Chapter 86: Making a Contract

“Head like an ox, horns like a deer, eyes like shrimp, ears like an ox, neck like a snake, belly like a snake, scales like fish, claws like a phoenix, palms like a tiger…” Ye Feng crouched in front of a small creature that resembled a snake. “Is this little guy the legendary dragon?”
“That’s right. However, there are many types of dragons, each with different ranks. Some can only rise to the level of immortal beasts, while others can ascend to the rank of sacred beasts like the Green Dragon! Moreover, their forms in their juvenile stages differ little, so I can’t tell which rank this little guy belongs to or how far it can evolve.” Ed stood not far behind Ye Feng, hands in his pockets, watching the creature in the transparent container, responding indifferently.
Ye Feng lingered around the little dragon for a while but ultimately decided to check out other pets first before making a decision. He walked over to the second transparent container. “Dragon head, deer horns, lion eyes, tiger back, bear waist, snake scales, horse hooves… This must be a qilin, right? But why is it white? I thought they were always golden in legends?”
“I can’t answer that. The golden ones are the common variety. This is indeed a qilin, just another breed! I can’t reveal more. This little guy is one of only two I’m sure of the breed…” Ed shrugged at Ye Feng, indicating his helplessness.
“Although the qilin is an auspicious beast, the chances of me choosing it are low! It can’t be kept around, and the same goes for that dragon—it can’t be raised under people’s noses. I must choose one that can be kept at home without raising suspicion.” Ye Feng shook his head. His original idea of raising a dragon vanished, as reason prevailed over his inexplicable impulse.
“The two little things that look like cats and dogs over there might suit your requirements. In my opinion, that cat is likely a lion-tiger spirit beast, and that dog belongs to the wolf spirit beast family…” Ed pointed to the two transparent containers nearby.
Ye Feng walked over to the two creatures. To him, they indeed looked like two fluffy, tiny, and adorable little beings.
At that moment, Ye Feng heard a thud coming from one of the transparent containers not far away. The sound wasn’t loud, but Ye Feng heard it clearly. He couldn’t help but turn to take a look.

It was a little bird covered in yellow down, a tiny creature just like a chick that had just hatched. Its eyes weren’t fully open yet, as it flapped its little wings, trying to stand up and move. The sound it made earlier was from it trying to run but stumbling and falling back into the container.

Ye Feng couldn’t help but laugh. “This little thing wants to fly before it even learns how to walk…”

“What is this little thing?” Ye Feng turned to look at Ed.

“I’m really not sure. Most young raptors are born covered in yellow down, just like chicks… But I’m sure this isn’t a phoenix!” Ed shrugged helplessly. “Beasts with phoenix bloodline are proud by nature. The first thing they do after birth is to preen their feathers with their eyes closed, not flap their wings around randomly…”

“I think it’s quite cute!” Ye Feng watched as the little creature continued to flap its wings in the transparent container, struggling to stand up. He found its bold appearance endearing.

“I know I shouldn’t interfere with you, but this reminder of mine probably doesn’t count as interference.” Ed finally spoke up. “To be honest, among birds, few can evolve into sacred beasts, and most of them are closely related to phoenixes, such as the Vermilion Bird or the Netherfire Phoenix… Of course, in ancient times, birds were once powerful, but those ancient bloodlines have almost all gone extinct. Now, the only bird-like beings left from that era are the Kunpeng. But Kunpeng chicks grow up in water, and this one is clearly not one of them…”

“You’re saying the chances of it evolving into a powerful being are low?” Ye Feng shook his head and smiled.

“That’s right. I personally think the chances of it evolving into a sacred beast are slim…” Ed spoke his thoughts frankly.

“Ed, whether it can evolve into a sacred beast isn’t important to me…” Ye Feng shook his head and sighed. “You know what? I think it resembles me—a creature that stumbles along the way but always manages to get back up. I won’t deny that I like all ten of these little ones here. If possible, I hope to adopt them all. They’re all orphans like me, without parents. And seeing this little guy reminds me of myself…”

Ed just listened quietly to Ye Feng’s words. He didn’t interrupt at all, simply listening…

“If you think what you’re doing is right, then go for it! I’m just giving my little opinion; nothing more…” After Ye Feng finished speaking, Ed nodded at him.
“Thanks for your support. If it were Boy, he’d definitely keep nagging me to change my mind…” Ye Feng hadn’t expected Ed to support him.
“I think it might be one of those ancient beasts. If that’s the case, you’ll make a fortune! Although most of those creatures are extinct, this is after all the Void Realm—anything can happen here!” Ed said indifferently. “Just treat it as a gamble!”
Ye Feng, who had thought Ed agreed with his view, was now speechless. He hadn’t expected Ed to support him just for the sake of a gamble. He shook his head and sighed lightly. “To be honest, you’re not as cute as Boy!”
“I might be too direct. You can think of me as a 13-year-old boy—just treat my words as those of a child!” Ed spread his hands toward Ye Feng.
“Enough talk. Let’s focus on this little guy!” Ye Feng turned away and placed his hand on the transparent container.
“Please confirm whether you want to choose this pet!” An option appeared in front of Ye Feng.
“Yes!” Ye Feng replied firmly.
As soon as he spoke, the other containers disappeared, leaving only that little creature flapping its wings and darting around inside the container.
Ye Feng opened a slit in the container’s lid and reached in with his right hand, wanting to touch the little creature. Unexpectedly, it calmed down once Ye Feng’s hand entered. It carefully approached his hand, its eyes still closed, signaling that it had sensed his presence through energy.
Ye Feng stretched out his index finger, and the little creature barked at it twice, as if facing a great threat.
Realizing the creature wasn’t friendly, worried it might get scared, Ye Feng prepared to pull his hand back and let it get used to him slowly later. But as soon as he moved, the creature suddenly flapped its wings, used its legs to push off, and sharply pecked at Ye Feng’s index finger.
Ye Feng felt a slight pain and then realized his finger was bleeding. After pecking him, the creature fled to the other corner of the container, still holding its beak toward him in a hostile manner.

Ye Feng smiled bitterly and shook his head. He had actually been hurt by this little creature. He carefully withdrew his right hand, which was still bleeding, from the container to avoid startling the fierce little beast.

An drop of blood accidentally fell into the container. Finally, without startling the creature, Ye Feng pulled out his right hand and covered the container with its lid.

After pulling out his hand, Ye Feng looked at his wound in confusion. Logically, since entering the Innate Realm, his healing ability should have been dozens of times faster than that of ordinary people. Now that he had reached the Dan Condensation stage, his finger, injured by that little creature, still continued to bleed slowly.

“You’re lucky!” Ed said, looking at Ye Feng’s bleeding finger.

“I got bitten by that little creature accidentally…” Ye Feng didn’t pay much attention to Ed’s sarcasm.

“I’m not being sarcastic!” Ed shook his head. “That’s a Wild Beast!”

“What? Are you joking?” Ye Feng looked at Ed in confusion. “Weren’t you saying you didn’t know?”

“I just found out too,” Ed said with an awkward smile. “I hadn’t realized that only Wild Beasts could possess such strong awareness and aggression within less than ten minutes of birth. The ancient primordial world is a terrifying place where the strong prey on the weak. To survive there, those fierce creatures must have a strong sense of self-protection and ability from birth. Undoubtedly, it has these qualities. That one in the container—while other little creatures haven’t fully adapted to the new world yet, it’s already striving to survive! It will become an asset to you in the future. Accept it well!”

While Ye Feng and Ed were discussing Wild Beasts, no one noticed that the drop of blood Ye Feng had dropped into the transparent container, as if conscious, turned into a pool of red liquid and crawled toward the little creature hiding in a corner of the container.

The little creature seemed frightened by something, trembling all over as it huddled tightly in the corner of the container, too scared to move.

The red liquid slowly climbed up one of the creature’s sharp claws in strands, then continued upward, crawling up its neck to its forehead before disappearing into it.

Once the blood drop completely disappeared into the creature’s forehead, a brilliant golden light emanated from there, illuminating the entire void. Ye Feng and Ed both stared in astonishment.

At that moment, an ancient and desolate voice came from the void: Contract!

In that instant, Ye Feng felt as if he were in a desolate land filled with bones. He looked up and saw a golden raptor standing atop a cliff like a king, overlooking all living things. Suddenly, the golden raptor spread its wings, took off into the air, and let out a roar like thunder that shook the heavens and earth… Ye Feng snapped out of his trance. An oracle bone script character for “contract” formed in midair before slowly shrinking. Eventually, it turned into a light dot the size of a thumb, rushing toward Ye Feng. Before he could dodge, it disappeared between his eyebrows… “Was that a contract?” Ed’s face was filled with astonishment. “I guess so!” Ye Feng slowly opened his eyes. At the moment the light dot disappeared, he received a lot of strange information. He knew that the little creature had now formed a contract with him and would no longer show him the hostility it had before.