CHAPTER 461: CHAPTER 305: AFTER ALL, A MASTER

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Although Yan Xiaobao had the ability to control Wuwei Lanfeng’s refinement, it is important to remember that, after all, he was still just a Master. The only reason he entered Wu Wei’s domain was because there was a Phoenix in his Dantian Cave. Although this Phoenix was a Saint, sadly, it had not made Yan Xiaobao one.

Fortunately for Yan Xiaobao, a King-level expert ranks as the first layer of the Upper Dantian. Their understanding of Wu Wei’s strength and the overall concept of power is far inferior to a Saint’s, meaning the two sides might wield comparable energy in today’s battle.

Yan Xiaobao let out a deep sigh and nodded to his friends one last time before stepping onto the stage. Everyone on the stage was visibly tense, watching to see what would unfold. Once the challenge was issued, rumors spread rapidly throughout the city; rumors that said the participants would include a Master specializing in necromancy.

What was happening now was a duel between a young Master-ranked individual stepping forward and, though remarkable, it was still evident he was only a simple Master. He could never hope to contend with a King Ranking Expert from the opposing side.

Standing on the stage, a muscular man in his designated corner laughed heartily upon seeing his opponent. His eyes narrowed with amusement as his booming laughter echoed.

"Careful now," said the young Master, one of the three participants in the arena. His warning seemed more insulting than helpful to the brawny man.

"This’ll be a walk in the park," the man chuckled. "Don’t worry, young Master, I’ll kill him for you, and then you can claim that magical beast of his."

With that, the muscular man stepped forward, heading toward the stage itself. Just as he was about to fully enter, he stopped, raising an arm toward the heavens. At first, a small cheer could be heard, but before long, the cheers grew louder and louder. The entire arena erupted in applause and roars for the muscular man, who smirked smugly in self-satisfaction.

Arrogant and utterly pleased with himself, the man glanced at Yan Xiaobao, only to see the young man staring at him with complete indifference. No matter what the muscular man did, there was no reaction. Instead, Yan Xiaobao’s eyes were locked onto every movement the giant made, memorizing and analyzing them all.

"Today!" the giant started shouting, his voice silencing the crowd that was still cheering him on. "Today, you shall bear witness to a battle of life and death between me and this young lad!"

Every word he said echoed across the entire stage. Unlike Zhou Long or Yan Xiaobao, who spoke in natural or subdued tones, every listener could clearly hear his voice. It was not one filled with power or vitality—it simply boomed with sheer volume!

"This duel comes with two prizes!" he continued, basking in the audience’s response. "If we win, we’ll claim that serpent beast over there. If these challengers triumph, they’ll earn some Demon Coins from our clan."

"Everyone here is a witness to this agreement. As with all matters in the arena, disputes initiated here will conclude with the loser’s blood!"

At this point, he could no longer speak, as the arena’s uproar drowned him out. Aside from the audience’s screams and cheers, nothing could be heard. Yet Yan Xiaobao paid them no mind.

Yan Xiaobao panted lightly, staring at the man before him. This was a battle to the death, which meant there were no rules. Anything one chose to do would be valid. If anyone fell from the stage, the opposing side would win. Beyond that, nothing was off-limits.

As the battle approached its beginning, Yan Xiaobao began spreading his Qi, forming a Qi Guard around him. That was not enough. He also unleashed his spiritual energy, letting it encase his body in a silvery glow, shielding him from forthcoming harm.

Initially, he decided to test out this new opponent. He summoned three fireballs—all red, or rather, orange.

These fireballs were Yan Xiaobao’s standard attack. He intended to use them to probe the man before him. As they were hurled forth, they enlarged rapidly, absorbing more and more essence from heaven and earth along the way.

As he cast these fireballs, Yan Xiaobao utilized his spiritual energy to make them move at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye. And yet, a King Ranking Expert could clearly track the fire’s trajectory. With a confident smirk, the opponent allowed the fireballs to explode against his chest, showing barely any visible damage.

Both sides were momentarily shocked. Although the opponent was a King-level expert, Yan Xiaobao had anticipated his flames would inflict more damage than just a minor burn on his opponent’s skin. On the other hand, the opponent never imagined that mere firepower from a Mage could mar his supposedly impervious body.

Gauging the disparity between their strengths, both sides hesitated briefly. But after mentally calming himself with the constant reminder that his adversary was "just a Master," the King Ranking Expert finally made his move.

Charging forward, the King unleashed golden light emanating from his body, specifically from his forehead, his Upper Dantian.

This golden light did not swirl around his robust frame like Yan Xiaobao’s spiritual energy and Qi. Instead, it floated toward his head and coalesced into a massive halberd. Fixing his gaze on it, he let out a thunderous roar, aiming it directly at the young man before him.