Chapter 137 - 139: Contract Bond
The deep-green Contracted Snake lay listlessly on the ground.
The vine-like green patterns on its snakeskin had grown dim and dull.
Jian Yu stared at the pulsing red line, her expression dazed.
The spreading red thread crossed the distance of several people and burrowed directly into the Green Snake’s body.
"What’s wrong?" Ling Yanzhi’s gaze followed Jian Yu’s, looking back and forth.
One moment she was looking at her wrist, the next she was lifting her eyes to glance to her right.
He wasn’t sure if Jian Yu was looking at Qin Xianzhao or at the Contracted Snake that had no Beast Soul.
"Even though they caused this mess, the academy won’t just leave them to fend for themselves."
Ling Yanzhi gestured for Jian Yu to look at Shen Gu, who was hurrying over.
Behind Shen Gu was the medical team in charge of the Seventh District.
Upperclassmen have their own external missions and training exercises. In the annual Beast Taming Competition, however, new students from the various academies make up a large portion of the participants.
The Alien Beasts in the Seventh District are high-level, and with the largest number of Half-awakened participants, injuries are unavoidable.
"These two aren’t breathing. Report it first."
Shen Gu turned his head. "This one’s still breathing a little. Treat him first."
Jian Yu met Shen Gu’s concerned gaze and shook her head, indicating that she was fine.
Looking at the red line floating on her wrist, she took two steps toward the Green Snake.
"It’s dangerous." Ling Yanzhi grabbed her. "It was forced into its Contract."
When something happens to Qin Xianzhao, his Contracted Beast also bears the brunt of the damage.
Normally, when both parties enter a Contract willingly, the damage is split fifty-fifty.
But Qin Xianzhao wasn’t dead yet, and his Contracted Snake was already showing signs of expiring.
This meant their Contract was a forced one, and the Contracted Beast would rampage and die if Qin Xianzhao were seriously injured.
It might even use its last breath to launch a desperate counterattack against anyone who gets close.
Jian Yu stopped. "Have you found the dean?"
’Were my hints too subtle? What if he didn’t understand?’
’So much time has passed, and there’s been no word from the Star Brain.’
"Hm? You trust me that much?" A scarlet glint flashed in Ling Yanzhi’s eyes.
The upward lilt of his voice carried a hint of hostility. "I’ve found him. It might be hard to rescue him right away. I could force it, but that could easily lead to trouble."
Jian Yu froze.
’From his tone, it’s someone very familiar to him.’
’So, is it really not Xu Sheng?’
Jian Yu pressed, "Is it someone related to you?"
Ling Yanzhi nodded slightly. "That old bastard from my family. He probably wanted to capture you to threaten me."
’I just don’t know what more he could possibly want.’
Ling Yanzhi narrowed his eyes. "He’s not willing to let him go. As for what he wants, we’ll just have to meet tonight and discuss it."
’If I’m not mistaken, he probably wants me dead.’
’After all, I wasn’t the child he’d been hoping for.’
’That old man has a son he wants to dote on, and he values power so highly.’
Jian Yu lowered her gaze. "I’m going too."
"I’ll take you, I’ll take you. Don’t look so pitiful." Ling Yanzhi saw Jian Yu trying to walk toward that low-level snake again.
He grabbed her. "I told you it was dangerous. Do you have a short memory?"
Jian Yu turned and took Ling Yanzhi’s hand in hers.
She raised her eyes slightly. "Is it dangerous?"
Ling Yanzhi raised an eyebrow.
He changed his tune. "I’ll protect you. It’s not dangerous."
Shen Gu glanced at Chief Ling, who had instantly become docile and a little shy, and quickly lowered his head.
The competition was paused. The Centipede Beast and the Long-haired Flying Beast were calmed down and obediently returned to the Beast Circle.
Shen Gu cleaned up the site according to regulations.
He followed what Lin Yu had taught him and led the contestants out for a uniform health check.
Recalling what he had heard in the stands, Shen Gu turned around.
He couldn’t help but say, "Yu, you’re not Shen Qing’s child. My aunt couldn’t have children."
Shen Gu mused, "If what Qin Xianzhao said is true, then my aunt might have found and adopted you for a while, only for you to be thrown out by the Qin Family not long after."
He thought for a moment. "My aunt passed away young, and The Qin and Shen Families have had a strained relationship for many years. Whatever the Qin Family is plotting in my aunt’s name, I hope you’ll just ignore them."
Jian Yu watched Shen Gu’s departing back, lost in thought.
’Shi Zhao had said that in her race, newborns would stare at people’s faces, and as they grew up, their own faces would come to resemble the ones they liked.’
’That’s probably why the doctor at the Ling Family Hospital mistook me for Shen Qing’s daughter, right?’
"HISS!!"
Before Jian Yu could get close, the green Vine Patterned Snake arched its body and took an attack stance toward her.
A moment later, it coughed up a mouthful of blood in terror, and its head drooped.
Jian Yu felt a powerful pressure and turned her head to look.
The Beast Soul of a Red Snake materialized in the air above Ling Yanzhi.
Unlike a Soul Beast with a physical form, a Beast Soul was more like a floating soul body.
Once it appeared, it would either overlap with its master’s body or coalesce nearby, intimidating lower-level Soul Beasts.
Jian Yu felt no pressure. She looked up at it, and her only thought was how beautiful it was.
The soul form of the Red Snake floated in mid-air in a coiled posture.
Its body was an alternating pattern of red and black. Its scales were scarlet with inky-black markings, and in the light, it faintly shimmered with an eerie, layered chiaroscuro.
Its head was raised, its vertical pupils cold and sharp, and its winding body coiled in distinct, layered arcs.
It also had a pair of nymphalid butterfly wings on its sides. The wings’ surfaces were scarlet, and inky-black patterns spread along the veins to form the markings of a butterfly’s wing.
"Some A-level Alien Beasts can also coalesce a Beast Soul."
Ling Yanzhi thought she was curious, so he elaborated.
"Qin Xianzhao’s is B-level. You can try to save it if you want, but the Contract can’t be broken. If Qin Xianzhao dies, it will die too."
Jian Yu wanted to try, but she didn’t plan on using healing.
She looked at the red mist that had been stirred on her wrist.
Shi Zhao’s words rang in her mind: ’This is the most powerful type of Hidden Beast Aura. It can form a Contract with an Alien Beast, and it can also sever another’s Contract.’
Jian Yu glanced around, slowly brushed her fingertips over her heart, and a warm current rose from her wrist in response.
Wisps of jewel-red mist suddenly surged out and wrapped around the coiled Contracted Snake beside her.
The red mist, as if alive, burrowed inch by inch into the snake’s patterns.
Jian Yu closed her eyes, and a translucent screen of light seemed to unfold before her.
On the screen, the faint blue threads of spiritual power entwined around the Contracted Snake’s heart became faintly visible.
The contractual bond was enveloped by the red mist, and a crisp, cracking sound exploded in Qin Xianzhao’s mind.
A hint of astonishment appeared in Ling Yanzhi’s eyes.
The damage backlash struck. Qin Xianzhao, who was just being carried away, let out a bloodcurdling scream.
In his brain area, the pale blue spiritual power churned together like an inextricable knot of thread.
He began to bleed from all over his body.
Pei Yin clicked his tongue. "He’s a goner. Tell the Qin Family to come collect the body."
Jian Yu heard the voice and turned around.
She saw not only Pei Yin, but also Xi Yu and Duan Feiye.
Pei Yin looked her up and down but found no injuries.
He was a little angry. "Were you trying to scare me on purpose? Everything was fine, and you suddenly run over here to show off your skills?"
Jian Yu pursed her lips, feeling a little awkward.
Xi Yu came closer, bent down, and leaned over to hug Jian Yu. "Baby."
He fidgeted with his fingers, kissed her cheek, and looked her over again and again, his series of small movements revealing his tension and unease.
"Huh?" Pei Yin looked at the Green Snake, whose condition had clearly improved. "Why is it fine? Was that blood-soaked guy the one who forced its Contract?"
Duan Feiye cut straight to the point. "Someone severed their contractual bond."
His eyes were dark and deep, fixed intently on Jian Yu.
"You’re very impressive, Jian Yu."
He spoke her name with a hint of fondness.
Jian Yu saw the strange expression on his face and took two steps back.
Pei Yin retracted his black wings and put his right hand on Duan Feiye’s shoulder. "Hey, it’s time to get back to business."
He forcefully dragged Duan Feiye away, his voice low. "Stealing your brother’s woman... that’s a classless thing to do. You wouldn’t do that, would you?"
Duan Feiye didn’t struggle.
He calmly and methodically straightened his clothes.
’There’s plenty of time, anyway.’