Perhaps it was due to their proximity, or perhaps the girl was stunned by Xu Mu's words; in any case, two blushes, like evening peach clouds, inexplicably appeared on Yin Shui'er's face.
Looking at the boy standing before her, Yin Shui'er's red lips parted slightly. She had many questions she wanted to ask, but in the end, she said nothing.
Seeing her like this, Xu Mu could probably guess what she wanted to ask, so he couldn't help but gently pinch her cheek, "I'll explain when I get back."
He pinched Yin Shui'er's cheek, and her face became even redder, like a ripe apple.
Then, Yin Zhongxiu raised an eyebrow and slightly tightened his grip on the long spear in his hand.
Wu Ye and Liang Shanping's expressions were exaggerated, their eyelids twitching involuntarily.
Yin Shui'er, on the other hand, widened her eyes as if she had witnessed something incredible.
He... had actually pinched her face?
"You can't touch my prey!"
Upon witnessing everything Xu Mu had done, an extremely angry roar suddenly came from the Heavenly Palace.
It pierced through the rules of space, reaching directly into the sea of consciousness, as if to shatter his soul. It was unclear whether the speaker was referring to Yin Shui'er or Wang Jue.
Xu Mu suffered pain and suddenly woke up.
Only then did he realize what he had done. To avoid embarrassment or a beating, he quickly coughed twice:
"Cough, cough... that..."
He avoided Yin Zhongxiu's murderous gaze and then, feigning hesitation, nodded:
"I agree to the duel."
"Good."
The old man's voice was full of vigor. The lotus flower in front of him slowly closed, and the vibrant greenness disappeared. The domain was completely lifted.
Yin Zhongxiu snorted, unsure whether it was at Xu Mu or the Tree Dwelling Elder.
Perhaps it was at both, but he retracted his spear.
"Today, here and now, you and Wang Jue will engage in a life-and-death battle. Regardless of the outcome, no one other than the two of you shall interfere."
As he spoke, the Tree Dwelling Elder took out a white paper from his embrace. With a wave of his hand, several lines of text immediately appeared on it, forming seven lines of writing. Xu Mu's name was already written below.
And the three characters at the very top were, without a doubt, the life-and-death contract.
"Xu Mu has agreed. Wang Jue, do you accept the challenge?"
"Of course," Wang Jue nodded proudly. He was a prodigy of the Imperial City; how could he be afraid of a fight?
The moment he agreed, the laws of heaven and earth seemed to respond.
Wang Jue's name appeared on the life-and-death contract.
The old man nodded and extended his finger, covered with the veins of age, and lightly pointed into the air.
*Buzz!*
Instantly, his robes billowed, a breeze swirled around the high platform, and the life-and-death contract flew into the air. Its white edges slowly began to turn green.
The power of life surged, causing it to grow wildly.
As a result, even ordinary people two hundred meters away could clearly read the words on it.
...
"Life-and-death contract."
"The contracting parties shall not use any means, disregard consequences, permit outside interference, and shall ensure absolute fairness. Afterward, no faction shall pursue any repercussions. Violators shall be dealt with according to the laws of Xia!"
Thousands of citizens looked up, staring blankly at the contract in the sky, carefully reading the words.
Those who could not read could only listen to others to understand the situation, like the two shop assistants who had clashed with Xu Mu earlier.
"Signatories: Wang Jue of the Demon Slaying Division, Xu Mu of Fengqing Village?!"
Upon hearing the man beside him finish reading these words, the scrawny shop assistant, whose clothes were dirty and stained with wine, froze on the spot.
He looked at the high platform, at the cloth-robed youth standing among the many ability users, his expression exaggerated.
This person was Xu Mu?
The one who, in his capacity as a night watchman, joined the Demon Slaying Division and achieved first-class merit!
*Boom!*
The other citizens of Luobucheng were in an uproar.
The soldier scratched his head, his expression strange.
So the young man who couldn't be called back was actually Xu Mu, who had achieved first-class merit and was framed to die in the tiger's maw. He was still alive!
But he... had just treated him like an idiot?
"This... how could this be..." The scrawny shop assistant, recalling his actions just now, suddenly felt dizzy. His heart stopped beating from fear, and he trembled as he sat down on the ground.
He was filled with terror, his pupils dilated, his face pale, completely losing his previous swagger.
He had actually led the mockery of an ability user, and not just once?
If the other party sought revenge, what would he do?
"You've really caused me a lot of trouble," the plump man's expression was as if someone in his family had died.
In this era, where was the way out for someone who offended an ability user? He was just an ordinary shop assistant in an ordinary tavern; Xu Mu could make him unable to survive with a mere flick of his finger!
The fatty's flesh trembled violently, his nose twitched, and he looked like he was about to cry at any moment.
He knew that even if Xu Mu didn't target them, the tavern owner would definitely not dare to employ him anymore.
Everyone would regard him as a plague god and keep far away, just like the civilians scattering now!
Looking at the empty space around him, the scrawny man, suppressing his fear, grasped at the last straw:
"It's okay, didn't he sign the life-and-death contract?"
"As long as he dies in this duel, we'll be fine!"
Hearing this, the fatty felt a flicker of hope, like a drowning man grasping at a straw, but his mood immediately sank back to the abyss.
"But... he achieved first-class merit, survived from West Mountain, and escaped death..."
"He'll die even if he doesn't die!" the scrawny man's voice was fierce, but it was only a show of bravado.
He seemed unwilling to let others see his guilt, and at this point, he was still concerned about his face!
"What did we say just now? He's only a Tier 1 ability user, while that Lord Wang Jue is Tier 2!"
"The gap between them is as vast as the gap between your intelligence and mine; it's impossible to win, do you understand?"
Although the fatty didn't understand, he didn't dare to argue further, because he also wished for Xu Mu to die quickly so that he could continue to live in obscurity.
He nodded like a little chicken pecking at rice.
"Scum!" The white-robed woman from the Nangong family, not far from the two, couldn't help but feel even more disgusted upon hearing this.
Xu Mu was a hero who had achieved first-class merit for Luobucheng. Just moments ago, they had been indignant on his behalf, but as soon as their own interests were threatened, these people unhesitatingly stood on his opposite side, wishing for the hero to die?
"You fight to the death, but what have you saved?"
Nangong shook her head. The world is heartless; everyone only cares about their own interests.
Human nature is truly the most terrifying thing.
However, she believed Xu Mu would not lose!
...