CHAPTER 460: CHAPTER 304 ONE-ON-ONE STRUGGLE_2

Yan Xiaobao nodded. He had already guessed so much, but he wasn’t too worried about this battle. His determination was steadfast, and he was prepared to use his soul fusion with Lan Feng for the first time. Whether the bird liked it or not, now was the moment for Yan Xiaobao to harness the energy refined by Phoenix. To save a friend, he would give it his all.

"Do you plan to ask for permission first?" Lan Feng sighed deeply. Even if he opposed it, there was no way to stop Yan Xiaobao. Their souls were merged, and because of this fusion, the bird could refine more martial power at a time. But equally, because of this fusion, Yan Xiaobao could access energy without asking for permission. Everything belonging to Lan Feng also belonged to Yan Xiaobao.

"Even if you refuse, nothing will change," Yan Xiaobao said with a sigh. "Would requesting permission make you feel better?"

"No," Lan Feng chuckled sarcastically. "Though I’d like to say no, I know this is a very critical situation."

"I won’t take over your body and do it for you," Phoenix continued. "Instead, you can throw yourself down together with my martial power, just don’t get yourself killed."

Upon hearing Lan Feng’s approval of his plan, Yan Xiaobao felt as if a giant weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Gratitude filled his entire soul, causing the Phoenix within his Dantian to proudly ruffle its feathers.

"In this world, death is always looming," Phoenix warned Yan Xiaobao. "We shouldn’t fear death, as long as it’s something we encounter on the path of vengeance. Some things are more important than living, and one of those things is friendship. Sha Yun is an important friend. If you don’t stand by her, then I will lose respect for you."

These words brought a bitter smile to the white-haired man’s face. Since entering the underground city, this was the most he’d ever heard from Phoenix. Yet now was the ideal moment for these words. This was the most dangerous situation they had faced since arriving in these caves.

"You know, you could always ask her for something to thank you for saving her," Lan Feng continued. But before he could finish clarifying what Yan Xiaobao should ask for, the young man interrupted him. "I refuse to give birth to any snake babies. That’s enough. Go refine some more martial power; we all need it."

....

After finishing his conversation with Lan Feng, Yan Xiaobao, like everyone else, returned to his room. Yan Xiaobao sat on the bed, entering into meditation, slowly allowing the tranquil blue cloud to encircle him.

Unlike last time, Yan Xiaobao maintained complete control, ensuring the cloud didn’t leave his room. With the essence of the sky and earth flooding into the small chamber, one could feel how charged this space became. The vitality entered his body and was refined into Qi and spiritual energy.

The blue cloud operated in the same manner as the stone he had just obtained. When the two were combined, Yan Xiaobao’s refinement speed for Qi would become extraordinary, surpassing even the world’s most talented individuals.

Though this practice came with its drawbacks, Yan Xiaobao couldn’t sustain it for long before he would have to stop to stabilize his energy. As he trained in skill after skill, he pushed the limits of the small chamber.

While these skills weren’t enough to defeat a King-level expert, they were sufficient to stabilize his Qi and spiritual energy and help it progress steadily. Even if he had to rely on Lan Feng’s martial power, it was clear he would leverage his spiritual energy to its fullest extent, as well as his Qi and everything he possessed himself.

During his nighttime training, he never noticed the sun setting outside the window nor the moon beginning to glow. Sha Yun entered the room carrying two lightweight stones and some food. The only thing the young man took note of was his energy—slowly but steadily stabilizing drop by drop within his body. His goal was to fully stabilize all of his energy before he was required to fight.

One day passed, then another, with not much attention paid to these days, until finally, the day arrived when Hui Hui was scheduled to fight in the arena.

* knock ** knock *

Xu Biao slowly opened the door after hearing the knock. His heart churned like never before, worry etched across his face. Over the past days, the Guild Master had been observing Yan Xiaobao. Everything he saw had been simple, standard skills the white-haired man had used in the past. There were no new or surprising attacks, no evidence that Yan Xiaobao could defeat a King-level expert.

Yet, even though Xu Biao was deeply worried, it was now too late to do anything about the battle. He sighed profoundly and gazed at the young man who had become a close friend.

"Are you ready?" was all he could manage to ask, fearing this might be his last conversation with the friend.

Seeing the anxiety on Xu Biao’s face, Yan Xiaobao couldn’t help but flash a gentle smile. His pale hand lightly patted the old man’s shoulder. The smile on his face showed no signs of pain or defeat. In his ice-blue eyes lay an unyielding certainty of victory, though Xu Biao couldn’t fathom where it came from.

As they left the room, Sha Yun, Deng Wu, and Wang Julong said nothing. They each slowly patted Yan Xiaobao on the shoulder before joining him and walking behind him, together leaving the Mercenary Guild.

Through the small town’s bustling streets, they pressed onward toward the arena, the roads becoming more crowded as they approached.

Unlike Mercenary City, this arena wasn’t used for annual competitions. Instead, it served to settle disputes that had no other resolution but battle. Ultimately, in this world, the strong were right, and the weak had to yield.

Though one might think the arena was a constantly crowded place, battles didn’t happen as often as one might expect. This scarcity led to some fights becoming rather popular when they did occur. It was extremely rare for both participants to survive the battles. Most often, one’s death occurred due to the severity of their injuries.

Upon reaching the arena, Xu Biao led the group through a side entrance, guiding them to the underground quarters. They settled in a cold chamber below.

"We can accompany you until you step onto the stage," the Guild Master explained. "But once you’re on the stage, we won’t be able to assist you in any way. The moment you stand there, only defeat of your opponent will allow you to leave."

"Everything will be fine," Yan Xiaobao reassured the concerned Guild Master once more. The battle he was about to face wasn’t for entertainment, nor was it a challenge he had chosen for personal advancement.

This was a fight Yan Xiaobao was engaging in to protect his friend—the friend who had shown him indisputable loyalty and had always been the first to stand by his side. If Yan Xiaobao didn’t fight and secure victory, he would lose the right to call himself Sha Yun’s friend.

Stepping into the arena, Yan Xiaobao spotted another group gathered on the opposite side of the stage. The group consisted of four individuals, three of whom wore extravagant clothing, promptly eliminating them as potential opponents in the white-haired man’s assessment.

Having dismissed three of the four, Yan Xiaobao shifted his focus to the last man. This individual appeared to be in his thirties, with a face framed by rugged facial hair and sharp, piercing eyes.

His upper body was exposed, displaying a muscular and powerful physique. His hands were at least three times the size of Yan Xiaobao’s, not to mention his height seemed two heads taller, his width three times broader.

As Yan Xiaobao observed this man, his senses heightened with vigilance. It was evident the man had invested substantial effort in physical conditioning and muscle strengthening. This suggested he might not have spent equal time training in martial power techniques, which was advantageous for Yan Xiaobao—a young man untested against such formidable strength and energy in the past.

...