire living room fell deathly silent. The two of them were astounded by the sudden appearance of the black card. Or perhaps, they had simply gone numb.

For Ki Qinyin to make an exception and give Xu Ke the Dragon Badge early was somewhat understandable. But for him to become a Seasoned Envoy before even setting foot in the Northern Territory or accomplishing a single thing? What was going on?!

If they were less knowledgeable, their shock might not have been so profound. After all, an ordinary person hearing the title "Seasoned Envoy" wouldn't immediately grasp its significance. But it was precisely because they were so well-informed that they instantly understood what a Seasoned Envoy was...

And the more they understood, the more shocked they became.

"Is... is... is this real?" Duan Chongfeng stammered, finally breaking the silence.

Yuan Shang's hand trembled as he picked at his food. "Xu Ke, you didn't steal this, did you?"

"It's real," Xu Ke confirmed.

Yuan Shang and Duan Chongfeng suddenly felt dizzy. The interaction between the Seasoned Envoy and the Northern Dragon Guard's core geniuses was unprecedented. This was because any talent who wished to enter the Guard's inner circle needed the Seasoned Envoy's "stamp of approval." To some extent, the fate of these geniuses rested in his hands.

Therefore, the position was absolutely critical—so much so that it could shake the very foundations of the Northern Dragon Guard. Because the role was so crucial, there had only been two Seasoned Envoys since the Guard's inception.

And there could only be two.

The first was the Northern Territory Dragon King, Yu Kangan.

The second was the Madame Dragon King, Ki Qinyin.

And now, the third... was Xu Ke???

What kind of joke was this?

"Am I drunk?"

"I think I might be, too..."

Xu Ke suddenly felt that his decision not to show them the Seasoned Envoy card right away had been the correct one. Getting Duan Chongfeng and Yuan Shang to accept something like this required a gradual approach. If he had pulled it out at the beginning, they probably would have fainted on the spot.

After the two had a moment to digest the reality of the situation, Duan Chongfeng rubbed his hands together, his voice still trembling. "Tell me, what exactly is going on? Has Ki Qinyin gone mad? A newcomer to the Northern Dragon Guard has been made the Seasoned Envoy?"

Yuan Shang was also muttering to himself, "If word of this gets out, the entire Northern Dragon Guard will erupt. A Seasoned Envoy... how is that any different from holding the power of life and death over the geniuses' path to advancement?"

He hadn't even finished his thought. If this news got out, the entire country would likely be thrown into an uproar. No, not 'likely.' It was an absolute certainty!

But Xu Ke shook his head. "There's still a difference."

"I'm not in charge of all their trials, only the trials related to their hard power. So, all in all, I don't exactly hold the power of life and death over them."

"As for why I became the Seasoned Envoy..."

"Madame Yu probably feels that I'm the strongest of the younger generation. She wants the young geniuses to come to me to have their sharp edges dulled, to let them learn that there's always someone better out there."

Xu Ke had a rough idea of Ki Qinyin's motives.

First, it was to repay a favor. The special, field-posted position of Seasoned Envoy was the most suitable way to allow him to join the Northern Dragon Guard and enjoy its authority while remaining in Tianhai, and it was also the best way to silence any critics. But the reason of repaying a favor was too complicated to explain to Duan Chongfeng and Yuan Shang, so Xu Ke had to conceal it.

Second, it was to not let his strength go to waste. Young geniuses had limitless potential, but they were also full of arrogance. A healthy amount of pride was fine, but excessive arrogance became conceit, which could drag others down. Qian Jun was a perfect example of this. Countless young talents had fallen prematurely because they looked down on everyone and everything.

Yet no matter how much the older generation of powerhouses warned them, they never truly took the words of their elders to heart. They knew that, given the same amount of time, they could reach the same level as the older generation, and perhaps even surpass them...

How could they be expected to submit to teachings from someone they believed they were destined to surpass?