At the world’s edge, before the Worldgate.

Half a year of rebuilding birthed the second Worldgate, and I didn’t expect it to be needed this soon; when FrostyLily Dream and I arrived, the first gate already wore spiderweb cracks and trembled like thin ice. From the shudders alone, you could feel Xiyue hammering from the far shore like a storm; could she not give it a rest?

Fueled by a flood of Primordial Source, I rushed to slide the second Worldgate over the first like a shield of stone. A project this vast drinks strength like a desert drinks rain, and it left me hollow. Truth is, adding, mending, or breaking a Worldgate is a mountain only those at the Pinnacle of Origin Realm can move.

Otherwise I wouldn’t have come to wrestle this beast myself; getting any Origin Realm to cover for me would be easier, like borrowing oars for a river crossing. Pity, there’s only me who can steer the Worldgate, because it’s a lock I forged with my own hand.

“Sis, this should be fine now, right?” FrostyLily Dream exhaled, her breath like mist after rain, as the gate steadied like a calm lake. I’d had her help at the side, and she looked drained, like a candle after midnight.

“For now, we’re fine.” I set the last seal with a touch like frost and shook my head like a wind-bent reed. “Same old line—if Xiyue doesn’t give up, this knot won’t ever truly loosen.”

“...Then what do we do?” Her calm broke like ripples, and tension climbed her shoulders like climbing ivy.

“No way around it; talking her down is a bridge that won’t reach...” I sighed, feeling a stone in my chest before I voiced the plan.

“Then beat her till she yields!” she blurted, a spark flaring in dry straw.

“If I could, I’d love to.” The words tasted like bitter tea, and my hands were tied like cords around a bell.

The world isn’t that simple; the Pinnacle of Origin Realm looks like a summit in sunlight, but power draws duty like the moon draws tides. I hold the reins of the Prime Realm, and my first vow is keeping order steady like a river’s course; if I go all-out with Xiyue and burn the bridges, lives in the Inner World and the Prime Realm would face a drowning wave.

“I know it’s not realistic,” she sighed, gloom pooling like a shadow at dusk, “but Sis, your strength outclasses Xiyue’s; being stuck like this feels suffocating.”

Strength isn’t scary; what’s scary is someone with no brakes and no bottom line, a blade without a sheath. From the look of it, Xiyue’s heart is set on breaching the Prime Realm, even if she burns every boat.

The first Worldgate was just repaired half a year back, and now it’s shattered like pottery again; without a Pinnacle of Origin Realm battering day and night, that’s impossible, and it shows Xiyue’s resolve like iron in winter.

“So you mean we can only grind it out with her?” FrostyLily Dream’s voice hung like a strand of silk.

“For now, yeah,” I said, a wry smile like a crescent moon, “we’ve got time to kill anyway; you get used to the rain if it keeps falling.”

I said it lightly, but my heart wished to cut this knot fast, like slicing a tangled thread. If it were the old Xiyue, sealing her forever would be easy, like burying embers under snow. But now she’s shoulder to shoulder with me at the Pinnacle of Origin Realm, and sealing her needs a true defeat, a mountain toppled.

To truly beat Xiyue, I’d have to clash with her at full burn, a wildfire that would sweep two forests; last time, I only touched blades and withdrew before the sparks caught.

“With your hate-for-hassle streak, that sounds like lip service, huh?” FrostyLily Dream gave me a look, a pebble skipping across water.

“No help for it; I don’t see a better path yet, so we take the long road like walkers under clouds. Blame me for being careless before; I didn’t think Xiyue would climb all the way to the Pinnacle of Origin Realm.”

Whatever the case, the storm’s already broken, and hiding under the bed won’t help; if Xiyue wants to drag this out, I can keep the vigil like a lantern at the gate.

...

The next day, Dragon Realm, Crimson Dragon Valley.

Dawn’s first ray slipped through the window like warm silk, and I drifted awake on that light like a leaf on a stream. I meant to sit up and stretch like a cat, but my arms were caught in an embrace like twining vines, and I couldn’t rise.

I opened my eyes to find Lingxiao and Lingsaki clinging to my arms like sleepy kittens, breathing soft as spring rain. They had rushed here right after finishing their cultivation yesterday.

“Mm... what now?” I thought, a sheepish smile like a smudge of sunlight.

I tried to slide my arms free, but they hugged tighter, like hands around a warm teacup; at their age, they’re still this clingy. As their older brother, should I feel happy like a hearth stoked anew?

By the way, the bed’s a small boat at best, fit for three at most; so before sleep, Lixue said, “It’s rare for Lingxiao and Lingsaki to visit; I won’t intrude,” and slipped to the next room like moonlight leaving a lake.

“Let’s sleep a bit longer~” The words drifted like feathers, and I softened.

Their sweet faces were like blooming flowers, and I couldn’t bear to wake them by force, like refusing a blossom’s scent. Were they a bit too close though? Their breath tickled my ear like willow fluff.

They’ve really grown into graceful maidens, tall as bamboo and bright as dew. My sleep fled like a startled bird, and I stared at their faces, two mirrors of spring with different lights.

They look so alike, like twin willow leaves, yet each feels different, two fragrances on one breeze. At this distance, their beauty is clear as brushwork on silk.

Before they inherited the Dual Daynight Tomes, they were little lolis, cute as buttons; speaking of lolis, time flies like migrating swallows—Littlesky must be growing up too. I haven’t seen Littlesky and Qianji Sister in so long; how are they now, still at Egisia Academy?

Also, aren’t they hugging too tight? My arm’s sunk into somewhere soft and dangerously inviting, like falling into a cloud. It’s comfy like warm milk, but it’s a bit tough, in more than one sense.

Truth is, I’ve slept beside girls since I was small, shared quilts like starlight under one roof; as this body grew, the little boat started to rock more than I’d like.

While my thoughts wandered like leaves on a current, Lingxiao’s eyes opened, slow as petals in sun; looked like she was awake.

“Mm? Dear big brother, good morning~” Her voice was honey over toast, and my chest warmed like a kettle.

Even awake, Lingxiao didn’t let go, rubbing her eyes like a kitten as she met my gaze, two pools of spring water touching.

“Morning, Lingxiao. Think you can let go of my arm for a bit? It’s tired like a bow at full draw.”

“Let me hug you a little longer, okay? It’s rare I get to sleep with dear big brother.” Her pout was a plum blossom, and I was helpless as snow under sun.

“Dear big brother, what’s your plan today?” she asked, hope glimmering like a paper lantern.

“Probably rest well,” I said, the thought stretching like a lazy cat; “unless you want to go somewhere, Lingxiao?”

“Yep! It’s a rare day off, and staying in is dull like stale tea; the Dragon Realm’s full of fun places like markets in bloom.”

“Works for me. Today I’m with you and Lingsaki, and with Lixue, walking like clouds.”

“Then we’ve got a place we want to go with big brother.” Lingsaki’s voice slipped in like a breeze through reeds; she’d woken at some point, probably stirred by our chatter like wind stirring bells.

We chatted for half an hour, words flowing like a brook through stones, until Lixue came in with breakfast, warm aromas rising like morning fog. Only then did the sisters let me go, and I got up like a stretched bow.

By the way, Lixue in an apron has a different charm, like moonlight in a kitchen, and her cooking is excellent, flavors bursting like little fireworks.

So today holds nothing grand; I’ll go where Lixue, Lingxiao, and Lingsaki want, wandering and playing like clouds drifting over peaks.