"The conditions aren't many—just two." Wang Juechu spoke with an expressionless face.
"First, your people must withdraw from this sect's sphere of influence, and the withdrawal must be carried out in batches, under the surveillance of our disciples." His tone was hard and unyielding.
"Fine. No problem." Jia Tianlong agreed without the slightest hesitation.
Seeing how readily the other party agreed, Wang Juechu let out a cold laugh, then proceeded to lay out the next condition—one that would greatly surprise Jia Tianlong.
"Second, both sides must hold a Death Contract Blood Duel here, and only then may you leave."
"A Death Contract Duel!"
"Are you serious?"
"Has the man gone mad?!"
……
The moment these words left Wang Juechu's mouth, a huge uproar erupted among the crowd opposite. Every person who heard it wore a different expression. Some turned pale with horror, as if they had heard the name of a venomous scorpion. Others looked excited, practically itching to take part.
Jia Tianlong's face shifted as well upon hearing this, but he quickly recovered his composure.
"I don't think I heard that correctly? A blood duel where both sides sign a death contract, and only one side may walk out of the arena alive?" He gave a hollow laugh, as if asking offhandedly.
"You heard perfectly. This is the death duel that must be held to repay the blood debt owed for Sect Master Wu and the others—and you and I must both take part." Wang Juechu pressed his hand to his sword hilt and fixed Jia Tianlong with a chilling stare as he spoke.
Jia Tianlong let out a dark chuckle, neither confirming nor denying, his gaze flickering as he weighed the matter. It was clear he did not dare treat a Death Contract Duel lightly—he would need to think it through carefully before giving his answer.
Nearby, the crowd was buzzing with discussion over the Death Contract Duel. Han Li, who was completely ignorant of what it meant, couldn't hold back any longer and turned to Li Feiyu beside him.
"What's a Death Contract Duel? It sounds like something big!"
"Come on! You don't even know what a Death Contract Duel is? That's unbelievable! It's the most famous blood-soaked way for people in the jianghu to settle their grudges!" The moment Li Feiyu heard this, his face went through a spectacular range of expressions—utter astonishment, as though he had just seen a ghost.
"You're one to talk! You've always known I don't know much about this jianghu stuff. What's so strange about not knowing about this?" Han Li muttered in an irritable tone.
"Oh, right! I almost forgot about that." Li Feiyu scratched his head, looking sheepish.
"A Death Contract Duel refers to when two parties embroiled in deep enmity must sign a life-and-death agreement before their fight, declaring that once they enter the arena, only one side will walk out alive. If anyone attempts to flee the duel midway, they won't just have their reputation utterly destroyed and be spat upon by everyone—they'll also be hunted down across the entire jianghu. That's because all people of the jianghu consider the Death Contract Duel to be a sacred, inviolable form of combat. Anyone who defiles it deserves to be executed as a warning to others."