Spirit Beast Contract

That night, Liu Ding did not rest well. The thought of seeing Xiao Zhi tomorrow made his heart surge, yet he also felt a faint unease, as though a storm was about to break.

He thought of Xiao Zhi's willow-slender figure swaying in the wind and seemed to understand the meaning behind Liu Yandong's words.

Unable to sleep, he might as well cultivate the martial skill of the Five Soulforging Cauldrons: Qilin's Surge.

During cultivation of the first four cauldrons of the Soul Forging Realm, the Liu Clan's unique four great martial skills—Vermillion Bird Dance, Dragon Gait, Tiger Subduing Fist, and Black Tortoise Shield—corresponded precisely to the most basic principles of martial arts: leaping, shifting, attacking, and defending.

Though Qilin's Surge bore the word "surge," strictly speaking, it was not a martial skill. Stillness meant nothing; once it moved, it shook the heavens. That was Qilin's Surge's true meaning.

Liu Ding recalled the attack Liu Ji had unleashed with Qilin's Surge when he went mad. It had been merely a simple palm strike, yet Liu Ding had truly felt the threat of death. If it were paired with an even more terrifying martial skill, the result would be unimaginable.

This was because successfully cultivating the Five Soulforging Cauldrons allowed one to condense powerful soulforce within the body. Thus, cultivating Qilin's Surge instead required sitting still as a bell, gathering soul energy, and waiting for it to erupt.

Liu Ding sat cross-legged, his hands forming strange seals over his knees. He appeared as still as a meditating monk, yet his Sea of Souls surged like the tides. Spiritual energy from all around poured in—first the White Tiger's ferocity, then the Azure Dragon's stride, followed by the Vermilion Bird's soaring cry, and finally the Black Tortoise's settling calm.

The soul energy that settled down gradually condensed into a spinning vortex. So long as it gathered in the Dantian, it could be transformed into soulforce.

Yet regrettably, the newly condensed vortex seemed to lose its centripetal force and dispersed throughout his limbs and bones.

"Huff." Liu Ding slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air and abruptly opened his eyes. A trace of formidable aura flashed through his pitch-black pupils before vanishing into silence.

"Damn it, does it have to be this hard to cultivate?" Feeling the remaining soul energy vanish, Liu Ding nearly cursed aloud.

He could lift the Fourth Soul-Forging Cauldron with one hand, yet he was in such a sorry state at the Five Soulforging Cauldrons stage. Liu Ding could not help but smile bitterly. He sat there blankly for a long while before lazily getting out of bed and stretching his numb limbs. The exhaustion from attempting to break through had left him drained.

Before he knew it, daylight had already brightened. Zhu'er's voice came from outside the room. "Young Master, the clan is holding a grand assembly. The Clan Lord asks you to go to the Ancestral Hall."

"I'm coming." Liu Ding replied. He changed out of his damp, cold training clothes and stepped out of his room, only to meet Zhu'er's slightly reddened eyes.

Liu Ding's return last night had delighted Zhu'er beyond measure. What delighted her even more was that the young master seemed to have changed. He had trained all night, and so she had kept watch all night as well.

"Young Master, there is plenty of time ahead. Don't work yourself too hard in training. Staying up late is bad for your health," Zhu'er said.

"Oh." Liu Ding answered absentmindedly, but then noticed her reddened eyes. He froze for a moment, warmth rising in his heart. "Sister Zhu'er, I've grown up. You don't need to worry about me. Go get some rest."

"Young Master..." Zhu'er's voice choked up. After that grave illness, the young master had turned misfortune into fortune. It seemed he had truly returned to normal.

"Go to sleep." Liu Ding gave her a smile, crossed the courtyard corridors, and arrived outside the clan's Ancestral Hall. Only after the guards announced him did he step inside.

The Ancestral Hall was extremely spacious. Nearly all the Liu Clan's important figures had gathered there. Seated at the very top was not Liu Yandong, the Clan Lord, but Liu Canglong, whom Liu Ding should address as Great-Uncle. Even the Grand Elder had come. This clan meeting was clearly far from ordinary.

Directly below Liu Canglong sat Liu Yandong. On either side of him were two rows of elders, all figures capable of swaying the clan's decisions.

On both sides sat the capable cultivators of the Liu Clan. The uncles' generation were all seated, while behind them stood the younger generation, including Liu Ding. When they saw Liu Ding enter, each wore an odd expression. Some looked embarrassed, some openly hostile, and quite a few were gloating over his misfortune.

Liu Ding was somewhat puzzled, but when his gaze fell upon a corner, he immediately understood.

Xiao Zhi sat there timidly, her eyes full of sorrow. The sight of her stirred pity even in those who saw her.

"Xiao Zhi." Liu Ding called softly and quickly stepped forward, intending to take her little hand. But he saw that her hands and feet were locked in Mystic Iron Shackles. Without a second thought, he sat down beside her and comforted her in a low voice, "Don't be afraid, Xiao Zhi. I'm here."

At the sight of Liu Ding, a little light finally returned to Xiao Zhi's vacant eyes. Looking deeply aggrieved, she actually rested her little head against his shoulder.

Xiao Zhi's intimate gesture made the younger clansmen standing around reveal jealous expressions. Liu Ji in particular looked utterly gloomy. He gritted his teeth and signaled to his grandfather with his eyes.

Pretending not to see, Nie Zhengxu sneered, "Those who should be here have arrived, and so have those who should not. Clan Lord Liu Yandong, shouldn't you give us an explanation for how this demoness is to be dealt with?"

"Oh? Since even those who shouldn't speak have spoken, Nie, why don't you tell us how she should be dealt with?" Liu Yandong retorted mockingly.

Nie Zhengxu's mouth twitched. Liu Yandong had deliberately omitted part of his surname, clearly mocking him for meddling in others' affairs. "Hmph, Liu Yandong, don't think I don't know what you're plotting. But today, you've miscalculated. This old man has an even fiercer move for you to taste."

Nie Zhengxu knew that no matter what punishment he proposed, Liu Yandong would surely use the Clan Lord's authority to reject it with a single word. Instead, he smiled and said, "Actually, the Little White Fox has followed clan members for more than seven years since childhood. She can be considered part of the clan. It truly would be inappropriate to treat her as an outsider who committed theft."

Liu Yandong's brows tightened. What sinister scheme had this old fox come up with now? Could it be...

Thinking of Xiao Zhi's identity as a spirit beast, Liu Yandong's heart gave a violent lurch. The hand gripping the grandmaster's chair bulged with veins. He forcibly suppressed the rage in his heart and said calmly, "Oh? Rare indeed for Nie to be so broad-minded. What do you want to say? Spit it out."

Though Liu Yandong had omitted the words "if you have something to say," the disgust in his tone was obvious. Nie Zhengxu's mouth twitched again. "But those not of our kind must harbor different hearts. Therefore, I propose that her punishment be waived, but this Little White Fox must form a Spirit Beast Contract with the clan's most promising youth."

"And who do you believe is the clan's most promising youth?" Liu Yandong had already guessed part of it.

"Other than my grandson Liu Ji, who else deserves such an honor?" With the map revealed and the dagger exposed, Nie Zhengxu gave a sinister laugh.

Bang! The armrest Liu Yandong had been gripping instantly crumbled into powder.

The atmosphere in the hall grew strange. The clansmen wore all manner of expressions, and quite a few could not stop the mockery from filling their eyes as they looked at Liu Yandong.

"Heh heh, Nie Zhengxu's move is truly ruthless. On the surface, he has cleared the Little White Fox of her crime, but in truth, he has viciously cornered Liu Yandong and turned his position as Clan Lord into a joke."

The group of young hotheads who had originally been indignant now wore wonderfully animated expressions. What did it mean when flaunting affection led to a swift death? They gleefully looked toward Liu Ding and Xiao Zhi, seated close together.