Chapter Four Hundred Thirty-One: Asking for Help
Because Yang Haoran finally responded to the sloppy man, Bai Xue also stopped attacking him. However, her formidable aura did not recede; she was waiting for their conversation to conclude.
The sloppy man knew that Bai Xue still had him locked firmly in her sights as her target, but he paid it no mind. Instead, Yang Haoran's current words made his expression turn even uglier, and his gaze towards Yang Haoran contained a hint of disdain.
"Great endeavors aren't hindered by minor details. To abandon immense benefits over a trivial grudge, your perspective as an Emissary of Death is simply too narrow," the sloppy man said in a deep voice.
Yang Haoran shook his head with a smile, then replied, "No, you've misunderstood. What's between us isn't just a small grudge; it's a blood feud, a matter of life and death. Do you think I shouldn't hold onto that?"
The sloppy man frowned, hesitated for a moment, then asked, "So, are you making this deal or not?"
"No, I'm not interested," Yang Haoran replied with a smile, decisively rejecting the sloppy man.
Met with Yang Haoran's refusal, the sloppy man's expression immediately grew anxious. He had assumed that a little provocation would surely pique Yang Haoran's intense interest, but to his surprise, Yang Haoran not only rejected him but did so with absolute bluntness.
"You'll definitely regret refusing this deal. If you agree to cooperate with me, you'll obtain a significant number of Demon Cores—"
The sloppy man mentioned the Demon Cores, and while Yang Haoran's expression remained unchanged, a glint flashed in the slitted snake eyes of the watchful Bai Xue.
"If you're willing to sit down and talk properly with me, you'll certainly believe me," the sloppy man said in a deep voice.
Yang Haoran mused for a moment, then chuckled, "That's not necessarily true."
Seeing Yang Haoran impervious to persuasion, the sloppy man suppressed the fury in his heart. Then, with a fierce grit of his teeth, he retrieved an item from within his independent spatial realm.
The item was a box, upon which a seal had been placed. It emitted no power fluctuations whatsoever, making it impossible to discern what lay within.
"I can demonstrate my sincerity first. If you still don't trust me after that, then I'll have no choice but to seek cooperation with others."
As his words fell, the sloppy man waved his hand, opening the box to reveal a green-glowing bead.
This was a Demon Core, and the Demon Power it radiated was potent. A single glance was enough to tell that its former owner had been a Great Demon.
Yang Haoran's gaze landed on the Demon Core, a flicker of interest appearing on his face. Bai Xue, upon seeing the Demon Core, experienced significant emotional fluctuations. The speed at which her body swayed in the air involuntarily intensified, and her snake eyes became fervent.
Bai Xue was a demon; the allure of the Demon Core was no less potent to her than a Soul Pill was to Yang Haoran. One could even say it surpassed the Soul Pill's allure for Yang Haoran, because as an Underworld Official, Yang Haoran received a fixed three Soul Pills annually, while Bai Xue had no such benefit. For her to acquire a Demon Core, it relied purely on luck.
Thus, for Bai Xue, every Demon Core was exceptionally precious, especially those from other Great Demons. Such a core was virtually her most coveted dream; once acquired and refined, her strength would achieve a massive leap.
"This Demon Core is my sincerity. I can give it to you, but first, I want to see your current strength. As long as your strength satisfies me, this Demon Core will be yours."
These words from the sloppy man made the smile on Yang Haoran's face deepen considerably.
"Heh heh, it seems you've come to me today because you need my help, don't you? " Yang Haoran asked with a chuckle.
Based on Old Master Wu's previous analysis, combined with everything he had witnessed, Yang Haoran made this judgment.
Judging from Bai Xue's engagement with the sloppy man, the former had been relentlessly attacking, aiming to kill her opponent, while the latter had continuously defended, unwilling to strike back. There were even several instances where he seemed poised to counterattack but was forcibly restrained.
If the sloppy man had come for revenge, he wouldn't have needed to act this way. From this, it was clear that his purpose for coming today was neither revenge nor demon hunting.
So, what was his true purpose?
Yang Haoran didn't know this, but he could tell that the sloppy man likely had a favor to ask of him.
It was precisely because the sloppy man needed his help that he was so restrained, choosing to defend against Bai Xue's fierce attacks rather than retaliate. He was clearly worried about harming Bai Xue and thus influencing Yang Haoran's decision.
In his view, the sloppy man's talk of making a "deal" was merely a polite way of putting it. To be blunt, he was asking for a favor.
Being questioned by Yang Haoran in such a manner, the sloppy man's expression shifted once more. However, he eventually nodded.
"Indeed, I do need your help with something, but it depends on whether you possess the capability. If I've misjudged, I'll decisively find other assistance," the sloppy man stated in a deep voice.
"Heh heh, asking an enemy for help—you really are an interesting character. Aren't you worried that in the end, you'll lose both your wife and your army? " Yang Haoran asked with a smile.
"There's no profound hatred between us to begin with. Our conflict back then was merely a matter of differing stances. I am a Demon Hunter; slaying demons is my profession. She is your friend, and I can completely understand your desire to protect her. Although this incident caused animosity between us, it's not irreconcilable. Furthermore, even if there truly was deep-seated hatred, what does it amount to in the face of absolute gain? Don't you agree? " the sloppy man asked in a deep voice.
Yang Haoran nodded with a smile, his demeanor suggesting he agreed with the sloppy man's words. As for whether he truly agreed in his heart, that remained unknown.
"You wish to see my current strength? How should I demonstrate it? " Yang Haoran asked with a smile.
The sloppy man lightly waved his hand, and the Demon Core inside the box floated suspended above his head. He glanced up at the hovering Demon Core, then redirected his gaze towards Yang Haoran.
"It's simple. As long as you snatch this Demon Core within ten minutes, it will prove that I haven't misjudged," the sloppy man said.
"You're injured right now, and your Star Spirit Power has been considerably depleted. Wouldn't I be taking too much advantage of you? " Yang Haoran asked with a smile.
"What I care about is your current ability, not whether you're taking advantage of me," the sloppy man replied.
However, Yang Haoran did not make a move despite his answer.
"The fact that you dared to come here alone to find me shows that you must have made this decision after careful deliberation. Since it was a well-considered decision, why is there a need for me to demonstrate any more strength in front of you? How about this: our animosity began because of my friend here. If you can persuade her, I'll sit down and have a proper talk with you. But as for this Demon Core, I'll accept it first."
As his words fell, Yang Haoran suddenly snapped his fingers. His Spirit Power transformed into a wisp of Yin Qi that appeared around the Demon Core. The Yin Qi swirled, carrying the Demon Core towards his position.
Yang Haoran had initially expected his action to infuriate the sloppy man, and that the sloppy man would surely try to stop him. At that point, he could then forcefully seize the Demon Core, which would also serve to demonstrate his current strength in front of the sloppy man.
Although he had claimed there was no need to display his strength, if the sloppy man truly wished to see it, he wouldn't mind showing off a little.
However, the reality completely defied his expectations. While his action did indeed infuriate the sloppy man, the sloppy man did not make a move to stop him. Although Yang Haoran could tell that the sloppy man desperately wanted to intervene, he ultimately held back.
The sloppy man watched with wide eyes as the Demon Core flew towards Yang Haoran. It wasn't until Yang Haoran firmly grasped the Demon Core in his hand that the sloppy man, with a displeased expression, finally turned his gaze back to Bai Xue.
Yang Haoran gripped the Demon Core, his expression unchanged, but a powerful doubt couldn't help but rise in his heart: What reason could possibly make this two-star Demon Hunter act with such humility, enduring such blatant disrespect from him?
The sloppy man was unaware of Yang Haoran's thoughts at that moment. After turning his gaze back to Bai Xue, he simply said one sentence:
"I currently have no more Demon Cores on hand."
Bai Xue heard this and gave a cold laugh, then said, "Well, that's truly a shame. Since you can't produce what I want anymore, how about you take one of my attacks head-on with your bare body?"
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