The Emerald Cloud Eagle was confused at first. Its movements froze, its beak opened slightly.
"How…?"
"What does that matter?" Wu Han said coolly. "I asked—do you want the easy way or the hard way?"
He didn't bother to explain further. He wasn't after negotiation or understanding. He wanted obedience—total control. That was why he offered the beast nothing.
Information was for those worthy of intellect, not for mere beasts.
The eagle trembled. It could understand the strange language coming from the "monkey" before it. It felt the intent, the threat behind his voice. And it knew—if it resisted, it would die.
And so, like any creature driven by instinct, it chose life.
"I yield."
Its head lowered. The bindings tightened, blood still dripping from its wings, but it stopped struggling. Honor meant nothing to a beast. Survival did.
The rule never changed: the strong ruled.
"Good," Wu Han said. "Now, let's talk business."
He snapped his fingers. The eagle's wounds began to knit together, bleeding slowed, bones mended. The poison remained in its veins—an insurance policy to keep it docile.
No need to rush.
"I need you to work with me," Wu Han said, extending his hand. A complex magic circle appeared, glowing faintly. "As my summon."
That was his true purpose here—to capture the beast. Or, in this world's terms, to tame it.
"I accept."
The Emerald Cloud Eagle bowed. The glowing circle descended onto its body, seeping into its flesh and soul, forging an unseen bond between man and beast.
It was a soul contract—the highest form of summoning pact. A being could only make one such bond in its entire existence.
Fortunately for Wu Han—or rather, for him—he used Wu Yaoshi's soul as the medium.
His true soul couldn't be exposed yet. He was willing to risk many things, but revealing his real soul, hidden within the carcass of a spirit, wasn't one of them.
Wind began swirling around his palm as a grin spread across his face.
I've got wind affinity now!
It might have been a roundabout way to gain it, but this method granted the affinity of one's summon. And since his primary combat style was built around wind principles, he decided to take the opportunity while it lasted.
And on top of that, he now had a flying spirit beast at seventh stage as a summon, which could do many of the interesting things.
"But I should give you a name first. What about Theron? It means 'hunter' in one of the kingdoms I visited," Wu Han proposed, borrowing a name from his old world for familiarity. "Or you want Xiao Lu, it means 'little green.'"
"I am not 'Little,' so 'Hunter' is very nice." The emerald cloud eagle, now Theron, agreed with the name Wu Han granted it.
"And now that we're bonded, fun fact: if I die, you die. But if you die, I won't." Wu Han pointed this out to make sure it understood the contract.
It sounded ridiculous, because Wu Han had cheated.
Normally both parties die together, but he'd tampered with the contract so that he would not.
People don't know this, but you can actually edit parts of a contract you don't like. Shocker, right?
"So, what do we do now, master?" Theron showed no sign of aggression.
It stood tall and even held a bit of respect for Wu Han. Being in sync with his soul gave it some of his intelligence.
"You seem more docile than I thought you would be," Wu Han said, surprised.
He had expected resistance, but the eagle handled a contract that bordered on enslavement very well.
"You could have killed me, but you did not. That is enough, master," it said.
It respected Wu Han's strength, as all beasts did. Now, with new information and human knowledge, it was grateful to be spared and willing to work as a partner.
"Smart. I like it." Wu Han cast a curing spell, pulled the poison from Theron, and canceled the binding spell, letting Theron spread its wings.
"Now, let me give you your first mission. I need you to kill." Wu Han produced ten spirit stones from his savings.
"Kill what, master?" Theron asked.
"Human. Specifically, cultivators. Kill them and bring their carcasses to your nest. Do not eat them." Wu Han was specific because he had a plan, a grand one, and Theron would help accelerate it.
"Understood," Theron nodded.
"Good. Now, I'll make your task easier. It'll sting a little, but bear with it."
The ten spirit stones he'd prepared spread out in a wide diagram. Six expanded into hexagonal shapes while the remaining four orbited them like a shifting box.
Wu Han burned one of his own spirit stones to replenish the Qi the ritual demanded.
The air trembled as his power flared.
Violent winds howled through the valley, tugging at his robe and Theron's feathers.
The black waters below turned savage, smashing against the rock walls with thunderous force.
Natural wind essence surged into the formation, flooding into Theron's veins.
The beast screeched in pain as the energy tore through its body, yet with every passing second it grew stronger.
Inky lines spread along its wings, tracing intricate patterns like divine script.
Two hexagonal runes formed on each side, pulsing with power.
As the last spirit stone dimmed, the storm died. The lines on Theron's feathers glowed faintly emerald before fading into his wings.
"That should enhance your speed and recovery," Wu Han said, examining his work. "It'll help with your job."
"I feel… strange," Theron said, spreading his wings. Its feathers shimmered, then turned translucent.
"And I added stealth," Wu Han replied, satisfied. "So, no one strong enough to notice you will ever get the chance."
He'd invested heavily in Theron and fully intended to make the most of it.
In his view, a living servant was always more useful than a corpse.
"Now, let's head back. I'm exhausted."
He'd spent far more Qi than he let on. Capturing the beast without a fight had taken precision, and the valley's thin spiritual energy offered little to recover.
Climbing onto Theron's back was the most efficient option.
The eagle understood immediately. Its wings stretched wide before it launched skyward.
Wind rushed past them, feeding through the invisible runes on Theron's wings. The technique allowed the beast to refuel mid-flight, what Wu Han liked to call "aerodynamic recovery." Normally, he only bothered crafting enchantments like that for dragons.
As their speed built, Theron descended and landed near the forest's edge to avoid attention.
"Good, good," Wu Han murmured, running a hand along its feathers before letting it go. Theron vanished into the air, invisible, off to complete its mission. Wu Han smiled faintly. He'd gotten lucky, the first beast he'd caught turned out to be a sensible one.
"And now, we wait."
Stretching his arms after the long day, he started back toward town. He'd accomplished plenty: a new weapon, a new summon, and a clear plan for the next step.
Time to recover Ming and Haoyu and move forward.
But before he reached the gates, five figures blocked his path.
He recognized them instantly.
"I don't like stalkers," Wu Han said, stopping a few steps away. He called out his silver spear, keeping his distance.
Each of them had weapons drawn.
They wore black robes with flame-patterned trim, the same group that had approached him earlier at the mission board.
"Hello, Daoist brother," said the woman in front, her tone dripping with false sweetness.
She lowered her hood, revealing short orange hair and sharp black eyes. "No need to be nervous. We just need a little favor from you."
Wu Han's brow lifted, and a creepy smile spread across his face.
"Is that a threat?"