They were all members of the Lan clan. Elder sister Lan Ji was originally the Saintess of the Lan clan.
But she fell in love with a man.
As the Saintess, she was forbidden to marry.
Yet, during an outing, she met Chu Lingyang.
A brute, yet for some reason, he captured Lan Ji's heart.
Her original name was not Lan Ji, but Lan Yan.
To be with Chu Lingyang, she changed her name, went into hiding, and became an orphan with no known origin.
Chu Lingyang repeatedly suffered setbacks on the battlefield, but with Lan Ji as his strategist, his subsequent campaigns were almost always victorious.
He only lost to Feng Dingchu, the God of War of Beiming.
Feng Dingchu was truly remarkable. Even Lan Ji, who possessed an ability beyond others, could not fathom his thoughts.
Feng Dingchu was one of only two formidable opponents Lan Ji had encountered on the battlefield.
The other was the current God of War of Beiming, Feng Yexuan.
Who would have thought that the young Feng Yexuan would defeat him in the battle below Guhong Peak.
However, they quickly signed a peace treaty.
In truth, no one desired war. Only when both sides' interests were satisfied could battles be averted and the populace live in peace and prosperity.
Twice, he had lost to the God of War of Beiming.
The men from Beiming were indeed very powerful.
Now, with the former Empress of Longteng Kingdom added to the mix, she wondered if that young girl was truly as formidable as the legends claimed.
Lan Ji drifted into a reverie.
"Sister, did you get a clear look? Did the princess's image appear in the ice pool?"
Each member of the Lan clan possessed different abilities.
Although Lan Qing had risen through the ranks and his abilities now surpassed those of the former Saintess Lan Ji,
When he and his sister channeled their power together in the cold pool, he was utterly unable to discern the true appearance of the girl within.
One use of their power had severely depleted his vital energy, making a second attempt impossible in a short time.
Otherwise, he would have certainly dragged Lan Ji to try again.
Lan Ji snapped back to attention, not looking at Lan Qing, but at the starry sky above.
"I... did not see clearly."
Lan Qing was not disappointed, merely puzzled.
"Sister, I feel as though I am close to finding her."
But why, whenever he tried to see her clearly in the cold pool, would a mist appear before his eyes?
"Are you truly trying to help the Emperor find the princess, or are you just trying to verify your own abilities?"
Lan Ji glanced at him.
This younger brother had been raised as the heir of the Lan clan since childhood, devoid of emotion, desire, or ambition.
Though he had a good relationship with the Emperor, he was cold-hearted and unfeeling.
He had never learned to care for others, nor did he expect to receive care from them.
This was the result of his upbringing, not his fault.
Even when his master passed away, he felt no sorrow, for he did not understand what sorrow was.
Lan Ji looked at him with a hint of helplessness. "Lan Qing, what do you want?"
Lan Qing looked surprised. His sister had never asked him such a question before.
What did he want? He hadn't quite figured it out yet.
But for now, he did not want to return to the imperial palace, nor to Lingjiu Hall.
"Lan Qing, there has been an incident at the city moat, and the people are in chaos. You must return to preside over the ceremony."
Lan Ji reached out to grasp his hand, but he dodged it.
Lan Qing was unwilling to even approach his own sister, Lan Ji.
Yet, she continued to persuade him, "Lan Qing, do not forget your mission."
"Why must I dedicate my entire life to Nanming?"
This was the first time Lan Qing had contemplated his own life. "Sister, I wish to live the life I want, just like you!"