Another silver thread dissolved into the air, and Yao Yao leaned closer to Shang Jun, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Brother," she whispered, "What about your spirit?"
Shang Jun tilted his head slightly and nodded toward the edge of their private platform. "Over there."
Yao Yao followed his gaze and blinked.
A tall man in a black suit stood just beyond the railing. His posture was flawless, white gloves pristine. A silver chain glinted beneath the fold of his collar, and his glasses reflected the light.
He looked every bit like a butler from a noble house.
"That's…" Yao Yao began slowly. "A person."
Shang Jun's lips curved faintly. "That's my spirit," he said.
Yao Yao stared in disbelief. "No way. That's not a spirit. That's just hired staff."
As if he had heard her, the man turned and met her gaze, offering a slight, courteous nod.
She stiffened. "He nodded at me. Did you see that? He nodded!"
"He has good manners," Shang Jun said mildly.
"He talks too?"
"He does. And—he scolds."
Yao Yao looked between them, baffled. "But… isn't he a spirit?"
Shang Jun smiled. "Yes. And only powerful spirits can manifest in human form. The most ancient and refined among them prefer shapes like this—dignified, and in his case, endlessly proper."
Yao Yao stared again, slightly awed. She had always thought spirits were like majestic, powerful, creatures..maybe like pets...the idea of a spirit in human form never crossed her mind.
This… she thought, this is something else entirely.
"…He really looks like someone who would correct my posture."
"He's done worse," Shang Jun murmured, as if recalling a memory.
Her attention drifted to the imperial dais. There, seated above the arena, was the royal family. Dozens of attendants surrounded them in strict formation. Just behind the Crown Prince stood another tall man in a black.
Yao Yao squinted her eyes. The Crown Prince is likely very powerful— "So is that the Crown Prince's spirit?" she asked, pointing at the man standing behind.
To her shock, the Crown Prince's eyes immediately flicked over to her. His gaze met hers, catching her off guard. He gave a short, casual wave, as if acknowledging her presence.
Yao Yao, finger still in the air, froze like a child caught doing something wrong.
That brat.
Rong Xi gave a small, playful smile, tilting his head and pointing to himself, as if asking, Are you talking about me?
Yao Yao's eyelid twitched, irritation bubbling up for no reason.
Shang Jun raised his brows, looking between the two. "Do you know each other?" he asked, his voice curious.
Yao Yao rolled her eyes, looking back towards the arena as she answered flatly, "No."
Shang Jun frowned slightly, still staring at the dais now that the Crown Prince had looked away.
After a moment, he replied, his tone careful, "The Crown Prince… he is spiritless."
Yao Yao turned to him, surprised. "What?"
He seemed so powerful—the magic and the presence he had. How could someone like him fail a summoning?
Shang Jun's voice dropped even lower. "It's not something people speak of openly."
Before Yao Yao could ask more, a hush fell across the ceremonial grounds where everyone's attention now gathered.
Ying Ying's name had been called.
As she stepped forward, the air seemed to shift around her. There was no hesitation in her stride, no flicker of doubt on her face. She walked like someone born to win, and there was a poise to her that none of the others possessed.
The portal seemed to pulse with anticipation, as if waiting for her.
Ying Ying raised one hand and magic erupted from her in a single, commanding wave.
Unlike Yao Yao's, which was wild and chaotic, Ying Ying's was controlled.
The portal twisted violently.
A deep red glow surged within, spinning like flame.
Then—
An eagle emerged, massive and majestic, its feathers glowing like molten rubies.
But it wasn't the size or color that drew the crowd's breath.
Etched across its wings was a glowing crest—an intricate sun of spiraling golden light, surrounded by four archaic runes.
The crowd inhaled in shock.
"The Crest of the High Scarlet…" someone whispered.
"He's from the Blade Talon lineage… one of the Ancient Spirits!"
In a flash of red, the eagle transformed into a boy, his appearance matching Ying Ying's age, with the same crest embroidered on his cloak. His green eyes burned fiercely as he looked down at her.
"You are the one who called me?" he asked, his tone almost dismissive.
"I did," Ying Ying answered evenly.
The silver threads of the contract appeared, luminous, but unstable.
Rather than drifting peacefully, they plunged like furious serpents, wild with refusal. The strands lashed and cracked in the air like whips, each one cutting through the space around them.
The spirit's smirk grew.
Ying Ying didn't move.
The threads snapped toward her again, fierce and aggressive. Each strike was a rejection, or a test.
Still, she held her ground.
Her aura rose in response, showing resistance.
"I don't bow easily," the spirit said, his voice harsher now. "Even less for humans."
"Good," Ying Ying replied. "I don't either."
The threads struck again. This time, they collided with her aura, sending sparks through the air.
She took a single step forward.
"If I wasn't worthy, you wouldn't be here," she said. "You came because I summoned you. I will not beg."
The spirit's smirk faded, just slightly.
Then he moved.
Faster than breath, he closed the space between them and grabbed her wrist.
Magic exploded at the point of contact as the platform trembled beneath them.
The moment his fingers touched her wrist, it felt as though time had paused. The raw energy from the spirit surged through her, crashing over her like a wave slamming against a rock, but she stood firm, unyielding.
Ying Ying didn't flinch.
As the spirit's magic surged, Yao Yao could feel it. It was like a force, rising in response to Ying Ying's power. His energy subtly pushed against hers, elevating in tandem, matching her strength and testing her limits.
One heartbeat passed.
Then another.
And another.
Still, she didn't move.
The spirit's expression eased.
"You are… stubborn."
Ying Ying exhaled through her nose, barely audible. "Or maybe just strong."
Another heartbeat.
And just as her breathing began to tighten, just as the tension threatened to break—he let go.
The silver threads froze and snapped right into place.
They wove into a tight infinite loop, pulsing lightly. A glowing mark bloomed on both their foreheads before vanishing into their skin.
The contract was sealed.
The spirit rolled his shoulders casually. "You have my name now," he said. "Do not disappoint me."
"I won't," Ying Ying replied.
The colosseum erupted.
"She summoned an Ancient Spirit!"
"She forced the bond!"
"She truly is the Shang heir!"
Yao Yao sat still, eyes fixed on the arena. She couldn't help but feel a flicker of admiration. She was genuinely impressed and had never imagined that Ying Ying could exude such overwhelming dominance. Her commanding presence and pride reminded Yao Yao of Shang Qing Ye.
In their private platform, Shang Zhao remained as still as a statue, arms crossed, his expression betrayed nothing. Beside him, Shang Qing Ye leaned back, her lips curling into a faint smile that reflected pride.
Min Min leaned in smugly, her tone superior. "See? That's true power. The strength of pure, legitimate Shang bloodline. Someone like you would never understand."
Yao Yao stared at her, lips twitching and momentarily speechless.
Seriously, who does this girl even resemble in this family?
It's like watching an overconfident parrot…
Yao Yao's head turned to Shang Jun, her curiosity piqued. "That spirit… is he very rare?"
"Extremely," Shang Jun replied. "Ancient Spirits do not form contracts easily, nor are they summoned casually. Some say their lineage existed ever since the beginning, and to bond with one… is no small thing."
Yao Yao's gaze shifted back to Shang Jun's spirit, her thoughts drifting to Lily's words about her brother's immense power. After a brief moment of hesitation, she asked, "Brother, is your spirit from an ancient lineage as well?"
Shang Jun looked blankly at his spirit, his gaze distant. "Yes, he is…"
"So, the butler… is also rare and powerful?"
"Yes," he said softly. "Only a handful of ancient lineage are known to humanity. They usually possess knowledge of magic that no other spirit holds."
Yao Yao's eyes darted back to the butler, standing quietly by the railing. Seeing him in a new light, she couldn't help but wonder just how much power he held, hidden beneath his calm, composed exterior.
Shang Jun's tone remained even. "When an Ancient Spirit forms a bond, it's usually because the summoner has immense magical potential."
He paused, his eyes momentarily drifting to his spirit. Then, his expression unreadable, he added, "Those who are bonded… are believed to possess the power to tilt the balance of the world."
Yao Yao felt the weight of his words settle in her chest. There was something more, something unspoken in his tone. It was like he was hinting at deeper layers of this world she was still just beginning to understand.
Yao Yao's gaze swept from Ying Ying to the eagle, and finally to the butler.
Are they all secretly reincarnated humans in disguise?
How is everyone in this family such a genius?
Then, a mischievous glint sparkled in Yao Yao's eyes as she turned to Min Min, her lips curling into a playful smile. "Seems like it runs in the Shang's pure and legitimate bloodline," she said lightly, emphasizing each word on purpose.
She leaned forward slightly, her tone light and teasing. "I'm looking forward to seeing big sister's Ancient Spirit next year."
Min Min's face stiffened, her expression clearly shaken.