The First Lackey Under The Empress

Deafening!

When Zhao Du'an unleashed that pent-up, overwhelming strike that had been brewing for over a month, those armors, sturdy enough to withstand a barrage of arrows, shattered like tofu, like paper.

Fragments of the shattered armor flew in all directions, one of them grazing the blindfolded youth, Qi Ye's, cheek, lifting a strand of hair while severing a few strands.

The fierce wind swept across the plaza, and everyone stood frozen, stunned and unable to recover.

Mo Chou still maintained the posture of reaching out to tug at Zhao Du'an's sleeve, but seemed to have been subjected to a body-fixing spell, motionless, her eyes full of stagnation.

The large group of eunuch-servants, led by Tang Jinzhong and Song Jinxi, almost popped their eyes out.

Chai Keqiao's pupils suddenly narrowed, staring intently at the white mark that appeared on the bluestone floor after the row of dummies fell.

The emotion of watching the excitement in Xiao Ran's eyes disappeared, replaced by a brief daze and deep fear.

As for Qi Ye, who bore the brunt... this Green Mountain disciple, who had just disregarded advice and loudly proclaimed his provocation, "stared" at Zhao Du'an, who was holding the hilt of his blade and "looking" back at him, suddenly feeling a tightness in his chest and hearing a "whoosh" sound in his ear.

He raised his hand and touched his chest, discovering that the dark clothing there had been torn open by the residual blade energy.

What happened?

This was the first thought that arose in everyone's mind, followed by a strong sense of unreality.

"Fifty-six..."

A forbidden army soldier almost murmured the number: "Young Protector Zhao, armor broken, fifty-six sets."

There's a cover-up... Many forbidden army soldiers had this thought in their minds, but after careful inspection, they found that it was indeed genuine armor.

But...

How could a middle-grade Divine Chapter cultivator, Young Protector Zhao, unleash such a terrifying strike?

The number of broken armors was more than double that of Qi Ye.

"Could it be... that Lord Zhao has already stepped into the 'Worldly' realm?" A servant unconsciously spoke the question in his heart.

The more they were, the more they knew how incredible this matter was.

"Bang..." Zhao Du'an casually threw the hilt of his blade on the ground, a sense of emptiness arising on his face amidst the hearty pleasure.

It was like abstaining for a month, and then...呸 呸 呸.

It was like being constipated for a week, and then...呕 呕 呕...

The energy that had almost burst his Qi Sea instantly vented, allowing his increasingly overburdened meridians to be relieved, and at the same time, the result of breaking fifty-six sets of armor with one strike made his eyelids twitch—

Even though he knew that his long-accumulated strike would be very strong, the result still greatly exceeded expectations.

Moreover, only fifty-six sets of armor remained on the field, all shattered, wouldn't that mean that this was not the limit?

"I'm actually this strong..." Zhao Du'an was surprised and uncertain in his heart.

But his face did not show the slightest bit, but instead put on a cold demeanor, and said lightly:

"It seems that the top disciples of Green Mountain are nothing more than this."

Refreshing!

Hearing these understated words, the servants of the Martial Arts Hall and the surrounding forbidden army soldiers awakened from their dreams, and at the same time, a sense of refreshment arose in their hearts.

The Green Mountain martial artist had just made wild claims, and then was slapped in the face at the speed of light. Just this one strike made Qi Ye's mockery as dirty as he was embarrassed at this moment.

"You..." Qi Ye's face flushed red.

"You what?" Zhao Du'an sneered:

"I originally wanted to give Senior Wu Xian Kui some face, but I didn't expect the dogs raised on Green Mountain to be even more prone to barking."

"You don't..." Qi Ye's forehead bulged with veins, wanting to say something, but saw that Chai Keqiao had already flashed in front of him, scolding Qi Ye angrily:

"Who allowed you to speak like this? Had I known this, I would not have brought you here. People of Green Mountain, if you lose, you lose. Or are you saying that you can also break fifty-six sets of armor?"

Qi Ye breathed rapidly and closed his mouth.

Chai Keqiao turned around and showed an apologetic smile to Zhao Du'an:

"Young Protector Zhao, don't bother with my junior brother, he hasn't been down the mountain for many years, and his personality is strange..."

Zhao Du'an smiled: "If Brother Chai wants to apologize, he doesn't need to apologize to me, but to everyone in the Martial Arts Hall."

Chai Keqiao took a deep breath and cupped his fists towards a group of eunuchs with unkind eyes:

"My junior brother spoke carelessly, and Chai apologizes on his behalf. We lost today's competition."

Immediately, he turned to Eunuch Hai, who was like a Maitreya Buddha, and said:

"Eunuch Hai, please allow my three junior brothers to return, and we will definitely discipline them."

This young master of the Chai family, who used to kick halls everywhere in the capital, now showed a maturity that was completely different from the past.

Eunuch Hai's expression was always indifferent, and he smiled: "This old man is old and doesn't interfere in the affairs of you young people."

You call that not interfering? Wasn't that sentence "Why endure any longer" said by you? Chai Keqiao cursed inwardly, but on his face, he acted like a junior.

Respectfully cupping his fists, he was about to leave with the two.

"Hold on!"

Zhao Du'an suddenly spoke, stopping the Green Mountain trio who wanted to retreat.

Chai Keqiao asked curiously: "What instructions does the Young Protector have?"

Zhao Du'an squinted his eyes and said: "You provoked someone, and you're just leaving like this? An apology is enough to settle it? Have you asked this official?"

"And..." He raised his hand and pointed to Qi Ye, who was being blocked behind the latter, his tone neither yin nor yang:

"Only children make mistakes and need adults to apologize for them. What did this top disciple of Green Mountain say just now about cowards? I can't remember, but the general idea seems to be that martial artists should have courage, right? How come... you don't want to stand up and apologize for your own mistakes and lost competitions? Instead, you bother others? There's no such reason in the world."

As soon as these words were spoken, the eunuch-servants echoed one after another:

"Lord Zhao is right."

"The Young Protector's words are reasonable."

"People of Green Mountain, could it be that even admitting defeat requires others to say it for you?"

Eunuchs also have tempers, not to mention that they are originally martial arts masters? With Zhao Du'an taking the lead, the others couldn't suppress their anger and retaliated.

Even the nearby forbidden army soldiers cast contemptuous glances.

"Enough!"

Amidst the noisy clamor, Qi Ye, whose eyes were covered with black cloth, suddenly spoke, interrupting the "verbal attacks" of the crowd. He took a step forward, firmly pushing Chai Keqiao away.

Then, under Zhao Du'an's calm gaze, he held the sword in his hand horizontally in front of him, spread out his left palm, and grabbed the sword body fiercely, wiping it along the blade from the hilt to the tail.

Visibly to the naked eye, one hand was dripping with blood, and scarlet blood droplets spilled on the ground like a broken thread.

Everyone was stunned, hearing Qi Ye say in an emotionless voice:

"We people of Green Mountain can afford to lose. So, is Young Protector Zhao satisfied? If it's not enough..."

He pressed the blood-stained sword body against his chest again, wiping it fiercely, and the damaged black coat was soaked with blood.

Qi Ye seemed to have no pain, raising his head to "look" at Zhao Du'an:

"Like this, is it satisfactory?"

Zhao Du'an looked seriously at this guy who mutilated himself at every turn, and suddenly smiled:

"I was just joking with you just now. A few disrespectful words are enough since Brother Chai has apologized."

Qi Ye: "..."

Xiao Ran's eyes were strange.

Chai Keqiao took a deep breath and squeezed out a smile: "Then we will take our leave first."

After a pause, he added a meaningful sentence:

"In half a month, the official competition, I hope to learn from Young Protector Zhao's methods."

According to tradition, in the next half month, they will exchange and learn from each other, and there will be an official competition before they leave.

"We'll see," Zhao Du'an casually perfunctorily.

...

Watching the trio leave, a group of servants finally belatedly surrounded Zhao Du'an, recalling the power of that strike, and some even asked him if he had entered the world.

"Just luck," Zhao Du'an twitched the corners of his mouth, thinking that if I were in the world, I would have run to pester Zhenbao for dual cultivation, where would I be messing around with a group of eunuchs like you.

Mo Chou looked at him with a complex expression and gentle eyes, then suddenly whispered:

"You only promised not to actively seek trouble with them before. Just now, there was no need to be so aggrieved and restrained."

No… Big Ice Cube, did you really think I was doing it for you, deliberately backing down and not retaliating even when repeatedly mocked? You're overthinking it…" Zhao Du'an looked at her with a strange expression.

He really wanted to say: It's not that I don't want to, it's that I can't.

Firstly, he wasn't sure if he could win against Qi Ye by releasing his Qi Sea. If he lost, it would be very embarrassing.

Secondly, and more importantly, he remembered Zhen Bao's instructions. If he prematurely released the accumulated inner strength, most of the hard work of the past month and the heavenly treasures he had consumed would be wasted.

This was the core reason for his uncharacteristic repeated concessions. As for the promise to Mo Chou, it was only one of the reasons.

Therefore, only after he asked Eunuch Hai and confirmed that he could act, receiving a response from this "legendary guardian," did he finally feel relieved and resolutely draw his saber.

"Eunuch, you must have expected to use me to break the stalemate, right?"

Zhao Du'an walked to the side of the old eunuch in the python robe and cautiously probed:

"Deliberately making me hold back for a month, wasn't it all for today?"

Eunuch Hai said blankly, "What are you saying? This old one doesn't understand."

Just pretend… Zhao Du'an curled his lips. Throughout the entire process, Eunuch Hai remained calm and composed, as if he didn't care about honor, disgrace, victory, or defeat.

Seeing that it was no longer her business, Mo Chou immediately turned around and hurried towards the Imperial Study. She knew that His Majesty must be concerned about the situation here.

…

…

Imperial Study.

When Mo Chou knocked on the door, she saw Xu Zhenguan, dressed in white like snow and with hair like a waterfall, leisurely sitting by the window in the exquisitely decorated and grand room.

Her fair and slender hands held scissors, focused on pruning a peach blossom branch.

"Your Majesty, they have met," Mo Chou said, gazing at the beautiful scene of the beauty pruning peach blossoms by the window, then quickly lowered her eyes and respectfully reported.

Xu Zhenguan cut off a section of the flower branch, without turning her head, and asked in a gentle voice:

"How did it go?"

Mo Chou did not dare to hide anything and narrated the entire process truthfully, from Qi Ye's provocation to Zhao Du'an's astonishing performance, without concealing anything.

"Oh, is that so? Not bad. Issue an order to reward each person in the Martial Arts Hall with a portion of silver," Xu Zhenguan said casually, without any surprise.

Mo Chou was stunned and raised her head in surprise: "Your Majesty isn't surprised?"

Xu Zhenguan placed the perfectly trimmed flower branch into the vase, turned her head, revealing a silver moon-like face, and asked with a smile:

"Surprised about what?"

"Naturally…" Mo Chou said, suddenly enlightened, her eyes shining: "Could it be that Your Majesty foresaw this? No… even arranged it in advance?"

Xu Zhenguan smiled and said softly:

"To best digest the medicinal power, one must use an opportunity. Where in the world can one find such a good whetstone as using the people of Green Mountain to test his saber?"

Mo Chou opened her mouth. She suddenly realized that His Majesty's arrangement for Zhao Du'an to enter the palace for arduous cultivation during this period was not without reason.

But also calculated the people of Green Mountain into the chessboard, using these martial arts geniuses as stepping stones for Zhao Du'an.

Jealousy made her hideous.

"Is Your Majesty not worried that the two sides will cause a big disturbance, and Martial Immortal will be displeased…"

Xu Zhenguan gently shook her head and said with a smile:

"So what? It's fine if he's bullied outside, but he can't be wronged in the palace."

The "he" here undoubtedly refers to Zhao.

Mo Chou: "…"

Jealousy made her fall apart.

"Your Majesty…" Mo Chou forcibly changed the topic:

"I'm just afraid that those people from Green Mountain are not peaceful, like that Xiao Ran. Although she doesn't dare to offend Your Majesty, she obviously harbors hatred because of the 'Xiao family' matter. Especially since she's entering the palace this time, she will definitely see Consort Xiao… It's another trouble. Should we send someone to take Consort Xiao out of the palace to avoid it?"

Xu Zhenguan gently hummed the Spring God's Ballad. Today, she was particularly lazy and relaxed.

She raised her hand, and a gust of wind swept up pieces of pink peach blossoms on the ground, gathering them in her palm:

"If she wants to see her, then let her see her. She's also a pitiful person."

Mo Chou hesitated: "Your Majesty is benevolent, but…"

"Don't worry, if you can think of these things, then Zhao Qing must have thought of them long ago. Let him handle these matters," Xu Zhenguan slowly lay down on the soft couch, and soon, a soft snore came.

Mo Chou opened her mouth, helplessly lowered her footsteps, and exited the Imperial Study. After closing the door, she couldn't help but exhale, her eyes full of suspicion:

"What's going on with Your Majesty these days…"

"Meow—"

Suddenly, Mo Chou noticed several palace maids in the distance throwing stones at an orange cat with its tail high on the roof.

Accompanied by a low complaint: "Damn cat, it's calling for spring again."

…

…

Martial Arts Hall.

Eunuch Hai went to rest, and after Zhao Du'an was surrounded by a group of eunuchs and returned, he immediately enjoyed the treatment of being the center of attention.

One guardian after another used all kinds of flattering words, making him feel like he was floating on air.

"Alright, alright, it was just one saber strike powered by pills. If you praise me any more, I'll get angry," Zhao Du'an said, sitting in the Grand Master's chair in the hall with an experienced look.

Behind him, on his legs, and on his arms… six eunuchs were giving him shoulder massages, leg massages, and arm massages.

If it weren't for the wrong time, they would have loved to bring him hot water to wash his feet.

The enthusiasm and flattery made Zhao Du'an extremely unaccustomed. The cool and domineering filter of "Imperial Guard" was shattered to pieces.

Who would have thought that the mysterious and powerful royal guardians would be like this in private?

Well… it's also reasonable. Guardians are ultimately selected from eunuchs. Even if they are strong, they still retain the imprint of serving people… However, suddenly, I understand a little why the royal family's martial artists are getting worse and worse with each generation.

The "Ten Attendants" six hundred years ago were either those who fought alongside Old Xu to conquer the world or the incorporated strong men… In the following hundreds of years, the world was peaceful, and the emperors became more and more useless, unable to suppress truly unruly strong men. Naturally, they would also tame the guardians into sheep…

The resulting bad consequence is that even with the support of the royal family's resources, the guardians of the Martial Arts Hall are indeed considered first-class experts when placed outside.

But compared to Green Mountain, they are already declining, relying only on Hai Chunlin, who is one or two hundred years old, to hold the fort, with no successors.

"Has the matter of closely monitoring those three people that I wanted been arranged?" Zhao Du'an asked, squinting his eyes and enjoying the massage.

Song Jinxi, who looked like a monkey, stood aside and responded:

"It has been arranged for people to keep an eye on them. Is Sir afraid that Qi Ye is unwilling and will make small moves?"

Zhao Du'an shook his head, opened his eyelids, and said:

"Keep an eye on Xiao Ran for me."

Xiao Ran?

That woman who holds a thin sword, doesn't talk much, and looks at everyone with a cold expression?

The guardians looked at each other in dismay.

…

In the evening, the setting sun dyed the western sky red, and when the afterglow sprinkled on the palace walls.

Xiao Ran put on a bamboo hat, held her thin sword, avoided the important areas of the palace, and with secret movements, crossed the many "checkpoints" and appeared in a corner of the palace, outside a remote and deserted palace with few people.

The female warrior raised her face, staring at the locked door of the Cold Palace, half of her face hidden in the shadows.

"Aunt…"

—

ps: I took my family to the hospital for a follow-up examination today. I will update more words tomorrow.