Chapter 68: Light Bringer Bison! Contract!

Karn walked forward toward the tree line and carefully reached out to touch the light. The moment he stepped beneath it, his footsteps slowed as a strange warmth spread throughout his body.

There was no pain or pressure. No foreign energy invading his body. Instead, Karn felt as though something had been lifted from his mind.

His heart, which had been thumping nonstop, began beating even faster. The urge he had been suppressing could no longer be contained. The grin he had struggled to control for the past month finally bloomed across his face.

He needed to quench his thirst. Unfortunately, there was no one here for him to fight.

Karn continued forward as the white light grew more intense with every step. Eventually, he pushed through the final layer of shrubbery and came upon the source of the light. A massive blob of clear slime stood before him, vaguely resembling the shape of a bison.

The slime-like creature remained completely still. Light continuously refracted through its translucent body, scattering in every direction and illuminating the surrounding area with a brilliant white glow.

Beside the massive creature stood something far smaller. A tiny, fairy-like moth. Unlike the Light Bringer Bison, the moth immediately noticed Karn standing at the edge of the tree line.

It smiled.

“Hello, traveler. Have you arrived here by chance, or have you come to bathe in the light?”

“Koko… Neither. I am looking for the Truth-Seeking Moth. Do you happen to be the one I am looking for?” Karn spoke with slight surprise. Until now, none of the Mystic Beasts he had encountered had been capable of speech. Even the Ethereal Eye could only produce rudimentary sounds to communicate its intentions.

The moth smiled.

“Indeed. Under this light, I am unable to lie about my identity. Are you looking to make a contract with me?” The moth sat atop the slime-like bison and looked directly at Karn.

“I require a technique that will allow me to see through a Mystic cultivator’s concealment technique. If you believe you can help me with that, then yes.” Karn was slightly surprised by how honestly he was speaking. Normally, he preferred to conceal his intentions behind carefully chosen words. Under this light, however, that was impossible.

“I can provide you with such an ability, but in return…” The moth’s smile widened.

“You can never lie to me.”

“Why is telling the truth so valuable to you, Moth Fairy?” Karn raised an eyebrow.

“Truth-Seeking Fairies such as myself feed on truth. Therefore, the human I contract with must be truthful. Otherwise, there is little value in contracting with them.” The moth smiled innocently.

“I see… How long does this contract of ours last?” Karn stroked his beard.

The moth tilted her head in confusion.

“You don’t know? You already have a contracted beast above you.”

“Cha…” The Ethereal Eye made a small sound of acknowledgment.

“I happened to contract the Eye by chance. I am not well versed in the matters of Mystic Beast contracts.” Karn replied explaining his reasons.

“I see. Then allow me to enlighten you, human. A Mystic Beast contract lasts for as long as both the contracted beast and the human agree to maintain it. It can also end if the contracted beast dies.” The moth nodded.

“So unless we both agree to end it, the contract remains?”

“Yes.”

“Then I have nothing to complain about.” Karn nodded while stroking his beard.

“I agree to your demand.” He looked toward the moth.

“Wonderful. I agree as well.” The Truth-Seeking Moth smiled.

The moment the words left her mouth, the atmosphere around them changed. Mystic Energy surged through the white light. It gathered around Karn and the moth before slowly intertwining between them, forming an invisible connection that neither could see yet both could feel.

Karn’s expression became solemn. The connection did not feel like a chain but it felt more like a thread.

Delicate but impossibly difficult to break. Suddenly, the Truth-Seeking Moth flew toward Karn. Before he could react, it transformed into a streak of white light and entered his hand.

Karn’s eyes widened as a strange sensation spread through his mind. For an instant, countless images flashed before his eyes.

“What… was that?” Karn instinctively reached for his hand.

“That was merely the beginning.” The moth’s voice echoed within his mind.

Karn slowly lowered his hand. He could still sense the connection between them. More importantly, he could feel something new within his Mystic Energy. A faint sensation surrounded his Ethereal Eye.

Karn’s expression changed. He could not yet see through concealment. But he could sense something. Something that hadn’t been there before.

“The ability you seek will develop as our connection grows,” The moth explained.

“I can teach you the foundation now, but you will need to cultivate it yourself.”

“So there are no shortcuts.” Karn nodded thoughtfully.

“There rarely are.”

“Koko… How disappointing.”

“You humans always wish to obtain everything immediately.” The moth giggled.

Karn ignored the comment and looked toward the enormous Light Bringer Bison. Its body continued to refract the brilliant white light. For some reason, Karn felt that the creature was far more important than he initially thought.

He turned back, away from the slime bison.

“One more thing.”

“Yes?”

“What exactly does that light do?”

“The Light Bringer Bison does not create truth.” The moth’s expression became mysterious.

Karn narrowed his eyes.

“It simply reveals what is already there.” The moth exited Karn’s hand and pointed toward Karn.

“And that includes you.”

Karn fell silent and his smile slowly faded.

“Under its light, you cannot hide your intentions from yourself. You cannot bury desires beneath excuses. You cannot convince yourself that a lie is the truth.” The moth continued.

Karn’s hand slowly moved toward his chest.

Thump.

His heart continued beating rapidly. The memory of the battlefield surfaced once again.

The knife and the blood. Most importantly, the exhilaration. Karn’s eyes narrowed and the moth smiled.

“Now you understand why I chose to stay here.”

Karn glanced at the Light Bringer Bison.

“Because its light reveals what you seek?”

“Exactly.” The moth fluttered its wings.

“Light reveals. Truth seeks. And understanding comes afterward.”

“Koko…” Karn stroked his beard. A strange smile slowly returned to his face.

Going to be releasing 1500 word chapters daily from now on.