After giving some instructions to the System, Qin Jingzhou drew out three strands of spiritual energy, gave them a simple form, and flicked them onto Eldest Brother Xiao and the twins. The spiritual energy turned into thin, invisible scarves hanging around their necks, completely isolating them from the pure evil qi sent over by Fate’s Son.
The moment the spiritual energy took effect, the siblings’ tense expressions visibly relaxed.
Qin Jingzhou watched them, feeling relieved. “Neither of these two children has spiritual roots, but their spiritual sense is quite strong.”
The System, having finished organizing the list, said with a smile, “Anyone who can stand up to Fate’s Son until the very last moment definitely has something special about them.”
Qin Jingzhou glanced at the list, saw the first name and a brief profile, then turned to Eldest Brother Xiao and said, “Let’s eat out, and take the kids around for a bit. This afternoon, I want to change their names and their household registration.”
It might have looked like he wasn’t soliciting the children’s opinion, but their disdain for the names “Zhao Jinbao” and “Zhao Zhaocai” was written all over their faces. Hearing their biological father say that their real parents would never have abandoned them, which implied that their adoptive father had either stolen or bought them, only deepened the siblings’ dislike of the adoptive father, nearly to the point of hatred.
Could Eldest Brother Xiao possibly say no? “I’ll make the arrangements. We’ll get both things done today.”
Only then did Qin Jingzhou look at the two kids. “What would you like your names to be? Think carefully.”
Wanwan was a little surprised. “Dad… you’re not going to name us yourself?”
Qin Jingzhou ruffled his daughter’s hair. “I want you to pick your own names. I hope you’ll take charge of your own lives.”
The siblings were visibly moved.
Qin Jingzhou’s tone shifted. “Now you’ve just come back to me, of course I’m going to be the doting father. Enjoy a few days of happiness while you can, but as soon as the teachers your uncle hired arrive, the hard days begin… As my children, you don’t have the luxury of ‘happy-go-lucky’ education.”
Wanwan carefully tugged on Qin Jingzhou’s sleeve. “What about after we graduate?”
“I’ll give each of you a start-up fund. As long as it’s not illegal, you’re free to do whatever you want.”
Wanwan exclaimed, “Wow!”
Her usually poker-faced cheap brother suddenly looked up. “I thought you were being so nice because you wanted our kidneys or something…”
Wanwan quickly shoved her brother, “What are you talking about?!”
Qin Jingzhou tapped the boy on the forehead. “You’ve been reading too many weird novels.”
The cheap son hung his head again, muttering, “I’ll be good to you.”
Qin Jingzhou had no intention of squashing their goodwill. Seeing the siblings still holding hands, he smiled. “Alright.”
They arrived at a restaurant the Xiao family often frequented. In the restroom, Eldest Brother Xiao finally had a chance to say a few words to his brother. “Those two kids both turned out just fine.”
Qin Jingzhou was washing his hands. “That’s true, I’m really happy.” He dried his hands, then put an arm around Eldest Brother Xiao’s shoulder. “Thank you.”
Eldest Brother Xiao was taken aback, then a look of relief spread from his face inward. After a few seconds, there were even tears in his eyes. “We’re brothers, there’s no need to thank me.”
He didn’t say it aloud, but his whole face was shouting, “Little brother, I’m trying to atone. Whatever you do to me, I’d accept it willingly.”
Qin Jingzhou let out a small laugh, hugged Eldest Brother Xiao, and patted him on the back. The original host hadn’t been rescued long before he had to regularly visit the psychiatry department, and Eldest Brother Xiao wasn’t much better than his little brother. Though he never became so depressed that it affected him physically, he still had to see doctors. In the plot, Eldest Brother Xiao died for his nephew—not the most worthy end perhaps, but he probably had no regrets.
Eldest Brother Xiao sniffled, struggling to push the tears back.
The cheap brother was ready to cling to him. Qin Jingzhou patted Eldest Brother Xiao’s back again. “Wash your face.”
Even the System couldn’t help muttering, “The original host really was a stunning beauty and the true center of attention.”
Meanwhile, the siblings sitting in the private dining room were having their own whispered conversation.
Wanwan held her brother’s hand. “I really think Dad… genuinely likes us. So this is what it’s like when parents actually treat their biological kids with care.”
Zhao Jinbao looked a bit lost. “Even when I doubted him, he didn’t get angry. Grandpa and Grandma treat us well… Dad, too… Aren’t all wealthy families supposed to be really chaotic… more so than the entertainment industry?”
Wanwan said, “Our family is an exception.” That sentence made the siblings fall silent for a moment, until Wanwan spoke again. “Brother, do you think we’re lucky, or unlucky?”
Zhao Jinbao shot back, “You’re asking me? Didn’t you accept Dad as soon as you met him?”
“Dad is so good looking, and you can tell at first glance he’s extraordinary. Why would he lie to me, what’s the gain?”
When Qin Jingzhou came back to the dining room, the siblings had already decided on their new names. Wanwan wanted to be called Xiao Wan, and for her brother, following the pattern of her own given name, he’d take the name Xiao Jin.
In the original plot, the cheap son and future main antagonist was called Xiao Jin.
Wanwan pretended not to notice her uncle’s red eyes, and said excitedly, “Dad, Uncle, from now on you can call my brother Xiao Jin.”
Qin Jingzhou took a sip of water. “Got it, Big Treasure and Little Treasure.”
The siblings: … Well, okay then.
Once the dishes arrived, Qin Jingzhou noticed that although the children ate quietly, their attention was mostly on him, as if trying to memorize his likes and dislikes.
After the meal, Xiao Jinhai told the kids, “Everything’s booked. And Little Treasure, there will be a lawyer handling your contract. Later, your uncle will treat you to a good show of ‘dog-eat-dog’.”
Qin Jingzhou added, “That Zhao person’s situation is being investigated. After we were separated nearly twenty years because of him, there’s no way I’m letting him off.”
The siblings exchanged a glance. Wanwan replied sweetly, while Xiao Jin kept his head down, eating noticeably slower than before.
That afternoon, they took care of all the ‘chores’ as planned. The technology in Hua Country in this world was more advanced than back home, so even important documents could be reissued on the spot. Afterward, Qin Jingzhou took the kids to the bank, opened accounts, and transferred them each a tidy sum of pocket money. “Honestly, I’m just a rich idler living off dividends and investments, but there’s more than enough to support you two. As long as you stay away from gambling, drugs, and other vices, spend as you please. I won’t interfere.”
Having an eight-figure sum of pocket money left the two kids silent on the way home.
On the drive back, they passed by the best top-tier hospital in the Capital City.
The girl who ranked first on the list compiled by the System—her brother was a patient at this hospital, his brain having suffered a major trauma and currently in a vegetative state.
Qin Jingzhou released his divine sense and swept a glance inside. The young man’s spirit was intact, so his plan could proceed.
Once home, Qin Jingzhou greeted Old Master and Old Madam, then went straight to his room.
With matters regarding the two kids mostly settled, he was free to cross the crystal wall and take a look at the neighboring world.
Qin Jingzhou slipped through the starry sky surrounding the planet and arrived before the crystal wall. He placed his hand on it and could clearly feel the other side accepting him, granting him permission to pass.
Even for someone as well-traveled as him, this evoked a feeling. “You know, I’m just one step away from ascension, and it’s this single step that’s held me back all this time. It’s not that I don’t want to travel to other worlds, it’s just that the World Will always politely declines me. After so many attempts, I can’t even be bothered to try anymore.”
The System exclaimed, “So that’s why you were willing to let me bind with you?”
Qin Jingzhou crossed the crystal wall smoothly and entered the new world, smiling brightly. “That’s right.” Then he said solemnly, “I ought to thank you.”
The System suddenly understood what it meant to have a racing heartbeat. “I… got quite a bit out of it too.”
Qin Jingzhou let his searching divine sense lock onto a familiar energy. “Let’s go and have a look.”
With a few teleports, he landed on a life planet that wasn’t exactly teeming with life. With another sweep, he headed straight for its only artificial building complex.
Just a glance at the architectural style and he could tell this world had been in the interstellar era for a long time.
With a thought, he took down the entire building complex’s defense system with his divine sense. Then he walked into the “main building.” A five-meter-long white wolf was sprawled on the ground, close to death.
Qin Jingzhou recognized the soul inside that huge fluffy body instantly. He flashed over to the white wolf’s side and began rubbing its furry head. “Xiao Qing?” This was the son he’d been most biased toward so far—Xuan Qing!
Although Xuan Qing was weak, he hadn’t entirely lost awareness of the outside world. When he sensed a stranger in the house, he wanted to resist, but the moment that touch landed and he heard “Xiao Qing,” a flood of tears burst out. He forced his eyes open with all his might. “Woo, wuwuwuwu!” Dad, dad, dad, dad!
Qin Jingzhou looked into his son’s bright blue eyes, already melting inside. His good son still remembered that world.
He cupped his son’s giant “dog head.” “Oh dear, look at you, your little face is all a mess from crying.”
Xiao Qing burst into even harder tears.
Knowing Dad’s cultivation level, he relaxed and pressed his whole weight against his father. “Wuu, wuwuwuwu!” Dad, I’ve missed you so much!
Qin Jingzhou laughed. “Good boy, don’t cry. I’ll treat your injuries first. Your Golden Core is shattered pretty thoroughly.” As he spoke, his spiritual power ignored any so-called “barriers,” wrapping the boy’s Golden Core tightly, first solidifying the shards.
Even if the Golden Core was cracked, as long as it could keep its basic spherical shape, so long as Xiao Qing didn’t go all out, he could lead a normal life, easily switching between two forms whenever he liked.
Yes, in this world, humans had actively fused plenty of magic beast and spiritual beast genes. With sufficient talent and cultivation, they possessed two forms: battle form and regular form.
While healing his son, Qin Jingzhou explained to the System, “Xiao Qing inherited frost wolf genes in this world. He’s a natural-born warrior. But in most worlds, it’s the ‘legendary mage’ who reigns supreme.”
The System had nowhere near its host’s experience in cultivation lore, so it asked curiously, “Then… Brother Zhou, what’s your class? I feel like… you’re a Sword Cultivator!”
Qin Jingzhou laughed again. “Nice eye. My swordsmanship talent is decent. But,” he paused, “at the heart of it, I’m a Spiritual Cultivator—what you might call an oriental legendary mage.”
The System was quiet for a moment, then considering the planet’s natural conditions, it said, “Brother Zhou, I think I know what you’re planning to do!”
Just then, Qin Jingzhou finished piecing his son’s Golden Core back into its spherical form. “A ready-made ‘summon players to build another world’ scenario. To tell you the truth, before I started cultivating, I was obsessed with this kind of story. Now that I get to try it for real, I don’t care if it costs me—count me in.”
The System cheered, “Brother Zhou, you’re awesome!”