Chapter 1000: Duel Agreement**

Ouyang Huajin didn't keep Meng Zhang waiting for too long. A few days later, he sent a challenge letter through a messenger.

The letter specified that in three days' time, at the large training ground outside the imperial city, Ouyang Huajin intended to have a fair and public showdown with Meng Zhang. The purpose was to settle the grievances between them.

Within the capital, all private duels were prohibited by official regulations. Cultivators were not allowed to engage in fights or battles in secret.

However, disputes were inevitable within the Cultivation World. Moreover, the Dali Dynasty itself held a culture that revered the strong and looked down upon the weak. Whether it was official or civilian, there was a profound martial spirit prevalent throughout.

Therefore, the Dali Dynasty had specific laws in place.

If Cultivators had disputes that could not be resolved peacefully and they insisted on resorting to combat, they needed to first register their intention with the authorities. Then, under the supervision of designated officials, they would engage in a public showdown at a specific location.

Through life-and-death battles, they would resolve their disputes.

With Ouyang Huajin's influence, it was easy for him to handle all the necessary procedures.

Shortly after he sent the challenge letter, dedicated officials arrived at Meng Zhang's location to confirm his participation in the upcoming duel.

Ouyang Huajin's actions amused Meng Zhang.

What was this? Did he really see him as a pushover?

Putting aside other factors, the difference in their Cultivation Bases was quite apparent.

The gap between the mid-Primordial Spirit stage and the early-Primordial Spirit stage wasn't insurmountable, and there had been numerous successful instances of crossing realms to challenge opponents.

However, Meng Zhang was not a cultivator who was weak in combat, nor was he a subpar Primordial Spirit cultivator.

He had experienced battles aplenty, having weathered many fights where he triumphed over stronger adversaries. The path he had walked was steeped in bloodshed.

For an idle playboy to dare to underestimate him like this was simply inviting disaster.

Meng Zhang readily agreed to the duel, and without hesitation, he signed the life-and-death agreement.

If the other party sought death, he would wholeheartedly oblige.

After obtaining official recognition from the Dali Dynasty, this duel was both legitimate and official.

While Meng Zhang was undoubtedly irritated, he hadn't lost his rationality.

The fact that his opponent dared to challenge him despite being weaker might indicate that there was some hidden card up their sleeve that he wasn't aware of.Although he had the determination to win, he wouldn't underestimate his opponent.

After all, the other party was a Primordial Spirit cultivator, and they had a deep background with support behind them.

Meng Zhang specifically informed the Five Punishments Guard about the upcoming duel.

Understanding Meng Zhang's concerns, Feng Baoshan once again assured him, pounding his chest in pledge.

For this duel, the Five Punishments Guard would absolutely not remain indifferent. Even if he had to exert all his efforts, Feng Baoshan would not permit any underhanded actions from the other side to influence the fairness of the contest.

With Feng Baoshan's assurance, Meng Zhang didn't have to worry too much about the possibility of his opponent using sneaky tricks before or after the duel.

Meng Zhang wasn't afraid of a fair contest; he was just worried that his opponent might employ some despicable tactics.

With his concerns addressed, Meng Zhang calmly awaited the day of the duel at the inn.

The three days passed quickly.

Early in the morning, Meng Zhang arrived at the large training ground not far from the imperial city.

This was the place where the imperial army practiced their drills.

The area was vast and equipped with various restrictions and formations.

Several sparring arenas were designated here specifically for public duels between cultivators.

With the protection of a great formation and the supervision of strong individuals from the imperial army, there was no need to worry about the aftermath of the battle causing extensive damage or spreading to the surroundings.

When Meng Zhang arrived at the sparring arena, the spectator stands were already filled with cultivators who had come from far and wide.

Although Meng Zhang's reputation wasn't prominent in the capital, Ouyang Huajin was a well-known figure. While it might not be accurate to say that everyone knew him, he was at least a widely recognized personality in the capital.

The news of his open challenge to Meng Zhang hadn't been deliberately kept secret.

In just three days, the information had spread throughout nearly the entire capital.

In the capital, there were many figures who were interested in the public duel between them.

There were even more onlookers who had nothing better to do and came to watch the spectacle.

Sun Sheng, despite his many flaws, had a military background and a strong sense of loyalty.

Today, he dared to accompany Meng Zhang to the sparring arena, showing no fear of making enemies among Meng Zhang's opponents.

Walking behind Meng Zhang, Sun Sheng looked at the many uninvited distinguished figures in the stands and felt a bit apprehensive.

Unlike Sun Sheng, Meng Zhang's thoughts were less complex. Hovering in the air, he casually glanced around the stands.On the high platform to the west of the stands, Han Yao, the Grand Minister of the Dali Dynasty, sat in a dignified manner.

Behind him stood the brothers Feng Baoshan and Feng Baofeng, serving on his left and right.

Meng Zhang was unexpectedly greeted by the presence of Han Yao, his immediate superior, who had taken time out of his busy schedule to come. This was clearly an effort to show support for Meng Zhang.

Having recently joined the Five Punishments Guard, receiving the backing of Han Yao gave Meng Zhang a greater sense of affinity toward the organization.

With Han Yao present, there was no need to worry about the opponent leveraging their background to employ any secretive tactics.

On the platform, there were several individuals Meng Zhang hadn't interacted with before, and among them were notable figures that even Sun Sheng regarded with apprehension.

Apart from Gu Yue Family's Gu Yuedu, Meng Zhang had only heard about the others at most.

Sun Sheng whispered introductions to Meng Zhang as they stood together.

Seeing Han Yao's appearance, Sun Sheng felt a sense of reassurance. Although Han Yao had a longstanding rivalry with Lord Swordmaster Ouyang Jian and often engaged in confrontations with him, Han Yao's open support for Meng Zhang indicated that he held Meng Zhang in high regard.

Sun Sheng thought that his decision to befriend Meng Zhang over these past days was a wise choice.

Within the stands, many individuals of notable stature gestured toward Han Yao and even some who had good relations with him greeted him.

Those eligible to interact with Han Yao were at least Primordial Spirit stage cultivators and possessed extraordinary status.

Most of the cultivators who greeted Han Yao displayed a low profile and a hint of deference.

Observing this scene, Meng Zhang gained a new understanding of Han Yao's influence within the court.

Although Han Yao had risen in the court not too long ago, his personal abilities and cultivation base were formidable. Furthermore, with the wholehearted support of Ba Wudi, his position and influence within the court were continuously expanding.

His unwavering stance against Demonic Cultivation made him enemies within the court but also garnered him many friends and supporters. After all, no matter how deeply Demonic Cultivation infiltrated the Dali Dynasty or how extensive its influence was, it could never become mainstream.

Essentially, Demonic Cultivation was always something hidden in the shadows, much like a rat that shunned the light.

Within the court, while there were individuals colluding with Demonic Cultivation, there were even more who detested it.

[!!! 1000 !!!, hah! We did it guys!]

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