Life and Death Agreement

Jiaolong Plain.

The vast arena was silent, with over 200,000 spectators staring at the stage beneath the Ascension Stele. A match was about to take place between Yang Chengzhi, ranked 300th on the Dragon Ranking, and Xiaoyaozi, ranked first.

No one had expected that Yang Chengzhi, at the tail end of the Dragon Ranking, would directly challenge the top-ranked Xiaoyaozi. Judging by their rankings alone, they were worlds apart. Not to mention, Xiaoyaozi was a rising star on the Azure Dragon Continent in recent years, with the Cangmang Academy even considering admitting him.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call Xiaoyaozi the foremost figure among the younger generation in the Chu State.

"Do you know what you're doing?" Xiaoyaozi asked, looking coldly at Yang Chengzhi as he stepped onto the stage.

Xiaoyaozi's tone held a hint of surprise. He truly hadn't expected Yang Chengzhi to challenge him in such a setting.

"I'm actually a little nervous, my legs are trembling a bit," Yang Chengzhi said, exhaling softly. He stretched his limbs slightly before turning to face Xiaoyaozi. "I'm challenging you! I know."

"Do you think I wouldn't dare kill you?" Seeing Yang Chengzhi's casual demeanor, an inexplicable rage welled up within Xiaoyaozi.

Why does Yang Chengzhi keep provoking me? Does he think reaching the Spirit Ancestor realm means he can defeat me? Or is he relying on the fact that we're both students of Zhenguan Academy, thinking I wouldn't kill a fellow disciple?

Although Xiaoyaozi's voice was low, few among the spectators at Jiaolong Plain for the Dragon Ranking competition were not cultivators. Thus, his words reached almost everyone's ears.

The important figures remained mostly expressionless, though the Vice Dean of the Academy, Zhou Wuji, frowned slightly but said nothing. The spectators in the stands, however, began to whisper amongst themselves.

"Did you hear that? Xiaoyaozi is going to kill Yang Chengzhi."

"It's probably just an angry remark! The Academy has rules against killing fellow disciples; violators face severe punishment."

"It's hard to say. The animosity between them is deep. Xiaoyaozi might use his talent and background to forcefully kill Yang Chengzhi, and Zhenguan Academy might not be able to do anything to him."

"But this is the Dragon Ranking competition! If Xiaoyaozi kills Yang Chengzhi in front of everyone, even with his talent, the Academy will be sanctioned."

Despite the extensive discussions among the spectators, they all arrived at the same conclusion: whether Xiaoyaozi would actually kill Yang Chengzhi, and whether he would be punished afterward. Yet, not a single person questioned whether Xiaoyaozi could kill Yang Chengzhi.

"Sign the life and death agreement!"

Just as everyone was engrossed in discussing the matter, a resonant voice echoed from the stage.

The match between Xiaoyaozi and Yang Chengzhi would require signing a life and death agreement!

A 'ranking battle' had escalated into a fight to the death!

"My god! Yang Chengzhi actually signed it!" A spectator in the stands gasped as they saw Yang Chengzhi sign the life and death agreement.

The so-called life and death agreement meant that the two parties would compete in the presence of a notary. After signing the agreement, neither party would be held responsible for any accidents that occurred during the match. In other words, even if one party was killed, the other would bear no responsibility. The deceased's family would not be allowed to seek revenge; survival depended on one's own abilities.

With the voluntary signing of the life and death agreement, all constraints were lifted. If one of them died, it would not be considered a violation of Zhenguan Academy's rules.

"Today, let's settle this," Yang Chengzhi said calmly to Xiaoyaozi after signing the life and death agreement.

Xiaoyaozi had become serious now. Yang Chengzhi signing the life and death agreement gave him a strange sense of unease. No one would act recklessly without reason. Yang Chengzhi's decisive signing, coupled with his rapidly advancing cultivation, was enough for Xiaoyaozi to regard him as an equal.

"Although I don't know how you broke through to the Spirit Sect realm in just one month, you are indeed putting a lot of pressure on me now. This time, I won't hold back."

Xiaoyaozi resolved to eliminate Yang Chengzhi in this match.

"It's nothing, really. I just read a book for a month, and my cultivation broke through," Yang Chengzhi said casually. He then pulled over the cloak on his back and pointed to the large characters on it. "See? It's this 'Mysterious Bookstore.' It's truly magical. One book allowed me to break through to the Spirit Sect realm."

Xiaoyaozi looked at Yang Chengzhi with confusion. If Yang Chengzhi hadn't looked so sincere, Xiaoyaozi would have thought he was joking.

"Gaining cultivation by reading?" Xiaoyaozi clearly didn't quite believe it.

"Wow, did you guys hear that? Yang Chengzhi said he broke through to the Spirit Sect realm by reading a book."

"Is that true? Is he messing with Xiaoyaozi?"

"Mysterious Bookstore? Is it really that magical?"

"Who knows? Yang Chengzhi's cloak has it written on the back, right? It's in Dubian Town. We can go check it out if we have the chance."

Regardless of whether they believed it or not, the name "Mysterious Bookstore" instantly spread throughout Jiaolong Plain.

"Completed!" While the audience at Jiaolong Plain was discussing the Mysterious Bookstore, Ma Feifei, who had been monitoring the mission's progress, saw the 10,000-point popularity mission instantly explode!

"Now all that's left is the readership," he thought, feeling pleased. Half of the main quest was complete, and the side quest was nearing its end.

"Brother Ma, aren't you worried at all?" Zhou Zhuling asked, seeing Ma Feifei's demeanor.

"I'm not worried!" Ma Feifei said truthfully. Although Yang Chengzhi had finished reading the entire Legend of the Condor Heroes and gained some cultivation techniques and martial arts from it, Xiaoyaozi, as the foremost figure of the younger generation in the Chu State, was undoubtedly powerful. Ma Feifei wasn't so arrogant as to think that Yang Chengzhi could crush Xiaoyaozi just by reading a book.

However, whether Yang Chengzhi won or lost had nothing to do with Ma Feifei! He wouldn't gain anything if Yang Chengzhi won, and he wouldn't lose anything if he lost. So why worry?

He and Yang Chengzhi were merely using each other; they couldn't even be considered friends.

The book he had written was indeed based on Yang Chengzhi as a prototype, but it didn't mean the book couldn't continue if Yang Chengzhi died. For this book, it was already nearing its finale. If Yang Chengzhi won, Ma Feifei would arrange a happy ending for him. If he lost, he would leave a tragic ending.

After all, many protagonists in his past life had died in their finales, yet their books still achieved great success. Sometimes, the protagonist's death even added depth to the book, making it a classic.

As for the publicity mission, Yang Chengzhi had also accomplished it. The fact of his rapid increase in strength was undeniable. Regardless of whether he won or lost, his Mysterious Bookstore would definitely see a surge in customer traffic.

Hmm~ Come to think of it, doesn't this feel a bit like biting the hand that feeds you?