The Soul Contract originated from the God of Death, a deity of immense power whose presence struck fear across the entire Glory World. He held dominion over three formidable divine domains: death, souls, and destruction.
The Soul Contract was one of the God of Death’s proudest creations.
The contract was divided into a Master Contract and a Subordinate Contract. The subordinate would offer a fragment of their soul to the master upon signing. Once completed, the subordinate's life and death were entirely under the control of the master.
The true power of this contract lay in the fact that even an ordinary farmer with no abilities could sign it by reciting the incantation of the God of Death.
Once the master crushed the subordinate’s soul within their Mental Sea, regardless of where the subordinate was, their soul would be dragged into the God of Death’s divine realm to become his feast.
Thus, the Soul Contract was also known as the Whisper of the God of Death. On the Glory Main Plane, no one dared to sign it lightly.
Seeing the shocked expressions on the Mage Apprentices, Li De said nothing. He had never viewed this world as a mere game, and humans, with their complex minds, could never be as absolutely loyal to him as vampires.
Though the apprentices now treated him with utmost respect, would they maintain the same attitude if they discovered that their mentor was a vampire?
Li De couldn’t afford to take that risk. If his true identity were exposed, he would face the hunt of not only all of Green City but potentially the entire human kingdom.
He certainly didn’t want to cultivate a large group of enemies.
“There’s no need to give me your answer right away. Your future is in your hands.
Even without signing, you will still receive my guidance—as long as you display sufficient talent, like Vina.”
With these final words, Li De turned and left, leaving behind the deeply contemplative Mage Apprentices.
“What does Lord Li De mean? That’s the Whisper of the God of Death—it’s terrifying!”
“A Formal Mage! The magic potion Vina received must be incredibly precious; otherwise, Lord Li De wouldn’t have made such a demand.”
“I envy Vina so much. If only I were a girl…”
As Mage Apprentices, they understood better than anyone how valuable magic potions were. But the legendary Whisper of the God of Death filled them with dread.
Once a Soul Contract was established, their lives would no longer belong to them.
Their longing for power clashed with their fear of death, leaving them in unbearable torment.
Among the crowd, Cohen and Karu, whose magical talents were comparable to Vina’s, exchanged glances. Their eyes were filled with complexity.
Cohen seemed to sense something and tugged at Karu’s clothes. The two moved slightly away from the other apprentices.
“Karu, what do you think?”
Karu gazed deeply at Cohen, who had short golden hair and an energetic, handsome appearance.
“Cohen, if Lord Li De ordered you to do something life-threatening—like hunting a Cyclops in the Far Mountain Range—could you refuse?”
Cohen was taken aback. After pondering for a moment, he let out a bitter smile.
“No, we can’t refuse Lord Li De’s orders.”
Karu smiled faintly and patted Cohen’s shoulder.
“In the Crimson Mage Tower, the three of us—me, you, and Vina—are the most talented.
But Vina is Lord Li De’s maid. She always gets the benefits first, without having to wait in line like us.”
Cohen looked at Karu with confusion, unsure of what he meant.
“Such a precious magic potion might not even be possessed by Transcendent Mages. Lord Li De must have paid a tremendous price to create it.” Karu’s black pupils revealed a complex expression.
“Cohen, you were born into nobility, but there are some things only we commoners understand.
If Lord Li De hadn’t taken me in, I’d probably already be dead in the sewers of Green City.
If there’s an opportunity to become a Formal Mage, believe me, countless commoners would be willing to sign a Soul Contract—or even drink a potion that would only let them live for ten years afterward.”
“In this world, power is the only thing that matters.”
Cohen stared blankly at his shorter companion, who had messy black hair and striking black eyes.
He was deeply shaken by Karu’s words.
Born into nobility, Cohen had always enjoyed a comfortable upbringing and struggled to understand the mindset of commoners. But now, he suddenly understood.
“If we can’t escape danger when it comes, then what’s a Soul Contract compared to that?”
“This is also a test for the Crimson Mage Tower. Apprentices who sign the Soul Contract will undoubtedly receive Lord Li De’s best guidance.”
“Can’t you see the recent changes in Lord Li De? A High Mage with a level above 10—if he truly devoted himself to teaching us, how long would it take us to become Formal Mages? How long will it take to become Intermediate Mages?”
After finishing, Karu turned and walked upstairs, leaving the handsome Cohen deep in thought.
Li De sat in the study on the third floor, leisurely flipping through his collection of books.
In the memories of the Vampire Progenitor, he had already read through these thousands of books. With their long lifespans, immortal beings accumulated knowledge far beyond what humans could achieve.
When Karu knocked and entered to declare his decision, Li De was quite satisfied.
It seemed there were indeed a few clever individuals among the Mage Apprentices.
“Lord Li De, if you hadn’t taken me in, I’d probably still be begging on the streets—or even kicked into the sewers by passing nobles.
I’m willing to give you everything I have, even my soul.”
Looking into those determined black eyes, Li De felt a sense of warmth and nodded approvingly.
“Very good. Your intelligence has earned you a future.”
He reached out and took another crystal vial filled with Mana-Infused Blood.
He had brought out five vials in total, two of which he planned to keep for observation. He wanted to confirm how long the effects of the Mana-Infused Blood would last once removed from the Holy Spirit’s influence.
The remaining three were originally intended for the apprentices. However, he hadn’t expected the effects of the Mana-Infused Blood to be so potent that it could directly help Mage Apprentices advance, which led to his additional thoughts.
“This Mana-Infused Blood cost me a great deal to produce. Drink it, and immediately solidify your magic model. If all goes well, you’ll break through to become a Formal Mage like Vina.”
Receiving the Mana-Infused Blood, Karu’s joy was impossible to conceal.
After speaking, Karu knelt on one knee, placing a hand on his chest, and began reciting a long and convoluted incantation.
“Oipfnq, mighty deity who governs death and souls, I am your loyal servant, your most devout believer. I willingly borrow your power to sign a Soul Contract with my master.
If the contract is broken, I will offer my soul to serve you eternally, oh great God of Death.”
As the final words faded, Li De’s spiritual senses detected a majestic and overwhelming force observing him from somewhere in the world.
Within his Mental Sea—a place that was the essence and deepest sanctuary of a person—a fragment of a soul appeared. Normally, foreign objects could not enter the Mental Sea easily.
Yet this fragment of a soul settled comfortably within, showing no signs of rejection.
Li De used his mental energy to touch the soul fragment and could vaguely sense the general emotions of its owner.
At present, Karu felt a mix of fear, admiration, respect, and joy toward Li De—a complex blend.
Li De could feel that if he were to tear this soul fragment apart with his mental energy, Karu would die instantly. His soul would, as promised, become a trophy for the God of Death.