Chapter 289: Guts

Su Zhan knew he could no longer pretend. "Want to know? Come and get it yourself."Han Xiao's eyes widened. Instead of getting angry, he seemed delighted. "Well, I'll be damned! Got some real guts!"

He made a grasping motion with his right hand in the air, and the aura around him abruptly transformed.

An overbearing presence erupted violently.

Brilliant golden-red light coalesced in his hand, instantly forming into a long spear of ancient design. The spear shaft was a dark crimson, coiled with dragon-shaped patterns.

"Then let's have a go! SSS-grade Life Soul, Blazing Plains Blood Spear!"

Han Xiao let out a loud laugh. His body didn't move, but the Blazing Plains Blood Spear in his hand thrust out through the air.

*Bzzzt—!*

A golden-red spear beam instantly bridged the distance between the two of them.

Before the beam even arrived, its ferocious and domineering intent was already assailing Su Zhan's mind and spirit.

"Roar!"

Not daring to hold back in the slightest, Su Zhan completed his Aberrant transformation instantly.

He crossed his sharp claws in front of his body, weaving Mist Energy into a thick, heavy shield.

*BOOM!!!*

The spear beam smashed violently into the shield.

The shield held for only half a second before exploding into fragments.

Su Zhan was sent flying backward, crashing through three large trees in a row before barely managing to steady himself. His chest felt turbulent with surging blood and energy. The scales on his claws were shattered, dripping with fresh blood.

The gap was too vast!

Between the Abyss Realm and the peak of High-risk, it seemed like only a thin line, but in reality, it was a world of difference.

Whether it was the quality or the total quantity of energy, or the application of power, the other party completely crushed him.

"Tsk, you're pretty durable."

Before Han Xiao's words even faded, he had already appeared above Su Zhan. He swung the long spear in a full arc, bringing it down like a crimson battle-axe.

Simple, direct, yet carrying the momentum to crush mountains and split seas.

Su Zhan could see the trajectory of this spear strike clearly, but his body struggled to fully keep up with his prediction.

He desperately twisted his torso, whipping his tail upward in a counterattack.

*Thud!*

Another deafening impact.

The bone spikes on his tail clashed with the spear shaft, producing a metallic clang.

But that tremendous force still transmitted through.

Su Zhan was smashed straight into the ground, creating a deep crater and sending dust billowing everywhere.

*Swish! Swish! Swish!*

Han Xiao gave him no chance to catch his breath. Holding the spear, he transformed into a series of crimson afterimages, launching attacks from all directions.

The spear shadows were like mountains, continuous and unending.

Su Zhan could only struggle to hold on.

He twisted, dodged, and leapt, using his sharp claws and dragon tail to block and evade.

But even so, new wounds kept appearing on his body.

Spear gashes deep enough to see bone.

And charred black marks eroded by spear intent...

Su Zhan felt he could be completely torn apart at any moment.

The strength and defense he took pride in seemed so pale and powerless before an Abyss Realm expert.

"Haha! Yes! Just keep holding on! Let me enjoy a good fight!"

Han Xiao grew more and more excited the longer he fought, his spear techniques becoming increasingly fierce and domineering.

He didn't seem in a hurry to kill Su Zhan immediately, but rather was savoring this one-sided battle.

Su Zhan clenched his teeth, blood continuously seeping from the corner of his mouth.

He couldn't go on like this, or he'd eventually be worn down and die here!

He had to think of a way... he had to...

"Roar—!"

Su Zhan took a heavy, sweeping blow head-on, using the force to slide backward.

He frantically channeled all the power in his body into his right claw.

The right claw instantly swelled in size, emitting a dim, dark light from between the scales.

"Hmm? Going all out?"

Han Xiao raised an eyebrow, the mockery in his eyes growing thicker.

Su Zhan transformed into a straight black lightning bolt, actively charging toward Han Xiao.

The right claw, concentrated with all his power, aimed straight for Han Xiao's face.

This was the strongest strike Su Zhan could currently unleash.

It fused his physical strength, the peak High-risk Mist Energy, and all his fighting will.

The casual, irreverent expression on Han Xiao's face finally faded a few degrees.

With a flick of his wrist, the Blazing Plains Blood Spear shifted from a chop to a thrust.

The golden-red light on the spear shaft suddenly contracted inward, condensing to a single point at the spear tip.

"Army Breaker!"

A single point of cold light, launched later but arriving first.

*Screech—!!!*

A piercing impact sound, sharp enough to rupture eardrums, rang out.

Claw and spear tip collided fiercely!

Centered on the point of impact, a ring-shaped shockwave of destructive energy erupted violently.

All trees and rocks within several dozen meters were instantly flattened.

The ground was scraped down by a full three feet.

*Pfft—!*

Su Zhan felt a force penetrate his defenses, advancing unhindered like splitting bamboo as it surged backward along the meridians in his arm.

The scales on Su Zhan's entire right arm instantly exploded, leaving the flesh a bloody mess. His bones made cracking noises.

That spear intent even invaded his body, madly ravaging it from within.

And his desperate, all-out strike?

It merely caused Han Xiao's arm holding the Blazing Plains Blood Spear to shake slightly. He didn't even take half a step back.

The counterattack was utterly ineffective.

An absolute chasm in strength could not be crossed by willpower and desperation alone.

Su Zhan was sent flying backward, blood spraying through the air.

He crashed heavily to the ground, his right arm hanging limply, completely numb and useless. His entire aura withered to its absolute lowest point.

Han Xiao shook his slightly numb wrist, looked at Su Zhan lying motionless on the ground, and clicked his tongue. "Tsk tsk, not bad strength! Almost had me fooled for a second! But... that's about it."

He walked toward Su Zhan step by step, spear in hand.

Su Zhan's gaze was ice-cold.

But in his heart, he felt utterly powerless.

Back when he was at the peak of Medium-risk, he could still trade blows with a second-stage High-risk Aberrant.

He couldn't say he'd win or draw, but at least he wouldn't lose too badly.

Now, at the peak of High-risk, he had encountered an Abyss Realm expert.

And he was so completely helpless.

Was the gap between Abyss Realm and High-risk that huge? Or was it that this opponent was different from that previous Aberrant? After all, this opponent was a genius from the Black Tortoise Academy.

Maybe both reasons were true.

In any case, right now, he was definitely no match.

Han Xiao walked, dragging the tip of the Blazing Plains Blood Spear along the ground, carving a shallow trench.

He made tutting sounds. "Oh dear, oh dear! Look at this, just look! Weren't you all gutsy just now? How come you've wilted now?"

Han Xiao stopped a few steps in front of Su Zhan, using the spear tip to gesture vaguely at Su Zhan's bloody, mangled right arm.

"You know, an Aberrant like you, why not just scrounge for food in the gutters like you're supposed to? Why go and learn how to summon the Mist... What, you think you're the main character? Trying to defy the heavens?"

Su Zhan gritted his teeth so hard they might shatter, not uttering a word.

Han Xiao didn't mind, continuing on his own. "What a shame, really. You killed our people, caused such a big commotion, and have unclear ties with the Transcendence Society... Can't let you live!

Next time you're reborn, remember this: if you don't have the diamond drill, don't take on the porcelain work! Some things just aren't for you to mess with!"

After saying this, the muscles in his arm bulged. The Blazing Plains Blood Spear once again bloomed with that fierce golden-red light.

He was clearly preparing to deliver the final blow.

Su Zhan's left claw slammed violently against the ground.

*Boom!*

The ground exploded into a small crater.

Using the recoil force, he slid backward rapidly.

That pair of enormous Fleshy Wings on Su Zhan's back, which had never appeared until now, instantly spread out completely and beat down fiercely.

*Whoosh—!*

A violent gust of air swept up dust and rubble from the ground.

It was like a small-scale tornado had formed.

Using both the recoil from slapping the ground and the tremendous lift provided by the dragon wings, Su Zhan's body shot backward as if catapulted, narrowly, perilously avoiding that certain-kill spear thrust.

And then he shot vertically upward into the sky.