Chapter 30: The Pact Sealed, It Is the White Tiger King Jiang Che

 Chapter 30: The Pact Sealed, It Is the White Tiger King Jiang Che

The Heaven-and-Earth Pact—established with the soul itself. Once forged, it is bound by the laws of Heaven. Whoever violates it shall not be tolerated under Heaven, but struck down.

Lang Jiuchuan’s proposal surprised the White Tiger. It studied her for a long while in silence. To resort so readily to a Heaven-and-Earth Pact, a soul-shaking, life-binding contract—how deep must this woman’s mind run?

Or perhaps… had she once suffered some overwhelming betrayal, to guard herself so fiercely?

Lang Jiuchuan met its gaze. “Only by sealing this pact can we share one body. Otherwise, it will be to the death.”

The White Tiger hesitated. “Very well. A pact, then. But I shall be the one to recite it.”

She did not trust him, nor did it trust her.

“Fine. You recite.” Lang Jiuchuan’s expression betrayed no hint of scheming.

Too smooth.

The White Tiger felt as though it had walked straight into her snare, yet could not tell how.

It knew the Heaven-and-Earth Pact well. Its spirit was its soul, the same as her divine soul. To bind a pact meant binding its very essence.

As she had said—the White Tiger would recite, while she wrote, using the innate talisman brush in her hand. At first the beast objected, but when it learned that the brush was Pan Guan’s Brush, it fell silent.

Pan Guan’s Brush—there could be nothing fairer.

“Heavens above, I proclaim to all beings, I, Jiangche, do hereby vow… Whoever breaks this contract shall be struck down. Thus is the Heaven-and-Earth Contract established, carried to the Ninth Heaven.” The White Tiger recited as it watched Lang Jiuchuan’s talisman strokes write in the air. With each stroke, their souls fell upon the characters, turning into golden light and vanishing into the void. That signified the contract was taking form.

When it finished, their names stood side by side. Human and tiger exchanged a glance, then each sent a thread of soul-power across.

Purple-gold light blazed; thunder roared overhead.

In the capital, many people jumped in fright at the clap of thunder. In the dead of winter, thunder had struck a second time—was it a sign of coming calamity?

When the thunder faded, the names disappeared into the void. Human and tiger immediately sensed the bond linking them—proof the contract had been sealed.

So smoothly?

Jiangche was astonished. Before, Lang Jiuchuan had sworn to fight it to the bitter end, even to mutual destruction, rather than share a body. Now, just with one Heaven-and-Earth Contract, she agreed so readily?

Whatever the reason, an opening was before it—could it finally enter?

“Woman, I’m coming!” Jiangche rushed eagerly toward Lang Jiuchuan’s spirit platform.

Lang Jiuchuan lowered her gaze, the corner of her lips curving with unfathomable meaning. A contract forged by a soul not yet whole—heh.

She was prepared, yet when Jiangche tried to root itself in her spirit platform, her instinct was still to resist.

One body, two souls—whoever seized the lead would be the master!

She meant to lead. Jiangche thought the same. Thus the two immediately clashed and tore at each other within the spirit platform.

Lang Jiuchuan’s vigilance was iron-strong. For Jiangche to carve out a foothold, it had to unleash formidable willpower to force its place. Neither yielded, and the result was another life-and-death struggle.

“The contract is sealed already—why won’t you yield? Do you want to be struck by Heaven’s thunder?” Jiangche gritted out.

Lang Jiuchuan replied coldly, “Stay quietly in your corner and do not play tricks. Otherwise, rejection of the soul is inevitable.”

Jiangche: “!”

This was the most humiliating shared-body arrangement in history.

Fine. To forbear small slights preserves the grand design. It would endure—just for now.

So it shrank back into a corner, curling itself into a ball. In an instant it rooted there, delighted and spinning circles of joy—completely missing Lang Jiuchuan’s meaningful smile.

What a foolish big cat. One retreat, then another—lesson one: learn how treacherous the human heart can be.

Jiangche did not understand treachery, but it truly felt the benefits of sharing her body. Through the bond, it absorbed her fortune, and its spirit grew sturdier.

Once relaxed, it could not hold back—the willpower it had been sustaining diffused, bathing the spirit platform in faint golden light. Lang Jiuchuan’s soul hungrily drank it in.

Mutual nourishment.

On this point, Jiangche had spoken no lie. With the contract, they were linked in a cycle: its will strengthened her, her fortune enriched it. They complemented each other.

But once fed and warmed, base desires stir. That flaw exists in man—and in tiger alike.

Feeling stronger, the tiger tried to pry into her secrets.

Lang Jiuchuan’s eyes snapped open, cold light flashing. Her thought-force turned into icy blades, stabbing at Jiangche.

With a roar, Jiangche leapt back, furious. “What are you doing? Do you mean to break the contract?”

“Ever heard the saying? Curiosity kills the cat. You try to probe my soul—you must have a death wish.” Lang Jiuchuan’s voice was icy.

Its gaze flickered as it stammered, “No such thing, a misunderstanding, that’s all.”

“Shared body means shared body. I won’t meddle with you, but don’t you dare cross my bottom line. Or else, breaking the contract will be no hard thing.”

Arrogant—so very arrogant.

Jiangche scratched its nose awkwardly. “Fine, fine. Listen to you, spouting such wolfish words—who’s talking about meddling?”

Lang Jiuchuan snorted, rubbing her fingertips together. “So this is your true form?”

Hmm?

Jiangche looked down. Once a wisp of white mist, its spirit had now solidified into a full tiger shape, just as before.

Its body was massive, fur pure white save for a golden tuft on its forehead forming the shape of the character “王” (king). Its golden eyes gleamed with ferocity and authority.

Silent, it truly appeared majestic, exuding the bearing of a king.

“Well? Impressive, isn’t it? I am the mightiest White Tiger of Mount Taibai, peerless among tigers. Countless tigresses have yearned to bear my cubs!” Jiangche puffed up proudly, striking a regal pose.

Lang Jiuchuan eyed its thick snowy fur. “Why are you called Jiangche?”

Jiangche said, “Our White Tiger clan were divine beasts in the ancient times, born war gods. My ancestor was the great war deity Jiangzhan, who—”

“Yet you lack your forebear’s glory. You’re but a disembodied soul clinging to me for survival.”

She cut him off mercilessly. The tiger’s fur bristled, its golden eyes blazing with killing intent.

Lang Jiuchuan’s eyes lit with interest. Her fingers itched, but seeing its massive form, she frowned. “This room is small. You’re blocking my view. Shrink—cat-size will do.”

“I am the White Tiger King, destined to be a divine beast! I am no cat!”

Lang Jiuchuan stepped forward, swiftly ruffling a handful of its silky fur. “All right, Xiao Bai.”

Jiangche: “?”

Xiao Bai? Who?

She actually insisted on calling it a cat—and gave it such a feeble name! Did she really take it for some harmless kitten wagging its tail for its master?

Outrageous!

Just as it was about to roar, Lang Jiuchuan snapped her fingers and pulled it back into the spirit platform.

“Don’t draw attention.”

As her words fell, a knock came at the door. Jianlan’s voice sounded outside: “Young Miss, Second Madam requests your presence.”

(End of Chapter)