The marquis struck so suddenly that the guards beside them had no time to react. Even if they had reacted, however, they would not have stepped forward to stop him.
Huang Xiao had not expected the man to attack him without warning, but he reacted in an instant, leaping backward thirty feet.
Yet as Huang Xiao retreated, the marquis followed close behind like a phantom.
With no other choice, Huang Xiao struck out with his palm. There was a bang, and he was sent flying.
Huang Xiao flipped in midair and landed on the ground, staggering another five steps backward before steadying himself.
The marquis, by contrast, stood where he was without retreating an inch.
Huang Xiao's expression changed drastically. He knew that his power was no match for the marquis before him; the man was strong enough to kill him with a single palm strike. Yet although that Palm Force had been powerful, he had managed to dissipate it and suffered no real injury.
Zhao Yuankan inwardly cried that this was bad and could not help shouting, "An assassin!"
But he had forgotten that this was not Great Song's Imperial Palace, but the Khitan Imperial Palace. Despite his shout, even the guards a few steps away did not stir, as though nothing at all had happened.
Zhao Yuankan looked terribly anxious. He had never expected someone to attack Huang Xiao inside the Imperial Palace, much less for the guards to remain indifferent. Had Yelü Longxu ordered this? Otherwise, who could kill someone so brazenly inside the Imperial Palace, especially a foreign envoy?
Lord Wu beside him, however, remained calm. He said quietly, "Your Highness, rest assured. Lord Huang is unharmed."
Zhao Yuankan could naturally see that Huang Xiao was uninjured for now, but he also knew that Huang Xiao