Chapter 247: The Dou Emperor and the Soul Contract
"Hmm, that flame must be Phoenix True Flame or perhaps Nirvana Flame it's quite formidable. But for her to hold it back and not use it… that's a bit surprising."
The Calm Before Mastery
In the chaotic void currents, Ling'er understood Xiao Tiance's meaning. Over the years, she had observed his every move and was aware of the news that Huang Jiuji had told Huang Min that her father had perished in battle with Zhukun. She also knew about Huang Min leading the Sky Demon Phoenix Clan and the Nine Serene Deep Python Clan to attack Eastern Dragon Island.
For Huang Min to restrain herself and not use her trump card to finish Zhukun was indeed unexpected.
"Enough about that," Xiao Tiance said, ending the topic with a wave of his hand. "I need to stabilize the Dou Qi in my body and fully master this newfound power before moving forward."
He wasn't particularly worried about Huang Min's safety. As he had stated before, even if she was no match for Zhukun, the powerful Xiao Clan members in Tianwaitian would never allow Zhukun to harm her. Moreover, Zhukun lacked the strength and courage to truly kill Huang Min given the disparity between the Void Ancient Dragon Clan and the Xiao Clan.
For Xiao Tiance, the outcome of Huang Min's confrontation with Zhukun had been decided before it even began. It wasn't worth dwelling on.
What mattered to him now was gaining full control over his newfound strength. He couldn't afford the embarrassment of wielding great power but being unable to unleash it fully. Afterward, he planned to refine Ling'er, organize matters in the Xiao Clan, and finally activate the spatial gateway to the Great Thousand World, eager to witness its wonders.
The Calm of Mastery
Xiao Tiance exhaled a long breath and sat cross legged again, focusing his energy. Beside him, Ling'er watched quietly, her eyes filled with joy and relief.
Ten days later, when Xiao Tiance opened his eyes, the oppressive aura that had grown with his power suddenly vanished. He now appeared like an ordinary person. To anyone weaker than him, he was practically undetectable. Even when they saw him with their eyes, they might feel as if he didn't exist.
"Congratulations, little master. From now on, you are truly a powerful Dou Emperor," Ling'er said with a bright smile.
Xiao Tiance smiled back, his gaze soft. He knew that without Ling'er's help, becoming a Dou Emperor might have taken far longer.
A Grateful Exchange
"It's all thanks to you, Ling'er. I owe you," Xiao Tiance said sincerely.
Ling'er shook her head with a smile. "There's no need to thank me, little master. Even without my help, you would've become a Dou Emperor sooner or later. Perhaps it would've taken a few more years, but what's that to someone like you?"
For an ordinary person, a few years might be precious, but for a semi Emperor like Xiao Tiance, they were as fleeting as the blink of an eye.
The Refinement Process
"Little master," Ling'er said eagerly, "now that you've fully stabilized your strength, shall we begin the refinement process? Once I'm refined, I can help you cultivate anytime, anywhere. I'm sure you'll love that feeling!"
Xiao Tiance chuckled. "Alright, let's begin. But I've never encountered a being like you, a Plane Embryo. You'll need to explain how the refinement works."
"It's simple," Ling'er said with a smile. **"The process is similar to signing a contract with a magical beast, though since I'm a Plane Embryo, my soul power is far stronger. I'll need to absorb some of your soul power during the process.
It will take about a month. During this time, as our souls are drawn into the contract, both of our soul powers will weaken. Only when the contract is complete will our soul power return to us."**
Her voice turned serious. "But, little master, I must warn you: if the process is interrupted, both of us will suffer irreversible damage."
Xiao Tiance nodded, committing her words to memory. "Understood. No matter what happens, I won't stop until the contract is complete."
Ling'er's True Form
Ling'er nodded and smiled. "Then let's begin!"
Her petite form dissipated, revealing her true body: a transparent, gel like mass that shimmered faintly. Xiao Tiance immediately understood that the small, doll like form she usually took was merely a projection.
Now that he was a Dou Emperor, his enhanced soul allowed him to perceive Ling'er's true nature. He was stunned. Despite his vast soul power magnified a hundredfold by his ascension he could tell that Ling'er's soul power far surpassed his own.
It made sense. Ling'er had existed since the birth of the Dou Qi Continent, surviving for countless eons. For a being of her nature, such immense soul power was only natural.
The Storm of Energy
As Ling'er's true form pulsated, an overwhelming amount of soul energy surged within her, pulling in the surrounding Dou Qi from all directions.
The air seemed to shatter as a fierce wind roared through the void, creating a scene even more intense than when Xiao Tiance had ascended to the Dou Emperor realm.
"What a remarkable existence you are, Ling'er," Xiao Tiance murmured, his admiration growing.
The process had begun. The two were now bound to create a contract that would forever link their souls and powers.
After about an hour, Ling'er's true form emitted a radiant glow. As the glow dissipated, a luminous energy construct emerged, marked with the words "Soul Contract."
Xiao Tiance inspected it closely. The contract explicitly stated that once he signed it with Ling'er, he would gain control over her very existence her life and death would be entirely in his hands.
In other words, with this contract in place, he could destroy the Dou Qi Continent with just a single thought.
"Hiss!"
Xiao Tiance couldn't help but draw a sharp breath. He admired Ling'er's resolve. If their roles were reversed, he was certain he would never agree to such a contract.
"Little master, it's time. Place your hand on the contract, and the process will begin," Ling'er said, her voice tinged with both a smile and fatigue.
"Alright!"
Without hesitation, Xiao Tiance complied. While he had no intention of controlling Ling'er, her entry into the Great Thousand World was contingent on being bound to him as an attachment. Only then could she hope to reclaim her lost Essence of the Great Thousand, or her Source Power.
Xiao Tiance reached out and placed his hand gently on the contract. In the next instant, his expression changed. The contract released a powerful force, rapidly drawing his soul power into itself.
Ling'er's Reassurance
"Relax, little master. Don't worry," Ling'er said quickly, seeing his alarm. "The soul power being drawn into the contract will return to us once the signing is complete."
Hearing this, Xiao Tiance nodded and stopped resisting, allowing his soul power to be absorbed freely.
However, to ensure there were no interruptions during the process, Xiao Tiance activated a precaution. With a thought, he retrieved two black jade pendants from his spatial ring.
"Crack!"
He crushed the pendants in his hands. Each contained a Grandmaster level Soul Array that he had inscribed for emergencies.
The fragmented jade released intricate array patterns that soared into the air. Moments later, two protective barriers descended from above, enveloping both him and Ling'er within their secure glow.
Ling'er glanced at him, her eyes flashing with surprise before returning to focus. Without hesitation, she sped up the contract signing process.
The Passing of Time
One day passed.
Two days.
As the days turned into weeks, Xiao Tiance and Ling'er's soul power grew progressively weaker. If not for his acute perception of his soul's unchanged foundation and Ling'er's mirrored depletion he might have thought she was tricking him.
Such doubts were natural. Xiao Tiance had always been a cautious man. Throughout his youth in the Xiao Clan, he had hidden many of his trump cards, earning a reputation among his peers as someone who always had a backup plan. His intelligence, even more than his power, had made him one of the Xiao Clan's Three Geniuses, alongside Xiao Xuan and Xiao Chen.
Success in Sight
Finally, after a month, the contract seemingly a bottomless abyss suddenly began to tremble violently.
"Little master, it's done! Now, don't resist the soul power returning to you," Ling'er said with a joyful smile.
"Understood!"
Xiao Tiance nodded just as his face contorted slightly. The contract began releasing the absorbed soul power, and its sheer magnitude was staggering.
He felt his entire body tremble as waves of soul energy surged back into him. Calming his mind, he fully opened himself to receive the returning energy.
The Soul Power Reclaimed
The trembling contract continued transferring an immense volume of soul power back to Xiao Tiance. To his astonishment, the returning energy carried an additional restriction, though not one targeted at him.
This restriction was designed to control Ling'er.
Even more intriguing, as the soul power flowed back, he realized he could sense every life form on the Dou Qi Continent their movements, even their words if he chose to focus on them.
Ling'er's Explanation
"Little master, you've noticed it, haven't you?" Ling'er asked with a knowing smile.
"Noticed what?" Xiao Tiance replied, puzzled.
"The enhanced perception," Ling'er clarified. **"Through the Soul Contract, you've inherited some of my abilities as the Plane Embryo. I can sense every lifeform on the Dou Qi Continent their actions, their words unless they are in places shielded by seals or restrictions.
I can also manipulate the Dou Qi in the environment, gathering or dispersing it at will. As the contract's dominant party, you've now gained these abilities too.
Moreover, the unique aspect of the Soul Contract is mutual access. While you now wield my powers, I can also use yours with your permission, of course. For instance, I can now utilize your spiritual arrays, even though they aren't native to the Dou Qi Continent."**
Ling'er's tone was light, but her honesty was clear.
A Revelation
Xiao Tiance's deep gaze flickered with amazement. "Incredible. So, if I allow it, you could immediately become a Spiritual Array Grandmaster?"
"Exactly!" Ling'er said with a giggle. "The Soul Contract is unique. It's like an innate inheritance for beings like me. I believe that for all Plane Embryos, signing a Soul Contract is a crucial step in their growth or evolution."
Though this theory was yet to be proven, it was clear that Xiao Tiance had indeed gained Ling'er's extraordinary abilities.
The Final Step
As Xiao Tiance marveled at the contract's wonders, the Soul Contract trembled one last time. Then, it split into two parts.
One portion a slightly larger fragment flew into Xiao Tiance's brow, merging seamlessly with his soul. The smaller fragment entered Ling'er's true form, completing the bond.
"It's done!" Ling'er said, her voice brimming with joy.
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