Chapter 13 – My Name

Everyone in class knew that Wu Ailang was filthy rich.

Getting accepted into the Zhuzhao Spiritbond Academy wasn’t easy. After all, each year only had 20-25 spots, and Professor Ji Xuan couldn’t handle more than that, lest he be split in two.

Most of the slots at the Spiritbond Academy were taken up by talented descendants from noble families, members of the Spiritbond Master Association, employees from the Special Affairs Bureau, and the like. For an ordinary person to enter the Spiritbond Academy was similar to reaching for the moon.

To admit a commoner, the Spiritbond Academy had three conditions. Either they possessed absolute talent, with innate affinity for spirit beasts, able to gain the favor of already bonded spirit beasts; or they had absolute luck, like the ancestors of the Yun family or the current Dean of Zhuzhao Academy, both fortunate individuals; or they held worldly power or wealth, capable of aiding the Spiritbond World in society.

Any one of these points was beyond the reach of most people.

As an outsider with poor grades and no interest in studying, Wu Ailang’s acceptance into Zhuzhao Academy was purely due to his father’s wealth.

Not just ordinary wealth.

His family had been patriotic merchants before the founding of the nation, moving overseas after the establishment of the country. During the nation’s development phase, they returned with massive funds, investing in private enterprises and causing their industries to flourish across various sectors nationwide.

During lean economic times, the Wu family’s finances once fell into crisis. This stress and depression led to Wu Ailang’s mother having a difficult pregnancy. Wu Ailang was born with congenital deficiencies and didn’t receive the best care. By the time the Wu family’s situation improved, they realized the child’s development was delayed; he still couldn’t speak at four years old and looked younger than he was.

Father Wu, aware of his debt to his son, spent every available moment seeking medical help and purchasing nourishing spirit medicines for him.

After years of pouring money into his health, Wu Ailang became physically stronger, but his mind remained less than stellar. At ten years old, he could only speak simple sentences. Due to excessive supplementation, he grew tall and fat, appearing as a foolishly plump boy.

Father Wu had resigned himself to caring for his mentally challenged son for life when he received an interview notice from Zhuzhao Spiritbond Academy, inviting him to bring his son for assessment.

It turned out that Father Wu’s contributions to the nation over the years hadn’t gone unnoticed. The government had always supported him through policy and shown concern for his welfare.

Having heard of Father Wu’s efforts to heal his son, the higher-ups contacted the Spiritbond Master Association to inquire about any Spiritbond Masters skilled in treatment.

The Spiritbond Master Association sent someone disguised as a doctor to diagnose Wu Ailang and concluded that he suffered from a lack of innate spirit energy and would benefit most from recuperating in a place rich in spirit energy. He would gradually recover after several years.

The best location for spirit energy was the Zhuzhao Academy, nestled against the Two Principles Mountain. However, the academy wouldn’t accept those without talent.

On the day Wu Ailang came for his interview, the entire school witnessed it.

An extravagant helicopter descended from the sky, and several burly bodyguards in black suits and sunglasses carried down a sturdy little fatty. The little fatty insisted on jumping off the stretcher, but the bodyguards wouldn’t let him. They bickered all the way to the administrative building.

From then on, Wu Ailang’s wealth was well-known throughout Zhuzhao Academy, even reaching Yun Xiguang’s ears.

Wu Ailang did possess talent, albeit limited. If this talent belonged to another student, the Zhuzhao Academy would certainly not have admitted him.

But Wu Ailang was there for treatment. His family had no ambition to dominate the Spiritbond World, not pursuing top grades or powerful spirit beasts. The Zhuzhao Academy didn’t set high expectations for Wu Ailang.

In the end, they enrolled the little fatty.

In the first few years of Wu Ailang’s schooling, he was chauffeured daily by bodyguards, appearing more arrogant than the noble scions like Yun Xinglei.

Nurtured near the Two Principles Mountain for several years, Wu Ailang’s condition improved significantly after each Awakening Thunder. By puberty, his intelligence approached normal levels, his weight normalized, and he transformed from a hefty boy into a handsome young man.

At puberty, Wu Ailang began an unprecedented rebellion. He dismissed his bodyguards, applied for dormitory accommodation to start living communally, and changed his original name, Wu Jiayou, to Wu Ailang, vowing to form a pact with a wolf-type spirit beast.

Initially, he wanted to change his name to Wu Ailang, meaning ‘Love Wolf,’ but Father Wu forcibly substituted it with a homophone, otherwise it would’ve been even worse.

Being classmates, although they didn’t know much, the events involving Wu Ailang were so grand that Yun Xiguang couldn’t remain oblivious.

Looking at the cabinet filled with food debris, the phrase “This person is wealthy” flashed through Yun Xiguang’s mind.

Simultaneously, he noticed in the eyes of the little spirit bird, the shape of a gold ingot appeared.

Chi Qiong was unaware of modern currency; the valuable metal currency that came to his mind was the only thing he could think of.

Yun Xiguang was somewhat surprised. He asked Wu Ailang, “What did you see in the little spirit bird’s eyes?”

Wu Ailang squinted and observed seriously for a while, replying, “Just black-bean-like eyes… black… pitch-black kitchen… Erha, look at what you’ve done!”

Wu Ailang didn’t see the gold ingot in the little spirit bird’s eyes; only Yun Xiguang saw it.

This proved that Yun Xiguang and the little spirit bird had established an initial bond. Just as the little spirit bird liked the food he prepared, he too was gradually able to perceive the little spirit bird’s thoughts.

It seemed the little spirit bird was also worried about the destroyed kitchen, truly a fretful little thing. Yun Xiguang secretly smiled.

“There’s nothing to worry about, I can handle it,” Yun Xiguang said softly, tapping the little spirit bird’s head with his index finger.

Last night, Yun Xiguang had already planned how to deal with this matter. He could seek a loan from the school for tens of thousands of yuan, which he would repay monthly after starting his internship. It would take roughly half a year to pay it off.

He could manage this issue himself; there was no need to saddle Snow Wolf with blame.

Yun Xiguang said, “Wu Ailang, don’t blame your spirit beast. It’s not its fault.”

“Brother Yun, I know you’re good-natured, but I must take responsibility for this. I don’t know why, yesterday I had some rapport with Erha and was even able to discern its intentions from its eyes. Today, there was no rapport at all, and I couldn’t hold back its rampage in your home,” Wu Ailang explained awkwardly.

“What’s ‘Erha?'” Yun Xiguang asked.

“It’s the name I gave to the snow wolf. Don’t you think it resembles a husky?” Wu Ailang said.

Yun Xiguang was speechless. He informed Wu Ailang, “Yesterday, you established an initial contract with the snow wolf and mastered two skills. Today, you’ve regressed to the state right after forming the contract. Do you know why?”

“Why?” Wu Ailang asked.

Yun Xiguang: “This is basic knowledge for fourth-year students. I understand you haven’t studied much, but it’s been four to five years since your recovery. Haven’t you made up for the lost lessons?”

Wu Ailang replied, “I have made up for them. My father hired a bunch of tutors for me, and said that if I couldn’t form a contract with a spirit beast this year, he’d make me sit for the college entrance exam. The tutors say I’m capable of getting into a bachelor’s degree program. I’ve been studying diligently.”

Yun Xiguang: “You’ve been making up social science subjects, not the knowledge taught at the Spiritbond Academy. To prevent us from leaking information in various forms, our textbooks are collected and stored in the school library after we finish studying them. They’re used for the next batch of students, and only the individual can borrow them by applying at the library. Haven’t you borrowed any?”

Wu Ailang fell silent, giving Yun Xiguang a guilty smile.

He didn’t remember the previous lessons. Professor Ji Xuan knew he was there for treatment and didn’t remind him to find books for review.

Yun Xiguang said, “Spirit beasts have their own names, bestowed upon birth. These names are a part of their power. In ancient times, there were shamans who could communicate with heaven and earth, interacting with myriad beings. The key to their communication with spirit beasts was the spirit beasts’ names.

“The shamans attracted spirit beasts with dances capable of communicating with heaven and earth, offering tributes and expressing their desires. If the spirit beasts were satisfied with the shaman’s tribute, they would agree on a character or symbol with the shaman. The shaman would call upon the spirit beast using this character or symbol, exchanging tributes for assistance.

“This character or symbol often represented a part of the spirit beast’s name. Names possessed the power of soul communication, contract formation, and even the ancient gods’ ability to subdue spirit beasts.

“Spirit beasts won’t easily reveal their names to Spiritbond Masters. Initially, we can only obtain a character or a stroke, enough for a Spiritbond Master to harness the spirit beast’s power. Many Spiritbond Masters never learn their spirit beast’s complete name in their lifetime.

“Names are so crucial to spirit beasts that you not only failed to inquire about the snow wolf’s name but also imposed a name on it. Of course, this would affect the contract.

“Now, the snow wolf hates the name ‘Erha’ and has sealed its contract with you.”

Wu Ailang: “Wait, slow down a bit. Let me take some notes.”

“No note-taking!” Yun Xiguang stopped him. “Text, audio recordings, videos — all these are forbidden. We cannot take any Spirit Contract-related knowledge out of school in any form. When we become students, we sign the admission notice and press our fingertip blood onto it, all part of a contract. Should anyone see your records, the contract’s thorns would pierce your heart, taking your life instantly.”

Wu Ailang sucked in a breath. “There’s so much knowledge in the Spiritbond World, yet note-taking isn’t allowed. Aren’t you afraid everyone will forget?”

“Forgetting proves one is unsuited to be a Spiritbond Master,” Yun Xiguang said.

“But what if someone forgets important knowledge, leading to a contract malfunction during a critical moment, resulting in injury or death? What then?” Wu Ailang asked.

“That would mean their fate was predetermined, and they can’t blame others,” Yun Xiguang said.

This was the unspoken rule of the Spiritbond World.

No one believed Wu Ailang could become a Spiritbond Master, nor did anyone help him catch up on his knowledge.

In fact, when Wu Ailang recovered, everyone assumed the Wu family would withdraw him from school. No one expected Wu Ailang to insist on becoming a Spiritbond Master, changing his name to show his determination to his parents.

Hearing Yun Xiguang’s words, Wu Ailang encountered the Spiritbond World’s cruelty for the first time.

His lips moved, but he didn’t utter any words about the Spiritbond World being unreasonable. Instead, he said, “But I still want to become a Spiritbond Master.”

“You already are,” Yun Xiguang said.

“Not that kind of certificate issued by the school,” Wu Ailang said firmly. “I want to become a self-reliant Spiritbond Master, able to communicate with my spirit beast, able to step on the ice mist condensed by the snow wolf and fly to the sky together with it.”

“Do you mean the Spiritbond Masters who attended the centennial celebration?” Yun Xiguang recalled that when Wu Ailang’s intelligence had just recovered, it coincided with the academy’s centennial ceremony.

Countless graduated Spiritbond Masters returned to school for the ceremony, showcasing their achievements and displaying their strength in a spectacular event.

Wu Ailang would have been influenced by witnessing this scene.

Wu Ailang nodded and said, “I like wolves, they’re majestic!”

“I know, you wrote it in your name,” Yun Xiguang said.

“But my foundational knowledge is too weak. I’ll go back to school tomorrow and borrow some books,” Wu Ailang said.

Yun Xiguang: “It’s too late. We’ll be going on internships in a few days, encountering some spirit beast incidents. There won’t be time for you to catch up on years of missed lessons.”

He initially thought Wu Ailang lacked only the spirit beast knowledge held by noble families, but it turned out Wu Ailang didn’t even know the most basic school knowledge. The gap was too wide.

“How about we apply to join an internship unit together, and I’ll help you catch up on your studies?” Wu Ailang feared Yun Xiguang wouldn’t assist him and added, “I’ll pay you tutoring fees.”

Yun Xiguang thought for a moment and said, “Helping each other is normal among classmates. There’s no need for tutoring fees.”

Fixing the kitchen and compensating the landlord would suffice.

“You’re truly a great guy!” Wu Ailang said tearfully.

Yun Xiguang suddenly felt somewhat guilty.

“By the way, Erha… no, I mean Snow Wolf. Why did it destroy your kitchen and steal food?” Wu Ailang asked.

Yun Xiguang avoided discussing the kitchen explosion and said, “It had been asleep for ten thousand years. Upon awakening, it was naturally hungry, relying on the soul energy provided by the contract to suppress its hunger. Because it disliked the name you gave it, it severed the newly formed connection and naturally felt hungry again.”

“But why your home? Could the school not provide it with food?” Wu Ailang wondered.

This point puzzled Yun Xiguang as well. He said, “The school doesn’t lack spirit energy. Spirit beasts shouldn’t be too hungry. It only becomes exceptionally hungry when it leaves the school grounds. Why did it leave the school?”

Yun Xiguang looked at Snow Wolf in confusion, only to find that the little spirit bird had somehow perched on Snow Wolf’s head again, curling up the fur atop its head to create what looked like a cozy nest.

Snow Wolf, on the other hand, proudly lifted his head, looking extremely pleased with himself.

Yun Xiguang: “…”

Why did his little spirit bird want to stay on Snow Wolf’s head? Were his neck and palm not comfortable enough?

Well, they weren’t as soft as thick fur.

For no reason, Yun Xiguang felt a small twinge of jealousy toward Snow Wolf.

“I know, it’s because Snow Wolf likes the little bird!” Wu Ailang exclaimed.

Before Yun Xiguang could get angry, Snow Wolf extended a paw and forcefully slapped Wu Ailang.

Wu Ailang saw stars and spun around in place. When he regained some composure and was about to complain to Snow Wolf about its lack of gentleness, he noticed that the fallen wolf hair on the ground had somehow formed a character.

“Yuan?” Wu Ailang read the character aloud.

Then he heard a voice echoing in his mind: “Yuan is part of my name. I permit you to invoke my strength with this character.”

It was a young, clear male voice, icy in tone, carrying an aura of an icy wilderness.

“Snow Wolf? Are you talking to me?” Wu Ailang said happily.

Snow Wolf, with its Phoenix Venerable perched on its head, rolled its eyes in pride, deeming it beneath its dignity to answer such a foolish question.

“Little Yuan! From now on, you’re my best friend!” Wu Ailang exclaimed joyously.

Unsurprisingly, he was swatted by Snow Wolf again, conveying the message, “You’re the little one; compared to my age, your whole family are little ones.”

Yun Xiguang watched enviously as Snow Wolf interacted with Wu Ailang, then noticed the little spirit bird running to Snow Wolf’s head again, feeling somewhat dejected.

He still didn’t know the little spirit bird’s name.

Yun Xiguang sighed slightly. He got out of bed, dressed, and tidied up.

At that moment, he noticed that his pillowcase had somehow developed several cuts.

Yun Xiguang smoothed out the pillowcase and saw that the cuts formed strokes, combining into a character.

“Qiong.” Yun Xiguang read the character aloud.

A clear and melodious chirp came from atop Snow Wolf’s head.