Tomb Raiders: After the Nine Gates Ancestor, they let loose and did whatever they wanted!

The wind and snow howled outside the wooden house, but it was warm and cozy inside.

A pine resin lamp burned quietly in the corner, casting a soft glow, and the air was filled with the rich aroma of yak butter tea.

Pema sat by the fire pit, her fingers twirling prayer beads, her eyes gazing peacefully and lovingly at the person opposite her.

Zhang Qiling sat cross-legged on the low couch, polishing his black and gold ancient sword inlaid with precious turquoise.

The blade was dark, reflecting the flickering firelight and his serene profile. His eyelashes were lowered, long shadows falling beneath his eyes, seemingly isolating him from all the noise of the outside world.

Someone is restless, preoccupied! Deeply troubled!

Junior official: That eerie, ominous premonition is back! ↘

?._.?

Zhang Qiling had created his own quiet world; only the occasional rustling of fabric as he subtly adjusted his posture brought a hint of life to his being.

Suddenly, he abruptly stopped wiping, almost cutting his hand. Zhang Qiling's heart tightened; that would be terrible—his mother was definitely going to scold him.

Suddenly, without warning, a warm and familiar surge from the depths of his blood swept over him, like molten lava suddenly surging from beneath a layer of dormant ice.

A subtle ripple flickered across his cool, aloof brow, and his fingers, gripping the hilt of the knife, unconsciously tightened, his knuckles turning slightly white.

His long eyelashes fluttered violently a few times. With an almost childlike confusion and disbelief, he slowly raised his head, his gaze piercing through the simple wooden window and casting into the boundless depths of the wind and snow.

Bloodline resonance? Who is that?

Zhang Qiling, on high alert, exclaimed: "This feels like a blast from the past! This is so damn familiar!"

?? ? ?????

Almost simultaneously, a cool, jade-like glow appeared out of thin air beside him.

It quickly coalesced into a form—an adorable yet sacred and majestic phantom of a Qilin!

This time, the little Qilin cub didn't rush out; instead, it exuded a more dignified and serious air.

Its entire body was enveloped in a soft halo of interwoven turquoise and pure milky white, its four hooves treading on a light mist and auspicious clouds, and its small, translucent horns on its head.

It affectionately nuzzled Zhang Qiling's wrist with its illusory little head, letting out a low, eager, and affectionate growl.

"Little Lingzi! It's Little Zhu! Our meal ticket is back!"

Sensing that things would soon get better, the little Qilin excitedly spun around, its tail wagging rapidly, scattering shimmering azure light.

"Wuhu~ Little Zhu Zhu, here I come~↗↘"

Work????(;???)????work

Then, with a "whoosh," it transformed into a streak of light, piercing through the walls of the wooden house without hesitation and disappearing into the vast snowstorm, the sounds around it barely audible.

Junior Official: I'm such a big kid~↗

How did it disappear in a flash?!

(●?-?●)

Zhang Qiling instinctively reached out to stop her, but her fingertips only touched the cold air. She turned to look at her mother, Baima, her deep black eyes filled with a brief moment of tension.

That is the instinctive helplessness and deeper confusion of amnesiacs towards unknown "past" relationships, such as why their mother is not surprised at all.

(???.?)????

Mom, are you really that resilient?

A gentle smile played on Baima's lips, as if she had foreseen this all along.

She put down her prayer beads, gently patted her son's tense hand, and said in a voice as soft as melting snow, "Young man, relax... just follow your heart..."

( ′??)?(._.`) Pat pat~

Pema's gaze was so calm and tolerant, as if to say that whatever happens is permitted by Him...

Inside the warm and cozy room, Zhang Qiling's gaze still followed the direction in which the Qilin cub had disappeared. A trace of bewilderment about their past relationship and confusion about his mother's calm demeanor lingered in his deep eyes.

Pema took in her son's subtle expressions. Her fingers, which were fiddling with the prayer beads, paused slightly, and a gentle, knowing smile spread across her lips.

Deep within that smile lay the tranquility and insightful wisdom of the ancient bloodline of the Bakangluo people—a unique talent stemming from the bloodline of the King of Hell, further amplified by the slumber of the Tibetan Sea Flower and the baptism of its spiritual energy.

Based on the awakening of his bloodline, Baima was able to glimpse the spirituality and hidden aspects beyond the mundane world.

Is this considered a form of bloodline atavism?

No wonder Brother Zhang could produce such excellent bamboo shoots from such unsuitable bamboo; it all made sense now. It turns out their whole family are just naturally gifted!

Thinking about it this way, perhaps there were some ulterior motives behind Zhang Fulin, the minor official's father, willingly accepting execution to protect his son.

( ?д?)/??＝≡(((卍 !!(′?`‖ ∠)

Loudly?! I just want to indulge in a little conspiracy theory!

"Young Master," Baima's voice was like a clear, soothing stream flowing from a melting snow mountain, carrying a comforting power, "that was 'Baiqi' that just ran out~"

His calm gaze seemed to pierce through the walls of the wooden house, and his tone carried a tranquility and certainty stemming from his bloodline: "The Qilin is an auspicious messenger that travels among humans, a bridge between the heavens and the mortal world; it is also written as '骐麟'."

The male is called 'Qi', and the female is called 'Lin'; together they are called Qilin, or simply 'Lin'.

Bai Ma's gentle gaze returned to Zhang Qiling, her eyes focused and loving, as she wrote the two characters "Qilin" on the paper.

It's as if the story isn't an ancient legend closely related to the Bakangluo people, but a little tale to soothe a child.

"And the 'White Scale'... that is the ultimate manifestation of auspiciousness."

Ancient scrolls record that "the white unicorn has yellow hooves and appears when a king is extremely benevolent."

It represents a supreme virtue, purity, and a beautiful vision.

Baima's gaze gently fell on Zhang Qiling, with an almost sacred solemnity, "This pure 'white' is also intricately connected to this land beneath our feet, and to certain secrets that our Bakangluo people have guarded for generations..."

Legend has it that in an era so ancient that even the stars had not yet fully settled into their orbits, the first Zhang family patriarch to form a protective pact with a Qilin possessed bloodlines infused with 'white' from a sacred land.

—This 'white' is both the snow-white manifestation of the Qilin spirit, symbolizing supreme benevolence and virtue, and the favor of heaven and earth, and the eternal underlying color of that pure bloodline in the legends of the Bakangluo people.

Baima gently stroked the prayer beads in her hand, as if touching a piece of history passed down orally, the truth of which has been lost to time.

"For this reason, the Qilin spirits that have accompanied the Zhang family throughout the ages possess the purest and strongest bloodlines of their hosts."

Furthermore, because of this 'white' mark originating from an ancient contract, it was given the surname 'Bai'.

Most of the witnesses, the Bakanglu people, also shared the surname Bai, demonstrating both their stance and their desire for protection.

The one who has answered your call at this moment is the manifestation of the direct descendant of the 'Bai' surname Qilin, the spirit that is intertwined with your bloodline and destiny.

After specifically emphasizing the word "destiny," Pema's eyes became deep and thoughtful, a hint of sadness in them.

(?w?)

The gentle voice paused, she took a deep breath, and a very subtle, indulgent smile, like that of an elder looking after a child, flickered in her eyes.

The smile also carried a sharp, ironic glint, unique to those with the bloodline of Yama, a piercing insight into the very essence of the soul.

"The legendary accompanying Qilin spirit, does its form and details lean towards the robust strength of 'Qi' or the graceful elegance of 'Lin'?"

Whether it's a youthful and adorable appearance or a robust physique, these subtly reflect the host's current state.

For example, the density of one's bloodline, the depth of one's age, and even... the clarity of one's mind~

Those with the bloodline of Yama, however, can clearly see this reflection.

Baima answered Zhang Qiling's questions, and Zhang Qiling nodded obediently, easing the tense atmosphere between mother and son.

Then, with a hint of barely perceptible reminiscence and understanding in her tone, Bai Ma continued, "There are also rumors that 'Bai Qi' occasionally manifests as the even more intense form of 'Bai Lin'."

"After all, if the host is a woman, she often needs an iron fist to gain power and command respect, which is why hot-tempered 'Bai Lin' characters are more common."

Baima gently shook her head, her smile gentle yet tinged with insightful amusement, "The spirit of the Qilin at that time will truly be 'White Qilin,' living up to its name."

Its nature is as fierce as fire, ready to ignite at the slightest touch, like the purest and most active white phosphorus, its sharpness fully revealed!

Baiqi: My coldness is eight degrees below zero! ↘

ヽ(￣w￣(￣w￣〃)ゝ

As Baima spoke, she looked at her son with loving eyes, her gaze carrying the gentle warmth unique to those of Yama's bloodline, a warmth that penetrated beyond appearances.

"Unlike this little guy who's with you now, so young, cute, clever, and lively."

"It truly reflects my humble official's current state of mind—pure and kind, untouched by the heavy past..." Pema was extremely gratified by this.

All the praise Zhang Qiling heard boiled down to one sentence: "Baby~ Baby~ You are Mommy's good baby!"

In conclusion—Mom loves you!

(?v?v)?L???????