Contract Formed

By an unnamed lake in the core region of the Star Dou Forest, golden radiance shattered across the water into countless dancing pearls.

The unicorn leader's spiral horn suddenly burst with moonlike radiance. Its front hooves pawed uneasily at the soft mud by the lake, and the sparkling droplets it kicked up, unsurprisingly, wet its forelegs.

Solomon's words were like stones cast upon the lake, stirring ripples in its emerald pupils.

Such ancient wisdom had never appeared in the long river of soul beast memories, yet it strangely awakened a yearning for equality deep within its bloodline.

Its long neck trembled slightly, and starlight flowed through its mane, casting scattered flecks of light upon the lake. It was so beautiful that it hardly resembled a brutal soul beast.

"This contract you speak of," the unicorn said, its voice like wind brushing harp strings, every syllable carrying the forest's uniquely ethereal echo, "is as wonderful as a dream. But is it truly a future that can be touched?"

The youth smiled faintly as Holy Light draped him in a hazy veil.

He placed his right hand over his chest and traced a cross through the air with his left. "In the holy name of the Father, I swear that this shall be the shore we reach together."

The Blue Silver Grass by the lake suddenly swayed without wind, its blades glowing with faint golden light. The unicorn keenly sensed the stirrings of the forest's will. It elegantly raised its head, and the glow around its spiral horn began to circulate faster. "But how will you prove that this is not another method for humans to enslave soul beasts? Like those Soul Masters who hunt soul rings..."

Solomon did not answer at once. Golden particles of light gathered at his fingertips, and these lively specks, like living stars, formed a complex three-dimensional magic array in midair.

This pattern, which fused the contract runes of the Seventy-two Pillar Demon Gods from the Key of Solomon with the principles of Pokemon's "Bond Evolution," possessed a translucent texture.

Three interlocking rings appeared at the center of the light array. The outermost was an indigo halo symbolizing a soul beast's soul, deep as the sea; the middle was a brilliant golden wheel representing a Soul Master's martial soul, radiating the warmth of the sun; at its core was the word "equality," inscribed in Divine Language, every stroke flowing with liquid silver light.

"Please examine the terms of the contract." The youth pressed his palm against the center of the light array. Countless faintly glowing words cascaded down like a waterfall and spread across the lake's surface. "First: both parties to the contract shall enjoy completely equal status. Second: in battle, the soul beast may materialize at any time to assist in combat. Third: whenever the soul beast requires help, the Soul Master must render full assistance..."

Second by second, time passed, and soon night fell.

The Moonlight Celestial Wolf suddenly let out a long howl, its sound waves raising fine ripples across the lake. Astonishingly, the Blue Silver Grass by the shore collectively bloomed with golden stamens, and runes identical to the contract's text appeared within their centers.

The entire forest seemed to awaken at that moment. The branches and leaves of ancient trees rustled, as if making a solemn oath.

The system suddenly protested in his sea of consciousness: Host, this is cheating! What equality contract are you talking about when you're using God-tier psychological suggestion?!

Solomon chuckled in response within his mind. "The means of achieving a lofty goal are unimportant. The result is everything. Besides, if you have a cheat and do not use it, what is the difference from not having one?"

Without revealing anything, he intensified his mental guidance, allowing the sacred aura to envelop the unicorn even more thickly.

"So, noble child of the forest," Solomon said as he stepped forward, moonlight condensing beneath his feet into glowing Lotus Flower Flame, "are you willing to form this sacred contract with me and open a new era for Soul Masters and soul beasts together?"

The unicorn's emerald pupils widened slightly as it felt a tremor rise from the depths of its bloodline.

Under the dual influence of God-tier psychological suggestion and the forest's will, it was ultimately unable to refuse. It could only raise its head and release a clear, ringing cry, lifting its front hooves high before gently setting them down. "I am willing to try."

"Please place your front hoof here." Solomon pushed the rotating light array toward the unicorn. Fine vines of light extended from the edge of the formation, gently curling around the soul beast's hoof tip.

The instant its silver-white hoof touched the center of the array, the entire lake suddenly boiled.

Not boiling in the physical sense, but with countless silver-white motes rising from the water like an inverted river of stars.

The motes interwove in the air to form a massive three-dimensional Contract Book, every page gleaming with different ancient scripts. Unicorns throughout the forest answered with cries, their sound forming visible ripples across the canopy.

"Let the Spirit of Creation bear witness! Let the Mother of All Things serve as notary!" Solomon's voice suddenly became vast and solemn, while seventy-two illusory demon god phantoms emerged behind him. "The contract forged at this moment shall transcend time and space!"

The magic array abruptly expanded a hundredfold, bathing the entire lakeshore in sacred radiance.

A soul ring never seen before rose beneath their feet.

Emerald life force like newborn leaves, pure-white light of equality like fresh snow, and golden sacred aura like the morning sun intertwined into a perfect ring.

Fine contract text flowed across the soul ring's surface, and every rotation scattered stardust-like fragments of light.

The instant the contract was formed, the unicorn suddenly let out a pained whinny.

Huge fleshy growths swelled on either side of its back, and pure white feathers pierced through its skin and rapidly grew.

At the same time, the moonlike glow around its spiral horn surged, forming a small vortex of light above its head.

When its ninety-thousand-year cultivation broke through the hundred-thousand-year threshold, the clouds above the forest were torn apart by an invisible force, and a pillar of moonlight shot down from above.

The tome in Solomon's hand automatically opened to its long-sealed first page, where the names of the Seventy-two Demon Gods flickered across the parchment.

He felt five new abilities flow into his body: Acceleration made his blood race like mercury, Endurance Enhancement restructured his muscle fibers, Burden Art plated his bones with a layer of spiritual energy, and he also gained the two offensive skills Sacred Breath and Brutal Charge.

When its wings of light fully unfurled, the newborn Winged Unicorn raised its head and let out a long roar.

Its body had grown fully two sizes larger than before the contract, and the feathers at its wing tips gleamed with a metallic chill.

The most astonishing change was in its spiral horn. The once silver-white point was now covered in golden patterns, while a flickering holy flame condensed at its tip.

"How do you feel, my partner?" Solomon gently stroked the soul beast's newly grown wings, which felt warm and velvety beneath his fingers.

The Winged Unicorn lowered its head and gently rubbed against the youth's shoulder, complex emotions flowing through its emerald eyes. "It feels both unfamiliar and warm, but it truly is more pleasant than cultivating alone."

It could clearly sense that its life was connected to the youth before it. This change instinctively made it want to draw close to him.

It was as though they had been born of the same mother years ago, brothers separated for so long without meeting.

"That is good," Solomon said with a soft laugh. "Then I look forward to your guidance in the days ahead."