"Submit to me, or die!"
Putting away the Godslaying Saber, Andrew landed in front of the Golden-Crowned Wind-Thunder Peng, lowered his head, and looked into its eyes.
"Coo, coo, coo!"
The Golden-Crowned Wind-Thunder Peng gave a mournful cry, but Andrew knew it was not surrendering. Its sharp eyes were filled with defiance.
With his current strength, Andrew could easily set up a Soul Contract Magic Array and forcibly bind the Golden-Crowned Wind-Thunder Peng with a Slave Contract. Deep down, however, he did not want to use that method...
"I'm only twelve now. By human reckoning, I'm not even an adult yet. But I already have level-eight battle-qi, and in terms of fighting strength, I have no equal below Saint-level!" Andrew said calmly and proudly. "Within the next few years, I'll certainly reach Saint-level. Even Deity-level won't be far off in the future. So becoming my magical pet is nothing to be ashamed of. On the contrary, it's an opportunity for you!"
Wanting the Golden-Crowned Wind-Thunder Peng to submit willingly, Andrew laid out his strength. Sure enough, after hearing this, the resistance in its eyes diminished considerably.
Andrew was secretly pleased as well. If he could subdue it, he did not want to kill it like this.
"I can see that you're quite intelligent for a magical beast and can cultivate on your own. I imagine you hope to become a Saint-level magical beast too. But judging by your current situation, you might not succeed even with another hundred years. Why not become my magical pet? Once I reach Saint-level, I'll help you advance."
Andrew's approach was clear: first demonstrate his strength and potential, then offer benefits, and finally threaten it.
"If you refuse, I can only kill you and take your Magic Crystal Core to help my father's magical beast advance. Incidentally, it's a Windwing Tiger King, an eighth-level magical beast. After I defeated it, it followed me. At the time, I promised to help it advance. I came to the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts this time precisely to find it a level-nine Wind Element Magic Crystal Core!"
"Coo!"
The Golden-Crowned Wind-Thunder Peng was finally persuaded. Magical beasts had keen senses, and it knew very well that Andrew was not boasting.
Following the strong was part of a magical beast's nature. Having confirmed Andrew's strength, the Golden-Crowned Wind-Thunder Peng no longer resisted.
Andrew swept out his hand, slicing through a nearby boulder. A smooth stone stump remained at its base. On this stump, Andrew drew a complex pattern. At its center was something resembling parchment, with several lines of incantations written on it.
Once he finished the pattern, Andrew silently activated his magic. Magical elements flowed into the pattern, and a scroll was projected two feet above the stone stump. This was the Soul Contract Magic Array.
With a flick of his finger, Andrew sent a drop of his blood into the scroll. Then the Golden-Crowned Wind-Thunder Peng spat a mouthful of blood toward it as well. The moment the blood touched the projection, it sank inside and vanished. Afterward, two beams of light shot toward Andrew and the Golden-Crowned Wind-Thunder Peng respectively. A connection formed deep within their souls, allowing each to sense the other's existence.
"What a strange feeling. I can sense that the Golden-Crowned Wind-Thunder Peng's life and death depend on a single thought of mine!" Experiencing this control over a soul clearly for the first time, Andrew found it very novel.
"Master!"
A slightly immature voice rang out in his mind.
"It's you. I can hear you!" After signing the Soul Contract, the two could communicate directly through their souls. They could even sense each other's existence over a considerable distance.
"You're a Golden-Crowned Wind-Thunder Peng, so I'll call you Golden Peng. Golden Peng, Golden Tiger-the names even sound a bit like brothers," Andrew said, casually giving it a name.
Golden Peng did not refuse, nor could it.
"Master, your battle-qi is still lingering inside my body, hindering my recovery. Could you expel it?" Golden Peng was somewhat weak.
Only then did Andrew remember, feeling a little embarrassed. His very first saber strike had driven battle-qi into Golden Peng's wing. Fusion battle-qi was extremely destructive, far more powerful than ordinary battle-qi. Even a Saint-level expert would need some effort to expel it.
Andrew soon expelled the battle-qi and asked, "Golden Peng, when will your injuries heal?"
"It'll take a little over three months."
Magical beasts had powerful bodies and strong recuperative abilities. Despite the severe injuries Andrew had inflicted, Golden Peng could still recover in as short a time as possible. A human would probably need several years of recuperation.
Andrew felt a little disappointed. He would still have to walk back himself this time, with no chance to experience flying.
"Can you shrink your body?" Andrew suddenly asked. If Golden Peng could not fly, its enormous size would be somewhat troublesome.
"Yes!" Golden Peng gave a soft cry and soon shrank to about a foot tall.
Andrew was a little surprised. Saint-level magical beasts could change their size at will and could also speak. Below Saint-level, only a few special magical beasts could alter their size, such as certain dragons and the Black-Striped Cloud Leopard.
After his surprise came delight. This meant Golden Peng's bloodline was quite good. A magical beast's bloodline was equivalent to a human's talent: the higher the bloodline's grade, the better its talent. His own talent was exceptional, so naturally, he hoped his magical pet would be highly talented too.
Placing Golden Peng on his shoulder, Andrew leaped lightly down from the summit. His footing was steady, and he picked out his landing spot with every leap. Soon, he had descended the mountain, several times faster than he had climbed it.
"Roar!"
At the sight of Andrew, the Flame Wolf immediately ran over. Soon, however, its attention was drawn to Golden Peng on Andrew's shoulder, and it showed a hint of fear. Golden Peng glanced at it, then immediately closed its eyes again to recuperate. A mere seventh-level magical beast was beneath its notice.
Andrew was in an excellent mood, and for the time being, he set aside the matter of finding a Magic Crystal Core for Golden Tiger. This was the only spot he knew of in the surrounding area. Finding another level nine Wind Element magical beast would probably depend on luck.
"Next time, then. Once Golden Peng's injuries heal, traveling between the imperial capital and the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts will be very convenient, and finding Wind Element magical beasts will be easy too."
With that thought, Andrew left the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts with the Flame Wolf and Golden Peng.
On the way back, Andrew encountered several groups of people. They were all mercenaries seeking wealth in the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts, and some were quite powerful. To avoid trouble, he deliberately went around them. After four days, the human, wolf, and peng finally returned.
I wonder what Mother will say to me.
Andrew felt uneasy. A few months ago, he had left without a word. Given Janice's temperament, she must have been upset.
The moment he stepped through the entrance, Andrew heard laughter. He found this rather strange. The laughter came from the garden, which was Janice and Aida's domain.
It looks like they're in a good mood today. But why is there a stranger here too?
Puzzled, Andrew headed toward the garden. In the laughter just now, he had recognized four voices-Janice, Ling'er, Aida, and Milly-but there was another voice he could not identify.
As soon as he entered the garden, Andrew saw a graceful figure in a moon-white dress. He froze for a moment, wondering, Who is that?
"Ah!"
In that moment of distraction, Andrew failed to pay attention to his surroundings, and she bumped into him. He instinctively reached out to grab her, immediately catching a waft of fragrance as his hand met something smooth and soft.
"Brother, you're back!" Ling'er spotted him too and spoke happily.
Joy appeared in Janice's eyes, but she quickly concealed it. "So you still know to come home?" She was very angry that Andrew had left without a word.
Andrew came to his senses and gave a couple of awkward chuckles. Facing Janice, he had no confidence at all.
"Pfft!"
Janice suddenly laughed.
Andrew brightened. It seemed she had already forgiven him. A mother was a mother, always so forgiving toward her child.
"Andrew, how much longer do you plan to hold on?" Janice looked at him with a half-smile, her happiness plain to see.
"What?" Andrew finally realized that he was still holding someone else's hand.
He hurriedly let go and apologized to the figure beside him. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention just now..."
A pleasant voice came from beside him. "It's all right. I wasn't paying attention either. Are you Ling'er's brother?"
Her voice was sweet, and her tone was very easy on the ears.
Andrew could not help looking toward the voice, and an elfin beauty appeared before him. Lovely straight bangs, large eyes, black irises, a delicately raised nose, a small red mouth, fair skin... Andrew stared, spellbound. After that single glance, his heart began to race.
"Yes, my name is Andrew. I'm Ling'er's brother."
Andrew answered unconsciously, his eyes still fixed on her.
The girl smiled faintly, her beautiful eyes curving into crescents, making her look even more playful and adorable.
"So you're the one. You don't seem as impressive as Ling'er said. Instead..." She tilted her head, pondering something. "You seem a little dazed!"
So beautiful!
Watching her every movement, Andrew could not help praising her inwardly. He felt that he had fallen for her. In terms of looks, she might not have earned full marks, but in Andrew's eyes, her beauty surpassed everything in the world, as though she had become the embodiment of perfection.
Across two lifetimes, this was the first time he had ever felt this way!