Chapter 1469: Kunlun Abyss

It was thought that the localized conflict had finally ended, with Xu Yang's team having privately conquered the Hundred-Eyed Golden Bull Dog and, in a fit of rage, annihilated the two shortsighted large mercenary alliances.

However, just as Xu Yang's team of four was about to venture deeper into the Kunlun Abyss, an unexpected situation arose once more. Dozens of stealthy figures, clad in black combat attire, suddenly appeared. In a flash, they moved like streaks of light, instantly surrounding Xu Yang and his three teammates.

Soon after, a dark figure darted through the air several times before landing directly in front of Xu Yang. This masked individual possessed an incredibly powerful aura, far exceeding that of the mercenary warriors Xu Yang had effortlessly turned to dust earlier. Xu Yang's gaze fell on the individual's shoulder, where he spotted a Level 7 insignia. "A holder of a Level 7 mercenary badge," he thought. "He must be a renowned mercenary leader in Garan City."

Long Kun couldn't help but blurt this out. The masked figure merely cast a glance at him before shifting his gaze back to Xu Yang, the team's leader.

"I can tell you are the strongest member of this team, the absolute leader of the other three. Therefore, I will conduct this negotiation with you. The Hundred-Eyed Golden Bull Dog was the result of an exclusive authorization granted by our Black-armored Family to those two mercenary groups. In essence, they paid us a substantial amount of gold coins. It was only then that they obtained the hunting rights for this Level 7 demonic beast, the Hundred-Eyed Golden Bull Dog. The reason being, this area of the Kunlun Abyss where you now stand is a stronghold that our Black-armored Family has managed for many years.

"The four of you appear to be outsiders and are likely unaware that most of the plains surrounding the Kunlun Abyss are permanently occupied by the major noble families of Garan City. Foreign mercenary groups wishing to hunt in this area must pay us a certain fee. Of course, for those like yourselves who have just acquired mercenary group qualifications and don't have much income, you can pay the corresponding amount by transferring a share of your profits."

Upon hearing the masked man's explanation, Xu Yang and his three teammates couldn't help but frown.

"What do you mean by that?" Long Kun retorted. "From what you're saying, it sounds like this Kunlun Abyss is owned by your family. Am I understanding that correctly?"

Long Kun was clearly suppressing his anger, retorting with a sarcastic, half-smile. Yet, the masked man calmly nodded in response.

"If you insist on understanding it that way, then it's largely accurate," the masked man replied. "There's nothing to be done; the major noble families of Garan City rely on such methods to maintain their operations. No one can break this balance."

Just as Long Kun was about to lose his temper and teach these people a lesson, Xu Yang gently raised a hand, stopping him. For one, Xu Yang had already deduced that these dozen-plus stealthy figures dared to openly surround his team because they were well-prepared. It was likely that a cultivation base belonging to the Black-armored Family was stationed in the outer reaches of this area. If a conflict truly erupted, countless top cultivators from the Black-armored Family would arrive as reinforcements in a very short time, escalating the situation significantly.

While Xu Yang and his three teammates were certainly not afraid of these low-level cultivators, who were like ants, they currently needed to follow Garan City's rules to obtain a Level 5 mercenary badge. This meant they couldn't ignore the exclusive channel of earning points through the Garan City Mercenary Association. Given that the Black-armored Family was a major force, considered a top noble family throughout Garan City, it would be effortless for them to use their influence to interfere with Xu Yang's team's future point redemptions. Therefore, considering these factors and aiming to act as discreetly as possible, Xu Yang did not immediately confront these people. He was still seeking a win-win solution.

"It's only fair to follow the rules of wherever you are; there's no argument there. I just want to clarify the exact boundaries of your Black-armored Family's territory and what percentage of spoils you refer to as 'division of spoils'."

The masked leader scoffed, seemingly gaining the upper hand in arrogance as Xu Yang and his team changed their attitude. He seemed to naively believe that the Black-armored Family's power and influence had truly intimidated Xu Yang's four members.

"Heh, it's very simple," he stated. "We only require 40% of the point profits; the remaining 60% will be yours."

Upon hearing this, Ling Yao, who had been silent for a while, instantly erupted in rage. She drew the brilliant sword energy from her back, its tangible aura condensing in her palm, and immediately pressed it against the masked figure's neck.

"Are you joking with us?" Ling Yao demanded. "Or does your Black-armored Family demand such a high percentage from all outsiders? Don't you think it's incredibly unfair for us to give you such a large share of the spoils we painstakingly acquired? If that's the case, then the major noble families of Garan City can simply reap the benefits, unscrupulously exploiting the common people of Garan City, taking the spoils they risked their lives for!"

The masked man sneered, "I'm not here to reason with you. The Black-armored Family has its own rules. If you're not satisfied, you're welcome to challenge us in your own way, and you'll bear all the consequences yourselves. Oh, and I forgot to mention, even within the current Garan City Mercenary Association, the Black-armored Family holds one of the five seats on the Elder Council behind the scenes. This means the Black-armored Family is one of the puppeteers behind the entire mercenary interest chain in Garan City. If our Black-armored Family issues an order, it should be easy to revoke all your mercenary group's qualifications. At that point, even if you kill all the demonic beasts in the Kunlun Abyss, you won't be able to obtain any badge levels, let alone the status of a wanderer."

Xu Yang had originally not intended to get angry with this individual, but the moment this threatening tone emerged, it was clear the other party was trying to intimidate him. Such a posture was something Xu Yang, as their leader, simply could not tolerate.

"Heh, are you threatening our Invincible Mercenary Group?" Xu Yang scoffed. "I find it hard to believe your Black-armored Family has the guts to revoke our qualifications. To be frank, the Hundred-Eyed Golden Bull Dog is our own spoil of war. There's no way you'll get a share. Of course, we aren't the ones actively seeking conflict. If you agree, my three teammates and I will immediately leave the Black-armored Family's territory and seek demonic beasts in areas controlled by other families, no longer disturbing your family's influence."

As Xu Yang finished speaking and was about to lead his three teammates away, the masked man in black, still relentless, immediately issued a very peculiar command.