A youth, around fifteen years old, ran through a swamp, carrying an egg in his arms. He looked back in fear.
"Nao Bailong!" Another youth, in his early twenties, yelled. "I know you're the one who stole my egg. I promise I'll kill you slowly when I catch you! You can't escape this time."
"You'll never catch me, Gao Fong!"
'Hey, old gramps, where's the hiding place you mentioned?' Nao spoke to a wooden piece hanging from a string around his neck.
"Stupid brat, I told you, once you pass that old tree up there, find the pool and dive into the swamp. There's an entrance to a secret cave. It's one of my old meditation caves."
"How can you be sure it's still there? You've been dead for thousands of years. It's probably collapsed by now!"
"Stupid brat, do you think I'm you? I would never create a simple cave. My immortal cave is protected with formations and strengthened with secret alchemy. In fact, without me, you wouldn't even be able to enter. When we get into the pool, I'll tell you how to enter."
"All right, old man, I'll trust you this time. I hope you're right."
Nao Bailong continued running and soon passed the old tree, the first pool near the swamp. He jumped in without hesitation.
After swimming down a little, Bailong found what looked like an extra dark spot in the pool wall. It was big enough to allow him to swim in, but each time he tried, he missed the opening and ran into the wall.
"Old Gramps, how do I get in?" Bailong was running out of air.
"Make the Tai-Zen-Tai combination and push your energy toward the center of the black hole. It should open immediately, swim in.
Bailong did as the spirit in the wooden piece commanded and entered. The entrance allowed only Bailong to enter, but prevented the water from entering with him. Even the water on his clothes was removed.
Landing on his knees, Bailong looked around, "It's warm in here, and there's a nice light. What a cozy immortal cave. Do you have any interesting treasures in here?"
"Nothing for you, all the treasures in here are for when I can find a new body. The most important thing is that you're safe, and now we can hatch this egg.
"So this thing is some kind of ancient beast? Do you know what kind?"
"It's hard to tell. My spirit sense can't penetrate the shell; that's one of the signs that it is the descendant of an ancient beast. It's probably a lizard or bird-type beast. Did you practice the beast contract technique I showed you?"
"Yeah, I've got it down, no problem."
"Good, listen, Bailong, the best contract will brand the beast, and it will be your loyal pet from now on. Any order you give it, it will obey. In return, you need to treat it like family. If you don't take care of it, the creature may obey you, but only enough to satisfy the contract. If you want it to truly listen and give everything for you, you must be sincere with it. Do you understand?"
"Don't worry, Gramps, this little guy is going to be my partner in the future. I've got to treat him right!"
"Good, focus on making the contract and placing the contract seal inside the egg to join with the young beast. You must complete it before it hatches."
"How long until it hatches?" Bailong examined the egg; it looked as dead now as when he first discovered it.
"It could be any minute now, so hurry!"
Bailong nodded and began to create a series of symbols with is fingers. The complexity increased until a glowing gold contract formed, and Bailong directed it into the egg.
"Good! You'll know you've succeeded when you feel the connection with your beast."
"Hmm? Old Gramps, I don't feel anything. I can't even feel the contract anymore."
"That's odd, maybe you made a mistake, or perhaps the egg's thickness has interfered. Try and make the contract again, you must hurry!"
Nao Bailong went through the process again, but failed to make a contract with the beast. As he began the process a third time, the egg began to crack.
"Oh no, it's cracking! Bailong, hurry, there isn't much time. If you can't create the contract before it finishes breaking through, you'll lose the chance to make it absolutely bound to you. You'll have to use a cruder technique."
"I got it, old man, but your stupid technique isn't working!"
Trying to make another contract, the golden seal landed on the area that was cracking, but like the other attempts, it failed.
Finally, a little head broke through; it was a lizard or snake of some sort.
"Old Gramps, is this some kind of white snake?"
"I --" Before the spirit could answer, another head popped out, followed by another.
"There are three snakes in the egg. Is that unusual? Nao Bailong looked perplexed.
"Oh no, Bailong, back up, get out of here, don't get too close!"
"It isn't three snakes, it's --"
The creature finally broke through the egg, and there it was, about the size of a small cat. One snake with three heads.
"It's a Hydra! Cover your mouth, don't breathe!"
Bailong saw the creature was between him and the exit, so he jumped back toward the other end of the cave. Then, the little hydra sneezed, and a green mist filled the cave.
"Bailong, take your detoxification medicine!"
"Which one?"
"All of them! Hurry before it's too late."
Bailong didn't hesitate and drew several pill bottles out of a storage ring. He dumped everything into his mouth as the green fog approached.
The mist approached like an inevitability, touching Nao Bailong's clothes, climbing up, and making contact with his skin. His skin began to blister, it burned, and blackened skin began to fall away. Nao Bailong went further into the back of the cave, trying to escape.
"Old Gramps, I don't feel too good. I think I'm dying, I don't want to die."
"Kid, hang on, get to my pill room. There's a golden pill that can save you, stop up the door. Hurry!"
Nao Bailong did as he was instructed, and he found the pill room with the spirit's help. He slammed the door, pulled out some clothes, and sealed the door, plugging all of its openings.
He rummaged through some boxes in the pill cabinet, finally locating the golden pill. Nao took the pill and felt it dissolve in his throat and spread through his body. Soon, Bailong fell to the floor and stopped moving.
Nao Bailong lay on the floor, unmoving. The old spirit in the wooden piece cried out for the young boy.
"Bailong, stupid brat, you didn't die, did you? You can't die!
Bailong! Bailong!"
There was no response, only silence.