Chapter 22: Signing the Life-or-Death Contract-Eu só aceitei discípulos por acaso, como eles se tornaram Grandes Imperadores?(Espalhadas como estrelas sobre o rio inteiro.)

Once Luo Sanfeng finished speaking, Ye Xinghe replied with a leisurely air: "Luo Sanfeng, so you want to enter the competition? Very well, I shall grant your wish. However, since we are breaking the rules, we must settle the terms upfront."

As he spoke, he drew a piece of paper from his robe. On it were written the words "Death Warrant" in thick, dark ink, exuding a chilling aura of slaughter.

"If you want to fight, then let us fight, with both our lives on the line! If you truly have the courage to face me, sign this Death Warrant. That way, you won't be timid during our match, nor will you be able to use the Sacred Land's rules as a shield."

Ye Xinghe’s gaze was like a torch, fixed firmly on Luo Sanfeng as he spoke, enunciating every word clearly.

The crowd gasped in shock at the sight. Signing a Death Warrant meant this duel would be a fight to the death, with both parties wagering their lives—a level of resolve that had not been seen in the Grand Tournament for many years.

"Ye Xinghe, your arrogance knows no bounds!" Luo Sanfeng’s eyes widened, and he roared in fury. "This is merely a sect competition; is a life-or-death struggle truly necessary? Are you trying to intimidate me into backing down?"

Ye Xinghe let out a mocking laugh. "Intimidate you? Luo Sanfeng, you think too highly of yourself. You are the one who kept insisting on teaching me a lesson, refusing to stop until you achieved your goal. Why are you suddenly afraid now?"

"I, Ye Xinghe, have always been an honorable man. Once we sign this warrant, we can cast aside all restraints and fight to our hearts' content. It will ensure you admit defeat willingly."

"If you dare not sign, then get lost now and stop making a fool of yourself."

Luo Sanfeng weighed his options in silence. On one hand, he was truly incensed by Ye Xinghe’s provocation and longed to cut him down immediately. On the other hand, the risks of signing a Death Warrant were immense. Though he was confident in his own strength, the skill Ye Xinghe had just displayed could not be underestimated; in a life-or-death struggle, there were far too many variables. However, he reminded himself that Ye Xinghe had always been dismissed as the "Good-for-Nothing Peak Master."

Seeing Luo Sanfeng hesitate, the Peak Master of the Spirit Mine hurriedly stepped forward, whispering, "Elder Luo, think twice! You cannot sign this. If something goes wrong, the Sima family will have lost a great warrior. Let us swallow our pride for now and plan for the long term..."

Luo Sanfeng suddenly shoved the Spirit Mine Peak Master away, gritting his teeth as he hissed, "Shut up! If I don't sign this today, how could I ever show my face again? If Ye Xinghe isn't afraid of dying, why should I be?"

With that, he strode forward, snatched the Death Warrant from Ye Xinghe’s hand, pulled a brush from his robes, dipped it deep into the ink, and scrawled his name with a few sharp strokes. He then threw the warrant back at Ye Xinghe and snarled, "Ye Xinghe, are you satisfied now? Just wait—I will make you pay for this in blood!"

Ye Xinghe caught the warrant, examined it to ensure everything was in order, and tucked it into his robe with a calm expression. "Very well, then I will see you at the tournament. Luo Sanfeng, I hope you won't regret your decision today."

Seeing that the matter was settled, the elders sighed helplessly, knowing that any further interference would be futile.

One elder announced loudly, "Since the Death Warrant has been signed, the matter is settled. However, I hope both of you remember that while you are responsible for your own lives on the stage, you must still adhere to the basic rules of the tournament. Do not act recklessly; the Sacred Land will not be lenient with any violations!"

Ximen Feixue looked on with profound worry, tugging at Ye Xinghe’s sleeve. "Master, must you really engage in a life-or-death struggle with him? This Luo Sanfeng is full of tricks; I fear for you..."

Ye Xinghe reached out and gently patted Ximen Feixue’s head, smiling. "Do not worry, my disciple. Your master knows what he is doing. Since Luo Sanfeng has delivered himself to my doorstep, I shall use this opportunity to establish our authority and let the Sima family know that Tongtian Peak is not to be trifled with."

It was the perfect opportunity to stretch his limbs. Suddenly, a crisp system notification rang out in his mind, and a message appeared:

"Side Quest: Kill Luo Sanfeng. Reward upon success: One Chaos Spirit Bead, capable of helping a cultivator break through a bottleneck instantly and advance a major realm of cultivation."

"One Earth-Grade High-Tier cultivation technique: 'World-Ending Divine Thunder Art.' Once mastered, you can control powerful thunder-attribute spiritual energy with unparalleled destructive force."

"One random divine artifact, attributes unknown."

Ye Xinghe was overjoyed. He had not feared Luo Sanfeng to begin with, but now, bolstered by the system quest and its generous rewards, he mused that he could utilize the divine weapon previously granted by the system. With its immense power, he would surely crush Luo Sanfeng in this duel, resolve this troublesome threat once and for all, and reap a bounty of precious rewards—killing two birds with one stone.

Amidst the anticipation and hushed whispers of the crowd, half an hour passed in the blink of an eye.

A white-haired elder slowly stood up, scanning the arena with a majestic gaze. His booming voice echoed across the heavens.

"Everyone, quiet! In accordance with the agreement between Elder Luo Sanfeng of the Sima family and Peak Master Ye Xinghe of Tongtian Peak, and given that both have signed a Death Warrant, I hereby grant Luo Sanfeng an exception to participate in this sect tournament to face Ye Xinghe. Both parties, take the stage!"

As the elder finished, the entire arena erupted into a frenzy. Disciples from every peak stood up, craning their necks and locking their eyes on the stage, filled with anticipation. This unprecedented life-or-death duel was undoubtedly the most anticipated and striking contest of the entire tournament.

However, the spectators had already made up their minds. Ye Xinghe was a "Good-for-Nothing Peak Master"—how could he possibly be a match for Luo Sanfeng?

A thin, sharp-faced disciple in the crowd shouted sarcastically, "Ye Xinghe, stop being so delusional! Elder Luo is renowned for his prowess. You, a mere good-for-nothing, should kneel and beg for mercy now; perhaps Elder Luo will spare your life. Otherwise, if you lose your life later, it will be too late for regrets!"

As soon as he spoke, a wave of laughter and agreement rippled through the surrounding crowd.

Ye Xinghe’s gaze turned as cold as a blade as he swept it toward the disciple, letting out a sharp huff: "Noisy!"

He then swung his sleeve through the air, and a massive, invisible surge of spiritual energy rolled out like a tidal wave. It spanned the distance of several yards in an instant, striking the disciple squarely in the face.

"Slap!"

A crisp, resounding sound echoed through the silent venue. The disciple was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, tumbling several yards through the air before crashing heavily to the ground and rolling in a pathetic heap. His cheek swelled instantly, and blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

In a word: miserable.

In an instant, the entire arena fell deathly silent, everyone stunned into stillness by the sudden turn of events.

Those who had been waiting to watch the spectacle and mock Ye Xinghe now stood with mouths agape and eyes wide, staring at the proud figure on the stage, their hearts churning with shock.

"This... how is this possible? Since when did Ye Xinghe become so powerful?"

"He was actually able to strike from a distance; such strength is far from the rumors of him being a good-for-nothing!"

Even the Peak Masters, who usually held themselves in high regard, sat up straight, their expressions solemn as they locked their eyes on Ye Xinghe, secretly wondering how he had attained such shocking strength in such a short time.