Contract Awakening! Evil Fire Phoenix Entangles Dragon God Youth

The lingering rhythm of ice and fire intertwined across the scorched earth, red and blue light particles drifting like Fire Fly, outlining the contours of the earth-shattering collision that had just occurred.

In the center of this strange spectacle, Ma Xiaotao was practically draped over Long Jinyu.

The youth's slender fingers unconsciously stroked her back, his thin frame held tightly in her embrace.

Both of them had their eyes closed, as if immersed in a world that contained only each other.

Until—

"Everyone, stand back!"

A low, commanding shout rang out abruptly.

It was the Dean of Discipline, Du Weilun, who had hurried over with several teachers in tow.

When they saw the scene before them, everyone couldn't help but freeze in their tracks.

"Seal off the area immediately."

Du Weilun's eyelids twitched as he hurriedly erected a soundproof barrier, his voice dropping to a low command.

His gaze remained fixed on the two "beautiful girls" locked in an embrace, unable to look away.

Ma Xiaotao's clothes were slightly damaged, while the one holding her in his arms...

A "girl"?

At least, that was how it appeared to him—

Although the clothing was still mostly intact, a large expanse of snow-white skin was exposed at the collar.

The scene was truly enough to stir the imagination.

Might this have an impact on the students' mental health?

"Director, that Taiji Diagram... could it be the remnant of their Martial Soul Fusion Skill?" a teacher beside him couldn't help but whisper.

"No, that's not it." Du Weilun frowned, his eyes locked onto the ice-blue soul power swirling around Long Jinyu. "This ice attribute... is it actually this pure? Even more so than that one from the Ling family..."

"Wait, who is that 'young lady'? Since when did the Outer Courtyard have such an ice-type genius?" another teacher asked, puzzled.

Du Weilun shook his head: "No record of such a person. Perhaps a new student who hasn't registered yet today."

"Should we then—"

"No need."

A gentle yet unquestionable voice suddenly came from behind them.

Du Weilun turned around abruptly.

A silver-white figure descended from the sky. The wind stirred up by the old man as he landed brushed away the ice crystals covering the ground. His eyes, sharp as torches, stared at the two figures in each other's arms, the corners of his mouth curling higher and higher.

"Dean Yan Shaozhe!" Du Weilun hurriedly saluted. "Why have you come in person?"

"Old Du," Yan Shaozhe waved his hand, his gaze never leaving Long Jinyu. "We've struck gold this time!"

"You mean... 'her' ice attribute?" Du Weilun leaned in, catching his drift.

"Ultimate Ice." Yan Shaozhe's voice carried irrepressible joy. "And his martial soul is something even I cannot fathom."

"It's actually Ultimate Ice?!" Du Weilun's pupils constricted. "Doesn't that mean... Ma Xiaotao's evil fire..."

"That is exactly why I am so pleased." Yan Shaozhe nodded, his smile deepening as he signaled for the other teachers to withdraw. "Not only that, Mu En also..."

"What!"

Du Weilun gasped, subconsciously looking at Long Jinyu's delicate, almost androgynous face, and muttered:

"So that's how it is. Thank you for the clarification, Dean."

"But, this 'young lady' is only eleven or twelve years old. With 'her' doing this... can 'her' soul power hold up? What if it damages 'her' foundation..."

Yan Shaozhe shook his head: "He is no young lady. Furthermore, you are underestimating him. Aside from him, have you ever seen anyone at this age who could so easily neutralize Ma Xiaotao's Phoenix Meteor Shower?"

Du Weilun was speechless, his gaze sweeping over the terrifying trenches of ice and fire on the ground.

"The Dean is absolutely right." He hesitated for a moment before whispering, "So 'she' is actually... a boy?"

"What, surprised?"

Yan Shaozhe chuckled.

"Let them spend more time together."

His eyes glinted with shrewdness.

"If they could spark a little something..."

Du Weilun: "..."

The silence was deafening.

Just then, Ma Xiaotao suddenly stirred. The two mentors immediately fell silent, retreating into the shadows of the trees by mutual understanding.

[Task Completed: Help Ma Xiaotao suppress the evil fire]

[Reward points: 5,201,314 have been issued]

"Tsk... System... you..."

Ma Xiaotao and Long Jinyu remained in each other's arms for a long time, a full hour passing by.

As she slowly drifted back to consciousness, her awareness gradually returning, previous memories surged in like a tide—the agony of the evil fire burning her body, the shame of having actively sought his embrace, and the cool, gentle warmth of the youth's skin...

"Whoosh!"

A wave of heat instantly rushed to her cheeks, her entire face flushing so red it seemed as if it might drip blood.

"You—!"

Without a word, she shoved Long Jinyu away with a violent force.

Hidden in the shadows, Yan Shaozhe and Du Weilun widened their eyes in unison, staring at each other.

"This girl..." Yan Shaozhe rubbed his forehead. "She turns on him the moment she's done using him; she's even harder to deal with than the evil fire!"

Caught off guard, Long Jinyu stumbled back a few steps before landing flat on his back with a "thud."

"Ouch!"

He let out a pained cry, landing squarely on his backside. His long, raven-black hair was covered in dust; though it didn't hurt much, he looked truly disheveled.

Ma Xiaotao's toes twitched forward instinctively, but she forced herself to stop.

She scanned the surroundings, and only after confirming no one was there did she let out a sigh of relief. She placed her hands on her hips, glared down at Long Jinyu, and gave a feigned, composed cough:

"Ahem... don't tell anyone about what just happened! You hear me?"

"Woah! You—"

Long Jinyu's face was pale, his fingertips trembling as he clutched his bruised backside, his expression one of utter disbelief.

"I went through so much trouble to help you, and this—this is how you treat me?!"

"Who, who told you to get so close? I only gave you a light push, who knew... you were so fragile?" Ma Xiaotao felt guilty under his aggrieved gaze, but she remained stubborn.

〔Lightly? Sister Xiaotao, do you have some kind of misunderstanding about the word "lightly"?!〕

〔Hmph! Didn't you see how drained I am? You didn't even offer a word of concern...〕

〔Besides, do you think I wanted to be that close? Even discarding a millstone after grinding the grain doesn't happen this fast!〕

Long Jinyu ranted frantically in his mind, his eyes wide, his entire face practically screaming, "You're twisting the truth!"

"Xiaotao, oh Xiaotao..." Yan Shaozhe sighed, feeling she was beyond saving. "The boy helped you out of kindness; by acting this way, aren't you just chilling his heart?"

Ma Xiaotao put on a tough front: "In, in any case! Don't let today's events get out! Otherwise—"

"Fine, got it." Long Jinyu interrupted coldly, brushing the dust off his clothes before turning to leave without looking back. "I'll just pretend today never happened. From now on, you take your high road, and I'll walk my single-plank bridge."

〔All that sincerity, only to be met with heartless betrayal! This change of face is faster than flipping a book!〕

〔What kind of broad-minded sister is she! She's clearly just an unreasonable... hmph!〕

〔Forget it, forget it! Do whatever you want from now on! Even if you get snatched away by those filthy things from the Holy Spirit Cult, what does it have to do with me! Out of sight, out of mind!〕

Though his words were harsh and he cursed Ma Xiaotao a thousand times in his heart, his mind was filled with the image of her suffering moments ago. His pace slowed, and he pricked up his ears, waiting for any movement behind him.

"It's over, it's over! Xiaotao, go after him! This concerns your lifelong happiness... oh no, your life's safety!" Yan Shaozhe stomped his feet in anxiety.

Du Weilun grabbed him tightly: "Dean! Calm down! You are the Dean!"

Seeing that Long Jinyu was truly about to leave, Ma Xiaotao finally panicked. She rushed forward in a few strides to block his path:

"Wait! I, I just had a lapse in judgment... I didn't mean it! Don't be angry!"

〔Tch~, you think an apology makes everything okay? There's no such cheap thing in this world. I won't forgive you that easily~〕

"Don't you think it's a bit late to apologize now?" Long Jinyu stopped and glanced at her sideways.

Ma Xiaotao was speechless, her cheeks burning even more fiercely; she wished she could dig a hole and hide in it. She didn't even understand why she had impulsively pushed him...

Gritting her teeth, she suddenly grabbed Long Jinyu's arm:

"I really know I was wrong! As long as you forgive me, I'll do anything you ask!"

〔!!!〕

〔Anything? Does that mean... even cooking...〕

〔Pfft, pfft, pfft! Long Jinyu! You bastard, what are you thinking?!〕

〔Wake up!〕

〔She's apologizing sincerely, and you're actually... worse than a beast!〕

Long Jinyu's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. He was a bit of a tsundere himself, someone who responded to soft tactics but not hard ones; he had just been acting out of character because he was angry.

Furthermore, he had always been a sister-complex, and he had zero resistance against an "exquisite and generous" big sister like Ma Xiaotao.

"Hmph, seeing as you're sincere about admitting your mistake..." He turned his head away, unable to suppress the corner of his mouth from curling up. "I'll reluctantly forgive you this once."

〔Hehe... being able to make Sister Xiaotao lower her head and apologize... this feeling... tsk, it's not bad at all!〕

Ma Xiaotao let out a long sigh of relief, her entire body sagging with the release of tension. But the next second, she grabbed Long Jinyu by the collar, her gaze burning as she pressed him:

"Then... will you be willing to help me suppress my evil fire in the future?"

Long Jinyu secretly sorted through the plot lines in his memory:

According to the original story, during the Star Luo Empire tournament, Ma Rulong would use the Judgment Sword to completely trigger the dark attributes within Ma Xiaotao's martial soul, which would become the critical turning point that led to her being targeted by the Holy Spirit Cult.

At this thought, his heart sank, yet he still forced a smile, meeting Ma Xiaotao's gaze with firm resolve.

"I can help you, but..."

He held up three fingers. "Senior Sister Xiaotao must promise me three things."

"Three things?" Ma Xiaotao frowned slightly, a flash of wariness in her eyes. "Let's hear them."

She knew this brat wouldn't compromise so easily; sure enough, he was starting to haggle.

"First, you must go with me later to apologize to the students you nearly hurt;"

"Second, if you encounter evil soul masters in the future, you must not engage in a prolonged fight. You must retreat immediately and come find me... to help you;"

"Third..."

He paused for a moment, reaching out to gently brush the ash from Ma Xiaotao's hair, his movements as tender as if handling fragile glass.

"Stop pushing yourself so hard. From now on... let me... please let your junior brother share your burdens!"

The words "I will be your support," which had nearly rushed out, were choked back down his throat. His heart drummed against his ribs, and the cool sensation of her hair still lingered on his fingertips.

He snapped to his senses—that was too much!

The person before him.

She was the pride of the Shrek inner courtyard.

She was the proud, fiery Fire Phoenix Heavenly Maiden, Ma Xiaotao.

She was not the two-dimensional character from his memories who made his heart ache from across the pages of a book.

How long had they known each other? One hour? Two?

To the current Ma Xiaotao, he, Long Jinyu, was nothing more than a "junior brother" he had just met, one with some rather unique methods.

To rashly speak words so intimate they bordered on a promise would only make him seem frivolous and reckless, or even... like a lecher with ulterior motives.

This concern, this urgency to protect her from her predetermined tragedy, had to be wrapped in the reasonable guise of "junior brotherly duty" for her to accept it.

Just like... just like the words "share your burdens" right now; it was the absolute limit of his testing the boundaries.

Some things, some feelings, could not be rushed. One must walk the path step by step, and tea must... well, one must wait for the water to boil and the leaves to unfurl before one can truly taste the essence.

Acting too hastily? It would only scald the mouth and chill the heart.

Ma Xiaotao was genuinely surprised. As she carefully pondered these three requests, she realized not one of them was for the brat's own gain; every word was for her benefit.

In an instant, her heart skipped a beat, and a strange warmth surged within her, as if she had been wrapped in a warm feather cloak in the dead of winter. Her heart felt filled with something called a sense of security.

"You... you brat, why are you suddenly saying things like that?!"

She hurriedly let go of his collar, turning her head away to avoid his gaze.

"Who, who needs you to share my burdens! I can handle it myself!"

But she regretted the words the moment they left her lips—only she knew the agony of the evil fire devouring her heart, and the youth before her was the only one who could soothe her torment.

"...Forget it!"

She ruffled her hair in frustration.

"Since you're so sincere, I'll agree! But let's get this straight! Don't think you can use this to boss me around!"

"Oh, right, there's one more thing..." Long Jinyu seemed to remember something, suddenly pulling Ma Xiaotao's hand and pressing it gently against his own chest:

"Senior Sister needs to be responsible for soothing this place—"

"Actually, you and I are 'in the same boat'; my martial soul also goes berserk occasionally."

"And your phoenix flames seem to help me stabilize my soul power. In this way, we can be considered to be helping each other."

He drew a glowing rune on the palm of her left hand: "This is my Dragon Pattern Contract. You can contact me whenever the evil fire flares up."

Ma Xiaotao's fingertips trembled.

The coolness of the youth's palm seeped through her skin, and the heartbeat beneath his chest was clearly audible.

"Presumptuous!"

She instinctively wanted to pull her hand back, but she froze the moment the rune took shape—

A miniature dragon shadow swam across her palm, bringing waves of comfort.

"...Fine, as long as it's useful."

The tips of her ears turned red, and her voice softened involuntarily.

"...Helping each other, is it... I understand. The rune... it's good. Thank you..."

"Senior Sister, you are too kind. It is my honor to be of service to you." Long Jinyu wore a smile, bowing slightly with a humble tone.

Yan Shaozhe, perched on the treetop, nearly snapped the branch in his grip.

This little guy actually dares to draw runes on Ma Xiaotao's hand? And she isn't even resisting? It seems... there's a chance here?

Wait... the structure of these runes... why do they look a bit like Mu En's Laws of Light?

His situation is even more complex than I imagined.

Everything Long Jinyu did was naturally under his observation.

He was quite fond of this youth in his heart, and after a moment of contemplation, he decided to reveal himself.

"Good, very good!"

Yan Shaozhe stroked his beard as he stepped slowly out from the woods, a meaningful smile playing on his lips, his gaze shifting back and forth between the two.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting mottled shadows upon him and making the Dean of the Martial Soul Department appear all the more unfathomable.

"As expected of a junior disciple, showing such concern for a classmate; you've only just arrived and you're already 'taking care' of your senior. Mu En truly has a discerning eye; he didn't misjudge you."

His eyes were filled with admiration, as if he were witnessing a rising star ascending within Shrek Academy.

Long Jinyu: ?

Ma Xiaotao: ?!?!?

PS: Regarding the "System-chan" setting mentioned in the "Author's Notes," it is an intelligent interactive character established by the author based on AI tools; this is hereby clarified.

Recently, I have seen some discussions regarding the "training methods of the Holy Spirit Cult," and the viewpoints are quite extreme.

I would like to say that most of us are mature readers; why not flip through the original work yourself to see the true experiences of Ma Xiaotao and Tang Ya in the Holy Spirit Cult (for instance, whether they were truly "trained" rather than "exploited"), or ask those reliable "veteran book reviewers" (the familiar "Mou Bao," "Blue Whale," etc.) how they evaluate the actions of the Holy Spirit Cult. I believe you have your own judgment.