"What is that? Is that a rabbit?!"
The young man's excited shout echoed through the tunnel, his eyes gleaming with fascination. Without thinking, he moved forward, reaching out—
Only for his sister to stop him.
She caught his arm firmly, her gaze still locked onto Wen Ran's unmoving figure. Her brows furrowed, her mind working through the situation. Who was this person?
His aura was powerful, yet refined. Unlike the oppressive and sinister presence of that crimson pillar that had shattered their sky, his energy felt noble, controlled—different. She couldn't understand why a stranger was in their secret passage or why he had chosen this place to ditate. And the rabbit… it was clearly connected to him.
Her temples throbbed.
Too many things had changed today. First, their village was exposed. Then, invaders arrived. And now—this. This unknown white-haired youth sitting calmly at their only exit.
Another headache to deal with.
"There's sobody blocking the path," she finally said, her voice low and careful.
"A foe?" Her brother's aura surged, his battle intent flaring as he instinctively prepared to fight.
"Relax, you're scaring the others…" she scolded her hot-headed brother, keeping her voice firm but calm. "Please do not fear, I'm not sure myself who we are dealing with yet." But before she could say anything else, she saw a subtle movent from Wen Ran. The faint killing intent in her brother's aura had stirred him awake, his eyes slowly opening. If one looked closely, they could see an unnatural sharpness in his crimson gaze, as if blades were hidden within them.
His attention first landed on the small mountain of fruit stacked before him, then shifted to Xiao Mo. A strange conflict rose within him. On one hand, he hated the fact that he was forced to travel with this rabbit. On the other, it had taken the ti to gather food for him. Even though he hadn't asked for it, it must have worked hard…
But the unfamiliar aura behind him quickly pulled him out of his thoughts. He turned, his sharp gaze locking onto a young woman. For a fleeting mont, he admired her beauty—her long dark hair, her delicate yet resilient features, and the quiet intelligence in her brown eyes. But that mont passed as quickly as it ca. In one smooth motion, he pulled out his sword. "Who are you?" His voice was cold, steady, his stance unshaken as he observed the group behind her. It was difficult to see in the dim light, but as his gaze adjusted, realization dawned upon him. Just a group of children... His grip on his sword tightened slightly as he processed the situation, his puzzlent deepening.
"Young brother, we would like to ask you the sa. Why are you ditating in this passage that belongs to us?" she shot back, her voice sharp and unwavering. Despite her delicate appearance, her words carried a weight that took Wen Ran slightly aback. He hadn't expected these children to be so bold.
He studied them carefully but felt no real killing intent from the group. Their auras were tense but not hostile. Deciding there was no imdiate threat, he lowered his sword.
"Just a mont," he said flatly, making the young woman furrow her brows in confusion.
As she watched him, her gaze lingered for a second too long. His white hair, his striking crimson eyes—they were unlike anything she had ever seen before. His sharp features, the effortless confidence in his stance, the sheer presence he carried… It was dangerous. It was intriguing.
And when she realized what she was thinking, her face heated slightly, her cheeks turning faintly red.
Wen Ran, however, paid no mind to the group. Instead, he did sothing completely unexpected—he gently patted the rabbit's head for the first ti since they had started traveling together. Xiao Mo froze, her small body stiffening, unable to comprehend what she was feeling. What was this? It was sothing unspoken, indescribable. But as she leaned into his touch, she surrendered to the mont, enjoying the rare display of warmth.
From the side, several young girls in the group watched in awe, their eyes shimring as their hearts skipped a beat. That simple, effortless gesture—his calm deanor, the way his crimson eyes softened just slightly—captivated them.
Without a word, Wen Ran pulled out a cloth from his bag and began carefully gathering the berries and fruits that Xiao Mo had collected for him, ensuring not to waste even one. His actions were precise, thodical, almost reverent. Despite his cold heart, he found himself developing a softer spot for this little creature.
After all… they would likely be spending a lifeti together.
And seeing the effort Xiao Mo had put in—how could he simply discard it?
"Let's go," he said, his tone firm yet indifferent. Without sparing so much as a glance at the stunned group, he turned and walked away, his aura lingering like a passing storm.
To them, it was as if a deity had descended, chard them effortlessly, and then vanished into the wind.
The group stood speechless, still reeling from his presence—until the young woman snapped out of her daze.
"W-Wait!" she shouted, her voice urgent as she rushed after him.
The young woman rushed forward, her instincts screaming at her not to let him go. She couldn't explain it—not properly—but it wasn't love or admiration. It was sothing deeper. A feeling that this man, this stranger, was soone who could help her.
But Wen Ran didn't care.
Without sparing her a single glance, he continued walking, his pace steady, his focus locked on the direction of the sect he had been searching for. He had no intention of taking on companions. This was not his thing.
Yet, they still followed.
The entire group, moving with cautious steps, trailed behind him like a shadow.
His temples throbbed. His patience wore thin. The sheer audacity of these people was testing him to his limits, pushing him toward the edge of madness.
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