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

Ming Imperial Palace.

Zhu Houzhao set down the memorial in his hand, his fingers gently tapping the table.

Then he tossed the memorial to the Dark Guard Leader, Dark One.

"Wu Sangui?"

"Shanhai Pass Commander, Wu Sangui!"

"I didn't expect that in the end, you still chose this path!!!"

"Dark One, take a look at this memorial."

Dark One picked it up, his eyes flashing with a cold gleam of killing intent.

"Your Majesty, I believe we should immediately arrest him. If he resists, execute him on the spot!"

"A mere commander dares to betray the Ming Dynasty and collude with barbarians, he is unworthy of mercy!"

"Good. You will handle this matter. Also, the Golden Wolf Hall of Yuan Dynasty and the Flying Guillotine Division of Qing Dynasty are surely involved."

"Eliminate them all. Leave no survivors!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

"By the way, Your Majesty, the Dragon Essence we obtained a month ago has now cooled. What does Your Majesty wish to do with this incomplete Dragon Essence?"

Dark One took a jade box from his robe.

Inside was a quarter portion of the cooled Dragon Essence.

A month had passed.

The once scorching hot Dragon Essence had now cooled completely.

It could be consumed safely.

Zhu Houzhao thought for a moment, but showed no intention of taking it.

He reached out with his right hand, and the jade box flew into his palm.

He opened it, nodded to himself, and decided to store it for now.

His eyes swept over the Dark One below.

Though he was at the Mythical Realm, his strength still fell short.

Without hesitation, Zhu Houzhao took one of the two full Dragon Essences he had acquired.

"Dark One, I grant you this complete Dragon Essence."

"I hope you won't disappoint me."

He tossed the complete Dragon Essence to Dark One.

Not a trace of reluctance.

"Your Majesty, the Dragon Essence is far too precious. How could I, unworthy as I am, dare to accept such a gift?"

Dark One was shocked.

He never imagined the Emperor would be so generous.

While other Emperors would go to great lengths for even a glimpse of the Dragon Essence, his own emperor treated it as if it were nothing.

He was deeply moved.

Years of risking his life for His Majesty had not been in vain.

Besides, how did His Majesty obtain a full Dragon Essence?

Could the missing Dragon Essences be in the Emperor's possession?

But with the Emperor's power, acquiring them in secret would be no difficult task.

"You've been with me since I was five years old. All these years, you have served faithfully and performed well."

"I hope you will continue to follow me, and keep pace with my rise."

"Compared to Yuwen Tuo of Sui Dynasty, Yuan Tiangang of Tang Dynasty, Huang Shang of Song Dynasty, and Phagpa of Yuan Dynasty, you are still lacking."

"You have not yet met my expectations."

"With the help of this Dragon Essence, you will surpass them."

"Enough. What I bestow will never be taken back. Just serve me with all your heart from now on."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

==========

Qin Dynasty.

Chu Kingdom Former Capital.

Inside a massive City Lord Mansion.

In a hidden secret chamber.

Xiong Qi opened a jade box with a joyful expression.

Slowly, he lifted the lid.

A Dragon Essence glowing with radiant mist appeared before his eyes.

"Hahaha, it has finally cooled."

"I've waited an entire month. I must consume it at once!"

During this past month.

The Qin Army had attacked his forces like madmen.

Casualties were enormous.

Nearly half the power he had built up over the years had been wiped out.

Now, even he didn't know if it had been worth it just for one Dragon Essence.

But thinking of how the Dragon Essence granted eternal life.

His hesitation vanished.

With the Dragon Essence, he would gain enough life to one day restore Chu Kingdom.

Ying Zheng? Not worth mentioning.

He had all the time in the world.

In the future, once he reached the God Demon Realm, not only could he topple a mere Emperor, he could even ascend to become a god among men.

Staring at the Dragon Essence in his hand, Xiong Qi's ambition surged.

He raised the Dragon Essence, ready to place it in his mouth without hesitation.

But just as the Dragon Essence reached his lips.

A powerful palm strike came crashing down.

It struck his arm directly.

The immense force knocked the Dragon Essence out of his hand.

Xiong Qi was caught off guard at his proudest moment and was heavily injured on the spot.

The intruder's strength was no less than his own.

Could it be a Mythical Realm cultivator from the Qin Dynasty?

Impossible.

This secret chamber was known only to him.

No one else could have found it.

Seeing the Dragon Essence flying through the air, Xiong Qi tried to grab it.

But a blur flashed by.

A hand snatched the Dragon Essence.

"Hahaha, as expected, the Dragon Essence is here."

"Xiong Qi, no matter how well you hide, you cannot escape my eyes."

"Zhao Yong!"

Xiong Qi gritted his teeth.

He glared fiercely at Zhao Yong.

He had calculated for everything, yet failed to guard against betrayal from his own side.

He had prepared for Bai Qi, for Shang Yang, for the Black Ice Platform Leader Black Shadow, and for the Qin Dynasty's unknown assassins.

He had even watched out for Wu Qi.

But he had underestimated Zhao Yong, who had already left to regroup Zhao Kingdom's former forces.

That gave him the opening he needed.

"Xiong Qi, your intelligence is undeniable. But unfortunately for you, you met me!"

"This Dragon Essence belongs to me now."

"Farewell!"

Having secured the Dragon Essence, Zhao Yong had no intention of staying.

He turned to leave.

"Zhao Yong, our greatest enemy right now is Ying Zheng. Are we really going to start infighting now?"

"So what? Compared to eternal life and ascending to the God Demon Realm, everything else can wait."

"Once I ascend and become immortal, I will have all the time in the world to rebuild the Zhao Kingdom and claim the throne."

"I know what truly matters."

"Xiong Qi, aren't you the same?"

With that, he ignored Xiong Qi and prepared to leave.

But at that moment.

Another powerful palm strike came crashing in.

It targeted Zhao Yong directly.

Fortunately, he was on guard and responded with a strike of his own.

A deafening explosion rang out.

The terrifying shockwave destroyed the entire secret chamber.

In the next moment.

The three of them appeared high above the capital.

A fierce three-way battle immediately drew the attention of countless onlookers.

"That's the King!"

"And the resurrected Zhao Yong!"

"Wait, that's General Wu Qi!"

"How could this be? Aren't they on the same side? Why are they fighting each other?"

Many in the city instantly recognized the three.

They were shocked.

The alliance of the Six Kingdoms had only been able to withstand the Qin Dynasty's aggression because of these three martial legends.

If they turned on each other, wouldn't the alliance fall apart completely?

Wouldn't they be destroyed in the blink of an eye?

"Wu Qi, it's you? You want the Dragon Essence too?"

Zhao Yong roared with rage.

"The Dragon Essence belongs to the Chu King. How can you take it for yourself?"

Wu Qi glanced at the Dragon Essence, a sharp light flashing in his eyes.

"Hahaha, Wu Qi, why lie to yourself?"

"Everyone here knows what kind of man you are."

"Yes, your skill in commanding troops is unmatched. But your reputation is equally infamous."

"You want the Dragon Essence too. You've probably been waiting for this moment all along."

"Even if I hadn't struck first, you would have made your move."

Zhao Yong scoffed at Wu Qi's hypocrisy.

Wu Qi, however, was unfazed by his words.

His expression remained calm.

As a master of military strategy, he saw through Zhao Yong's intentions with ease.

At this point, words were meaningless.

The key was the Dragon Essence. He did want it.

Hearing their exchange, Xiong Qi grew increasingly resentful toward both Zhao Yong and Wu Qi.

But at this moment, the priority was to reclaim the Dragon Essence.

"General Wu, for now, let us focus on taking back the Dragon Essence."

"Once it's in hand, we split it equally. How about that?"

Wu Qi gave a slight smile.

"Alright."

Each of the three held their own secret agenda.

Only a complete Dragon Essence could grant eternal life.

Once divided, it might enhance strength and extend lifespan, but it could never provide immortality.

Who would be willing to share it under those terms?

"Kill!"

In the next instant, Xiong Qi and Wu Qi joined forces to surround and attack Zhao Yong.

Below in the city, the Zhao Kingdom force's expressions changed drastically.

If Zhao Yong fell, they would be implicated.

Xiong Qi would surely vent his fury on them.

At this moment, the alliance of the Six Kingdoms had clearly begun to fracture.

Boom boom boom!

Explosions rumbled endlessly.

The destructive power of Mythical Realm cultivators was terrifying.

The mere aftershocks of their clash almost destroyed the entire city below.

For the sake of the Dragon Essence, Xiong Qi and Zhao Yong held nothing back.

The battle grew fiercer by the second.

"Ah!"

As the fight between Xiong Qi and Zhao Yong reached a stalemate.

Wu Qi seized his moment.

With one slash, he severed the arm of Zhao Yong that tightly held the Dragon Essence.

A bloodcurdling scream echoed through the sky above the capital.

Wu Qi's eyes lit up, and he stepped forward to grab the Dragon Essence.

At that exact moment.

Three terrifying waves of internal energy struck toward Xiong Qi, Wu Qi, and Zhao Yong.

Immediately after.

Bai Qi, Shang Yang, and Black Shadow revealed themselves.

Bai Qi rushed straight to the severed arm.

He grabbed it and retrieved the Dragon Essence, releasing a blast of energy.

He shattered Zhao Yong's severed arm into dust.

Even if Zhao Yong wanted to reattach it, it was now impossible.

"Ah! Bai Qi, Wu Qi, you..."

The sudden reversal happened too fast.

All of it had occurred in the blink of an eye.

He had fought against Xiong Qi and Wu Qi, yet in the end, Bai Qi and the others from the Qin Dynasty reaped the reward.

"Interesting. I thought it would take more effort to get the Dragon Essence."

"Who would have guessed the three of you would be this useless?"

"You wasted so much of my time!"

Bai Qi looked down on the three with disdain.

They had waited a full month for the Dragon Essence.

And now it was finally theirs.

"Monarch Wu'an, take the Dragon Essence back to Xianyang for His Majesty immediately!"

"Black Shadow and I will hold off the three of them here."

"With such a good opportunity, how can we leave without killing at least one?"

"After today, we may never get another chance like this."

Bai Qi cast a fierce glance at the three, especially Zhao Yong.

Back then, he had slaughtered four hundred thousand soldiers from the Zhao Kingdom.

The hatred between him and Zhao Kingdom ran too deep to resolve.

Zhao Yong had to die.

"Ah!"

"Xiong Qi, Wu Qi, we must not let Ying Zheng get the Dragon Essence!"

"Even if we destroy it, we can't let them succeed!"

At this point, the three rejoined forces.

Faced with the Qin Dynasty, their greatest enemy, personal grudges were set aside.

As soon as the words fell.

Zhao Yong charged toward Bai Qi.

He unleashed all his strength in a desperate assault.

Every strike was executed without reservation.

"Zhao Yong, do you intend to die with me?"

"Haha, if I can't have the Dragon Essence, then I won't let the Qin Dynasty have it either."

"Especially you, Bai Qi. Since you're still alive, let's settle both old and new scores today."

Zhao Yong laughed fiercely.

The next moment.

An overwhelming aura burst forth.

A rare flash of fear appeared on Bai Qi's face.

He quickly retreated.

"Bai Qi, it's too late. Die with me!"

"The souls of four hundred thousand Zhao Kingdom soldiers are waiting for you below!"

Boom!

Zhao Yong burst into laughter.

In an instant.

A deafening explosion erupted.

To kill Bai Qi, Zhao Yong had left himself no escape.

He detonated himself.

The self-destruction of a Mythical Realm cultivator was unimaginably powerful.

Even a God Demon Realm cultivator would be seriously injured, if not killed.

The terrifying blast instantly pulverized everyone in the city below.

Even the five surrounding Mythical Realm cultivators were affected.

"Ah!"

Shrill screams rang out without end.

The one hit hardest was Bai Qi.

He was gravely injured, a massive hole blasted through his chest.

The Dragon Essence in his hand was also severely damaged.

Half of it was reduced to powder on the spot.

The remaining half was on the verge of shattering.

Crack!

Crack!

With a final snap.

The remaining half split again, breaking into three damaged fragments of Dragon Essence.

"Monarch Wu'an!"

Shang Yang was also badly injured. But seeing Bai Qi unconscious and falling to the ground.

His expression changed instantly.

Without hesitation, he dashed over.

He caught Bai Qi and checked his condition.

He was still breathing. Not dead. He could still be saved.

Shang Yang let out a sigh of relief.

Elsewhere, the Black Ice Platform Leader Black Shadow, Xiong Qi, and Wu Qi all wore pale faces.

They were in utter disarray.

Fortunately, Zhao Yong's main target had been Bai Qi, and they were merely collateral damage.

Otherwise, their injuries would have been even worse.

Seeing the three broken pieces of Dragon Essence, Xiong Qi and the others couldn't help but show expressions of deep regret.

The Dragon Essence.

It had been destroyed just like that.

Zhao Yong was a madman.

If he couldn't have it, he wouldn't let anyone else have it either.

Truly unforgivable.

Had they known, they would never have allied with him in the first place.

But their reflexes were still sharp.

In the blink of an eye, the three each grabbed one fragment of the broken Dragon Essence.

Better something than nothing.

"Black Shadow, we can't stay here. Let's go at once."

"Monarch Wu'an is critically injured. We must return to Xianyang and treat him immediately!"

Seeing that Monarch Wu'an was unconscious and his breathing weakening, Shang Yang shouted loudly.

He led the way, flying off into the distance with Bai Qi.

Black Shadow moved swiftly and followed closely behind.

Xiong Qi and Wu Qi wore dark expressions.

They wanted to stop the three from leaving.

But they lacked the strength.

Looking down at the capital below, now completely destroyed by Zhao Yong's self-detonation.

The trusted forces they had cultivated over the years had been nearly wiped out.

Xiong Qi let out a wail of pain.

Zhao Yong had done him more damage than Bai Qi and the others ever had.

Years of accumulated strength had been lost in a single day.

He then looked toward Wu Qi, and killing intent filled his eyes.

Wu Qi was startled, then let out a cold snort.

He turned and left without saying another word.

Since his reappearance.

He had never regarded Xiong Qi as the true Chu King.

In his eyes, Xiong Qi was merely an ambitious schemer.

And after what happened today, there was no chance of reconciliation.

If not for his strong cultivation, he would have died at Xiong Qi's hands already.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

List of Characters:

Number One Under Heaven ( 天下第一 )

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

Qin's Moon ( 秦时明月 )

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

・Bai Qi ( 白起 ) — Commander of Qin Dynasty

Nine Songs of Moving Heaven ( 天行九歌 )

・Zhao Yong ( 赵雍 ) — Former 6th King of Zhao Kingdom

Chronicle of Eastern Zhou ( 东周列国志 )

・Wu Qi ( 吴起 ) — Prime Minister of Chu Kingdom

A Step Into The Past ( 寻秦记 )

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