Sisters!

Dragon Domain, core region, the quiet little courtyard where Qing Lin lived.

When Gu Long arrived with Xun Er through the teleportation array, Qing Lin was in the courtyard having her daily "conversation" with several little snakes of different colors.

She wore a clean green dress and was still as small and thin as before, but her complexion was far better than when she had been in Mo City.

Whenever she focused, her Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils unconsciously shimmered with a faint jade-green radiance that made one's heart tremble.

Several second- and third-grade snake magical beasts docilely coiled around her wrists, the crooks of her arms, or rested at her feet. Guided by her thoughts, they performed all sorts of nimble movements.

Hearing footsteps, Qing Lin looked up warily.

The moment she saw Gu Long, her eyes immediately revealed dependence and joy.

But when her gaze landed on Xun Er beside him—a peerlessly beautiful girl with an ethereal temperament—she instinctively took half a step back.

A flicker of inferiority and timidity passed through Qing Lin's eyes. She lowered her head slightly, her small hands anxiously twisting the hem of her clothes.

"Big Brother..." she called softly, her voice frail and quiet.

"Qing Lin, don't be nervous." Gu Long's voice was as calm as ever. "This is Xun Er."

Looking at the frail green-haired girl with her timid eyes, the clearly ill-fitting clothes she wore, and the strange yet harmonious scene between her and the snake magical beasts, Xun Er inexplicably felt a pang in her heart.

She could sense a pure yet fragile aura about this girl.

She stepped forward. Rather than stopping because of Qing Lin's retreat, she crouched down at just the right distance, bringing her gaze level with Qing Lin's.

A smile as gentle as spring sunlight bloomed on Xun Er's face. "Hello, Qing Lin. My name is Xun Er. The little points of light in your eyes are so beautiful, like gemstones."

Her voice was soft and naturally warm, while her gaze was clear. There was not a trace of disgust in it—only pure curiosity and kindness.

Qing Lin froze as she looked at the beautiful Gu Xun Er before her.

Ever since she was little, everyone who saw her eyes had either been afraid, disgusted, or treated her as a monster.

Never had anyone described them with words like "beautiful" or "like gemstones."

She cautiously raised her eyes and met Xun Er's smiling, beautiful gaze. The guard in her heart silently melted a little beneath the other girl's untainted goodwill.

"R-Really?"

She asked timidly, with a trace of disbelief.

"Of course it's true." Xun Er nodded firmly, her gaze sweeping over the obedient First-Grade Snake on Qing Lin's wrist. "They're adorable too. You're amazing—you can be friends with them."

Mentioning the snakes seemed to give Qing Lin a little confidence.

She gently stroked the cool scales of the little snake around her wrist and softly said, "They... they're all very obedient."

Gu Long stood to one side without interrupting, simply watching the girls' first meeting in silence.

Xun Er's kindness and intelligence allowed her to easily break down the barriers between people.

Under Xun Er's proactive yet gentle guidance, Qing Lin gradually became less nervous.

The two sat on the stone benches in the courtyard. Xun Er curiously asked how she communicated with snakes, while Qing Lin answered softly and haltingly.

Every now and then, Qing Lin demonstrated, having a little snake coil itself into a circle according to her will.

The atmosphere gradually grew harmonious.

After chatting for a while, Xun Er seemed to think of something and softly asked, "Qing Lin, where is your family?"

The faint brightness on Qing Lin's face instantly dimmed at that question.

She lowered her head and remained silent for a long time. Just when Xun Er thought she would not answer, she finally began to recount her past in a nearly inaudible, halting voice.

Ever since she could remember, she had struggled to survive in the filthiest corners of Mo City. She did not know who her parents were. Because of her "monster-like" eyes, everyone had rejected, beaten, and bullied her...

To stay alive, she picked up food others had thrown away and fought stray dogs for scraps. Only when she was with the snakes, insects, and rats that no one cared about did she feel a trace of warmth from not being rejected...

Her voice was calm, without complaint or tears, yet the loneliness and suffering embedded deep in her bones moved anyone who heard it.

Xun Er listened quietly, and a mist of tears gradually clouded her clear eyes.

She had been born into the Ancient Clan and showered with endless affection since childhood. Though she had left home early to train, how could she ever have heard of such a tragic upbringing?

She could not imagine how a girl so young had survived in such a hopeless environment.

When Qing Lin spoke of the time she had nearly been beaten to death by several thugs, only for a First-Grade Snake that happened to pass by to frighten them away, Xun Er could no longer hold back.

She reached out and gently took Qing Lin's small hands, which had become somewhat rough from years of labor and malnutrition.

Qing Lin's whole body trembled. She instinctively tried to pull her hands back, but Xun Er held them gently yet firmly.

"I'm sorry," Xun Er said, her voice choking slightly. "You had to go through so many terrible things."

Qing Lin raised her head. Seeing the sincere pity and tears in Xun Er's eyes, the shell of strength she had always forced herself to wear finally cracked.

Grievance, bitterness, and a warmth she had never experienced before—the feeling of being cherished by someone—intertwined within her. Her eyes rapidly reddened, and large tears silently rolled down her cheeks.

She did not break into loud sobs. She merely cried quietly, her thin shoulders trembling faintly.

Xun Er gently drew her into her embrace, patting her back as she said softly, "It's all in the past now. No one will bully you again. This place is your home."

Feeling the suppressed sobs and slender body of the girl in her arms, Xun Er's heart filled with the urge to protect her.

She looked up at Gu Long, her eyes pleading. "Brother Gu Long, can Qing Lin stay with me from now on? I want to take care of her."

Gu Long looked at the two girls embracing and nodded. "Since she is already here, do as you wish."

Xun Er smiled through her tears and lowered her head, whispering softly to Qing Lin in her arms, "Qing Lin, from now on, will you be my little sister? Let me take care of you and protect you."

Qing Lin raised her head from Xun Er's embrace, her tear-filled eyes looking at Xun Er and that stunningly beautiful face so close at hand, filled with sincerity and tenderness.

Little sister... the term was far too unfamiliar to her, yet far too warm.

She had never imagined that a "jinx" like herself could have an "older sister."

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but no sound came out. She could only nod vigorously as her tears flowed even harder.

But this time, her tears no longer held only bitterness. They carried the relief and joy of finally finding someone to rely on.

"Si... Sister..."

At last, she gathered her courage and called out the title in a voice so soft it was nearly inaudible.

"Yes!"

Xun Er answered happily, hugging her a little tighter. A radiant smile bloomed across her face, as though accepting this little sister was something that brought her immense joy.

From that moment onward, the invisible barrier between them vanished completely.

Xun Er eagerly began making plans—she would prepare beautiful clothes that fit Qing Lin, teach her to read and write, and show her many more interesting things...

Qing Lin leaned against Xun Er's side, listening to her pleasant voice and feeling a care she had never known before.

The timidity in those Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils gradually faded, replaced by a glimmering light of longing and hope for a new life.

Gu Long watched the scene with gentle eyes.

Having Xun Er accept Qing Lin had not been something he deliberately arranged, but it had become the natural outcome.

Xun Er's kindness made up for the warmth Qing Lin had lacked, while Qing Lin's pure soul and unusual fate could also bring Xun Er new insights.

The future of these two sisters was something to look forward to.

More importantly, with this strong bond in place, Qing Lin's connection to Dragon Domain—and to Gu Long himself—would become even closer.

This future wielder of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, capable of commanding all serpents, would truly become an indispensable member of their group.

The lingering rays of the setting sun filled the small courtyard, casting a warm halo over the two graceful figures standing hand in hand.

A sisterly bond that transcended status and experience quietly took root and began to grow deep within Dragon Domain.