Li Zhu is utterly speechless. Not because I have insulted her by calling her a birdbrain, which is partially true since she is a bird spirit. A mythical bird spirit, but still a bird spirit, nonetheless.
No. Li Zhu is speechless because of what had just happened to the spirit that was possessing Zhao Yao, effectively trapping the real Zhao Yao in her own body. At least, her consciousness is being suppressed by another spirit.
Without another spirit residing within her body and dominating her will, Zhao Yao will awaken in time, and by my estimation, she should be fine within a week or so. Her mental state might not be since her mind was being suppressed for so long.
"I wonder what I should call you now," I comment, breaking the prolonged silence. Since the offending spirit is now out of Zhao Yao, I cannot keep calling it Zhao Yao. It would be too strange.
That spirit does have a name – a true name. It does not have a call name like Li Zhu is called Li Zhu, so I had referred to it as Zhao Yao. I cannot reveal its true name since I do not want it or Li Zhu to become aware of its true name.
Sometimes, a spirit does not even know its true name. There are a number of reasons for that, and it mostly come down to the spirit being not matured enough to learn of its true name. Its age has nothing to do with its maturity.
Li Zhu is more than a billion years old, and yet, she is still considered a child within the Spiritual World, and it shows within her mentality. Since she has not reached maturity, she has not learned of her true name.
I am sure of that since Li Zhu has no idea how I do the thing I did.
Knowing a spirit's true name allows me to do some outrageous things. Things like dominating its wills, but that is only possible if my will is stronger. I can say for sure that my will is far stronger than Li Zhu's or the spirit that was possessing Zhao Yao.
That spirit did not response to my comment since it is struggling to maintain what's left of its spiritual form. This is usually what happened when getting shelled by the AAA with the right ammunitions. Just one is enough to turn the target into a horror sight.
It is the reason that I had stopped the AAA from using spiritual shells against Li Zhu. If I had not, Li Zhu would not be able to run her mouth off recently. She would just be dead.
I do not want Li Zhu dead, for she has not done anything to piss me off. Not like a certain spirit. It can insult and threaten me all it wants, but only me. When it threatens those that I care about even if just a slither, it has crossed the line.
And in my fury, the AAA automatically reacts. This is because all of my creations would sacrifice anyone and anything, including itself, in order to protect me, physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and so on.
It is a very loosely define condition. As long as someone or something hurt me in any form, my creation will react accordingly.
"I think I will just call you Kumo," I decide to name her. Kumo means spider in Japanese, and I like the irony, considering that this whole region is predominantly Chinese.
Kumo stares at me. She is unable to form words, considering that most of her head has not reformed completely yet. Her regeneration is quite fast, just not faster than Li Zhu. Even so, I still have to wait a minute for her to fully regenerate.
A lot of things can happen in a minute, and a second can be as long as an eternity to a Divine Emperor.
"So, Kumo. You might have guessed that I do not like being threatened," I speak up once more. "I only allow you to continue to exist because you humor me, and I do not need to tell you what would happen if you say something you should not. Do you understand?"
Kumo lowers her head then kneels before me before prostrating. "Please forgive me."
I do like people when they know they are greatly outclassed unlike a certain bird. But then again, there is a charm to that. Li Zhu is quite unique in her own. She might be immature mentally, physically, she is perfect in all the right places.
And it is her true human form too.
"You are forgiven," I accept her apology. "I want a contract, and I will not give you anything for it. Will you accept?"
Kumo remains prostrated for a moment, no doubt thinking to herself. A contract usually forms when the contractor and the contracted negotiate all the terms. Therefore, not all contract is the same, and for a very powerful spirit, the contractor has to give up quite a bit.
"Will I allow to have my freedom?" Kumo questions without looking up. She values her freedom more than her own existence, as without freedom, there is no point in existing.
From experience, most spirits have the same values as her.
"As long as your freedom does not come in conflict with my own interest," I answer and lift one of my hands. I take a bite on my right index finger, hard enough for it to bleed. "Come. Drink and everything that you are is mine. In return, you will be more than what you are now."
Kumo raises her head slowly and stares at my finger. "What are you?"
"I am just a pervert," I answer and reach my hand towards Kumo. She slowly opens her mouth to allow a drop of blood into it. That is enough for the blood contract, and I withdraw my hand with a smile.
Kumo closes her eyes and accepts my blood into her being. Her aura shifts into a shade of crimson as the blood contract is being finalized. Once her aura returns to normal, she opens her eyes again. Those eyes now have a tint of red within them.
"What do you ask of me, my… master?"
The relationship between the contractor and contracted in a blood contract is more like a master and servant relationship. It also prevents the contracted from harming the contractor as the death of the contractor will result in the death of the contracted.
"Nothing much. Come and sit on my lap," I request, stunning Kumo. "What with that expression? I did say that I am just a pervert. You form a contract with a pervert, so you should expect something of the sort."
"I thought that you were jesting," Kumo answers and casts a glance at Li Zhu, who finally realizes that she is in the room.
I also take glance at Li Zhu, who flinches at my gaze.
"I… I… I…" Li Zhu tries to form a sentence, but her fear is obvious. I wonder what Li Zhu is trying to say, but then again, it does not matter.
"You thought wrong, Kumo, and you do not want me to repeat myself," I tell Kumo and flex my finger at Li Zhu. "Come over here, little bird."
Like a very obedience child, Li Zhu approaches me and drops onto the ground before me. Kumo also approaches me, but for a different reason.
And once Kumo is firmly resting on my lap with my hand around her waist, I speak up again. "You are right, Li Zhu. I have not formed a contract with you, so I cannot be considered your summoner. Frankly, I do not want to be your summoner, but I do want a contract with you."
I reach out my bloody finger for her, and she recoils back. She understands fully what entitled within a blood contract.
"I… I… I…"
I retrieve my hand and suck the bleeding finger. "I have several rules in life. One of them is: if you are not with me then you are against me."
The AAA whizzes and takes aim at Li Zhu.
"No. I will accept. I will accept. Please don't kill me. Please don't kill me," Li Zhu pleads. She needs to be shown a bit of force for her to see the light, and while it is fun initially, it does get really annoying.
I remove my finger from my lips to show it has fully healed.
The AAA clicks, simulating a reloading sound, practically forcing Li Zhu to prostrate in tears. Her entire body trembles in fear.
She has tested the power of the weapon, but she has not tested its actual might. It is capable of erasing her existence, and there is a reason that she has survived for so long despite losing all of her feathers.
"I have bled enough for today, but you can still form a blood contract with me. It will depend on your effort," I inform Li Zhu and stick out my tongue.
It is coated in blood and saliva.