Chapter 424: Chapter 40: Fierce Battle
As his figure surged forward, Su Xiao thrust the long knife in his hand.
This was merely a probe, as the High President’s comprehensive attributes were slightly higher, and his skillful ability surpassed Su Xiao by a level.
Su Xiao was not without a chance of victory; his passive skills were superior to the High President’s.
Comparing the data could only give a rough estimate of their strengths, and the outcome of the battle depended on their performance on the spot.
As Su Xiao stabbed, the High President remained unfazed, crossing two stabbing swords in front of him. The crossed swords perfectly caught Su Xiao’s incoming strike.
The long knife in Su Xiao’s hand continued to thrust forward, but the High President raised the crossed stabbing swords high.
A grating sound rang out as the weapons clashed, and Su Xiao’s knife was deflected, slashing diagonally past the High President’s head.
Such a basic mistake wasn’t one Su Xiao should have made; he did it on purpose.
Buzz—.
A metallic line’s contraction sound emerged; the Boundary Line was already set around the High President, and once tightened, escape would be impossible for him.
The High President noticed the Boundary Line and realized it was too late to dodge; he immediately crouched down, stabbing the two swords into the ground beside him.
Screech,
The Boundary Line tightened around the swords, and the gap between them allowed the High President to evade it.
Just as he resolved the Boundary Line, the High President noticed a round white ball rolling up beneath his feet.
Without even thinking, the High President leaped up, drawing two stabbing swords from his waist as he rose into the air.
Bang!
The Alchemy Bomb exploded, flames blazing towards him, and the High President clearly felt the scorching heat.
Through the flames, Su Xiao took a deep breath, held it, and charged into the fire.
With a whoosh, Su Xiao broke through the flames and closed in on the High President.
Getting close to the High President was not difficult, as he also engaged in close combat.
Dragon Slash whistled through the air, as Su Xiao slashed towards the High President’s head.
This was Su Xiao’s consistent style, preferring to target his opponent’s head and torso.
The wind pressure was fierce, and the blade’s edge seemed blinding—not because of its sheen, but because Dragon Slash was too sharp. This was the so-called overpowering sharpness.
The High President raised a sword to block.
Ding.
Dragon Slash’s sharpness prevailed, breaking the High President’s stabbing sword.
Having a weapon broken in close combat was lethal; although the High President had prepared six stabbing swords, the broken sword during the fight would cost him.
Su Xiao wielded the knife with both hands, one was a flesh hand, and the other wrapped in a metal armguard, projecting a cold beauty of iron and blood.
After cutting off the High President’s stabbing sword, Su Xiao’s gaze became sharp, promptly targeting the High President’s left side where the sword in his left hand had broken.
As the blade aura flashed, a large piece of muscle from the High President’s shoulder was sliced off; the slash was aimed at the head but was dodged by the High President turning aside.
Blue steel shadow energy invaded the High President’s body through the wound, causing him to grunt heavily.
At the moment Su Xiao slashed, the High President’s stabbing sword reached him.
Piercing.
The stabbing sword penetrated Su Xiao’s collarbone, passing straight through.
Feeling the cold touch at his collarbone and the familiar numbness, Su Xiao knew he was injured.
The High President dragged the stabbing sword, attempting to enlarge the wound at Su Xiao’s collarbone.
This was a move Su Xiao frequently used, so he knew how to counter it well.
The left hand, wrapped in the metal armguard, slapped at the stabbing sword. The High President tried to withdraw, but it was too late.
Ding.
The stabbing sword broke; a third of it was embedded in Su Xiao’s collarbone.
Both were injured, yet neither uttered even a groan, emitting at most a stifled grunt after being wounded.
They stood against each other after one exchange, neither making a move.
They weren’t seizing the chance to rest; it was just one round of exchange, consuming little stamina. They paused because someone else had arrived.
Su Xiao tilted his head towards the corridor on the side, where a few men and women stood, unfamiliar faces. He quickly realized they were Contractors.
The Contractors looked stunned, the scene they witnessed nearly blew their minds.
To them, the High President was a super big boss, yet now this super big boss was dueling a Contractor equally. More importantly, they were evenly matched, a sight of balance.
Su Xiao grasped the stabbing sword embedded in his collarbone, slowly pulling it out as blood surged, staining his clothes.
The Lan Kai Windcoat’s defense wasn’t weak, but it was not armor. Though dark purple, it couldn’t fully defend against the High President’s stabbing attack.
With other Contractors around, Su Xiao certainly wouldn’t continue going all out against the High President; he needed to deal with these Contractors first.
"It seems... a bit unfavorable."
"Boss, what should we do now?"
"What do you think? Run, of course!"
The Contractors turned and ran, their previous hope of reaping the rewards vanished.
Soon after, the Contractors fled far away, and Su Xiao looked at the High President.
"Continue."
Unbothered by the incessantly bleeding wound, Su Xiao charged toward the High President again.
The High President also rushed toward Su Xiao, the two entangled in battle.
Ding, ding...
The crisp clinking of weapon collisions rang out repeatedly, and sparks flew before them as the long knife and stabbing sword traced white marks in the air.
Having experienced a sword break once, the High President no longer engaged in direct clashes with Su Xiao; instead, he slightly reduced the force each time their weapons met.
Even so, the stabbing sword in the High President’s hand developed numerous gaps. After dozens of clashes, the sword was tattered, resembling a saw more than a sword.
Faced with this, the High President decided to end the fight swiftly.
They clashed swords once more, and a wave of energy radiated outward, evidencing the strength of their strikes.
Large cracks appeared on the ground beneath Su Xiao’s feet as he pressed the long knife forward. The weapon in the enemy’s hand was about to fail, but the enemy could still switch weapons.
With a sharp crack, a large area of cracks appeared on the blade of the High President’s stabbing sword, on the verge of breaking.
The High President struck out with a sword, and Su Xiao immediately met it with his knife.
Ding.
The High President’s weapon broke again, but he was prepared this time.
As the sword broke, the High President kicked at Su Xiao’s abdomen.
This kick was fast and fierce, the angle unexpectedly tricky. If it landed, Su Xiao’s intestines might rupture.
Su Xiao instinctively bent his leg at a curve blocking his abdomen; this was a reflex action.
Bang.
The High President’s kick hit Su Xiao’s shin directly, sending him flying a few meters before he landed steadily.
Though his leg felt somewhat numbed, he hadn’t been kicked for nothing.
A trickle of blood flowed down the High President’s cheek, and a deep gash appeared on his scalp, revealing white bone beneath.
"What a thrilling battle."
The High President said with a faint smile as his white shirt was drenched in blood. However, this smile quickly vanished as he maintained a stoic expression after being exposed.
Flinging blood from Dragon Slash, Su Xiao found an opportunity for victory in his exchanges with the High President; the opponent’s weapon was deficient.
Dragon Slash was a weapon he had cost dearly to forge, crucial for a melee fighter.