Contracting the First Soul Spirit

Ziyang sensed the brutality and resistance deep within its soul, like a wall overgrown with thorns.

Every mental touch brought piercing pain, yet the boy gritted his teeth and pressed forward without retreating, fine beads of sweat seeping from his forehead.

The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's scorpion tail lashed uneasily, and a flicker of struggle passed through its crimson vertical pupils. Instinctively, it wanted to resist this outside force, yet it shrank slightly beneath the aura of Destruction emanating from Austin Griffin.

At the instant the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger faltered, Ziyang finally established a mental connection with it.

It was a pitch-black wasteland. The sky was blood-red, and the earth was cracked. A massive tiger shrouded in black mist stood at its center, golden vertical pupils blazing with boundless fury.

"Hello, Dark Demon Evil God Tiger." Ziyang's voice echoed through the spiritual world.

"Human! Get out!" The giant tiger's roar rolled toward him. "None of you humans are any good! Either you covet my power or use me for experiments!"

Ziyang's phantom swayed amid the raging winds, and a self-mocking smile tugged at his lips. "I see... I do want your power. I'm no different from those people."

He admitted it openly, without denying any of it.

The giant tiger raised its scorpion tail high, its hooked barb gleaming coldly, yet it stopped before Ziyang and did not strike. It sensed something different in him—a madness born of staking everything on a single chance.

Ziyang slowly raised his head, his dark eyes meeting those golden vertical pupils. "I truly can't give you freedom..."

"But do you want to grow stronger? Strong enough that no one can ever lock you in a laboratory again, strong enough that no one can hurt you again! Make a contract with me, and we'll grow stronger together."

The spiritual world suddenly shook violently.

The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger seemed to hear and see something unimaginable. Behind the boy, it seemed to see a radiance emerge, blazing as fiercely as the sun.

"I will take you... away from this cruel fate." Ziyang extended his hand and beckoned. "Then are you willing to become my Soul Spirit? Let us accomplish something great together!"

A drop of murky liquid slid from the black tiger's eye. Its claws slowly retracted, and its voice was hoarse. "Human, why should I trust you? Not a single human is trustworthy."

Ziyang's consciousness took a step forward, the light behind him illuminating the darkness like dawn. "You don't have to trust me. You have that right. But I am absolutely the only opportunity you will ever have in this life."

The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger stared blankly at that beam of light, and for the first time, hesitation appeared on its savage face.

"I'm willing to trust you for now..." Its voice was so soft it was nearly inaudible. Then it roared loudly, "If you deceive me, I will die with you..."

"Good. From now on, I'll call you Little Evil! Become my partner!"

In the real world, Leng Yaoyu's eyes suddenly widened. It had actually worked.

The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's scorpion tail slowly lowered. Leng Yaoyu saw its forelegs bend, as though it were lowering its proud head.

A black radiance flashed from the black tiger's body and gathered beneath Ziyang into a yellow soul ring. At the same time, Soul Power surged within the boy's body.

Before long, the Soul Spirit fused successfully.

Leng Yaoyu narrowed her red eyes slightly, her piercing gaze fixed on Ziyang's face.

The boy's eyelashes trembled lightly. When he slowly opened his eyes, a streak of black light abruptly flashed through the depths of what should have been clear eyes.

"Teacher, I successfully subdued the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger." Ziyang's voice was calm, though a trace of lingering excitement remained in his eyes.

Leng Yaoyu suddenly bent down, her red hair cascading like a waterfall. She extended an index finger and gently tapped the boy's tightly furrowed brow. "If you're happy, show it. Don't be so restrained. Your teacher won't dislike a child who loves to smile."

A touch of helpless affection entered her voice as her gaze swept over Ziyang's deliberately steady posture. His thin frame stood ramrod straight, yet he was not even as tall as her waist.

His childishly round cheeks held a pair of eyes that had lost their innocence, a heartbreaking contradiction.

Ziyang paused slightly. Though he retained the memories of a lifetime, he had never truly entered society.

"I understand, Teacher."

Leng Yaoyu's hand hovered in midair before slowly settling onto the boy's thin shoulder.

"You still look like a little adult. What is your first soul skill?" She smiled sweetly, feeling that Ziyang's personality had likely formed because he had grown up in an orphanage.

"Power of Destruction. It can be used for both defense and attack." Ziyang spoke. This soul skill was somewhat different from what he had expected.

"Would you like to try it?" Leng Yaoyu tapped lightly with her jade-like finger, and the wall slowly opened. A metal cabinet with an outrageously auspicious coffin-shaped design slid out from within the wall.

"Yes, Teacher." Ziyang nodded, then turned to Little Black. "Austin Griffin, come back first."

Little Black nodded, his body instantly transforming into purple-black motes of light that returned to the boy's body.

"Be careful. If you encounter any danger you can't handle, press the emergency escape button on your right arm immediately," Leng Yaoyu reminded him.

"I understand, Teacher." Ziyang nodded in agreement, then lay down inside the metal pod with the help of the Spirit Pagoda staff.

As soon as he lay down, instrument suction cups rapidly emerged all around him and adhered seamlessly to his body. Leng Yaoyu's voice followed.

"Ziyang, you are a One-Ring Soul Master and are about to enter the Junior Spirit Ascension Platform, which allows soul masters below the Four-Ring Soul Ancestor level to enter. Most of the soul beasts there are ten-year or hundred-year soul beasts, though Thousand-Year Soul Beasts occasionally appear. Run immediately if you encounter a hundred-year one. If it's a thousand-year one, press the distress signal device and leave the Ascension Platform at once. Don't force yourself."

"Understood."

The metal pod slid into the wall. The journey to the Ascension Platform began, and Ziyang's vision turned pitch-black.

Junior Spirit Ascension Platform.

After an unknown length of time, Ziyang suddenly felt his body jolt violently. When he instinctively woke from his half-asleep state, he discovered that everything around him had become completely bright.

Around him stood thick trees, while dense bushes stretched out before him. There did not seem to be any path at all.

It was as though he had entered a real primeval forest.

Breathing in the fresh air rushing toward him, the life-filled energy refreshed Ziyang's spirit.

"So this is the world created by the Ascension Platform? It's just like the real thing." Ziyang could not help but sigh in amazement as he immediately released Little Black.

Close behind came a massive black tiger—the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger.

Leng Yaoyu stared intently at the soul guidance screen, wanting to learn about Ziyang's martial soul and determine which direction he should be developed in.

On the screen, Ziyang was taller and more agile than children his age. A red signal device had appeared on the back of his left hand. His faded white clothes looked exceptionally unworldly on him. Like a young beast released from its cage, he darted through the forest, rare liveliness showing on his face, brimming with youthful vigor.

His feet suddenly halted. Ziyang's gaze sharpened as he abruptly looked in one direction.

"It's actually..."