Chapter 292: Basic Skill: Summoning Contract

Yan Qi arrived soon and immediately asked: “Did you keep the items?”

“I contacted you, so I won’t sell them elsewhere.” Chu Danqing was certainly not someone who broke his word.

“Good.” Yan Qi exhaled in relief, then said: “I’ll trade you my Basic Skill book for your Talent Book. I’ll make up for what you lose elsewhere—what do you think?”

As he spoke, Yan Qi displayed a skill book.

Its name was Summoning Contract Basic.

It was a subclass of Contract Basic, similar to the difference between Chu Danqing’s former Summoning and Paleobiology Summoning.

Chu Danqing thought briefly, then nodded: “Fine.”

Yet inwardly he felt resigned—he had indeed once hoped to obtain a Contract Basic.

But hoping was one thing; his economic strength didn’t allow it.

Still, since it had come to him, Chu Danqing didn’t hesitate.

After all, finding one himself would cost even more, and this Summoning Contract Basic suited him better.

At least it was related to Summoning, not purely Contract—upgrading it wouldn’t cross systems.

“Now for the Spirit Beast Codex—I’ll trade you an Excellent-tier Summoning skill. What do you say?” Yan Qi said, pulling out another skill book.

After checking its attributes, Chu Danqing nodded in agreement.

The skill was called Crimson Pact. Its effect: when the user’s HP drops, summon creatures gain +1% to all five stats per 2% HP lost, stacking up to 10 times. Simple and unadorned, yet pure numerical power.

It was exactly the skill Chu Danqing needed.

“For the rest of these items, I’ll trade you an Excellent-tier Summoning Spirit Gear. The surplus value will cover your Talent Book,” Yan Qi said immediately.

Hearing this, Chu Danqing didn’t hesitate—he completed the transaction at once.

Judging from these three items, Yan Qi had clearly put in effort—he must have paid a heavy price to acquire them.

“By the way, one thing to warn you: after you complete the assimilation, the spirit beast and you will share fortune and misfortune—if it dies, you’ll suffer backlash,” Chu Danqing reminded him afterward.

“What if it gets severed mid-bond?” Yan Qi’s eye twitched.

“No need to worry. Armor Spirit Beasts have one trait: extreme resilience. You can repair it afterward,” Chu Danqing said.

The drawback was unavoidable, but Armor Spirit Beasts were built for brute force—there were plenty of ways to compensate.

Besides, weapons could be destroyed too.

“Alright, I get it. Feels like I got the worse end,” Yan Qi sighed, but inside he was nearly ecstatic.

What’s this? Some sword cultivators are even more extreme—they live or die with their swords.

Yet they still charge around stabbing people with flying swords.

The Heaven-Defying Tyrant Spear’s upper limit is Excellent-tier, but Yan Qi’s ceiling isn’t just Rank 1—he’s confident he can raise it higher.

More importantly, the Paradise system classified the Armor Spirit Beast as both Gear and Permanent Summon.

That means he gains not only the gear’s stat bonuses, but also the Armor Spirit Beast’s feedback, plus the 10% bonus from his Talent: Purple Mansion.

Effectively, one piece of gear provides three types of effects simultaneously, with a sentient spirit that protects its master and fights autonomously.

He didn’t think he couldn’t see the flaws—if he keeps reinforcing the Heaven-Defying Tyrant Spear through forging, strengthening, and enchanting, he can make it one of his core systems.

If he got all these benefits with zero flaws, Yan Qi would worry Chu Danqing was tricking him.

Yan Qi left immediately. Chu Danqing then notified the next buyer: the agent and the Longhu Alliance’s Rank 1 regional manager.

During this process, Chu Danqing learned the skills.

——

【Summoning Contract Basic: LV.MAX】

【Skill Effect: Increases summon creature intimacy by 10%, increases summon contract strength by 10%】

——

【Crimson Pact (Passive) LV.1: For every 2% HP lost, summon creatures gain +1% to all stats (stacks up to 10 layers)】

——

【Ring of the Spirit Princess】

【Type: Gear · Ring】

【Quality: Excellent】

【Durability: 100/100】

【Mana +10000】

【Spirit’s Radiance (Active): Consume 10% mana and 1 unrepairable durability point to grant yourself and all summons 3 seconds of invincibility. Cooldown: 240 hours】

【Earth Spirit’s Joy (Passive): Every 10 hits taken by summons, gain 1% damage reduction for yourself, lasting 1 hour. Stacks up to 5 layers】

【Frost Spirit’s Roar (Passive): When summons attack, the Ring of the Spirit Princess has a 10% chance to unleash a full-group war cry, putting all summons into Frenzy for 10 seconds. Cooldown: 1 minute】

【Fire Spirit’s Sorrow (Passive): For each summon present, all summons gain +1% attack power. Stacks up to 50 layers】

【Storm Spirit’s Delight (Passive): While summons are in combat, gain +1% attack speed, casting speed, movement speed, and reaction speed per minute. Stacks up to 100 layers, lasts until combat ends】

【Gear Requirement: Spirit 25, Summoning Mastery LV.5, Summoning Art Mastery LV.5, Command Mastery LV.5, possess 1 Summon-type Elemental Talent】

——

“Leveling up first really does boost later levels,” Chu Danqing’s gaze fell on the already Max-level Summoning Contract Basic.

He already had six LV.11 Mastery skills, all related—he obviously couldn’t start from scratch.

Still, reaching Max level outright surprised him—he’d expected at most LV.9.

This was good news for him.

It meant that after paying to upgrade, even if he shifted to Summoning Contract Mastery, he wouldn’t start at LV.1—he’d begin at a higher level.

So he immediately paid 10,000 Paradise Points.

As expected, when Summoning Contract Mastery was learned, it started at LV.6.

The extra upgrade raised summon creature intimacy to 12% and contract strength to 20%.

“Hmm, the Shanhe Pact must have helped too. The original Blood Oath Pact had both Contract and Summon attributes; though later refined, it seems even better suited now.”

“Looks more suited for allies—I’ll check later if other skills can be built to complement it.”

“Still, I spent heavily—I only have 7,000 Paradise Points left.” Chu Danqing’s eye twitched, but luckily, for the Spirit Beast Codex: Jade Spirit Dragon set, he’d specified he wanted Paradise Points.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have had enough to upgrade his skills.

This set could easily fetch 100,000 Paradise Points plus five Excellent-tier items.

The most valuable item was the Talent Book: Purple Mansion—alone, it was worth at least three to four Excellent-tier items.

That’s why they were willing to trade with him.

Talent Books and Basic Skills occupy the same status—only suitability matters, no depreciation.

They are strategic items that retain value.

About ten minutes later, the agent arrived with a woman.

“Hello, you can call me Mei Zheng. Could you show me the attributes again?” the woman introduced herself and asked.

Seeing she wanted to inspect the goods, Chu Danqing didn’t hide anything—he displayed everything openly.

“Complete set. Acceptable for trade,” Mei Zheng confirmed immediately.

“By the way, I was referred by Qingchi,” Chu Danqing said, recalling he’d been told he could get a referral bonus.

“Qingchi?” Mei Zheng frowned, then opened the Longhu Alliance faction panel to check: “Ah, a Reserve-level regional manager.”

“He’s currently on a trial mission—he won’t be able to give you the bonus in time. If you don’t mind, I’ll just add the bonus directly,” Mei Zheng said at once.

Chu Danqing’s expression turned odd: “Talking about referral bonuses so bluntly—isn’t that inappropriate?”

Mei Zheng explained: “No issue at all. Longhu Alliance isn’t some small faction—it’s an official rule.”

“All major factions have this rule. The Paradise encourages it.”

“We don’t lack these resources. If you survive and later acquire better resources, come back to us—we all benefit.”

Just one Basic Skill or Talent Book can bring a powerful member into a faction, whose future returns far outweigh the initial investment.

Of course, if you’re short-sighted, the Paradise will correct your desire to grow stronger by exploiting members.

The Paradise’s population base is its strategic advantage; to develop it, monopolies, exploitation, and lack of upward mobility are forbidden.

Only a healthy environment and culture can unleash countless strong individuals from its vast population.

Dimensional Apostles’ individual combat power is indeed the lowest among all Paradises—but that doesn’t mean the collective can’t fight.

“Alright, how does the bonus work?” Chu Danqing asked curiously.

“Usually Paradise Points or consumables. I recommend the Excellent-tier potion produced by Longhu Alliance and Life-system Apostles—it restores 100% HP instantly and grants 30 seconds of invincibility.”

“Many Longhu Alliance members have used it to turn the tide and survive their trials.”

“Since your items are high-value, I’m giving you this instead of a set of Fine-tier potions,” Mei Zheng said, pulling out the potion.

“No thanks. I need Paradise Points. Just convert it into points for me,” Chu Danqing refused outright.

He didn’t lack healing—especially now that Da Bai had three heads, with no-cooldown healing skills and Level 3 Multicast.

His healing speed was like a Gatling gun—if Da Bai were a spellcaster instead of a support, Da Gu wouldn’t even be relevant.

Mei Zheng looked slightly surprised—she’d never met anyone who refused—but quickly regained composure.

“Then I can only give you 10,000 Paradise Points,” Mei Zheng said, displaying the trade item: “This is the price you requested. Check what you’d like to exchange.”

After carefully reviewing it, Chu Danqing said: “No need. Deal.”

(End of Chapter)