At the central gates of the Spirit Affinity House, two young girls appeared. Their clothes were tattered and stained with mud from the recent downpour, their faces a mixture of exhaustion and awe. The elder girl held a silver family token—the one Wei Ran had given her—and a simple umbrella. Because of that token, the clan guards did not drive them away; instead, they escorted them inside with a measure of cautious respect.
The elder girl's name was Lian, and the younger one was Miao. They carried no clan names or titles; they were merely commoners, nameless seeds in a world of giants.
When they stepped into Wei Ran's palatial residence, the atmosphere was far from what they had imagined. Instead of cold steel or executioners, they were met with an unexpected warmth. Emma Fairy and even the usually haughty Feng Jin Huang greeted them with a strange, almost unsettling kindness.
"Poor things, you must be freezing," Emma Fairy said softly. She immediately signaled the servants to prepare hot baths and fresh silk robes for the guests.
Feng Jin Huang knelt slightly, wiping a smudge of mud from little Miao's cheek before handing her a tray of sweets. "My brother's taste isn't so bad after all," she whispered with a playful smirk. "Especially this little one; she's quite adorable."
However, not everyone shared this sentiment. In the shadowed corners of the courtyard, several elders watched the scene with thinly veiled contempt.
"Two commoner brats in the residence of the clan successor?" one elder hissed to another. "A total waste of resources. Feng Jiu Ge is indulging his son's whims far too much."
Wei Ran, however, was nowhere to be found. He was deep within the clan's library, cross-referencing records and maps.
Later that evening, the family gathered for dinner in the main hall. Feng Jiu Ge, Emma Fairy, and Feng Jin Huang sat around the table. The conversation was typical of a noble household—dry, formal, and centered on clan affairs: harvest yields of spirit herbs and recent weather patterns.
At that moment, Wei Ran entered the hall. His face remained an unreadable mask of frost, his gaze sharp and focused.
"You've returned, Wei?" Jiu Ge said pleasantly. "Your guests have settled in. We've made sure they were well looked after."
Wei Ran nodded curtly and took his seat. He remained silent for a moment before steering the conversation toward his true objective. "The elder has issued a mission. The hunt for a Hundred Beast King. I have decided to complete this task as a team."
Jiu Ge and Emma exchanged a surprised glance. Jin Huang stopped eating and leaned in, looking at her brother with genuine curiosity.
"A team?" Jin Huang chuckled. "You and who? Your new maids? They don't even know what a Gu is."
"No," Wei Ran replied calmly, meeting her eyes. "The second member of my team will be you, sister."
A heavy silence fell over the hall. Jin Huang's smile faltered. "Me? Why would I go with you?" she asked, her pride flaring. "I have my own plans, and with my talent, I can take down a Hundred Beast King on my own."
Wei Ran took a deliberate bite of his food, chewed slowly, and then spoke with a chillingly logical tone. "Because if I go with you, my essence consumption will be kept to a minimum. You will act as the distraction, breaking the beast's defense, and I will deliver the finishing blow in a single strike. It is a matter of efficiency. Why waste energy when a shortcut exists?"
"Furthermore," Wei Ran continued, his eyes locked onto hers, "this benefits you as well. In the eyes of the elders, you will be seen as the 'benevolent elder sister working in harmony with her brother.' It will solidify your reputation within the clan."
Emma Fairy couldn't help but laugh softly. "Jiu Ge, look at how calculating your son is. He's even factored in his sister's public image."
Feng Jin Huang fell silent, contemplating. Her brother's logic was as cold and unyielding as iron. He wasn't appealing to her emotions; he was presenting a strategic advantage.
"Fine," Jin Huang finally conceded. "But on one condition. When we bring back the prize, we present it as a joint effort, and I expect no complaints about my methods."
"Agreed," Wei Ran said, standing up from the table. "We leave at dawn. Be ready, sister. Let us show them what the harmony of Frost and Light can achieve."