Chapter 530 - 337: Still No Advantage
...
At the start, the boar was evidently surprised by the speed displayed by the human. However, it quickly composed itself and used its own speed to dodge to the side. It narrowly escaped at the last moment, leaving less than a second afterimage of its air in the wake of the dagger’s sharp edge cutting through.
Seeing this, both man and beast were now entirely focused on one another. In an instant, all that could be seen were two black blurs, one relentlessly chasing while the other desperately fled.
Even after the first exchange of blows, he still had no advantage. While Yan Xiaobao focused intently on the fight, Lan Feng was busy analyzing the situation. Despite his usual habit of teasing the white-haired boy, he didn’t want Xiao Bao to get hurt. Observing the boar, Lan Feng quickly deduced that this beast was of Duke rank—very possibly at its peak level.
Yan Xiaobao didn’t have the luxury to care about his opponent’s exact rank; his only concern was defeating the beast in front of him. His eyes darkened increasingly with each passing minute, but there was no trace of the red fog. If he absolutely had no other choice, Yan Xiaobao resolved he would only use it as a last resort.
Just barely avoiding the charging tusks, Yan Xiaobao countered with his dagger, but his attack was easily deflected by the boar’s miniature tusks. The two continued trading strikes, but neither could gain the upper hand. Although both managed to scratch and superficially wound each other, none of their injuries were severe enough to truly alter the course of the battle. This was no longer a contest of brute strength, but one of endurance and Inner Energy.
Yan Xiaobao had spent his entire childhood cultivating the purest essence of Qi, and using such a high-quality Qi meant that activating his abilities required less effort. This allowed him to sustain his abilities for longer periods and granted him greater stamina.
The boar screeched in rage as it realized that this endurance-driven battle was being won by the human. The beast gathered all its remaining fog energy, and a black mist began to form around it, eventually condensing onto its tusks. Its now-blackened tusks shot forward with unprecedented speed as the boar unleashed its full strength in this final attack.
The sudden acceleration caught Yan Xiaobao off guard, but his body instinctively reacted, allowing him to narrowly avoid the attack. However, his shoulder was struck and immediately slashed open. A torrent of blood gushed out.