In the beginning, he was ranked alongside An Shigeng as a spoiled brat.

Seeing you today, I'm somewhat disappointed.

She had always thought Zhang Xiaoshan was an exceptionally talented and outstanding person.

Meeting him today, I see he is nothing more than a dashing young man from the Southern Dynasty. He may be somewhat learned, but he is ultimately not domineering enough.

"It is indeed Zhang's fault!"

Zhang Xiaoshan casually tossed out a scroll of secret manual.

She was completely unconcerned about the Empress's disappointment, had no desire to become the Empress's lover, and had little interest in the Wu Tang Empire.

However, since Emperor Wu came in person this time, the deal was basically done.

Empress Wu did not open the manual after receiving it, knowing that Zhang Xiaoshan had no reason to deceive her.

Because this isn't something she cultivated, if something goes wrong, the Zhang family will suffer a greater loss than gain.

"However, since I am here tonight, I would like to see whether your Pure Yang Finger and Dragon-Slaying Saber Technique are as legendary as they are said to be. I would appreciate your guidance!"

"Alright, it's been a long time since we've done anything. Let's go outside to the Luo River."

Upon hearing that Zhang Xiaoshan was going to duel with Emperor Wu, the women who had been listening came out one after another, and hurriedly chased after the two as they disappeared into the courtyard.

Even Master Mingchen, who was chanting sutras in the Buddhist hall, was no exception; her slender and graceful figure chased after him.

On the Luoshu River, two unparalleled masters stood on the water.

The women who arrived later watched the two men prepare for their final battle from a thatched hut by the river.

Meanwhile, three figures lurked in the darkness, watching intently as the two figures confronted each other on the lake's surface.

They were all the Empress's personal guards, equivalent to the Ming Dynasty's Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Even though the Empress was traveling alone when she left the palace, they still followed her closely, protecting her safety at all times.

At this moment, the sparring between two masters at the Grandmaster level was a great attraction for them.

Not to mention the Zhang family's ladies; their swift, fleeting figures were incredibly fast.

"Your Majesty's status is so noble, I will make the first move!"

Standing on the water, Zhang Xiaoshan's skill had truly reached a state of divine perfection, a skill that rivaled the creation of nature.

The fact that the Empress stood on the water was unexpected by Zhang Xiaoshan, even though she was also a Grandmaster.

However, Zhang Xiaoshan did not deliberately pursue this; he simply pointed his fingers in the air!

This finger strike is the sword qi finger strike of the Pure Yang Finger technique, without any fancy or superfluous points.

But even with just this simple, indistinct finger gesture, sword energy pierced through the air, and even though the two were four or five zhang apart, it still emitted a sharp and piercing whistling sound.

Moreover, the sword energy was swift and fast, arriving in an instant.

However, the empress's graceful figure vanished the moment Zhang Xiaoshan's finger pierced the air.

The speed of that finger strike was so great that by the time the shriek was heard and people tried to dodge, it was already too late!

Just like no matter how high your martial arts skills are, you can be taken down with a single shot!

Even if a martial arts master's reaction speed is superhuman, the speed at which a bullet leaves the barrel can instantly exceed the speed of sound.

Moreover, the range of a pistol means that, to a certain extent, the bullet arrives along with the sound.

He was shot the instant he heard the sound; even the fastest reflexes were useless.

Therefore, for those masters whose attack speed exceeds the speed of sound, it is useless for blind people to locate them by sound alone.

However, there are very few masters in the martial arts world who can surpass the speed of sound.

Aside from the sword in the Sword Saint's hand, there is only the Grandmaster.

At the same time, the empress's graceful figure, three zhang high in the air, unleashed a Heavenly Demon Palm with a wave of her hand.

There was no overwhelming force of palm strikes, but the sharp and unparalleled palm shadows descended and crushed everything in their path.

This Heavenly Demon Palm doesn't displace the air; instead, it compresses the air enveloped by the palm force within the palm energy. Once they meet, the resulting destructive power is even greater.

But Zhang Xiaoshan's Pure Yang Finger seems to be the nemesis of palm techniques.

With a casual flick of his finger, the extremely refined finger energy directly shattered the Heavenly Demon Palm Force, instantly deflating it like a punctured balloon, its power greatly reduced.

At the same time, Zhang Xiaoshan continued to wave his sleeve and point.

The pure Yang finger energy transformed into a dense, vast, and boundless sword aura. The sword aura surged like a dragon emerging from the sea, carrying the momentum of the Luo River, and swept towards the drowning empress.

This single finger gesture possesses the power to swallow mountains and rivers!

In particular, Zhang Xiaoshan's fingers formed a sword, and his elegant and graceful figure transformed into a celestial being, descending from above and below with the long dragon of sword energy.

Even the Empress couldn't help but change her expression slightly, not expecting Zhang Xiaoshan's sword finger to be so sharp.

The Demon-Seed Divine Art of the Dao Heart!!

At this moment, the Empress's power reached its peak, her aura was unleashed, her figure vanished as if she had merged with the Luo River, her aura was ethereal and vast, like a grain of sand in a mountain and river, yet like a god or demon looking down upon the world.

This profound realm is precisely the level of a grandmaster's unity with heaven and man.

boom!

Suddenly, with a horizontal thrust of her jade palm, the Empress used the supreme power of her Dao Heart Seed Demon to directly create a ten-foot-long raging wave on the river.

With a roar and surge, it directly dispersed the raging dragon sword energy, while simultaneously blocking Xiaoshan's figure.

However, amidst the waves, a finger strike pierced through the air and headed straight for the Empress.

Pure Yang Finger Strength!

If the ethereal sword energy was merely cotton wool, then this finger strike was a sharp sword, forcing even the Empress to dodge to the side.

At the same time, a figure in the sky brandished a sword finger, its movements fluid and unpredictable, the sword energy ethereal and elusive.

In an instant, a sharp and dense net of swords descended like a net from the sky.

On the shore, the two figures clashed fiercely, captivating the attention of all the women.

I never imagined that the gap between them and the Grandmasters would be so vast.

Even Liu Sheng Piaoxu and Master Mingchen were deeply shaken by the Empress's power, which could unleash massive waves with a wave of her hand.

Amidst the raging waves, Zhang Xiaoshan's moves were expansive and powerful. Even though he primarily used finger techniques, his finger strength was still sharp and fierce, making him invincible.

The Empress, on the other hand, was like the goddess of the Luo River. With the profound power of the Luo River, she used her inner strength to transform into countless forms in the water, each with a beautiful posture.

Especially his palm strikes, like a tidal wave crashing against the shore; his sleeves whipping up wind and rain, shooting forth in a whirlwind...

Before they knew it, the two had fought over a hundred rounds, with neither gaining the upper hand.

However, the Empress knew that Zhang Xiaoshan's finger strikes were extremely refined, and in terms of destructive power alone, even she, with her Dao Heart Seed Demonic Realm, would not dare to take a direct hit from a single finger strike.

He could only rely on the profound mysteries of the Daoist Heart Demon Technique to deal with Zhang Xiaoshan.

At the same time, he secretly cursed that the rumors in the martial arts world were untrue.

What sword aura finger? Heaven-piercing sword energy?

These are clearly just outward leakage of true qi, feints transformed from pure yang finger strength, and are just fancy tricks to fool those who pursue fame and fortune.

The Pure Yang Finger is the Pure Yang Finger; it can defeat enemies with a single finger and is invincible!

Even she had to admit that the finger strikes of the Pure Yang Finger were no less powerful than the legendary ability to bring the dead back to life.

As the battle between the two intensified, Zhang Xiaoshan stopped using finger techniques and suddenly leaped into the air.

"Your Majesty, be careful! My final move is the ninth form of the Dragon Slaying Saber Technique—the Sky-Supporting Dragon Slaying Saber!"

Slaying a dragon?

For an emperor, this was a major taboo.

At this moment, Zhang Xiaoshan became one with his sword. Even though he did not have the Dragon-Slaying Saber in his hand, he himself was a god-slaying blade capable of cutting down the heavens and slaying dragons.

In an instant, an aura that could change the very fabric of the world slowly coalesced around Zhang Xiaoshan.

The Empress felt that deadly threat and her face paled.

As the Dragon-Slaying Blade's aura gradually coalesced, an attack seemingly imbued with the boundless destructive power of heaven and earth quietly appeared between heaven and earth.

That world-destroying power was none other than the Dragon-Slaying Blade Qi.

A single, powerful strike cleaves the Dragon-Slaying Team!

In that instant, a thirty-foot-long blade aura suddenly appeared, and the surrounding wind and clouds were obscure, gathering the power of heaven and earth.

Such supreme divine power caused Shangguan Wan'er and the Plum Blossom Guards to change color instantly, as they felt the terror and destructive power of this strike.

If the Empress were to face her head-on, she would likely be severely injured, if not killed.

boom!

With Zhang Xiaoshan's single strike that cleaved the Luo River, his power dominated the entire land and traversed countless ages.

Especially with the towering waves on both sides, containing terrifying sword energy, the plum blossom guards and Shangguan Wan'er who had just rushed forward were directly pushed back by the giant waves.

The overwhelming power left even Huang Rong and the other women speechless.

This is the ninth move of the Dragon-Slaying Saber Technique; no wonder Zhang Xiaoshan didn't pass it down!

Chapter 383 The Great Song Dynasty Lost the Zhang Family

"Your Majesty, you are too kind!"

Zhang Xiaoshan descended from the sky, graceful and elegant, and landed beside the women.

The Empress's figure was also like that of a goddess, her pale and stunningly beautiful face completely exposed to Zhang Xiaoshan's eyes.

She had already been injured by that knife.

"What a magnificent ninth move of the Dragon-Slaying Saber Technique! I have witnessed it today!"

The Empress looked at Zhang Xiaoshan, who had a calm expression. In today's battle, although she was an emperor, she was also the supreme ruler of the Demonic Sect.

Moreover, Zhang Xiaoshan's strength far exceeded her expectations.

The finger strength is refined, and the swordsmanship is domineering!

With just these two unique skills, she was no match for him, not to mention that four Grandmaster-level experts could appear around Zhang Xiaoshan at any time.

Even if all sixteen guards of Wu Tang were to be dispatched, he would have no confidence whatsoever.

After all, bronze-armored warriors are not made of flesh and blood, and cannot be countered by sheer numbers. Zhang Xiaoshan's strength is more than enough to assassinate her.

Fortunately, the rumors surrounding the Zhang family are relatively positive, at least she hasn't had any overt conflicts.

"Does Your Majesty wish for me to treat your injuries?"

"Thank you!"

The Empress knew her own condition. Although her injuries were not fatal, she was an emperor and could not simply consult the imperial physician.

Moreover, she also wanted to witness the wonder of the Pure Yang Finger. Having just witnessed its incredibly powerful destructive force, she now had the chance to see its legendary ability to bring the dead back to life.

Zhang Xiaoshan raised his hand and flicked his fingers in quick succession, sending several streams of pure yang purple energy into the Empress's Tan Zhong, Guan Yuan, and Zhong Ting acupoints...

Without using her true qi to resist this sudden, ethereal movement, the Empress immediately felt the pure yang purple qi dissipate within her body, and a warm aura, like the morning sun in April, spread throughout her limbs and bones.

puff!

Within three breaths, a mouthful of blood surged up, and the Empress's face regained a rosy hue.

"What a profound Pure Yang Finger technique! 167"

Although her injuries were not serious, she recovered most of her health in a short period of time with remarkable skill.

Moreover, the true energy of the righteous and demonic paths seemed to complement each other, causing the Empress's beautiful eyes to sparkle with a strange light.

The essence of Pure Yang Finger is the condensed Pure Yang True Qi to its ultimate form, and Pure Yang Purple Qi is the foundation of Taoism. Even though the Empress understood the reason, she also knew that Zhang Xiaoshan's attention was not something to be taken lightly.

As the Empress left, Zhang Xiaoshan glanced at the onlookers around him, then turned and returned to his villa without paying them any attention.

This battle can be considered as a demonstration of his authority.

Whether it's the Pure Yang Finger or the domineering power of that slash just now, Zhang Xiaoshan knows that only strength can subdue those powerful families.

Moreover, after today, the title of the number one expert in the capital will change hands.

Moreover, this is not Zhang Xiaoshan's strongest state. In terms of swordsmanship alone, Zhang Xiaoshan is only fighting with his bare hands.