The Divine Realm.
Tang San sat on his divine throne, holding a cup of tea as he waited to watch Huo Yuhao accept Wang Dong'er's offer, overwhelmed with gratitude.
He had even begun planning how to guide Huo Yuhao step by step, making him utterly devoted to Wang Dong'er until he willingly became Tang San's dog.
But the next moment, he saw Huo Yuhao shake his head and say those words: "I refuse."
"Pfft!"
Tang San spat out the tea in his mouth. The teacup in his hand clattered to the floor and shattered.
He sprang to his feet, eyes wide, his face filled with disbelief.
"What's going on?! He actually refused?!"
Tang San was completely stunned.
He couldn't understand it. With Wang Dong'er's looks and talent, she had taken the initiative to ask a One-Ring Soul Master to cultivate with her, and he had actually turned her down?!
This was nothing like what he'd expected!
Had the beauty trap failed?
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
Tang San clenched his fists, his face dark enough to drip water.
"How could he refuse?! Does he not like Wang Dong'er?!"
His carefully planned beauty trap had just failed like that?!
"Damn it!"
Tang San gritted his teeth, a vicious glint flashing in his eyes.
"Huo Yuhao, do you think you can escape my grasp?
I have other ways!
I refuse to believe that I, a god of the Divine Realm, can't control you!"
In Class One's classroom.
Cao Jinxuan nudged Huo Yuhao in the arm and said with an exasperated look, "Yuhao, are you crazy?! Wang Dong'er came to you of her own accord! It's an opportunity people would kill for! How could you turn her down?"
Huo Yuhao lifted his head and shook it.
"But I really don't need to. I'm already cultivating fast enough on my own."
In the Sea of Consciousness, Zhao Ze smiled.
"Yuhao, well done."
He had already guessed that Wang Dong'er had done this at the behest of that bastard!
So he still had to refuse her!
He couldn't let that bastard get his way!
"I understand, Master. For now, I still want to focus on cultivating."
Huo Yuhao nodded.
This was what he ought to be doing!
Zhao Ze looked at Huo Yuhao's serious expression and nodded, pleased.
"It's best that you think that way.
"But since we're talking about cultivating together, I do have an idea. It could get everyone in the academy involved and take your cultivation speed to the next level."
"Everyone in the academy?"
Huo Yuhao abruptly raised his head, his eyes widening as disbelief filled his face.
"Master, you don't mean that you can fuse the Soul Power of thousands of people across the whole academy, do you? How could that be possible?!"
"Who said anything about fusing Soul Power?"
Zhao Ze smiled and shook his head, then turned to Electrolux beside him.
"If I remember correctly, on the Holy Demon Continent, there's a Squire Knight Contract, right?
"Once two people sign it, they share some of their talents and power. With the contract's support, they can even break through their own bottlenecks. Am I right?"
Electrolux thought it over carefully, then nodded, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
"That's right. There is such a contract. You even know about that..."
He paused, as if a thought had suddenly struck him, and his expression changed slightly.
"Wait. Don't tell me you're planning to use that contract on Douluo Continent? Would that even work?"
Zhao Ze replied with complete confidence, "If necromancy works just fine on Douluo Continent, there's no reason a contract spell can't be adapted."
Huo Yuhao's heart raced with excitement. Looking at the rudimentary contract runes Electrolux was sketching in the Sea of Consciousness, he couldn't help asking, "But Master, Elder Yi just mentioned Squire Knights. Wouldn't their compatibility be different from Soul Masters'?"
Zhao Ze nodded.
"I know. That's why I'll make some improvements, and take the contract's effects a step further while I'm at it."
A step further?
Huo Yuhao wasn't sure he understood.
After Electrolux finished sketching the contract runes, Zhao Ze began modifying them.
When the morning classes ended and the bell rang, Zhao Ze finally stopped working in the Sea of Consciousness.
The last arcane rune fell from his fingertip. The rudimentary contract, which had been glowing with a faint light, suddenly burst into a gentle golden radiance.
"Done."
Zhao Ze stretched and smiled with satisfaction.
"Yuhao, I've completely reworked the contract. I'm calling it the 'Talent Sharing Contract.'
"Once both parties sign it, their cultivation talents will stack together completely, allowing them to cultivate using their combined talent."
"What?!"
Huo Yuhao looked astonished in the Sea of Consciousness.
"Master, you mean the talents will stack?!"
Wouldn't that make their cultivation speed soar?!
Electrolux was already staring in shock. He leaned closer to study the flowing runes, growing more and more astounded the longer he looked. He couldn't help exclaiming in admiration,
"Incredible! Absolutely incredible! This isn't an improvement to the contract—you've recreated it from scratch!
"Your version can achieve a full two-way stacking, with no side effects whatsoever!
"In all my years, I've never seen such a terrifying genius as you."
"It was nothing."
Zhao Ze waved a hand, his tone casual.
"Yuhao, let's find someone to test it out. We'll start with the very best.
"Go to the Sea God Pavilion and find Mu En right now. Show him the contract and tell him you found it in an ancient book.
"Every elder in the Sea God Pavilion is exceptionally talented. Mu En in particular has the Bright Sacred Dragon's top-tier talent. Sign a contract with them first, and you'll build yourself an incredibly solid foundation.
"I'll use this time to further optimize the group-contract function. Maybe it'll be able to accommodate even more people."
"Great! I'm going right now!"
Huo Yuhao was fired up, his excitement surging.
Without another word, he dashed out of the classroom, moving so fast that Wang Dong'er beside him watched with curiosity.
What was Huo Yuhao off to do now?
Wang Dong'er watched his retreating figure, puzzled.
He raced all the way toward the Sea God Pavilion in the back hills of Shrek Academy.
The teachers and students he passed all turned to look when they saw how urgently he was hurrying, but none dared stop him.
Everyone at Shrek knew by now that Huo Yuhao was Mu En's favorite. Even the Sea God Pavilion Elders treated him with great respect.
Soon, Huo Yuhao reached the entrance to the Sea God Pavilion.
An elder spotted him and greeted him with a smile.
"Yuhao, Elder Mu is inside discussing matters. Just go on in."
"Thank you, Senior!"
Huo Yuhao thanked him and hurried into the main hall of the Sea God Pavilion. Sure enough, Mu En was seated in the place of honor, discussing something with Xuan Zi and several other Sea God Pavilion Elders.
"Elder Mu! Seniors!"
Huo Yuhao ran to the center of the hall, gasping for breath, and bowed to them all.
"Oh? Yuhao's here?"
Mu En smiled and looked up. Seeing how drenched in sweat Huo Yuhao was, he asked in confusion,
"Why are you in such a hurry? Did something happen?"
"Elder Mu, I have something important to tell you!"
Huo Yuhao spoke excitedly, then raised his hand. A golden contract rune appeared at his fingertip and hovered in midair.
"Elder Mu, take a look! I found this Talent Sharing Contract in an ancient book.
"Once two people sign it, their cultivation talents can stack completely. If they cultivate together, their speed can increase dramatically!"
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