Chapter 175: Ugo’s Soul Contract

His expression was calm, but his eyes carried a faint sharpness that hadn’t been there before.

His mind was still occupied with Nox’s accusation.

"Pretense."

The word lingered in his mind, irritating him more than he thought.

Did he pretend?

Maybe he did, or maybe he didn’t. But did it matter to the outcome?

In the end, all that mattered was the result.

No one would care about the process they had used to achieve it. As long as you won the race, no one would care how you had won it.

Ugo snorted under his breath. What a troublesome thing to think about!

He stood there for a moment, letting the fresh air soothe the lingering heat in his chest from the argument.

He took a slow breath, then turned and walked toward the man he had been yearning to see for days.

As soon as his gaze fell upon Moon, who sat cross-legged in the middle of the stone platform, surrounded by scattered spirit stones, his restless thoughts gradually settled.

Ugo slowed his steps.

Moon was absorbed in his cultivation, seemingly unaware of the world around him. His expression was calm and composed.

The sun was tilting toward the west, but its light remained warm. As the rays fell across Moon’s face, they softened his features and made him look even more ethereal than usual.

Ugo’s chest tightened.

He had been wanting to get close to him for an entire day, yet now that he was finally standing before him, he found himself reluctant to disturb the peaceful scene.

He walked closer and knelt in front of Moon.

As if sensing someone approaching, Moon slowly opened his eyes.

The moment he saw Ugo kneeling before him, he blinked in surprise.

"Ugo? What are you doing here?"

Ugo smiled and reached out to touch his forehead. Before Moon could ask anything else, he leaned forward and gently kissed him between the brows.

Moon stared at him for a moment before pushing his shoulder.

"What are you doing? You came here soaking wet all the way through the pond just for this?" Moon grumbled.

He had been busy drawing qi and preparing for a breakthrough, yet this brother wasn’t even giving him that much time.

"I missed you." Ugo smiled again, looking straight into his eyes.

Instead of moving away, he pressed closer, leaning against Moon until he eventually pushed him down onto the stone platform.

Before Moon could protest, Ugo loomed over him and kissed his lips deeply.

When he finally pulled away, his eyes were as gentle as moonlight.

He lowered his head and murmured against Moon’s neck, "Mooney, can we form the soul contract now?"

"Now?"

Moon furrowed his brows and pushed Ugo’s head away.

"You are heavy. Move."

But Ugo didn’t move.

He merely shifted his weight onto one hand, making himself a little more comfortable while continuing to hover over Moon.

"Let’s do this. I will try to make it easier."

Moon continued to frown. "Can it be done like this? Let’s call the guardian spirits. What if something goes wrong?"

He tried to get up, but once again, Ugo pressed him down.

"No. Don’t call anyone else. I know that even if my wolf spirit shows up, it won’t be like Axe’s."

With that, he leaned down and rubbed his head against Moon’s chest. "Mooney, I’m not feeling well. Let’s just do it like this." His voice trembled slightly.

Moon’s lips twitched.

’Is he acting spoiled or what?’ Moon thought.

[He is acting spoiled.]

The Goddess suddenly spoke up inside Moon’s consciousness.

For some unknown reason, her voice sounded unusually cheerful, as though she were enjoying the situation so far.

[Try it, Moon. He is right. His wolf is not aggressive. I know his spirit,] she said.

’Of course you know. You’re the one who made this weird bonding,’ Moon thought back at her.

He was beginning to suspect that there was more to this than just a contract.

"Fine. Let me get up first."

He pushed Ugo again.

"Just bring out the scroll," Ugo urged, without any sign of letting go.

However, he shifted again and rolled onto his back, lifting Moon onto his chest instead.

The movement was so smooth that Moon barely had time to react before he found himself lying on top of him.

"Ugo, what nonsense are you playing? Let go and sit up."

Moon squirmed, trying to free himself, but the arm around him only tightened.

"..."

Moon stopped struggling and stared at Ugo suspiciously.

He had a feeling this man was involved in some deep conspiracy, but he couldn’t figure out what was wrong.

Ugo looked perfectly innocent, yet his behavior was anything but normal.

The two pairs of eyes stared at each other for a moment.

Neither spoke.

Meanwhile, the Goddess continued urging Moon inside his mind.

[Just do it, Moon. What’s the matter if you’re lying down or sitting?]

Moon grew suspicious of the suddenly overenthusiastic Heavenly Ruler, too.

He hadn’t seen this much enthusiasm from her in a long time.

Usually, she was content to watch from the sidelines. Now, however, she seemed almost impatient for him to proceed.

What exactly was she expecting?

Moon sighed.

He could question them later. For now, the sooner he finished this, the sooner he could return to his cultivation.

He took out the scroll.

As it floated in the air, Moon rested his head against Ugo’s chest and finally gave up resisting.

He drew out a drop of his heart’s blood and guided it toward the scroll.

A faint sting spread through his body. His shoulders shivered slightly, and a moment later, he felt a little weak.

Heart’s blood was limited and precious, and losing even a few drops could take a toll on him. He had already lost two drops, and now he was losing a third.

He felt weaker than before.

Moon frowned slightly.

He had known this would happen, but knowing something and experiencing it were two different matters.

He didn’t want to admit it, but the man’s broad chest and warmth gave him a small sense of security.

The steady presence beneath his cheek made the lingering discomfort a little easier to bear.

When he shivered, Ugo hugged him even tighter, drawing him deeper into his embrace.

Moon didn’t resist either.

After him, Ugo also drew out his heart’s blood and dropped it right on top of Moon’s.

Instantly, the scroll flashed with golden lines.

The scroll slowly rose into the air between them. Golden light spread across its surface as Moon sent his soul force into it, illuminating the intricate markings one by one.

Ugo lifted Moon’s chin and pressed his forehead against Moon’s.

The golden runes suddenly flashed, and the lines connecting them converged at the center of their brows, where their divine eyes pressed together.

Moon was startled by the sudden intensity of the light, but the connection didn’t break.

Their eyes were closed, yet Moon could still see everything through his divine sense.

A faint green glow blended with the golden light, its presence subtle but unmistakable.

He waited.

He expected a wolf spirit to emerge, or perhaps some sudden, deep emotion buried in Ugo’s heart to surface through their connection.

There should have been something. Even a faint glimpse of what lay hidden within Ugo would have given Moon something to work with.

Yet nothing happened.