Chapter 11 : The Forced Contract

Chapter 11 : The Forced Contract

Ling Huai tensed, her fingers still resting on the silk pouch. The rustling grew louder, twigs snapping beneath unseen footsteps. Bai Zhen stirred within her mind, his voice low and urgent.

"Something is approaching us."

Ling Huai slowly rose, her posture relaxed but ready to strike at any moment. Her keen eyes scanned the shadows between the trees, the air thick with an unspoken tension.

The forest was unnervingly quiet. Too quiet.

Leaves rustled. The wind stilled.

A shadow broke through the dense undergrowth, stepping into the clearing—a towering, Gray - furred panther with white stripes.

Its sleek muscles rippled under the moonlight, and its golden eyes gleamed with primal intelligence. It was unlike any beast she had ever seen. Its aura was vast, suffocating even, as if space itself bent around its presence.

Ling Huai tensed, stepping back cautiously. Was this another test? Or a warning?

Then, in the blink of an eye, its form flickered.

The massive beast twisted unnaturally, its silver fur melting into darkness, its golden eyes shifting to an eerie, unnatural purple.

The panther was no longer a panther.

Before her now sat a small, sleek black cat.

Ling Huai's breath hitched. Her body screamed at her to move, but her limbs locked in place.

The Omen. A small, sleek black cat padded forward, its fur darker than the void, blending seamlessly with the night. Its presence carried an eerie weight—something ancient, something watching. Its gaze locked onto hers, unblinking, calculating.

The cat's eyes flickered toward where Bai Zhen's presence lingered, as if it could see him despite his small state. Then, it smiled. A slow, knowing expression stretched across its feline face.

"Your wolf does not like me," it mused. "But then again, no beast does."

Bai Zhen's warning voice was sharp in her mind. "RUN."

She didn't hesitate.

Spinning on her heel, she dashed into the trees, her heart hammering in her chest. Twigs snapped underfoot, the cold air slicing against her skin as she pushed her body forward.

But no matter how fast she ran—

She felt a weight land on her back.

A light weight.

Ling Huai stumbled, crashing into a tree, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Slowly, she turned her head—

And her blood ran cold.

Perched on her shoulder, its body relaxed and completely at ease, was the Omen.

The cat peered at her with amusement, its long tail curling around her neck like a noose.

"You're an interesting one."

Ling Huai gritted her teeth. "Get off me."

The cat chuckled, a sound both smooth and unsettling. "Now, now. No need to be so hostile."

She tried to shake him off, but he didn't budge. His presence was weightless, yet suffocating, as if the space around them was bending in his favor.

Then, his voice lowered, honeyed with temptation.

"I can offer you power."

Ling Huai froze.

The Omen's purring voice continued, sliding into her ears like silk.

"Not just any power, little tamer. A power no beast, no human, no god has ever wielded. For a mere 50 drops of your rare qi… I will give you everything."

A chill ran down her spine.

"No."

The cat blinked, seemingly unfazed by her immediate rejection. "I will not ask again."

His eyes darkened. The world around them dimmed as if even the light feared to exist in his presence. The forest, once alive with whispers, now held its breath.

Ling Huai clenched her fists. "I don't need your power."

For the first time, the Omen frowned.

The amusement in his gaze flickered—just for a moment—before returning in full force. He gave a slow, knowing smile.

"Good."

Ling Huai's mind reeled.

The Omen just spoke to her.

That wasn't normal. No ordinary beast could form a mind link without a contract, and even then, it required mutual consent. Yet this creature—this strange black cat with piercing purple eyes—had spoken to her as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Her heart pounded. What is he?

She tensed, feeling the weight of his gaze press down on her like an unseen force.

The Omen tilted his head, his tail flicking lazily. "You look surprised. Did you think I was just a mere beast?"

Ling Huai took a slow step back, her instincts screaming at her to be wary. "What are you?"

The cat's lips curled into something akin to a smirk. "A good question. But not one I will answer. Not yet."

A dangerous glint flickered in his violet eyes. He leaped off her shoulder, landing soundlessly on the ground before stretching leisurely, as if this entire encounter was nothing more than a mild amusement to him.

Then, he sat down, wrapping his tail around his paws. His next words sent a chill down her spine.

"I am pleased."

Ling Huai blinked. "What?"

The Omen's ears twitched, and his voice took on a disturbingly cheerful tone. "You rejected my offer. That is good."

Something about the way he said it unsettled her more than if he had been angry. His amusement wasn't faked—it was genuine.

Ling Huai clenched her fists. Was this some kind of twisted game to him?

Before she could question him further, a sudden surge of energy slammed into her. Her knees buckled as a foreign force wrapped around her soul, seeping into her meridians like ink bleeding into water.

Her eyes widened.

No.

She recognized this feeling.

A contract.

A forced contract.

Ling Huai gasped, struggling to resist, but it was like trying to hold back a raging tide with bare hands. The Omen's power was overwhelming—far stronger than any beast she had ever encountered. It coiled around her qi, binding her.

"Stop!" she shouted, her body trembling as she fought against it.

The Omen only smiled wider. "I refuse."

His voice was calm, almost playful.

Then, just as suddenly as it began, the pressure vanished.

Ling Huai staggered, panting, her hands shaking. She reached inward, into her soul, searching—and froze.

A mark.

A new contract mark burned at the core of her being, linking her to the Omen.

The realization sent a wave of fury through her. She snapped her head up. "You—"

The Omen purred, his violet eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Now, now. No need to thank me."

Ling Huai gritted her teeth. He forced a contract on her.

That was supposed to be impossible.

She had always been the one in control. She was the tamer. The one who commanded.

Yet now, for the first time—

She was the one who had been claimed.