Chapter 20 - Contracted Ah Bai
Yan Tianhen blinked his eyes in confusion and said, “I won’t skin my family’s Ah Bai ah, plus he’s such a small little ball, even if he bites someone he wouldn’t leave any teeth marks. I don’t need Ah Bai to protect me.”
But Lin Xuanzhi’s att.i.tude was very firm, he said, “If you’re not willing to form a contract with him, then let him form a contract with me.”
The tiger cub immediately let out a sorrowful howl and abruptly jumped out of Lin Xuanzhi’s arms. He sneaked his way onto Yan Tianhen’s shoulder– alright, he’ll give in, between losing his freedom and turning into a piece of tiger skin, he resolutely chooses the former, ok!
Yan Tianhen hadn’t had time to speak nor respond when the tiger cub bit down on his neck forcefully.
“What are you doing Ah Bai?” Yan Tianhen was afraid that the sight of Ah Bai biting people would make Lin Xuanzhi unhappy and make him change his mind about not selling Ah Bai.
But, after Ah Bai bit him, it pressed the centre of its forehead against the few drops of blood that was squeezed out.
Suddenly, a mysteriously mysterious sense of contract abruptly forced its way into Yan Tianhen’s consciousness.
A new contract was added to his consciousness, and after it had conformed to the heavenly laws and rules, it immediately disappeared. What replaced it was a faintly discernible white tiger imprint that floated within his consciousness.
Yan Tianhen instantly knew that this imprint came from a beast’s voluntary subordination contract. A childish voice rang out in his consciousness–
“Ah Bai, ao, Ah Bai!”
Yan Tianhen raised his head and looked at Lin Xuanzhi, stunned into oblivion, “Dage, why can I hear Ah Bai talk? He hasn’t even transformed yet?”
Infant stage beasts that haven’t transformed can not open their mouths to speak no matter what.
Lin Xuanzhi said, “Ah Bai only knows how to repeat words that he has heard the most often, and only you can hear it. After contracted beasts raise their level to a certain standard, they can communicate with their master through your shared consciousness – this is one of the benefits of a contract.”
Yan Tianhen appeared to be deep in thought as he nodded, then looked at the tiger cub on his shoulder that was raising its head to look at him. He smiled until his eyes turned into slits and rubbed its head.
He had never thought of forming a contract with his tiger cubs, afterall, most beasts were wild in nature and were difficult to tame. In order to demand absolute obedience from beasts, the contracts set by human cultivators usually had many binding clauses, and they would even deprive beasts of their thoughts – this made the idea of contracting very repulsive to Yan Tianhen.
The tiger cubs were personally brought up by him, he treats them as his good friends.
If it wasn’t for the sake of saving Lin Xuanzhi’s life, Yan Tianhen would have never sold the tiger cub.
“Don’t worry Ah Bai, I’ll definitely treat you well and won’t let other big beasts bully you.” Yan Tianhen raised his fist and vowed.
“Ao ao?” Ah Bai said in a baby voice in Yan Tianhen’s consciousness, “Don’t worry Master, I won’t let that big devil bully you!”
Yan Tianhen, “……”
Big devil? He’s talking about Dage right?
Yan Tianhen couldn’t help but laugh bitterly, “Dage is just a bit strict.”
“It’s not just a bit, he threatened to skin me and use my skin as a scarf!” Ah Bai called out in ao aos as he complained with tears in his eyes.
Yan Tianhen couldn’t help but look at Lin Xuanzhi, then said, “Dage is just teasing you, he’s even going to redeem Hu Po, don’t make him angry.”
Ah Bai secretly stole a glance at Lin Xuanzhi, then lowered its head dejectedly in fear.
When one lives under someone else’s roof, one must lower one’s head.
Lin Xuanzhi looked at this one human and one tiger cub whispering nonstop in front of his face and felt like laughing, but, he wasn’t going to let this tiger cub keep sticking to Yan Tianhen like this.
“Ah Hen, where did you park the carriage yesterday, go bring it over.” Lin Xuanzhi said.
Yan Tianhen said, “In the mountains at the back, I’ll go right now, Dage please wait here for awhile.”
Just as Yan Tianhen was about to leave, Lin Xuanzhi stretched out his hand and grabbed the tiger cub who was riding on Yan Tianhen’s shoulder.
Tiger cub: QAQ!
Lin Xuanzhi smiled slightly, then said, “I still have some things I want to say to him, you go ahead first.”
Yan Tianhen nodded, then did a mini dash away.
Tiger cub: Master, come back!
Obviously, Yan Tianhen did not receive the tiger cub’s message.
The tiger cub called out in ao aos, its four short limbs were kicking about in the air furiously, but its efforts were futile. Lin Xuanzhi grabbed the back of his neck, then used his pair of long and narrow pair of phoenix eyes that had a slight upturn to stare at Ah Bai, “Since you’re following Ah Hen, then you have to commit wholeheartedly to protecting him. If there comes a day when you dare betray him, I’ll really skin you and turn your skin into a tiger carpet.”
Little tiger cub glared angrily at Lin Xuanzhi: Of course I won’t betray Master, only a big baddie like you will bully Ah Hen!