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

"Yin Tianxue, you little brat, hand over the Spirit Mirror!"

Yin Zhong glared fiercely at Yin Tianxue standing before him.

Corpses littered the surroundings.

They were all people who had coveted the Dragon Essence.

Under attacks from a God Demon Realm cultivator, even those at the Mythical Realm had little chance of survival, let alone Heavenly Human Realm or Great Grandmaster Realm.

In his hand, he tightly held a Dragon Essence.

He never expected that the final Dragon Essence would end up in his possession.

Yin Tianxue, however, had the misfortune of running into him.

As for Tong Bo, Tong Zhan, and Nameless, they had scattered after slaying the dragon and hadn't been seen since.

"Don't even think about it! Either you kill me now, or I kill you to avenge my father and brother!"

Facing a threat to her life, Yin Tianxue remained unafraid.

She gripped the Spirit Mirror tightly, ready to launch a final deadly strike before death.

"In that case, you have no one to blame but yourself."

"Dragon God Exercise!"

Yin Zhong showed no mercy.

He immediately launched a killing blow.

His body transformed into a shadowy black dragon, charging toward Yin Tianxue.

Having been injured multiple times by the Spirit Mirror, this time he was going all out.

He was determined to kill this troublesome girl on the spot.

A terrifying aura pressed down on her.

Yin Tianxue could barely breathe.

The God Demon Realm was far too strong.

She stood no chance.

Knowing she was likely doomed, she still showed no fear.

Her face held unwavering resolve as she channeled her inner energy frantically into the Spirit Mirror.

In the next moment.

A fierce golden light burst forth.

It clashed head-on with the black dragon shadow.

Unfortunately.

Even with the aid of the Spirit Mirror, she still found herself at a disadvantage.

Compared to Yin Zhong, the difference in cultivation was simply too great.

Just as the energy from the Dragon God Exercise was about to strike Yin Tianxue.

If it landed, she would be dead beyond a doubt.

At this critical moment.

A gentle energy suddenly entered her body from behind.

An indescribable and terrifying power surged through her.

"Now!"

Yin Tianxue shouted with force.

Instantly.

The Spirit Mirror radiated dazzling golden light.

The beam of energy grew far more intense.

Where she had been losing ground, her power now surged exponentially.

With a loud boom, the black dragon shadow was blasted away.

Midair.

Yin Zhong's true form was revealed. He looked at Yin Tianxue in shock.

But before he could question her.

The situation changed again.

A sinister palm strike struck directly at his chest.

The Dragon Essence flew out of his hand.

"Ha ha ha! The Dragon Essence is mine now!"

Di Shitian appeared once more.

Without giving Yin Zhong a chance to react.

He grabbed the Dragon Essence the moment he appeared.

After casting a contemptuous glance at Yin Zhong, he flew off into the distance.

All of this happened in a flash.

Even Yin Tianxue.

And Yin Zhong himself didn't have time to respond.

For a moment, he was stunned before realizing his prize had been stolen by Di Shitian.

He was instantly consumed with rage.

Anger at Yin Tianxue's defiance, and fury at Di Shitian for taking advantage of the situation.

But his top priority.

Was to retrieve the Dragon Essence.

It was crucial to his recovery. He had to get it back.

As for Yin Tianxue, there was something odd about her.

That sudden surge of power, he had no idea where it came from.

He cast a killing glare at Yin Tianxue before turning to pursue Di Shitian.

"Yin Tianxue, this is the last time I will spare you. If it happens again, I will show no mercy!"

A cold voice echoed in Yin Tianxue's ears.

"Which senior saved me? Please reveal yourself!"

Unfazed by Yin Zhong's words, Yin Tianxue scanned her surroundings.

She shouted loudly.

"Tianxue, it's been a while. Have you already forgotten me?"

The figures of Zhu Houzhao and Wu Zhao suddenly appeared before her, smiling.

"Brother Su!"

Seeing him, Yin Tianxue immediately ran up joyfully.

But upon seeing Wu Zhao beside him, her expression paused.

As if she suddenly remembered something.

"Your Majesty!"

"Alright, no need to be so formal with me. Just treat me like before!"

"Do you know that if I hadn't shown up this time, Yin Zhong really would've killed you?"

"You've got guts, provoking someone of the God Demon Realm like that?"

Zhu Houzhao waved his hand, slightly annoyed.

"Let's put everything else aside. This place is no longer safe. We must leave the Han Dynasty at once!"

"This place is about to fall into utter chaos."

Zhu Houzhao gave a mysterious smile.

Then took the two of them and disappeared from sight.

==========

With Zhu Houzhao and the others gone, the battlefield once again fell into eerie silence.

Only broken and torn corpses remained on the ground.

No one paid them any mind.

From time to time, other Heavenly Human Realm cultivators arrived, their expressions changing upon seeing the scene.

Finding no trace of the Dragon Essence, they quickly left again.

Similar scenes unfolded at other battlefields as well.

Even though the Dragon Essences had been claimed, the fighting showed no sign of stopping.

Everyone was secretly wondering who had obtained the seven Dragon Essences.

For half a month.

The entire Han Dynasty was in an uproar.

Nearly all of it had been ravaged by the leftover Heavenly Human Realm cultivators.

==========

Qin Imperial Palace.

Ying Zheng looked coldly at Bai Qi, Shang Yang, and Black Shadow kneeling before him.

Shang Yang had long served by Ying Zheng's side as a scholarly advisor.

He never expected that even with all three of them acting together, their mission would still fail.

Not only had they failed to retrieve a Dragon Essence, but it had instead fallen into the hands of Xiong Qi, a traitor to the Qin Dynasty.

"You three have truly disappointed me!"

"I sacrificed the best opportunity to eliminate the Qin Dynasty's rebels, and this is how you repay me?"

"Your Majesty, there is a more pressing matter now!"

"King Wuling Zhao Yong and Wu Qi have both appeared, and they've allied themselves with Xiong Qi."

"Monarch Wu'an and I have confirmed this. It's absolutely true."

"It's also unknown whether other powerful figures still remain hidden within the Qin Dynasty!"

The remnants of the six former kingdoms had deeper foundations than he had imagined.

"Monarch Wu'an, mobilize the army immediately. Attack Xiong Qi and reclaim the Dragon Essence first!"

"We'll deal with King Wuling Zhao Yong and the others afterward!"

==========

Qin Dynasty Territory.

The former capital of the Chu Kingdom had now fallen under Xiong Qi's control.

At Xiong Qi Mansion.

He sat frowning as he looked at the Dragon Essence in his hand.

It radiated an intense heat, glowing bright red.

So many days had passed, yet the Dragon Essence still hadn't cooled.

It couldn't be consumed at all.

He feared there might be some unexpected side effects.

As long as it wasn't in his stomach, he could not find peace.

Ying Zheng would never give up on taking it back.

And he also had to remain wary of his two allies.

King Wuling Zhao Yong and Wu Qi.

Though Wu Qi was currently under his command and leading many troops.

He never truly trusted him.

The Dragon Essence could help someone break through their limits, maybe even achieve immortality.

No one could resist such a temptation.

He had to find a way to stabilize the situation.

==========

Han Imperial Harem.

Consort Yu Palace.

Jiang Yuyan looked around carefully, confirming that no one was following her.

Then.

She opened a hidden chamber and quickly slipped inside.

After confirming several times that no one was near, she finally let out a light laugh.

From her robes, she pulled out a jade box.

As soon as she opened it.

A fiery red Dragon Essence appeared.

To think that one of the missing Dragon Essences had been taken by Jiang Yuyan.

Even more incredible was that she had managed to hide it from Di Shitian without his knowledge.

Her cunning had grown even more formidable.

"With this Dragon Essence, my strength will rise greatly!"

"I might not reach God Demon Realm, but Mythical Realm will be easy."

"Di Shitian, just wait. One day, I'll repay the humiliation you gave me a hundred, a thousand times over!"

Thinking of what Di Shitian had done to her, Jiang Yuyan's hatred surged.

Even the waters of all the rivers in the world could not wash it away.

She constantly plotted revenge.

Though she wasn't strong enough yet, she firmly believed that as long as she had time.

One day, he would pay dearly.

"The Dragon Essence hasn't cooled yet, so I can't consume it. I'll wait a bit longer!"

"This secret chamber is unknown even to my closest confidants. Hiding it here will be perfectly safe."

She carefully closed the jade box.

Then placed it in an extremely well-hidden location.

Even if someone came here.

Without great intelligence and insight, they would never find it.

Once the Dragon Essence was secured, she finally let out a sigh of relief.

Slowly, she exited the secret chamber.

Returning to the Consort Yu Palace.

As if nothing had ever happened.

"During this Dragon Slaying Expedition, Di Shitian secretly killed many of the Stitched Cloth Guard."

"This is the perfect chance to stir the pot further."

"I just might be able to reap the benefits!"

A glint flashed in Jiang Yuyan's eyes.

Her lips curled into a mysterious smile.

==========

Tang Imperial Palace, Taiji Hall.

Li Shimin looked at the quarter piece of Dragon Essence before him, his expression conflicted.

"Master Yuan, is this Dragon Essence incomplete?"

"Does it still have the effect of granting immortality?"

"Your Majesty, it can only extend life and slightly enhance one's power. Achieving immortality is nearly impossible."

Yuan Tiangang replied with certainty.

"Sigh, what a pity!"

"Damn Yuwen Tuo, damn Yang Guang! Otherwise, I would have obtained the complete Dragon Essence."

"Immortality would have been within reach."

"In the future, my Tang Dynasty will surely unify the entire realm!"

"Such a good opportunity, and it slipped through my fingers. I am truly unwilling!"

At that thought, Li Shimin grew even more resentful of Yang Guang.

He believed it was Yang Guang who had obstructed him from obtaining the Dragon Essence.

Otherwise, Yuwen Tuo would not have chosen to destroy the Dragon Essence rather than let Yuan Tiangang retrieve it.

"Yang Guang, I will remember this grudge. Once I settle the Tang Dynasty's internal affairs, I will destroy your Sui Dynasty!"

==========

Sui Imperial Palace.

"Ha ha ha! Supreme Master Yuwen, you did well this time!"

"Preventing Li Shimin from getting the complete Dragon Essence is already our greatest victory."

"Sigh, it's a shame. Li Shimin didn't get it, but neither did I. What a waste!"

"In the end, it's all the fault of that meddling Tang Dynasty, ruining my plans!"

Even so, Yang Guang's eyes still burned with desire at the sight of even a quarter piece of Dragon Essence.

But feeling the terrifying heat it radiated, he knew it was impossible to consume now.

Otherwise, he would be burned alive by the fiery energy.

It seemed he would have to wait until it cooled down before taking it.

The question remained whether this incomplete piece could heal his internal injuries.

If it were complete, recovery would be certain.

But now, the outcome was uncertain.

With that in mind, Yang Guang's hatred toward Li Shimin remained as strong as ever.

==========

Northern Song Imperial Palace.

"So this is the Dragon Essence? How magical!"

"Could it really make me immortal?"

Emperor Zhao Ji stared longingly at the quarter piece of Dragon Essence in front of him.

He wished he could eat it immediately.

"Your Majesty, absolutely not! Even though this Dragon Essence is incomplete, its firepower and strength are extremely violent."

"Your Majesty has never trained in martial arts and cannot handle it."

"It must be refined into a pill to temper the energy before consumption."

"Otherwise, Your Majesty may explode from the internal force or be burned to ashes."

"We must be cautious!"

Huang Shang quickly intervened.

Zhao Ji was startled upon hearing this.

"In that case, let Lin Lingsu refine the pill for me!"

"I trust his alchemy skills completely."

Huang Shang fell silent.

Though Lin Lingsu came across as a bit of a charlatan, which annoyed him.

His abilities were not weak.

Despite his terrible reputation among the public, Huang Shang knew that Lin Lingsu was a deeply hidden talent.

Far from being as simple as he seemed on the surface.

Even Huang Shang dared not underestimate this seemingly eccentric Daoist.

Lin Lingsu's greatest ambition was to spread Daoism.

And in the Northern Song Dynasty, thanks to him, Daoism flourished greatly.

==========

Southern Song Dynasty, Outside of Xiangyang City.

Yuan Imperial Tent.

Temujin gathered with his National Master Phagpa and the Demon Master Pang Ban.

"Impossible, the Golden Wolf Hall Master never returned. I have never even seen this so-called Dragon Essence!"

"How could that be? I worked with the Golden Wolf Hall Master to kill the Southern Song Dynasty's Sunflower Ancestor and obtain the Dragon Essence. I sent him ahead to deliver it to you."

"By right, he should have returned long ago!"

"Could it be that he was ambushed along the way and missed the deadline?"

Phagpa speculated.

"Despicable! He must have been tempted during the journey and kept the Dragon Essence for himself, refusing to return!"

"I trusted him deeply, and he dares betray me like this!"

Temujin refused to believe otherwise, convinced that the Golden Wolf Hall Master had betrayed him.

The Dragon Essence could grant immortality and greatly boost power.

No one in the world could resist such temptation.

"Send word immediately! Launch a full-scale hunt for the Golden Wolf Hall Master!"

"National Master, you will take charge of this matter. You must retrieve the Dragon Essence!"

Temujin was furious beyond measure.

At such a crucial moment, a trusted subordinate had betrayed him, filling him with rage.

He had been so close, just a step away, from immortality.

Why?

Why did heaven treat him this way?

"National Master, send people to monitor all members of the Golden Wolf Hall!"

"I placed high hopes on them, yet in this crucial moment they betray me. What use are they?"

"By the way, where is the Golden Wolf Hall Vice-Master, who accompanied you on this mission?"

"Did he betray me as well?"

Blinded by rage, Temujin now distrusted even the rest of the Golden Wolf Hall.

"Khan, the Golden Wolf Hall Vice-Master was killed by the Qing Dynasty's Flying Guillotine Division Leader Zhalun!"

"Not even a trace of his body remains!"

Phagpa reported solemnly.

Zhalun, the Flying Guillotine Division Leader of the Qing Dynasty, was similar in nature to Phagpa, Yuan Tiangang, Dark One, and Huang Shang.

A leader of the Qing Dynasty's covert operations.

Though rarely interacted with, Phagpa still knew his name and strength.

A difficult character to deal with.

"A fine move by the Qing Dynasty! Does the Qing Dynasty plan to become my Yuan Dynasty's enemy?"

"Send a message immediately to question Hongli!"

"Tell him to hand over the Dragon Essence or I will destroy the Qing Dynasty!"

In Temujin's heart, the Qing Dynasty and Hongli were nothing but dogs by his side.

Though both were Emperors of dynasties, Temujin never considered Hongli his equal.

==========

Qing Imperial Palace.

"Outrageous! That traitor Zhalun actually dared to betray me!"

"He killed someone from the Yuan Dynasty, stole the Dragon Essence, and didn't even return it immediately? He ran off?"

"After all the trust I placed in him, even giving him full control of the Flying Guillotine Division."

"And this is how he repays me?"

"Damn him, truly damn him!"

"The Dragon Essence was supposed to be mine!"

"I was the one who deserved immortality, and now I've been betrayed by a mere servant!"

"I'll kill you!"

Back when he first received the news that the Qing Dynasty's Flying Guillotine Division Leader had acquired a Dragon Essence, Hongli was overjoyed.

He thought he was just steps away from immortality.

But at the most crucial moment.

He was betrayed.

Even now, they had no clue of Zhalun's whereabouts.

It was obvious he had hidden himself somewhere remote.

Waiting for the Dragon Essence to cool before consuming it.

Not only would it grant him immortality, but his power would increase dramatically.

By then, trying to take it back would be many times more difficult.

"Your Majesty, perhaps Leader Zhalun was ambushed by enemies and couldn't return safely?"

"After all, the distance between the Han Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty is great."

"The methods of God Demon Realm cultivators are unpredictable. He may not have easily escaped their pursuit!"

Heshen quickly offered a guess.

"Impossible! With Zhalun's skills, even if a God Demon Realm cultivator chased him, he would still return safely!"

"The fact that there's no news now proves he has definitely betrayed me."

"Send out the order. Find Zhalun immediately!"

"Hmph, the Dragon Essence is mine. No one can take it from me!"

"Yes, Your Majesty, your servant will send out the orders at once."

==========

For a time, due to the Dragon Essence, various dynasties sent out troops across the entire world.

Even the Nine Provinces Martial World joined the search.

Whether it was the Qing Dynasty's Flying Guillotine Division Leader or the Yuan Dynasty's Golden Wolf Hall Master, all became the center of attention.

But no matter how hard they searched, the two of them seemed to have vanished from the face of the earth.

Time passed quickly once again.

Half a month went by in the blink of an eye.

Then, one day.

Suddenly.

Winds surged and clouds churned across the heavens, the skies shifted dramatically.

All eyes turned skyward.

The Nine Provinces Golden Ranking was about to be activated again!

A new ranking was about to be revealed!

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

List of Characters:

Number One Under Heaven ( 天下第一 )

・Zhu Houzhao ( 朱厚照 ) — Emperor of Ming Dynasty

Sun Moon In The Sky ( 日月当空 )

・Wu Zhao ( 武曌 ) — Empress of Ming Dynasty

Qin's Moon ( 秦时明月 )

・Ying Zheng ( 嬴政 ) — Emperor of Qin Dynasty

・Bai Qi ( 白起 ) — Commander of Qin Dynasty

・Xiong Qi ( 熊启 ) — Last King of Chu Kingdom

A Step Into The Past ( 寻秦记 )

・Shang Yang ( 商鞅 ) – Prime Minister of Qin Dynasty

Great Tang Twin Dragons Legend ( 大唐双龙传 )

・Li Shimin ( 李世民 ) — Emperor of Tang Dynasty

Painting Jianghu ( 画江湖 )

・Yuan Tiangang ( 袁天罡 ) — Master of Bad People

Great Tang Twin Dragons Legend ( 大唐双龙传 )

・Yang Guang ( 杨广 ) — Emperor of Sui Dynasty

Xuanyuan Sword ( 轩辕剑 )

・Yuwen Tuo ( 宇文拓 ) — Supreme Master of Sui Dynasty

Water Margin ( 水浒传 )

・Zhao Ji ( 赵佶 ) — Emperor of Northern Song Dynasty

Legend of the Condor Heroes ( 射雕英雄传 )

・Huang Shang ( 黄裳 ) — Director of Imperial City Division

・Temujin ( 铁木真 ) — Emperor of Yuan Dynasty

Broken Void ( 破碎虚空 )

・Phagpa ( 八思巴 ) — National Master of Yuan Dynasty

The Book and The Sword ( 书剑恩仇录 )

・Aisin Gioro Hongli ( 弘历 ) — Emperor of Qing Dynasty

Xiao Yu'er and Hua Wuque ( 小鱼儿与花无缺 )

・Jiang Yuyan ( 江玉燕 ) — Illegitimate Daughter of Jiang Biehe

Water Moon Cave ( 水月洞天 )

・Yin Tianxue ( 尹天雪 ) — Young Miss of Sword Control Manor

・Yin Zhong ( 尹仲 ) — Ancestor of Sword Control Manor