CHAPTER 459: CHAPTER 304 ONE-ON-ONE STRUGGLE

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"Killing everyone here benefits none of us," the young Master said. His mind was restless with fear, worried about how he would extricate himself from this situation. Even if he somehow managed to deal with the man here, he would still have to return home and inform his father of the battle’s result.

"I’m listening," Yan Xiaobao said hesitantly. Though he knew he could overpower everyone present, he also understood that if they ended up fighting the entire family, it would bring significant trouble. It wasn’t something he could take lightly. Nevertheless, if anyone dared to threaten his friends, Yan Xiaobao would endure all hardship to overcome them.

"Next week, we will have a one-on-one battle in the arena," the young Master said with a serious expression.

"In the arena, battles are to the death—no one is allowed to defy the verdict. If you lose, you must hand over the beast to us. If we lose, we will never bother you or your friends again." The young Master’s plan was for a one-on-one fight. Though the Necromancer possessed a soul shadow, if it was a one-on-one match, there was a chance he could be defeated.

"No deal," Yan Xiaobao’s voice cut through the crowd, extinguishing the sliver of hope the young Master had begun to hold.

"Arena battles will work to your advantage," said the white-haired boy, his voice devoid of emotion, presenting only the facts.

"If we lose, we must give up Sha Yun? Fine. But if you lose, you’ll have to hand over ten thousand Demon Coins or Demon Cores." His voice was steady and firm.

For any family, ten thousand Demon Cores was no trivial sum. If the Demon Dance Family weren’t as renowned as they were, they might not have so many liquid assets, but the young Master carefully weighed their options.

The first option was that they could all die here. The second option was to fight them, in which they would likely emerge victorious. It was clear which of the two options the young Master preferred. When he nodded with a smile, his choice was evident.

"Four days from now, at high noon, let our two groups battle each other." He spoke before quickly fleeing the scene to return home and inform his father of the matter.

Back at the Mercenary Guild, the entire team was under intense pressure. None of them could truly enjoy a leisurely stroll or reflect fondly on their meals. Instead, they were all deeply angered by the thought of facing a battle in the arena.

Entering the Mercenary Guild, Xu Biao stood waiting at the front, arms crossed over his chest. When they walked into the courtyard, his eyes seemed to scold them.

"Seriously, I leave you alone for one day. One day! And you go provoke the Demon Dance Family! Why not go and insult the City Lord while you’re at it?!"

Hearing Xu Biao’s scolding in this manner brought a smile to Yan Xiaobao’s face. The more he was chastised, the more he smiled, happy to receive the elder’s care.

"It’s fine," Yan Xiaobao said with a grin. "I’ll do everything in my power to ensure we don’t have to give up Sha Yun," he added casually. He didn’t even consider Deng Wu’s strength in the upcoming fight, even though he ranked as the strongest.

"This is no good!" Xu Biao said sternly, his expression grave. "They might use their strongest man. While the family head and elders won’t intervene, the family still controls several King-level experts. You’re just a Master-level cultivator—how do you expect to win against a King-level opponent?!"

"Don’t worry," Yan Xiaobao replied again, a confident smirk forming on his face. "I have a way to protect my life and deal with a King-level expert. Although I can’t use it often, I can use it in the next battle. For Sha Yun, I will give it my all."

Xu Biao and Xie Lan were stunned upon hearing this. Both were sure they had already seen the limits of his abilities during the battle with the Horned Snake, and later when he helped them escape the illusions of the Endless Forest. Yet here he was, claiming he hadn’t given his all. The shock was enormous.

"Let’s say I believe you," Xu Biao hesitated, his voice still riddled with doubt. "Even if you manage to defeat one of their men, they’ll likely involve their elders, and eventually, the family leader might step in. Do you truly have the strength to handle all of that at once?"

Hearing this, Yan Xiaobao took a moment to think. After contemplating, he nodded. "At the very least, I can survive. But as long as I win the first fight, they will swear to leave me alone. For the rest of the time, I’ll remain in the Demon Residence Cave."

The young man’s certainty in his voice caused significant unease in Xu Biao’s heart. The white-haired boy clearly knew his abilities well. Until now, everything he had said had proven accurate, leaving the elder somewhat convinced that Yan Xiaobao’s words were true. Yet, at the same time, doubt persisted.

A Master-level cultivator was endlessly weaker than a King-level expert. The gulf between them was vast, even worlds apart, and wasn’t something that could be bridged with Advanced Spiritual Art Skills alone.

Nevertheless, the young man seemed unwavering in his confidence. In the end, Xu Biao sighed and nodded. "If you can defeat the person they send, we will stand by your side and ensure they dare not take any further action. But if they win, I’m afraid there’s nothing we can do. The rules of the arena are absolute."