414: Chapter 414 Victory is the only option; defeat is not an option!

In the middle of the two major camps, above that wide stretch of sea deliberately left vacant—

A massive blue Martial Arts Arena was suspended there!

The Martial Arts Arena was a standard circle, with a diameter exceeding a thousand meters.

Its entire body seemed carved from the purest blue crystal, crystal clear yet incredibly sturdy.

Countless complex and profound silver runes were inscribed on the grounds, and these runes were currently emitting a soft and steady glow.

They formed a translucent light shield, enveloping the entire Martial Arts Arena within.

It isolated the erosion of the external seawater and the interference of the powerful auras from both sides.

That place was the battlefield that would decide part of their fate and glory tonight!

After a moment, Qin Yan felt an extremely faint ripple, like the swaying of water, coming from the space beside him.

He turned his head to look, only to see that where his side had been empty...

A figure dressed in a simple green robe with an elegant face emerged silently.

It was exactly Director Liu Mu.

After about another three breaths, a similar fluctuation occurred in the space on the other side, and Vice-Director Lin Shui's figure finally manifested, landing on the other side of Xiao Shan.

His appearance was half a beat slower than Director Liu Mu's, and his aura also showed a trace of stagnation that was hard to detect.

Just from this extremely simple "appearance" order and these subtle differences, Qin Yan gained a more intuitive understanding of the strength levels of the three directors.

Clearly, in terms of controlling spatial power and the realm of merging with heaven and earth...

Xiao Shan was the most unfathomable, followed by Director Liu Mu, and then Lin Shui.

But all three had undoubtedly stepped into a mysterious realm that ordinary martial artists could hardly reach.

Just as Qin Yan was feeling emotional in his heart, Xiao Shan made a move.

He didn't say much, merely waving his palm casually toward Qin Yan's direction.

"Buzz—!"

A condensed and soft silver sword intent instantly enveloped Qin Yan.

Qin Yan only felt his whole body lighten, as if he had lost all weight.

His figure involuntarily drifted toward the very front of the human camp.

That force was gentle yet irresistible, steadily delivering him to the forefront of the human team, landing beside several military high-ranking generals with heavy auras.

At the same time, Xiao Shan, Director Liu Mu, and Lin Shui transformed into three rainbows of different colors, flying straight toward the airspace in front of the Sea Race camp in the center of the sea.

Almost at the same time, two majestic figures also flew out from within the Sea Race camp!

One figure was entirely covered in dark black scales, while the other was covered in deep blue crystal scales.

Both were holding giant halberds wrapped in flowing water.

They were exactly the powerhouses of the Dragon Whale Clan.

The two Sea Race high-rankers and Xiao Shan's group of three faced each other in the air across several hundred feet.

Invisible pressure collided and intertwined in the air, causing the seawater in that area to slightly dent downward; the atmosphere was heavy enough to be suffocating.

Neither side had any redundant pleasantries or nonsense.

Xiao Shan and those two Dragon Whale Clan powerhouses stepped forward simultaneously.

Their gazes met in the air, as if invisible electric sparks were crackling.

Immediately after, they raised their right hands at the same time, palms facing the sky.

Their lips opened and closed, and deep, grand voices rang out in a strange rhythm.

It wasn't the common human tongue or the Sea Race language, but rather a Dao Sound that was closer to the origin rules of heaven and earth.

It clearly entered the ears and hearts of every living being present:

"Today, Xiao Shan of the Human Race's Zhenhai City Defense Line, Blue Whale and Whale Slaughter of the Dragon Whale Clan, establish a pact here!"

"Each side shall dispatch three Fourth Rank Martial Artists to ascend the 'Vast Ocean Martial Arts Platform' for a duel. The losers will withdraw, and the winners will stay to fight until one side's three people are all gone!"

"The winning side shall obtain full extraction rights, passage rights, and patrol jurisdiction over certain areas of the eastern sea and the surrounding three hundred miles of sea for the next three years!"

"The losing side must immediately withdraw from the aforementioned areas and shall not interfere or obstruct in any form!"

"This pact is witnessed by Heaven and Earth, and based on the Rules!"

"If either side breaches the contract or uses power or external items beyond the scope of the agreement during the duel, the contract will backfire, causing the destruction of body and soul, and the withering of their bloodline!"

"Contract—Solidify!"

At the final three words, the three of them shouted in unison, their voices shaking the nine heavens!

The moment the words fell, the three of them simultaneously joined their fingers like blades and sliced their fingertips!

Three drops of blood containing majestic essence—one silver-white like a sword, one pitch-black as ink, and one deep blue as the sea—flew from their fingertips and converged in the air!

The blood met but did not merge; instead, as if they possessed life, they automatically outlined and intertwined.

They transformed into a blood-colored contract document emitting an ancient, majestic, and inviolable aura!

On the document, the contract content just recited was written in ancient runes.

Every word seemed to be burning, emitting the light of the Rules.

The document took shape, suspended in the air, vibrating slightly as if connected to the pulse of the entire world.

Then, under the gaze of countless powerhouses and soldiers from both sides, this blood-colored contract document slowly turned into countless fine light spots of various colors and scattered.

Ultimately, it completely merged into the surrounding air, seawater, and starlight, disappearing from sight.

Between heaven and earth, there seemed to be an additional invisible shackle and gaze.

The contract was established!

Heaven and Earth as witness, the Rules as the lock!

If any side violated it, they would suffer unimaginable backlash—true destruction of both form and spirit!

When the contract light spots completely dissipated, that solemn rule power enveloping heaven and earth also faded away.

Qin Yan, standing on the warship's deck, looked up and witnessed the entire process of the contract's formation.

His expression involuntarily became extremely serious.

"A contract document... using the essence blood and soul of powerhouses as a guide to communicate with the laws of heaven and earth, establishing an inviolable oath..."

He knew the weight of such a contract.

This meant that tonight's martial duel, which seemingly involved "only" three Fourth Rank Martial Artists, carried stakes behind it that were heavy enough to be suffocating!

If the human race lost, not only would they have to give up the crucial three hundred miles of sea, but the border defense pressure for the next three years would also increase drastically;

And as one of the contract signatories, if the human side breached the agreement, Director Xiao Shan might even face the end of being "punished by heaven and earth, with his soul completely perished!"

"Only victory, no defeat!"

He took a deep breath, suppressing the churning ripples in his heart, withdrew his gaze from high above, and cast it toward the human team beside him.

At the very front of the deck stood several high-ranking generals with heavy auras and shining epaulets; they were exactly the military high-rankers he had seen in the quiet room earlier.

And slightly behind these generals, two young martial artists stood quietly.