Initial Concept for a Beast-Taming System

"How about I bring you along with me?"

Hearing Dugu Yan say that, Ye Lingling found that her brain had crashed again.

How many times had that been today?

Forget it, she had lost count.

After taking a moment to recover, Ye Lingling kept her expression steady and confirmed that Dugu Yan did not seem to be joking.

"You're serious?"

"Of course."

Dugu Yan would never joke about something like this.

She just wanted to let her best friend have a taste of the good stuff. She would not offer it to anyone else.

"Why?"

Ye Lingling could not understand. Yan clearly liked him, and her behavior just now had not looked like an act.

So she could not understand why Dugu Yan wanted to bring her along.

"Well... can I not say?"

She could casually tell someone she was not close to, like Huo Wu, but this was her best friend.

What was Dugu Yan supposed to say? That she could not handle it alone and was bringing Ye Lingling in to help push?

"No."

Ye Lingling stared seriously at Dugu Yan. She suspected Yan was trying to set her up, but she had no evidence yet.

Seeing the look in her best friend's eyes, Dugu Yan knew she had to explain herself.

Fortunately, she had already told Huo Wu once before, so she was well practiced.

Dugu Yan leaned close to Ye Lingling's ear and explained why.

The explanation made a faint blush spread across every inch of Ye Lingling's skin.

She had not expected Ling Ling to be so sensitive.

Noticing this, Dugu Yan began to doubt her best friend's stamina. Would she be the one helping push when the time came?

Unfortunately, the words had already been said, so Dugu Yan could only keep explaining.

Meanwhile, Yu Yuan had gotten a headache from researching soul tools and decided to relax for a while.

He decided to study the basic principles of the Spirit Contract.

As long as he was not studying soul tools, it counted as relaxation.

The spirit system.

It was a system pioneered by the Necromancer Holy Mage God Electrolux and promoted by second-generation protagonist Huo Yuhao.

Yu Yuan believed it had potential.

Unfortunately, Electrolux had died to save Huo Yuhao, and Huo Yuhao had not continued researching it afterward.

Thus, although its purpose in being promoted had been to ease the relationship between soul beasts and humans,

it had ultimately become a tool for enslaving soul beasts, deepening their hatred toward humanity.

"Master, can this thing be designed any further? This little dragon thinks it's useless."

Although Xiao Kong greatly admired Electrolux, the founder, the facts proved that the Spirit Contract was a trap for soul beasts.

After all, once their physical bodies were gone, even if they retained their intelligence after becoming spirits, they could only reside within humans and would never have freedom again.

"Mm, indeed. As it stands, it still has serious problems."

Completely analyzing the Spirit Contract was somewhat difficult for Yu Yuan.

Besides, his current goal was to relax his mind, so he had not intended to reach any conclusion through this research.

But inspiration always appeared in unexpected places.

Perhaps it was the existence of the Golden Dragon, or perhaps the Golden Dragon's earlier Seismic Toss that reminded Yu Yuan of Pokémon. Or perhaps some random nerve had suddenly connected.

Yu Yuan came up with a pretty good idea.

"Xiao Kong, what if we changed the soul power contract into a beast-taming contract?"

"Huh?"

Xiao Kong was confused because he had not expected his master to suddenly say something like that.

A beast-taming contract?

Was that not still slavery?

Had his recent performance made his master dissatisfied with soul beasts?

That should not be it.

This little dragon had been so dutiful, striking wherever his master pointed. It definitely was not his fault.

Could it be some other soul beast?

No, do not drag me down with you!

A bunch of useless teammates. You might as well sacrifice yourselves early and become materials for me.

Yu Yuan could tell from Xiao Kong's twisted dragon face that he had misunderstood. After all, he had never seen Pokémon.

Besides, the Spirit Contract could indeed be used later on to summon and nurture spirits to help in battle, so his misunderstanding was understandable.

"My fault for not explaining it clearly."

Yu Yuan chose to take the blame and stopped Xiao Kong, who was about to speak.

"Beast-taming contract might not be the most accurate term. Hmm, it should be closer to the relationship between the Golden Dragon and me, minus the detached martial soul part."

A summoner and a tamed beast!

The greatest drawback of the Spirit Contract was that soul beasts lost their physical bodies.

In that case, why not preserve their bodies?

The essence of a soul ring was a product formed by a soul beast's spiritual power, bloodline, and soul power, mixed with the laws of the world.

At the same time, soul masters needed soul rings to break through their level limits.

That was the greatest conflict between the two sides.

The Spirit Contract had made some breakthroughs, but it could not change the fact that a soul beast's physical body still died.

Thus, soul beasts remained in a state of constant decline.

In Yu Yuan's view, whether human or soul beast, neither body nor soul could be absent.

If it were changed into a beast-taming contract, with the contracted target changing from a spirit into an actual soul beast,

then soul beasts could continue producing future generations.

Yu Yuan believed that through artificial breeding and protection, the number of soul beasts could definitely increase.

Of course, if they were simply controlled, that would never change the status of soul beasts.

So while this contract provided the same sort of information and emotional exchange ability that existed between Yu Yuan and the Golden Dragon,

both sides also had to be able to terminate it voluntarily.

If a soul master abused or harmed their own soul beast, the soul beast could terminate the contract on its own initiative.

This would ensure that their relationship was one of collaborators and partners, rather than dependents or property.

Soul masters would nurture soul beasts in order to make their partners stronger.

Soul beasts that sensed their soul masters' sincerity through the contract would naturally help them.

Just as he had said, summoners who nurtured soul beasts and tamed beasts that provided combat power—this was the power of bonds!

In Yu Yuan's view, it was a somewhat idealistic concept.

Of course, there were still many problems.

First, how could soul beasts replace soul rings?

This could actually be researched. Since Yu Yuan and Xiao Kong had previously compressed a corpse to create an artificial soul bone,

could they guide the process while a soul beast was still alive and fool the current laws of the world, replacing the function of soul rings?

Yu Yuan could only say it was possible.

Second, where would the soul beasts rest?

Yu Yuan and Xiao Kong needed to find a way to provide contracted soul beasts with a resting place similar to the Golden Dragon's summoning space. Ideally, they could summon the soul beasts back there when their injuries became too severe.

There was a solution for that as well.

It was the Douluo Star-Ring Soul Guidance Divine Realm, which was currently only a blueprint.

Transferring all soul beasts there was naturally unrealistic, but providing contracted soul beasts with a place to rest should not be a problem before Douluo Star's population exploded.

The Temporal Saint Dragon's spatial and temporal abilities would play an important role.

They could assist with the transfer and recuperation of tamed beasts.

Of course, this too was only a fantasy for now.

The third point was also the most important one.

This was not a child-friendly world like Pokémon.

Evil soul masters were practically a local specialty, and there was no ruling out soul beasts born evil.

Moreover, both human nature and beast nature possessed negative traits such as greed.

Yu Yuan had no doubt that this system would develop problems.

After all, even Yu-Gi-Oh!, a game about card battles, could produce Dark Duels where people staked their lives. Nothing happening on the Douluo Continent would be surprising.

"But it sounds pretty good so far, doesn't it, Xiao Kong?"

As Yu Yuan spoke, he suddenly realized that Xiao Kong was crying.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing! This little dragon will brave fire and water for Master!"