Forming an Equal Contract

"Lin Feng, what are you thinking about?" Hogg sounded somewhat displeased; he had asked a question, yet Lin Feng was daydreaming.

"Ah, no, it's nothing." Lin Feng immediately looked at Hogg and nodded hurriedly, saying solemnly, "Father, I truly wish to become a mage. Please arrange for me to go to the royal capital, Fenlai City, in a week to participate in the magic enrollment test."

Hogg finally smiled upon hearing this.

"A mage? Oh, oh, is that the kind of mage who can spit fire?" Little Wharton clapped his chubby hands happily from the side.

"Wharton, that is a street performance! Do not confuse street performances with magic," Hogg said sternly.

"Oh." Little Wharton puffed out his cheeks and stopped talking.

Lin Feng smiled and looked at Hogg, asking, "Father, there should be quite a few magic academies, right? Which ones are better? Also, are magic academies and warrior academies combined?"

Although he knew for certain that he would eventually enter the Ernst Institute, he asked anyway since he saw his father was in high spirits.

Hogg also smiled. "Speaking of which, the four great empires and the two great alliances each have their own top-tier academies. You should know that the O'Brien Empire, among the four great empires, is the one with the most powerful military."

Lin Feng nodded; through his studies over the past half-year, he knew this common knowledge.

"And the O'Brien Empire's top-tier academy, the O'Brien Institute, is the number one warrior academy in the entire Yulan continent. However, when it comes to magic academies," Hogg smiled, "the very first magic academy in the entire Yulan continent is located within our Holy Union. It is named after the legendary Pope of the Radiant Church, Ernst—the Ernst Institute."

"The Ernst Institute is the premier magic academy. Every mage who graduates from there is at least a level six mage, and there are quite a few level seven mages as well! As long as our Baruch Clan produces one level seven mage, it is possible that we could at least retrieve our clan's heirloom."

As Hogg spoke, he looked at Lin Feng with anticipation.

Lin Feng could feel his father's expectations.

Although Lin Feng knew that his family's heirloom, War-Knife, was not actually a treasure at all—it was merely sharper than an ordinary blade and couldn't even compare to the worst low-level divine artifact, let alone a Sovereign Artifact or a Supreme Artifact—since his foster father wanted him to retrieve it, Lin Feng naturally would not defy his wishes. After all, the blade War-Knife was a symbol of his Baruch Dragonblood Warrior Clan, and it was truly not right for it to be lost out in the world.

"Father, I will definitely retrieve our clan's heirloom and let our Baruch Clan regain its former glory." Lin Feng stood up, looking at Hogg with a determined gaze.

"Good, good, good!" Hearing this, Hogg laughed out loud three times before slowly stopping, saying, "Lin Feng, in one week, I will have your Uncle Hillman take you to the royal capital, Fenlai City, to participate in that magic enrollment test."

"Yes, Father."

Lin Feng nodded and said.

"Young Master Lin Feng, I believe you will definitely enter the best magic academy," the butler Hiri said with a chuckle.

"The best, oh, the best." Little Wharton, his hands covered in grease from eating, was still clapping happily.

Hogg, however, smiled calmly and said, "Becoming a mage is not that simple. I fear that out of ten thousand people, only one has the aptitude. And the requirements to enter the Ernst Institute are even higher; everyone there possesses extremely high magical aptitude. If Lin Feng can become a mage, I will already be very satisfied, regardless of which academy he enters."

"Father, I will not let you down." Lin Feng said this with full confidence.

This was because Lin Feng was already a level two mage, with faint signs of breaking through to a level three mage.

Although Doehring Cowart knew Lin Feng was a genius, he hadn't expected Lin Feng to be such a freak, going from knowing nothing about magic to a solid level two—and soon to be level three—mage in just half a year. While his own guidance played a part, such gratifying achievements were primarily due to Lin Feng's own talent and his hard work during this period.

Time passed, and in the blink of an eye, a week went by.

Lin Feng lay on the grass in the back courtyard of the family estate. Beside him, the little black Shadow Mouse was jumping around him, squeaking incessantly, but Lin Feng ignored it entirely.

The little Shadow Mouse rolled its eyes, stood up on its hind legs, and placed its front paws on Lin Feng.

"Squeak, squeak." The little Shadow Mouse called out in dissatisfaction.

Lin Feng stroked the little Shadow Mouse's head. "Alright, stop making a fuss. I'm leaving home for the royal capital tomorrow. After the magic academy enrollment, I'll have to go to the academy itself; I'm afraid I won't have many chances to be with you in the future."

Lin Feng said this deliberately for Beibei to hear. He wanted to use these words to provoke Beibei into voluntarily forming an equal contract with him.

But perhaps it was fated; his connection with Beibei had not yet arrived. After hearing his words, although Beibei showed reluctance, it showed no signs of wanting to form an equal contract.

To be honest, after nearly a month of spending time together, Lin Feng had truly grown fond of this cute little mouse.

The next day, after lunch, in the front courtyard of the Baruch Clan estate.

Hogg stood as straight as a javelin, looking directly at the Lin Feng before him. "Lin Feng, our Wushan Town is relatively close to the royal capital, only ninety li away. You should be able to reach the royal capital before dark. Remember, do not cause trouble when you arrive at the royal capital; there are too many high-ranking officials and nobles there."

"Yes, Father," Lin Feng said respectfully.

"Hillman, I leave Lin Feng to you." Hogg looked at Hillman, who was standing to the side.

Hillman smiled and said, "Lord Hogg, rest assured."

"Good, you may set off." Hogg laughed heartily.

"Goodbye, Father," Lin Feng said respectfully, then looked at Little Wharton with a smile. "Wharton, big brother is leaving. You must be obedient at home; don't use the rag you used to wipe the chamber pot to wipe your dinner bowl again."

Little Wharton blinked his eyes at Lin Feng and said reluctantly, "Goodbye, big brother."

Seeing Little Wharton's reluctant gaze, tears welled up in the corners of Lin Feng's eyes. He thought of his little sister, Lin Ruo, and how similar the scene was to when he left for college in another city. After half a year together, Lin Feng truly viewed the blockheaded Wharton as his own younger brother—a brother even closer than a biological one.

Lin Feng glanced toward the back courtyard and thought to himself, "Beibei, I'm leaving. If you don't come out now, no one will bring you food anymore." Hillman said to Lin Feng from the side, "Lin Feng, stop daydreaming, let's go."

"Yes, Uncle Hillman."

Lin Feng stopped overthinking and immediately followed Uncle Hillman away from the Baruch Clan estate. In any case, he knew that if nothing went wrong, Beibei would surely follow him.

"Squeak." On the roof of the Baruch Clan's main hall, Beibei was watching Lin Feng and Hillman leave. Beibei tilted its head, its eyes full of confusion. In its eyes, Lin Feng should have been going to hunt wild rabbits; why was he carrying a pack and leaving with someone else today?

Beibei liked Lin Feng very much.

Over the past month, Beibei, who had no family, had come to view Lin Feng as its own kin.

"Whoosh!"

Little Beibei moved in a blur, vanishing from the roof of the Baruch Clan estate in an instant. Within two or three leaps, he reached the roof of another commoner's house, keeping his eyes fixed on Lin Feng and Hillman. The little Shadow Mouse trailed behind Lin Feng, and before long, they had exited Wushan Town.

Developments unfolded exactly as Lin Feng had anticipated. Seeing that they were not heading in the direction of Wushan, Beibei immediately panicked, darting to his side and biting onto his pant leg, refusing to let go. What followed was without suspense; the transmigrated Lin Feng returned once again to the path of the original story, forging an equal contract with Beibei.

At this moment, Lin Feng could already feel that faint soul connection between himself and Beibei.

On the quiet road of Wushan Town, Lin Feng and Beibei looked at each other, beginning their very first exchange.

"From now on, I'll call you Beibei, alright?" Lin Feng said directly in his heart.

"Zhi zhi."

"Beibei!"

"Zhi zhi."

"Come, Beibei, get on my shoulder." Beibei let out a joyful squeak and immediately leaped onto Lin Feng's shoulder.

"You... you tamed it?" Hillman was stunned.

Hillman was a man of experience, after all, and knew that taming a magical beast was incredibly difficult, yet Lin Feng had just managed to tame one.

Uncle Hillman felt bewildered: "You, you don't even have a soul contract scroll, this, how is this possible?"

"Alright, Uncle Hillman." Lin Feng chuckled and said, "Let's hurry on our way; the royal capital, Fenlai City, is still a long distance off." As he spoke, Lin Feng grabbed Hillman and, without further explanation, continued their journey toward the royal capital.

As for Beibei, he squeaked excitedly on Lin Feng's shoulder.

Accompanied by Beibei's cries, Lin Feng, Hillman, and Beibei disappeared into the end of the road.