C15 Contract Spirit Array

Chapter Fifteen: The Contract Spirit Array

"Am I to become Jiang Ruoyun's slave?!"

A wry smile tinged with helplessness spread across Lu Feng's face as he reflected on the string of misfortunes that had befallen him in recent years. Each event seemed worse than the last: his Seven Souls were damaged, leaving him powerless, and now his life was controlled by another, stripping him of his freedom.

Despite his reluctance to accept his fate, Lu Feng probed the connection with his Life Soul and discovered, to his surprise, that the bond with Jiang Ruoyun was not as strong as he had feared. He tested the resilience of the demonic red mark and realized that it wouldn't be difficult to break. The Array Making Technique used was so rudimentary that it hardly qualified as a Spirit Array. It seemed that removing it would be quite straightforward.

This realization brought a sense of calm to Lu Feng. Naturally, no one relishes the idea of their life being at the mercy of a stranger, even if that stranger is a beautiful woman.

Lu Feng had the ability to erase the contract mark immediately, but he chose not to act just yet. This situation provided a legitimate reason to remain in Azure Dragon Town.

Moreover, he felt no aversion to the woman before him. Given that he owed her a life-saving debt, it was only right to reciprocate.

Jiang Ruoyun, noticing that Lu Feng was not upset, breathed a sigh of relief. If he had insisted on her removing the Contract Spirit Array, she would have been at a loss, for she had come across the array by chance and, while she knew how to set it up, she had no idea how to dismantle it.

...

"Clean up and come find me in the courtyard," Jiang Ruoyun instructed before leaving the room.

Lu Feng donned the garments provided by Jiang Ruoyun and surveyed himself. The style might have been somewhat dated, but the clothes were impeccably clean and fit surprisingly well, carrying a subtle scent of lotus.

It wasn't that Lu Feng was averse to wearing his own attire; rather, there were no more suitable clothes left in his Qilin Ring. Having lived in the valley for an extended period, he had only a couple of sets, which had been worn to tatters during his time in Carefree Village.

Gazing at his reflection in the mirror, Lu Feng became lost in thought. The reconstruction of the Seven Souls had wrought significant changes in him. Gone was the robust, muscular build of his past, replaced by a more average physique. His face had undergone the most dramatic transformation, the once youthful features now matured, and a newfound resilience and sharpness etched into his brow that had never been present before.

Lu Feng had lost the youthful exuberance and arrogance that once defined him. Now, he carried himself with a restrained sharpness, his demeanor exuding a sense of calm and composure that belied any hint of surprise or disturbance.

With a slight smile, Lu Feng brushed off his clothes and made his way to the courtyard outside. The first sight to greet him was the imposing presence of an ancient banyan tree, its thin, leathery leaves and rust-brown aerial roots set against the deep gray of its bark, all testifying to its venerable age.

The courtyard, though modest in size, was adorned with a refreshing and tasteful arrangement of crushed stone pathways and verdant potted plants. From one side of the banyan tree, the enchanting strains of music drifted through the air. Following the stone-strewn path, Lu Feng came upon Jiang Ruoyun, who was gracefully playing the zither.

Clad in a blue robe, her demeanor cool and detached, Jiang Ruoyun's natural beauty needed no embellishment. She seemed a celestial being, untouched by worldly concerns—a stark contrast to her former petulant and willful self. This left Lu Feng questioning which aspect truly reflected the real Jiang Ruoyun.

Her delicate fingers danced nimbly over the zither strings, coaxing out exquisite notes. Lu Feng, entranced by the performance, was jolted back to reality when the zither music abruptly ceased. A string had snapped.

A flicker of frustration crossed Jiang Ruoyun's face. After caressing the zither body, she rose slowly and approached the banyan tree. Her small hand extended, the emerald sleeve sliding back to reveal a segment of her pale, delicate wrist. She touched the tree's branches tenderly, her expression tinged with melancholy.

Just as Lu Feng was about to step forward, Xiaorou intercepted him, pulling him aside to whisper, "Don't bother the Miss right now; she's not in good spirits."

"What's wrong?" inquired Lu Feng.

Xiaorou hesitated before replying, "Since you've entered into a contract with the Miss, you're now her servant. There's no harm in telling you. Whenever she's feeling down, she gazes at the banyan tree. This time, she's probably upset about something that happened at her Coming of Age Ceremony a few days ago."

Lu Feng cast a glance toward Jiang Ruoyun in the distance and continued to listen as Xiaorou spoke.

"Miss was once the pride of Jiang Mansion, indeed, the most exceptional talent in all of Azure Dragon Town. Before even reaching the age of twelve, she had mastered the Seven Souls and was on the cusp of beginning her journey as a Soul Cultivator." Xiaorou's voice was filled with a profound sense of loss and sorrow.

"Regrettably, on the night Miss attempted to integrate the Seven Souls, an unforeseen event occurred. A bolt of lightning struck the ancient banyan tree in the courtyard." Xiaorou guided Lu Feng a few steps to the left, where he then noticed a black scar on the side of the banyan tree.

"Did the integration fail?" Lu Feng inquired.

"If only it had just failed, that would have been a better outcome. At least Miss would still possess the power of the Seven-soul Stage, and wouldn't have fallen to her current lowly state," Xiaorou replied with bitterness. "Miss's residence was a good distance from here, yet that accursed lightning still managed to affect her. After that night, her strength began to wane, deteriorating from the Seven-soul Stage to the One-soul Stage."

"The Seven Souls were successfully integrated, and yet they could still regress?" Lu Feng asked, astonished.

Xiaorou nodded, her voice laced with sorrow as she continued, "Yes, they regressed. Miss plummeted from her pedestal, once held in high esteem and respect. Subsequently, her status within the family worsened progressively. She went from being the esteemed daughter of the Jiang Mansion to being referred to as 'the woman from the side room' by the household servants, her past brilliance all but forgotten."

Lu Feng listened with a twinge of regret, empathizing deeply with Jiang Ruoyun. He understood the feeling of falling from grace all too well, and it seemed that Jiang Ruoyun had likely endured much scorn from her family's younger generation.

Without Xiaorou's account, Lu Feng would have found it hard to believe that the serene girl in the distance had such a tumultuous past. Yet, the trials she had faced over the years had forged her heart into an unbreakable fortress.

...

"Look who's here, finding the leisure to enjoy the willows," a jarring voice disrupted the peace of the courtyard from outside.

Several youths, contemporaries of Jiang Ruoyun, stood at the entrance, all donned in uniform with the 'Jiang' character etched in Dark-gold on their chests, signifying their notable standing within the Jiang Mansion.

Jiang Ruoyun's brow furrowed as she eyed the group poised to enter the courtyard. With a tone of loathing, she commanded, "Get out!"

The group of young men and women halted in their tracks, startled by Jiang Ruoyun's commanding shout. Despite Jiang Ruoyun's diminished strength, a sense of timidity lingered in their hearts, a testament to her once formidable and fearsome reputation.

One of the girls gathered her composure, cleared her throat, and spoke up, "Your days here are numbered. Mr. Feng has already petitioned the mansion's elders to reclaim this courtyard." She glanced at Jiang Ruoyun with a sneer and issued a warning, "You'd better move out quickly to avoid further embarrassment."

The speaker was Jiang Caiyun, another daughter of the Jiang Mansion, albeit from a different faction. The Jiang Mansion was led by three patriarchs; Jiang Ruoyun's grandfather, Jiang Batian, held the title of Great Mansion Lord, while Jiang Caiyun's grandfather, Jiang Aotian, was the Second Mansion Lord.

The two had shared a close bond since childhood, but Jiang Ruoyun's Seven Souls incident had caused a shift in Jiang Caiyun's demeanor. What began as aloofness and coldness had evolved into years of mockery and ridicule.

Jiang Caiyun had expected her words to unsettle Jiang Ruoyun, but to her surprise, Jiang Ruoyun appeared unfazed, maintaining her composure with a hint of hostility now creeping into her gaze.

It was hardly surprising that these youths had become so spiteful; Jiang Ruoyun's past brilliance had cast a long shadow over their childhoods, and it seemed they were now intent on settling old scores.

"Grandfather can no longer protect me..." Jiang Ruoyun thought with a heavy heart. Since her fall from grace, she had become the butt of jokes within the Jiang Mansion. The elders had gradually abandoned her, leaving her to her own devices. Without the protection of Mansion Lord Jiang Batian, her life would have been far more tragic.

Now, under the relentless pressure from the other elders, even Jiang Batian could not shield the once-great Jiang Ruoyun, whose cultivation had been severely compromised. Even a Mansion Lord had his limitations.

"Am I to be cast out?" Jiang Ruoyun mused with a wry smile. She then fixed her cold gaze on the onlookers still lingering at the courtyard entrance and declared, "Go back and tell Jiang Feng that I will leave, but he has no authority to drive me out."

The imposing presence Jiang Ruoyun exuded left the young men and women fumbling and stumbling in a fluster. Upon noticing Lu Feng in the courtyard, a man beside Jiang Caiyun sneered with a threatening tone, "Who would have thought the esteemed daughter of Jiang Mansion would stoop so low? To think a man is hidden in your chambers, engaging in such disgraceful acts. Imagine the scandal if this were to spread..."

Before he could finish, a red blur struck, leaving a long, stinging gash across his mouth.

It was the work of Jiang Ruoyun's whip.

Jiang Ruoyun coolly drew back her whip, her eyes glinting dangerously as she warned, "Jiang Ren, watch your words. If there's a next time, the consequences will be far worse than a simple lashing." Her voice was laden with menace.

Jiang Ren, reeling from the whip's kiss, stared at Jiang Ruoyun incredulously, fear flickering in his eyes. Despite being at the Three-soul Stage, he had failed to evade a seemingly effortless strike from her, who was merely at the One-soul Stage.

"And how do you explain his presence?" Jiang Caiyun chimed in, eager to support Jiang Ren. Unlike the rest, she wasn't intimidated by Jiang Ruoyun, boasting a much loftier position within the mansion.

"He is the young lady's Contract Slave," Xiaorou interjected in defense of Jiang Ruoyun.

Jiang Ruoyun allowed Xiaorou to speak. Though she personally saw no need for explanations, she understood that unchecked gossip could tarnish the reputation of Jiang Mansion.

Caught off guard by the reply, Jiang Caiyun faltered, unsure of how to respond. She redirected her frustration toward Lu Feng, pointing at him with contempt. "You call yourself a man, yet you willingly serve as a woman's slave. It's utterly disgraceful and pathetic."

Lu Feng appeared unfazed, maintaining his usual serene smile, though a hint of coldness briefly flickered in his eyes.

Jiang Ruoyun, however, was ready to lash out once more, her whip poised for action. Sensing this, Lu Feng swiftly stepped in, preventing her from making another move.

Jiang Caiyun and her companions were taken aback by the astonishing speed at which Lu Feng revealed himself.

With a gentle smile, Lu Feng addressed the onlookers outside the courtyard, "I'm simply earning my keep. Does it really matter if I'm a slave or not?"

His smile radiated purity, devoid of any trace of the self-deprecation one might expect from a slave. He carried himself with the grace and poise of a high-born noble.