Chapter 914
Chapter 914
Holding the invitation to the "Contract Dao Discussion" branch altar that Tianji Pavilion had obtained for him, Fu Shaoping followed the crowd toward the "Contract Dao Platform" that was specially set up for contract cultivators.
The platform was circular, a thousand feet in diameter, paved with special stone imbued with the rules of the contract, and surrounded by tiered viewing seats. At this moment, the area around the platform was already packed with people, including not only the contractual cultivators participating in the discussion, but also countless other cultivators interested in this path who came to observe.
Fu Shaoping verified his invitation at the entrance and was guided to the contestant waiting area. Dozens of contract cultivators were already waiting there, their auras varying in strength, but those who had received invitations were at least at the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm and possessed unique aspects of their contract cultivation.
His gaze swept across the area, and he quickly noticed the key individuals he was focusing on.
Meng Qingyuan, dressed in a blue robe, with a gentle and refined demeanor, was talking quietly with several disciples of the Tianyan Sect. Sensing Fu Shaoping's gaze, he looked up, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, before smiling and nodding in greeting.
Luo Bingyun, dressed in white and carrying a long sword, stood quietly in a corner, exuding a cold sword intent that kept strangers at bay, yet also containing a strange rhythm of contract.
Lei Dong was a burly man with flowing purple hair. He stood with his arms crossed, his eyes looking down at others, exuding a domineering aura.
The old fortune teller huddled in the shadows of a corner, his body hunched over, holding a worn-out abacus, fiddling with it with his head down, his face obscured.
Dressed in red, Huo Ling'er resembled a leaping flame, excitedly looking around and chattering with an old man beside her.
In addition, there were several other cultivators with concealed auras and peculiar attire who also caught Fu Shaoping's attention.
"It seems that in the past twenty years, many talented individuals have indeed emerged in the Central Plains," Fu Shaoping thought to himself. He found a quiet spot, closed his eyes to rest, and waited for the discussion to begin.
Soon, a magnificent voice resounded throughout the entire Contract Platform:
"The Grand Assembly of All Laws, the branch forum for the Contractual Discussion, shall now begin!"
"First segment: Explanation of Contract Principles. Fellow Daoists, please come up on stage one by one to demonstrate the core essence of your own Contract Dao, or to explain your unique insights into the rules of contracts. Representatives from the five major forces and three specially invited Contract Masters will jointly evaluate and select the best to advance to the next segment."
"Now, let's draw lots to determine the order of appearance!"
The curtain has officially risen on the debate on contracts.
Fu Shaoping slowly opened his eyes, the contract runes flowing within them, calm and resolute.
His stage is here, right now.
The Grand Assembly of All Laws: A Discussion on Contracts (Part 1)
The lottery results came out quickly.
Fu Shaoping drew the seventeenth position, which was neither too early nor too late, allowing him to observe the performance of the cultivators ahead of him without having to wait too long and lose his edge.
The first stage, "Explanation of the Contractual Principles," may seem simple, but it best reflects a cultivator's foundation and comprehension. The Way of Contracts is profound and complex, and everyone's understanding focuses on different aspects. How to clearly demonstrate one's core essence in a short time and gain the judge's approval is a skill in itself.
"First place, Huo Ling'er from the 'Heavenly Fire Sect' of the Southern Li Domain."
The girl in red leaped onto the stage, radiating energy. She first bowed to the surroundings with her hands clasped, then raised her hand, and a ball of crimson flame suddenly appeared in her palm. The flame danced and leaped, not an ordinary spiritual fire, and within it, intricate contract runes flowed faintly.
"Junior Huo Ling'er cultivates the 'Fire Element Contract'." Her voice was clear and crisp. "Fire is violent, burning, and destructive. But the Fire Element Contract is more than that. Fire can melt metal and stone, refine impurities, warm the cold winter, and dispel darkness. What junior has comprehended lies in the true meaning of the dual contract of 'Fire Refinement' and 'Fire Protection'."
As she spoke, she manipulated the flames, sometimes transforming them into a fiery hammer, mimicking forging and smelting; other times, they became a protective shield of flames, radiating warmth and protection. Even more remarkably, the contractual fluctuations within the flames were clear and stable, demonstrating her solid foundation.
"Using fire as a bond, forging all things, and protecting this region. Excellent." On the judging panel, an elder judge dressed in a crimson Taoist robe, from the Nine Heavens Thunder Palace (who also practiced fire magic), nodded in approval.
After Huo Ling'er finished her performance, she proudly raised her chin and jumped off the stage.
"Second place, Iron Battle of the 'Golden Stone Gate' in the Western Regions."
A burly man with metallic skin stepped onto the stage. He practiced the "Golden Iron Contract," emphasizing the "strength," "sharpness," and "endurance" of the contract. His presentation was simple yet profound, and it won him recognition.
Subsequently, one by one, the contracted cultivators took to the stage.
Some demonstrate the "nourishing" and "changing" aspects of the "Water Element Contract"; others demonstrate the "growth" and "constraint" of the "Wood Element Contract"; still others demonstrate the "bearing" and "suppressing" aspects of the "Earth Element Contract." The Five Elements Contract is a relatively common school of basic contract theory.
Some people also displayed more unconventional contracts. A cultivator from the Northern Xuan Region demonstrated the "Freezing" and "Annihilation" of the "Ice Contract"; a rogue cultivator demonstrated the "Swiftness" and "Penetration" of the "Wind Contract"; and even a demon cultivator demonstrated the "Bloodline Contract," a racial talent.
Fu Shao watched calmly, constantly verifying what he had learned. The understanding of contracts among these cultivators, whether profound or superficial, orthodox or unorthodox, all brought him some inspiration. The Central Divine Continent was indeed teeming with talent, and the way of contracts flourished in a hundred different ways.
Soon, it was the turn of several key individuals to be monitored.
Ninth, Lei Dong takes the stage.
He strode to the center of the platform, and without a word, spread his arms, his body instantly bursting with lightning! Streaks of purple lightning danced on his body, crackling and exploding, condensing into a suit of lightning armor, and in his hand he gripped a warhammer made of pure lightning!
"My covenant is thunder!" Lei Dong's voice boomed like a bell. "Thunder is the might of heaven! Swift, violent, decisive, and annihilating! The covenant of thunder is to use absolute power to shatter all shackles and eradicate all evil!"
He slammed his hammer into the ground! The platform trembled, and a thick bolt of lightning spread out along the hammer's strike. The domineering lightning essence contained within it perfectly combined with the contractual fluctuations of "Judgment" and "Exorcism," creating an astonishingly powerful force!
"Excellent!" On the judging panel, the elder of the Nine Heavens Thunder Palace clapped his hands and laughed, clearly extremely satisfied. The other judges also nodded in agreement. Although Lei Dong's contract path leaned towards attack, its true meaning was pure, its power immense, and its potential extraordinary.
The thirteenth person to take the stage is Luo Bingyun.
Her steps were light and graceful, like leaving no trace on the snow. After stopping, she did not immediately display her sword, but slowly drew it from her back. The sword was like a pool of autumn water, its cold light chilling.
"A sword is an edge. A contract is a pact." Luo Bingyun's voice was cold. "I use the sword to carry the contract, and the contract to control the sword. Where the heart goes, the sword points, and the contract binds."
As soon as she finished speaking, she lightly swung her longsword, unleashing an invisible sword aura. The sword aura didn't travel straight, but rather traced a mysterious trajectory in the air, leaving faint, almost invisible contract runes in its wake. These runes weren't attacks, but rather formed a "sword intent contract field." Those within this field would feel their movements sluggish and their true energy flow impeded, as if bound by an invisible contract.
"The Heart-Sword Pact, forged with sword intent, binds the opponent, and even...influences their mind." Luo Bingyun sheathed her sword, and the contract field slowly dissipated. The judges' eyes gleamed with amazement. Combining sword intent with a contract to create a unique "Sword Intent Contract Field"—such creativity and control were truly rare. The elders of the Taixu Sword Palace smiled, feeling honored.
The fifteenth person, the old fortune teller, slowly walked onto the stage.
He remained hunched over, head down, fiddling with the worn abacus in his hands, producing a crisp "clattering" sound. The sound seemed to contain some strange rhythm, unsettling the listener.
"The way of contracts, to put it bluntly, is about settling accounts," the old man with the cunning said in a hoarse voice. "You give what you get; I give what I get. Fair trade, no cheating the young or the old. If anyone tries to renege on their debt... hehe."
He raised his head, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his cloudy old eyes, and suddenly shook the abacus in his hand!
"Contract Backlash - Illness!"
An invisible, malevolent, and cursed contractual wave instantly enveloped a testing stone within a ten-zhang radius in front of him. The hard surface of the testing stone cracked and turned gray at a visible speed, as if it had instantly undergone millions of years of disease and erosion, losing all its spirituality!
"Those who renege on their debts will always pay the price." The old fortune teller smiled sinisterly, put away his abacus, and returned to his half-dead state.
A collective gasp rippled through the audience. A cursed contract! And so strangely powerful! This old fortune teller was no ordinary person.
The judges frowned slightly. Although the cursed contract was still a type of contract, it was too insidious and disliked by the righteous path. However, the old man of the Ghost Calculator's application of the contract backlash rule had indeed reached an extremely high level, and they had to admit his skill.
"The seventeenth, a rogue cultivator, Lu Ping."
It was finally Fu Shaoping's turn.
He straightened his robes and walked calmly to the center of the platform. Instantly, all eyes were on him. The brilliant performances of the previous geniuses had already raised expectations; what could this seemingly ordinary cultivator, with his composed demeanor but no illustrious background, possibly offer?
Fu Shaoping did not immediately demonstrate. He first bowed slightly to the judges and the surrounding audience, then calmly began to speak:
"Contracts originate from 'trust,' take shape from 'agreement,' and are sublimated by 'the Way.' Trust is the foundation of a contract; agreement is the norm for conduct; and the Way is the soul of a contract."
His voice was not loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly, carrying a convincing rhythm.
"What I cultivate is the 'Way of the Origin of Contracts.' It is not bound by the Five Elements, nor by changes, nor by good or evil. What I seek is the essence of contracts—fairness, order, protection, purification, and judgment."
He raised his right hand, palm facing upward, and a point of pale golden light of the contract's origin slowly condensed.
"Contract Guardian".
The light spread, transforming into a pale golden circular shield, its surface shimmering with countless tiny protective runes, exuding a calm and resolute aura.
"Contract purification".
The shield turned pure white, radiating a pure energy that cleansed all filth and dispelled all evil thoughts, causing some cultivators practicing dark arts below the stage to feel uncomfortable.
"Contractual Judgment".
The pure white light then turned into dark gold, carrying an undeniable majesty and sharpness, as if it could cut off all injustice and punish all breaches of contract.
The three forms transitioned smoothly and effortlessly in Fu Shaoping's palm, demonstrating his profound and harmonious understanding and control over the true meaning of these three contracts. Even more remarkable was the purity and primal aura of the contract power, which far surpassed that of most cultivators before him.
On the judging panel, several elders exchanged glances, their eyes gleaming. The judging elder from the Tianyan Sect (an elderly man with white hair and beard) leaned forward slightly, carefully sensing the contract fluctuations emanating from Fu Shaoping.
"This child... the origin of the contract is so pure and profound, and it seems to have been integrated with some higher level of power and true meaning..." The elder of Tianyan Sect was shocked.
After demonstrating the three fundamental true meanings, Fu Shaoping did not stop. He clasped his hands together, and the three lights instantly merged, transforming into a hazy, undefined stream of energy that contained the primordial aura of a covenant created at the dawn of time!
"The three contracts return to their origin, tracing back to the essence. The way of contracts, though ever-changing, remains true to its core principle—maintaining order in the world and protecting the peace of all living beings."
A hazy mist swirled in his palm before slowly dissipating.
The official residence was completely silent.
After a brief silence, the elder of the Tianyan Sect on the judging panel clapped his hands first: "What a wonderful 'Way of Contractual Origin'! What a wonderful 'Three Contracts Returning to the Origin'! Young friend, your understanding of the Way of Contractual Origin has touched upon the true essence of origin. Rare indeed!"
The other judges nodded in agreement, their eyes full of approval. Fu Shaoping's presentation lacked flashy special effects and unconventional novelty, yet it went straight to the core of the contract. His solid foundation, profound understanding, and exquisite control were truly admirable.
Below the stage, Meng Qingyuan's eyes flashed with intense fighting spirit; Luo Bingyun's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly; Lei Dong snorted, but had to admit that the other party did have unique skills; the old man who was fiddling with the abacus paused, and a trace of fear flashed in his turbid eyes.
Huo Ling'er's eyes widened even more, and she whispered to the old man beside her, "Master, this Lu Ping is so amazing! He seems even more powerful than Senior Brother Meng..."
"Silence." The old man said in a low voice, but his gaze toward Fu Shaoping was also full of amazement.
Fu Shaoping bowed to the judges' panel again and calmly stepped down from the stage.
After the first round concluded, the judging panel, following a brief discussion, announced the list of participants advancing to the next round. Twenty individuals, including Fu Shaoping, Meng Qingyuan, Luo Bingyun, Lei Dong, the Old Man of the Ghost Calculator, and Huo Ling'er, successfully advanced.
The second stage: "Contractual Performance".
Rules: Players will be drawn into pairs for a battle. Instead of direct combat, they will use contract spells to attack or protect a designated "contract target." Judges will give a comprehensive score based on the sophistication, power, creativity, and depth of application of the contract rules of the contract spells.
"Now, the matchups will be decided by drawing lots!"
Fu Shaoping's opponent was Shi Jian, a late-stage Golden Core cultivator from a cultivation family in the Central Region who practiced the "Earth Pact".
The battle began quickly.
The first few matches each had their highlights, but the overall level was slightly lower than that of the top players in the first round.
It was Fu Shaoping and Shi Jian's turn. (End of Chapter)