The Soul Pact Takes Shape

Bibi Dong fell silent for a long time.

The Soul Contract Stone hovered beside Meow Meow's paw, its faint white light circling the bell.

It wasn't large, and it didn't look like some earth-shattering treasure.

But Bibi Dong could feel a strange aura within it.

It was nothing like a Soul Bone.

Nothing like a Soul Ring.

It was even unlike the ancient spiritual objects Spirit Hall had collected.

"If you assist Spirit Hall, how long will it take to make this Soul Pact truly usable?"

Bibi Dong asked the most important question.

Meow Meow looked up at her, his tail stiffening slightly.

"Well..."

He'd been so excited when he talked about it, but now that she was asking how long it would take, even Meow Meow felt a little uncertain.

Soul Rings were the most firmly established part of Douluo Continent's cultivation system.

Changing a rule like that wasn't as simple as giving it a couple of swipes with his claws.

"A hundred years?"

Meow Meow started with a conservative estimate.

Bibi Dong said nothing.

Meow Meow thought it over again.

"If I spend more time using time arrays, maybe a few decades?"

Bibi Dong still said nothing.

Meow Meow blinked, feeling as though he'd embarrassed himself.

"Ahem. Of course, that's under normal circumstances."

"Your Meow Meow isn't an ordinary cat, after all."

Bibi Dong finally smiled faintly.

"So, what does this extraordinary cat plan to do?"

Meow Meow immediately sat up straight.

"We'll start with the simplest rules."

"Low-Rank Soul Beasts, Low-Rank Soul Masters, and low-rank Soul Rings."

"The connection between a Hundred-Year Soul Beast and a One-Ring Soul Master is the simplest. If we can't even manage that, there's no point thinking about replacing Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings in the future."

Bibi Dong nodded.

It was a sound approach.

If Meow Meow had immediately suggested forming a pact between a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast and a Titled Douluo, she would have wondered if the cat was dreaming.

"What do you need?"

"A Soul Master willing to cooperate, and a Soul Beast willing to cooperate."

Meow Meow paused, then added, "And a little time."

"How long?"

"One night outside, ten years in the array."

Bibi Dong's eyes flickered.

"You can do that?"

"I can now."

Meow Meow sounded confident.

The Time Stop Divine Ability could already halt time for a brief moment.

With the Ten Thousand Array Diagram, the Soul-Calming Bell, and the newly acquired Soul Contract Stone, opening a small experimental space where time flowed differently wasn't too difficult for him now.

Of course, it couldn't be too large.

And he couldn't keep it going forever.

Otherwise, Meow Meow would end up a completely limp cat.

"We'll conduct the first test in the Pope's Palace," Bibi Dong said.

Meow Meow nodded.

"But we can't choose just any Soul Master."

"The first person to test the Soul Pact will be part of its record for posterity."

"If they're unstable by nature, any problems down the line will be a headache."

Bibi Dong considered it briefly.

"I'll have Yue Guan choose a low-rank Spirit Hall deacon."

"No."

Meow Meow shook his head.

"This person needs to be young and pure of heart."

"Preferably someone who hasn't actually absorbed their First Soul Ring yet."

Bibi Dong looked at Meow Meow, a glimmer of understanding in her eyes.

"You want to test from the very beginning whether the Soul Pact can replace a Soul Ring."

"Mm."

Meow Meow nodded.

"If we're doing this, we might as well do it properly."

Soon, Yue Guan was summoned.

After hearing Bibi Dong's instructions, Yue Guan looked perplexed.

Bring a child who hadn't absorbed a Soul Ring to the Pope's Palace?

And find a Hundred-Year Soul Beast willing to cooperate?

The task sounded even more bizarre than killing a Titled Douluo.

But Yue Guan didn't ask any questions.

He was used to it by now.

Ever since Meow Meow had come to Spirit Hall, strange things had been happening more and more often.

Before long, a boy of about ten was brought in.

He was so nervous that he could barely walk steadily.

"Greetings, Your Holiness the Pope."

His voice trembled as he knelt.

Bibi Dong glanced at him.

"Rise."

The boy didn't dare.

Meow Meow watched him helplessly, then tapped the table with his paw.

"Don't be afraid. Nobody's eating you today."

The boy looked up and saw an orange-red cat sitting upright on the Pope's table. His mind went completely blank.

Was this... the legendary Lord Holy Cat?

"What's your name?" Meow Meow asked.

"M-my apologies, Lord Holy Cat. My name is Lin An."

"What's your Martial Soul?"

"Green Vine."

"Innate Soul Power?"

"Three."

Meow Meow nodded.

Not too high, not too low.

Just right for the experiment.

If it was too high, it could involve some unusual talent; too low, and he might not withstand the Soul Pact.

"Release your Martial Soul."

Lin An hurriedly raised his hand.

A slender, pale-green vine sprouted from his palm, its form carrying a hint of suppleness.

Meow Meow activated Martial Soul Insight.

The next moment, the patterns inside the Green Vine appeared before his eyes.

Its life force wasn't especially strong, but it was stable.

If this Martial Soul followed a control or support path, it could have some promise.

"Not bad."

Meow Meow nodded.

Lin An's eyes lit up.

He'd been told since childhood that his talent was ordinary. Hearing Lord Holy Cat praise him, even with just two words, nearly brought him to tears on the spot.

Then Yue Guan brought in a Soul Beast.

It was a Hundred-Year Green Wood Mouse.

It wasn't large, its fur was gray-green, and delicate tree-like markings ran along its tail.

This kind of Soul Beast wasn't aggressive. It liked to gnaw on the roots of spirit trees and would burrow underground to escape danger.

When it was brought into the Pope's Palace, it curled into a ball, looking even more frightened than Lin An.

Meow Meow glanced at it.

"This one will do."

The Green Wood Mouse squeaked.

Meow Meow placed a paw on the Soul Contract Stone.

Its light flared, slowly enveloping Lin An and the Green Wood Mouse.

Lin An's Green Vine Martial Soul swayed gently.

The tree-like markings on the Green Wood Mouse's tail also began to glow.

Meow Meow didn't hurry to activate it.

"Remember, the Soul Pact isn't enslavement."

"A Soul Master can't forcibly take a Soul Beast's essence."

"Nor can a Soul Beast use the Soul Pact to turn on a Soul Master."

"If either side harbors ill intent, the Soul Pact cannot be formed."

Bibi Dong listened in silence.

Those words sounded simple, but they laid down the basic rules of the Soul Pact.

Yue Guan couldn't help straightening up beside her, too.

It suddenly occurred to him that if this succeeded, Spirit Hall might possess an entirely new cultivation method in the future.

Meow Meow closed his eyes.

The Soul-Calming Bell rang softly.

The Ten Thousand Array Diagram unfurled in midair.

The array carved out a tiny space.

Inside were the Green Wood Mouse, Lin An, and an avatar formed from a strand of Meow Meow's spirit.

Only an instant passed in the outside world, but years began to flow within the array.

In the first year, Lin An learned only how to coexist peacefully with the Green Wood Mouse.

The Green Wood Mouse was still afraid of him.

Lin An was also afraid he might accidentally kill the Soul Beast.

In the second year, the Green Wood Mouse began accepting the Green Vine Lin An fed it.

Although the life force of the Green Vine Martial Soul wasn't strong, it suited the mouse better than ordinary plants.

In the third year, the Green Wood Mouse let Lin An touch its tail.

Lin An was happy for three days.

Meow Meow watched and shook his head.

"How is this kid even easier to satisfy than your Meow Meow?"

In the fifth year, Lin An tried to resonate with the Green Wood Mouse using his Soul Power.

He failed.

The Green Wood Mouse was so frightened that it burrowed underground and didn't come out for three months.

In the seventh year, Lin An finally learned not to rush things.

His Green Vine Martial Soul draped down, no longer trying to forcibly wind around the Green Wood Mouse. Instead, he made it a nest.

In the ninth year, the Green Wood Mouse voluntarily laid its tail across the Green Vine.

The Soul Contract Stone lit up for the first time.

In the tenth year.

Lin An and the Green Wood Mouse closed their eyes at the same time.

A faint green ring appeared within the Green Vine Martial Soul.

That ring wasn't a Soul Ring left behind by a dead Soul Beast.

Nor did it carry the intense resentment of a Soul Beast.

It was more like a seed.

Gentle and steady, it also carried a trace of the Green Wood Mouse's aura.

"It worked."

Meow Meow opened his eyes.

Only one night had passed in the outside world.

Bibi Dong and Yue Guan were both waiting inside the hall.

When Lin An opened his eyes, he sat frozen in place.

He clearly felt as though a very, very long time had passed, yet his body was still the same age as before.

The Green Wood Mouse lay on his shoulder, its tail gently twined around his Green Vine.

"Soul Ring."

Lin An lowered his head and stared at the green ring on his Martial Soul. His voice trembled.

"I have a Soul Ring."

Bibi Dong rose to her feet.

Yue Guan couldn't help stepping closer, too.

The Soul Ring was faint.

It looked different from an ordinary Hundred-Year Soul Ring. It wasn't bright yellow, but glowed with the color of green wood.

But it did have the effects of a Soul Ring.

Lin An's Soul Power had already broken through the level ten limit.

It had even begun to flow toward level eleven.

"Try your Soul Skill."

Meow Meow said.

Lin An nodded quickly.

"First Soul Skill, Green Wood Entanglement."

Green Vine sprouted from the ground and wrapped around a stone stool in the hall.

It wasn't very strong.

But compared with an ordinary First Soul Skill, it wasn't much weaker.

More importantly, the Green Wood Mouse hadn't died.

It was even perched on Lin An's shoulder, looking more energetic than before.

"Try the Feedback, too."

Meow Meow said.

Lin An was a little nervous as he tried channeling Soul Power into the Soul Ring.

The Green Wood Mouse's tail lit up, and its aura grew slightly stronger along with it.

The increase was small, but it had worked.

Yue Guan's expression shifted with shock.

"Doesn't that mean..."

"It's not a complete replacement."

Meow Meow immediately cut him off.

"For now, it only works at lower levels, and both sides have to be willing. The Soul Beast's attributes must also match the Martial Soul."

"Besides, a Soul Pact takes a long time to grow."

"If a Soul Master wants to grow stronger in a short time, hunting Soul Beasts is still faster."

Bibi Dong looked at the Green Wood Mouse on Lin An's shoulder, her voice low.

"But it gives us another path."

"Mm."

Meow Meow nodded.

"Not every Soul Master is suited to a path of slaughter."

"Some can nurture a Soul Pact over time."

"The Soul Master gains a Soul Ring, and the Soul Beast gains Feedback."

"If the Soul Master grows stronger in the future, the Soul Beast can advance along with him."

"This path is slow, but steady."

A glint flashed in Bibi Dong's eyes.

If Spirit Hall mastered this path, the way it trained civilian Soul Masters would change completely.

What Low-Rank Soul Masters lacked most wasn't talent, but a safe First Soul Ring.

Many children from ordinary families couldn't even afford to go to the Soul Hunting Forest.

With a Soul Pact Academy, everything would change.

Yue Guan couldn't help asking, "Lord Holy Cat, can this Soul Pact be widely adopted?"

Meow Meow thought it over.

"Not right away."

"We need to test it inside Spirit Hall first."

"Soul Pacts depend on the character of both parties. If someone uses one to enslave a Soul Beast or trick it into giving up its source, the whole system will fall apart."

"And I still have to write a set of Soul Pact rules."

At the word "write," Meow Meow's expression stiffened.

He didn't like writing.

Bibi Dong saw what he was thinking and said coolly, "I'll have someone put them together."

Meow Meow breathed a sigh of relief.

"Good."

[Ding, the host has completed the Soul Pact prototype.]

[Ding, progress toward completing the Soul Master path has increased.]

[Ding, a new branch has appeared in Spirit Hall's system for training civilian Soul Masters.]

[Ding, congratulations to the host for receiving one Soul Pact Complete Gift Pack.]

Meow Meow's eyes immediately lit up.

Just as expected, there was a gift pack!

"Open it."

[Soul Pact Complete Gift Pack: Treasure: Soul Pact Stele, Treasure: Hundred Beasts Catalog, Divine Ability: Spirit Pact Pacification.]

[Soul Pact Stele: Records Soul Pact rules, enforces Soul Pact vows, and prevents malicious forced pacts and backlash.]

[Hundred Beasts Catalog: Records Soul Beast attributes, habits, age, compatible Martial Souls, and the probability of a successful Soul Pact.]

[Spirit Pact Pacification: Calms frightened Soul Beasts and makes communication for a Soul Pact easier.]

Meow Meow was delighted when he saw this.

This gift pack was incredibly useful.

Especially the Hundred Beasts Catalog.

He wouldn't have to rely on guesswork every time anymore.

He could look up which Soul Beasts suited which Martial Souls.

As for the Soul Pact Stele, it could be placed in the Holy Fire School as its sacred treasure.

"The system's finally getting its act together."

Meow Meow flicked his tail with satisfaction.

Seeing his expression, Bibi Dong knew he had received another benefit.

But this time, she didn't mind.

Spirit Hall had gained even more.

Lin An was still kneeling where he was, looking as if he were dreaming.

"His Holiness the Pope, Lord Holy Cat, I..."

"From now on, you'll stay at the Martial Soul Hall Holy Fire Primary Academy."

Bibi Dong said.

"You're the first Soul Pact Soul Master."

"Keep this matter secret for now."

Lin An quickly kowtowed.

"Yes!"

The Green Wood Mouse lowered its head, too. "Squeak."

Meow Meow found it amusing.

"It counts as a student, too."

Lin An froze.

Bibi Dong nodded.

"Very well."

Yue Guan's mouth twitched slightly.

Spirit Hall Academy was enrolling a Soul Beast as a student.

If word got out, the entire continent would probably think Spirit Hall had gone mad.

Yet he couldn't help thinking it was useful.

That was the most outrageous part.

Meow Meow looked at the Green Wood Mouse, then at Lin An, and suddenly had a thought.

"From now on, Soul Pact students can't just be Soul Masters."

"The Soul Beasts have to learn, too."

"At the very least, they need to know that signing a Soul Pact doesn't mean selling themselves."

"And they mustn't let Soul Masters bully them."

Bibi Dong nodded slightly.

"I'll make arrangements."

Meow Meow settled down, satisfied.

He'd been busy all night and was a little tired.

But just as he closed his eyes, Meow Meow opened them again.

"Wait."

Bibi Dong looked at him.

"What is it?"

Meow Meow stared at the Soul Contract Stone, his expression complicated.

"I only wanted to solve the problem of low-level Soul Rings."

"But if Soul Pacts really mature, then in the future, when Soul Masters and Soul Beasts work together, Soul Beasts could also learn how to fight with Martial Souls from human Soul Masters."

"Could powerful Soul Beasts become even stronger?"

Bibi Dong fell silent for a moment.

"They could."

Yue Guan nodded slightly as well.

It was almost inevitable.

Soul Beasts could gain Feedback from Soul Masters, while Soul Masters gained the Soul Beasts' source.

If the two sides worked well together, their combat power would increase significantly.

"So Soul Pacts can't be signed carelessly."

Meow Meow suddenly grew serious.

"Especially with Soul Beasts that are too savage. We can't let those pacts go unchecked yet."

"Otherwise, we might end up raising a group of Soul Beasts even harder to defeat than before."

Bibi Dong said, "Then we'll establish a Soul Pact Audit."

"Mm."

Meow Meow nodded.

"Soul Masters have to pass an audit, and so do Soul Beasts."

"Both sides have to pass."

"And Spirit Hall has to keep the Soul Pact Stele."

"At least for now, it can't leave our hands."

Bibi Dong looked at Meow Meow, her eyes holding a touch more admiration.

This cat usually seemed lazy, but when it came to serious matters, he was becoming more and more reliable.

"You've thought this through very carefully."

Meow Meow lifted his head.

"I've always been smart."

Bibi Dong reached out and gently tapped his forehead.

"Smart cat, shall we keep going?"

Meow Meow's body stiffened.

"Not anymore."

"Time to sleep."

As soon as he finished speaking, he curled himself into a ball and pretended to be fast asleep.

Bibi Dong looked at the orange-red ball of fur, and her eyes softened for a moment.

Standing nearby, Yue Guan suddenly felt that the atmosphere in the Pope's Palace was different from before.

It used to be very cold here.

It was still imposing, but it no longer made people feel like they couldn't breathe.

Perhaps that was what made that cat so remarkable.

He had changed more than just the way people cultivated.

He had changed people's hearts, too.

Three days later.

An internal secret order from Spirit Hall was issued.

A Soul Pact Experimental Academy would be established outside Spirit City.

The first batch of students would be limited to commoner Soul Masters who had not yet absorbed their First Soul Ring.

At the same time, Spirit Hall began secretly taking in some low-level, docile Soul Beasts.

No slaughtering them.

No forced pacts.

No leaking information.

Violators would be severely punished.

When the order first came down, many Spirit Hall stewards were confused.

Weren't Soul Beasts meant to be hunted?

Why take them in?

But the order had come from the Pope's Palace, and no one dared ask too many questions.

Meanwhile, Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan were also summoned to the Pope's Palace.

Meow Meow was sprawled on a cushion, having just woken up, his eyes still a little hazy.

Looking at the Golden Generation before him, he felt a little wistful.

These three would all become the faces of Spirit Hall's younger generation in the future.

And yet, they had originally been beaten down by Tang San every step of the way.

What a pity.

"Lord Holy Cat."

Hu Liena greeted him obediently.

Xie Yue followed suit.

Yan looked at Meow Meow with a hint of curiosity.

He clearly wanted to pet the cat.

But he didn't dare.

Meow Meow sensed his gaze and narrowed his eyes.

"Keep your paws to yourself."

Yan immediately pulled his hand back.

Hu Liena couldn't help laughing.

Looking at the three of them, Bibi Dong said, "Starting today, the three of you will receive special instruction from Meow Meow."

The three of them were shaken.

Special instruction?

From Lord Holy Cat?

Yan's eyes lit up.

Xie Yue's expression turned serious.

Hu Liena looked at Meow Meow, her eyes full of anticipation.

Meow Meow stretched.

"Your fundamentals are pretty good."

"But you're taking too narrow a path."

"Xie Yue only thinks about blades."

"Yan only thinks about fire."

"And Nana only thinks about Charm."

Hu Liena's face flushed slightly.

Xie Yue's brow twitched.

Yan looked unconvinced.

"If I have a fire-type Martial Soul, what else am I supposed to think about?"

Meow Meow gave him a look.

"Earth."

Yan was stunned.

"Huh?"

Meow Meow said seriously, "Your Martial Soul is the Flame Lord, not a little flame."

"The Flame Lord has fire, but also magma and the power of the earth."

"All you know how to do is burn things. Of course you're easy to counter."

Yan opened his mouth, but couldn't think of a rebuttal.

A flicker of surprise crossed Bibi Dong's eyes.

She could tell that Meow Meow wasn't just making things up.

Meow Meow turned to Xie Yue.

"Your Moon Blade isn't just a blade, either."

"The moon has its phases, and blades have yin and yang."

"If you only pursue speed and sharpness, you'll run into a real bottleneck later."

Xie Yue's expression grew solemn.

Finally, Meow Meow looked at Hu Liena.

"As for you."

Hu Liena instinctively straightened up.

"Your Demon Fox Martial Soul isn't just for charming other people."

"Charm is only the outward appearance."

"What truly makes it powerful is its ability to stir the mind."

"If all you can do is make people dazed, you'll be useless against someone with a firm mind."

"You need to learn to see through other people, and to see yourself clearly, too."

Hu Liena was taken aback.

She didn't fully understand what he meant.

But she felt it was important.

Seeing that all three had begun to take him seriously, Meow Meow was satisfied.

Now that's more like it.

The Golden Generation of Spirit Hall couldn't just be there to give away experience.

If Tang San still wanted to rely on a few tricks to suppress Spirit Hall every step of the way, he would have to ask whether this cat agreed first.

"Starting today, the three of you will join the Holy Fire Advanced Class."

Meow Meow swished his tail.

"First lesson: get to know your Martial Souls."

Yan muttered under his breath, "We've been cultivating for years. How can we not know them?"

Meow Meow smiled at him.

"Then tell me, where does your fire come from?"

Yan froze.

"From my Martial Soul."

"And where does your Martial Soul come from?"

"My bloodline?"

"And where does your bloodline come from?"

Yan fell silent.

Meow Meow nodded.

"See? You don't know it."

Hu Liena couldn't help laughing out loud.

Xie Yue also lowered his head and gave a slight cough.

Yan's face reddened. He wanted to argue, but realized he really didn't have an answer.

Watching this, Bibi Dong's eyes also held a hint of amusement.

She suddenly felt that having Meow Meow teach the three of them might really lead to unexpected gains.

At the very least, this cat never did things the conventional way.

And perhaps the future of the Douluo Continent needed a few unconventional things.