"Maybe I should try the method Big Brother Lin Ke told me about?"
Linley rested one hand on the God-Eater Rat's head, stroking it as he pondered.
Lin Ke had already offered Linley advice.
Ordinary methods wouldn't make a Magical Beast initiate an Equal Contract.
And Linley couldn't beat it into submission—not when he wasn't its match.
Besides, this was the second God-Eater Rat in the entire Coiling Dragon Universe, and it was Chief Sovereign Beirut's descendant.
If Beirut discovered in the future that Linley had forcibly subdued it, he might kill Linley on the spot.
Of course, Lin Ke hadn't told Linley any of that. He'd only warned him never to try using force to subdue the God-Eater Rat.
The method Lin Ke had suggested was actually the same one Linley used in the original story.
After feeding it for a while, Linley would pretend to leave Wushan Town, prompting the God-Eater Rat to come out and initiate an Equal Contract with him.
Early the next morning.
On the training ground, Linley stood alone in a separate line of children undergoing warrior training.
Half a month earlier, Linley's strength had finally surpassed that of every other child in the group.
So Hillman had assigned him to his own line.
Linley's training regimen was also more grueling than everyone else's.
Although he had the heaviest workload, he was also the one who lasted the longest.
After finishing his morning warrior training, Linley went home to study subjects like politics.
It wasn't until after lunch that he headed into Wushan.
Once inside, Linley didn't stop. He quickened his pace and made for the depths of the mountain.
That Black Bear should be taken care of today, too. The tiger I killed last time gave me five Energy Points. I wonder how many this bear will give me?
As he headed toward a particular spot in Wushan, Linley pondered.
Before long, he reached a cave.
"Roar!"
The moment Linley appeared, a tremendous roar rang out from inside the cave.
A huge Black Bear, more than two meters tall, charged out of the entrance.
Linley's expression remained calm as it rushed toward him. His lips moved slightly.
"Earth Spike!"
Linley recited the magic incantation and channeled the magic power in his body to summon the elemental forces of nature.
Three spikes, each about forty centimeters tall, burst out of the ground ahead.
They emerged right where the Black Bear was about to step.
"Arrrgh!"
The spikes were about forty centimeters tall and formed entirely from Earth Elemental.
They pierced straight through the bear's paws, and its massive body toppled over, rolling on the ground.
"Earth Spike!"
Linley cast the spell again. A spike burst out directly beneath the bear, piercing through its heart.
In an instant, the Black Bear fell completely still.
[Congratulations, Host. You have successfully killed the wild beast Black Bear. White Energy Points +6]
The familiar system notification flashed before Linley's eyes.
His lips curled into a slight smile. He silently said, "Open the System Panel."
Name: Linley Baruch
Age: 8
Energy Points: 18
Constitution: 2.71
Spiritual Force: 1.5
Battle Qi: 0
Magic Power: 4.7
Elemental Affinity: Earth Element (Superior), Wind Element (Superior), Destruction (High), Fire Element (Medium), Water Element (Superior, Hidden)
Law Comprehension: None
Battle Qi Manual: None
Meditation Method: Pu'ang Royal Meditation Method
"Big Brother Lin Ke." Looking at his stats, Linley felt excited. "Exchange one drop of Purple Light Dew for me, and put it straight into my mouth."
As soon as Linley finished speaking, he heard a snap of the fingers in his mind.
Then he felt a sweet sensation in his mouth.
"Linley." Doehring's figure emerged from the Coiling Dragon Ring. "Well done. At this rate, you should be able to reach the second rank as a mage in a few months, when the Magic Test comes around."
Doehring stroked his beard with his right hand, his face beaming.
Linley's progress had surprised him.
He'd originally thought Linley would break through to the second rank as a mage after the Magic Test.
But over the past month, Linley hadn't slacked off in his warrior training at all.
His progress in magic had been just as astonishing.
It was true that Linley had about ten times the spiritual force of other children his age from birth.
But mages generally cultivated more slowly than warriors.
With Linley, though, that rule seemed not to apply.
Over the past month, Doehring had often sensed Linley's spiritual force suddenly increase.
Yet he'd never figured out what was causing it.
"Really, Grandpa Doehring?" Linley was excited, too. "I'll definitely keep working hard."
Seeing how excited Linley was, Doehring set aside his doubts.
Whatever the reason, he was now bound to Linley.
And the boy himself was quite remarkable.
So Doehring didn't think it was wrong for Linley to keep secrets from him.
After all, didn't he have secrets he hadn't told Linley, either?
Doehring watched as Linley left the Black Bear's carcass behind and headed straight out of Wushan, puzzled. "Linley, aren't you going to feed the Shadow Mouse today?"
"Grandpa Doehring, I've been feeding it for a month, but it still hasn't shown any intention of forming a contract." Linley's lips curled slightly. "So I've decided to try a different approach."
With that, Linley left Wushan.
He didn't head straight back to the mansion, though. Instead, he walked all the way out of Wushan Town.
The sun was setting over the rear courtyard of Baruch Mansion.
A black Shadow Mouse, about ten centimeters tall, stood upright on a stone, its eyes filled with confusion.
Why hadn't the two-legged beast come yet?
A month ago, when it had been so hungry it couldn't stand it any longer, it had sneaked out to find food and run into that two-legged beast.
The first time they met, the two-legged beast had given it a delicious stone.
After that, the stones it brought had grown tastier and more plentiful.
But...
For the past month, the two-legged beast had come around this time every day to bring it delicious stones.
Why hadn't it come today?
Sniff, sniff...
The Shadow Mouse twitched its nose for a moment, then finally caught a familiar scent.
That way!
In the next instant, the black Shadow Mouse vanished from Baruch Mansion in a blur.
"Squeak, squeak!"
Not long after Linley left Wushan Town, he heard a sound behind him.
Linley stopped and looked back. The black Shadow Mouse stood some distance away, upright and gazing at him.
"Grandpa Doehring, I was right, wasn't I?" The moment he saw the Shadow Mouse, Linley's lips curled up. "I think it'll definitely initiate a contract with me this time."
As he spoke to Doehring, Linley walked toward the Shadow Mouse.
"Little guy, I won't be able to bring you food anymore." Linley crouched and stroked the Shadow Mouse's head. "From today on, you'll have to learn to find food on your own."
Confusion flickered in the black Shadow Mouse's eyes at Linley's words.
It didn't understand what the two-legged beast meant.
Was he leaving?
Would they never meet again?
Perhaps...
The black Shadow Mouse didn't have many memories.
But every Magical Beast instinctively knew how to arrange an Equal Contract formation.
"Squeak, squeak!"
The Shadow Mouse let out a shrill cry and bit Linley's finger.
"Ah!"
Linley cried out in pain as blood trickled from his finger.
Before he could react, a magic formation spread out beneath the Shadow Mouse, drawing in Linley's blood.
Finally, the formation split into two. One half sank into Linley's brow, and the other sank into the Shadow Mouse's.
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