Golden Ranking Appears, My Empress Turns Out to Be Wu Zhao

Qin Dynasty, Xianyang City.

At the Zhao Gao residence.

After being attacked by a mysterious curse and having his arm crippled, Zhao Gao had clearly noticed that Ying Zheng no longer relied on him as he once did.

In fact, the Emperor now greatly doubted his competence.

This filled him with anxiety.

Originally, he had planned to capture the young princess of Baiyue City, Su Yue, first and then report it afterward.

But with the emergence of the ranking, the terrifying strength of Baiyue City was beyond his imagination.

The Baiyue Queen turned out to be a Mythical Realm Land Immortal, which shocked him greatly.

With someone that powerful protecting her, how could the assassins he sent from Net Trap possibly succeed?

If Baiyue City flew into a rage and turned against the Qin Dynasty, Ying Zheng would surely be enraged and might chop him into pieces.

Even so, Zhao Gao secretly held onto a bit of hope.

If he had succeeded in capturing Su Yue, wouldn't that make the Baiyue Queen and Eastern Monarch Yan Fei powerless to resist his threats?

Unfortunately, he had no idea that his assassin, Yan Ri, was already dead.

He was just dreaming at this point.

And when the truth came out, Zhao Gao's end would be unimaginably miserable.

==========

Qin Dynasty Imperial Palace.

"What is going on with Baiyue City? How did they become so powerful?"

"Weren't they supposed to have only one Land Immortal?"

"How come three appeared at once, and one of them is not even weaker than you?"

Ying Zheng was clearly displeased with the intelligence provided by the Black Ice Platform's leader.

He even questioned the leader's capability.

If Baiyue only had one Land Immortal, he would have treated them like another Yin Yang School.

But now, with such unexpected strength, Baiyue City was far more threatening than expected.

How could he allow such a force to exist right under his nose?

"Your Majesty, three years ago, I made a pact with the Baiyue Queen. As long as she didn't step outside of Baiyue, the Qin Dynasty would not trouble them."

"Are you saying that the Baiyue Queen was already in the Mythical Realm three years ago?"

"How did she become so powerful so quickly?"

"She doesn't even seem that old."

"Could she be even more talented than the Eastern Monarch?"

Ying Zheng found it hard to believe.

He realized that in this world, Land Immortals were even more difficult to deal with than the rulers of various states.

Even if he conquered all nations and unified the Nine Provinces, those at the top of the martial world would still dictate the rules.

"The Queen's flames can easily destroy an entire mountain range."

"Especially her azure flame. Even I would be seriously injured if I were touched by it."

"Unless it's a life-or-death situation, I will not personally fight her."

"The other two from the Qin Dynasty feel the same."

"The rulers of Baiyue City are all women, and they have no great ambitions. They won't interfere with Your Majesty's plans."

"In the future, once Your Majesty has gathered enough Land Immortals under your command, you might be able to surround her."

"Baiyue City could still become one of Your Majesty's subordinate forces."

The Black Ice Platform leader's point was clear:

It was impossible to destroy Baiyue City right now.

They had to wait.

Once the Qin Dynasty unified the land, Ying Zheng might have a chance to subdue the Baiyue Queen, and maybe the entire Baiyue City.

It would all depend on his own strength and methods.

Ying Zheng felt speechless.

The road to unifying the Nine Provinces was even harder than he had expected.

"Even so, you must keep a close watch on Baiyue City!"

"I don't want them sneaking up on us at a critical moment."

"Even if Your Majesty didn't say so, I would have done it anyway. I've never dropped my guard when it comes to Baiyue City."

"But Your Majesty, you must not cross the Queen's bottom line again."

"Princess Su Yue is of noble status. If Zhao Gao continues to provoke her, the Queen may go all out and fight us to the death."

"Besides, Princess Su Yue is related to that person in the Ming Dynasty..."

The information on the Golden Ranking made it very clear:

Su Yue was the daughter of Eastern Monarch Yan Fei and the ruler of the Ming Dynasty.

This made things complicated.

Without sufficient strength, it would be unwise to act rashly.

At present, there was no direct conflict between the Qin Dynasty and Ming Dynasty.

Even if they suspected a connection between the Baiyue and Ming Dynasty, they had to pretend not to notice.

Ying Zheng had a headache just thinking about it. In the end, he gritted his teeth and said:

"Zhao Gao is still useful. It's not time to discard him yet. I'll give him a warning!"

"As for Baiyue City... Hmph! They are a true threat to my plans."

"Once I deal with the remnants of the Six Kingdoms, I will find a way to eliminate them!"

"The Black Ice Platform must prepare thoroughly!"

"Before I conquer the other nations and unify the Nine Provinces, Baiyue City must not be allowed to pose a threat from within!"

Ying Zheng's tone was resolute.

He would not compromise.

Whether or not Baiyue City had ties to the Ming Dynasty, he would not let them go.

This was a matter of principle.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I will notify the other two as well and have them prepared."

==========

Ming Dynasty, Capital City.

Rear courtyard of the Taibai Restaurant.

Hong Lian's face lit up with joy.

As expected, Baiyue City made into the ranking.

Although it was only ninth place, they were still very satisfied.

They knew how deep the waters of this world ran. They had never expected to reach the top five, let alone the top three.

Ninth place, neither high nor low, was perfectly respectable.

It was just a pity.

If they weren't already over the age of 25, they could have easily taken over the top ten of the Hidden Dragon Ranking.

There wouldn't have been any place left for that Empress Wu Zhao.

"What are you laughing about? Are you really that happy?"

"After all these years, you haven't changed one bit, Hong Lian."

"But that's fine. I like you just the way you are."

Zhu Houzhao took a bite of the fruit handed to him by Nong Yu and smiled at Hong Lian.

Thinking of the animated version of Chi Lian after her personality shift, and then comparing it to the lively Hong Lian in front of him, he found her far more pleasing.

His help back then had completely changed the course of their lives.

Though there had been some scheming involved, he had helped Zi Nu, Nong Yu, Hong Lian, and Yan Fei escape their tragic fates and start new lives.

"Hmph, you big scoundrel. You have the nerve to say that? You kept us in the dark for so long!"

"Do you know what we've been through all these years?"

"Hmph!"

"Nong Yu, you're too soft on him. You're far too forgiving."

Nong Yu simply smiled and said nothing.

She was content with this life.

He had helped her resolve her inner struggles and given her the power to protect herself.

From that moment on, her heart had never changed.

During her years in Baiyue City, she had cultivated herself and learned to let go.

She didn't fight or compete.

As long as she remembered him in her heart and got the chance to see him again, she was satisfied.

"Ahem, actually, I've been keeping an eye on you all this time."

"But because of my identity, I couldn't appear too often. Otherwise, it would have only brought trouble to Baiyue City."

"Baiyue is strong, but not invincible. In the eyes of some ancient monsters, it's still quite fragile."

"If they were to notice you, things could get very dangerous."

"Especially you, Nong Yu and Hong Lian. You're still in the Great Grandmaster Realm. It's too weak."

"Advance quickly. The path of martial arts lies in becoming a Land Immortal."

Zhu Houzhao coughed lightly to cover his embarrassment.

While his words made sense, most of them were just excuses.

Over the years, he had hidden away in the palace, relaxing and collecting rewards from his system.

He had nearly forgotten about Baiyue City altogether.

The ladies calling him a scumbag wasn't unjustified.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have missed the fact that he had a daughter out there in the world!

He only found out recently.

"Acting all high and mighty, huh!"

"We've just been laying solid foundations. The stronger the foundation, the farther we'll go in the Land Immortal Realm."

"I plan to become a God Demon Realm Land Immortal!"

Hong Lian sounded a little resentful.

"God Demon Realm? Hahaha, without a hundred years of hard work, forget it."

"All these years and you still love to daydream!"

Unlike Zhu Houzhao, they didn't have a cheat system.

Even across the entire Nine Provinces, there were only a handful of God Demon Realm powerhouses.

They were the true peak of the martial world.

Zi Nu watched the playful banter between Zhu Houzhao and Hong Lian, and Nong Yu gently attended to him. Her eyes turned moist.

This feeling was so warm.

She felt truly at peace.

Over the years, even though they had grown strong, being by Zhu Houzhao's side was when they felt the safest.

That sense of complete relaxation and trust came from deep within.

"By the way, let me give you something."

As if suddenly remembering, Zhu Houzhao flicked his sleeve.

Three items appeared before them.

A zither.

A whip.

A sword.

Each emitted an air of profound mystery.

It was clear they were extraordinary.

Hong Lian's eyes immediately lit up when she saw the crimson sword.

Nong Yu chose the guqin, and Zi Nu picked the whip.

"These treasures are roughly equivalent to Heaven-Grade Low-Tier items from the Heavenly Ranking."

"They're more than enough, even for Land Immortals."

"By comprehending the aura in these treasures, you can further improve your cultivation."

The three women accepted them without hesitation.

Their hearts and souls already belonged to him.

There was no need to be overly polite.

Zhu Houzhao was pleased to see them accept his gifts.

It was his way of making up for the years of neglect.

Afterward, Zhu Houzhao chatted with them about amusing stories from recent years.

The atmosphere was harmonious.

None of them mentioned his status as the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

Or the matter of Empress Wu Zhao.

They were focused on rekindling their relationship.

==========

Ming Dynasty Martial World.

Snow Moon City.

Known as the number one city of the martial world under Ming Dynasty.

Compared to it, Ye Gucheng's White Cloud City couldn't hold a candle.

At the residence of the Snow Moon Sword Immortal, Li Hanyi.

"Ninth Heaven Profound Fiend, transform into divine thunder. With the might of the heavens, summon it with the sword!"

"This sword technique emphasizes unity with nature, synchronizing one's breath with the world, wielding nature's power as one's own."

Li Hanyi was seriously instructing Sikong Qianluo.

The two stood side by side. Though Li Hanyi was over a decade older, they looked like sisters.

One exuded an icy elegance, her beauty unmatched.

The other was lively and radiant.

Both were stunningly beautiful, but their personalities were polar opposites.

"Aunt, this sword art is way too hard!"

"It's way harder than the spear techniques Dad taught me!"

Sikong Qianluo felt like she understood each word individually, but together they made no sense.

"You might as well keep learning your father's spear techniques."

"Your temper is not suited for swordsmanship."

Li Hanyi gently tapped the forehead of her disciple.

"Your dad is a spear immortal, one of the best in the entire Nine Provinces. And you're still complaining?"

"But Dad can't even take one move from you!"

"If I'm going to learn, I want to learn from the strongest!"

"Alright, alright. This sword art was passed down to me by a certain expert. Without enough talent and perseverance, you won't succeed."

"Though I don't doubt your talent, your determination..."

"Who is this expert? Every time you mention him, your face turns red."

"He must be your sweetheart, right?"

Sikong Qianluo was quick-witted and immediately spotted the clue.

"Well..." Li Hanyi was caught off guard and didn't know how to respond.

Was that man really her sweetheart?

He had taken what was most precious to her.

He had given her this priceless sword technique, allowing her to rise as the strongest in Snow Moon City.

That must count for something.

But if that were true.

Why hadn't he shown up again since he left?

Had he forgotten about her?

Unconsciously, she touched the "Tianya Sword" in her hand, her expression changing repeatedly.

She didn't know what to say.

"Hee hee, I knew it! I guessed right! He really is your sweetheart!"

Sikong Qianluo laughed when she saw Li Hanyi's flustered expression.

"But why have I never seen him?"

"And why haven't you gone to find him?"

"Did you two have a fight?"

The little girl chirped away, full of curiosity.

Giving Li Hanyi a bit of a headache.

She truly didn't know how to answer.

"You little brat! If you keep talking nonsense, don't blame your aunt for teaching you a lesson."

Li Hanyi, both shy and annoyed, pinched Sikong Qianluo's cheek.

But Sikong Qianluo wasn't afraid. She even made a funny face.

To her, her aunt was more powerful than her dad or even her uncle.

Snow Moon City had earned its reputation as the top martial city thanks to her aunt's strength.

In front of outsiders, her aunt was always dignified and untouchable.

Sometimes, she even disguised herself as a man.

But only she knew about her aunt's softer, hidden side.

It was their little secret.

Not even her father knew.

And she was very curious about the mysterious man her aunt still pined for.