Chapter 131 - 126: Contract

Chapter 131: Chapter 126: Contract

Mountains rose in overlapping layers, and ancient trees formed a dense canopy.

Deep within a secluded, vine-covered cave on the northern slope of a thousand-foot peak.

HAAA...

Jin Fang’s eyes snapped open, a flash of gold glinting within them. Waves of sharp pain radiated from his chest, and he couldn’t help but grit his teeth and curse, "Power Demon Sect!"

When he first left the Ring Mountain Spiritual Land, he’d thought Steward Ye was making a mountain out of a molehill. But to his complete surprise, a cultivator from the Power Demon Sect had ambushed him on the road.

If he hadn’t reacted so quickly, the Body Cultivator’s terrifying fist would have smashed his skull, a blow that guaranteed certain death. Fortunately, the Power Demon Sect cultivator never expected his opponent to be of the beast soul lineage. Caught off guard, the man was bound and killed by the beast soul Jin Fang manifested.

Jin Fang sat cross-legged, circulating his energy for a moment. After a brief hesitation, he suppressed the Spiritual Power fluctuations in his body to their absolute minimum and slipped quietly out of the cave.

This time, he didn’t use a Magical Artifact to fly through the air. Instead, he leaped from one towering ancient tree to the next, concealing his aura to avoid demonic beasts as he made his way toward the Miscellaneous Peaks.

「Time slowly passed.」

Night fell, and the mountain range echoed with the roars of beasts.

Nocturnal demonic beasts emerged to hunt, their movements causing ripples of Demonic Power. Gradually, the thick scent of blood began to permeate the forest.

「Ring Mountain Spiritual Land, Ten Thousand Snake Lake Island.」

Li Changsheng was removing the vines from Xiaohua. Beside them, the three-mu Tier Two Low-grade Spirit Field had been completely tilled, a barely visible layer of Spiritual Mist hovering over the soil.

Once everything was tidied up, Li Changsheng glanced at the Spirit Field, then headed home with a cheerful smile, his hands clasped behind his back.

Once the Spirit Plants were sown tomorrow, he wouldn’t be so busy. He could finally settle down to switch his Cultivation Technique and practice the Blood Spirit Escape.

Once his cultivation reached Qi Cultivation Perfection and Lan Cai Shen found him a suitable unique spiritual catalyst, he could begin his advancement to the Vein Condensation Realm.

Putting aside everything else, just the thought of obtaining a three-hundred-year lifespan in the Vein Condensation Realm was enough to make him tremble with excitement.

To live so far beyond the span of an ordinary person—that was the true meaning of cultivating immortality and attaining the Dao.

’Why does one cultivate the Dao?’ He didn’t know about others.

But Li Changsheng’s own reason was simple: he just wanted to live a little longer.

Back in his small courtyard.

Li Changsheng unhitched the wooden plow and went into the kitchen, humming a little tune.

A moment later, smoke billowed from the chimney, and the crisp sound of chopping vegetables drifted into the yard.

OINK OINK...

Xiaohua and his family were lying by the door, oinking restlessly. From the pen, the bleating of the snow goats joined in.

「Two hours later.」

After feeding the Spirit Beasts and tidying up the kitchen, Li Changsheng headed up to the second floor.

As soon as he entered the room, his eyes were drawn to an incredibly conspicuous Spirit Plant.

It stood about ten feet tall. Its branches were gnarled and twisted, resembling countless snake tails coiled together. The dark brown bark was scaly, and thumb-sized flower buds dotted its lush foliage.

On its trunk, besides the Insect Mother’s nest, a jade-green snake was also coiled.

This was the Snake Saliva Spirit Tree. Ever since Li Changsheng began cultivating it with the ’Spirit Nurturing and Demon Transformation’ method, the Spirit Plant had changed by the day, its size ballooning as if it were being inflated.

In a few more days, it probably wouldn’t fit inside the house anymore.

As he drew closer, a cloyingly sweet fragrance drifted toward him. It was potent, but not nauseating.

RUSTLE RUSTLE...

As if sensing his approach, the Snake Saliva Spirit Tree’s canopy swayed. The buds scattered among its leaves instantly blossomed, revealing pure white flowers that dotted the green foliage, a truly lovely sight.

At the same time, the exotic fragrance in the room intensified several-fold.

Li Changsheng didn’t show the slightest hint of surprise, as this had happened several times before.

As the Snake Saliva Spirit Tree’s body continued to grow, its spiritual awareness grew with it.

It now possessed a simple consciousness and was already quite adept at currying favor.

Li Changsheng walked up to the large wooden tub it was planted in, patting its trunk gently. "Alright, you little flatterer," he chuckled.

RUSTLE RUSTLE... The Snake Saliva Spirit Tree’s leaves swayed, and the pristine white flowers slowly retracted, once again becoming buds.

"Tsk, tsk. I wonder if it can bear fruit..."

Li Changsheng murmured curiously, his gaze fixed on the tree.

[Target: Snake Saliva Spirit Tree]

[Race: Spirit Tree]

[Tier One High-grade: 43%]

[Talents: Gathering Spirit, Snake Control.]

[Status: Healthy.]

’It’s improving so quickly.’

Li Changsheng regarded it thoughtfully for a moment, then walked over to a table and took out a wooden bowl.

He channeled Spiritual Power to his fingertips and swiped lightly across his palm. Instantly, crimson blood trickled down into the wooden bowl.

Spirit Contracts weren’t limited to just insects—they worked on Spirit Beasts as well. He’d simply been too busy recently to find the time to use one.

While the Snake Saliva Spirit Tree’s cultivation was advancing rapidly thanks to the spirit snake flesh and blood he constantly fed it, Li Changsheng had some concerns.

Even though it was a flatterer, it wasn’t a creature of flesh and blood. He couldn’t be certain if its loyalty could truly be nurtured.

To be on the safe side, he decided to bind it with a Spirit Contract.

’Xiaobai’s talent was excellent, so a contract was a must. As for Xiaohua’s family, I’ll only contract Xiaohua for now. Big Flower, Little Xiaohua, and the cubs can continue to be raised freely.’

By the time he finished his thoughts, the wooden bowl was already more than half full of blood.

Li Changsheng circulated his Spiritual Power to close the wound on his palm. With a mere thought...

...the Spiritual Power in his body swiftly infused the diagram of the Magical Spirit Contract Veins. Gradually, the intricate network of veins sketched out the shape of a strange beast.

It had the head of a bull, winding dragon horns, and an insectile carapace on its back, but it lacked limbs and a tail.

As the diagram of veins solidified into a misty form...

Li Changsheng formed a hand seal for the Technique and shouted in his mind, ’Go!’

A dark gray spiritual light flowed from his palm, transforming into a beastly silhouette that fell into the bowl and slowly merged with the blood.

Soon, the blood coagulated into a gray, solid mass imprinted with the beast’s silhouette, emitting a strange, pungent odor.

A look of delight appeared in Li Changsheng’s eyes. He picked up the bowl and walked over to the Snake Saliva Spirit Tree.

Before he could do anything, an agile white shadow darted in front of him. It stood on its hind legs, its narrow eyes fixed on him—or rather, on the wooden bowl in his hand.

YIP YIP YIP...

"Oh, you..."

Li Changsheng chuckled, breaking off a third of the gray solid and tossing it to Xiaobai. He then took another third and buried it in the soil at the base of the Snake Saliva Spirit Tree.

After a glance at Xiaobai and the Snake Saliva Spirit Tree consuming the gray solid, he turned and headed downstairs.

Out in the courtyard.

OINK OINK... BAAA BAAA... YAP YAP...

Apparently drawn by the scent of the gray solid, Xiaohua’s family, as well as the snow goats and the Red Fox in the pen, were all crying out incessantly.

Xiaohua and his family crowded around him.

Without hesitation, Li Changsheng fed the remaining third of the solid to Xiaohua.

The scent immediately vanished. Oinking softly, Big Flower and Little Xiaohua led the cubs back toward the courtyard gate.

After swallowing the gray solid, Xiaohua swayed as if drunk before collapsing onto the ground.

A dozen breaths later.

Li Changsheng closed his eyes, sensing the three magical connections. With a flicker of his will, he activated them.

VMMMM...

Xiaohua’s body suddenly trembled. The black bristles covering it collapsed into a dark, gelatinous liquid that rapidly spread over its entire frame.

In the space of a single breath, Xiaohua’s entire body was encased in a layer of black scales.

The next moment, a twisting, serpentine pattern appeared on the black scales and swiftly spread across its entire body.

As the pattern emerged, the Spiritual Qi in the air began to pour into Xiaohua’s body. This continued until the pattern had covered him completely, at which point the influx of energy slowly ceased.

The Xiaohua that emerged was covered in iron-like black scales, etched with complex patterns. His already large and powerful body had grown even more robust, and the Spiritual Qi within him had surged dramatically.

Joy blossomed in Li Changsheng’s heart as he focused his gaze.

[Target: Xiaohua "Beast Servant"]

[Race: Tusked Pig "Male"]

[Tier One Mid-grade: 99%]

[Innate Magic: Steel Armor.]

[Status: Healthy.]