Qi Tianlong

It was late at night.

In the Qi Clan courtyard.

A figure appeared out of thin air outside the north room's window.

The north room was Qi Tianji's residence.

Inside, Qi Tianji sat cross-legged on the floor, his eyes shut tight. He held the Heavenly Secrets Divine Calculation Flag in his right hand, while his left tapped at a chessboard suspended in the air.

"You're here?"

Qi Tianji opened his eyes and looked at the figure outside the window.

Judging by her outline, she was a woman with graceful curves.

"I'm dead tired. Which room am I sleeping in?" the shapely figure asked, yawning, her voice drowsy.

"Xiao Long, let's talk first." Qi Tianji put away the chessboard, a faint worry on his face. "Xiao Lin used a Profound Sea Realm-Breaking Pill, but he only broke through one level."

"One level?" The shapely figure fell silent for a moment. "That's impossible. Even without a clan soul, he should have broken through two or three levels."

"How many did you break through back then?" Qi Tianji asked.

"What a stupid question. That pill is meant to get you across the Profound Sea. Of course I went straight into the Earth Yang Realm," the shapely figure said.

"That's why I'm worried!" Qi Tianji reached up and rubbed his head. "The boy is a top genius in the Great Cang Kingdom, but in the Divine Ash Ruins, among your generation, he doesn't seem able to even catch sight of his peers' backs... The martial intent inheritance of our Qitian Clan Soul is far too important!"

"It doesn't matter." The shapely figure's voice rang with fierce conviction from outside the window. "He's my little brother. Genius or trash, I'll protect him for the rest of my life."

Qi Tianji smiled. "You haven't even met him yet, and blood's already thicker than water?"

"Another stupid question? He's my only little brother!" the shapely figure said.

Qi Tianji was immensely gratified to hear it. "Xiao Lin was born the ancestors' spirit guardian. He's been alone for too long. Now that he has a sister like you, his hard days are finally over."

"Grandpa." The shapely figure thought for a moment, then asked, "Xiao Lin was born without a clan soul, so the evil gods aren't likely to notice him. That's why he's suited to be the spirit guardian. But now that the clan flame has been rekindled, the path to setting the plains ablaze with that spark is fraught with danger. Why not have someone else wield the sword?"

"No." Qi Tianji shook his head. "The clan genealogy says clearly that only the spirit guardian may venerate the clan flame."

"Why did the ancestors leave such contradictory instructions?" The shapely figure sighed. "Without a clan soul, the spirit guardian's martial path is limited, yet he has to face the greatest calamities..."

"I don't know either." Qi Tianji looked at the figure outside the window. "That's why, Long'er, as his elder sister, you really will have to do more."

"Got it." The shapely figure was in a poor mood and didn't want to say more. "Which room is mine?"

"The south room."

Qi Tianji saw the figure vanish in an instant, but still added:

"Remember, Long'er, now that you've returned to the ancestral land, from this day on, you're no longer a heaven's chosen of the Divine Ash Ruins. You have only one identity..."

"The eldest daughter of the Qi Clan in Mystic City, Great Cang Kingdom!"

In the early morning.

Dawn broke.

Covered in dew, Qi Lin walked into the Qi Clan courtyard from outside.

"I'll go change in the south room first."

The south room faced south and got too much sun, so nobody lived in it. Qi Lin often hung his clothes there.

The door creaked open, and he pulled off his shirt, revealing his lean, muscular torso.

"You're exposing yourself, little brother."

A woman's voice suddenly came from behind him, startling Qi Lin so badly that he jumped three feet into the air.

Luckily, his pants were still on!

He hurriedly turned around and saw a woman lying on her side on the guest bed!

Her body was covered by the quilt, and she was looking at Qi Lin through sleepy eyes, a faint smile on her lips.

"Sorry!"

Qi Lin had no idea who she was and hurried to bolt.

"Don't go."

By the time her words fell, the woman had already gotten out of bed. She wore a loose, silky pink robe, and her long hair was disheveled.

Though she wore no makeup, her natural beauty was plain to see. A few gleaming silver strands ran through her black hair, and she was tall and slender, with graceful curves and a striking bearing. Her oval face had a commanding beauty.

"What a beautiful woman!" Qi Lin stared at her, stunned.

"Xiao Lin, this is your own elder sister," Qi Tianji said with a smile. He had appeared outside the door at some point.

"What?" Qi Lin looked at the woman in disbelief. "Don't joke around!"

"Who's joking? Look at the two of you. Don't you look alike?" Qi Tianji said.

"Now that you mention it..."

The moment Qi Lin had first seen her, that feeling of shared blood had begun to well up.

He and the woman stared wide-eyed at each other for a while before Qi Lin couldn't help saying, "You really are my sister? No wonder you look more ordinary the longer I look!"

"Say that again, you little brat!" The woman's delicate brows shot up.

Seeing that trouble was brewing, Qi Tianji hurriedly slipped between them and said to the woman, "Ahem, didn't you promise to protect your brother for the rest of your life?"

"Fine!" The woman snorted. "Your esteemed sister won't stoop to holding a petty person's offenses against him."

"Grandpa." Qi Lin still found it hard to believe. He took Qi Tianji by the arm. "When did my dad have an illegitimate daughter?"

The woman laughed at that. "I'm older than you. Could it be that you're the illegitimate son?"

"No way!" Qi Lin recalled. "As far as I can remember, Mom and Dad were always with me when I was six or seven."

"I'm dying here. As far as I can remember, Mom and Dad were always with me, except when you were six or seven." The woman couldn't help laughing. "Little brother, think about it. Which one of us sounds more like the illegitimate child hidden away where no one could see him?"

"Holy crap!"

Qi Lin was in disarray.

I'm an illegitimate son?

The kind who can't inherit the family fortune?

"Stop talking nonsense." Qi Tianji covered his face. "You two have the same father and mother. You're both legitimate descendants. You were just raised apart, so it's normal that you're not close."

"Grandpa, were the conditions where she grew up better than mine?" Qi Lin couldn't help asking.

"Well, a little better, I suppose. Just a little," Qi Tianji said awkwardly.

"Then I'm definitely not an illegitimate son." Qi Lin paused. "I'm a freaking abandoned child!"

That was even worse than an illegitimate child!

The woman looked at him with a smile. "Don't be upset. I'll tell you about Mom and Dad in due course. Let's get acquainted first. My name is Qi Tianlong."

"What Qi Tianlong? The Qi Clan only has Qi Long." Qi Tianji glared at the woman.

"Qi Long it is, then." The woman smiled at Qi Lin. "Little brother, let's get along from now on."

Seeing that her attitude was decent enough, Qi Lin didn't stay angry. Instead, he called out, "Sis!"

He accepted the fact.

After all, Grandpa had already prepared him for it, saying that "guests" would arrive at the house one after another and that he would no longer be an orphan.

He had been alone for too long. Deep down, he longed for family.

"Yes!" Qi Tianlong answered with satisfaction, then said, "Xiao Lin, I hear you're very talented in martial cultivation. You can even get into the Divine Strategy Manor?"

"What cultivation realm are you in, Sis?" Qi Lin asked.

Regret appeared in Qi Tianlong's eyes. "Your poor sister has it hard. I'm young, but weak and sickly, without even the strength to truss a chicken. I'll have to rely on you to protect me for the rest of my life."

"I see..." Qi Lin coughed. "All right, I'll have your back."

"Also, I'm too weak to do housework. I'm usually drowsy and sleepy, need a light diet, and don't eat cilantro..."

Qi Lin couldn't help feeling a headache coming on. His sister looked like a pampered young lady!

But what could he do? She was his family.

Qi Lin could only steel himself. "No problem. Whatever housework there is, just tell your little brother to do it."

"Wonderful!" Qi Tianlong's face lit up. She came over and hugged Qi Lin. "Little brother, it's so good to have you."

That hug made Qi Lin a hundred percent certain she was his sister.

After all, if any other pretty young woman had gotten so close, he would have blushed already.

Instead of just wanting to kick her away.

"Stop acting crazy, ugly!" Qi Lin cursed.

"Hey, you little brat! Ivory really can't come out of a dog's mouth. What part of me is ugly?"

"You're ugly down to your soul."

"I'll fight you!"

Watching the siblings, who had never met before, get along so "harmoniously" so quickly, Qi Tianji was momentarily lost in thought.

His heart was filled with emotion.

"All right! You two, stop fooling around."

Qi Tianji coughed. "There's something important I need to tell you both."