Gold.
Legendary.
The instant that script appeared in Suri's vision, it felt as if someone had hurled a flashbang straight into his 24K titanium alloy eyes.
"S-S-Sorry… I'm so, so sorry! Are you hurt? I'm really sorry!"
Before Suri could even process what had happened, a trembling, fearful voice reached his ears.
The one who had fallen was clearly the little girl—yet she scrambled to her feet first, clasping her small hands before her chest and bowing over and over to Suri. Her face was filled with panic.
"I'm fine…"
Suri was genuinely taken aback by the frantic apology.
"I should be the one apologizing. I'm sorry, little miss—I wasn't watching where I was going. Are you hurt?"
He crouched down, offering what he believed to be a gentle, reassuring smile.
Up close, he noticed her hair—silver-white, though dulled by dust and grime. Her long strands were tangled and caked with dirt, robbing them of their natural luster.
Her small oval face was smudged with soot and mud, making it impossible to discern her true features.
She wore worn-out hemp clothing, looking as though she had rolled across the ground more than once.
And yet—
Her eyes.
They were breathtaking.
Two perfect red gemstones, like the finest rubies in existence.
But those beautiful eyes were clouded with timidity and a lack of confidence. She didn't dare lift her head fully.
Suri opened her golden destiny script.
[Name: Shiragane Suzu]Bloodline: Extremely Thin Silver Dragon Lineage
At age eleven: Homeless, wandering alone.
Spring, age twelve: Accidentally enters Qianling Holy Land, survives on wild herbs and fruits.
Spring, age thirteen: Possesses spiritual roots. By chance, brought into Qianling Holy Land.
Due to her bloodline being exceedingly faint and her talent not yet manifesting, no peak accepts her. Leaves Qianling Holy Land and continues living alone in the mountains.
Ten years later: Bloodline gradually awakens. Fortune gathers. Encounters countless opportunities.
Ten thousand years later: Survives the Great Tribulation. Ascends to godhood. Revered by the world as the Silver Dragon Goddess.
That damned system had only given him this tiny fragment of information…
As for "ascension to godhood," Suri had no idea what that entailed. Ten thousand years from now? He wasn't even sure he'd live that long.
But—
He absolutely refused to let this little girl continue wandering alone.
That's right. Suri definitely wasn't trying to cling to his future junior sister's thigh.
He just wanted to give her a warm home.
"Little miss…" Suri crouched again, putting on his most benevolent expression. "Would you like to come with big brother to Yushō Peak and take a look?"
"Eh…" Shiragane Suzu clutched her hands to her chest and hurriedly stepped back. "I… I…"
Suri advanced a step.
"Our Yushō Peak actually has very beautiful scenery."
"I… I…"
With every step he took forward, mist gathered in her ruby eyes.
"Don't worry. Big brother's a good person," Suri insisted.
She retreated again—
And promptly tripped, landing on her bottom.
She looked up at him.
"Uu… uu…"
Finally, she broke down crying.
But she didn't dare cry loudly. She hugged her knees tightly, burying her face between them as her slender back trembled with quiet sobs.
"No, really, I'm a good person!" Suri protested, completely at a loss.
How had this escalated so quickly?
"Senior Brother…"
Just as Suri was floundering helplessly, Chiyun hurried over after hearing the commotion.
She approached the girl, gently lifted her skirt hem, and knelt down so that she was at eye level.
"Little sister, I'm sorry. My senior brother meant no harm. He only wished to recruit disciples on our master's behalf. I'm sorry if we frightened you. My name is Chiyun. What is yours?"
Hearing the soft, warm voice before her, the girl slowly lifted her head.
"S-Shiragane… Suzu…"
She spoke timidly.
"Suzu. That's a beautiful name," Chiyun said gently, reaching out to help her up.
But Suzu instinctively shifted backward, avoiding Chiyun's hand.
"Big sister… I'm covered in dirt. I'm very dirty…"
"I see."
Chiyun paused, then bent down and scooped up a handful of soil from the grass.
She rubbed it over her own pale hand until it was equally covered in dust.
Only then did she extend it again.
"Now I'm the same as Suzu."
Looking at the dirt-streaked hand of the gentle big sister before her, Suzu's heart trembled.
Still, she wiped her own hand against her clothes, trying to make it a little cleaner.
Only then did she cautiously place it in Chiyun's palm.
As Chiyun pulled her up, Suri, for some reason, thought he could smell oranges in the air.
"Big sister… can you… can you really take Suzu in?"
It sounded as though she had gathered every ounce of courage she possessed to ask that.
"Suzu can wash dishes, cook, wash clothes, clean the house, I can—"
"That's already more than enough," Chiyun said, gently patting her head. "Suzu can do all that? That's very impressive. From now on, how about the three of us take care of each other?"
"…Mm…"
Suzu's face flushed red. She had never met such a gentle big sister before.
"If big sister doesn't mind Suzu…"
At that moment, everyone nearby—including Suri—wore the soft, indulgent smile of an aunt watching something unbearably wholesome.
Recruiting a golden-script thigh—no, recruiting a homeless junior sister.
Today was an absolute profit.
Suri originally wanted to step in and build rapport with his new junior sister.
But watching Chiyun and Suzu together in that harmonious, heartwarming scene, he couldn't bring himself to interrupt.
Besides, whenever he stepped closer, Suzu instinctively edged away.
Apparently, he had left quite the psychological scar.
With no choice, Suri entrusted Chiyun with Yushō Peak's master token and asked her to take Suzu to complete the registration.
Just as Chiyun left—
Suddenly, ten thousand lotus blossoms bloomed across the sky.
In an instant, cultivators throughout Qianling Holy Land who saw the spectacle rushed toward the Ganlin Plain.
The Holy Maiden had arrived.
It was said her beauty transcended the mortal realm.
But she was always either cultivating or in closed-door seclusion. How many people had ever truly seen her?
If they didn't seize this chance to behold her true face, how would they even dare dream sweet dreams tonight? What kind of loyal admirers would they be?
Ten breaths later—
A young woman in a flowing gown descended slowly from the heavens, attended by her maidservants.
With every step of her cloud-embroidered shoes, lotus flowers seemed to bloom beneath her feet.
From her delicate shoes—
To her long, slender legs.
Gasp. So long.
Higher still—
Gasp. So high.
And finally—
Her face.
In that single moment, whether young or old, male or female, every heartbeat skipped.
This…
This was the feeling of first love.
…