I went to visit my sister, only to find her driven mad, losing her mind and power in a catastrophic breakdown, which took me with it.
When I awoke, I was back at the moment of choosing the beasts. This time, my sister was the first to snatch the Ling Snake.
She sneered at me, "I'll leave the useless Taotie to you. Now you can taste the agony of disfigurement and incompetence."
I laughed. Wasn't it better to enjoy peaceful days finding inner peace and stability without risking life and limb?
Humming a tune, I took the Taotie home, burying my face in its soft belly.
Its coarse dragon tail wrapped around my leg, whispering, "Darling, you're mine."
When my sister eagerly chose the Ling Snake, I realized she had also been reborn.
Two luminous orbs were placed on a special circular device, one bright and one dim, representing the Taotie and the Ling Snake.
Mounts were strong but less intelligent, requiring human guidance. Humans needed to manage the spiritual sea, and in return, they used the mount's power to form alliances with powerful ancient beings for mutual benefit.
The purer the lineage, the broader the spiritual sea and the lesser the chance of losing control; the higher the talent, the stronger the power, and the higher the attainable realm.
In our past life, my sister had chosen the Taotie without hesitation, leaving the Ling Snake to me.
She had covered her mouth with a smile, looking at me smugly, "Sister, the Ling Snake has spent so much time with you; it must have developed feelings. I won't take away what you love. This Taotie? It's meant for me."
Now, she greedily held onto the Ling Snake while pretending to be magnanimous, "Sharing toys in kindergarten; this Taotie is better suited for you, sister."
"Yao'er!" My father exclaimed, disapproval written all over his face.
He had always favored my sister.
Despite my exceptional talent, having reached a significant level of spiritual cultivation akin to reaching a high rank in martial arts at a young age, making me the perfect candidate to bond with the high-tier Ling Snake, my sister wouldn't agree. She feared losing the only high-tier mount to me, insisting she must have one too.
My father indulged her, delaying me for three years.
It wasn't until he used the family's influence, pleading with the Taotie clan for their young master, a mount of top-notch lineage and talent, that my sister reluctantly allowed me to contract the mixed-blood Ling Snake.
The clan had long murmured about this, prompting my father to hold a beast selection ceremony to demonstrate fairness.
Now, my father couldn't fathom why my sister, always wanting to surpass me, would choose the fierce, mixed-blood Ling Snake, handing the apparent shortcut of the Taotie to me.
"While the Ling Snake is talented, its mixed lineage makes it prone to misunderstanding and difficult to tame. Yao'er, you should reconsider. The Taotie's pure lineage, gentle nature, and friendliness towards people make it more suitable for you!"
Every word was imbued with my father's deep and profound love for his daughter.
Unfortunately, he forgot that I was his daughter too.
My sister shook her head firmly, "I must have the Ling Snake."
She whispered a few words into my father's ear, making him sigh helplessly, looking lovingly at her, "Fine, I'll back you up."
My sister tugged playfully at our father's hand, while I stood indifferently on the side, feeling like a clown.
My father gave her a doting glance, then returned to his cold, authoritative demeanor as head of the family, "Qi'er, come forward. Your sister chose the Ling Snake for your benefit. With your talent and the Taotie, you should make some concessions. Give three-tenths of your share to your sister for her mount as compensation."
In my past life, when I got the Ling Snake, no one ever mentioned compensating me with three-tenths.
I looked up, meeting my sister's smug smile.
With our father's love, she could access his private treasury anytime. Why was she eyeing my three-tenths?
"Sorry, I'm not willing." I refused.
"When did you become so stingy?" My father interrupted impatiently, "Your sister made such a big concession, yet you're still so headstrong."