Stunned?

Seeing Vajra standing there dumbstruck, his eyes wide and round with a vacant stare, Yang Qi raised an eyebrow.

He immediately manipulated the mineral water bottle floating in mid-air, guiding it from a distance to gently nudge Vajra’s nose.

The cold, hard touch sent a shudder through Vajra’s body as if he’d been startled awake. But he didn’t take the bottle in pleasant surprise. Instead, he retreated two steps, letting out a low, trembling rumble.

’That sound wasn’t one of fright. Was it apprehension? Awe?’

Peering through the darkness and the wire mesh fence, Yang Qi was a little puzzled.

It wasn’t convenient to call out, so he decided not to overthink it. He controlled the mineral water bottle, placed it steadily on the ground in front of Vajra, then made a "drinking" gesture towards Vajra from a distance. He pointed at the bottle again, his meaning clear.

’The good stuff is here. Enjoy it.’

After doing all this, Yang Qi didn’t linger. With a light tap of his toes on a branch, Magical Power circulated through his body. He naturally executed the Spirit Crane Body Technique, his figure rising gracefully as if weightless. He followed the "aerial path" he had created through the treetops, flitting away lightly and swiftly.

After a few leaps, he disappeared into the darkness.

Inside the gorilla enclosure, Vajra’s eyes, still bright in the darkness, grew even wider the moment Yang Qi "flew" away.

His gaze was filled with disbelief, deep reverence, and a near-fanatical... worship!

It was the look of a primitive man witnessing a miracle!

Delivering liquor through the air.

Flitting between treetops as freely as a bird.

Yang Qi’s two feats had completely surpassed Vajra’s understanding of humans, shocking his already well-developed primate brain.

In Vajra’s simple worldview, this was no longer "amazing."

It was "divine"!

He stared in the direction Yang Qi had disappeared, motionless for a long time. A low, incomprehensible whimper escaped his throat, as if he were engaged in some kind of primitive, heartfelt worship.

...

「On the other side.」

Yang Qi, who had just flown several dozen meters and zipped past the branches of a large tree, received a notification.

[Congratulations, Host, you have obtained your first Heart Fate Beast. You can form a contract with this beast to make it a Contracted Spirit. Special Reward: Basic Spirit Communication Technique.]

???

’What’s going on?’

Yang Qi was astonished. He halted his movements in the middle of a dense treetop, using the leaves and branches for cover, his mind reeling in shock.

’Heart Fate Beast?’

’Contracted Spirit?’

He focused his mind, absorbing the information the system was transmitting about "Heart Fate Beast" and "Contracted Spirit."

As he processed it, Yang Qi was even more stunned.

’Faith!’

’Vajra has developed faith in me.’

’He sees me as a transcendent, worship-worthy being, like a deity!’

The prerequisite for becoming a "Heart Fate Beast" was for the beast to develop a pure, heartfelt faith in its Master before a formal contract was made.

To put it bluntly, it had to worship you as a god!

Though it was just a single condition, it was extremely difficult to achieve.

First, the beast itself had to be intelligent enough. A less intelligent creature wouldn’t even be capable of complex emotions like "worship" or "admiration."

Second, for a beast to worship a person, that person’s actions had to be "miraculous" enough to defy the beast’s normal understanding of the world.

Third, the display of "miracles" had to be in a form that the specific beast could understand and be awed by.

Only by meeting these strict criteria could a "Heart Fate Beast" be formed, and even then, only by a stroke of luck.

Vajra’s intelligence was beyond question.

And Yang Qi’s "Small Transport Technique" used to deliver the liquor, along with his wind-like flight through the trees using the "Spirit Crane Body Technique," happened to satisfy the conditions of being both "miraculous" and understandable to Vajra.

Thus, by a twist of fate, or perhaps a serendipitous encounter, Vajra had developed faith in Yang Qi and become his "Heart Fate Beast."

After understanding what had happened, Yang Qi couldn’t help but click his tongue in amazement.

’This luck...’

’It’s just unbelievable!’

You have to understand, a Guardian Beast obtained by contracting a "Heart Fate Beast" was called a "Contracted Spirit," and it was exceptionally special! 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Unlike an ordinary contracted Spirit Beast, it didn’t require layers of cultivation to deepen the connection.

Once a "Contracted Spirit" was formed, as long as the Master had enough Magical Power and Spiritual Sense, they could immediately achieve deep spiritual communication, share talents, and even have their consciousness briefly possess and control the beast!

In a way, a "Contracted Spirit" was an extremely special avatar of its Master.

Their minds would be linked, moving as one, as easily as moving one’s own arm.

"What a pity..."

Vajra was an ordinary gorilla living in a Zoo. He was an important exhibit animal and a subject of scientific research. It was impossible for Yang Qi to take him away or keep him by his side long-term.

Otherwise, Yang Qi really felt the urge to form a contract with him immediately.

A "Heart Fate Beast" was just too rare!

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Fortunately, the "Basic Spirit Communication Technique" reward was also quite good, allowing Yang Qi to quickly recover from his disappointment and feel a surge of joy.

"Spirit Communication Technique"

By consuming a certain amount of Magical Power, he could directly communicate with beasts on a mental level.

The beasts would be able to clearly "hear" the meaning Yang Qi expressed, translating it into concepts they could understand.

And Yang Qi, in turn, could directly "receive" the core intent the beasts wanted to convey.

This was so much more convenient than before!

Previously, when Yang Qi communicated with animals, he mostly had to rely on gestures and demonstrations.

The fact that Xiaojiu, Bai Wan, and Ta Xue could accurately understand his commands was the result of the "Spirit Awakening Technique" opening their minds, combined with Yang Qi constantly talking to them and training them at home.

Now, with the "Spirit Communication Technique," Yang Qi could truly "talk" to animals directly, just like a legendary "Druid"!

His efficiency would increase by more than tenfold.

"When your luck is in, there’s no stopping it."

After calming himself in the treetop, a smile appeared on Yang Qi’s face.

...

「The next morning.」

After getting up, Yang Qi first took his customary inventory of the previous night’s haul from the "Demon Extermination Array."

Thanks to the contributions of the mosquitoes, plus what he earned from work, his total contribution points broke the 900 mark.

Yang Qi decisively used the lottery.

A nine-pull!

The first five draws were either Strengthening Pills or Low-Grade Spirit Rice—standard supplies.

The sixth draw.

[Congratulations, Host, you have drawn a prize: Low-Grade Spirit Tea (Half a Pound)]

"Not bad!"

Spirit Tea could increase Spiritual Power and strengthen his Spiritual Sense, which was highly beneficial for cultivating the Great Derivation Spirit-Controlling Technique and casting Magic.

’I haven’t even finished the last batch I drew.’

’Keep drawing!’

[Congratulations, Host, you have drawn a prize: Qi Condensing Pill (Low-grade)]

[Congratulations, Host, you have drawn a prize: Qi Condensing Pill (Low-grade)]

Two Qi Condensing Pills in a row, replenishing his cultivation supplies.

The ninth and final draw.

[Congratulations, Host, you have drawn a prize: Low-grade Spirit Stone (Earth Attribute)]

An Earth Spirit Stone!

Yang Qi was instantly overjoyed.

The Five Elements Spirit Stones—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—he had finally collected them all!

Now he was only missing one last, crucial item.

An Array Plate!

As long as he could draw a basic Universal Array Plate, Yang Qi could immediately start setting up the "Five Elements Spirit Gathering Array" and build his very first blessed land for cultivation!