Chapter 144: The Equal Covenant

“Teacher Elijah!”

Seeing the look in the newcomer’s eyes, Wang Luo’s brows drew together slightly before relaxing again. He respectfully greeted Elijah, even though he had never actually attended one of Elijah’s classes.

“Not bad. You are both at the peak of the sixth rank, yet you actually managed to defeat this Red Bear. This Red Bear is quite famous in the Trial Forest; many prodigies have fallen to it!”

Watching Wang Luo, who was breathing somewhat heavily but showed no sign of panic, Elijah smiled faintly. His words were filled with undisguised praise.

“Thank you for your praise, Teacher Elijah!”

Wang Luo scratched his head as though embarrassed, still speaking respectfully. Inwardly, however, he wondered why Elijah had come. The two of them had never crossed paths. If there was any connection between them at all, it could only be that unexpected bolt of lightning during Chelsea’s tribulation.

“However, you did make one mistake. In the Trial Forest, students are not allowed to attack one another. But in places such as the Beast Forest and the Sunset Prairie, once you run out of magic power, you may be robbed and killed at any moment. Those two beasts behind you are far from capable of protecting you.”

Elijah changed his tone and pointed out Wang Luo’s shortcoming. Wang Luo respectfully nodded and humbly accepted the criticism, despite already knowing all of this.

“As it happens, I need the magic crystal core of a fire-element beast. How about giving me this fire bear?”

“What?!”

At Elijah’s request, Wang Luo was visibly stunned, and his brows immediately furrowed. What teacher would openly make a veiled demand for a student’s magic crystal core? Besides, this beast had been defeated only after Wang Luo’s painstaking efforts. Elijah’s behavior amounted to simply taking Wang Luo’s spoils.

“Grunt…”

“Chitter, chitter…”

Clearly understanding Elijah’s words, the two beasts growled unhappily, yet they dared not approach. Although not the slightest trace of energy emanated from Elijah, their instinctive sensitivity to danger told them that the person before them was extremely dangerous.

“Teacher Elijah, I’m sorry, but I still don’t have a magical pet. This Red Bear possesses extraordinary talent. I went to great lengths to defeat it without killing it precisely so that I could make it my magical pet.”

“Is that so?”

With his right hand, Elijah gently wound a lock of hair around one finger. Smiling, he murmured softly, his manner so charming and alluring that Wang Luo could not help staring blankly for a moment. He quickly swallowed and forcibly turned his eyes away.

“Heh heh, it isn’t easy to find a magical pet you truly like. This is the perfect time to cast a master-servant contract. I’ll protect you while you do it.”

After cheerfully finishing his words, Elijah stepped aside and gestured for Wang Luo to proceed. Inwardly, he was quite satisfied by Wang Luo’s brief, stunned expression and the lustful gleam in his eyes.

It seemed his charm was still as potent as ever. O(n_n)o Ha!

“Then thank you, Teacher Elijah.”

Seeing that Elijah had no intention of leaving, Wang Luo, who had no power to resist, could only steel himself and walk toward the gravely wounded Red Bear. He placed his right hand atop its head and communicated with it through his mental power.

The situation had taken a sudden turn. Although the Red Bear was far more intelligent than ordinary beasts, it was still simple-minded and naïve, and it could not immediately grasp what was happening. Only when Wang Luo’s hands rested upon its head did it finally understand that it was about to make a decision concerning the rest of its life.

It could either die or sign a master-servant contract.

“Do you know how to form an equal contract?”

A voice suddenly echoed through its mind. The Red Bear instantly understood that the child touching its head was communicating with it. When it heard the words “equal contract,” it froze, then revealed an expression of delight.

Only moments earlier, it had been wavering between freedom and life. It longed to live, yet it grieved at the thought of what its future would become. If it signed a master-servant contract, it would be reduced to a foolish beast forced to obey every command, unable to control itself. That was something it could not accept, which was why it had hesitated.

But upon hearing the words “equal contract,” the Red Bear immediately rejoiced. By signing an equal contract, it could survive without losing its freedom. It would merely have to follow its little master. It had never imagined that anyone would be willing to sign an equal contract with a beast that had lost to him.

To humans, an equal contract was obviously far less useful than a master-servant contract, which produced a magical beast that obeyed every command. Humans rarely wished to form equal contracts with beasts, and beasts themselves generally did not enter into them either.

“I am willing to sign an equal contract with you!”

Without the slightest hesitation, the Red Bear decided to form an equal contract. Using its soul, which might dissipate at any moment, it conveyed its thoughts to the mental power invading its mind.

“Good!”

After withdrawing from the Red Bear’s mind, Wang Luo immediately felt dizzy and light-headed. Yet his eyes were filled with delight. He had not expected this Red Bear to know how to form an equal contract.

A master-servant contract could only be formed once, whereas an equal contract had no such restriction. Wang Luo was naturally willing to choose the equal contract this time. He could reserve his one opportunity to form a master-servant contract for a beast that was both powerful and unwilling to obey him. Otherwise, he would be wasting that opportunity.

In truth, the main reason was that Wang Luo had been raised by beasts from childhood. Moreover, in his previous life, he had learned that humans had evolved from animals. Humans and beasts were family by nature, and so Wang Luo’s attitude toward magical beasts differed from that of other people.

Although he hunted magical beasts, he never abused them or took pleasure in slaughtering them. In a world governed by survival of the fittest, there was no room for softness—whether toward humans or magical beasts.

“An equal contract!”

Seeing Wang Luo draw a drop of essence blood from the Red Bear and then take a drop of his own, Elijah immediately understood what was happening. He looked at the Red Bear in astonishment. For a mere sixth-rank beast to know how to form an equal contract was no simple matter.

His gaze toward Wang Luo was even more peculiar.

Most humans despised the race of magical beasts. In the minds of some, even the proud and powerful dragons were nothing more than strong reptiles, while elves were merely another foreign race. Although the various races had long since mingled and integrated, certain ancient prejudices still ran through their blood, passed down from generation to generation.

Thus, Elijah was even more surprised that Wang Luo was willing to form an equal contract with such an unusual magical beast. Unless the beast possessed an especially noble bloodline and could one day grow as powerful as the dragons, very few people would be willing to form an equal contract. In their eyes, standing as an equal beside a foolish magical beast was itself a foolish act.

Seeing that the essence blood had been extracted, the Red Bear cast a grateful glance at Wang Luo. When Wang Luo nodded, it began chanting in a low voice.

An ancient aura, as though it had come from the distant past, spread through the air. One by one, archaic lines were swiftly drawn, and a complex circular formation suddenly appeared.

Otherworldly Azure Dragon 144 — Full Text Free Reading — Chapter 144: Equal Contract Updated!