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

Ming Imperial Palace.

Zhu Houzhao sat high upon the dragon throne, his face full of majesty as he looked down.

"Yin Zhong, why do you not kneel when facing me?"

"Ming Emperor Zhu Houzhao, if you want to kill or punish me, do as you please!"

At this moment, Yin Zhong was already fully conscious, but to truly recover, he would likely need Zhu Houzhao's permission.

He glared at the Ming Emperor with clenched teeth.

"Interesting!"

"Aren't you curious why I brought you here?"

"Isn't it because of Yin Tianxue? Standing up for your woman... that girl does have good taste, choosing someone like you!"

"What you said is both right and wrong!"

Zhu Houzhao nodded, then shook his head.

"You possess the God Demon Immortal Physique. Ordinary God Demon Realm cultivators can't kill you, and you still have greater goals left unfulfilled. How could you possibly be willing to die so easily?"

"By the way, you're from Water Moon Cave, aren't you?"

"Don't you want to return and see it again?"

Zhu Houzhao looked at Yin Zhong with a mocking expression and an odd tone.

Yin Zhong's face changed drastically upon hearing that.

Water Moon Cave?

"How do you know about Water Moon Cave? Yin Tianxue has no idea about that!"

"You've met someone from the Tong Clan?"

Zhu Houzhao did not answer but simply looked at Yin Zhong with a heavy expression.

A wave of unimaginable pressure suddenly crushed down on him.

The sneer and disdain on Yin Zhong's face instantly turned pale.

Under Zhu Houzhao's terrifying aura, he felt like a tiny boat in the middle of a vast and violent sea, ready to capsize at any moment.

Pfft!

A mouthful of blood burst out.

Yin Zhong collapsed to the ground.

A fatal sense of crisis surged within him.

It felt like death would come at any moment.

Even his God Demon Immortal Physique couldn't save him.

It was a real death.

The kind from which there is no revival.

Impossible!

Wasn't the God Demon Immortal Physique supposed to prevent death?

How could Zhu Houzhao kill him with just a breath of aura?

Yin Zhong stared in horror at the Emperor sitting high above.

The next moment.

That overwhelming aura vanished without a trace.

As if it had never appeared at all.

"You... you... you..."

Yin Zhong pointed at Zhu Houzhao, unable to speak.

He was completely terrified.

"You are that Sage Realm cultivator from the Nine Provinces!"

"No one below the Sage Realm could possibly kill me so effortlessly!"

"Ming Emperor, you've hidden yourself well!"

"Even the Nine Provinces Golden Ranking was deceived by you!"

Yin Zhong was a clever man, and his face turned pale with shock.

"Heh, then you've underestimated the difference in strength between God Demon Realm cultivators!"

"The gap between the God Demon Realm is far beyond your imagination."

"In my eyes, someone like you could have been easily killed even when I was still in the Mythical Realm."

"Not to mention, now that I am at the Great Perfection God Demon Realm."

Zhu Houzhao spoke with contempt.

His tone was filled with disdain toward Yin Zhong.

Hearing this, Yin Zhong's face turned red with anger.

As a God Demon Realm cultivator, it was the first time he had been looked down on like this.

In the outside world, any power would treat him as an honored guest.

Even in other dynasties, his status would not be inferior to that of an Emperor.

Yet in Zhu Houzhao's eyes, he was nothing.

"If you want to kill me, do it. Why humiliate me?"

"I will give you one chance."

"Submit to me."

"And I will grant you the chance to ascend to an even higher martial path."

"If you refuse, I will not offer a second invitation."

"And what awaits you will be death."

"No one can save you."

Originally, Zhu Houzhao had no intention of recruiting him.

However.

During the Dragon Slaying Expedition, he noticed certain qualities in this man.

After much thought, he decided to give Yin Zhong one chance.

Only one.

Whether he could grasp it would depend on his own fortune.

If he refused, Zhu Houzhao would not regret it.

He would execute him without hesitation.

The God Demon Immortal Physique was not enough to protect him.

To Zhu Houzhao, it could be broken easily.

On the other hand, if Yin Zhong accepted, then he would become a valuable piece on Zhu Houzhao's chess board.

And perhaps he could gain even greater fortune in the future.

"You have ten breaths to decide."

"I..."

With the pressure mounting, even someone as unafraid of death as Yin Zhong suddenly felt a strong desire to live.

All at once.

He didn't want to die.

He didn't want to die such a humiliating death.

Yet he was also unwilling to submit so easily.

After all, he was still a God Demon Realm cultivator and should be treated with respect.

"Ten, nine..."

"Five, four..."

"Wait, after nine shouldn't it be eight?"

"Two, one..."

Zhu Houzhao ignored him, counting faster and faster.

Yin Zhong's heart raced in panic.

As Zhu Houzhao reached the final number, he suddenly shouted.

"I am willing to submit!"

Yin Zhong felt that if he missed this chance, Zhu Houzhao really would kill him.

There would be no luck.

It was a sense deep within that told him this.

This instinct had saved his life countless times in the past.

And he trusted it now as well.

"Yin Zhong, you are lucky to have earned a chance to live."

Zhu Houzhao said calmly.

Then, he waved his right hand.

A burst of energy entered Yin Zhong's body.

In the next moment.

All of Yin Zhong's injuries healed instantly.

Even the wounds on his chest that had troubled him for hundreds of years completely vanished.

He had returned to peak condition.

Just one wave of the hand, and centuries of pain were gone.

This... this...

Now at full strength again, Yin Zhong did not act arrogant at all.

Instead, he broke out in cold sweat.

He looked at Zhu Houzhao with deep respect and fear.

Too powerful.

He felt like a mere ant before Zhu Houzhao, despite being a God Demon Realm cultivator.

"Your Majesty, you healed me. Aren't you afraid I'll run away?"

"With my God Demon Realm strength, it would be easy to hide somewhere in the Nine Provinces where even you couldn't find me."

Yin Zhong asked in confusion.

"Heh, interesting. If you truly manage to escape my sight, then that would be your skill!"

"In that case, healing you would count as a reward."

"But if you fail to escape and I find you again, the price you pay will be far worse than death!"

Zhu Houzhao spoke gently, but it sent chills down Yin Zhong's spine.

He didn't know why the Emperor was so confident, but his instincts screamed at him.

Never try to run.

Or he would regret it deeply.

"Come in."

Suddenly, Zhu Houzhao called toward the entrance.

The next moment.

The person he somewhat resented, the National Master Zhang Yuchu, walked in.

"National Master, I'll leave this man to you for now."

"From this moment on, he is one of the Imperial Worship of the Ming Dynasty!"

"As a God Demon Realm cultivator, he should receive the treatment he deserves."

"Also, explain to him the rules so he doesn't foolishly make a mistake and regret it too late."

"Yes, Your Majesty. I understand."

"Good. Take him away."

==========

Outside the palace.

Zhang Yuchu looked at the pale-faced Yin Zhong and said softly.

"You're lucky. You actually survived."

"I thought someone as arrogant and wild as you would reject His Majesty's offer."

"I was already prepared to collect your corpse."

"What do you mean? Would His Majesty really have killed me if I refused?"

"Of course. Do you think just because you're God Demon Realm and a top cultivator in the Nine Provinces that His Majesty must value and recruit you?"

"To His Majesty, as long as he spends some time and effort, he can personally nurture God Demon Realm cultivators."

"It's not as valuable as you imagine."

"And you're not as important as you think."

"The waters of the Ming Dynasty run deep. You'll come to understand soon enough."

"Oh right, since I technically brought you in, I'll tell you a little secret, just to help you avoid some detours."

"In the Imperial Worship Hall, there are sometimes missions that grant benefits to God Demon Realm cultivators. You must seize those chances."

"If you succeed, the rewards will shock you."

"Seize every opportunity, and one day, it might not be impossible to reach the legendary Sage Realm."

Yin Zhong's heart stirred.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang, is the only Sage Realm truly His Majesty?"

Following the local customs, now that he had joined the Ming Dynasty, he couldn't keep acting as unruly as before.

He had to blend into the God Demon Realm team of the Ming Dynasty.

He knew how to be flexible when necessary.

Zhang Yuchu gave a mysterious smile.

"You'll find out someday."

"Hm? The final update to the Dao Immortal Ranking is about to happen."

"I'd like to see if there's any Dao Immortal in the Nine Provinces who can surpass me!"

Just then, the Golden Ranking ranking high in the sky began to tremble.

Light shone brilliantly.

The number one spot on the Dao Immortal Ranking was about to be announced.

Line by line, the text began to update.

Zhang Yuchu and Yin Zhong instantly focused their full attention and looked up.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

List of Characters:

Number One Under Heaven ( 天下第一 )

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

Historical

・Zhang Yuchu ( 张宇初 ) — National Master of Ming Dynasty

・Lin Lingsu ( 林灵素 ) — National Master of Northern Song Dynasty

Qin's Moon ( 秦时明月 )

・Ying Zheng ( 嬴政 ) — Emperor of Qin Dynasty

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

・Yang Guang ( 杨广 ) — Emperor of Sui Dynasty

Water Margin ( 水浒传 )

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

Water Moon Cave ( 水月洞天 )

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