Dragon City

"Sister, the seniors didn't mean it! Stop scolding, stop scolding!"

Liuxing couldn't stop the blue-haired woman's facade, laced with laughter. He was genuinely worried that if this kind sister kept going, a silent divine thunder might fall from the sky and physically ban her.

Generally speaking, being an offline troll never ends well!

"You little one, you're so sensible."

The blue-haired woman patted Liuxing's head, her face softening with a hint of tears. Despite being abandoned in the wilderness, he didn't complain but instead said good things about others. His thoughtfulness tugged at her heartstrings.

Thinking about this, the blue-haired woman carefully observed Liuxing and Flowfire. The more she looked at them, the more she adored them. The two silver-haired, blue-eyed children were incredibly cute and sensible, stirring her dormant girlish heart.

Squatting down, the blue-haired woman pulled Liuxing and Firefly into her arms, rubbing their cheeks like an overexcited fool. Her face was filled with joy as she exclaimed, "Oh, you two little ones! How can you be so adorable?"

Liuxing looked up at the sky, his expression void of any hope. But what could he do? He was just a little kid now. Firefly, on the other hand, clenched her tiny pink fist but eventually let it go. If the blue-haired woman hadn't meant well, she might have already thrown a punch.

"I've decided. I'm going to adopt you."

"Huh?"

Liuxing and Firefly froze, staring at the blue-haired woman in disbelief.

"You two have no living relatives, and the irresponsible person who left you here may not even return. I can't leave you alone. You're still so young—how would you survive? I like you both so much. Besides, I won't be getting married or having kids because I am already too old, so it'll be up to you two little ones to take care of me in the future."

Liuxing and Firefly exchanged glances. This truly felt like a stroke of good fortune. Then, the two of them looked back at the blue-haired woman and called out sincerely, "Sister."

This time, they genuinely meant it. Although the two of them were hiding a lot of things, and the blue-haired sister probably sensed something, her willingness to adopt them already won their approval.

Their thoughts were simple. For starters, having an identity to integrate into this world was crucial. Even more important was having a local guide to help them get familiar with it.

For Liuxing, quickly adapting to the soul power cultivation system of this world would require someone to guide him. Unlike the protagonists in stories, he didn't have the luxury of secretly mastering a sect's peerless techniques or starting with something like Mysterious Heavenly Treasure.

In his previous life, he had been just an ordinary person, and Firefly was an artificial being. Her strength came from her mecha, with no actual cultivation techniques to rely on.

The blue-haired woman kissed Liuxing and Firefly's cheeks fiercely, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she exclaimed, "You two little ones, we'll be a family from now on."

Liuxing and Firefly were stunned. The word family was a foreign concept to them. Liuxing had been an orphan in his past life, and Firefly had never experienced the warmth of family since her very creation.

The two looked at each other and exchanged a knowing smile. For the first time, the idea of having a family felt real.

Seeing this, the blue-haired woman's expression softened into a gentle smile. She didn't entirely believe everything Liuxing had said earlier, but after seeing their reactions, her heart softened further, and she decided to trust them.

"My name is Luan Yu," she said with a hint of pride. "I'm a ninth-level soul Engineer, and my title is Ice Phoenix. What about you two little ones?"

She looked at them expectantly, clearly hoping for a reaction of awe.

Liuxing, however, felt a mix of amusement and exasperation. "Sister, my name is Liuxing," he said, a hint of sarcasm in his tone. Really? Showing off in front of children? How old-fashioned can you get?

Still, her words gave him pause. Ninth-level Soul Engineer? Ice Phoenix?

That confirmed one thing—this wasn't the timeline of the first story. This was the second part.

Liuxing's thoughts turned inward. He had come across some discussions online about the plot of the second part, but the details were sparse. He only remembered that the protagonist had a miserable fate.

Despite possessing heaven-defying talents, he was constantly beaten down and, in the end, was even trained like a dog. It was arguably the most tragic and unfair journey among all the protagonists in this world.

With limited knowledge of the second part's plot, Liuxing could only rely on what little he knew. For now, he had to take things one step at a time. He sighed internally, already feeling the weight of the challenges ahead.

If this were the timeline of the first part, Liuxing would have a lot more room to maneuver.

"Sister, my name is Fire…" She paused and looked at Liuxing and said "My name is Liuying. What is a ninth-level soul Engineer? Is it amazing?"

Liuxing was stunned with naming for a moment but he didn't react much.

Liuying tilted her head in curiosity, her innocent demeanor masking her sharp intent.

Having inherited Liuxing's memories, Liuying had absorbed a wealth of knowledge. Now, she effortlessly used her new understanding to feign cuteness.

Luan Yu's expression stiffened momentarily before she replied casually, "Ahaha, Liuxing and Liuying—such lovely names!"

"Sister, what's a soul Engineer? Is level 9 really powerful?"

Liuying pressed on persistently, her innocent face concealing her strategic probing. She had already picked up several keywords and was determined to gather more information.

Luan Yu's inner confidence faltered, and she wanted to cry at her failed attempt to show off. Sighing helplessly, she said, "You'll understand all of this in time. For now, you two must be hungry. Let's go to Dragon City, and I'll treat you to something delicious."

Liuying slyly winked at Liuxing, who, in turn, gazed at the sky in exasperation. Liuying is becoming devious… Who taught my simple, precious Liuying to act like this?

Then, realization hit him. Wait. It was me. Well, that's fine, I suppose.

Luan Yu gently held their hands and soared toward Dragon City. She was from the Sun and Moon Empire, where she was a ninth-level soul Engineer. As for why she appeared in the Heavenly Soul Empire, it was mere coincidence. Her martial soul was the Ice Phoenix Sword, an ice-attributed martial soul. She specialized in crafting ice-type soul tools and had come to Dragon City to rest temporarily.

Her ultimate destination lay in the Extreme North, just beyond Dragon City, known for its abundance of ice-type soul beasts, ores, and heavenly treasures. Although the Extreme North's harsh, frigid climate was a natural barrier for most humans, she was titled Douluo and confident in her abilities.

---

Dragon City

Dragon City, nestled in the northeastern corner of the Heavenly Soul Empire, lay only one mountain ridge away from the Extreme North. Cold winds sliced through the air like icy blades, and snow blanketed the city, giving the impression of an eternal winter. The sun, dim and distant, seemed frozen in time.

The city's towering walls were thick and majestic, bearing the weight of history. Each brick and stone bore traces of the past, standing as a silent testament to the ages.

As they neared Dragon City, still more than ten kilometers away, Luan Yu descended from the skies with Liuxing and Liuying in tow. After all, she was a citizen of the Sun and Moon Empire. In the heart of the Heavenly Soul Empire, she had to act with caution.

On the Douluo Continent, relations between the three original kingdoms and the Sun and Moon Empire were tense. Border skirmishes were common, and the threat of all-out war loomed perpetually. Though Luan Yu preferred to stay out of such conflicts, her identity as a ninth-level soul master of the Sun and Moon Empire was a mark she couldn't erase. Thus, she moved discreetly whenever she entered the territories of the original three kingdoms.

••••••••••

Which is better?

Firefly

Liuying btw Firefly chinese name is Liuying and it suits here but still give me your thoughts.