"Have you heard? That pretty impressive duo from our freshman year has broken up."
"I heard. Ye Qing and Wang Tingting, right?"
"If you ask me, they should have broken up a long time ago. Wang Tingting can transform into a flying blade, while Ye Qing just stands there watching her do all the fighting. What's the point of him?"
"The real kicker is that I heard they were still splitting their loot fifty-fifty. Is Ye Qing a vampire or what? He's such a parasite—he doesn't lift a finger in the actual fighting, yet he demands half the rewards?"
"By the way, what exactly is Ye Qing's awakened talent? We still don't know his talent grade. I heard he never went to register it."
"Heh, how good could he be? I've never seen him use his talent. According to Wang Tingting, that guy doesn't have any talent at all. In battle, you can't feel any boost from him; it’s all her doing the work."
"Don't bother thinking about it. Wang Tingting is a B-grade Weapon Spirit, which is decent enough. Ye Qing is at most a C-grade talent. If he were anything higher, Wang Tingting wouldn't have failed to notice a boost, and she certainly wouldn't have terminated their contract."
"Still, that guy Ye Qing is living the good life. He’s staying in a detached dormitory—way more comfortable than the rest of us."
...
Blue Star.
Inside Jinling University.
Many people were saying things just like this.
At that moment, in a high-end detached dormitory on campus, Ye Qing was taking a shower.
"Looks like the news has already spread outside," Ye Qing thought, a cold smile tugging at his lips.
A month ago, he had transmigrated to this world, only to discover that the apocalypse had already been raging for years!
Fierce beasts ran rampant! Monsters terrorized the land!
The high-tech firearms that humans once took pride in had completely lost their tactical value in the face of these savage, mutated beasts.
However, humanity had gained a different kind of power to fight back!
Spirit Tamer Contracts!
After awakening, girls could transform into Weapon Spirits—turning into all sorts of weapons and tools—while boys could awaken the ability to become Spirit Tamers. By bonding in a contract, the two could achieve an effect where one plus one is far greater than two.
Thanks to this, humanity had gained the strength to resist and had built Barriers to shield themselves from the beasts.
After understanding the world, Ye Qing had accidentally activated the "God-Level Offspring and Prosperity Check-in System."
Lost in thought, he pulled up his personal system page.
【God-Level Offspring and Prosperity Check-in System】
【Name: Ye Qing】
【Height: 185cm】
【Spirit Tamer Rank: Tier 2 Late Stage】
【Contracted Weapon Spirit: None】
【Ability: Divinity Awakening (SSS-grade)】
【Skills: God-Level Hunting Skill】
【Note: The host can check in periodically for ordinary rewards. Contracting a Divine Weapon Spirit, deepening a contract, or having a Weapon Spirit conceive and give birth can earn god-level rewards!】
*Tier 2 Late Stage. I’ve been stuck here for quite a while now.*
Spirit Tamers and Weapon Spirits didn't just awaken abilities ranging from SSS to F grade.
In terms of strength, there were nine tiers, followed by Breakthrough, Grandmaster, General-Suppressing, Marquis, and King Rank, with Early, Mid, and Late stages for each.
A Spirit Tamer's abilities, physical combat prowess, and the manifestation intensity of their Weapon Spirit all increased as their rank rose.
Ye Qing looked at his abilities and skills, then thought of Wang Tingting, who had broken her contract with him.
When he first activated his system and gained Divinity Awakening, he had discovered Wang Tingting.
Wang Tingting was a B-grade Weapon Spirit, but the flying blade she transformed into carried a trace of divinity.
After contracting, relying on Ye Qing’s Divinity Awakening and his God-Level Hunting Skill, the two of them had killed quite a few beasts, making them fairly popular among the freshmen at Jinling University.
However, that popularity was almost entirely Wang Tingting's.
Ye Qing was criticized for just standing there, watching the flying blade fight.
*The Beast Cores came too easily.*
Ye Qing hadn't originally cared about such things.
But Wang Tingting heard these comments too often.
She started to feel that Ye Qing provided her with no boost and didn't fight alongside her, yet he still stood by and claimed half of the Beast Cores.
So, Wang Tingting proposed to terminate their contract.
Ye Qing still remembered her cold, sharp expression, her words—even when she tried to lower her voice—cutting through the air: "Ye Qing, let's end the contract. All you do is stand there. Aside from the contract boost, you haven't given me any improvement. But I've done all I can; I’ve given you half the wealth every time, which is more than fair. From now on, we go our separate ways."
That one sentence had almost made Ye Qing laugh out loud.
*No improvement?*
*You think a B-grade flying blade could have that kind of speed and sharpness on its own?*
*You think every time you found a beast's weak point and landed a killing blow, it was just your own doing?*
*Who gave you that kind of confidence?*
With that, the pair went their separate ways.
Suddenly, a light screen popped up before his eyes, pulling him back to reality.
【The host has received a check-in opportunity!】
*Finally, another check-in!*
*Check in!*
【Congratulations to the host for obtaining "Eye of Insight"!】
*Eye of Insight?*
The next moment, Ye Qing felt his vision sharpen!
*This!*
He walked to the window and looked outside.
His gaze landed on a girl.
【Name: Wang Xiaohan】
【Height: 160cm】
【Beauty: 75】
【Chest: A】
【Figure: 75】
【Purity: 0%】
【Transformation: Steel Short Blade (D-grade)】
*Good grief. So that’s how the Eye of Insight works? It can even gauge a figure? And this "purity" stat. What’s that supposed to mean?*
Ye Qing clicked his tongue. It seemed the compatibility between that Steel Short Blade and her Spirit Tamer couldn't be very high.
The higher the compatibility between a Weapon Spirit and a Spirit Tamer, the greater the boost in combat strength. And in that regard, the simplest way to increase compatibility was... well, those in the know, knew.
After standing by the window for a while, Ye Qing grew weary and headed toward his room.
Little did he know, in the distance, a girl was watching him by the window.
She had exquisite features, a slender, graceful figure, and wore a form-fitting white dress. With 36D breasts, an A4 waist, and a pair of long, jade-like legs peeking from her skirt, just a glance was enough to stir the imagination.
At that moment, she looked at Ye Qing, her pearly teeth biting her cherry lips, her face full of hesitation.
Nearby, many eyes were focused on her.
"What? You want to contract with her? Don't say I didn't warn you—that one there is an F-grade Tetanus Blade!" a boy teased, seeing his roommate unable to look away.
"Go away! Who would contract with her? I'd never live it down. But I heard she’s actually quite pitiful. They say her parents both died in the jaws of a Grandmaster Level beast, the Titan Python. She’s been thinking about revenge all day, trying to find someone to contract with at school to boost her strength and kill the beast."
The boy scoffed: "..." *Grandmaster Level beast, the Titan Python, and you want revenge? With an F-grade Tetanus Blade? I’m afraid if the Titan Python just stood there and let you hack at it, you’d snap yourself in two!*
"It shouldn't be long before we don't see her anymore," the boy said, clasping his hands behind his head. "In this crappy school, just like outside, if you’re strong and can get Beast Cores, you live like a king. If she relies on working part-time to earn cores, she’ll be forced to drop out if she can't pay her tuition."
...
Nearby, the whispers reached Zhou Lingxue's ears.
She balled her fists as she listened.
Just as the people around her said, it was time for her to make a decision. If she couldn't find a Spirit Tamer at school, then once she went out into the society within the Barrier, she would sink to the very bottom, making it even more impossible to find a partner.
How could she ever hope to avenge her parents?
She recalled the news she’d heard about Ye Qing and Wang Tingting breaking up, and looked toward the detached dormitory ahead.
She walked toward it.
Then, she knocked on the door!
*Creak.*
Opening the door, Ye Qing saw Zhou Lingxue.
She was clutching her skirt with both hands, looking too shy to speak.
A truly pitiful sight!
*Zhou Lingxue? The F-grade Tetanus Blade?*
Ye Qing immediately recalled the rumors he’d heard and sighed at the ways of the world.
Such a beautiful campus belle, now treated like worn-out shoes.
But then again, in this world where strength was king, an F-grade campus belle wasn't even worth as much as a D-grade fatty.
Ye Qing thought to himself.
The next moment, a light screen appeared above Zhou Lingxue.
【Name: Zhou Lingxue】
【Height: 171cm】
【Beauty: 98】
【Chest: D】
【Figure: 99】
【Purity: 100%】
【Transformation: Tetanus Blade (F-grade)】
【Note: Xuanyuan Sword that has lost its divinity (SSS-grade)】
*Huh?!*
Ye Qing stared at the final note. *What?!*
*Xuanyuan Sword! That’s an ancient divine artifact! What does this mean? Wouldn't this be a perfect match for my Divinity Awakening?*
Ye Qing suppressed his excitement.
"What do you want?"
His cold voice sounded like a hammer striking Zhou Lingxue’s heart.
She looked up at him. "Hello... can I contract with you?"
Zhou Lingxue said, her eyes full of hope.
"You can."
*This!*
Zhou Lingxue's heart skipped a beat. *Is this for real? Is someone actually willing to contract with me?*
"However!"
Ye Qing's next sentence pulled her back to reality.
"For the two of us to show our true strength, an ordinary contract isn't enough. We need a deep contract. If you’re willing, we’ll contract. If you’re not..."
Zhou Lingxue gripped her skirt tightly, her face turning pale; the joy she felt just moments ago vanished.
She knew exactly what Ye Qing was talking about.
At this moment, Ye Qing looked at her and slowly began to close the door—though the speed of the closing door was agonizingly slow.
Just as the door was about half-closed, a small hand grabbed the corner of Ye Qing's shirt.
Zhou Lingxue’s voice trembled: "I... I agree."