To Nan Fusheng, Lan Yuxi had served as a convenient shield during the early stages of his plan. Thanks to her presence, he didn't have to worry about being sent to an orphanage.
In certain situations, they could even play out a two-person act, helping him maintain his persona.
But now that he was preparing to leave Aolai City, Lan Yuxi had become a liability.
After all, the persona he had carefully crafted was that of a filial son—a boy who, despite his mother's mental illness, chose to stay by her side no matter what. A touching and respectable image.
If he suddenly left to attend school in another city, it would create a contradiction in his narrative. Worse, Lan Yuxi was a secret marionette, long dead in reality. Leaving her behind in Aolai would risk discovery. But taking her with him would be far too energy-consuming to maintain.
So he staged an incident.
The reason Zhang Erhe acted the way he did was because Nan Fusheng had used his first soul skill, Parasitism, to influence his mind. The same was true of the two "bystanders" who served as eyewitnesses—they were both lightly parasitized.
This incident taught Nan Fusheng just how powerful Parasitism could be, though it did come with limitations: the farther the target was from him, the weaker the influence became.
Unless he used deep parasitism—but something told him he wasn't ready to attempt that just yet.
Now, with Lan Yuxi dead, Zhang Erhe gone, and the dust beginning to settle, it was time to move on.
Donghai City
The second-largest coastal city on the eastern shore of the Sun-Moon Federation. A vital hub for shipping, maritime resources, and trade.
It had a permanent population of over 3 million, and its wealth—fueled by its access to oceanic resources—ranked it as a second-tier city within the Federation.
Despite its prosperity, Donghai still retained its ancient architectural charm, preserved by generations of careful urban policy. It wasn't unusual to find buildings over a thousand years old scattered throughout the city.
At the Donghai City Soul Train Station, a deep-blue soul-powered train slowly rolled in, braking gently to a halt.
Most of the trains here were designed in blue tones, symbolic of the city's maritime heritage.
The doors opened, and passengers streamed out. Many carried heavy luggage, and the station quickly became bustling with energy as the crowds surged toward the exits.
Amid the throng, Nan Fusheng stepped off the train and into the city. He had come here to enroll at Donghai Academy.
After dealing with Lan Yuxi's situation, he had ignored the doctors' recommendations and discharged himself from the hospital. Then he went to Hongshan Academy and reported to Lin Ximeng, proving that he was now officially a soul master.
Thanks to that, he successfully secured a recommendation letter to Donghai Academy.
Leaving the station, Nan Fusheng moved quickly toward a specific location: a guard post marked with the words "Administrative Enforcement".
Inside, two officers in uniform sat behind a desk. Nan Fusheng approached them and politely asked,
"Hello, uncles from law enforcement. Can you tell me where the Donghai Academy shuttle is?"
Donghai Academy was well-known in the region. Every year during registration, the school dispatched shuttles to pick up new students directly from the station.
One of the officers pointed in a direction nearby.
"Over there. Little guy, where are your parents?"
"Thank you, sir," Nan Fusheng replied, shaking his head. Without waiting, he turned and ran in the direction the officer had pointed.
Sure enough, past the crowd, he spotted a sign in blue lettering on a white board:
Donghai Academy (东海学院)
Under the sign sat a few folding tables and chairs, behind which were several students—boys and girls around 17 or 18—dressed in blue tracksuits.
As Nan Fusheng approached, a black-haired girl smiled and waved.
"Little brother, here to check in?"
She had phoenix-shaped eyes, a sweet and approachable face, and a pleasant, warm demeanor.
"Hello, big sister. My name is Nan Fusheng. I'm here to register," he replied politely.
"Nice to meet you! I'm Liu Yuxin, a first-year student at Donghai Academy's Advanced Division. I'm helping out with freshman orientation. So I'm your senior!"
She handed him a form.
"Please fill this out, and show me your recommendation letter from your junior academy."
Nan Fusheng nodded, took the form, and filled it out seriously.
Liu Yuxin read it aloud as she looked it over:
"Nan Fusheng, nine years old, graduate of Hongshan Junior Academy in Aolai City. Rank 12 Control-Type Soul Master. Martial Soul: Worm of Time? Hmm? I've never heard of that one before."
"It mutated when I fused with my soul spirit," Nan Fusheng explained casually. The idea of mutation was a useful pretext for his rapidly increasing cultivation speed. After all, if he wanted to blend into Tang Wulin's group, he had to appear talented.
"Oh, a positive mutation then? You're a lucky little guy!" Liu Yuxin said with a bright smile.
She was undeniably attractive—fair-skinned, graceful, her shoulder-length hair tied in a neat ponytail. Her fitted tracksuit outlined her slim figure, and her warm sincerity made it easy to like her.
Even Nan Fusheng nearly considered using "Parasitism" on her, but he quickly checked himself.
"Thank you, Senior Sister," he said instead.
Liu Yuxin took his recommendation letter, stamped it, and handed it back, along with a small metal token.
"Hang this around your neck. It's your temporary ID for entering and exiting campus before official registration. Once you're at the academy, you'll receive your supplies and full credentials. You can board that large school bus over there—it'll leave once more students arrive."
Nan Fusheng thanked her once again and made his way to the bus with his luggage.
The Donghai Academy bus was spacious, capable of holding 50 passengers. Some seats were already filled by both children his age and their accompanying parents.
Nan Fusheng chose a window seat. Looking out at this unfamiliar city, he thought:
This will be my starting point. How far I go from here… depends on how well I seize the opportunities.
After waiting a while, the bus finally started moving.
Outside the window, the scenery shifted. Streets filled with shops and soul vehicles sped by. The pace here was far more intense than Aolai City. Everyone looked busy, always in a rush. The steel and pressure of the modern world were palpable.
Tall buildings flashed past as the bus drove for over twenty minutes before finally coming to a stop beside a tall wall.
"We've arrived at the academy. Everyone, please disembark!" came a familiar voice from the front.
Nan Fusheng looked up—it was Senior Sister Liu Yuxin, standing to guide the students and their parents off the bus.
He grabbed his bag, stood up smoothly, and followed her instructions.