Chương 71: 1.71 Contract

"So, keep in touch." With that, Ning saw the protagonist off. He watched Xiao Fan's departing figure, along with the fox at his side, who seemed annoyed with him over some random comment he had made. The two of them made quite a pair. It was strange, really. Ning had never intended to get close to someone like Xiao Fan. Protagonists were unpredictable variables. They attracted trouble the way spiritual herbs attracted beasts, naturally, inevitably, and often catastrophically for anyone standing nearby.

And yet, here he was. He had been pulled in all the same. If this were a novel, Ning thought idly, he'd probably be classified as a named character, the kind who appeared often enough to have a personality, but not often enough to have a guaranteed survival clause. Depending on the story, that could mean many things. Comic relief. A rival. A stepping stone. An ally who conveniently appeared when the plot required it. At some point, he had simply accepted this.

Ning decided to leave the trouble that may arise for him in the future. After all, a protagonist was far too useful to avoid on principle. And in exchange for the occasional chaos, there were genuine gains. Xiao Fan, whatever else he was, delivered. As far as collaborators went, Ning had worked with far worse. There had also been information exchanged. He had asked about the Heaven Shattering Fist, specifically whether it was possible to obtain a genuine, intact copy from Xiao Fan.

The answer had been what he expected, though it still left a faint trace of disappointment. The sect had prohibited it. Though Xiao Fan had successfully repaired the first level of the technique, there remained uncertainty about whether latent flaws might cause harm further down the line. Until that was confirmed, its distribution was restricted. Xiao Fan had also mentioned, with a slight edge in his tone, that the one who relayed this decision had been Zhou Chen.

The elder had apparently delivered the news with barely concealed smugness. In fact, Xiao Fan even suspected that this restriction was partly due to that elder's interference. After all, Zhou Chen had gone as far as to obstruct anyone from becoming Xiao Fan's master. That elder's pettiness level was, after all, over 9000. Ning did not dwell on it. There would be other techniques. Other paths. This was simply one door that remained closed, for now. He turned toward his new companion.

The White Flame Raven sat perched on a low branch nearby, watching him with its single clear eye. Its white feathers caught the morning light, the faint residual warmth of its flame giving it an almost luminous quality. It looked, objectively speaking, very cool.

"Come," Ning said.

"Let's get you registered." The raven regarded him for a moment longer than necessary, the bird equivalent of making someone wait just to establish dominance, then spread its wings and glided down to land on his shoulder.

"Hm. Heavy." The raven turned and fixed him with a flat, withering stare. Ning met its gaze evenly.

"I'm just noting it." The stare did not waver.

"… It was a compliment. Dense muscle mass indicates good physical cultivation." The raven looked away. Whether it accepted the explanation or simply decided he wasn't worth further engagement was unclear. Ning, meanwhile, suddenly realized he had been operating under an assumption. Wait. He glanced sideways at the bird. He had been calling it "him" in his head this entire time, and he had absolutely no basis for that.

Fortunately, he was not in his previous world, where he might have gotten canceled for assuming someone's gender. That was a can of worms he was not yet ready to open.

"So," Ning began carefully, "are you male or female?" The raven ignored him. Probably still annoyed about the weight comment. He made a mental note to ask someone at the Beast Taming Pavilion. A full-time beast tamer would know at a glance. Even his fairly extensive knowledge did not, embarrassingly, extend to identifying the gender of ravens by sight. There would be time to get properly acquainted. For now, they had somewhere to be. They set off.... The Pure Qi Sect was arranged in concentric rings.

The outermost ring housed the outer sect, new disciples, and lower-ranked cultivators, assigned to regions based on their specialization. The inner ring was the inner sect, similarly divided, each area serving its own purpose. Ning's courtyard, No. 69, sat in the Farmland Region. It was populated mostly by spiritual farmers, earth- and wood-attribute cultivators. Quiet people who woke early and slept late. It suited him perfectly.

The Beast Taming Pavilion, however, occupied a different quarter, a corner of the inner sect near a natural treeline. Practical, since contracted beasts required space, and placing them near residential areas would likely lead to chaos. As they walked, Ning spoke. Not because he expected much of a response. The raven was intelligent, and intelligent creatures formed opinions early. Better to provide accurate information than let it draw its own conclusions.

"I don't have a strict system for contracted beasts," he said.

"You're not a tool. You're also not a pet. Think of it as a partnership. You benefit, I benefit, we both try not to get killed." The raven tilted its head slightly.

"I'll provide pills, resources, and whatever you need to advance your cultivation. In return, I'd like access to your white flame for alchemy work. Beyond that, you have autonomy." The faint tension in the raven's posture eased slightly. Progress. The Beast Taming Pavilion was a broad, two-story structure with open walls at ground level to allow larger beasts to pass through. Wooden perches and iron stands lined the interior, occupied by creatures in varying states of patience.

In fact, this was Ning's first time in this region. Firstly, the Pure Qi Sect was enormous. Secondly, the Beast Taming Pavilion, and this area in general, had once been too dangerous for him. After all, various beasts roamed quite freely here. While most were intelligent enough not to attack indiscriminately, there had been reports involving servants or outer sect disciples. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Ning could see why.

Even during this short trip, he had already seen a wide variety of beasts. Simply put, this had once been a restricted area for him. Now that he had leveled up enough, there were many places he could finally roam. The disciple behind the registration counter had her hair neatly pinned up and wore an expression that faintly reminded Ning of Si Sihua. She glanced up as he approached.

"Yes? How can I help?"

"I'd like to register my spiritual beast." She looked at the raven. Then she looked again, more carefully this time.

"…A White Flame Raven." A pause.

"How rare. Moreover, he looks quite splendid." Ning nodded, while internally noting: male. As expected of someone working at the Beast Taming Pavilion, her knowledge ran deep. A casual glance was apparently sufficient.

"White Flame Ravens can naturally advance to Foundation Establishment. Moreover, its yang fire is quite powerful," she said, unable to hide her interest.

"Is this your first contracted beast?"

"Yes." She nodded slowly. A first contracted beast capable of reaching Foundation Establishment was not common. Especially a White Flame Raven, which had a well-known evolutionary path.

"Then I'll walk you through the process." She reached under the counter and produced a folded document.

"First, a blood contract is required. This formally links you to him. With it, you can communicate with your beast and understand simple intentions." She set the document on the counter.

"We also offer formal Beast Partnership Contracts here at the pavilion. These are more comprehensive than a basic blood bond. Additionally, your beast will be registered in our database, so others know it is not wild. It costs five hundred spirit stones."

"I'll take it," Ning said without hesitation. She nodded approvingly.

"Wise choice. Outside vendors offer cheaper versions, but sect contracts include a protection clause. If someone harms your contracted beast without cause, it falls under sect law." Ning already knew this, which was precisely why he had come here instead of purchasing one elsewhere. Some things were worth paying full price for. She laid out the contract and walked him through it methodically. The language was dense, but the substance was straightforward enough. Ning read it quickly and found it satisfactory.

It was mostly about ownership and such, with a few added clauses about sect damage caused by contracted beasts and their punishment and payments. Then came the blood contract. Ning pressed his thumb to the designated seal. A small formation activated beneath his hand, drawing a single drop of blood and threading it into the document as a thin, luminous line.

"Now, it's your turn," she said soothingly to the white flame raven. The raven looked at the contract, and then it extended one talon. Another formation activated. The thin line of blood extended, connecting to a second mark. A faint warmth spread up Ning's arm, something settling into place, a quiet awareness, like a new presence at the edge of his perception. It was quite weird, really. The raven went still for a moment. Then it ruffled its feathers once, deliberately, and resumed its previous composure. Done.

The senior sister stamped the contract, recorded the registration into a jade slip, and slid a small token across the counter.

"This identifies him as a contracted beast under your name. Keep it on you when traveling outside the sect. Any authorized checkpoint can verify it." Ning pocketed the token.

"Thank you." She was already reaching for the next form, but then paused.

"One more thing. For the database, what is the name of this handsome fellow?" Ning had already decided.

"Fenghuang." She wrote it down without comment, then glanced up briefly.

"That's a nice name. You've clearly given it some thought." She only said this because, heaven knows, the kinds of names people give their pets can be… questionable, and she had to register them. …

"Fenghuang." Ning rested his hand lightly against his chin, as if organizing his thoughts.

"In some ancient legends, there was said to be a divine bird born of flame, one that carried both fire and rebirth within it. It's not a flame meant only to destroy, but one that endured… through storms, through darkness, through the passing of ages." He glanced sideways at the raven.

"A flame that doesn't go out, no matter what tries to extinguish it," he continued, his voice softening slightly.

"Not because it is the fiercest… but because it simply refuses to fade. I believe we can achieve the same height." Ning was speaking of the lore behind the name. The raven, now Fenghuang, tilted its head, quietly observing the human as he spoke. After a long pause, it let out a short, quiet caw. That contract must be working, because Ning could somehow understand it. That caw was a yes, not an enthusiastic yes by any means, but good enough.

"So in a way," Ning concluded, "it's a very distinguished name. You should feel honored." Fenghuang stared ahead and said nothing. Soon, Ning reached the next stop on his journey, the Spiritual Farming Hall. The Spiritual Farming Hall was a low, wide building surrounded by neatly organized plots of spirit fields. The air carried a clean, faintly sweet scent of cultivated earth. Ning had been here often enough that the walk felt automatic. He approached the counter.

"Hello, Sister Hu Yue," Ning greeted the girl at the register.

"Oh, if it isn't Ning. It's been quite a while," Hu Yue replied cheerfully. Hm. Thinking about it, almost all the people he knew who worked at registers seemed to be girls. Quite a coincidence.

"I'm here for the Spring Breeze Seedling Technique," Ning stated his purpose. The Spring Breeze Seedling Technique was the next spiritual plant technique Ning had decided to practice. Now that he had nearly reached completion level with Crimson Flame's first level, he could begin focusing on other techniques. This one, said to accelerate a plant's growth by supplementing external spiritual qi at key development stages, was his next target.

"Can you already learn this technique?" Hu Yue tilted her head.

"Why am I even surprised? After all, you already have your spiritual farmer certificate. Thinking about it, I really do have a discerning eye; I spotted your talent right away."

"Um, I couldn't have done it without your guidance," Ning said with a smile. While he wasn't as familiar with this senior sister as he was with Si Sihua, they had gotten along well through his frequent visits during his outer sect days.

"You can learn this technique for free since you have the certificate. That's one of the perks," Hu Yue informed him. Then she added, "But I don't know the level of your Withering and Flourishing Technique. For this one, you need to have reached great accomplishment to succeed. To accelerate growth speed, you need to manage the plant's vitality properly."

"Yes, I've already reached that level," Ning nodded.

"If that's the case, then there's no problem." Hu Yue was simply doing her duty by giving the required reminder. Ning had just collected the jade slip and was about to leave when he was stopped.

"Excuse me." He paused. The voice came from his left, not from the counter, but from the hall's side corridor. Ning turned. The man walking toward him was broad-shouldered and appeared middle-aged.

"You must be Ji Ning," the man said, stopping a few feet away.

"From Courtyard 69. I'm Sui Feng from Courtyard 68. It seems I'm your new neighbor." Ning nodded.

"I see. I've been meaning to introduce myself, but I found no one there."

"I was on a mission. I just got back and learned that a new neighbor had moved in." He rubbed his head.

"You must be one of the winners of this year's outer sect competition." Sui Feng only said this because he could sense Ning was at the sixth stage.

"Yes."

"Then it must be my luck to have such a talented neighbor," Sui Feng laughed boisterously.

"Have you met Old Fang? He's incharge of Courtyard 67. I wonder how my plot is doing right now. I hope my spiritual radishes haven't withered away. Old Fang is quite lazy most of the time." As a spiritual farmer, it was important to maintain good relations with one's neighbors and fellow disciples. Especially since mandatory missions often required one to rely on neighbors to look after their plots. It was quite similar to the arrangement Ning had with Old Zhou.

"No," Ning replied.

"I haven't met any of the other neighbors yet. I've been busy adjusting to this new environment over the past month."

"That's fine, you're still new," Sui Feng waved it off.

"Actually, good timing that I ran into you. We're having a gathering today. A few of us spiritual farmers from the surrounding courtyards. Informal, just food and conversation. As your neighbor, I should've introduced you earlier, but the mission…"

"I understand."

"Come along," Sui Feng said simply.

"Better to meet everyone at once than knock on doors one by one." Ning considered this for about a second. Networking was never a wasted effort, and this seemed as good a time as any.

"Alright," Ning said.

"Please, lead the way." The gathering was held in Courtyard 67, a slightly larger plot belonging to the aforementioned Old Fang. Food was arranged on a wide stone table in the courtyard: spiritual grain rice, braised spirit vegetables, and something that smelled strongly of fermented plum wine. Several people sat around in various states of relaxation. An older man was sharpening a hoe. Someone else was annotating a planting record. One person appeared to be asleep. Sui Feng made the introductions.

There was Old Fang, lazy, but one of the most experienced farmers in this area. Senior Sister Chu, in her thirties, specializing in water-attribute spirit herbs, with an extensive collection of rain-type spells. And a few others whose names Ning catalogued efficiently. Fenghuang, perched on Ning's shoulder, drew several glances, but no one said anything. Primarily, because it was not that rare for spirtual farmer to have contracted a beast. Though it was mostly bulls or chickens.

Ning accepted a cup of plum wine and listened more than he spoke, which was generally the correct approach in a new social environment. People revealed useful information when they were comfortable, and they became comfortable when allowed to talk. The conversation flowed naturally. Soil conditioning methods for late-season planting. A recent shortage of second-grade spirit fertilizer from the supply hall. An ongoing dispute between two senior brothers over a shared water channel.

The best time to apply growth techniques relative to the moon cycle, this sparked a twenty-minute debate that Ning followed with genuine interest. This was, he decided, valuable information. The plum wine was also surprisingly good. All in all, it was a pleasant gathering, well-suited to Ning's pace, with good neighbors and good food. A normal gathering. Of course, that was only until Ning jinxed it.

"Wait! Why is he here?" someone suddenly pointed at Ning.

"He doesn't belong here." Hearing this all-too-familiar opening line, Ning could only sigh.... Thanks for reading~