The trade was painless. Yi Qiang exited the armory with his katana in hand and handed it off to Maria, who then brought out a bottle filled with golden liquid. It swirled around alluringly in its vial, catching the archer's gaze for an instant before he grabbed it and dismissed himself, heading back to the inn.

On his way there, Yi Qiang took the time to Analyze the Divine Reformation elixir.

Divine Reformation Elixir

When consumed,

 +50% stat training speed

+20% skill training speed

   Yi Qiang's eyebrows perked up. It's better than I thought it would be. That effectiveness... it's incredible.

 The consumption of this elixir, by Yi Qiang's estimation, would increase the speed of his training by amounts way more than what it initially seemed like on paper, or in this case, status screen.

   Excited to try out the elixir and experience his new training speed, Yi Qiang quickened his pace to the inn room.

 Upon entering, Yi Qiang greeted Shenyu, who nodded in response and laid back down lethargically. The archer sat cross-legged, looking at the vial of golden liquid in his hand and grinning slightly.

 Without any more hesitation, he downed it, feeling the surprisingly refreshing golden liquid make its way down his throat and dissolve into a pure energy Yi Qiang was unable to identify but felt incredibly potent. 

   No new windows appeared, but Yi Qiang could feel the change in his body and mind; they seemed more elastic, somehow. It was impossible to ignore the new feeling in his body, something so obvious but subtle.

  Just as Yi Qiang got out his briefcase from his inventory, about to retrieve his training gear, a green crystal popped out of his magical storage space completely unbidden, shining brightly and vibrating vigorously.

  The Communication Geode. 

 It only took an instant for Yi Qiang to recognize it as the gem the Second Prince had given him, saying he would use it when he needed Yi Qiang.

  Unsure of how exactly to use it, the archer picked it up, shaking the still-vibrating crystal.

  Luckily, that did the trick, and a voice echoed out from the object.

  "Oh, good to see you figured out how to use it. Kinda forgot about that. Anyway, this is the time I spoke of - I need my weapon, heh. So, come down to the palace and ask for me as soon as you can, preferably within half an hour. I'm sure you already know where it is - I heard about you and the tournament, congratulations; some of the items in that armory are incredible. We can talk face-to-face then!"

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  With that, the emerald light of the gem died down, the vibrating having long since stopped. 

    Yi Qiang immediately put everything back into his inventory. Standing up, he was about to head out before he looked at Shenyu. He's still moping. But what if he's necessary? And how will he grow at all if he's too sad to train? It's been long enough... The archer's forehead creased before he decided on what to do.

 Come on, Shenyu, we're going to meet the Second Prince. His voice, for the first time in what felt like an unreasonable amount of time, echoed out in Shenyu's mind.

  For a long moment, there was no response from the hatchling. Then, the equivalent of a mental sigh emerged from the dragon before he got up.

  Yi Qiang picked him up and put the dragon on his shoulder. You're getting heavier, Yi Qiang couldn't help but notice.

   Shenyu took this as a compliment and as a good sign, responding by saying, "When do you think I'll be big enough to fight with you?"

  Soon, very soon, at this rate.

  The second trip to the palace was more peaceful than the last time, with Yi Qiang not having to worry about Shenyu being left alone in the inn, with only his thoughts. He knew what the psyche could do, the horrors it could fabricate, and Yi Qiang was hesitant at best to allow someone he was so close with to become acquainted with the same.

  No directions were needed this time; Yi Qiang was already familiar with the path.

    When he arrived, the archer took the initiative to speak to the guards, "I have been summoned by the Second Prince."

  Thankfully, the order to let him in seemed to have been passed down smoothly, as the guards allowed him in without any other hassle.

  Like when he visited the armory, a guard splintered off from the four who guarded the entrance to show Yi Qiang the way. I wonder if someone replaces him. If so, how does someone know when to replace a guard who went with a visitor? If not, what happens if there are enough visitors to deplete the four guards fully? This system feels imperfect, but I guess there aren't too many Chosen in the game who are visiting the palace of any city.

  The short walk led Yi Qiang up flights of stairs and several marble-walled hallways furnished by expensive art and other decoration. Finally, the two arrived at their destination, the wooden door to the Second Prince's room. It was a rich, deep brown, with intricate carvings on it that looked like a sort of script. Is that just for decoration, or are those actual inscriptions? Yi Qiang had to wonder as he reached out toward the door, knocking on it.

  A few seconds after, it opened up, revealing the Second Prince dressed in casual clothes. Didn't expect much else, he's no fan of formalities. The prince beckoned Yi Qiang in.

  "Sooner than I expected. I thought you were a busy guy, huh. Looks like I got lucky."

 Yi Qiang only nodded in response as Shenyu carefully surveyed the room. The archer did the same.

  The decorations of the room were just as informal as the Second Prince's fashion style, with no paintings or refined sculptures. Instead, the marble walls of the room were furnished only by even more intricate letters carved into them. I wonder what those do.

  In the center of the room, there was a table made of the same material as the door. The desk lacked its inscriptions, however, with only signs of constant use covering it. There were several sheets of paper stacked on it and a quill with an inkwell next to the documents.

  The Second Prince headed over to the desk and sat in the chair, facing Yi Qiang. The archer walked over and stood across from him, ready to listen.

  "All right, so your time has come."