The Empress's No.1 Lackey-Chapter 297 - 261, Great waterspout, a fox exploiting the tiger’s might

Imperial Court.

Inside the Water Fairy Hall, with a high ponytail and teardrops at the corners of her eyes, the spirited Haitang moved a chair and sat under the eaves.

Listening to the raindrops fall from the roof tiles, clinking on the green brick steps.

She flipped through a document in her hands.

At the top of the document, the name "Chai Keqiao" was prominently written.

That morning, after the meeting, she had mentioned this name to Zhao Douan.

He was also her key focus, a target likely to stir trouble in the Capital soon.

"The direct disciple of Wu Xiankui... If he's here just for the Buddhist Tao competition, it would be fine, but the problem is... would this guy really be that honest?"

Haitang murmured softly, anxiety hidden between her brows.

Chai Keqiao, a Cultivation Martial Artist from the lineage of Martial Emperor City in the East Sea, was suspected to be at the pinnacle of Divinity.

He was one of the direct disciples of Wu Xiankui, one of the four "Heavenly Beings" of the present world.

It was said that Wu Xiankui had three thousand disciples wandering the Jianghu.

But that was an exaggerated number, referring only to external disciples who were accepted by representatives.

Only the rare "Direct Disciples" who had received personal instruction from Wu Xiankui himself.

Chai Keqiao was one of the Martial Emperor City's direct disciples.

His experiences could be considered legendary; it was said he was originally born into the local prominent Chai family.

He could have lived a life of richness and opulence, but influenced by a Martial Emperor City disciple who taught at the Chai family, he aspired to martial arts.

Abandoning his identity, he left home.

He headed straight for the Martial Emperor City to seek a mentor but didn't even meet Wu Xiankui before being rejected.

The young Chai Keqiao had a stubborn quality.

Even after being rebuffed, he didn't leave.

Instead, he built a wooden hut at the foot of the green mountain where the Martial Emperor City was located and lived by chopping wood every day.

He became an authentic woodcutter, aiming to demonstrate his perseverance.

During this time, the Chai family came to try to persuade the young master to return home, but he refused.

Gradually, even the Family Head gave up on this son.

Years flashed by with Chai Keqiao unnoticed in the mountains; those who initially mocked him slowly came to respect him.

Yet just when he had surpassed the prime age for martial cultivation, everyone thought this foolish young master would end up as one of the countless failures who had tried to seek mentorship in Martial Emperor City.

However, one day,

while chopping wood in the mountains, Chai Keqiao accidentally encountered the hunter persona of the contemporary lord of the Martial Emperor City, the "Heavenly Being" Wu Xiankui, who was incognito.

A woodcutter and a hunter.

The two chatted occasionally and gradually became familiar.

Wu Xiankui, moved by the boy's perseverance, began to teach him the cultivation of martial arts in his disguised identity.

Time had no presence in the mountains.

Years swiftly passed by.

Finally, Chai Keqiao descended from the green mountain.

Dressed in a hemp garment, wearing straw sandals, and carrying an ax, he defeated countless martial artists at the foot of the mountain.

…

"Snap."

Haitang closed the document in her hand and murmured to herself,

"Those who come have bad intentions, definitely not here with good intentions."

According to a report from an informant of the Water Fairy Hall, a few days ago, shortly after the Commandery Princess entered the city, Chai Keqiao entered the city alone.

Initially, he simply spent his days leisurely admiring the scenery of the Capital.

Later, he began to seek out various martial arts schools in the city, soliciting advice.

In the Capital, the Divine Dragon Temple and the Heavenly Master Mansion are the holy lands for Magicians.

But in the streets and alleys, there are also countless hidden martial arts schools and instructors teaching martial arts to the children of the influential and powerful.

Among them, there were indeed some masters, but unsurprisingly, all were defeated by Chai Keqiao.

Just because he acted low-key, and mutual discretion kept it from stirring too much commotion or attention.

"The Lord wants us to guard rigorously, ensuring that no trouble arises in the Capital during this period, but how do we keep tabs on such a person?"

Haitang sighed with a frown.

She got up to go to the Governor Hall, prepared to discuss this matter with Ma Yan.

However, upon reaching the Governor Hall, she found out the Lord wasn't there.

Haitang thought for a moment and decided to first find Zhang Han and a few Masters to discuss and prepare.

As for Zhao Douan...

"He's another one who's hardly ever at home, utterly unreliable."

But just then, outside the main entrance of the Governor Hall.

Suddenly a minor official hurried in, eyes brightening upon seeing her:

"Master Hai, you're just in time. A strange man has come to the government office wanting to seek a challenge."

"A strange man?" Haitang's heart skipped a beat.

The minor official nodded: "That man, clad in a tattered straw raincoat, wearing straw sandals, and with an ax hanging at his waist, calls himself Chai Keqiao."

Haitang's eyes widened sharply.

…

…

On the long street.

Fine autumn rain continued.

Falling from the sky like thousands of needle tips, plummeting toward the earth.

"Snap!"

Next to Zhao Douan's ear, the sound of a bursting porcelain teacup hadn't yet faded.

The single droplet of water flicked from the teahouse by Eunuch Hai had already merged into the vast autumn rain.

Buzz—

No sound was heard, but inexplicably, a ringing noise seemed to echo in Zhao Douan's mind.

Divine Soul flickered, and his ears seemed to be stuffed with cotton, countless tiny sounds were diminished countless times.

In his pupils, the reflection of the raindrops in the sky seemed to suddenly stop falling, hanging in the air.

It was as if time had paused, but in fact, his senses were distorted.

At this moment, time seemed to slow down countless times, and he clearly saw the subtle changes in the faces of the people on the street.

He saw that trembling droplet, still tinged with the light green of tea water, roll into the heavens and earth.

In an instant, countless raindrops seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, converging towards that one droplet.

One droplet.

Five droplets.

Ten droplets.

A hundred droplets.

Tens of thousands.

Ten million.

Boom...

Zhao Douan suddenly felt time speed up sharply, returning to its normal flow.

Outside the window, the autumn rain from half the street had been drawn in, forming a gigantic Water Sword.

"Ah!"

Someone exclaimed, shocked both by the sudden appearance of the Water Sword and the abrupt cessation of the rain above.

On the periphery of the crowd, the observing sword-wielding female heroine's pupils shook violently, her shrill voice piercing the dull long street:

"Be careful!"

The burly man holding the long saber covered in fiery red flames tensed up, a strong fear rising from the depths of his heart.

He felt a tightness in his chest, as if every part of his body was locked down, unable to move!

The elderly man in plain robes, who was dispersing the remaining imperial guards with a wave of his sleeve, turned his back to the Water Sword and felt the immense danger the moment the droplets flew out of the teahouse.

Without time to think, Lv Qingfeng instinctively took a deep breath, gathering his vital energy around his body, instantly mobilizing all his cultivation.

His robe inflated instantly like a ball, his body spinning on the spot with his boots as the pivot.

His left hand scooped up the wide sleeve of his right hand, and his right hand formed into a palm, pressing out towards the approaching gigantic Water Sword.

Two strong currents of blue energy rotated along the inflated robe for a round, pouring all into the palm wind.

"Boom—"

The cloudy sky responded with a thunderous roar.

Thereafter, Lv Qingfeng, once a famous expert in the Jianghu and now a master at the Royal Mansion, spat out a mouthful of blood.

Like a kite with a broken string, he harshly crashed backward.

Amid the crowd's cries, he crushed half the eaves of the teahouse opposite.

Crash!

Broken tiles fell.

And the Water Sword also collapsed into rolling cold water, pouring onto the ground.

The burly man holding the saber was drenched to the core, the red flames on the blade sizzled out, leaving only thick white mist.

Silence!

The long street suddenly fell into great silence.

Even as light rain began to drizzle from the sky once more, wetting the faces of everyone, they all seemed as if they had not come back to their senses.

On the periphery of the crowd, the sword-wielding female heroine stood still, her entire body trembling as if she herself had faced that sword.

Not long ago, two clumsy martial artists who had fought to the death here, taken away by the government officer of the county government, and not yet gone, were holding their wounds in a daze, looking at the rolling cold water on the ground, forgetting all their pain.

Around.

The armored imperial guards who were driven back and overturned by Lv Qingfeng, not seriously injured, were helping each other to stand.

Someone inhaled softly, then causing a chain reaction, looking towards Zhao Douan's position with deep reverence in their eyes, and...

Relief!

Thank goodness, they firmly followed Mr. Zhao's orders, executing them without compromise, otherwise... unimaginable.

Indeed, General Zhao, as cruel to enemies as the harsh winter and as warm to his own people as the spring breeze, would he really let them fight to the death and merely watch from the sidelines?

In the teahouse across, in the room with the window half-opened.

Xu Junling had already stood up, her sweet and elegant face wide-eyed.

Her eyes filled with astonishment, shock, as well as intense worry and urgency.

This was completely different from all the possibilities she had imagined.

Hadn't Master Lv said... no one on this long street could be his enemy?

Just what was the identity of that unremarkable old man next to Zhao Douan?

This well-known talented lady from the Huai River, the heroic woman who came to Capital for Prince Huaian, felt a restless anxiety as the situation slipped out of control.

"Commandery Princess..."

Beside her, the maid Lv Shui was also frantic, "What should we do?"

...

Second floor of the teahouse.

Zhao Douan, stunned, turned his head back, looking at Eunuch Hai with uncertainty.

He saw the latter with an air of leisurely pride, not even lifting his butt, his raspy voice spreading outside:

Follow current novels on freewebnσvel.cѳm.

"The martial arts lineage of the Lv family is not easy to carry on, should not be destroyed here. Today a slight punishment is warranted, for the Capital under the Emperor's feet tolerates no recklessness."

Damn… Hai, you really know how to act...

Zhao Douan marveled, acknowledging he had learned something.

Outside.

Though spitting out blood, thanks to Eunuch Hai's restraint, Lv Qingfeng's injuries were not severe as he shockingly looked up.

He rose from a pile of rubble, his eyes full of doubt.

Immediately, he seemed to think of something, hurriedly bowing with clasped hands:

"Within the building, could it be..."

"Don't ask," Zhao Douan spoke softly, interrupting him.

Then, with a bluster of borrowed authority, laughed heartily:

"Ask further and I'll cut off your tongue."