Chapter 73

Chapter 73: Divine Beast White Tiger

Rong Shu opened her eyes to a desert shrouded in wind-borne yellow sand. The scene was desolate yet edged with a killing chill. Overhead, the sky was a blank white with no sun in sight, yet it was not dim at all.

Not far away, a little figure lay atop a huge boulder, a round and fluffy “Little Bai puffball.”

Noticing Rong Shu’s arrival, the Little Bai puffball stretched, stood proudly on the boulder, then threw back its head and roared: “Roar!”

The voice was young but anything but weak, and it ruled this entire space.

At the roar, the sky-filling sandstorm vanished.

The cub on the boulder turned its gaze toward Rong Shu, revealing the ? character on its brow. Its tiger eyes were sharp and aloof, yet carried the vigor of a newly risen red sun.

Rong Shu recognized the little creature’s race: it was a Little White Tiger.

The Little White Tiger leaped down from the boulder and in a few bounds came to Rong Shu’s side.

Once close, it slowed, its look appraising and cautious: “Rawr?”

“Little one,” Rong Shu crouched, eyes fixed on that sleek white tiger fur as her palms itched unbearably. [I really want to pet it.]

“Awoo~” The Little White Tiger nosed up to her and sniffed, as if confirming something.

Rong Shu could not hold back and reached out to scritch it.

Though this was not a physical space, the feel of soft fur was still there.

The Little White Tiger suddenly gave a delighted “Awoo,” then circled her in excitement.

When it stopped in front of Rong Shu again, the Little White Tiger lifted a tiny paw and lightly tapped her outstretched hand.

“Thump.”

“Thump.”

In that instant, two heartbeats of different tempos linked together, and an ancient-looking mark lit at both Rong Shu’s and the Little White Tiger’s brows.

“Would you be my contractor?” A soft, milky child’s voice sounded in Rong Shu’s mind, solemn, yet on closer listen tinged with a trace of unease and tension.

Rong Shu blinked, then studied the Little White Tiger before testing a response: “Little one, was that your voice?”

“Awoo~” The Little White Tiger nodded with dignified restraint.

Rong Shu did not answer at once. Instead, she continued her questions: “Then will I be your only contractor?”

“Of course,” the soft child’s voice replied.

“No matter what I do, you will stand on my side?”

“That’s right!”

The Little White Tiger tilted its head, a hint of confusion in those adorable tiger eyes. [Contractors are so strange. Why ask about things that are only natural?] Even so, it liked the person in front of it very much. That pure, special aura speaking from the soul kept reminding it: [Form the pact with her. You won’t be wrong.]

But the Little White Tiger had its pride. If the contractor it fancied did not like it, it would never form a pact.

Satisfied with the answers, Rong Shu showed a genuine smile and nodded solemnly: “Very well. I’m willing to become your contractor.”

“My name is Rong Shu, pleased to work with you, partner.”

They would be partners, not beast and pet.

Hearing Rong Shu’s intent, the Little White Tiger grew even happier: “Mm! Partner!”

As the cub’s voice fell, the next moment Rong Shu felt a bond form between herself and the Little White Tiger, tight and inseverable.

The mark at her brow flashed once, then gradually hid away.

Heart Soul Pact, complete.

…

Once the Heart Soul Pact was done, Rong Shu’s consciousness withdrew from that special space.

When she opened her eyes again, she met the gaze of a colossal beast whose eyes held a faint, barely restrained excitement.

Remembering that she had already formed a pact with the Little White Tiger, Rong Shu relaxed. The giant beast should no longer be hostile to her.

The giant beast glanced at the mark at Rong Shu’s brow and let its aura relax: “Human youngling, the pact is complete. I hope you will take good care of it. One day, it will not let you down.”

“I have a question,” Rong Shu hesitated two seconds, then voiced it. “In the Heart Soul Pact space, I saw the little one inside the egg. Um, in appearance it’s a bit different from you.”

Naturally, Rong Shu did not think a monster of such strength would mistake its own youngling. That was why she dared ask.

Since Rong Shu had already formed the pact with the Little White Tiger, the giant beast regarded her as its youngling’s own and explained the inner matter: “I was entrusted by my master to look after a Divine Beast White Tiger Descendant and to find it a worthy contractor. This is my duty.”

Divine Beast White Tiger Descendant?

Rong Shu’s heart gave a jolt.

What she had seen in the Heart Soul Pact space was indeed a Little White Tiger.

“My days are almost gone. The one thing I still worry about is the yet-unhatched white tiger youngling. This is my master’s last entrustment to me.”

The giant beast stood and moved a little, and Rong Shu saw the wound it had kept hidden.

Just then, a wave of sorrow welled up inside Rong Shu. She started, then realized it came from the Little White Tiger inside the egg.

It was grieving.

The giant beast before them was the respected senior that had cared for it for many years.

Now, the Little White Tiger had to watch this respected senior walk toward death, powerless to stop it.

“Can the Immortal Jade Nectar here not heal your injuries?” Rong Shu asked.

The giant beast shook its head slightly: “I do not know.”

“To cure me, even this entire pool of Immortal Jade Nectar may not suffice. At most, it would ease the wounds.”

“Since that is so, why waste it on me? I will die sooner or later. For it, however, this is the hope of life.”

The giant beast spoke calmly and plainly. Rong Shu and the egg in her hands both fell silent.

The giant beast suddenly opened its mouth and spat out a small bead that shone with a five-colored glazed luster.

The bead drifted over the Celestial Jade Ambrosia Pool and drew in all Immortal Jade Nectar that remained.

“This is the Han Chuan Cosmos Pearl. It can contain living things. The Immortal Jade Nectar is all inside now. Place the egg within, and it can continue to be nourished until the day it hatches.”

As the beast spoke to Rong Shu, it urged the Han Chuan Cosmos Pearl to float to her.

Rong Shu caught it, then studied the bead with curiosity.

It was still semi-transparent, and she could see the Immortal Jade Nectar sloshing within.

Holding the Han Chuan Cosmos Pearl, Rong Shu gave a solemn promise to the giant beast: “I will do my utmost to take good care of the little one.”

Now that the human and the egg had formed their Heart Soul Pact, the giant beast felt more at ease with this weak yet ungreedy human youngling.

“Roar…” The giant beast turned its head toward the now-empty pool. Seeing this, Rong Shu stowed the glazed bead and walked to the pool’s edge.

There was no more Immortal Jade Nectar, but at the bottom lay something else. They seemed to be three fruits.

What kind of fruits were these, to have soaked in Immortal Jade Nectar and not rotted?