The Empress's No.1 Lackey-Chapter 451 - 369, an arrow breaks the Python Dragon Flag

In the civil examination, one is tested on literature; in the military examination, one is tested on martial arts.

Zhao Douan was not aware of the origin behind the name "Single Stroke of Martial Arts Examination," but that didn't prevent him from witnessing with his own eyes that sword's overwhelming killing aura that swept across the river.

When Eunuch Hai unsheathed the Cold Frost Sword, a thin layer of frost had already formed on the blade.

As he flicked the sword with his finger, the chill that burst forth from the edge spanned three feet.

The temperature over the river plummeted, and the droplets from the coiling water serpents in the sky crystallized and shattered, turning into grains of snow.

Amid the fierce combat, Lang Shiba, who was already showing signs of faltering stamina, heard the deliberately shouted name of the technique from behind and suddenly mustered a deep and rich breath from his dantian.

With a roar, he ripped a radiant half-moon arc of Sword Energy from his curved blade with his splintering tiger's mouth!

This blade, unleashed without reserve in a sudden outburst, shredded Duan Shuiliu's sleeves and forced the Senior Brother of green mountain to break the rhythm of his attack.

Seizing the opportunity, Lang Shiba tipped on his toes and leaped back into the air, dodging to one side. He crashed onto the water's surface, his feet skimming along, drawing a straight, fine line as he swiftly escaped the battlefield.

Beneath the water, Ji Yue also felt the towering and majestic Sword Qi that surged above the sturdy river's surface, along with the piercing cold. She yanked both hands fiercely, and the water serpents on the surface of the river collapsed and scattered.

Duan Shuiliu's pupils abruptly contracted as he felt an imminent threat.

He treaded air lightly, his grey robe flipping behind him to reveal his solid, rock-like body; on his square face, the reflection of the chill emanating from the tip of the sword on the official ship glittered in his grey irises.

That strand of Sword Qi was very fine, yet as soon as it burst forth, it drew together the droplets from the entire sky.

Amid the "crackling" sounds, they froze into an ice bridge.

One end was stuck on the deck of the official ship, where Eunuch Hai, with the sword in his hand, raised towards the sky. The other end faintly took the shape of a dragon's head, thrusting straight at Duan Shuiliu.

Duan Shuiliu hung mid-air, still assuming the stance of walking on stilts below, not daring to be overly confident.

At this moment, without time to think, his body honed through thousands of hammerings and hundreds of temperings already reacted a step ahead.

He brought his right hand fingers together to form a blade, streams of nearly fiery illusionary "energy" burning at the edge, causing the air beside his palm to twist.

Duan Shuiliu slowly raised his hand blade. His movement was slow, clear, and both the large ships as well as Prince Huaian watching at a distance were able to clearly see his actions.

But oddly, despite such slow speed, he weirdly kept up with the pace of that strand of Sword Qi.

Duan Shuiliu formed his right hand into a blade and solemnly slashed straight down.

"Ding!"

Under everyone's gaze, the hand blade collided with the fine line of Sword Qi, emitting a clear and pleasant sound.

Silently and breathlessly, calm descended.

Subsequently, Zhao Douan and Xu Jinglong saw simultaneously, the turbulent river beneath where their collision took place was already covered with a thin layer of ice at some unknown time.

At that moment, with a "bang," cracks blossomed on the thin ice, wildly spreading to both sides.

In the blink of an eye, the thin layer of ice was sliced in two, and it didn't end there—the river water that hadn't iced over also split apart.

Lang Shiba retreated in horror, unwilling to let the cracks beneath him draw closer.

From the perspective of the red-clothed female sorcerer with white irises gazing up from below the water, the river, bathed in the light of heaven, was parted by an invisible force.

"Boom, boom, boom!!!"

In the next moment, the parted river water merged again, producing a series of thunderous blasts in front of everyone, exploding into a fountain-like spray.

Ice frost covered Duan Shuiliu's palm. His complexion changed abruptly, and his body swayed, shattering the ice layer as he rapidly retreated backward.

Eunuch Hai's expression remained impassive, his wrist lightly twisting.

"Clang, clang, clang..."

The Sword Qi fine line that connected them like a bridge of ice suddenly shattered into pieces.

Numerous marrow-cleansing ice shards shot at the opposing iron-clad warship like bullets.

The series of explosions finally broke the trance of those who had been stunned silent by the fight.

"Ah—"

The exclamatory cries shattered the silence. Prince Jing Mansion's private soldiers raised their shields, and Xu Jinglong also quickly retreated, dodging the wildly shooting Sword Qi that did not discriminate in its targets.

Duan Shuiliu fell back to the deck, his feet retreating step by step until with a sudden sink of his waist, he channeled the rolling force into the deck below.

The massive warship, under the remnant power of that one sword, actually moved backward several zhang.

It was incredulous to hear.

"The Imperial Tributor, Hai Chunlin!" Duan Shuiliu voiced in astonishment, blurting out the nondescript old man's name across from him.

Mr. Hai?

How could Xu Jinglong not know of this court eunuch, who had held control over the Imperial Guard since the late Emperor's time and had hidden within the court?

His cheeks twitched, he had not expected that during Zhao Douan's trip to the south, the Empress would send such a legendary expert as an escort.

Even though Eunuch Hai was already past his Peak Period and no longer in the prime of his past glory, his solid foundation alone made him incomparable to the ordinary powerful figures of the World.

"Hehe, you, the junior, actually recognize me?" Eunuch Hai laughed with delight.

Duan Shuiliu's face was heavy, tinged with a trace of excitement, as he coldly said:

"Although Mr. Hai has retreated from the Jianghu for sixty years, who knows how many still remember the stories of the elder's departure from the palace to sweep through the Jianghu, and the lone adventure into green mountain."

Eunuch Hai was quite flattered by the praise, smilingly said,

"How has Wu Xiankui been in recent years?"

Duan Shuiliu replied indifferently,

"If the Tributor wishes to know, a visit to Martial Emperor City will surely enlighten you."

Eunuch Hai wore a melancholic expression, lacklusterly tossed the sword in his hand back into its sheath, and sighed,

"Old age, incomparable to the past years, I'm no longer Wu Xiankui's opponent. But to teach and tidy up one of his disciples, that is still not difficult."

Duan Shuiliu remained silent.

From their brief exchange, although they were far from fighting to the death, it was possible to discern some indication of each other's strength.