The Empress's No.1 Lackey-Chapter 302 - 266, General Zhao, the enemy has been captured and awaits your orders.

"This set of iron armor is indeed very cumbersome on the ground,"

From the abandoned watchtower, Zhao Douan squinted his eyes, looking at the distant combat. When he saw the iron-clad Futu kicked backwards sliding like a locomotive, he couldn't help but inhale softly,

"Zhang Han and his group didn't lose undeservedly."

Although he had not advanced in rank yet, his perspective had widened through sparring with the Empress and his exchanges with the detectives of the Eight Halls had given him a deeper understanding of the power of a normal "Divine Chapter" realm martial artist.

At the moment, although he couldn't discern the subtle intricacies, judging from the power alone, this guy truly was a leading figure at the pinnacle of the Divine Chapter realm.

"Heh heh, it seems that even with just this one, he can't be taken down," Eunuch Hai said in a relaxed posture, as if watching a play.

Zhao Douan spoke indifferently,

"Do you really think all these people are just spectating?"

...

On the slippery, enclosed streets.

Chai Keqiao's leg was forcefully countered by the iron-clad Futu, sending him rolling backward in mid-air.

In the direction of his retreat, within another phalanx of the imperial guard wearing iron armor, stood a military officer clad in soft armor, with two tufts of mustache, his single hand resting on his sword.

His gaze didn't waver, not even blinking when rainwater drifted into his eyes.

His thumb pressed on the guard of his side-sword, pushing the slender battle blade out an inch, then retracting it back into the scabbard, rubbing it several times back and forth.

Suddenly, he squatted low with a bow step and bent waist, springing up from his knees, soaring high as if flying atop the city wall.

The scabbard, like dead wood, fell to the ground as the grave and slender blade edge cut through the air, striking with an unpredictability of a ghost or god, slashing towards the young man in straw sandals and a straw raincoat.

"Wu——"

Chai Keqiao's ears twitched slightly, catching the extremely well-hidden whistling of the blade as he rolled, without leverage to help him.

With just one scoop from the waist, that seemingly ordinary but actually extraordinary malleable iron axe came back around for a block.

"Ding!"

The axe met the blade edge precisely at one point.

At that instant, the rain droplets around the figures in the air shook, then were blown outwards by the invisible wave of force.

Chai Keqiao fell straight down to the ground, and the light-armored swordsman followed closely behind.

Both landed on the ground, their weapons sticking together, stubbornly not separating.

"Die!"

The light-armored swordsman seemed rather hot-tempered, and as soon as he landed, a faint halo spread out around his body.

That was the Protective Gang Qi of a Divine Chapter realm martial artist.

Both hands gripping the sword, his body leaned forward, the center of gravity shifted ahead.

In an instant, he was like a mad tiger, slashing his sword out twelve times in a single breath!

"Clang clang clang clang..."

The continuous collision of weapons created a dense succession of sounds, the sword edge drawing afterimages, pressuring Chai Keqiao downwards with sheer power.

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The woodcutter from the East Sea also rose Protective Gang Qi to withstand the exploding Sword Energy.

The axe in his hand, seemingly slow and traceable, contrasted sharply with the afterimages of rapid slashing.

He also retreated quickly, as if floating above the ground, yet with a sense of ease as if he was playing with the situation.

"This is a fast blade used in the military, maintain one breath in the chest continuously, and this series of slashes won't stop. It can temporarily boost one's strength by a small leap.

However, this military man's rapid slashing is only average.

Back in the day, one of the Ten Eunuchs practiced this fast blade. With one breath, he jumped down from the city wall, it's said that he carved through the military formation. When he finally stopped, his top-grade battle blade was fiercely curled open." Eunuch Hai commented leisurely.

The Ten Eunuchs... That was hundreds of years ago, wasn't it...

Why don't you start from the unification by Emperor Qin Shi Huang, oh wait, this world has no Emperor Qin Shi Huang... Zhao Douan criticized silently, and asked,

"What about this Chai Keqiao?"

Eunuch Hai spoke indifferently,

"This man isn't using any battle techniques, he's completely relying on instinct to respond. If your power is big enough, response quick enough, and body movement unhampered, you don't need any crappy martial skills... Eh, kid, look closely and don't miss anything."

Zhao Douan focused his gaze, and was slightly taken aback.

In the midst of the exchange between the two combatants,

On the other end, the previously steady Futu General had finished recuperating.

He stood silently in the autumn rain,

Patiently waiting for the two to approach, he suddenly crouched with bended knees, his iron-armored arms fiercely hammered down on the ground.

"Thud!"

The ground shook gently, and the civilians sneaking a peek from the shops on both sides felt their hearts skip a beat.

Then they watched in amazement,

As the layer of water covering the street surface suddenly rippled with fine wrinkles.

Small pebbles also vibrated and jumped up!

The blue bricks half-buried in the mud loosened and rose, as if a concentrated force from beneath turned into a line, undulating and advancing towards the retreating Chai Keqiao!

However, as the straw sandal slowly stepped on the ground, the turbulent bricks and rolling stones, all at once, regained tranquility.

"Thump thump——"

The tower-like Futu General, already beginning his heavy march, once more initiated a charge.

A gleam flashed across Chai Keqiao's wheat-colored face,

The axe in his hand, with a sudden and elegant arcane trajectory, burst forth with astonishing force, sending the rapidly exhausting fast-blade light-armored swordsman flying backward.

Then, Chai Keqiao spun around on the spot, his straw raincoat, like the hem of a skirt, creating an elegant half-circle.

The tightly-held axe in his hand suddenly flew out, turning into a dark gleam.

As the flying axe spun through the drizzle, it circled behind the iron-clad Futu, and with a clench of Chai Keqiao's hand through the air,

The axe, as if pulled by invisible threads, came to an abrupt halt, hanging in the air.

Then, with an even more terrifying speed, it spun back, slashing towards the neck of the Futu General from behind.

"Duck!"

The opposing swordsman yelled.

A strong sense of danger surged within the Futu General, who swiftly rolled on the spot, dodging the axe but also losing the opportunity.

He boldly targeted Chai Keqiao's lower body for an attack as the swordsman took the chance to strike with his blade.

In that moment, Chai Keqiao was beset on all sides, yet his body suddenly seemed to lose weight as if he were a leaf in the wind.

No matter how fiercely the two attacked, he cunningly evaded every move.

The three fought each other to a standstill, with Chai Keqiao faintly gaining the upper hand.

...

"Autumn leaves..."

On a distant rooftop, the white-robed monk Bian Ji exclaimed in admiration.

Gongshu Tianyuan glanced at him, "What 'autumn leaves'?"

Bian Ji didn't argue with him but continued on his own:

"The techniques used by this person at this moment, are they not like the leaves falling in the wind? It's not a martial skill, but it surpasses martial skills. Or should I say, he has forgotten all martial skills, and everything in heaven and earth is martial arts to him.

Though limited by his cultivation realm and unable to defeat these strong military men, his future is promising. Martial Emperor City has a successor."

"Gibberish..."

Gongshu Tianyuan looked annoyed, as if the knowledge had entered his brain but couldn't stay.

His talent was strong, but he only had a limited understanding of martial arts; even the Heavenly Master Mansion was not proficient in martial arts.

He turned his head, and the mini telescope above his socket suddenly whirled and retracted.

The scene atop the watchtower appeared in the lens.

Gongshu Tianyuan was taken aback.

Because he found that Zhao Douan was exceptionally focused at this moment, as if he was completely immersed in some state.

"Autumn leaves... leaves following the wind..."

Zhao Douan squinted his eyes, watching this scene, and suddenly recalled the image of Chai Keqiao standing under the ginkgo tree, catching falling leaves with his hand, not long ago.

"Is he imitating the ginkgo leaves?"

Zhao Douan suddenly had a revelation, and ripples quietly emerged in the depths of his heart.

As if something was about to break through the soil, to germinate, yet there was a barrier in the way.

Although it couldn't be compared to the present, at this moment, he seemed to be in a dream, watching the Grand Ancestor Emperor perform martial arts.

For some reason, he had a strong urge to immediately visualize and enter the Martial God Map.

This kid really got it?

So quickly?

Eunuch Hai looked at him with doubt and concern, thinking this was not good.

Better not to be too clever and disturb the hearts of Martial Emperor City's lineage. He abruptly said,

"It seems these two cannot be taken down."

Zhao Douan was jolted back to reality, his strong urge to verify something in the Martial God Map overpowering the pleasure of watching the battle.

He snorted coldly,

"Tell them to stop playing around; it's time to end this."

Behind him, Zheng Laojiu took an odd whistle out of his bosom, put it in his mouth, and blew hard.

In the distance.

On the sealed street, the two entangled with Chai Keqiao suddenly retreated explosively, pulling back several meters.

Panting heavily, they assumed a defensive stance.

This skirmish had cost them a great deal.

But... the goal was achieved!

"It's time to wrap things up."

The iron shield wall suddenly split open, and a tall military officer stepped onto the battlefield, holding a black iron spear wrapped with patterns.

The moment his military boots touched the puddle on the ground, the rainwater in the pothole instantly evaporated.

Worn down by the efforts of two strong soldiers and half out of breath, Chai Keqiao fell like a leaf, lightly touching down and turning to look back.

The next second, his body froze, locked in place by several streams of Gang Qi.

His martial artist's instinct told him that any attempt to dodge in any direction would lead to a fatal strike.

From within the two military formations on either side, several strong fighters who had not yet taken action drew their weapons.

On the rooftop, the silent crossbowmen adjusted their shooting angles, each group of three locking down their position.

A net from heaven and earth.

Chai Keqiao realized that this was the power of the Great Yu Army's formation in full operation.

Though a martial artist might be strong, they were like caught in a spider's web, a swamp, with no escape from above or below.

The only option...

He pursed his lips, trying to extend his axe forward.

In his eyes, however, he saw the military officer with the spear charging forward in an instant.

"Pfft!"

Chai Keqiao felt a sharp pain in his ribs as the spear pierced through his flesh at the side of his waist, the kinetic force flipping his body, causing him to fall heavily onto the street, soaked with rainwater.

Blood dyed his straw raincoat red.

The cold rain slapped randomly across his face.

Yet there was a smile on Chai Keqiao's lips as he said softly,

"Remarkable."

The tall military officer flipped off the brim of his hat with the spear, looking down at him stunned, and frowned,

"A madman from Martial Emperor City."

In his view, Martial Emperor City bred martial fools, and it seemed he had encountered another one.

He thought, a single person challenging the Imperial Court might be more of a tactic to attract strong opponents.

"Someone! Take this criminal and deliver him to Master Zhao for judgment!"

Knife-wielding soldiers swiftly approached.

Chai Keqiao did not move; his injuries and exhaustion made it impossible for him to resist.

As he was dragged away by the official army, his gaze turned peculiar as he asked,

"Are you... sent by that Zhao Douan...? Where is he?"

The spear-wielding military officer scoffed,

"Do you think you're worthy of meeting General Zhao?"

With that, he turned and left.

Four soldiers remained, shackling him with chains that bound hands and feet, forcibly hoisting Chai Keqiao on their shoulders face up, and dragged him through the street.

...

Moments later.

On the watchtower, Zhao Douan stood with his hands behind his back, quietly massaging his forehead, only hearing the rapidly approaching footsteps below.

A military officer ascended the tower, bowed with his hands clasped in salute,

"Reporting to General Zhao, the criminal has been captured and awaits your disposal."

...

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