Chapter 14:

  At that moment, as the radiant light faded, an enormous serpent over ten meters long materialized before them. Its entire body was covered in fine, glistening scales, and its thick torso was as wide as a barrel. What truly drew the eye, however, were the two clawed limbs extending from its abdomen, each claw having only two toes.

  Despite its massive size, the dense bamboo grove concealed the serpent from prying eyes.

  The moment it appeared, the two-clawed serpent coiled its massive body into a mound. Its enormous head rose high, and its golden eyes gleamed with a commanding presence as it gazed down at the two figures before it.

  “This… Is this a Voidscale Dragon?” Wei Yun’s eyes widened in disbelief. He instinctively wanted to extend his spiritual sense to examine the serpent’s details, but his mental exhaustion prevented him from doing so.

  “No,” Wei Jianfeng said with a proud shake of his head. “It’s not yet a Voidscale Dragon. It’s a Dragon Serpent.”

  This serpent was Wei Jianfeng’s lifebound spirit beast, the same high quality snake he had accidentally stumbled upon and contracted during his early days as a Beast Tamer. Over the years, it had evolved into a Dragon Serpent. Though not yet a true dragon, it was far superior to any ordinary spirit beast.

  “Alright, let’s get this done before things get out of hand,” Wei Jianfeng said, his expression turning serious. His robes fluttered despite the absence of wind as he began to focus his powerful spiritual energy.

  He quickly formed seals with his hands. His movements were so fast that his fingers seemed to blur into a phantom.

  Simultaneously, golden light began to emanate from the Dragon Serpent’s scales, resonating harmoniously with Wei Jianfeng’s spiritual energy.

  With the serpent’s assistance, Wei Jianfeng seemed to merge with the surrounding world. Though he stood still, Wei Yun felt as though his uncle had vanished completely, his presence erased.

  “Condense!”

  In just a few breaths’ time, Wei Jianfeng’s voice rang out. His immense spiritual energy fused with the golden light radiating from the Dragon Serpent, forming a translucent barrier that enveloped the entire glowing bamboo stalk.

  No matter how much energy rippled outward from the bamboo, the barrier remained steadfast, unmoving and undisturbed.

  “Yun, the rest is up to you!” Wei Jianfeng said.

  “Thank you, Uncle!” Wei Yun replied with heartfelt gratitude. Without his uncle’s help, he might have lost the Nature Sprite entirely.

  Wei Jianfeng nodded and, with a wave of his hand, dismissed the Dragon Serpent. Just as suddenly as he had appeared, it vanished without a trace.

  As soon as Wei Jianfeng left, Wei Yun collapsed onto the ground, his body spent. He signaled Mira to remain on guard while he closed his eyes, doing his best to recover his depleted spiritual energy.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  Roughly fifteen minutes later, something began to happen. The ground near the glowing bamboo stirred, as though coming to life. Tiny green sprouts began breaking through the soil like bamboo shoots after a rainstorm. In mere moments, they grew into a lush carpet of grass.

  “Roarrr…”

  Mira called out softly, using her paw to tug at Wei Yun’s sleeve.

  Rip!

  The sound of tearing fabric echoed through the quiet grove. Mira looked at the torn cloth in her paw, her face filled with confusion and guilt.

  Without hesitation, Mira rolled over onto her back, exposing her belly in a submissive gesture.

  Wei Yun opened his eyes, ignoring his torn clothes and Mira’s antics., as his attention locked onto the glowing bamboo stalk.

  He hadn’t fully recovered his spiritual energy, but at least the searing pain in his head had subsided.

  Crack! Crack!

  The crisp sound of breaking wood filled the air. The bamboo stalk nurturing the Nature Sprite split cleanly down the middle, each half falling slowly to the sides.

  From the center of the broken bamboo, a dark green orb of light emerged. The light quickly faded, revealing the small and delicate figure of the Nature Sprite.

  Seeing her for the first time, Wei Yun’s mouth fell slightly open, his expression frozen in amazement.

  Beautiful. Truly beautiful.

  How could one describe such beauty?

  Her snow-white skin was soft and flawless, reminiscent of a newborn’s, so delicate it seemed it would yield under the lightest touch. A faint glow emanated from her skin, adding an ethereal quality to her presence.

  For a brief moment, Wei Yun felt an uncontrollable urge to reach out and touch her, but he quickly shook his head to dispel such thoughts. He shifted his focus to her face. a face so exquisite and perfect it seemed sculpted by the heavens themselves.

  The Nature Sprite’s features closely resembled those of a human, with fine and harmonious proportions. She had a small, pointed nose, large emerald-green eyes, and flowing green hair that cascaded down to her waist. The most distinctive feature was the tiny bamboo shoot sprouting from her head, symbolizing her birth from the glowing bamboo stalk.

  She wore a simple dress woven from bamboo leaves, which lent her an exotic charm. Though small in stature, barely the size of an adult’s palm.

  Sprouting from her back were a pair of translucent wings, thin and delicate like those of a cicada. Smaller pairs of wings adorned the sides of her lower legs, though these were noticeably less pronounced.

  As one of nature’s purest creations, Nature Sprites were blessed with extraordinary beauty and a mystical presence. However, their small size only emphasized their charm.

  “She’s so beautiful…” Wei Yun murmured.

  Flapping her delicate wings, the Nature Sprite hovered in midair for a moment before doing something unexpected: she flew straight toward Wei Yun and perched lightly on his shoulder.

  During her time within the bamboo stalk, the sprite had already developed consciousness. She had witnessed everything Wei Yun had done, how he labored tirelessly to nurture her, how he buried countless wood-attribute spirit cores to sustain her.

  The gratitude she felt toward Wei Yun was immense. Without his intervention, she might never have been born or, at best, would have been born with severe deficiencies.

  “Hello, little one,” Wei Yun said softly, a relieved smile spreading across his face. He greeted her warmly, trying his best to appear approachable.

  The sprite tilted her head, her large eyes blinking in confusion. She didn’t respond but instead let out a sweet, birdlike chirp that was as pure and melodious as a bird’s song.

  Her voice resonated deeply, as though it spoke directly to the soul. For a brief moment, Wei Yun felt as though he were submerged in an ocean of tranquility.

  “Little one, would you be willing to form a contract with me?” Wei Yun asked gently. “If you don’t want to, just shake your head. If you’re okay with it, don’t move.”

  There were three types of contracts a Beast Tamer could form with a spirit beast: Lifebound Contract, Blood Contract, and a Temporary Contract.

  Wei Yun understood that the Nature Sprite would become more than just an ally, it would be a lifelong companion. With her consent, they would form a blood contract, intertwining their destinies.

  Before proceeding, Wei Yun extended his recovered spiritual sense to examine her stats, eager to confirm the full potential of the small creature before him.