The Twelve Zodiac Guardian Gods​

Qi Yue’s expression grew calm. “So if I really am this Qilin you speak of… what exactly am I supposed to do?”

Zagru exhaled slowly, his aura composed and serene. “As the Black Qilin—the commander of the Twelve Zodiac Guardians—your destiny is to protect the East. When disturbances arise across our sacred lands, it is you who must rally the Zodiac Guardians and lead them in restoring balance. The emergence of a Guardian always signals the rise of darkness. Evil forces will stir from within the East… and challengers may also rise from the West.”

Qi Yue stepped closer and gave Zagru a half-smile. He patted the monk on the shoulder, speaking in a tone of half-sincerity and half-teasing. “Little monk, I can see you’re a righteous one. The kind of person who thinks the weight of the world is his to carry.”

Zagru snorted. “I’m just fulfilling my duty. Everyone has their own path to follow. Yours, it seems, is one bestowed by bloodline alone.”

Qi Yue’s smirk deepened. “Because you’re a good man—a monk full of compassion—I’m guessing you won’t stop me if I decide to walk away.”

With that, he turned and began striding toward the hall’s exit.

Zagru froze in place, stunned. Though not even twenty years old himself, his heart suddenly clenched in panic. “You… you’re just leaving? You’re really not willing to become the Zodiac Commander?”

Qi Yue didn’t turn around. “Hell no. I don’t want anything to do with being some ‘King of the Zodiac.’ That title sounds like trouble.”

He waved dismissively. “Heroes have it rough. And if I really am who you say I am, the enemies I’ll face must be monstrous. You said it yourself—I’m a rogue. A drifter. Rogues like me only care about one thing: staying alive. I’m nineteen. I’ve barely lived.”

Qi Yue’s voice turned rueful. “Sure, I had heroic dreams when I was younger. But the more I watched TV and read novels, the more I realized heroes die early. They get betrayed by their mentors or sacrificed for some greater cause.”

He shook his head. “Not for me. I’m no Superman. I’m just a small fry. I don’t need to save the world—I just want to survive in it. So please, spare me the destiny talk. I’m not a warrior. I’m not a hero.”

He reached the threshold of the main hall, perfectly aware that a monk like Zagru wouldn’t use force to stop him.

But Zagru, now anxious, called after him, “Then… can you at least tell me your greatest wish? What do you truly desire in life?”

Qi Yue paused at the doorway, a sly glint flashing in his eyes. “My wish? It’s nothing grand. I live on the western edge of the capital. I used to know a guy called ‘the Smoker.’ He once told me something that stuck.”

“He said, ‘The perfect life is sleeping until you wake naturally, and counting money until your fingers cramp.’”

Qi Yue chuckled. “I took that and added two more lines of my own: ‘A beauty at my door, and a golden spear that never falls.’ That’s it. That’s my dream life.”

He shrugged. “Of course, I know it’s all just a fantasy. I’m not delusional enough to think it’ll come true.”

Zagru’s eyes flickered with both amusement and desperation. “Your wishes… may not be so impossible,” he said quietly. Despite his vows to renounce worldly desires, he found himself bending just to keep Qi Yue from leaving.

As expected, those words piqued Qi Yue’s interest. He turned back slightly. “Oh? Is that so? And how exactly do you plan to make that happen? By turning me into a Qilin? Even if that works, what good is it if I end up dead a few days later?”

Zagru let out a bitter smile. “In truth, what you’re really talking about… is power. With power, everything becomes simpler. In the East, the Qilin holds a position of unmatched reverence—and as the Black Qilin, your fate isn’t as perilous as you imagine.”

He looked at Qi Yue earnestly. “As the commander of the Twelve Zodiac Guardians, their lives will be tied to yours. They will protect you with everything they have, even to the point of death. And more importantly… you are not just any Qilin. You carry the blood of the Black Qilin—something never before seen. That means you possess abilities that no other Qilin has.”

“You’ve only just begun to awaken. Once I help you fully complete that process, those powers will manifest.”

Qi Yue raised an eyebrow. “What kind of abilities? Don’t tell me I’m going to turn into some unbeatable boss after leveling up. I’ve read enough web novels to know that no one becomes a master overnight. Even fantasy needs some logic. You can’t get fat from one bite.”

Zagru chuckled softly. “You’re right. Cultivation is always a gradual journey—step by step, just like climbing a mountain. Nothing comes without effort. But even in ancient times, the Qilin was one of the most powerful divine beasts in existence. That said… it wasn’t invincible. It had one fatal flaw—its horn. If the Qilin’s horn was destroyed, its life would end with it.”

He paused for emphasis. “But the Black Qilin is the exception. Unlike other Qilins, it possesses unmatched vitality. Even if its horn is shattered, it won’t die. Over time… the horn will regenerate.”

Qi Yue’s expression turned cautious. “So what does that mean for me?”

Zagru replied solemnly, “It means that once your Black Qilin bloodline fully awakens, you’ll gain an extraordinary healing ability. Unless your head is severed, your body can recover from nearly any injury—even the loss of a limb.”

Qi Yue was stunned. “Damn… so I’d be like an undead Qilin or something?”

Zagru gave a faint, amused smile. “You’re still thinking too small. A regular Qilin can’t compare to the Black Qilin. And there’s more. Because the Qilin is a divine beast born of heavenly auspice, your bloodline carries a hidden judgment. Once awakened, if anyone dares to offend you, they will suffer misfortune as divine punishment. It may not be fatal… but no one who touches the auspicious shall escape unscathed.”

Qi Yue blinked. “Wait… so you’re saying, if someone messes with me, they’ll just randomly get hit by bad luck?”

“In a way, yes,” Zagru nodded. “But only to a certain degree. It’s not omnipotent.”

Qi Yue scratched his head. “Still not enough. So I’m a glorified sandbag with auto-heal and a passive curse aura. What’s next, a ‘pity me’ aura too? Nah—count me out.”

Zagru struggled to suppress his frustration. “Of course not,” he said sharply. “As the inheritor of the Qilin bloodline, there is a cultivation method that belongs to you alone. With discipline and dedication, you’ll gain strength far beyond ordinary cultivators. You won’t be a punching bag—Heaven wouldn’t bestow such a sacred role only to let it be trampled.”

“In the Eastern Guardian Order, I’m known as the Heavenly Guide. My ability is to sense and awaken the spiritual potential of the Twelve Zodiac Guardians. Normally, I can only detect their presence within a hundred li radius. But you… you’re different. From the day you turned eighteen, I could sense your aura no matter where you were.”

Zagru’s tone turned reverent. “And more importantly, you can also sense them. Even from great distances, you will be able to detect the unique spiritual aura of every Zodiac Guardian. That bond is unique to the Black Qilin.”

He paused, then added with quiet pride, “Two years ago, I began traveling the country in search of the Twelve. After tireless searching, I managed to find three Zodiac Guardians—some had already begun to awaken on their own, others I guided myself.”

“If you accept your role as the Black Qilin, they will naturally rally to you as their leader.”

“Until you gather the Twelve, you don’t need to concern yourself with every disturbance in the East. Remember this: while the Eastern Guardians are many, the Zodiac Guardians are our strongest. And at the heart of that strength—stands you. As their king, only under your leadership can the Twelve unleash their full potential.”

He looked at Qi Yue with urgency. “That’s why your safety is paramount. In these next few years, your mission is simple: cultivate diligently and find the remaining Guardians. You won’t face any real danger—at least, not yet.”

Zagru took a breath. “Among the Eastern Guardians are ancient clans that have preserved their bloodlines and legacies for generations. As the Black Qilin, they will support you. With their aid, the wildest dreams you spoke of might not be so far out of reach after all.”

Qi Yue gave a low whistle. “That doesn’t sound half bad.”

Then, his grin widened into a smirk. “Alright, fine—I’ll go along with this for now. But you better keep your word.”

He reached out his right hand, curling his thumb, index, and middle fingers into a lewd gesture. A shameless glint sparkled in his eyes, his grin turning downright perverse.

The rogue’s true colors had emerged once again.