Luo Feng saw the panel come into view and felt a shiver start in his chest. There were no words, no second thoughts. His containment of excitement shattered as a tidal wave of emotion was released. Not a single muscle in his face twitched, but he sent a command in his mind, and it was as loud and clear as a shout.
Yes.
The response was immediate.
[Binding Successful]
The words, in a normal context, would be trivial, but the feeling they conjured in Luo Feng eclipsed everything else he had experienced since arriving in this world. A knot of anxiety had built in his chest, until he felt the shackles caused by his transmigration starting to release.
A system.
Not just any system, but one which was external, and as such, he would not be in control. The story was unlike all of the many others he could vaguely remember. Clearly, this system did not centre on his own cultivation.
His thoughts became increasingly aggravated with his awareness of the subtle pressures starting to surround him. Even before he could process the source, Luo Feng felt it. Multiple gazes had settled on him—some out of curiosity, others from impatience, and some with hints of mockery.
With realization came the understanding that he had been standing at the entrance to the main hall, and to make matters worse, he had been staring at Huang Lei the whole time.
Luo Feng cursed mentally and rolled his shoulders back, stepping forward to give a slight nod to the Patriarch. He had hoped this gesture would go unnoticed, as he wished to avoid any more attention.
The hall quickly hushed again, and to most people present, Luo Feng was merely noise—a descendant in name only, a figure who lacked importance. He was ignored as he took his seat, and the talk in the room was short; the result was already decided.
Huang Fang's face was taut. The calm facade was hiding the growing irritation that was now plain to see.
Huang Fang opened his mouth again, but the words seemed to sit heavy on his tongue. A pull on his sleeve distracted him. As he turned, it was Huang Lei, his hand gripping the fabric. A steady shake of the head, an expression calm and unflinching, but with clear resolve, urged Huang Fang to hold back further words.
Time seemed to stretch as Huang Fang held the silence. The fire of his anger still raged as before, but almost as an exercise of will, he channeled it. His hand twitched, almost as if acting on instinct to make a hasty decision, and then it relaxed.
It took effort to maintain control as he said, "I hope the Luo Patriarch will not live to regret this matter."
Silence devoured the hall.
A slight upward twitch of Luo Bo's lips accompanied the quiet.
There was no doubt.
"I have never regretted anything in my life," he said with clarity.
Huang Fang's expression turned to stone, but the silence that followed was final enough. Huang Lei walked with him as he simply turned to leave. His steps were measured, and his face remained calm as he followed Huang Fang.
As the doors closed behind them, the tension in the hall faded like smoke disappearing into the air.
Luo Feng remained quiet as he watched them leave. An unusual feeling began to creep into his chest. He had been summoned for no reason. The decisions were already made before he arrived, and his presence had changed nothing. He had been virtually unnecessary.
He accepted this truth without anger. Nor did he feel shocked. He had grown used to this sort of thing in his past life as Luo Feng.
Another part of him, however, was more complicated.
He stared at the place where Huang Lei had stood. It felt as though something was pulling at Luo Feng's emotions, tugging at remnants tied to the old Luo Feng who had once lived, almost as if in scorn. The tug carried regret, firm as iron. It had become almost comical to him.
Had the system not come into existence, this conversation would have been counted as another embarrassing incident, slipped quietly into memory. But now it was different.
Huang Lei was someone the system had recognized—someone worthy to be bound to. That alone suggested he was no ordinary person.
Regardless of whether the Luo family knew it, they had—and in the future would continue to—part ways with people who would one day stand far above them. When that day arrived, it would most likely turn Luo Bo's arrogance into bitter regret.
For Luo Feng, that was not a pleasant thought—only a consequence he knew was coming.
As family members began rising from their chairs, the procession of people leaving the hall started. A few speeches were made; a few more died out.
Unnoticed, Luo Feng was among the first to stand and walk out. No one stopped him, and no one spoke to him.
This time, the walk back toward the courtyard felt far longer than usual.
There was the simple phrase: "Binding Successful," and it frustrated him.
There was no explanation, no instructions, and no data to underwrite the message. Just the phrase.
Now back in his courtyard, Luo Feng let out a sigh of relief as he shut the door behind him, thankful to finally feel at ease. He lowered himself into a seated position on a chair, and the panel appeared before him.
[Bound: Huang Lei (Qi Refinement Level 2)][Karma: 0]
That was it.
Luo Feng's confusion was palpable, and the excitement he had felt moments earlier was all but gone.
Qi Refinement Level 2 was what Huang Lei possessed. He was definitely skilled, but nothing extraordinary. Nothing to be exceptionally worried about.
However, little else was clarified.
Bound.Karma.
There were no explanations, no descriptions, no additional functions revealed, and no further words to guide him.
His frustration was warranted, as the system remained unresponsive to his attempts to probe deeper. He focused on the panel, but nothing changed.
"So it seems," Luo Feng muttered as he leaned back.
He exhaled.
A sense of disappointment crept in. He had expected more—more guidance, more answers about what binding truly meant, or what karma was and how it could be used.
Instead, he was left with more questions than answers.
He forced himself to strive for calm.