Chapter 3: A Sister’s Arrival

The maid stepped aside to let in a small figure.

Liang Chen blinked.

A little girl, no older than five, hurried into the room. She was tiny, with round cheeks that made her face look even chubbier than it probably was. Her steps were quick, full of energy, and when she reached their parents, she clung to Lianhua's robes, her bright eyes shining with excitement.

Liang Chen stared. She's… tiny.

And kind of cute.

He hadn't been around children much in his past life, but there was something oddly amusing about her round face and the way she practically bounced on her feet.

"Mother! Father!" she said, her voice high with excitement. "I did it! I broke through to the second level of Qi Condensation!"

Lianhua gasped, immediately kneeling to be at eye level with her. "Yiran, truly?"

The little girl—his supposed sister—nodded eagerly. "Yes! Just now! I felt it happen!"

Jian let out a pleased hum, his arms crossing over his chest. "Good. Very good. You're progressing even faster than we expected."

Liang Chen tilted his head slightly, confused. Qi Condensation?

That sounded… familiar. Like something out of a cultivation novel. But before he could dwell on it, Lianhua was already beaming.

"This calls for a reward," she said. "What would you like, Yiran?"

The girl's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Of course," Jian said, resting a hand on her head. "You've worked hard. You deserve something."

Yiran grinned, her excitement barely contained as she thought of the perfect gift.

Liang Chen, meanwhile, was still trying to wrap his head around what he had just heard.

Did she say… Qi Condensation?

Yiran beamed up at their parents, excitement dancing in her bright eyes. "Then… I want a new sword! One made of gold!"

For a moment, there was silence.

Then Jian let out a deep laugh, shaking his head. "A sword made of gold? That would be heavy and useless in battle."

Lianhua chuckled as well, tucking a strand of hair behind Yiran's ear. "My dear, gold is too soft to be made into a proper weapon. But I'm not surprised—that's just like you."

Yiran pouted. "But it would look so cool…"

Jian smirked. "Perhaps we can find you a sword with gold embellishments. Would that suffice?"

The little girl's pout disappeared, replaced by a nod of approval. "Yes! That would be amazing!"

As his parents continued speaking with Yiran, Liang Chen barely paid attention. His mind was elsewhere.

Qi Condensation…

The phrase had been bothering him since she first said it. It wasn't something normal people talked about. It was something he had seen before—somewhere.

Then it clicked.

Cultivation novels.

He had read maybe two or three of them in his life. He barely remembered much, but he knew there were levels. Qi Condensation was usually near the start, wasn't it? It was what all cultivators had to go through before reaching the higher realms of power.

His memory was vague at best. All he really recalled was that the main character always started off as a waste, got humiliated by everyone, and then, by the end of the story, turned into a god, crushing all his enemies.

His breath caught.

This isn't the past. This isn't my world.

Realization settled over him like a heavy weight. He hadn't traveled back in time—he had been reborn into a completely different world. A world where cultivation existed.

A world that was far more dangerous than he had initially thought.

After settling on a sword with gold embellishments, Yiran was practically bouncing with excitement. Lianhua and Jian chuckled at her enthusiasm before Lianhua turned her attention back to the baby in her arms.

"Yiran," she said softly, "there's someone very important I want you to meet."

Yiran blinked, then followed her mother's gaze down to Liang Chen.

"This is your little brother," Lianhua said gently, shifting Liang Chen slightly so Yiran could see him better. "His name is Liang Chen."

Yiran's eyes widened, her round face lighting up with wonder. "My little brother?"

Jian nodded, placing a hand on her shoulder. "That's right. You're an older sister now."

For a moment, Yiran just stared at him. Liang Chen, in turn, stared back, unsure of what to make of this meeting.

Then, suddenly, Yiran gasped dramatically, clapping her hands together. "He's so tiny!"

Liang Chen resisted the urge to sigh. Yes, I'm well aware.

Yiran leaned in closer, studying him intently. "His face is so round. Like a little bun."

Liang Chen blinked. A… bun?

Lianhua laughed at her daughter's words. "He is quite small now, but he'll grow just like you did."

Yiran tilted her head. "Can he talk yet?"

Jian smirked. "Not yet. He's still a baby."

Yiran hummed, considering this information. Then, with all the seriousness a five-year-old could muster, she nodded. "Okay. I'll teach him."

Liang Chen, despite himself, was almost amused. Teach me? I'd like to see you try.

Though he still wasn't keen on meeting her in the beginning, he had to admit… Yiran's presence wasn't as overwhelming as he thought it would be. She wasn't like their parents, who looked at him with deep emotions that made him uncomfortable.

She was just a child, blunt and unfiltered.

And somehow, that made her easier to deal with.

Yiran's excitement didn't fade as she continued staring at Liang Chen. Then, suddenly, she turned to her mother with wide, expectant eyes.

"Can I hold him?" she asked eagerly.

Lianhua chuckled softly, adjusting her hold on Liang Chen. "Not yet, Yiran. You're still too small yourself."

Yiran pouted. "But I'm already five!"

Jian shook his head. "Holding a baby is different from holding a toy. You don't know how to support him properly."

"I can learn!" she insisted, puffing out her cheeks.

Lianhua smiled patiently. "When you're a little older, we'll teach you. But for now, you can look at him and talk to him."

Yiran's lips trembled, her hands clenching into tiny fists at her sides. Her big, round eyes began to glisten with unshed tears.

Liang Chen watched with mild concern. She's not actually about to cry over this, is she?

She sniffled. "But I—"

Jian interrupted smoothly, his voice calm yet firm. "Yiran, have you forgotten? You're going to get a new sword. If you cry now, I might have to reconsider that gift."

Immediately, Yiran froze. Her teary eyes widened, and she blinked rapidly as if forcing the tears away. "N-No, I didn't forget!"

Jian crossed his arms, raising a brow. "Are you sure? I don't think a big sister who cries over everything is ready for a new sword."

Yiran straightened her back, quickly wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "I'm not crying! See? I'm fine!"

Liang Chen nearly let out a breath of amusement. That was fast.

Jian chuckled, patting her head. "That's better. A strong cultivator must know how to control their emotions."

Yiran nodded rapidly, her determination back in full force. "I'll be strong!"

Lianhua sighed but smiled fondly. "You'll have plenty of time to hold your brother when you're older, alright?"

Yiran hesitated but finally gave in with a nod. "Okay… but only because I really want that sword."

Liang Chen, still nestled in Lianhua's arms, simply watched the exchange with quiet curiosity. He wasn't sure what to make of Yiran yet, but one thing was certain—she was a handful.

Jian and Lianhua exchanged a glance before Jian patted the bed beside them. "Yiran, come sit."

Yiran hesitated for a moment, clearly still upset about not being able to hold Liang Chen, but she obeyed. She climbed onto the bed, settling down with a small huff, her chubby cheeks puffed in frustration.

Lianhua reached out, gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind Yiran's ear. "There's something important we need to talk to you about."

Liang Chen, still cradled in his mother's arms, remained silent. He already had an idea of where this conversation was going.

Yiran swung her legs slightly, looking up at them with cautious curiosity. "What is it?"

Jian and Lianhua shared a brief look, a silent conversation passing between them before they turned their attention back to Yiran.

Lianhua was the one to speak first. "Yiran, we need to talk about something very important."

Yiran tilted her head. "What is it?"

Jian exhaled, his voice calm yet firm. "It's about your engagement."

The moment the words left his mouth, Yiran's expression immediately darkened. Her legs, which had been swinging idly, stopped moving.

"I knew it," she muttered, crossing her arms.

Jian raised an eyebrow at Yiran's grumbling. "How did you know we wanted to talk about your engagement?"

Yiran huffed, crossing her arms. "Xu Haoran told me."

Lianhua's eyes softened with surprise. "Oh? When did he tell you?"

"Yesterday," Yiran said, wrinkling her nose. "He came up to me while I was training and said, 'We're going to get married when we grow up.'" She mimicked Xu Haoran's voice in an exaggerated tone, making her father chuckle.

Liang Chen, still in Lianhua's arms, listened closely. That little boy actually walked up to her and just said that? He didn't know whether to be amused or horrified.

Jian smirked. "And what did you say to him?"

"I told him he'd have to catch me first," Yiran said proudly. "Then I ran away."

Liang Chen, still nestled in Lianhua's arms, remained silent, watching the scene unfold. He wasn't surprised by her reaction. She's five. Of course, she wouldn't be happy about it.

"And why did you run away?" Lianhua asked. 

Yiran let out a dramatic groan and flopped backward onto the bed. "I don't want to marry Lin Kiran!"

Jian sighed but remained patient. "And why is that?"

Yiran sat up quickly, her face scrunched in irritation. "Because he's weak!"

Liang Chen, who had expected something like I don't even know him! or I don't want to get married!—blinked in surprise. That's the reason?

Jian raised a brow. "Weak?"

Yiran nodded aggressively. "Yes! He's already six years old, and he's still only at the first level of Qi Condensation! I passed him, and I'm younger! That means he's slow." She pouted. "Why would I want to marry someone weaker than me?"

Liang Chen almost wanted to laugh at the sheer seriousness on her tiny face.

Jian rubbed his temple. "Yiran, strength isn't everything."

"But it's important!" she argued. "I don't want a husband who'll slow me down!"

Lianhua sighed, though there was a trace of amusement in her expression. "We'll talk more about this later. You're still young, and nothing is set in stone yet."

Yiran frowned but didn't argue further, muttering under her breath, "Still don't wanna marry him…"

Liang Chen, meanwhile, kept quiet, but inwardly, he thought to himself:

This world is absolutely insane.