In the Waterfall Cave, the fire swayed.

The Demon Ape leader twisted its head with extreme difficulty, its one single eye staring maliciously at Bai Wushang.

Coldness pervaded the light of the sticky bloodied eyes, and even more so, a hint of fury was mixed in.

Bai Wushang wouldn’t be intimidated by it. He snorted, and continued, “Maybe you don’t like to hear this, but everything I said is the truth.

“I even find it ridiculous and pathetic that those Swift Wind Sword Wolves who survived are now dashing around in style and happiness, yet you are so passive and sunken that you have completely given up on your desire for life, and plan to be done with it?

“And to put it more bluntly, your people wouldn’t die in peace if they knew!!!”

The Demon Ape leader’s breath from its nose suddenly turned ragged, as if a dying flash, and a creepy aura rose from within its torn body.

It glared at Bai Wushang, unable to stop the killing intent in its eye, and its shoulders shrugged slightly as if it was about to swing its arms.

“Ugh!” Bai Wushang held down its arm. “You’re already injured like this, so don’t move around. Still think you’re in your heyday? You right now, even this stupid Red Horse can trample you to death!”

Saying that, Bai Wushang nudged his mouth towards the Red Horse that was resting on its side, and the latter seemed to hear a sound and twisted its head, with those wide eyes, half-open horse mouth, twisted cheeks, and a still terrified expression.

“…Jeez!” Bai Wushang couldn’t hold back anymore, pointing at it, and scolding, “What is there to be afraid of? At night, your expression is very scary, you know!”

The Red Horse cocked its head, failing to understand, and its eyes widened some more, as if they were going to fall out of their sockets.

Bai Wushang rubbed his brow and stopped looking at it. He recalled what he wanted to say earlier, and proceeded to talk to the Demon Ape leader.

“Anyway… what I’m trying to get across is that the facts are in front of you, and all your anger and chagrin are no longer helping.

“You should calm down. I know it’s hard to do so, but it’s only when you want to be strong yourself that everything will slowly get better.”

The Demon Ape leader was stunned and wooden for a long time, its eye softening down little by little.

“I, for one, have experienced equally desperate moments when I was six years old…”

Bai Wushang smiled, a very sunny smile, and met the firelight as he slowly told his story.

“…It’s been 10 years now, and my parents’ voices and faces are a little blurry, but I still remember the happiness I once had, so now I’m always trying to learn and grow.

“I want to be strong, and I want to guard all the happiness that exists, including the future.

“I want to change my destiny, to live longer, to see the mountains, the lakes, the sun, the moon and the stars, to explore the strange stories and the wilderness, to meet more people and make more friends, to taste delicacies and enjoy the pleasure of my taste buds…

“Of course, the most important thing is to fight and grow together with a contracted pet partner, in tandem, in this vast and boundless transcendental world…”

Speaking of this, Bai Wushang’s expression was suddenly a bit ruffled.

“Actually, if it had been any other master, I could have forced the contract when you were just unconscious, and I’m not going to lie, the odds of success weren’t low… but I thought and thought about it, and decided that wasn’t in line with my beliefs in life.

“In my opinion, the relationship between a master and a pet is not only that of a partner, but of kin, a being worthy of trusting and relying on forever!

“…So, I chose to have a good talk with you while you were clearheaded.”

Pausing, Bai Wushang crouched down next to the Demon Ape leader, looked into its eyes very sincerely, and said, “I know you’re impressive, and I’m not necessarily worthy of you right now, but please believe that I will do everything I can to train you.

“The first promise I can give you is that I will take you to exterminate the rest of the Swift Wind Sword Wolves and avenge your people!

“Also, the contract is a two-way street, so you don’t have to worry too much, because you also have the right to make your own choices.”

At some point, the Demon Ape leader’s breathing sped up a few notches.

Its only eye, bloodshot all over but glowing with a slight shimmer, showed very mixed emotions.

There was bewilderment, apprehension, agitation, and even more struggle.

But something was gone—the initial boundless, muddy, gray willingness to die.

Finally, the Demon Ape leader calmed down.

With its last ounce of strength, it struggled to aim at Bai Wushang’s face, and grinned at him.

That smile was ugly and hideous.

But Bai Wushang smiled happily. It was the pure smile that belonged exclusively to a teenage boy, gentle with the joy of being acknowledged.

***

In the waterfall cave, Bai Wushang solemnly and respectfully pressed the black soul seal onto the brow of the Demon Ape leader, and mouthed, “By blood, by spirit, by soul, the first vow, concluded!”

Suddenly, the soul seal was translucent and bright.

A huge suction force, using the soul seal as a junction point, reversed the soul power within Bai Wushang’s body.

In almost a breath or two, 70-80 percent of Bai Wushang’s soul power at the peak of the Spiritualist level had been extracted, and his face became pale at a visible speed, with the illusion of being exhausted.

The Demon Ape leader was slightly uncomfortable, but did not struggle, and it simply released its soul restraining power by instinct.

Thus, an esoteric feeling appeared in the minds of the man and the beast at the same time, as if there was a silk thread that tied them together.

“It worked!” said Bai Wushang, clenching his fist with a cheerful expression.

Unlike the contract with the Twin Moonrabbit back then, Bai Wushang was in a much more passionate mood now.

Because this was the result of a lot of time and effort, as well as a lot of risk, born all by himself.

This also meant that he had taken a brand-new step on the path of a master’s cultivation!

“Phew~~~”

The Demon Ape leader was on the verge of its limit, and could only barely make a little sound with its snort to mark the moment.

“Hold on just a little longer, and I’ll have you in the Book of Oaths in no time!”

Bai Wushang knew very well that after signing the contract, the pet would be able to warm up and recover in the contract pet’s space in the Book of Oaths as long as it didn’t die on the spot or had irreversible special injuries such as severe poison, curse, or petrification.

Even more so, this recovery effect would continue to strengthen as the master’s soul power increased.

With Bai Wushang’s current soul power level, the recovery speed of the pet space was about 1.5 times faster than in its regular state.

It was true that there was no problem keeping the Demon Ape alive, but with such a recovery rate alone, it would take at least half a year to return to normal.

I can’t wait that long. All the same, this trial is far from over. I must get the Demon Ape leader back to fighting strength as soon as possible!

With that in mind, Bai Wushang made up his mind.

“I was going to save this for Milky Way, but now I have no choice… redeem the universal recipe exchange voucher!”