The Fourth Prince Si Tinglei — A Massive Deal

Red Maple Empire. Talent Camp.

The four of them arrived at the Virtual Building.

The Virtual Building stood eight stories tall, its exterior a solid jet black. Inside were simulation rooms similar to those found at the Land of Origin's Training Hall — spaces where opponents could be conjured for virtual combat. Injuries sustained within, even death, were not real; it was one of the Talent Camp's designated grounds for live combat practice, and it doubled as the venue for Battle Power assessments.

Because today was the last day of September, the building was unusually crowded.

Eight floors. Six rooms per floor. Forty-eight simulation chambers in total — meaning only forty-eight students could be engaged in simulated combat at once.

As a result, a sizable crowd had spilled into the lobby below, waiting their turn.

When the four of them walked in, the bored students turned almost as one. The moment eyes landed on Lu Yuan, whispers ignited across the hall.

Word that Lu Yuan was the human boy lord from the Aier Mechanical Ruins had swept through the entire Talent Camp like wildfire. Most of the students present hadn't personally crossed paths with him during the expedition, but they all knew the story.

A number of them stood up, smiling broadly, and began drifting toward him.

Lu Yuan felt his mood dim.

*More family scions and corporate heirs here to recruit.*

Then a voice rang out — clear and bright:

"Third Brother, you're here too."

Lu Yuan turned. Walking toward them was a golden-haired young man who bore a distinct resemblance to Si Tingfeng — equally handsome, dressed in the Talent Camp's white uniform, his manner polished and unhurried.

Si Tingfeng raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Fourth Brother — what a coincidence. I wasn't expecting you."

The golden-haired young man smiled back, then shifted his gaze to Lu Yuan. His eyes moved with intent curiosity.

"You must be the junior who teamed up with the Tianming Princess and the little princess of the Tianrao Battle Emperor to lure out and eliminate two Innate King Grade geniuses — Lu Yuan, right? Impressive bearing. I'm Si Tinglei, Fourth Prince of the Red Maple Empire."

Lu Yuan wasn't particularly surprised. The moment he'd heard those two exchange words, he'd already suspected they were brothers.

He smiled. "Good to meet you, Senior Si Tinglei."

Si Tinglei's smile widened. "I hear you're also my imperial sister's student? She's never taken anyone on before — you'd be her first. That makes us practically family. We should get to know each other better. Why don't we swap contact details? I'll treat you to a meal sometime."

Beside him, Si Tingfeng's brow tightened for just a moment. He glanced at Si Tinglei's beaming expression but held his tongue.

Lu Yuan hadn't expected such a warm reception, but he nodded and exchanged contact information without protest.

Once that was done, Si Tinglei continued: "By the way — your haul from the ruins must have been considerable. I'm Third-rank myself, but several of my companions are still First or Second-rank. If you have any First or Second-rank Gene Armaments, how about selling a few to your senior here?"

The six young men and four young women who had been trailing quietly behind Si Tinglei all blinked — then broke into expressions of genuine gratitude.

The most striking of the girls, a golden-haired young woman, quickly spoke up. "Your Highness, we—"

Si Tinglei raised a hand. "No need to say anything. If you follow me, your armaments shouldn't be lacking."

He had a fair number of followers, and outfitting them all with quality Gene Armaments would put a real dent in his credits. But he wasn't too concerned. Even if Lu Yuan's haul had been impressive, surely not every armament he'd come back with would perfectly suit all ten of his companions? At most, Si Tinglei figured, he'd end up spending a few tens of thousands — a reasonable price for followers who would be that much more devoted afterward.

And beyond the practical calculation: it showed generosity, a willingness to honor talent. The kind of conduct that drew more people to his banner. It would also leave Lu Yuan with a favorable impression.

Worth every credit, he decided.

*If Lu Yuan could eventually be brought into his camp — all the better.*

Lu Yuan swept his gaze across the ten followers and felt his eyes light up.

Three were Third-rank. Among the remaining seven, four were Second-rank and three were First-rank.

*This is a serious business opportunity.*

He smiled. "Senior Si Tinglei is truly generous. As for First and Second-rank Gene Armaments — I do have some. First-rank, I have both Boss Grade and Chief Grade. Second-rank, I have Boss Grade, Chief Grade, and Lord Grade as well. What type is Senior looking for? I'll take a look through what I have."

"You have Second-rank Lord Grade too? And multiple types of those?"

A beat of silence, then heads turned toward Lu Yuan from across the hall, surprise registering on more than a few faces.

The numbers were common knowledge. A First-rank Chief Grade Gene Armament ran anywhere from 1,000 to 3,000 credits. A Second-rank Lord Grade Gene Armament was 10,000 to 50,000. And Transcendent Genes were a different matter entirely — even an ordinary Chief Grade Transcendent Gene was worth around 10,000 credits, while rare or exceptional variants could climb into the hundreds of thousands, even millions. An ordinary Lord Grade Transcendent Gene started around 100,000, and extraordinary ones went far beyond that.

If Lu Yuan genuinely had Second-rank Lord Grade Gene Armaments — even just two or three — that was already several tens of thousands of credits right there. Factor in everything else, and the total could easily top a hundred thousand.

That was more wealth than the vast majority of students in this room. Some Fourth-rank Battle Venerables didn't carry credits like that.

Lu Yuan had already been planning to post his spoils on the school's trading forum. He might as well put out a preview now.

"Fellow seniors," he said, smile easy and bright, "I do have quite a bit to offer. I'll be listing my battle loot on the school's trading forum before long — quality goods at fair prices. Any seniors who are interested are welcome to stop by."

Curiosity rippled through the watching students.

Si Tinglei, however, felt a flicker of unease. He studied Lu Yuan carefully.

*Could this guy actually have armaments that suit all of my companions?*

*That can't be right...*

He pressed the feeling down and smiled. "In that case — give me one First-rank Chief Grade spear, primarily boosting Strength, with a burst-type Combat Technique trait if possible. And one First-rank Chief Grade longsword, primarily boosting..."

Si Tinglei proceeded to rattle off a long, detailed list of specifications: four Second-rank Lord Grade weapons, three First-rank Chief Grade weapons, each with exacting requirements. He genuinely did not believe Lu Yuan could satisfy all of them. At most he'd have to buy one or two items; the cost would stay in a manageable range.

When he finished, Lu Yuan studied him with mild surprise.

*This senior's standards are quite high. Armaments like that are going to cost a fortune.*

*And he's actually willing to spend that much on other people?*

*What a generous guy.*

The young men and women behind Si Tinglei wore small, touched expressions. Most of them came from ordinary backgrounds rather than major families, and their equipment reflected that. What Si Tinglei was offering was peak-tier gear for their current cultivation level.

Small wonder they were moved.

Lu Yuan reached into his inventory and produced seven orbs of light — four violet and three blue — then turned to Si Tinglei with a broad smile.

"These should match your requirements, Senior. Take a look."

For a high-value client, Lu Yuan's manner was impeccable.

The students around them stared at the seven orbs, and a ripple of shock passed through the crowd.

Every specification Si Tinglei had listed — fulfilled?

If this were sheer luck, it defied all reason. There was only one conclusion: Lu Yuan was sitting on far more Gene Armaments than any of them had imagined.

*He's absolutely loaded.*

Envy ate at more than a few people in the room. Those seven armaments alone were worth more than their entire combined assets.

Si Tinglei's gaze locked onto the orbs. His breath caught.

*Are you serious?*

*He actually has all of this?*

He could barely wrap his mind around it. With Lu Yuan's smile still trained on him, Si Tinglei reached out and lifted one of the violet orbs to inspect it.

**SS1-Type Thunder Battle Spear (Second-rank, 90%): Lord Grade Gene Armament.** *Primary enhancement: Strength. Secondary enhancements: Agility and Constitution. When Spirit Power is channeled into the spear, it becomes wreathed in arcs of lightning, greatly amplifying its destructive force.*

A bead of sweat materialized on Si Tinglei's brow.

*He's actually selling something this valuable?*

That spear alone had to be worth around 30,000 credits — more than most Third-rank Chief Grade armaments. A chill crept up the back of his neck.

*What about the rest?*

He checked the other orbs, his skepticism dying a little more with each one. By the last, it was gone entirely. Every armament was exceptional. Every armament matched exactly what he'd asked for.

Si Tinglei's expression grew heavier. *How many credits is this going to cost me?*

He was still running numbers when Lu Yuan's cheerful voice cut through his thoughts:

"Senior Si Tinglei — what do you think? Solid armaments, right? Feel free to name a price."

Si Tinglei came back to himself. He looked at Lu Yuan's expectant face, and the corner of his mouth pulled sideways against his will.

He opened his mouth to speak. Then Si Tingfeng stepped smoothly forward with a pleasant smile.

"Ah Yuan, Fourth Brother — let me appraise these for you both. Completely impartial, straight market rate."

"Third Brother, I'm fully capable of evaluating them myself." Si Tinglei's smile stayed fixed, his mind churning furiously for any way to gracefully escape this transaction.

"Why stand on ceremony with your elder brother? I can't let my little brother get shortchanged, can I? These are armaments you're buying for your own followers — if something turned out to be off, it would reflect on you as well." Si Tingfeng's smile did not so much as waver as he reached out, took the orbs, and began examining them one by one.

Si Tinglei: *...*

*You absolute—*

Lu Yuan genuinely did not care who did the appraisal. Credits were credits.

Si Tingfeng worked through the orbs methodically, surprise surfacing in his eyes despite himself. Even he hadn't expected the armaments Lu Yuan produced so casually to be of this caliber.

"This Thunder Battle Spear — market value on the platform is around 30,000. This Slaughterer Battle Axe — roughly 33,000. This one..."

He named a price for each in turn, then tallied it up.

"Combined market value: 127,000 credits. The standard convention is ninety percent of market rate, putting the total at 114,300. Fourth Brother, you are truly magnanimous."

Si Tingfeng let out a soft, appreciative exhale that contained no small amount of brotherly delight.

Black lines formed across Si Tinglei's forehead. Behind him, his followers exchanged glances — eyes shining.

A hundred and fourteen thousand credits.

The beautiful young woman at the front gazed at Si Tinglei, her eyes luminous and bright: "Your Highness is far too good to us!"

At her side, a tall, broad-shouldered young man stared at the violet orb cradling the battle axe with fierce, solemn eyes. "A warrior dies for the one who recognizes his worth. From this day forward, Ren Chou will walk through fire and flood for Your Highness — without a second thought!"

The watching students murmured in admiration.

"No wonder he's the Fourth Prince. Willing to spend that many credits strengthening his followers."

"He truly does live up to the reputation. Junior Lu Yuan wasn't wrong about the generous part."

"I wonder — if I joined His Highness's camp, would he buy me an armament too?"

Si Tinglei nearly choked on air.

*You have got to be—!*

*My total credits are barely over 400,000, and I just torched a quarter of them in one go! Those were the credits I was saving for a Transcendent Gene!*

*Like hell I'd ever spend credits on you lot!*

He wanted nothing more than to silence the last person who'd spoken.

But his followers were watching. The whole hall was watching.

If he backed down now, the blow to his reputation would be severe.

He let a generous, unhurried smile settle onto his face.

"These are quality armaments — no question about it. I knew your haul was impressive, junior, but the caliber here still caught me off guard. We have a deal."

Lu Yuan looked at Si Tinglei with genuine appreciation. He grinned. "Senior is a real gentleman. Since you're buying in volume, I should return the favor — let's call it 114,000 even. I'll waive the remainder."

Something warm stirred in Si Tinglei's chest, brief and unexpected.

Three hundred credits was objectively nothing. But the gesture carried a signal: at minimum, one goal had been achieved. Lu Yuan seemed to hold a decent opinion of him.

*There may still be a path to bringing him in eventually.*

"Since junior insists," Si Tinglei said, smooth and composed, "I won't refuse."

Just as that thought settled, Lu Yuan smiled again. "Oh — one more thing, Senior. I also have Lord Grade battle armor. And Chief Grade and Lord Grade Transcendent Genes. Would you care to take a look?"

In Lu Yuan's estimation, Gene Armaments were small change. Transcendent Genes were where the real money lived. A single Lord Grade Transcendent Gene started at 100,000 credits. If Si Tinglei picked up two or three of those...

The smile on Si Tinglei's face locked in place.

A moment passed. Then he produced a thin, careful smile.

"Perhaps another time. Next visit — for certain."

Disappointment flickered briefly across Lu Yuan's face.

But then he considered: this senior had just spent 114,000 credits. That was still a respectable showing.

"Fair enough," Lu Yuan said pleasantly.

He passed the orbs over. Si Tinglei produced his student card and completed the transfer.

114,000 credits in hand. Lu Yuan's spirits lifted considerably.

*One step closer to buying the Flicker Transcendent Gene.*

He glanced around the packed lobby, and a new thought occurred to him: why wait for the trading forum? There was a ready audience right here, right now.

His eyes brightened.

"By the way, everyone," he announced, voice carrying easily across the hall, "I have quite a few more items suitable for First and Second-rank cultivators — Gene Armaments, Transcendent Genes, rare natural materials, talismans, Psionic Bombs, Gene Evolution Fluid for breakthroughs, and more. If there's anything you're looking for, come find me."

The students who had just watched the transaction all turned with fresh curiosity. They crowded forward, pressing around Lu Yuan from every side.

"Junior Lu Yuan, I'm looking for a Second-rank Chief Grade longsword focused on speed enhancement — do you have one?"

"You have Gene Evolution Fluid for breakthroughs? How many credits? If the price is reasonable, I'll take one."

"Junior Lu Yuan, I need..."

Voices piled on top of each other. Lu Yuan's smile only widened.

"Easy, everyone. Plenty for all — no need to rush!"

The students who had come to the Virtual Building to wait for the month-end Battle Power assessment found themselves swept up in something else entirely.

The lobby had become Lu Yuan's open-air bazaar.