Agreement

The cave was shrouded in an uncomfortable silence after Hei Feng had covered herself with her stored robes. She gazed at Bai Feng, her eyes filled with a mix of curiosity and trepidation. "Who are you?" she finally managed to ask, her voice quivering.

Bai Feng, the enigmatic figure with a facade of a ten-year-old boy and a Qi Condensation first-layer cultivation base, studied her with an unreadable expression. He decided to keep her guessing, toying with the idea that had taken root in her mind. "Ah, the question of identity," he mused aloud, his voice soft and melodic. "Isn't that the essence of life's grand mystery?"

Hei Ying frowned, her confusion deepening. She had expected a straightforward answer, but Bai Feng's cryptic response only fueled her uncertainty. "Are you a Soul Transformation cultivator or not?" she pressed, her tone a mixture of fear and frustration.

Bai Feng chuckled softly, his eyes dancing with hidden knowledge. "In this vast world of cultivation, dear Hei Ying, labels can be so limiting," he replied, his words dripping with ambiguity. "Why should we confine ourselves to such rigid classifications? I am what I am, and yet, I am not what I am not."

Hei Ying's brow furrowed as she struggled to decipher his words. His response seemed like a riddle, and she felt herself sinking deeper into a quagmire of confusion. "But your power..." she began, her voice trembling. "It felt like that of a Soul Transformation cultivator."

Bai Feng tilted his head, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Appearances can be deceiving, you know." he said, his tone laden with mystery. "Sometimes, one may carry the aura of power without truly embodying it. And sometimes, the powerless may possess the essence of the mighty."

Hei Ying was now completely lost, her fear and curiosity warring within her. She couldn't make sense of his cryptic responses, and it frustrated her to no end. "Tell me the truth!" she implored, her voice almost desperate.

Bai Feng's smile remained enigmatic as ever. "The truth, my dear Hei Ying, is a shifting landscape," he murmured. "It changes with time, perception, and the journey of one's soul. What is true today may not be true tomorrow."

Hei Ying had no choice but to accept that Bai Feng would not give her a straightforward answer. His words left her bewildered, and she realized that understanding him was far more complex than she had initially imagined. In that moment, she made a reluctant decision to accept the ambiguity of his identity, as there seemed to be no other choice.

Bai Feng's smile remained serene, and his eyes seemed to hold the wisdom of ages. Hei Ying couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder mingled with frustration as she gazed upon him. He appeared so young, yet his demeanor exuded an inexplicable depth.

"Ah, Hei Ying," he began, his voice carrying a tone of profound understanding, "to truly understand is to accept that understanding may forever elude us. I am but a wanderer on a path paved with uncertainty."

Hei Ying furrowed her brow, her mind grappling with the enigmatic words that flowed from his lips. Each syllable seemed to carry layers of meaning that eluded her grasp. "Why won't you give me a straight answer?" she implored, her voice tinged with both curiosity and frustration.

Bai Feng's gaze remained unyielding, his eyes holding her in their cryptic allure. "Because the answers, my dear Hei Ying," he replied, his voice a soft caress, "are woven into the fabric of time and space. I have glimpsed the tapestry of fate and destiny, and I am but a traveler seeking to transcend the limits of existence."

Hei Ying's eyes widened as his words washed over her like a cascade of enlightenment. It was as if a veil had been lifted from her perception, revealing the vastness of the cosmos. She realized, in that moment, that Bai Feng was no ordinary cultivator. His existence transcended the boundaries of the cultivation world she had known.

"You... you're not just a Nascent Soul cultivator, are you?" she whispered, her voice trembling with awe and disbelief. The thought of such a revelation was almost too incredible to contemplate.

Bai Feng's smile deepened, and he inclined his head ever so slightly, acknowledging the truth in her words. "Nascent Soul is but a stepping stone on the path of ascension," he murmured. "I have journeyed beyond its confines, and yet, I am bound to the cycle of reincarnation, seeking higher realms."

Hei Ying's mind whirled as she tried to comprehend the enormity of Bai Feng's revelation. She had encountered someone who had transcended the limits of her understanding, a being connected to the very essence of existence itself. It was a revelation that left her both humbled and bewildered.

"Help me break through to Nascent Soul," she finally said, her voice filled with newfound determination. "In return, I pledge my alliance to you, regardless of the mysteries that surround you."

Bai Feng's eyes sparkled with a mix of approval and hesitation as he extended his hand toward Hei Ying. "A choice, Hei Ying," he said, his words carrying a hint of enigma. "We shall tread this uncertain path together, seeking the boundless mysteries of existence."

However, before Hei Ying could respond, Bai Feng withdrew his hand and a contemplative look crossed his youthful face. "But you must understand, Hei Ying," he continued, his voice softer now, "I am not what I appear to be. I may look like a ten-year-old demi-human, but there's more to me than meets the eye."

Hei Ying's brow furrowed in confusion, her curiosity piqued by his words. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice filled with a mixture of wonder and concern.

Bai Feng sighed, his gaze distant as if lost in introspection. "I am, at my core, a being of profound power," he confessed, "but I've chosen to suppress it, to live as an ordinary being for now. I want to understand the intricacies of life, the elements that make existence so fascinating. My true strength lies within my soul, and I'm not yet ready to unleash it."

Hei Ying listened, her eyes widening with realization. She began to comprehend the complexity of Bai Feng's existence, the choices he had made, and the depth of his inner struggles. "So, you're saying you're just a powerless being for now?" she asked but she didn't believe it.

Bai Feng nodded, a faint smile touching his lips. "Yes, Hei Ying," he replied, his tone more serious now. "But I also need someone to protect me on this journey, to shield me from harm in this incarnation of mine."

Hei Ying understood the gravity of his words . "I will protect you " she declared, determination in her voice. "I swear to safeguard you from any threat that may come your way."

Bai Feng regarded her for a moment, his gaze unwavering. "Very well," he said, "then let us make an oath."

Hei Ying nodded in agreement, her heart pounding with a sense of responsibility. "I swear to protect you, with my life if necessary," she pledged, her voice resolute.

Bai Feng, however, couldn't help but introduce a note of doubt. "But, Hei Ying," he said, his voice lowering, "you must understand that you are still too weak to protect me in the future. I can consider you as my pet, or I can find another who can offer better protection. The choice is yours."

Hei Ying's face paled at the prospect of being referred to as a pet. Her fear gripped her heart like a vice. She had come this far, and the thought of losing her chance of becoming a Nascent Soul is unbearable. "I... I promise to grow stronger," she stammered, her voice quivering. "I will become the pet you need."

Bai Feng's smile returned, a mixture of approval and relief. "Very well," he said, his tone gentle once more. "Then we shall embark on this journey together, bound by our oath. You, Hei Ying, shall be my pet, and I shall guide you on the path to strength and wisdom."

Their hands met in a solemn pact, their destinies now intertwined. They sealed their agreement ready to face the uncertain path that lay ahead, together.