Time and Fate

At the Contract Master examination grounds of Nuoding City Spirit Academy, Tang San took a deep breath, pale blue Soul Power gathering at his fingertips.

Before him stood a century-old Ghost Wolf bound by a special array, its wild eyes watching him warily.

"Begin drawing the Contract Array," the examiner's voice came from behind him.

Tang San closed his eyes, the structure of the Contract Array he had practiced over and over these past few years appearing in his mind.

When he opened his eyes again, his fingertips were already smoothly drawing the first line of Soul Power through the air.

"So fast!" The examiners in the observation area exchanged startled looks. A basic array that ordinary students needed at least half an hour to complete had taken Tang San less than a minute to form.

Tang San had seemed so unremarkable in daily life. Who would have thought he possessed such impressive talent as a Contract Master?

He looked like a promising prospect!

The array spun in the air, giving off a soft blue glow.

Tang San could feel his spiritual power establishing a connection with the Ghost Wolf through the array. The sensation was both strange and familiar, as though Soul Power were flowing through another body of his own.

Yet beneath that familiar feeling, he could vaguely sense the other party's resistance.

Simply put, the Ghost Wolf across from him had no intention of cooperating with Tang San's contract.

"Don't resist me," Tang San silently recited in his heart as he increased his spiritual power output.

The Ghost Wolf began struggling and let out sharp cries, but the Contract Array's light only grew brighter.

If he forced the contract under these circumstances, their affinity would probably be below ten percent. However, this was only an examination. Even if the contract succeeded, it could be immediately dissolved.

It would not affect the normal procedure.

The examiners held their breaths, their eyes fixed on the center of the field.

This Ghost Wolf had been specifically selected as a particularly vicious Soul Beast to test the students' true abilities. Most examinees needed several attempts before they succeeded, yet Tang San looked as though he would manage it in a single try.

Soon, the Contract Array bloomed with the light that signified success.

"Contract established!"

With a clear chime, the array transformed into countless motes of light and merged into the Ghost Wolf's body.

The Soul Beast that had been restless and violent moments ago suddenly calmed down. The hostility in its eyes gradually faded, replaced by a strange sense of closeness.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Tang San's forehead, but an imperceptible cold smile curled at the corner of his lips. He had succeeded, and more easily than anyone else.

"Unbelievable!" The chief examiner strode over. "Tang San, your spiritual power is at least three times that of students your age. By the standards, you are fully capable of attempting to contract Soul Beasts over five thousand years old! If a Soul Beast is willing, you can even contract Soul Beasts at the ten-thousand-year to Hundred-Thousand-Year level!"

Tang San lowered his head humbly. "It is all thanks to my teachers' guidance."

He took several deep, ragged breaths, then swiftly dispersed the Contract Array.

The Ghost Wolf howled, then immediately turned and fled.

"Not bad! I never expected such a remote place to produce such a rare contract talent." The academy principal came over and warmly patted Tang San's shoulder. "What is your name?"

Tang San did not dare act presumptuous and immediately replied respectfully, "This junior is Tang San."

"Tang San, is it? Not bad!" The burly principal heavily slapped Tang San on the back and laughed heartily. "Kid, if you continue developing at this pace, you may well become a senior bishop of Spirit Hall someday!"

Tang San immediately smiled modestly. "Thank you for your kind words, Principal."

Tang San's development was still different from the original story. He had joined Spirit Hall two years ago. After all, his father did not care for him, and he had grown up receiving Spirit Hall's kindness. Naturally, he was not so resistant to joining Spirit Hall.

Furthermore, after becoming a Soul Master, he could receive a monthly allowance from Spirit Hall, strengthening his sense of belonging even further.

After all, Tang San currently knew nothing about the grudges between his father and Spirit Hall. He only knew that Spirit Hall had shown him kindness and that joining Spirit Hall was beneficial to him. So he naturally chose this course of action.

There was nothing wrong with that.

He just did not know whether Tang Hao would fly into a rage upon learning of it and want to purge his own family on the spot.

"Student Tang San, please come this way to collect your Contract Master badge." A staff member called out. After passing the examination, Tang San was rated as a beginner Contract Master and was entitled to receive a bronze contract badge.

Contract Masters were now divided into three ranks: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Beginner Contract Masters could draw contracts for Soul Beasts between ten and one thousand years old; intermediate Soul Masters could draw contracts for those between one thousand and ten thousand years old; advanced Soul Masters could create contracts for Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts.

Tang San solemnly put away the bronze contract badge. Feeling its weight in his hand, he let out a sigh of relief. He would no longer need to work at the blacksmith's shop.

At this point in time, Tang San was simply working when he worked. There had been no suitable opportunity for him to train in the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer. After all, Tang Hao had run off without even teaching him that move. During this period, Tang San's smithing was purely to earn money, with the occasional theft of scraps to smelt into Hidden Weapons.

Now that smithing was no longer a necessity for him, he might as well honestly make money as a respected Contract Master.

Come to think of it, he had felt last night that he seemed to have broken through level 30. It was time to acquire his second Soul Beast Pokemon.

Although Tang San's first Soul Ring had come from a Mandala Snake, the slot for his second Soul Ring had been given to a Soul Beast Pokemon.

It was quite a twist of fate that Tang San's first Soul Beast Pokemon turned out to be a Blue Silver Grass that had cultivated for nine thousand years and was nearing ten thousand!

Fortunately, no one usually paid attention to Soul Beasts like Blue Silver Grass. Otherwise, the academy would have erupted long ago.

After all, a Blue Silver Grass of that age was worth at least several thousand Gold Soul Coins, and it would most likely be impossible to buy one even then. Yet Tang San had contracted it without a sound.

After returning to his dormitory, Tang San briefly packed his things and hurriedly moved into a single room.

The academy gave Contract Masters preferential treatment, and nearly every Contract Master was assigned a private dormitory. Tang San did not want to squeeze into a room with others anymore, so he moved into his new dormitory without another word.

Only after arriving at the dormitory did he summon the Blue Silver Grass under his command.

A faint golden ring surrounded the Blue Silver Grass's roots. The moment it touched the ground, it climbed along the windowsill and around the room, extending countless vines to help Tang San clean the room and make the bed.

"Sorry for the trouble, Little Silver." Tang San named the Blue Silver Grass Little Silver.

Come to think of it, it was quite a coincidence.

After reaching level 20, he had been longing to obtain a Soul Beast Pokemon of his own. However, Soul Hunting Forest charged too much, so he had planned to try his luck in the wilderness.

Who would have thought that, through a lucky accident, he would tame such a Soul Beast Pokemon? It truly was a matter of time and fate.