Ruan Xing's face turned green the moment he saw the skirt.

What was wrong with these pollutants?! He couldn't even turn back into a human himself, and yet they had already beaten him to it.

And why did it have to be his face? And in a skirt?! Just because he looked good meant he had no right to privacy?

Even Fu Zhi seemed stunned by the scene. He swept his gaze around the area as his expression turned cold.

Without a word, Fu Zhi raised his gun and shot first, blasting the head off the "Ruan Xing" in the skirt.

Fu Gui let out a sharp tsk, while the little black puffball in the pocket silently gave a thumbs-up.

But that was not the end. Unlike the puppet outside the city, these creatures, even with their heads destroyed, still kept their human form and could move.

The one in the skirt moved exaggeratedly, making the puffball's face go darker than charcoal.

The headless puppet lunged straight at Fu Zhi, green vines shooting from its body, trying to entangle him. But Fu Zhi swiftly dodged, easily avoiding "Ruan Xing's" loving embrace before drawing his blade.

A flash of silver slashed through the air, and dark green liquid burst out. The creature's head rolled aside, and only then did it turn into a ragged puppet head with paint peeling off, revealing its battered, stained surface.

Its body, too, reverted to its puppet form.

Fu Zhi moved quickly. Just like what Ruan Xing had seen in the videos, his strikes were sharp and clean. Every slash meant another creature lost its head.

In the round plaza, a pile of "Ruan Xing" corpses lay scattered, slowly reverting to their puppet forms.

Fu Gui hovered in the air, flapping his wings as he watched and shivered. [An angry man is terrifying. This is basically domestic abuse!]

Ruan Xing ignored Fu Gui's muttering and kept his eyes fixed on Fu Zhi's movements.

Compared to the videos he had seen before, Fu Zhi's movements were even sharper now. The white sheath of his blade hadn't a single drop of plant juice on it—any liquid was either dodged or sliced before it could land.

Dozen pollutants were beheaded, and Fu Zhi didn't even break a sweat.

The area fell silent again, with only the occasional creaking of puppet limbs echoing in the air.

It seemed safe now. Ruan Xing let out a breath. But Fu Zhi was still on high alert, staring into the surrounding trees.

Huh?

It's not over?

Almost as if to confirm Ruan Xing's suspicions, the creaking "ka-ka" sound started up again. The trees began "giving birth" again, pale green sap bursting and splattering downward, accompanied by even more human-like figures.

This time, the trees produced a variety of "characters."

These new "people" moved their limbs quickly. Their twisted forms straightened within seconds and began to move freely.

A blond man with silver eyes smiled. "Fu Zhi, you can't get rid of me."

A punk with short pink hair stretched lazily. "Captain, thanks for teaching me, but I'm already grown up now. Why don't you just die?"

A black-haired youth with green eyes sneered. "Major, your beliefs are disgusting."

Ruan Xing snapped his head up.

These pollutants… could they read human thoughts?

The sky darkened. Clouds hid the moon, casting shadows over Fu Zhi's face. His features were obscured.

But Ruan Xing could feel it. The energy around them had shifted.

The blond man struck first. His arms suddenly stretched, springing forward like a slingshot.

Fu Zhi drew his blade with incredible speed. Ruan Xing could barely track his movement. A silver flash, then the puppet's head rolled to the ground.

Even faster than before.

Fu Zhi did not linger. He moved around behind the puppet and raised his blade toward the real problem, the trees.

Thunk! It was not what he had imagined. The attack was blocked. The blade sank into the tree, leaving a deep gash, but far from cutting it down.

The tree reacted furiously. Vines lashed out in a crisscross pattern, stabbing toward him.

Fu Zhi leapt high, avoiding the strikes. His sharp gaze held a glint of fury, icy blue eyes shining under the moonlight.

The attacked tree thrashed wildly, like a cat being forcibly restrained. Its branches flailed, colors shifting rapidly from brown to green and back. Nearby trees joined the frenzy, swaying like they were possessed.

Ruan Xing: [These things are going crazy.]

Fu Gui: [The pollution source is right around here!]

Ruan Xing watched as Fu Zhi gripped the white-handled blade in his left hand, and with his right, drew a second, this one pitch-black.

The blade was dark as ink, etched with faint patterns. Under the moonlight, it shimmered faintly red, as if coated in bloodlust.

Fu Zhi moved. His slim waist twisted with power as his arms arched in perfect form. His upper body pivoted as black hair whipped through the air. His indifferent eyes turned razor sharp. He dropped from above, knee bent, right leg drawn back, and slashed downward with force.

Crack!

The black blade left behind a lingering afterimage. It cut not like a weapon slicing wood, but more like slicing paper or clay, sinking in effortlessly and leaving a thin, dark-edged mark.

It looked like something had been erased with an eraser, the cut edges tinged faintly black.

Ruan Xing narrowed his eyes. That blade reeked of destruction.

The tree convulsed. Vines surged from the paths around them, wave after wave, swarming like a green sea. The ground was overtaken. The floor vanished, replaced by writhing tendrils as thick as arms.

Fu Zhi vaulted into the air, leaping and dashing between the vines. The black blade cleaved relentlessly through the green wave, stroke after stroke, endless and unyielding.

This couldn't go on. Human stamina had its limits. If they couldn't destroy the pollution source, all Fu Zhi could do was waste energy.

Unlike on the overpass, the pollutants here were dead set on stopping him. They weren't going to let him leave.

The green sea surged again and again. Its only purpose was to eliminate this "tumor."

Fu Gui: [Watch out!]

Ruan Xing suddenly felt weightless. His dark green eyes widened as he was flung from the pocket, spinning wildly through the air, away from the warmth of Fu Zhi's chest.

Fu Zhi had stayed calm the whole time, until Ruan Xing was thrown.

Ruan Xing saw his face twist in panic. He even dropped the white blade, reaching out toward him.

Everything slowed. Ruan Xing could clearly see the small cuts and calluses on Fu Zhi's hand, fingertips mere centimeters away, and then... he missed.

Time resumed. Ruan Xing's body twisted under gravity, slamming into a thick tree trunk.

Splat! The moment he hit the bark, vines lashed out, coiling tightly around him.

His view of Fu Zhi's panicked expression faded into the distance. Then everything went dark.

Drip, drip…

Water.

Ruan Xing opened his eyes to see a bare ceiling. The dripping came from rain falling into a basin. He lifted his hand, scarred and wounded.

Where was this?

He looked around, his mind catching up to the strange plant's ability. This illusion was triggering a memory, an old one.

"You are awake?"

A man in a white robe entered. He looked to be in his forties or fifties, with a kind smile. "Don't worry. I am not a bad person."

The man smiled warmly. "The sanctuary saved you, child."

Ruan Xing's body in the illusion was ten years old. Thin, frail, and covered in wounds. He must have been in bad shape before this.

"Just rest here for now. Later, the sanctuary will perform your baptism." The man, robed in white, looked like the picture of kindness.

"You know of the sanctuary, right? This is your temporary home. Once you complete the baptism, you will become one of us. Only the sanctuary is merciful enough to take in children in times like these. Thank the sanctuary."

He placed a hand on his chest and sighed toward the window.

Ruan Xing suddenly smiled.

The man looked puzzled but assumed the boy was just happy to be rescued. After all, for children who fought wild dogs for food, this was a miracle. Of course, they should be grateful.

Ruan Xing said, "I will be ready for the baptism."

That night, the man returned, this time with several children in tow. All of them looked excited. They clearly anticipated the ceremony.

Ruan Xing had also changed into the provided uniform.

"Listen up. The most revered Son of the Sanctuary will be conducting tonight's ritual. Behave. Don't mess this up."

They were led into a golden hall. The floor and ceiling were pure white, like the sanctuary's image: noble, spotless, and untainted.

At the center of the hall was a massive square pool, framed in gold.

Across from them, a faceless statue stood watch. By the pool, rows of white-robed people sat quietly, their eyes soft as they watched the children.

Many kids were nervous, having never seen anything so grand.

Ruan Xing stepped forward first, locking eyes with the youth standing before the pool, around fifteen or sixteen, dressed in sacred white robes that flowed to the ground.

His golden hair was braided behind his head, forehead clear, and his sky-blue eyes reflected Ruan Xing's form.

Ruan Xing removed his hood. From the crowd came hushed whispers.

Black hair and green eyes, an ominous sign.

Thankfully, he was a boy. If he had been a girl, he would have been burned at the stake as a witch.

Among the light-haired crowd, his black hair stood out starkly.

Ruan Xing smiled with his eyes. "Your Holiness, we are here for baptism."

The Saint's eyes flickered with surprise. He had not expected the child to be so bold. But then he smiled warmly. "Brave child. Come."

Ruan Xing removed his robe, revealing a frail, scar-covered chest. Scars crisscrossed his thin body, evidence of endless suffering.

But the Saint showed no disgust. He scooped a ladle of holy water and poured it over Ruan Xing's head.

The pale golden water ran down Ruan Xing's body. As he looked around, his gaze found a figure nearby.

A tall silver-haired youth in pale armor stood beside the statue, one hand resting on the hilt of his sword, watching the ceremony.

At that moment, their eyes met. The youth's icy blue eyes widened slightly, as if surprised someone could remain so alert during the ritual.

"You may enter the sacred pool now," the Saint said gently.

Ruan Xing stepped into the water via a side stair, letting himself sink.

A faint glow emerged from the surface, growing brighter and brighter, like a soft moonlight becoming scorching sunlight. People began to gasp. Some even stood up.

The stronger one's magical talent, the brighter the water glowed. And right now, Ruan Xing's light was no less than what the Saint himself had once produced. No, maybe even brighter.

Some guests stole glances at the Saint, trying to read his face.

The golden-haired Saint kept smiling. But his smile no longer reached his eyes.

"Such powerful talent. A promising seedling," he said.

Back then, Ruan Xing had only received praise, unaware of the malice behind it.

Now, Ruan Xing returned the same empty smile, raised a hand, and pointed at him.

"Strong enough... to take your place?"