Time seemed to slow down infinitely at this moment.
The gleaming, ghost-headed broadsword, amidst countless horrified gazes, traced a deadly arc, accompanied by a piercing whistle that tore through the air, and cleaved down upon the seemingly defenseless emperor and empress on their throne!
The scent of death was so strong, so real.
A cruel, triumphant smile had already blossomed on Regent Xiao Yuan's face. He seemed to already see the beautiful scene of blood splattering and the phoenix crown falling to the ground.
However, just as the blade was about to touch one-thousandth of Lin Wanwan's hair!
An unexpected change occurred!
Emperor Xiao Che, who had always been perceived by everyone as a sickly man who was weak and breathless after walking just a few steps, has made a move!
He didn't dodge, didn't retreat, and didn't even panic in the slightest.
He gently pushed Lin Wanwan behind him to protect her, and then instead of retreating, he advanced, taking the initiative to meet the fatal blow that was coming down on his head!
"His Majesty!"
Lin Wanwan let out a gasp.
Everyone thought he had gone mad! They thought he was going to use his "weak" flesh and blood to confront a blade powerful enough to split rocks!
However, what happened next made everyone's eyes almost pop out of their sockets!
Xiao Che did not draw his sword.
Just as the demon-headed broadsword was about to strike, he did something incomprehensible and downright insane!
A loud "rip—!" was heard!
He suddenly raised his hand, grabbed the elaborate and magnificent black dragon robe with gold thread that symbolized the supreme ruler, and tore it to both sides!
The exquisitely crafted dragon robe, made of fine materials, was torn apart as easily as a piece of paper! The gold threads snapped, and the luxurious fabric flew to both sides, revealing what lay beneath the robe!
In an instant, the entire hall fell into deathly silence!
At that moment, everyone's breath stopped completely!
Beneath the dragon robe was not the undergarment or frail body one might imagine.
Inside was a suit of soft armor that he had already put on, its entire body shimmering with the dark light of black iron! Each plate of the armor was forged with exquisite skill, perfectly conforming to his body shape and outlining the smooth lines of his body that were not at all like those of a "sickly" person, but full of explosive power!
His physique, usually concealed by his flowing dragon robes, was now fully revealed beneath the torn fabric—broad shoulders, a taut waist and abdomen, exuding a powerful and beautiful aura! Where was there even a trace of his "frail and sickly" appearance?!
"when!"
A deafening clang of metal clashing suddenly rang out!
The massive, ghost-headed sword, powerful enough to cleave a person in two, struck Xiao Che squarely on the shoulder!
However, the expected scene of carnage did not occur!
The blade collided with the soft armor, creating a burst of dazzling sparks! The heavy, ghost-headed broadsword was actually bounced back! The enormous recoil caused the burly, towering assassin's hand to split open, and he groaned as he staggered back half a step.
Xiao Che stood still, completely motionless!
At that moment, all sounds in the world seemed to disappear.
Time seemed to freeze at that moment.
Everyone, including Regent Xiao Yuan, was frozen in place, staring blankly at the young emperor on the throne who had torn his dragon robe and clashed with the blade. Their minds were blank, and they had completely lost the ability to think.
This...this is...
Is this still the same sickly man who could barely even attend the morning court session?!
Is this still the same puppet emperor they've mocked for years, the one who couldn't even kill a chicken?!
Pretending to be weak to fool others!
A word that sent shivers down their spines suddenly surfaced from the depths of everyone's hearts!
The assassin was also taken aback by the sudden turn of events, but being a seasoned and ruthless outlaw, he reacted instantly. His attack missed, and his eyes gleamed with even greater ferocity. With a roar, he raised his blade again, preparing for an even more ferocious attack.
However, Xiao Che was no longer prepared to give him that chance.
"court death."
Two cold words were softly uttered from Xiao Che's lips.
His movements were as fast as lightning!
Just as the assassin raised his knife again, Xiao Che's body sank slightly, and his right fist slammed out!
This punch had no fancy moves, only the purest, most primal, and most terrifying power and speed! A muffled sonic boom even echoed in the air!
Even if you start late, you'll arrive first!
"Bang!"
A sickening, muffled thud, the sound of bones colliding with flesh, clearly echoed throughout the deathly silent hall.
Xiao Che's fist struck the assassin squarely in the chest.
The assassin's sinister smile froze instantly. He lowered his head, staring in disbelief at his chest, which was twice as thick as a normal person's.
There, centered on Xiao Che's fist, his clothes on his chest were torn to shreds, and his well-honed sternum visibly and deeply caved in, forming a terrifying crater!
"Snap—!"
A crisp, chilling sound of bone cracking rang out clearly.
All the light in the assassin's eyes vanished instantly, leaving only endless fear and confusion. He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but instead spat out a mouthful of blood mixed with fragments of internal organs.
The next moment, his massive, towering body, like a tattered sack with all its bones removed, or a kite with its string snapped by a gale, flew backward, his feet leaving the ground!
He flew several meters and crashed heavily into a huge pillar behind him with a dull thud. Then, like a lump of mud, he slid to the ground and fell silent.
One punch!
It only took one punch!
A battle-hardened elite assassin, a burly man weighing over 200 pounds, was actually killed by the legendary "sickly and weak" emperor with a single punch! His sternum was shattered, and his internal organs were reduced to mush!
What... what kind of terrifying power is this?!
This is no sick man! This is clearly a primordial beast in human skin! A terrifying... god of war!
"Gulp."
Someone swallowed hard.
The entire venue was deathly silent!
Those assassins who had just charged forward with such ferocity and ruthlessness were now frozen in place, as if struck by a spell. They stared at the young emperor on his throne, his fist slowly retracting, his tattered dragon robe still clinging to his body, their eyes filled with unprecedented fear and horror.
Below the main hall, the smile on Regent Xiao Yuan's face had completely frozen. The color drained from his face at a visible speed, turning him even paler than Xiao Che.
His eyes widened as he stared intently at Xiao Che, his lips trembling as he muttered to himself, "Impossible...this can't be...it's fake...it's all fake..."
He couldn't accept it! He had schemed and plotted his whole life, but he never imagined that his greatest enemy had been staging a play right under his nose for years! And he had been completely fooled, like the biggest fool in the world!
All the conspiracies and schemes became a huge joke at this moment!
In the face of absolute power, everything else seems so pale and powerless!
Xiao Che didn't look at him again, nor did he look at the terrified assassins.
He slowly turned around, ripped off the tattered and useless fragments of his dragon robe, and threw them on the ground.
Then, he reached out and slowly drew a sword from beneath the dragon throne behind him, which symbolized supreme power.
It was an ancient sword with a long and slender body. Under the candlelight, the blade gleamed with a chilling light, and a ferocious golden dragon coiled around the hilt.
"Buzz—!"
The longsword was drawn from its sheath, emitting a clear and melodious dragon's roar, as if cheering for its true master.
Xiao Che held his long sword, slowly turned around, and pointed the blade at the terrified rebels below.
His voice, no longer tinged with weakness or hoarseness, was now as cold as the eternal ice of the deepest hell, clearly resounding throughout the deathly silent hall:
"Traitors and rebels deserve to be punished by everyone!"
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