Qilin Ke

Stationed in White Crane Town as Long Wu's contingency retainer to shield his lineage, Qilin Ke lived quietly disguised as an ordinary townsman. His martial skills served no purpose here, yet he never grieved his quiet life; dying of old age in obscurity was a blessing, for it meant his master's family remained safe.

Yet in Year 12 of The Order, a frantic knock at the gate broke the stillness like an ominous ripple, steering the remainder of Qilinke's life down an unforeseen path.

Few spend a lifetime waiting, fewer still for a promise. Yet the Qilin Nomad gladly wastes his years in Baihe town—hoping the peace lasts, for it means she and her family remain safe.

That person was none other than Long Wu, the brightest hope of the Long direct lineage, had earned Kirin Guest's undying allegiance through an act of profound kindness, binding the loyal warrior to his service ever after.

Though widely regarded as the heir apparent to the Long Clan, Long Wu knew all too well that his ambitious siblings would never let him take leadership without bloodshed.

Having endured years of rigorous training, the Qilin Ke waits quietly in Baihe Town—prepared to linger for a lifetime, or answer destiny's call at a moment's notice.

Should nothing go awry, so much the better: Long Wu would smoothly inherit the leadership and wield power, leaving him with no battles to fight, free to live out his years in peace.

A frantic pounding at the door startled the Qilin Wanderer that day. Standing upon his threshold was a woman—disheveled, exhausted, and on the run.

The woman's name was Mo Zhaoyun, once a handmaiden to Madame Long Wu, held the master's sole heir in her arms. Together with Kirin Guest, Mo Zhaoyun was entrusted with a sacred charge: rear the child into manhood and reclaim the glory of the Long clan.

Immediately afterward, Qilinke noticed something amiss. Having served Long Wu for years, he was intimately familiar with the noble aura his master possessed—a trait that even newborn kin should faintly inherit. Yet this child, supposedly Long Wu's blood, showed not a trace of that unmistakable presence.

Despite early reservations, the ensuing dialogue convinced Qilin Ke that the woman was indeed Lady Long Wu's handmaid. Shrouding his doubts, he chose to raise the boy alongside Mo Zhaoyun, christening him Long Fuyuan and pouring his heart into mentoring him as his own...

Honoring Long Wu's dying wish, Qilin Ke delivered the ancestral medallion to Long Fuyuan, tutoring him in the Long family sword art and passing down their sword manuals with total devotion. Aside from the radiant golden sword qi bound solely to the Long bloodline, there was virtually nothing he held back.

As Long Fuyuan came of age, he blossomed into a dashing, graceful swordsman whose mastery of the Long family style seemed flawless. In every respect, he embodied the ideal Long successor—save for one crucial defect: he could never unleash the golden sword qi that defined their lineage.

Watching Long Fuyuan strain to his limits without conjuring the golden sword qi, Qilin Guest brushed it off by citing the boy's youth, yet inner doubts gnawed at him. Recalling their very first encounter, Qilin Guest grew nearly certain: Long Fuyuan was likely not Long Wu's true heir.

In the end, Qilinke buried his doubts. On one hand, even if Yuan'er was not Long Wu's true son, the Long clan lay in ruins with the rightful heir missing; having the boy stand as figurehead offered their only shot at reviving the family name. On the other hand, Qilinke had forged genuine affection with Mo Zhaoyun and Long Fuyuan over the years, and he could not bring himself to shatter their fragile home.

As the Chaos of the Monstrous Masks raged in Year 31 of The Order, Long Fuyuan resolved to wander the martial world disguised as a nameless swordsman, intending to claim his birthright as heir of the Long Clan only after amassing enough power to rally all under heaven. Watching the spirited youth depart, Qilin Ke and Mo Zhaoyun stood by the threshold, praying for his safety and triumphant success.

Early on, events unfolded precisely as Long Fuyuan had anticipated. Even while stationed in White Crane Town, Qilin Ke and Mo Zhaoyun regularly caught wind of his exploits—rescuing righteous companions across the realm. Veteran martial artists quickly recognized the hallmark poise and swordsmanship of the Long lineage, allowing him to rally a devoted circle of righteous followers without ever openly revealing his heritage.

Trouble struck without warning when Long Fuyuan unexpectedly returned to Baihe Town, visibly rattled and burdened with heavy secrets. Arriving home, he asked for an immediate private audience with his master's wife, sparking a serious conversation.

Harboring their own hidden secrets, the Qilin Wanderer and Mo Zhaoyun embarked on a journey to find the boy, never again to lay eyes on the son they had raised for over two decades.

Following the trail to Long Wu's old sanctuary at Xinglong Manor, the pair discovered the grounds completely overrun by Strange Masks—many of whom could shockingly wield the deadly Golden Sword Qi.

While scouring Xinglong Manor for Yuan'er, the two entered Long Wu's former bedchamber, Dragon's Abode, just as operatives of the Order arrived on the scene.

Recognizing the newcomer as an agent of The Order, the two drew their weapons and braced for a fight to the death. However, the visitor declined to fight, explaining that neither of them had undergone Sha-Qi modification nor done evil, so there was no reason to strike.

Speaking for both herself and the Qilin Ke, Mo Zhaoyun declared their stance: first, the Long Clan fell by the hand of 'The Order', leaving an unbridgeable blood feud; second, The Order's arrival could only mean they were hunting Yuan'er, and as his guardians, protecting him was their sacred duty.

A violent clash erupted across the roof of Dragon's Abode. Ultimately outmatched, the Qilin Wanderer and Mo Zhaoyun were struck down, both left clinging to life by a thread.

Only at life's twilight, as they poured out their hearts, did he finally realize that bearing this secret in solitary silence had never granted her a moment's peace.

Qilin Ke wished only that in the next life, he, Mo Zhaoyun, and Long Fuyuan might become a true family, living out their days in tranquil, quiet joy.