Lu Yuan: How Did I Suddenly Reach Out?

"A time-type Transcendent Gene... you big con artist, you really dream big."

Amy gave Lu Yuan a peculiar look. "If a time-type Transcendent Gene actually existed, even Battle Saint-level powerhouses would be fighting over it, wouldn't they?"

Small White and Wang Lingling wore the same odd expressions, and even Yeye's gaze had shifted to something hard to read.

Lu Yuan cleared his throat. "Fine — a spatial-type, or some other unusually rare Transcendent Gene, then."

Yeye considered it and nodded. "I'll look into it when I get back. The tier might not be very high."

Lu Yuan smiled and shook his head. "That's alright — lower tier is fine too."

For him, a lower tier just meant spending a few Spirit Crystals to evolve it. Nothing to worry about.

Amy chimed in as well. "I'll have a look too. I'll bring whatever I find next time."

Lu Yuan smiled and nodded.

Yeye stood. "Now that we're done here, we'll be heading off. I still need to cultivate when I get back."

Lu Yuan rose as well. "Then I'll—"

He hadn't finished the sentence when Amy suddenly burst out:

"Hold on, you big con artist!"

A cold sweat prickled at Lu Yuan's forehead.

*Had Amy remembered what he'd said earlier... about those biology materials?*

He quickly realized he'd been thinking in the wrong direction entirely.

"My great-grandfather wants to meet you," Amy said. "Come with me to Tianrao City first."

"Your great-grandfather?"

Lu Yuan blinked, then his eyes widened slightly. "You mean the Tianrao Battle Emperor?"

Amy smiled and nodded. "That's right — he's my great-grandfather."

Yeye and Small White glanced at Amy, then at Lu Yuan, and said nothing further.

As for Lu Yuan's affairs, Yeye had spoken about him with Yemu after their last departure from the Land of Origin. While Yemu had been somewhat surprised and curious about Lu Yuan's performance, he hadn't expressed any particular opinion about it.

After all, he wasn't of their race.

Lu Yuan turned it over in his mind. Given how things stood between him and Amy, surely the Tianrao Battle Emperor wouldn't be looking to harm him?

He nodded. "Alright then."

Amy's face lit up. "Let's go!"

The five of them left the private room and headed downstairs.

They had barely set foot on the ground floor when the noise hit them.

"It's My Lord Anastasia! She actually came here!"

"I'm so lucky — I actually got to see My Lord Anastasia! I have to brag to all my friends!"

"My Lord Anastasia is still so gorgeous — that commanding aura makes you want to be crushed beneath her feet!"

"..."

Lu Yuan's expression went flat. *Had he just heard something he really shouldn't have?*

Still... Anastasia.

Wasn't that the person ranked second on the Prodigy Rankings?

The five exchanged glances and turned toward the source of the commotion.

Not far from the entrance, three Nightshade Race women were walking in.

The one at the front was breathtakingly beautiful. Her dark-crimson hair rippled and danced like some otherworldly living flame.

Her long, arched brows lent her a natural air of authority, while her dark-red eyes held a sharp, domineering intensity — and yet her every movement carried an almost dangerous allure.

She was like a queen enthroned high above the world, and a temptress capable of beguiling every living soul — both at once.

Simply by standing there, she became a vortex, drawing every gaze in the room toward her.

A jolt of alarm shot through Lu Yuan. His Mental Power surged and he snapped back to himself.

Shock flickered across his face.

*This woman was terrifying.* Just standing there, she was already reaching into his mind.

Beside him, Yeye and the others had also drifted for a moment, each shaking themselves back to awareness one by one.

They looked at one another and saw a trace of genuine surprise in every set of eyes.

Behind Anastasia followed two more Nightshade women, both strikingly beautiful in their own right — yet somehow, beside Anastasia, their brilliance dimmed.

Anastasia strode in with that imperious confidence, entering the Midnight Tavern.

Her dark-red gaze swept across the room with the cold detachment of a deity gazing down from the clouds. When it fell upon Yeye, she paused — just for a beat — then looked away and continued up the stairs.

Once Anastasia vanished to the upper floor, the clamor below surged louder than before.

Lu Yuan scanned the crowd. Most of the people staring at the staircase wore expressions of rapt adoration, while a handful wore the look of someone still recovering from a shock.

Amy couldn't hold herself back. "That woman is terrifying."

Even Yeye gave a small nod. "Mm."

Wang Lingling kept her composed smile. "That's the second-ranked genius on the overall Prodigy Rankings — someone standing at the absolute peak of the younger generation across the entire White Cloud Continent. Is it really any wonder she's terrifying?"

Everyone nodded, almost in unison.

"Our cultivation levels are still too low to be crossing paths with people like that. Maybe someday." Lu Yuan smiled lightly.

Yeye and Amy both nodded, their expressions easing.

Neither Yeye nor Amy doubted herself for a moment. Both were certain they would reach Battle Emperor one day — and perhaps climb even higher, ascending to the very pinnacle of the White Cloud Star Domain.

To them, Anastasia was just a few years older. That gap could still be closed.

Lu Yuan's mindset was even more settled.

*At the very least, he'd reach War God one day, wouldn't he? And beyond that, who could say — if there were realms past War God...*

From his perspective, Anastasia wasn't so unattainably far above him. He was just a bit weaker for now — that was all.

The five put the matter out of their minds. Seen off by the tavern staff, they left the Midnight Tavern, boarded Black Bear No. 1, and headed for the teleportation hall.

There, Yeye and Small White said their farewells.

They were heading back to Youming City, while Lu Yuan's group of three would return to Tianrao City.

Tianrao City. Tianrao Mansion.

The carriage rolled to a stop. The three stepped out, and Amy said brightly:

"This way, big con artist — I'll take you to meet my great-grandfather."

"Right." Lu Yuan drew a quiet breath to settle the faint nerves stirring in his chest.

It wasn't the anxiety of meeting Amy's family. It was the weight of standing before a Battle Emperor — a being who had already reached the absolute summit of the real world across the entire White Cloud Star Domain.

He had no precise measure of what a Battle Emperor-level powerhouse was truly capable of in combat, but he was certain it was no different from a natural disaster given human form.

The three entered the mansion. Wang Lingling split off from Lu Yuan and Amy — she needed to find Gwen, hand over the Civilization Inheritance Crystals for her to manage, and report back on the outcome of the earlier negotiations.

Lu Yuan followed Amy deep into the sprawling Tianrao Mansion to its innermost reach: a small courtyard draped in cascading Tianrao Purple Vine.

At the gate, Amy called out with a grin:

"Great-grandfather! I brought the big con artist to meet you!"

The courtyard gate swung open slowly. A warm, unhurried voice answered:

"Come in."

That gentle voice carried within it some quiet, undefined power — and somehow, the residual tension in Lu Yuan's chest dissolved the moment he heard it.

Amy, carefree as ever, bounded through the gate, pulling Lu Yuan along.

Beyond the entrance was a garden in full bloom. Lu Yuan swept his gaze over it and found that every flower was one he had never seen before.

Deeper in the garden stood a stone pavilion, and seated within it was a middle-aged man in white robes — handsome and composed.

He had the same purple hair as Amy, and the same violet eyes.

Those eyes were fixed on Lu Yuan now. The mysterious violet irises held a luminous depth, as though trying to see straight through him.

Amy led Lu Yuan over and plopped down with a grin.

"Great-grandfather! I brought the big con artist!"

Adams smiled at that — a trace of amusement curling at the corner of his mouth as he looked at Lu Yuan.

"Big con artist?"

Lu Yuan's mouth twitched. He cleared his throat.

"I... didn't give Amy my real name when we first met."

Amy gave a short huff and shot him a sidelong look of contempt.

Adams burst out laughing, then said:

"Lu Yuan — hmm. You and my little Amy get along well. How about I call you A-Yuan? Would that suit you?"

"Of course — it would be an honor." A warm feeling stirred quietly in Lu Yuan's chest.

Adams was a Battle Emperor, and one who shared the same world — Great Qi Star — as himself. Forging a closer bond with someone like Adams would obviously be a good thing.

It meant being able to walk a little more boldly from here on out.

Not that Lu Yuan was the sort of person who went around making a show of it, of course.

Adams nodded with a smile, then continued:

"Last time, Gwen already extended an invitation for you to join Tianrao City. This time, I'm inviting you in person — come join us. You and Amy are close; having you both together would be more convenient for everyone. And if you join Tianrao City, your cultivation resources will be unlimited. What do you say?"

"Unlimited cultivation resources?" The words hit Lu Yuan like a bolt of lightning, and he forgot to breathe for a moment.

What did that even mean?

Truly unlimited resources meant they were treating him as a core family member — groomed alongside the blood heirs themselves.

And this Battle Emperor, meeting him for the first time, thought that highly of him?

*He's not trying to get me to marry in, is he?*

Lu Yuan shot a glance at the guileless Amy and couldn't stop the thought from forming.

"Yes. As long as you keep advancing, resources will never be withheld." Adams confirmed without hesitation.

From Adams's vantage point, the picture was clear: Lu Yuan had perceived a Mirage Dragon, performed brilliantly in the Aier Mechanical Ruins, and as someone with no special background had still inscribed a Lord Grade gene at Second-rank. Every one of those things was extraordinary. His ceiling was impossible to estimate.

If he could draw Lu Yuan into the Algaibi Family, what did limitless resources matter? The family would gain another Battle Emperor in the future — that was a certainty.

Two Battle Emperors under one roof — just saying it aloud sounded prestigious. Even across Great Qi Star as a whole, that would give the family considerably more leverage.

And with Amy and Lu Yuan already so close, Adams had no objection to things progressing further between them. If anything, it would only be better if they did.

Lu Yuan heard the confirmation and felt slightly dazed.

Amy, sitting nearby, was watching Adams with a touch of surprise. Naive as she was, she understood well enough what "unlimited cultivation resources" meant for Lu Yuan.

*They're treating him as a full core member of the family.*

*But is this big con artist really that impressive?*

*Still... this actually works out nicely. Once the big con artist joins the family, I can have him be vice-captain of my adventure team!*

*Then I'll call him Little Yuan-zi. Heh heh heh~*

A quietly satisfied smile played at Amy's lips as she pictured Lu Yuan doing whatever she asked.

"So?" Adams asked again with a smile.

"Senior, I'm sorry." Lu Yuan steeled himself and refused. "I'm afraid I can't accept. I've never intended to join any family."

As tempting as it was, he forced himself to turn it down.

Joining another family meant losing a degree of freedom. And there was still Qinghe-jie to consider. If he joined the Algaibi Family, what would that say to her?

She came from a Battle Emperor lineage herself. If he was going to attach himself to one of those, why wouldn't it be hers?

Adams raised an eyebrow slightly. Amy's eyes went wide, her lips puffing out as she stared at him.

"Big con artist! Even with unlimited resources on the table, you still won't join our family?! Do you have any idea what kind of opportunity this is?!"

Lu Yuan smiled gently. "Amy, I'm sorry — I won't be joining any family."

Amy pursed her lips in displeasure. *Hmph. So I can't make him do all sorts of things after all.*

Adams studied Lu Yuan in silence. Being fixed with a Battle Emperor's gaze sent real pressure pressing down on him.

But then, Adams smiled.

"If you're unwilling, I won't push. That said, the doors of the Algaibi Family will remain open to you at any time."

"Thank you for understanding, Senior." The tension in Lu Yuan's chest quietly unwound.

"Little Amy has always been sheltered by the family — she's had almost no friends. You are her friend. Keep in touch... and if you ever need help with anything, you can come to me." Adams smiled.

Even if he couldn't bring Lu Yuan into the fold, Adams still chose to invest in him.

The boy was a remarkably promising prospect.

Adams trusted his own judgment.

"Thank you, Senior. I understand." Lu Yuan smiled and nodded sincerely.

"Mm."

Adams smiled.

"Alright — I won't keep you, old man that I am. Cultivate well. I have high hopes for you."

"Understood. I'll work hard and won't let you down, Senior."

Lu Yuan gave a genuine nod.

After that, Lu Yuan and Amy took their leave of Adams and stepped out of the courtyard.

Amy was still a little sulky.

"Hmph! Big con artist — what's wrong with our family, anyway? Even after great-grandfather said all that, you still wouldn't come?"

Lu Yuan smiled and, without quite thinking about it, reached out and ruffled Amy's purple hair.

Amy startled like a little rabbit. She slapped his hand away and fixed him with a wary stare.

"W-What are you doing?!"

Her ears had gone red.

Even Lu Yuan hadn't expected himself to reach out like that.

*Hm. Something's wrong with this hand.*

He let out an awkward cough. "Nothing — just trying to cheer you up."

"I don't need your cheering up!"

Amy glared at him sideways.

"Even if I'm not in your family, we're still friends, aren't we?" Lu Yuan said. "Whatever you need, just say the word — I'll come right away."

Amy's eyes lit up. "Then join my adventure team already!"

"Sure," Lu Yuan said. "Except for that."

Amy's smile froze solid. "..."

Lu Yuan cleared his throat. "Well then — this trip's haul was pretty solid. I need to go cultivate. Make sure you train hard too!"

"I know, I know."

Amy nodded.

And with that, Lu Yuan made his escape from Tianrao Mansion.

Amy watched the direction he'd gone, a slight furrow between her brows. She had the nagging sense she'd forgotten something.

She turned it over in her mind for a long while, came up empty, and eventually decided not to bother.

Lu Yuan, meanwhile, went straight to the Training Hall after leaving the mansion. Spirit Crystals in hand, he booked a twelve-day block in the Gravity Room and got to work.

In the end, Lu Yuan realized he had underestimated things a little.

After breaking through to Second-rank, the time he could spend in the Land of Origin had increased again.

It took a full twenty days before Lu Yuan finally emerged.

A flash of white light — and he was back in his dormitory room.

He glanced out the window. Early morning.

Today was the day of departure for the border.

A quiet gravity settled over Lu Yuan's face.