The result of their discussion was to test the Sword Immortal’s attitude.
But just as Mu Ran turned his head to speak, the Sword Immortal, looking straight ahead, beat him to it: “We will talk once we arrive.”
…Fine then.
And so, they flew the rest of the way in silence.
Upon landing, a mature and steady-looking middle-aged man stepped forward to greet them. He first nodded to the Sword Immortal, then introduced himself to Mu Ran. “I am Ren Anhua, one of the directors of Central Island.”
“Mu Ran. A wanderer.”
Ren Anhua was visibly startled for a split second before naturally extending his hand with a smile. “We finally meet. Shall I take you to perform the Binding ceremony now?”
Mu Ran looked at him thoughtfully. “Aside from that, do you have nothing else to say?”
The youth’s habitually cold tone made Ren Anhua a little nervous.
“Say what? Haha, what is there to say? Do you wish to learn more about the island’s ecology? I can have someone show you around after your Binding.”
Ren Anhua then turned to the Sword Immortal and nodded in thanks. “We’ve truly troubled Your Excellency the Sword Immortal this time. You may return now.”
The Sword Immortal waved a hand dismissively. “I thought you woke me up in such a frantic hurry for some grand matter, but it was just to pick someone up. Do not wake me so casually next time.”
He was about to leave when Mu Ran’s soft voice called him back.
“Pardon me, but could you stay for a moment longer?”
Ren Anhua grew slightly tense, though he remained outwardly composed. “And why is that? His Excellency the Sword Immortal is quite busy maintaining the stability of Central Island… If there is no major issue…”
“Is the pollution of Soul Beings not a major issue?”
The Sword Immortal paused in his tracks and slowly turned around.
Stared down by those merciless eyes, Ren Anhua merely lowered his gaze and smiled. “‘Pollution’? Where did this come from… Are you saying this because you saw a Soul Being with a strange appearance?”
Mu Ran didn’t feel like playing word games with him, so he directly used Lan’s backstory. “When I woke up, I saw a polluted member of my kin right here on this island.”
The Sword Immortal’s gaze shifted to him. Mu Ran met it coldly, his emerald eyes showing no ripples of emotion.
“And then I watched with my own eyes as she was cut down by your people.”
“I only accepted that Star Lord’s invitation so I could come here and demand an answer in person.”
The Sword Immortal spoke in a frigid voice, “Ren Anhua, is what he says true?”
Ren Anhua hadn’t expected Mu Ran to be so blunt and forthcoming. For a moment, he struggled to react, managing only a strained attempt at pacification. “Please, both of you, do not be hasty. There must be some misunderstanding in all of this…”
“Your management is negligent, allowing a large number of ill-intentioned Star Lords to flood in without screening.”
The young Soul Being ignored his excuses and continued his calm narration.
“During my time wandering the forests, I saw many polluted and abandoned Soul Beings struggling to survive.”
“I even encountered Soul Beings modified by secret techniques.”
“Is this also a misunderstanding?”
The final question carried a hint of mockery.
Beads of cold sweat formed on Ren Anhua’s forehead. He was no longer just worried about the exposure of their deeds; he was worried for his life.
“Heh.”
Ren Anhua jumped. He had forgotten there was a lethal weapon standing right beside him.
The Sword Immortal pressed a hand onto his shoulder, his eyes devoid of warmth. “Come. Explain yourself properly.”
“What kind of atrocities have you been committing during these years I was asleep?”
***
By taking advantage of the opportunities presented by space-time travel, Central Island had absorbed many talented individuals.
Originally, their standards were set very high, but as the population grew, those standards gradually lowered. Some middle managers took bribes and admitted Star Lords with poor aptitude.
Having poor aptitude wouldn't have been an issue on its own, but unfortunately, some Star Lords were overly ambitious and refused to accept mediocrity. They either turned to various devious schemes and heterodox paths, or they vented the frustrations in their hearts upon their loyal Soul Beings. Over time, the Soul Being fragments recovered by Central Island were so visibly polluted that the corruption could no longer be hidden.
When Lan had originally awakened, she happened to stumble upon a Soul Being who was being consumed by the backlash of fragment memories. At the time, the people of Central Island were busy suppressing the incident and momentarily forgot to watch over Lan.
By the time they looked back, they realized an unbound Soul Being had escaped into the wild.
It was also during this time that Mu Ran was accidentally spotted by a Star Lord, bringing him into their field of vision.
Mu Ran couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Mu Ran glanced at the Sword Immortal, who noticed his gaze.
“My apologies. Did I frighten you?”
Mu Ran shook his head.
The Sword Immortal sighed and released Ren Anhua, who looked as though he was about to faint from the sheer pressure of the other’s aura.
“I thought that after the previous lessons, they wouldn't lose their minds to folly again.”
He cast another icy glance at Ren Anhua, who, despite his usually mature and steady temperament, could not stop wiping away his sweat.
“I will do my best to handle these matters.”
But before that, he still had to arrange things for this unbound companion.
***
Mu Ran had now returned to the forest. After establishing a contract with the Sword Immortal promising not to use his abilities to harm people indiscriminately, he was granted a relative degree of freedom.
“After being reborn into a new life, this is the first sight he sees. What expectations could he possibly have left?” The Sword Immortal swept a cold, threatening gaze over the several members who had voiced their protests. “If it were me, I would have drawn my sword and razed this place to the ground long ago.”
Thinking of the young Soul Being’s actions—helping others even while wandering alone—the crowd fell into a guilty silence.
Subsequently, they all agreed to the Sword Immortal’s arrangements.
Just as the System finished relaying this, Mu Ran saw the vine it had mentioned.
He saw it because the vine was currently rubbing affectionately against his feet.
Seeming to sense the white fox’s surprised tilt of the head, the vine laboriously and cautiously sprouted another branch, slithering joyfully toward the System to curry favor.
To avoid startling Lan, Mu Ran pretended to know nothing and walked away, leaving the System alone as a fox to face the vine.
The System raised a paw, pressed down on the vine, and then pointed in the direction it remembered.
The vine understood. It led the System once more into a cave.
“Ah…”
“You’ve returned.”
Lan’s perception was incredibly sharp; she heard the System’s voice the moment it landed.
The System informed Lan of the change in circumstances but glossed over the process and details.
Lan found it somewhat unbelievable.
“How… how did you manage it? It has only been a few days…”
The System did not take the credit. “It was mainly thanks to that Sword Immortal.”
“You will likely need to hide for a few more days until the situation completely stabilizes.”
Lan nodded gently, then solemnly expressed her gratitude. “Thank you so much…”
Thinking of Mu Ran, who was always inseparable from the System in the vine’s vision, she added with a look of realization, “And to your lover as well…”
Lan’s tone was a bit shy. “I have heard of it from my companions these past few days.”
“That youth wanders this place only to wait for one person, and you did not hesitate to possess a fox just so you could stay by his side constantly.”
“What a heart-wrenching, deep affection… Though I do not know why you won't confess, I believe you must have your reasons.”
So said Lan—born from countless love stories, having heard many unreliable speculations, and whose head was currently filled entirely with tragic romantic tropes.
