Chapter 205: Signing the Pact
In the video, after hearing Ye LingLing explain the concept of Soul Pact Masters, the Silver Dragon King, Di Tian, and the other soul beasts fell silent.
They were not fools they quickly weighed the advantages and disadvantages of this system.
The benefit was clear: the soul beast's power would be linked to their contracted soul master. If the soul master ascended to godhood, the soul beast would automatically become a Divine Beast. Essentially, the contract allowed the soul beast to bypass the world's restrictions by disguising itself as a soul ring absorbed by the human.
Once a contract was signed, heavenly tribulations would no longer target the soul beast, as the world would perceive it as part of a human's soul ring. After all, the laws of the world would never punish a mere "soul ring" with tribulations.
However, there were also drawbacks.
First, soul beasts had much longer lifespans than humans. If the contracted soul master failed to reach godhood and eventually died of old age, the soul beast would suffer severe damage from the loss.
Additionally, if a soul beast formed a contract with a human much weaker than itself, its power would be redistributed to the human to maintain balance, which would temporarily weaken the beast.
This meant that if a soul master never advanced beyond level 70, then the soul beast bound to them would also be permanently stuck at that equivalent power level, unable to advance further.
Choosing the wrong partner could effectively ruin a soul beast's future.
That said, these disadvantages were not the reason the Silver Dragon King and Di Tian were hesitating.
To them, these conditions were not truly "flaws." After all, the lifespan issue could be avoided by selecting a prodigious soul master who was destined to become a god such a partnership would actually benefit the soul beast in the long run.
The real reason for their hesitation was that, if the Soul Pact Master system spread among soul beasts, then from that moment forward, humans and soul beasts would be permanently bound together.
And that was hard to accept.
Before the Abyss invaded, humans and soul beasts had been bitter enemies.
Now, they were expected to coexist peacefully?
It felt unreal.
Although humans and soul beasts had been fighting alongside each other against the Abyss for years, neither side had ever fully trusted the other. There was always an underlying sense of caution and suspicion.
After all, humans had a saying: Those who are not of our kin must have different hearts.
Humans and soul beasts were ultimately different species how could true cooperation ever be possible?
Yet, now, there was a method in front of them.
A way to break free from the God Realm's restrictions.
A way to finally become Divine Beasts.
A way to permanently end the conflict between humans and soul beasts.
Logically, there was no reason to hesitate.
But… was such a perfect solution really possible?
Could humans truly be trusted?
Many soul beasts who had witnessed humanity's cunning, deceit, and cruelty were deeply uneasy.
Simply put, they lacked trust in humans.
They feared that this Soul Pact Master system was just a cleverly disguised trap.
That the so called "equal contract" was, in reality, a master servant pact.
That, at some critical moment, soul masters could activate a hidden mechanism to turn their soul beast partners into slaves, completely subjugating their race.
Ye LingLing naturally saw that the Silver Dragon King and the others were interested but hesitant due to their distrust of humans.
So he spoke calmly, "Silver Dragon King, why not listen to a suggestion of mine?"
"Speak," the Silver Dragon King replied.
She treated Ye LingLing with the respect due to an equal. Arrogance was relative toward those weaker than her, she naturally stood above them. But for those at the same level, maintaining such arrogance would only make her look foolish.
"You cannot verify the contract's fairness with mere words. So why not experience it for yourself?" he said.
"You mean…" The Silver Dragon King's pupils contracted slightly, surprised by his bold suggestion.
"Form a contract with me."
Ye LingLing gazed at the stunning Silver Dragon King and said, "You and I are equals. If there is any trickery within this contract, you would be the first to notice it. What do you think?"
"…"
The Silver Dragon King fell silent.
She quickly analyzed the potential risks and benefits of this proposal.
If she and Ye LingLing formed a contract, it would set a precedent for both humanity and soul beasts.
As the respective leaders of their factions, they would become the first ever Soul Pact Masters in history.
Such a move would undoubtedly accelerate the adoption of the system among others.
Additionally, forming a contract meant that they would become each other's closest allies.
With their lives linked, Ye LingLing would never betray her.
In the long run, if they survived the Abyss invasion and the God Realm returned, Ye LingLing could even become a powerful asset in her fight against the gods.
Overall, this contract seemed to have only benefits.
As long as the pact was indeed an equal partnership, with no hidden clauses.
After a moment of consideration, she realized that forming a contract with Ye LingLing had zero drawbacks.
And even if there was some hidden trick, with her knowledge and power, she would be able to detect it immediately and break the contract before anything went wrong.
So, she finally nodded.
She agreed to sign the contract.
She and Ye LingLing would become the world's first Soul Pact Master pair!
Seeing her agreement, Ye LingLing smiled.
Securing the Silver Dragon King meant securing the allegiance of the entire soul beast race.
And it also meant that the Douluo Continent would gain another Divine King level combatant.
There was no reason not to be pleased.
Under the watchful eyes of Di Tian and the other soul beasts, a man and a beast prepared to sign the contract.
Ye LingLing pressed his hands together.
His divine rings emerged, expanding outward in glowing, radiant layers.
At his current level of nine divine rings, the outermost ring stretched a full kilometer across.
Magnificent.
Mysterious.
Unfathomable.
The Silver Dragon King's massive body was enveloped by the divine light. She lowered her head slightly, quietly observing the small human beneath her.
Physically, their sizes were worlds apart Ye LingLing was like an ant before her colossal form.
But to Di Tian and the others watching from a distance, Ye LingLing's presence felt overwhelmingly vast.
A towering, sacred force.
Finally, the contract reached its final stage.
Ye LingLing extended his hand forward.
Seeing this, the Silver Dragon King had no choice but to shrink her massive form until she was roughly human sized.
Only then did she extend her claw to meet his hand.
The moment they made contact, an invisible ripple of energy spread through the air.
Blinding light erupted.
And within that glow, the Silver Dragon King's form began to change involuntarily.
She shifted into her human form.
A breathtaking woman with silver hair and violet eyes.
(End of Chapter)
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