The Nightshade Race, and Lu Yuan's Request

"Is that the Prodigy Rankings?"

Amy's wide, luminous eyes went even wider as she stared up at the floating tablets in the sky.

Anticipation gleamed in her gaze.

"I want to be on there someday!"

Wang Lingling smiled encouragingly. "I'm sure you will, Miss."

"Of course! I'm a genius, after all!"

Amy looked extraordinarily pleased with herself.

Lu Yuan chuckled. "I'll contact Yeye and find out where she is."

"Go ahead."

He pulled out his Communication Crystal and called Yeye. Her pretty face appeared on the crystal's surface moments later.

"Yeye, we're in White Cloud City now."

Yeye nodded. "I arrived a while ago. I'm at the Midnight Tavern."

Lu Yuan glanced at Amy and Wang Lingling. Wang Lingling smiled faintly. "I know the place — it's a restaurant run by the Nightshade Race. Famous throughout all of White Cloud Continent."

Lu Yuan nodded. "We'll be right there."

Unlike privately-owned cities, White Cloud City was a native city of the Land of Origin, which meant public air transport was available for hire. But Lu Yuan had Black Bear No. 1, so he had no need for a cab.

With a flash of dark light at the roadside, Black Bear No. 1 materialized three meters above the ground.

The Gene Warriors passing by craned their necks toward it, envy flickering in their eyes. A vehicle like that was obviously worth a fortune — owning one was a statement in itself.

Wang Lingling studied it admiringly. "Is this the flyer you two used inside the Aier Mechanical Ruins?"

Amy nodded cheerfully. "Yep! Black Bear No. 1 helped us out of a lot of tight spots."

Lu Yuan agreed. "Come on, get in."

The hatch opened. Three meters was nothing to Gene Warriors — they vaulted up and inside in a single motion. Black Bear No. 1 lifted off, angling toward the Midnight Tavern under Wang Lingling's directions.

White Cloud City spanned hundreds of kilometers across, much like the other native cities of the Land of Origin. It was divided into five districts: east, west, south, north, and a central zone.

The Midnight Tavern stood in the central district — prime real estate where even renting a storefront cost a staggering amount of Spirit Crystals, let alone purchasing one outright. Having a business here was its own kind of prestige.

Before long, Black Bear No. 1 came to a halt before a six-story building of peculiar, almost mysterious architecture, its outer walls jet-black.

The three of them dropped to the ground and Lu Yuan stowed Black Bear No. 1 away.

At the entrance stood two young women in form-fitting black uniforms. Their figures were striking, their faces beautiful — black silk stockings, ears elegantly pointed, and a pair of small goat-horns rising from their heads. Their eyes and hair were both a deep, dark crimson.

Nightshade Race.

The two women bowed slightly as the trio approached, their voices soft and bewitching, like a cat's contented purr:

"Welcome, honored guests."

Something stirred faintly in Lu Yuan's chest. He found himself looking the two of them over.

He had done his reading during his time at the Talent Camp. The Land of Origin's White Cloud Continent corresponded to the White Cloud Star Domain in the real world, and he had a working knowledge of its major races.

The Nightshade Race was renowned across the entire White Cloud Star Domain. Even before laying eyes on one in person, Lu Yuan had heard of them.

Every member of the Nightshade Race was female — and beautiful without exception. It was said they reproduced through unions with other races. Any child born female would be Nightshade Race; any child born male would belong to the father's race. A thoroughly extraordinary people.

Their potential was equally extraordinary. Nearly every Nightshade woman could Awaken as a Gene Warrior, and the proportion who inherited their ancestors' genes was remarkably high. As a collective, their power ranked among the very top in the White Cloud Star Domain.

And because their very nature required intermarrying with other races, they had woven a web of interests that stretched across every corner of the White Cloud Star Domain — and, by some accounts, beyond it.

They were, by any measure, one of the most dangerous races in the White Cloud Star Domain to cross.

Which was perhaps why, despite every member being breathtakingly beautiful, no other race dared think about them the wrong way.

Lu Yuan suddenly remembered: the second-ranked Battle Venerable on the Prodigy Rankings had been Nightshade Race. *What a species,* he thought, quietly astounded.

Amy noticed where his gaze had been lingering. Her cheeks puffed out. She drove a fist into his shoulder.

"Your eyes were about to fall out of your head! Pervert!"

Lu Yuan snapped back to find Wang Lingling watching him with an amused smile.

"I never would have pegged you as that type, Mr. Lu."

The two Nightshade women at the door hadn't shifted at all, their alluring smiles perfectly unchanged. They were quite used to this sort of attention — it happened a dozen times a day.

"I was thinking about something," Lu Yuan said, his expression darkening.

Wang Lingling's smile only widened. "Of course you were. I understand completely."

Amy gave an irritated sniff and looked away.

*I'm being completely wronged here,* he thought. *I really was just thinking.*

He cleared his throat. "Let's go in."

He turned to one of the Nightshade attendants. "We're going to private room 602."

The attendant blinked, surprise flickering across her face as she looked the three of them over. The sixth floor was reserved for the most distinguished guests — these three didn't look like exceptions.

Her expression shifted, growing noticeably more respectful. She smiled enticingly and gestured forward.

"Please, right this way."

The three followed her inside.

The interior of the Midnight Tavern was dim. Deep-red crystals studded the walls at intervals, casting a brooding crimson glow. For Gene Warriors, it was more than enough light to navigate by.

They followed the attendant up the stairs to the sixth floor and stopped before a door.

"Honored guests, this is room 602."

The attendant knocked. A young cat-kin girl with white hair and white ears pulled the door open. She glanced at the attendant, then past her to Lu Yuan and Amy. When her gaze settled on Wang Lingling's cheerful smile, puzzlement flickered briefly in her eyes.

Then she smiled. "Mr. Lu Yuan, Miss Amy — please come in."

"Xiao Bai, good to see you."

Lu Yuan greeted her warmly. He had met Xiao Bai during the Aier Mechanical Ruins — she had been in contact with Yeye, and both he and Amy had been present for it.

The three filed in. The Nightshade attendant drew the door quietly shut behind them and departed.

The room was brighter than the corridor outside. Yeye sat by the window, gazing out in quiet stillness. She turned as they entered.

Amy dropped into the seat directly across from Yeye. Xiao Bai settled beside Yeye; Wang Lingling sat beside Amy. Lu Yuan surveyed the arrangement and took the center chair.

Everyone else was paired up. He was sitting alone.

*Somehow that feels a little lonely.*

Yeye looked over at him. "Lu Yuan, go ahead and put the items on the table."

He nodded, and with a casual sweep of his hand, nine Inheritance Crystals appeared on the tabletop.

Amy's and Yeye's eyes flashed at the sight. Wang Lingling and Xiao Bai couldn't fully suppress their shock.

"That many Inheritance Crystals?" Xiao Bai stared, disbelief in her voice. "The Central Floating City really had this many?"

"Of course it did," Amy said with a blink.

A quiet smile played on Lu Yuan's lips. He knew the truth — having absorbed so many Aier Core Fragments, he had become something close to a chosen of the world itself, and that was the real reason for such an extraordinary haul. Under normal circumstances, this many Inheritance Crystals would never have appeared.

"Take a look," he said simply.

These were all mechanical-technology Inheritance Crystals. For him, they were useless.

Yeye and Amy exchanged a glance — they had already reviewed them.

Amy turned to Wang Lingling. "Lingling, you take a look."

Yeye glanced at Xiao Bai. "Xiao Bai."

"Understood."

Wang Lingling and Xiao Bai exchanged a brief look, then each began picking up the Inheritance Crystals and examining them one by one.

As they worked through the pile, the excitement on their faces grew harder and harder to conceal. Clearly, the technological knowledge stored inside was of considerable value to both of them.

Wang Lingling looked at Xiao Bai. A cool light glinted in her eyes even as her smile remained perfectly warm.

"Shall we go through them one at a time?"

Xiao Bai's expression had grown equally serious. She nodded.

"Yes."

Wang Lingling picked up one of the crystals.

"This Dawn-class Anti-Gravity Generator Inheritance Crystal — Tianrao City has a use for it. We'd like to acquire it. Name your terms."

Xiao Bai glanced at the crystal, a faint gleam in her eyes.

"We can let Tianrao City have the generator. But a Dawn-class Anti-Gravity Generator at full output can support an entire Floating City — I imagine Tianrao City understands its value. Our terms are simple: a complete set of core knowledge for an Emperor Grade Spirit Cannon's energy-focusing core."

Wang Lingling's eyes narrowed slightly. "Miss Xiao Bai, your appetite is quite large. The Floating City capacity is impressive, yes — but the core knowledge for an Emperor Grade energy-focusing core is worth far more than that, and this is only one component's knowledge. The terms don't balance. How about this: we can offer the exclusive design schematics for the Tianrao Fighter. It's a Fourth-rank fighter craft."

"Fourth-rank fighter schematics?" Xiao Bai's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "That still feels slightly undervalued compared to this Inheritance Crystal. We'd want two Blue-Gold Ore Veins added on top of that."

Wang Lingling smiled pleasantly.

"Your nation's Fourth-rank fighter is the Phantom Fighter, correct? Before coming here, I took the time to research its manufacturing costs — roughly five thousand Fourth-rank Spirit Crystals. Our Tianrao Fighter, however, performs no worse in combat, and costs only four thousand five hundred Fourth-rank Spirit Crystals to produce. I think Miss Xiao Bai understands what that difference implies. Why not consult your nation's principal decision-makers on whether the exchange suits them?"

Xiao Bai studied Wang Lingling for a long moment, then smiled.

"This particular trade is within my authority to decide. If the Tianrao Fighter is as cost-efficient and combat-capable as you say, we're willing to make the exchange."

Wang Lingling smiled and tucked the Inheritance Crystal away. "Then we have a deal."

"Next — the Type I Haijin Battery..."

Lu Yuan glanced between Wang Lingling and Xiao Bai, catching only fragments of the discussion. Fourth-rank fighter manufacturing costs, technical specifications — it might as well have been a foreign language. These were standardized Spirit-powered armaments, designed for weaker Gene Warriors or ordinary civilians. For someone focused on forging individual power like him, none of it was remotely useful. And listening to the endless back-and-forth was making him drowsy.

He looked to either side.

Amy had her chin propped in both hands, her large eyes drifting shut at intervals, wavering on the edge of sleep.

Yeye had long since turned to the window and was staring out at nothing in particular.

The corner of Lu Yuan's mouth twitched. He quietly settled into his own private thoughts.

Some time later, Wang Lingling and Xiao Bai finished dividing all nine Inheritance Crystals. Both wore satisfied smiles — neither had walked away empty-handed.

Amy was slumped face-down on the table, fast asleep. Even unconscious, she looked effortlessly lovely.

Yeye had one hand propped against her cheek, still watching the view outside.

Lu Yuan had been working through plans.

With nearly ten million Fourth-rank Spirit Crystals' worth of Gene Evolution Fluid now in hand, he was set for resources — at least for the foreseeable future.

Tempering a single Lord Grade gene to perfection cost somewhere between a few hundred thousand and over a million Fourth-rank Spirit Crystals. Bringing all three of his Lord Grade genes to full completion would at most consume a few million total. That still left several million, which was more than enough to evolve all three genes to King Grade.

By then, he would already be Third-rank.

At Third-rank, he could return to the Aier Mechanical Ruins and push deeper, gathering Third-rank cultivation resources. With an entire dungeon belonging to him alone, breaking through to Fourth-rank was all but guaranteed — he might even squeeze in another round of gene evolution.

As for Fifth-rank — that was another matter entirely. Even if he drained every resource the Aier Mechanical Ruins held, it likely still wouldn't be enough. But Fifth-rank was a long way off. At least until he reached Fourth-rank, Spirit Crystals wouldn't be a concern.

What he needed to focus on now was cultivation.

Right — the special mission was coming up, and it rewarded Credits. He had worried that first and second-year allocations might be too small, leaving him needing months of selling Lord Grade Transcendent Genes to reach two million. But if the mission went well, there might be another path.

Special mission Credit rewards scaled with combat merit. So it came down to how much merit he could accumulate.

*If everything goes smoothly,* he thought, *I might be able to buy the Flicker gene right around the time I break through to Third-rank.*

At Third-rank with a spatial-type gene already in hand — that would be something. Pair Flicker Combat Technique with his effectively limitless Spirit Power, and if he chose to run, even a Battle Venerable wouldn't be able to catch him.

He was quietly looking forward to it.

Wang Lingling noticed Amy slumped face-down on the table and suppressed a flicker of amusement. She patted Amy's shoulder gently.

"Miss, it's over."

"Mmph~"

Amy's lips pursed in a drowsy protest. Across the table, Yeye came back to herself and glanced over.

Wang Lingling patted her again, more firmly this time.

"Miss, we're leaving. We'll just leave you here by yourself."

Amy jolted upright.

She rubbed her eyes blearily. "Don't leave me here alone!"

But awareness returned quickly. She looked around the room, found everyone watching her with the same mildly amused expressions, and her cheeks flushed red. She gave a deliberate cough.

"I — I was contemplating a very serious problem just now."

"Oh?" Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow. "What problem?"

Amy froze. Her mouth opened, then snapped shut. She glared at him.

"I was thinking about how to beat you up!"

Lu Yuan: "..."

He let that one go without comment.

Wang Lingling spoke up with a smile. "Miss, now that you and Princess Yeye have concluded your negotiations, it's time to settle Mr. Lu's compensation."

Amy turned to look at him. "Right — okay, you big swindler, what do you want?"

Yeye glanced over as well, a trace of curiosity in her gaze.

Lu Yuan thought for a moment. "Transcendent Genes," he said. "Rare, unusual ones — spatial-type, time-type, that kind of thing."

Nine Inheritance Crystals from an ancient civilization were no trivial haul. His share ought to be worth something genuinely exceptional.