"We will perform a medium-level Mortal Pact Ritual. Since I don't have high-quality talismans with me right now, this will have to suffice! You are still at the first level, and although I don't know which path you belong to, I'm not at all worried about you breaking this pact. Even if you try, you won't be able to break it unless you reach the peak of the low levels! And that could take many years!" Old Herbert bared his teeth before pulling several strange talismans from his coat.
Heh, this old man managed to figure out my intentions even before I did anything. It seems he shouldn't be underestimated for an old man on the brink of death! But I don't think it'll take me that long to break it. Hmm… But why does this old man have so many things in his possession? First, boxes containing artifacts, and now talismans? Is this what they call the experience gained over the years? Xiao Bing pondered in his mind while saying, "Alright, I have no objections. Just do it!"
"I will be the witness between you!" said James as he took some talismans from old Herbert's hands and arranged them in a hexagon on the floor, adding, "Do you both agree?"
"I agree!" said Xiao Bing.
"I agree," said old Herbert, muttering some incomprehensible words while placing his left hand on his chest before saying, "O Hidden Witness behind the world of nothingness, we ask you to accept our humble pact ritual!" He repeated these words many times.
What kind of nonsense words are these? Is this what rituals look like in reality? Xiao Bing mocked silently while standing in the middle of the talismans arranged in a hexagon. He saw James standing and looking at old Herbert, who kept repeating those words over and over without any effect.
Xiao Bing wanted to mock the ritual, but at that moment, he felt an ominous sensation, making his body tremble involuntarily. This caused old Herbert to fall silent and stop repeating the words, while James remained quiet.
"Who summoned me?!" a distorted voice echoed in the shop, intensifying Xiao Bing's trembling.
That's not a human voice! Is it another entity? Xiao Bing asked himself while unable to stop shaking, as if standing before his natural predator. Survival instincts surged to their limits, and he couldn't escape.
"It is I who summoned you, O Venerable One!" said old Herbert while striking his chest.
"What reason do you have to interrupt my rest and summon me here?!" asked the hideous voice.
"This humble human has summoned you with the Mortals' Pact Ritual, to sign a mutual contract!" replied old Herbert.
"How dare you summon me with the Mortals' Pact Ritual?!" the hideous voice screamed in the shop, causing James, Xiao Bing, and old Herbert to clutch their heads while covering their ears with their sleeves. However, it didn't block the sound at all—blood trickled from their ears and noses.
That scream didn't just harm them; it shattered all the eyeglass lenses in the shop, along with the lantern lights on the ceiling and the window glass.
Old Herbert paid no attention to the damage to the eyeglass collection, window glass, or lanterns—he was only concerned with his short life.
"O Venerable Sir! I didn't mean to offend you by summoning you with this low-level ritual, but this is an emergency, and I didn't have the appropriate talismans!" Old Herbert tried to calm the owner of the hideous voice and added, "The contract I desire is due to some polished artifacts! Therefore, I hope the Venerable Sir will forgive my transgression!"
"Polished artifacts! I will forgive you this time due to the circumstances of your summoning, but this may not happen again!" the hideous voice spoke in the shop.
"Thank you for your generosity, O Venerable One!" Old Herbert struck his chest and wiped the blood from his nose and ears.
James and Xiao Bing did the same, wiping blood from their noses and ears.
"Where is the witness to the mutual benefit between you?!" the hideous voice asked coldly.
"It is I!" James replied quickly.
"And have they both agreed?" the hideous voice asked again.
"Yes! They have agreed," James replied without delay.
"Then let's finish this quickly," said the hideous voice.
At that moment, many black arms with charred, tough skin and black scales appeared before lifting old Herbert and Xiao Bing close to the ceiling.
Is this a nightmare or what?! Xiao Bing was startled while holding his coat tightly so the high-quality liquor bottle wouldn't fall from his pocket. He looked at the talismans and saw them emit black flames, connected in a hexagon directly below him.
Am I going to be roasted? No, these flames look like the ones that burned the manuscript earlier! So I shouldn't worry, right? Ah, I don't know what to say. Xiao Bing thought in panic, and the ominous sensation he felt earlier still lingered.
Old Herbert was calm, displaying his extensive experience in such matters, unlike Xiao Bing, who was internally tense.
"What is the content of the contract condition you two agreed upon?" asked the hideous voice, its words echoing strangely in the shop.
"The condition we agreed upon, O Venerable Sir, was for him to protect my daughter along with that person below. I didn't specify a duration, and this is in exchange for giving him a polished artifact!" said old Herbert with full confidence.
Wait, what? An unlimited duration? Is he trying to marry her off to me, not just protect her? Tsk! Xiao Bing mocked inwardly.
"And you agreed to this condition?" the owner of the hideous voice directed the question toward Xiao Bing.
Xiao Bing wanted to object to the decision of not specifying a time limit, but he said, "Yes, I agreed!"
"Then, we shall conclude this contract!" the hideous voice spoke, and all those black arms turned into shadows, entering Xiao Bing's body.
Upon entering, they formed a chain of dark aura, binding themselves to Xiao Bing's heart and his soul as well.
At that moment, Xiao Bing felt the same pain he suffered in the morning when the 0-V bullet was extracted from his heart, but this time without any blood seeping out.
Xiao Bing coughed blood from his mouth, and it fell to the floor with a "splat!" as it hit the ground.
"Bing!" James shouted as he saw Xiao Bing's condition.
Old Herbert looked ahead and laughed inwardly at Xiao Bing's state. You suffer from this too, O devil, and you will never escape this contract! he thought to himself.
"I'm fine, no need to shout!" Xiao Bing spoke while looking down at James beside the black flames.
"Thank goodness you're alright!" James spoke, a smile appearing on his face.
"From now on, your fate is tied to this old human's daughter, and let me warn you: any attempt to breach the contract will immediately stop your heart and burn your soul! So don't mess around!" the hideous voice rang in the air.
Believe me, I will repay this debt in the future! Xiao Bing vowed inwardly.
I'll be waiting for you to do so! the hideous voice spoke in Xiao Bing's mind.
Did you read my thoughts?! Xiao Bing was startled by this.
Yes, I have since I arrived here! the hideous voice replied in Xiao Bing's mind.
What exactly are you? And why are you talking to me in my mind? said Xiao Bing.
You want to know who I am? You won't gain anything from me telling you! But I have a question for you: Why does your body contain two souls? the hideous voice spoke.
You want to know why my body contains two souls? You won't gain anything from me telling you! Xiao Bing replied in the same manner.
Interesting! For a human to dare despise an ancient beast from the world of nothingness is truly something fascinating! the hideous voice said in Xiao Bing's mind before adding, But why, with all the insolence you show, can't you stop trembling?
I'm not trembling! replied Xiao Bing.
But I don't think so! the hideous voice replied as the black shadows began to emerge, leaving behind a chain around Xiao Bing's soul and his heart. They surrounded him from behind, forming a humanoid shape of shadows. They embraced Xiao Bing from behind, bringing their dark head close to his ear and said aloud this time, "Are you afraid of the unknown darkness I represent? Are you afraid of getting lost in an endless black vortex? Or are you afraid of remaining alone in the darkness, and this makes you lonely?!"
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End of Chapter ~ To be continued