Jiang Zhizhou's sword struck the armor of the Shadow Guard standing directly before him.
Yet, to his surprise, the incomparably sharp blade merely sent a spark flying from the armor, leaving it completely unscathed.
Secretly alarmed, Jiang Zhizhou took a closer look and cried inwardly, Black Iron Armor!
Forged from thousand-year-old black iron, this armor was exceedingly light yet extraordinarily tough. Ordinary blades and spears could do nothing against it.
It seemed Duan Hongzhuo had sent out his Shadow Guards at this moment with every intention of securing victory.
When his strike failed, Jiang Zhizhou swiftly retreated. Before he could regain his footing, a dazzling blur flashed before his eyes, carrying a blade steeped in murderous intent.
The Shadow Guard he had attacked had launched a counterattack. Fortunately, Jiang Zhizhou dodged in time; otherwise, his head would already have fallen to the ground.
The Shadow Guards were covered from head to toe in Black Iron Armor, leaving Jiang Zhizhou in something of a predicament.
He could not find a weak point in the armor, and he also had to protect Duan Ziqian, which hampered his movements somewhat.
In a clash between experts, even the slightest disadvantage could turn the situation perilous.
Jiang Zhizhou understood this perfectly. After exchanging blows with the Shadow Guard for a while, he found an opening, feinted with his blade, then grabbed Duan Ziqian and tried to break out.
With such a disparity between their strength and the enemy's, they could not afford to linger in battle. Retreat was clearly the best course.
But how could the Shadow Guards fail to see his intentions? The moment they saw him and Duan Ziqian preparing to break out, several guards who had been fighting fiercely elsewhere converged on Jiang Zhizhou.
Seeing his escape blocked, Jiang Zhizhou's eyes reddened.