My brother will be mine sooner or later.

“Do not wander around the facility; everyone return to your workstations!” Li Sikui swept a cold gaze over her female colleagues. Her delicate, almond-shaped face, usually tinged with allure, was now stern and commanding, exuding authority.

The group of ardent female fans, deterred by their direct supervisor’s presence, quickly scampered back to their posts. Star-chasing was one thing, but work was important, too.

“What a pack of little minxes! They think they can compete with me for him? Ever since he left his room, I’ve been watching on the monitors!” A smug smile curled at the corners of Li Sikui’s lips, though she quickly composed herself and said to Bai Zongnan, “Please follow me.”

Faced with such a diligent and upright man, she, too, had to be on her best behavior. “Only then can I catch his attention!” she rejoiced inwardly.

“Oh, thank you, Director Li.” Bai Zongnan couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. Being surrounded by seven or eight fervent female fans with no bodyguards in sight had been more exhausting than he’d anticipated. Some overzealous fans in the past had done things that still made his heart race with unease.

“Officer Bai Zongnan, I’m your supervisor—your direct supervisor. I know your situation is unique, so if anything comes up, you can come straight to me. If it’s within my power, I’ll do my utmost to help.” Li Sikui offered a maternal smile, gently patting Bai Zongnan’s hand in a show of leadership, secretly delighting in the smoothness of his skin. With heartfelt earnestness, she continued, “This morning’s mythic-level event is about to descend. You must give your best performance—it will be recorded at the very front of your official file. This is a crucial mission. You must give it your all.”

“…Thank you, Director.” Bai Zongnan quietly withdrew his hand from Li Sikui’s grasp. Though she was only three years his senior at twenty-one, he sensed something off in the atmosphere.

He needed to be cautious around older women.

Li Sikui led Bai Zongnan to the department’s operations center, where all the equipment was fully calibrated. The domed ceiling had been drawn back, revealing a cerulean sky, the blazing sun, and the faint outlines of six planets orbiting the sun—manifestations of other major sanctuaries, each rivaling the Sanctuary of Kaiyang in splendor.

Yet the most striking sight was overhead: a shimmering golden projection, like an image submerged beneath water, flickered in the sunlight, absorbing its energy, gradually gaining substance.

“This is the mythic world projection detected by our Kaiyang Sanctuary, currently manifesting over Longcheng,” Li Sikui explained, her earlier distractions now gone. “Your mission today is to enter this mythic world, resolve the karmic burdens that the Heavenly Dao cannot, earn merit, and prevent the world’s manifestation from adversely affecting Longcheng.”

“I understand,” Bai Zongnan replied with a nod.

As a citizen of one of the seven great sanctuaries, he was well aware that if a mythic world fully manifested within the sanctuary, the resulting collision between the two worlds—from psychological to physical impacts—would be no less catastrophic than a nuclear explosion.

“All systems are ready. You may begin the descent at any time!” called a technician from the equipment team, ten meters away.

“Mythic crystals have been fully loaded!” an officer from the materials team reported.

“Proceed,” Li Sikui ordered, then turned to Bai Zongnan. “Be careful. It’s vital to see through the mystery of the womb as soon as possible.”

“I’ll do my best.” Bai Zongnan strode swiftly into the room housing the descent device.

It was the same pristine white chamber. Bai Zongnan sat cross-legged. As the door closed, the hum of machinery filled the room, and a wave of drowsiness washed over him.

He knew this was the onset of soul and consciousness separation—the precursor to descent.

The buzzing grew louder as Bai Zongnan’s awareness began to fade.

Yet at that moment, a faint glimmer appeared at the center of his brow. Instantly, countless interwoven lines materialized throughout the white room, coalescing into a magnificent golden array—the descent formation, a fusion of sanctuary technology and mythic legacy.

The light at Bai Zongnan’s brow emanated from his own thoughts and soul fragments.

“Begin transfer!” Li Sikui’s voice rang out from the control room outside.

“Transfer initiated!” came the reply.

A golden beam erupted from the formation, carrying the glimmering light straight toward the nascent shadow of the mythic world in the sky. Ripples of space and time followed, and the tiny point of light vanished completely into the mythic realm.

“Subject Bai Zongnan has entered the mythic world. Initializing mythic crystal loading!”

“Background set: prosperous family lineage!”

“Innate rare wisdom talent confirmed!”

“Monastic vocation established!”

“Physical attributes: robust build, affinity for martial arts, indomitable will, life trajectory set!”

“Life traits: aided by benefactors, fortune from adversity, righteous and unyielding character!”

“Current incarnation: Guardian Disciple of the Buddhist Order!”

Reports echoed one after another in the control center, rapid yet orderly. The core team of the Fourth Research Institute had honed such coordination over years of strict protocol.

Within the descent chamber, golden strands of the array channeled rays of white light, intertwining with the fragment of Bai Zongnan’s soul now immersed in the mythic world, shaping the path of his reincarnated life.

“Excellent,” Li Sikui murmured, arms crossed, her face taut with a mix of seriousness and tension.

She hoped Bai Zongnan would complete this mythic descent flawlessly.

“Don’t worry, Director. He’s so outstanding—nothing will go wrong.” A delicate young woman approached, glancing reassuringly toward the descent chamber. “A prosperous family background means he’ll want for nothing. His rare wisdom talent will accelerate his growth. As a monk, he’ll gain from Buddhist insight and swiftly see through the world’s mysteries. Once he settles in the mythic realm, training as a martial guardian, mastering combat, and following the Heavenly Dao to resolve karmic burdens—none of this will be beyond him!”

Li Sikui glanced at the rosy-cheeked girl, about to agree, but then swallowed her words and said coolly, “At work, you must use names and titles.”

“…Yes, Director.” The girl blushed and quickly retreated to her duties.

“Little minx, does she think she can call him what I do?” Li Sikui fumed inwardly.

He would be hers, sooner or later.