Chapter 17 – The Unknown Twins

Feicui Long happily thanked the guide and bid her farewell, while she sat at her desk at the boundary between the third and second subdivisions. But before he left, she called him and handed him a small bag with energy stones, saying, "Here, take these energy stones. They are normally used as rewards for the creatures stored here, but I have plenty more anyway. They will help you bond better with the ones you acquired today."

Feicui Long accepted the small gift and said, "Alright, Miss Guide, thank you very much for everything. If you ever need a favor, you can find me at my alchemy stall. It's a bit far from here, but you're more than welcome."

The guide, a bit confused as to why this boy claimed to be an alchemist, didn't give it much thought, so she said, "It's nothing, take care, and please don't make my lady suffer too much. I know she can be a bother sometimes."

Feicui Long left this area and went to the shopping zone. He had been planning to buy some slime eggs for a while since he intended to create his own bathroom. He was tired of having to walk so much to take care of his needs, and aside from all the materials, slimes were the best way to manage waste. Especially the two most common types of slime, the acid slime and the alkaline or basic slime. They could break down almost any organic matter with their powerful abilities and would consume everything, including bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens, as well as other organic material. This made them extremely useful for disinfection, and they were very clean creatures by nature since microorganisms couldn't grow on them. Moreover, they helped reduce odors along with everything else.

They were widely used in many places, especially in aqueducts where they were released. They were also very peaceful and tended not to hunt or attack beings of a certain size or other creatures, such as mortal races, unless one got too close to their nest or disturbed or attacked them. So, it wasn't uncommon to buy some to create a latrine.

Feicui Long then paid for everything and took the eggs with him. They had a curious structure, resembling gelatin, but they were quite hard to the touch. Their core was very undefined and underdeveloped. He stored them in a spatial bag adapted for living beings, which he also bought since, without a contract, he couldn't yet keep them in creature spaces. So, he needed an external means to carry them.

…

Finally, Feicui Long walked back home. On the way, he bought some more herbs to finish the medicine that Hilda needed. He planned to prepare it today and treat her a little later since the process would be time-consuming and would require him to take several energy recovery pills.

But as he approached his home, he noticed two people waiting at the edge of the enhanced protective formation. He had made several improvements to it over the past few months to increase its security and protect his belongings, so he wasn't worried about them trying to rob him. He was only wary of their intentions, especially because he had put up a sign indicating that he wasn't currently in his shop before leaving.

As he got closer, he was surprised. It appeared to be two girls around 10 to 12 years old, poorly dressed, with clothes full of holes here and there, and clearly malnourished. He wondered what they were doing waiting in front of his shop, but even more, he questioned why there were two young girls alone in an alleyway in a district that, while safe, was still part of one of the poorest areas of the city.

Feicui Long continued walking toward them, and just as he was about to ask what they were doing, they spoke first, saying, "Are you Uncle Feicui Long, the Emerald Dragon God of Space and Time?"

This time, Feicui Long was truly shocked, almost to the point of fainting. He quickly grabbed them by the arms and took them inside the formation and into the shop. He did all this because, in the improved formation, he had added features like a barrier that prevented sounds from being heard, blocked spiritual senses, and included several protections against espionage.

…

Once inside the shop, Feicui Long shot them a cold look, but the girls didn't even flinch. So Feicui Long asked them in a serious voice, "Well then, who are you two?"

The twins looked at him and asked again, "Are you Uncle Feicui Long, the Emerald Dragon God of Space and Time?"

A bit annoyed that they had ignored his question, Feicui Long replied, "What if I say yes? Will you answer my question? Besides, my only nieces are safe with their mother somewhere else, and they are already adults."

Upon hearing this, the twins' faces lit up with joy, and they quickly approached him, hugging him from his left and right sides as they exclaimed, "Uncle Feicui Long!"

Feicui Long was somewhat irritated but even more confused. Since when did he have such young nieces? His only nieces were the daughters of the Supreme God of Beasts, his younger brother. He had personally helped them hide with their mother to escape their father's fate, and that had been about 2.1 million years ago. There was no way they could still look this young.

Besides, he could clearly remember the adorable faces of those little troublemakers calling out to him: "Uncle Feicui, Uncle Feicui! Can we go with you to the Emerald Dragon Palace?" And these faces were nothing like theirs.

As for them being daughters of his siblings from this life, that was impossible. He was by far the eldest. His closest brother was only 20 years old, he would have had to father children at 8, and it was impossible that they knew about his original identity.

Clearing his mind, Feicui Long looked at them and said, "Are you going to tell me who you are or not?"

The sisters looked at each other. The first twin spoke, "My name is Melina Télos."

The other followed right after, "And I am Callista Télos."

Feicui Long narrowed his eyes, trying to recall where that surname came from… Suddenly, his eyes widened as if he had figured it out, and an image appeared in his mind, a man with silver hair, Aiónios Télos, one of his younger brothers and the Supreme God of the End.

But that was impossible. He had never heard that Aiónios had children, let alone a partner. Moreover, he had died during the multiversal invasion of the Feilou Clan…

Feicui Long looked at them with growing suspicion and asked, "Who is your father? Or mother?"

The twins exchanged glances again and said, "Our father is the Eternal End, Aiónios Télos, Supreme God of the End and of the End Clan. As for our mother, we don't know. Father told us we would only learn who she was when we had enough strength."

Feicui Long still looked at them with suspicion and said, "Alright, then why did you come looking for me? Aiónios and I were never that close. It's true that I loved, raised, and protected all my siblings, but only four of them were truly close to me, and Aiónios wasn't one of them."

The twins responded firmly, almost in unison, "It's because we want you to help us take revenge against the Supreme God of Origin, Adolf. He was the one responsible for our father's death."

Feicui Long raised an eyebrow and said with amusement, "I certainly plan to kill Adolf with my own hands. A traitor like him doesn't deserve forgiveness. But why do you say he's responsible for your father's death? Didn't your father die fighting someone from the Feilou Clan?"

The twins shook their heads. "Father suspected Adolf. He felt that he was plotting something, but even though he tried everything, even seeking help from the Supreme Goddess of Fate and Reincarnation, he couldn't uncover what he was hiding. When the Feilou Clan invasion happened, his suspicion grew, and he had a premonition that something was about to occur. That's why he left several messages for us and hid us.

When the moment came, Father was fighting against the Feilou Clan when suddenly he found himself surrounded by three incredibly powerful enemies who kept him from paying attention to his surroundings. That's when Adolf struck him from behind, wounding him. Father managed to escape, mortally injured, and recorded one final message. In his last words, he said, 'Adolf betrayed us. I regret not being able to kill that bastard. Forgive me, my daughters.'"

Feicui Long, still doubtful, said, "And how do I know you're not lying to me? Aiónios and Adolf always hated each other to death. You could be making all of this up to try to convince me he's your father. In fact, I have no real way of confirming this unless I examine you with the Third Eye."

The twins dropped several recording crystals onto the shop's floor, a more advanced version of the recording stone. There were also regular recording stones and even the rare, highly coveted recording gems. An aura emanated from these crystals, an aura that felt as if it could bring everything to an end, leaving nothing behind, an aura far too familiar to Feicui Long. It was undeniably the aura of his brother Aiónios. After all, he was the oldest of all the gods and had raised them. For Feicui Long, it was impossible not to recognize his siblings' auras.

But how and why were these here, in the Sanctuary of Beasts?

Feicui Long, accepting the fact that they were indeed his brother's daughters, asked, "Why are you in this world? Aiónios couldn't have broken my formation, no one in this universe could."

This time, the twins trembled slightly, partly from the cold due to their crude clothing, but also out of sorrow. Though they tried to control themselves, their eyes welled up with clear signs of wanting to cry. Even so, they held each other's hands tightly and said, "As we said, our father sought help from the Supreme Goddess of Fate and Reincarnation. He learned of the invasion, and with his strong suspicions, he decided to hide us. He thought this place was the best choice since he saw that you would place a barrier, preventing anyone from finding us.

But more importantly, in the goddess's prophecy, it was foretold that you would fall... but that you would return on the seventh day, of the seventh month, in the seventh year. That promise, that you would return, was what drove him to hide us here. Father sealed my sister and me when we were newborns in a secret area of this world, surrounded by his followers. We awoke, and the seal was broken twelve years ago."

Feicui Long thought to himself, That kid prepared himself very well. I hope his soul survived.

Even so, Feicui Long had little intention of taking care of two unrelated girls at the moment and said, "Alright. But even so, he and I weren't that close. He wouldn't even visit me unless he had a special reason."

The twins shook their heads again. "Father admired you more than anyone, Uncle Feicui. You were the most respected and beloved person to him. Even though he didn't like to show it, he held you in the highest regard - so much so that several of these crystals are specifically addressed to you.

The members of the Supreme God of the End's temple explained to us that 90% of them have restrictions, such as curses or various types of inscriptions, as well as locks on the soul, mind, spirit, and life energy. Of all the crystals, about 30% can only be opened with your power, another 30% require our cooperation with you, and the remaining 30% are designed for us to open."

Feicui Long, still doubtful, turned his gaze back to the crystals and was astonished to realize they weren't lying. He could see several crystals, stones and gems emanating auras identical to his own. In the field of inscription mastery, this was known as an affinity lock. Only someone with an affinity, similar power or, as in this case, exactly the same power could open it.

Not many knew this, but every cultivator had a unique energy resonance, much like human fingerprints or even soul imprints. It was unique to each individual, and while it could be imitated to a certain degree, almost to perfection or even perfectly, it was extremely difficult. The stronger the person, the harder it became to replicate.

Feicui Long finally admitted defeat and said, "Alright, I admit it, you are Aiónios' daughters. But even so, what makes you think I can help you? Can't you see my state? I live in an alley with nothing. I'm not a dragon, I don't have my constitution and my divine authorities are dormant along with my dragon soul. It would be extremely difficult for me to even help you move forward."

The twins looked at him with confidence in their eyes and said, "That's not true. Father told us. He said that if there was anyone who could achieve the impossible, it was you. You were the only person in this entire universe who could help us, save us and save this universe. There is no one like you, Uncle Feicui Long. You are the only one who can do it and right now... you are also our only family."

As they said that, the twins made faces as if they were about to cry.

Feicui Long had lived for a long time, longer than people could imagine. He had seen everything and faced everything. But if something could be considered his greatest weaknesses, there were only three things.The first was his master, his duty, and the promises he had failed to fulfill.

The second was his family, whether in his first life or in this one. Even if they weren't his blood siblings, he loved and cherished all his brothers in his first life. The same applied in this life to his mother and Huo Baoshi. Even if it had only been twenty-five years compared to the rest of his life, it still meant a lot to him.

And the third and last was seeing a little girl cry. He simply couldn't bear it. Whether because it reminded him of Mariane or for another reason, it always shattered his heart.

Feicui Long couldn't take it anymore. He gave them a small hug, which took the two twins by surprise, and said, "Alright. I'll let you stay with me. But you'll have to sign a contract."

Without wasting any time, Feicui Long created a contract with three names and said, "With this contract, you will not be able to betray me or cause harm to me or my loved ones. If you do, you will lose all memories of ever having known me, of everything I taught you and you will never again be able to approach me, severing all fate you once had with me."

The twins didn't hesitate and signed it without even reading the document. Feicui Long couldn't help but admire their determination. He had never seen anyone trust the contents of a contract so blindly, solely based on another person's word.

With this, Feicui Long nodded and said, "Alright, now I just need to examine you with the third eye to verify your condition, and when you reach a safe age for cultivation, I will personally guide you."

Feicui Long activated the third eye and observed each of the twins. The status window of the first one appeared:

"Name: Melina Telos – Sex: Female – Age: 11 and a half years old

Racial Clan: Mixed – Clan of the End and Mortal Clan – Species: Winged Sacred Herald of the End and Human / of the Sweet End

Variant: Winged Sacred Herald of the Sweet End

Mutation: None

Bloodline: Winged Sacred Herald of the End

Type: Civilized

Special Soul: Soul of the Winged Sacred Herald of the Sweet End

Special Constitutions: General Special Constitution

Abnormal State: Cursed – Curse of Progress

Cultivation Realm: None

Cultivation Path: Not chosen

Abilities: Divine Eyes of the Soul, Crystal Spirit of Protection, Ethereal Steps,

Cultivation Techniques: None

Battle Techniques: None"

Feicui Long, although he no longer suspected them, could once again confirm that they were Aiónios' daughters. However, he felt curious about the mortal whom Aiónios had fallen in love with. He had never seen much attachment from any of his brothers towards mortals, and he least expected it from someone as cold and reserved as him. With this curious doubt, Feicui Long turned his gaze to the other twin:

"Name: Callista Telos – Sex: Female – Age: 11 and a half years old

Racial Clan: Mixed – Clan of the End and Mortal Clan – Species: Winged Sacred Herald of the End and Human / of the Beautiful End

Variant: Winged Sacred Herald of the Beautiful End

Mutation: None

Bloodline: Winged Sacred Herald of the Beautiful End

Type: Civilized

Special Soul: Soul of the Winged Sacred Herald of the Beautiful End

Special Constitutions: General Special Constitution

Abnormal State: Cursed – Curse of Progress

Cultivation Realm: None

Cultivation Path: Not chosen

Abilities: Ears of the Tyrannical Devil's Body, Platinum Mental Shield, Spectral Steps,

Cultivation Techniques: None

Battle Techniques: None"

Feicui Long nodded in satisfaction, but suddenly realized something, if he was going to take them in, he would need a bigger place. His tent was a personal one, he would need to buy a military-style or multi-person tent. Although, thinking about it, perhaps he should build a house instead. The problem would be purchasing this piece of land from the city. If only he knew someone with a high position in the city...

Wait, he did know someone, the captain whose daughter he had healed. Maybe if he asked him for a favor, he could help him negotiate the purchase. In the meantime, he should buy the large tent. After all, there was no way he was going to sleep in that tiny tent with two girls.

...

Feicui Long had to leave the twins for a while and go buy the tent. It took him a bit to find one that interested him, but he finally found it. It was quite large, divided into five areas, two decently sized ones at the back for sleeping, then a hallway with two rooms facing each other. He planned to use one as a kitchen and storage for certain things and the other as a bathroom. Then there was the entrance area, which could be used for various purposes. It was made from materials of both energy beasts and monsters, with inscriptions for different functions, some, for example, regulated temperature and similar things.

With this, they could live comfortably until he could buy the land and build the house. Besides that, he bought several blankets, clothes, more kitchen utensils, and other necessities for a decent life. He even bought an image projection artifact from the Mortal Races Union. Apparently, they were extremely cheap, just 25 silver coins for one. He bought it to stay informed and so the twins could watch some of the few available channels. The Union didn't just use it for news and announcements but also for education. He thought it would be good for them to watch these channels to have another perspective besides his own.

Among other things, he bought books, many books, both for himself to read and for the twins to read. He also purchased some permits and ingredients. Along the way, he found out where the captain lived. It seemed he had underestimated him, his name was Vincent Williams, and he was actually one of the ten commanders. Though he was one of the youngest and weakest, it was said that he had a promising future. Feicui Long asked him for a favor, to inquire about the cost of that alley. Vincent happily told him that he would speak to the person in charge of the area to sell it to Feicui Long, assuring him that it would happen and that he should wait until the next day when the official would come with the deeds. Feicui Long didn't know where Vincent's confidence came from, but he happily accepted.