Chapter 784: Reneging on the Bet
The great battle overhead continued, both individuals injured, but Zhang Li was wounded more severely; his insufficient strength, compounded by his grievous injuries, made it increasingly difficult for him to withstand his opponent's assault.
The Zhang family below was extremely nervous, keenly aware of the consequences should Zhang Li fall. Thus, they neither wished to see Zhang Li defeated nor dared to imagine it.
At this moment, they had completely forgotten how they had once treated Zhang Li. They had disavowed him as one of their own, always regarding him with scowls and hostile glares, as if he were their mortal enemy. Yet now, they saw Zhang Li as their sole lifeline, terrified that any mishap might befall him.
The other party, those who had come seeking revenge, appeared considerably more relaxed. From the current situation, it was evident that they were guaranteed to win this wagered duel. These individuals held no particular affinity for Xu Meijing, and even less for Yang Haoran. On that day, when they received the news and rushed to the battle zone, it was not to aid Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing, but to retrieve the bodies of their deceased relatives or friends and exact their vengeance. Whether Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing lived or died, they couldn't have cared less, nor did they have the inclination to. After all, under such circumstances, they had no leisure to waste time on two strangers. It was precisely for this reason that, upon not finding Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing in the battle zone, they did not broaden their search as Ma Ling and the Underworld Office had done.
Their initial intention in coming to the Zhang family for revenge was to use violent means to utterly annihilate all remaining Zhang family members, leaving no future troubles. However, Xu Meijing, who belonged to their faction, proposed a wagered duel to Zhang Li. Originally, they had disagreed with the idea of a wagered duel, but Xu Meijing was too dominant, and they were inferior in skill. In the end, they could only proceed with the duel as Xu Meijing had suggested. Initially, they had harbored some concern, fearing that their chosen representative might lose to the youth, Zhang Li. However, judging by the current situation, they realized their worries were unfounded, as the scales of victory had already tipped entirely in their favor. In just a short while, Zhang Li would undoubtedly fall. As soon as Zhang Li was defeated, they believed Xu Meijing would have nothing more to say, and it would be only natural for them to destroy the Zhang family to vent their fury.
Just as the great battle appeared to be drawing to a close, at this precise moment, Zhang Li unexpectedly self-detonated his magic sword. The magic sword he was currently wielding was his most formidable artifact, one he normally hesitated to use for fear of damaging it. Yet now, to inflict harm upon his opponent and to buy himself a precious moment, he decisively detonated it. Buying time in such a manner came at an immense cost, but in the current circumstances, he could not afford to consider it. This wagered duel was one he could only win, not lose, for he knew he could not afford to fail. Once defeated, all remaining members of the Zhang family would perish. Therefore, no matter the price, he had to win this duel. Even if this artifact had always been his treasured possession, it paled in significance before the current crisis.
The power unleashed by the magic sword's self-detonation was immense. Caught off guard, the middle-aged man was swept up by this force; his body suffered a degree of injury, and he was simultaneously forced back. Zhang Li, seizing this opportunity, spat a mouthful of vital blood, then, using his fingertip as a brush and the void as his talisman paper, he swiftly drew a Blood Talisman. The instant the final stroke of this Blood Talisman was completed, a powerful surge of energy erupted from it. Even Yang Haoran, standing below, was drawn by the force of this Blood Talisman's release. Before he could discern what kind of talisman this Blood Talisman was, Zhang Li had already manipulated it to strike his opponent, successfully hitting the man's body.
Boom! ! !
Boom! ! !
This force directly knocked him from the sky, slamming him violently onto the ground, the immense impact carving a large crater into the earth.
Lying in the deep crater, the middle-aged man spat out another mouthful of blood. His face was ashen, and he instantly became utterly listless. He struggled a few times, attempting to rise, but to no avail. Evidently, he had now lost all capacity for combat. The Zhang family, once filled with ceaseless roars of battle, suddenly fell silent. The Zhang family members, reacting to the sight, immediately erupted in intense joy, for it was clear that the middle-aged man had lost his fighting ability, and thus victory naturally belonged to Zhang Li. The reactions of those who had come for revenge were precisely the opposite of the Zhang family's; without exception, their faces were extremely grim. Some even wore expressions of disbelief, as if unable to accept that the scene before their eyes was real.
“He has lost his combat ability and cannot continue fighting, so this wagered duel is mine to win. According to our agreement, you can no longer trouble our Zhang family. ”
Zhang Li slowly descended from the sky, covered in blood, his aura weak. His pale face was little better than that of the middle-aged man in the crater, the only difference being that he could still stand and speak, whereas the man in the pit could no longer rise, nor even utter a word. From the current circumstances, it was indeed Zhang Li who had won this wagered duel. All the Zhang family members were visibly excited. As long as these avengers were gone, they could live peaceful lives from now on, free from constant apprehension.
“Who said we lost this wagered duel? He isn’t dead yet, is he? You agreed to a life-and-death duel. Only when one party dies, and the other remains alive, can victory be claimed. Until he dies, we haven't lost. ”
A revenger suddenly spoke at this moment. It was a woman in her thirties, of unremarkable appearance, and she spoke quite casually. As soon as she uttered these words, not only did the Zhang family's expressions instantly turn ugly, but even the faces of those in her own faction shifted.
Though Zhang Li’s current physical condition was dire, it was certainly better than that of the man in the pit. If he wanted to kill the middle-aged man in the crater, just one more strike would be enough to destroy the man’s physical body. He hadn't done so purely because he didn't want to kill the middle-aged man; he believed that since a winner had been determined, there was no need to deliver a killing blow. The woman’s words now were clearly forcing him to kill the middle-aged man. “If you want to renege on the bet, just say so directly. Don’t use someone else’s life as a shield,” Zhang Li said coldly, his words coming in gasps due to his severe injuries.
“Hmph! Now you think it’s shameful to use another’s life as a shield? Did your Zhang family consider this when you schemed to frame my man? ”
The woman’s previous words hadn't resonated with others in her faction, some even found her assertion repulsive. But her current statement, however, struck a chord with the rest of their group. “Scheming to frame your relatives and friends, that was only the act of a very small portion of the Zhang family! Not every member of the Zhang family participated. Those who did participate have already been killed by you. The people alive now have no knowledge of this matter. You are victims, but they are victims too! ” Zhang Li took a deep breath, trying to make his words flow more coherently, but the effect was not very pronounced; he still struggled to speak. Moreover, his words had little impact; the avenging party simply wouldn't be swayed. “Whether this matter is unrelated to them, you know nothing! Now that the truth has come to light, of course they all want to distance themselves from it. Furthermore, it’s still uncertain whether Zhang Changchun and his son have been Soul Transformation. Perhaps those two are currently hiding in some corner here. If we don’t wipe out your Zhang family today, do we truly have to wait until they recover before they come back to settle scores with us? ” The speaker was no longer the woman from before, but a white-haired Old Man. His face was grim, and his tone was filled with disbelief and coldness, even betraying a hint of worry.
As his words fell, others present were preparing to speak, but a cold voice cut in ahead of everyone. “I already stated just now that if the Zhang family won the wagered duel, they would be spared, and if they lost, the Zhang family would be annihilated. All of you agreed. Are you now preparing to go back on your word? ”
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