The Ascension of Contracted Spirits

Chapter 37 - 36: Incomplete Flash_1

"...I’m fine."

After a considerable delay, the blood retreats gradually from his corneas, and his contorted face slowly regains its calmness.

Ye Hanjun inhales deeply, three times in succession, and slowly straightens his body.

Indeed, he cannot afford to be careless...

He hadn’t coughed much this morning, perhaps because he had soaked his body in Ice Skin Jade Dew last night and absorbed trace amounts of nutrients, slightly restoring his vitality.

But this was like trying to stop a raging fire with a cup of water; the duration was too fleeting.

His worn-out body could cough up blood at any moment.

This level of pain could cause him to lose control of his body in an instant.

If he were attacked during this moment of vulnerability, or if this were to happen at a critical and extremely dangerous moment...

Thinking of this, there was an inevitable gloom in Ye Hanjun’s pitch-black eyes.

The dim light surrounding him seemed to gain a sense of consciousness, stirring and attempting to coil around his body.

"Spurt—"

Ye Hanjun glanced diagonally, his gaze was indifferent and ruthless.

For a moment, his gaze was akin to a king looking down upon his subordinates from the throne, holding the power of life and death.

The fear of darkness recedes, retreating back to where it belonged.

All strange phenomena suddenly collapsed as if they had never existed.

Desert Witch: "!"

She isn’t blind at such a close distance!

Clearly, his outward aura was so weak and unsteady.

But what was that? The aura he was emitting...it was terrifying!

"Shush—"

Ye Hanjun raised a finger, revealing a pale smile:

"Just a small trick to fool people, it’s nothing real."

"Oh... oh." The Desert Witch’s gaze slackened a little.

She subconsciously echoed him, the awe in her voice was more pronounced than before.

"I was telling the truth," said Ye Hanjun leisurely, using a handkerchief to wipe off the blood from the corner of his mouth.

Seeing the witch had no intention of believing him, he promptly changed the subject.

"Back to business, have you ever considered forming a contract with a human?"

"Me...?"

The desert witch was startled and murmured ambiguously:

"No human, after knowing that I am a Grey Flash, would consider this question..."

"What do they have to do with me?"

Ye Hanjun was indifferent, emphasizing:

"I’m asking about your thoughts."

"You possess thinking and logic no inferior to that of an adult human. If you truly despise humans from the bottom of your heart, then I have to weigh the alternatives and risks."

Hearing this, the Desert Witch’s pupils shook - she seemed rather surprised.

She was silent for a while, frowning slightly and finally uttered:

"In my eyes, humans are one of the most terrifying hunters."

"Your numbers are too vast, scattered in every corner of the world, greedy, clever, alert, insidious, hypocritical... countless labels piled up."

"Numerous experiences have proven that if I encounter a human in the wild and do not kill them immediately..."

"He or she would soon come back with more powerful human Patrons, hunting me extensively..."

The Desert Witch glanced at Ye Hanjun, "The most unbelievable part is, you humans can enslave living beings."

"While some of you indeed treat us as partners and cherish us for life..."

"There are also many who treat us merely as slaves, using us at will. They would choose to sacrifice their Fond Spirits to secure their own safety in crucial moments."

"Hmm." Ye Hanjun nods, "Quite an objective evaluation."

"Over the past decade of struggle, you have gained quite a lot, at least you’ve accumulated a lot of experience and developed your own perspective on things."

"But..." the Desert Witch looked at him, hesitating to express:

"From my childhood up to now, everything I’ve experienced has told me that I am a good-for-nothing. It seems even breathing is an unforgivable mistake."

"Even before I lost control, no matter how much I honed my skills, I was not the fighting type. I was only like a mouse, constantly running and hiding, barely surviving in the wilderness for more than a decade."

"Do I, in my current state, really have value to form a contract with in adults’ eyes?"

Ye Hanjun shook his head and asked in the purest Ancient Witch language:

"Do you know what a Flash Fond Spirit is?"

"I’ve heard humans discuss this topic and I have a general understanding."

The Desert Witch lowered her head slightly, her expression reverent, like a child eager to learn.

"So, do you truly believe that the Grey Flash represents absolute weakness, and that the so-called defects are beyond remedy?"

Ye Hanjun looked down at the Desert Witch, "Look up, look at my eyes."

"What you keep expressing is self-doubt."

"Yet you, with "unyielding" as your core personality, probably long for power and breakthrough more than any Fond Spirit deep inside, do you not?"

"Your exiled Witch tribe..."

"The Lizard People who brutally killed your companions, and even possibly ate them as food..."

"And the Jinkela Mercenary Group. Although they have been wiped out, the sense of helplessness and humiliation should be something you recall day and night, right?"

"..." The Desert Witch’s pincers tightened bit by bit, her body shaking slightly, and her scorpion tail immediately tensed up.

Those dull snake’s eyes, constantly flickering with memories of the past, shone like a forcibly lit candle, emanating an indescribable and terrifying light.

"Good, just that look!"

Ye Hanjun praised:

"You did not self-destruct or degenerate because of misfortune."

"Just for this point, your potential exceeds that of an ordinary Fond Spirit, I appreciate you."

"Please tell me the truth behind the Grey Flash!"

The Desert Witch took a deep breath, suppressed her fluctuating emotions, and stood solemnly.

Ye Hanjun chuckled, then retracted his smile and explained seriously in the Ancient Witch’s language:

"Flash Fond Spirits are a part of innate gene enhancement that cannot be acquired.

"It is a special branch of mutation, focusing on the enhancement of original species, complete transformation based on the primitive bloodline."

"For example, ’Luminous Flash’ does not differ much in appearance from its kind, all differences are subtle."

"Unseen from the mortal perspective, only a Patron with strong observational skills can notice."

"The Luminous Flash Fond Spirits, have a layer of misty, powdery, glowing substance on the surface that twinkles."

"It may not be conspicuous in ordinary times, but it will certainly manifest fully when fighting with full force."

"Also of utmost importance, Luminous Flash Fond Spirits belong to the primitive race’s skills and without exception, they can all comprehend."

"Some skills, corresponding to the spirit patterns, will become more complex, helping to achieve greater battle power or ability value"

Unknowingly, the Desert Witch once again held her breath, listening with rapt attention.

Those human race people have spoken about this knowledge before, but never has it been this standardized, comprehensive, and clear.

What is this man’s background?

The "powerful witch clan" he mentioned earlier, could it be the ancient Witch clan of origin level?

The Desert Witch did not even dare to move, fearing any distraction.

Ye Hanjun saw her slight expression change and smiled indifferently.

"Simply the ’Luminous Flash’ can rank among the leading rare Fond Spirits, and is mentioned in the same breath as those rare Fond Spirits."

"Do you really think that the ’Grey Flash’, which is also classified in the Flash Fond Spirits, represents irreversible malignant mutations, filthy and repugnant creatures hated at the sight of people?"

At this point, Ye Hanjun revealed a hint of ridicule, bluntly saying:

"This is nothing more than a mistaken perception thousands of years behind in the remote areas."

"As early as ten eras ago, a Patron of the highest rank redefined the cognitive system related to Flash Fond Spirits and made it known to the world."

"Under the vast results of his research, further verification shows that the Grey Flash itself is not a mistake, but a greatly mutated lucky one."

"Such Fond Spirits originally had the opportunity to become the real ’Luminous Flash’, and even ’Dazzling Flash’, ’Ultimate Flash’ are all possible."

"But, perhaps during the incubation process, the maternal incubation environment faced danger or the innate nutrition was insufficient."

"Or, the individual being bred had a disparate physique or a complex bloodline with many unidentifiable factors."

"For various unknown reasons, the individual Fond Spirit is ’innately incomplete’."

"The deficiency here does not refer to concepts like diseases or disabilities, but rather the cultivation of overly powerful bloodline power within the body that the physical body or soul cannot correctly bear."

"To ensure survival, the self-protection mechanism within the Fond Spirit is activated. It will actively seal these rampant forces, forcing the individual into a low-power mode of existence."

"This is the truth behind the ’Grey Flash’!"

"In prosperous areas, the Grey Flash would never face such prejudice. Its more standard name is ’Incomplete Flash’, countless researchers are willing to study the bloodline of the Grey Flash, trying to find a solution."

"Once an appropriate method is found to balance the bloodline, unleash the hidden power within the body and exert it stably."

"The Grey Flash could immediately surpass its peers, and it wouldn’t be particularly difficult to dominate a place given time."

Ye Hanjun’s talk was like a cloud, and the listener - the Desert Witch, was confused and utterly lost.

"The Grey Flash... is actually a hidden super potential seed?"

"This... this theory..."

Her indescribable mental world seems to have been pierced by a beam of sunlight through the dark cloud, striking straight at her heart.

The Desert Witch suddenly couldn’t hear any sound, the only thing she could hear was her pounding heart.

"Don’t get too excited too early."

Ye Hanjun gave her time to adjust, then interrupted at the right time:

"Even the Grey Flash discovered in prosperous places, the few that eventually work through the hardships and stand their ground, are still very few."

"After all, the problem with the Grey Flash, even top scholars might not necessarily understand."

"And you, a ’lucky one’ who accidentally unleashed hidden energy and broke the body’s protective mechanism while facing life and death."

"Your way of initiation can’t possibly represent ’correct’."

"It can be seen from your out-of-control fits, every time you release energy, you are massively damaging your body’s structure."

"Relying on yourself, you can’t prevent the state of being torn apart."

"It’s just relying on this energy-draining chain, opportunistically doing things temporarily."

Ye Hanjun’s eyes showed a hint of pity, sincerely from his heart.

"You..."

"... are dying."