Subjugation and Contract

Enlightenment?

This thing could actually be subjected to Enlightenment?

And it wasn't just repairing or upgrading, but a secondary, directed mutation!

A wild thought instantly took over his entire mind!

To anyone else, this Bloodthirsty Thorn was worthless trash, a dangerous item that had to be destroyed.

But for him?

He possessed the Gold Touch System!

Right in front of him lay a gold mine made of Mutated Spirit Rice, capable of providing a constant stream of Gold Touch Value!

If he could tame it and then use Gold Touch Value to continuously subject it to secondary, tertiary mutations...

What kind of monster would he eventually cultivate?

A plant-based war weapon with infinite growth potential that obeyed only him?

A terrifying bodyguard that could constantly devour, evolve, and fearlessly face death?

Zhou Xuan's blood boiled at this moment!

This was practically another Heavenly Path tailor-made for him!

It was an undeniable fact that his own Spirit Root aptitude was poor and his cultivation speed was slow.

Even if he gathered enough Gold Touch Value later to upgrade his Spirit Root, it would still take a massive amount of time to catch up.

But if he had such a pet that could be infinitely strengthened, what a terrifying boost his combat power would receive!

This was far stronger than the immediate combat power gained from simply raising his own cultivation level!

Zhou Xuan looked at the Bloodthirsty Thorn still struggling wildly in his hand, and his gaze changed instantly.

It was no longer the look one gave to a piece of trash, but rather like looking at a peerless, one-of-a-kind treasure!

"From today on, you're with me."

Zhou Xuan grinned, revealing a bright yet dangerous smile.

Zhou Xuan said that line, "From today on, you're with me," with an air of nonchalance.

It was as if he weren't speaking to a bloodthirsty monster that had just tried to take his life, but rather as if he had just picked up a stray dog on the side of the road.

But the flame of fanaticism burning in his heart was doused by a bucket of cold water after only a moment.

He looked at the Bloodthirsty Thorn in his hand, which was still struggling frantically and trying to pierce his palm with its thorns, and his brows furrowed slightly.

A very realistic problem lay before him.

How was he supposed to tame it?

This thing wasn't some docile pet; it was full of aggression, with nothing but chaotic and bloodthirsty thoughts in its mind.

He couldn't just keep holding onto it like this every day, could he?

The moment he let go, this thing would absolutely attack him again without the slightest hesitation.

He had to find a way to completely control it!

Zhou Xuan's mind raced as he pondered.

He recalled the novels and legends he had read in his past life, which featured blood-binding, soul imprints, and all sorts of contract methods.

But the problem was, he didn't know a single one!

Spirit Sword Pavilion, as the name suggested, was a sect for sword cultivators. The mainstream of the sect was to practice sword arts, hone the sword heart, and pursue the path of proving the Dao through strength, breaking all laws with a single sword.

They didn't seem to care much for these heterodox paths.

At least at the level he could reach as a chore disciple, he had never heard of any beast-taming or plant-controlling techniques being passed down.

"There are rumors of specialized beast-taming sects that have secret techniques to forcibly plant restrictions in the souls of demonic beasts, making them submissive and obedient..."

Zhou Xuan calculated in his heart.

"But those places are far away; where am I supposed to learn that?"

Was he really going to sit on a mountain of treasure and be unable to find the key to open the door?

Was this wild idea that had just ignited about to die in the cradle?

A strong sense of unwillingness surged in Zhou Xuan's heart.

Just as his thoughts were racing and he was feeling extremely anxious, another change occurred!

Hum.

A slight vibration, not from the outside world, but echoing directly in the depths of his mind.

It was the Broken Ancient Scripture formed from the Green Copper fragments!

It had been floating quietly in the center of Zhou Xuan's nascent sea of consciousness, but at this moment, a faint golden halo suddenly rippled across the surface of the ancient scripture.

Zhou Xuan's consciousness was instantly drawn to it.

He could clearly see that the Ancient Scripture seemed to have sensed the intense desire for control and subjugation within his heart.

On one of the pages of the Ancient Scripture, a character that had previously been blurry began to slowly become clear and solid.

It was an extremely ancient and complex symbol, woven from countless mysterious strokes, filled with a sense of natural, inherent Dao.

Zhou Xuan did not recognize this symbol at all, nor could he understand the meaning it represented.

However, the moment this symbol fully took shape, a flash of realization poured directly into the depths of his soul like a sudden enlightenment.

Contract!

This was an incredibly overbearing master-servant contract based on the level of the soul!

Zhou Xuan's heart gave a violent jolt, and wild joy instantly overwhelmed all of his reason!

It was exactly what he had been wishing for!

This mysterious Ancient Scripture could not only suppress and nourish the soul, but it could also provide such an inconceivable method whenever he needed it!

He did not hesitate for another moment, his gaze locked firmly onto the roots of the Bloodthirsty Thorn in his hand.

That was the core of its life, and also the dwelling place of its sliver of chaotic intelligence!

"Behave yourself!"

Zhou Xuan let out a low growl, his other hand darting out like lightning to grab the twisted, tangled root system of the Bloodthirsty Thorn.

The next moment, he closed his eyes slightly and plunged his entire consciousness into his sea of consciousness!

Soul power, erupt!

Ever since he had accidentally opened his sea of consciousness, the strength of Zhou Xuan's soul had already crossed the threshold of a Qi Refining Realm cultivator.

Although he could not yet project his divine sense or manipulate objects from a distance like a true Qi Refining cultivator, he was already able to mobilize a sliver of soul power to perform certain interventions on a spiritual level.

An intangible, formless force, yet one carrying supreme majesty, surged through his palm and charged ferociously into the roots of the Bloodthirsty Thorn!

"Hiss!"

The Bloodthirsty Thorn seemed to have encountered a natural predator; the entire plant trembled violently, emitting a hiss filled with terror.

Zhou Xuan's soul effortlessly tore through the creature's fragile and chaotic mental defenses, charging directly into its chaotic sea of consciousness.

There was no light here, no order, only a sea of crimson.

Rage, hunger, bloodthirst, destruction...

Countless negative, primal thoughts rampaged here, forming a chaotic and unbearable mental world.

This was the sea of consciousness of the Bloodthirsty Thorn: simple, primitive, yet filled with violence.

However, when Zhou Xuan's soul—which was countless times more powerful than its own—descended, this crimson world instantly froze.

It was like a wolf entering a flock of sheep!

Those violent thoughts trembled under the pressure of his soul, instinctively feeling fear and submission.

"Now!"

Seizing the opportunity, Zhou Xuan mobilized his soul power and began to arduously trace the mysterious symbol he had learned from the Ancient Scripture in the center of that crimson world.

One stroke, one line.

Every stroke he laid down felt like carving into stubborn stone with a chisel, consuming a massive amount of his mental energy.

Zhou Xuan's complexion turned pale at a speed visible to the naked eye, fine beads of cold sweat seeped from his forehead, and his body began to tremble slightly.

The exhaustion of the soul was far more terrifying than the exhaustion of the body!

This was a sense of weakness originating from the very source of life, as if his soul were being drained away bit by bit.

But he still gritted his teeth, relying on the tenacious will of someone who had lived two lifetimes to hold on firmly.

Finally, as the last stroke was completed, the golden symbol, filled with an aura of mystery and dominance, fully took shape!

Hum!

The golden contract symbol suddenly erupted with brilliant light, instantly illuminating the entire crimson sea of consciousness.

Those violent, bloodthirsty thoughts vanished instantly under the golden glow.

Immediately afterward, the golden symbol branded itself fiercely into the deepest part of this sea of consciousness, transforming into an indelible mark!

It was done!