Seeing this, Qin Luo gently stroked Xia Zihan's hair and comforted her softly.

With Qin Luo's comforting words, Xia Zihan's emotions gradually calmed down, but sobs could still be heard from time to time.

Looking at Xia Zihan, who was gradually stabilizing in his arms, Qin Luo pondered for a moment and said:

"Zihan, don't be sad. If your brother finds out you're like this, he'll think you've been wronged by me, and he might make things difficult for me then."

Upon hearing this, Xia Zihan immediately raised her head, her swollen eyes filled with determination.

"No, if my brother dares to make things difficult for you, I will definitely stand in front of you."

Qin Luo was touched by her answer, but he didn't forget his own business.

He gently wiped away the tear stains on her cheeks with his fingers, then sighed softly and said:

"Zihan, you are a member of the Central Plains royal family, with an incomparably noble status. As for me, I am just an unknown nobody. If your royal brother knew about this, would he easily agree to us being together?"

Upon hearing this, Xia Zihan immediately reached out and covered Qin Luo's mouth, her tearful eyes filled with reproach.

"Don't talk about yourself like that! In my heart, you are the best. What do status and position matter? All I know is that I love you, and that's enough."

After saying that, Xia Zihan released her hand from Qin Luo's lips and gently stroked his face.

"So, Qin Luo, you don't need to worry. I will always be by your side and we will never be apart."

"Besides, even if my elder brother doesn't agree with our relationship, there's nothing he can do about it. You know, I've already cultivated back to the Spirit Vortex Realm and can now use the power of the Soul Contract!"

When Qin Luo heard this, a hint of doubt appropriately appeared in his eyes.

"Soul Pact?"

Xia Zihan paused slightly when she saw his slightly puzzled expression, and suddenly remembered that she had not yet told him about the later realms of the Spirit Vortex Realm.

After wiping away her tears, she shifted slightly, trying to find a more comfortable position in Qin Luo's arms.

After adjusting her position, Xia Zihan's soft, sweet voice rang out in the cubicle.

"Qin Luo, this Soul Contract is a contract that can only be signed after we have entered the Soul Contract Realm."

"In the cultivation system we know, the Spirit Vortex Realm is followed by the Soul Contract Realm. The realms after the Spirit Vortex Realm are not so complicated; they are simply divided into early, middle, and late stages."

"After entering the Soul Contract Realm, one can sign a contract with a beast soul. Different beast souls have different types and levels."

"Some beast souls are extremely ferocious, granting cultivators powerful attack capabilities; others are agile and nimble, enhancing cultivators' speed and reaction abilities; each type of beast soul brings different enhancements, so after reaching the Soul Contract Realm, one needs to carefully choose the beast soul to form a contract with."

"Beast Souls are only born when a demon beast at or above the Spirit Vortex Realm dies."

After listening to her explanation, Qin Luo nodded as if he suddenly understood. However, a trace of doubt still remained in his heart.

He frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then asked:

"Zihan, since only those who reach the Soul Contract Realm can form a contract with a beast soul, yet you just said you could use the Soul Contract, but you're only at the Spirit Vortex Realm right now... this..."

Hearing his question, Xia Zihan gave him a coquettish look and gently tapped Qin Luo's chest with her slender finger.

"Qin Luo, I haven't finished speaking yet."

Seeing this, Qin Luo chuckled helplessly and waited quietly for her explanation. After a moment, Xia Zihan's voice echoed in the cubicle again.

"What I just mentioned is only a part of the Soul Contract Realm. You should know that the Soul Contract is divided into the Life Contract and the Death Contract."

"The Death Pact, as the name suggests, involves absorbing the soul of a hunted beast into one's Qi Sea for refinement, using spiritual energy to wash away the residual demonic beast consciousness within the soul, thus bringing it completely under one's control."

"But this process is extremely dangerous. If you are not careful, you may be devoured by the beast soul. At best, you will be seriously injured, and at worst, your life will be in danger. Moreover, not all beast souls can be successfully refined. Powerful beast souls often have a stronger sense of resistance. At that time, it will depend on the individual's foundation and spiritual energy capacity."

“The contract of life is different. The contract of life is a special contractual relationship established with a living demon beast. Both parties grow together, support each other, and share both glory and loss!”

"But such contracts often require great opportunity and luck, because it is not easy to find a monster willing to sign a life contract with you."

"You should know that the lifespan of demonic beasts is dozens of times that of us, and their strength is also much greater than that of ordinary cultivators. The stronger the demonic beast, the more mature its mind. They are often proud and arrogant, and it is difficult for them to easily sign a life contract with humans."

"Although it is difficult, once the life contract is successfully signed, the cultivator and the demon beast will be of one mind and their strength will be greatly improved."

"So, in general, 99% of Soul Contract Realm cultivators will choose the Death Contract. After all, signing the Life Contract is too difficult for them. The time spent communicating with the demon beast and cultivating feelings is not worth it for them. It is faster to directly refine the beast soul."

"My situation is a little different. When I was a child, not long after I started cultivating, a mysterious bird-like monster suddenly came to the imperial city."

"On that day, a dazzling light appeared in the sky, and its appearance caused a sensation throughout the entire imperial city."

"Later, I learned from my father that this was actually the Purple Radiance Heavenly Phoenix, a rare species among the Heavenly Phoenixes, ranked eighty-fifth on the list of all beasts!"

"It seems that the Purple Luminous Heavenly Phoenix came to the imperial city because it was attracted by my physique. Since then, whenever I cultivate, the Purple Luminous Heavenly Phoenix will often appear beside me and quietly perch not far away."

"Whenever I circulate my cultivation technique and the surrounding spiritual energy surges, the Purple Luminous Sky Phoenix will also slightly spread its wings. Gradually, I discovered that the Purple Luminous Sky Phoenix was actually absorbing the spiritual energy that dissipated during my cultivation."

"The spiritual energy I cultivated flowed into its body slowly like fine threads. At first, I was a little surprised and worried, afraid that it would affect my cultivation progress."

"But as time went by, I felt a strange connection gradually forming between me and the Purple Luminous Phoenix. As the Purple Luminous Phoenix continued to absorb my spiritual energy, a ethereal contract was slowly condensing within my body."

"This contract is faintly visible, emitting a purple light. I can feel the powerful force it contains, quietly floating within my body."

At this point, Xia Zihan slowly stretched out her hand in front of Qin Luo. As spiritual energy surged in her palm, a faint purple light gradually appeared.

In that interplay of light and shadow, one could vaguely discern a mysterious pattern, resembling the outline of a purple celestial phoenix about to take flight!