Daily life of a cultivation judge

"Than I will have to thank you in advance for your assistance.." Chen Zholan said, his tone rife with sarcasm that matched the sardonic smile he wore.

Chen Gutian's sense of calmness had thrown him off a bit but after settling down, he felt relieved for not having to face Chen Zian. He couldn't help but throw another wary glance at Chen Zian in fear that he may decide to push as the challenger instead of letting Chen Gutian take it.

But when he saw Chen Zian stand silent, his heart relaxed. Chen Gutian was at the eleventh stage of the core formation realm, while he was at the eighth, but even though Chen Gutian was at the eleventh, in terms of combat ability, Chen Zholan felt he had nothing to fear from the former.

Chen Gutian was a washed-out old man with average talent. His accomplishments had more to do with the clan's backing and resources rather than his own talent. Left to his own devices, Chen Zholan strongly felt Chen Gutian's talent would tap out at the fourth stage of the core formation realm.

He was different. Other than Chen Xue, there were not many in the clan who's talents he ever felt inferior to, let alone an old man who needed copious amounts of resources just to reach the eleventh stage of the core formation realm. An amount that would have likely nurtured two peak-stage core formation experts with decent talent.

Chen Zholan had used about an eighth of the resources Chen Gutian had, but when it cto accumulations and foundations, Chen Zholan's achievements had left Chen Gutian's in the mud, be it the stability of their realms, their understanding of the dao of the sword.

From what Chen Zholan knew Chen Gutian had cultivated their legacy art up to the third leaf, whereas he, despite having a lower cultivation realm, being over a thousand years younger, had already cultivated to the fourth leaf, and if his fear of Chen Xue's talent had not infected his will power, he would have even made an attempt on the fifth leaf like the sect master and most of the top figures of the clan, registering himself as one of the youngest clan members to do so.

His odds of defeating Chen Gutian were much higher.

"Don't worry old man, I will send you to meet your son soon enough. How did someone with his talent ever father someone like that demon talent Chen Xue?

No, no, this is not the tto be thinking about that. Even for an old man with one foot at the doorstep of death, I need to be focused.." thought Chen Zholan as he took a few breaths to calm himself down before another worry snuck up on him.

"If I win the fight, would Chen Zian be able to issue the challenge again or another member of the clan?" Chen Zholan worriedly thought as he warily looked at Yang Qing.

If he could be challenged without pause by different members for the next seven days wouldn't he be stuck in perpetual challenges for the next seven days, and as the accused in this matter, he would probably have no say or rest placing him in an already precarious position?

Chen Zian as a challenger was a wall he did not need to think he could get past, maybe if fought recklessly, angling for a pyrrhic victory he could force a draw, but what then? What if after that one of the three suprelders decided to issue the challenge?

If it was as he feared then that meant, only an exhausting, and agonizing pain awaited him for the next seven days.

Overcoming whatever paralyzing fear he had of Yang Qing, Chen Zholan decided to raise his concerns on the matter.

"ExcuseJudge Yang Qing but I would like to confirm something about the death duel format?" Chen Zholan asked with a shake in his voice that shook just as much as his knees and hands as he cupped his fists.

"I was just about to explain the rules of the duel, if the rules don't address the query you have, feel free to ask after I'm done with the explanation..." said Yang Qing.

"That applies to the rest as well," he added.

"Thank you.." said Chen Zholan.

"The format of the blood debt duel and its accompanying rules are not many. It's actually just one that we really emphasize on, and the other is just an accompanying rule.

That rule is this.." Yang Qing paused his gaze trained on everyone present before it centered on Chen Zholan, Chen Gutian, and Chen Zian.

"A blood debt challenge can only be issued once. In the end, regardless of who is the victor or the loser, the debt is considered paid in full.

What do I mean?

What I mean is this, if Chen Gutian loses this battle, Chen Zholan's debt of murdering Chen Xue can be considered paid. By participating in the blood debt challenge regardless of the result, the debt is considered collected,

So Elder Chen Gutian, should you lose, your son's debt will still be considered repaid, and the Chen Clan can not reissue that challenge nor can you place that debt on any of Chen Zholan's direct relatives, be it his grandparents, parents, siblings, aunt and uncle, or whoever you might think to transfer that debt to since you can't have Chen Zholan.

If they are involved, whatever you do to them is up to you, but if they are not and you harm them in any way for that crime, it becomes the Order's matter.." Yang Qing said as he narrowed his eyes.

"As long as we are the officiators of this duel then Chen Xue's grievance ends with the single blood debt duel. It does not go past that. Is it clear?" asked Yang Qing.

Chen Zholan couldn't help but clench his fists in excitement. Even if he was still doomed to die,delaying it by even a few hours was still well worth it. At least he would not be tortured by his own clan members, and the duel was something that he could actually win. He even started making plans on how he would prolong the fight as much as he could to delay the onset of his sentence.