Ming Dynasty Territory.
At the base of an unnamed mountain range.
Several years ago, this place was nothing but barren land.
Later, a wealthy family purchased the surrounding area and used it as their family estate.
After years of development, near the foot of the mountain, rows of buildings had been constructed.
It now resembled a small village.
At this moment, the Empress Wu Zhao slowly approached with a group of about a dozen people.
She had already changed out of her imperial attire into a fitted combat outfit.
Heroic and striking, her aura was entirely different from when she played the role of Empress.
It carried a very different charm.
Upon seeing her group, the people in the "village" quickly grew restless.
Soon, two figures, a man and a woman, hurried out to greet them.
"City Lord, you have finally arrived!"
"Miss!"
Both the man and the woman were visibly moved at the sight of her.
It was clear that these people had been arranged here by the Empress years ago.
Only she knew the true reason why.
"Wan'er, Huaiying, you two have worked hard over these years."
"I don't feel the least bit tired for you, Miss."
Shangguan Wan'er quickly shook her head.
"For the great cause of the City Lord, what are a few years?"
Di Renjie also showed no concern.
"By the way, City Lord, the task you assigned to us has been completed."
"Just as you predicted, there was indeed something hidden beneath the surface."
"However, no matter how deep we tried to explore, we couldn't figure out how to proceed."
"It seems only the City Lord herself can unlock its secrets."
Hearing this, Wu Zhao grew visibly excited.
"Good. Now that this is done, both of you no longer need to remain here. Return to the palace with me."
"Huaiying, I know you have never enjoyed martial conflicts and are better suited for politics and serving the people."
"Since that is the case, I will recommend you for an official post in court where you can display your talents."
"I hope you won't disappoint me."
"His Majesty has unearthed many talents over the years. Your abilities are by no means unmatched."
"Don't let them outshine you."
Di Renjie was overjoyed.
"Thank you, City Lord. I will not let you down."
"In front of others, refer to me as Her Majesty the Empress from now on."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Shangguan Wan'er, standing to the side, looked expectantly at Wu Zhao.
"Miss, what about me?"
"You will stay by my side, just like Qing'er."
"Also, I will entrust you with managing some of the court affairs on my behalf."
"Thank you, Miss."
"Alright, time is of the essence. Let's move out and see what secret is hidden here."
"Years of questions will finally be answered today."
Wu Zhao's calm tone carried a hint of excitement.
She then led the group toward their destination.
==========
"Dark One, what do you think the Empress is really up to?"
"She's been planning this for several years?"
"It looks like she started arranging things even before she entered the palace through the talent selection."
"But this place is far too barren and remote to serve as a base for the Netherworld City."
Not far behind, Zhu Houzhao followed closely with the Dark Guard Leader.
Even he was confused by the Empress's actions.
"Your Majesty, I suspect that when the Empress brought the remnants of the Netherworld City to the Ming Dynasty, her true target was this place."
"But later, she unexpectedly became the Ming Empress, which disrupted their original plan."
"All the resources were then focused on Her Majesty."
"That delayed development here, but it seems the Empress always intended to return."
The Dark Guard Leader speculated.
"Interesting. I am quite curious about the secret she holds."
"For something to weigh so heavily on her mind, it must be extraordinary."
As Zhu Houzhao's official wife, Wu Zhao's vision was far beyond that of ordinary people.
If it were something mundane, it would never catch her attention.
Moreover, she was personally taking part this time.
Even if Zhu Houzhao had no intention of stealing the secret, he still found it intriguing.
He wanted to know more about Wu Zhao.
==========
"I never imagined that beneath a barren mountain would lie another world entirely."
"A grand underground palace built so long ago."
"Who could have had the resources and vision to create such a thing?"
Zhu Houzhao followed Wu Zhao's group at a steady pace.
Not too far, but not too close.
With his and the Dark Guard Leader's abilities, they remained unnoticed.
After passing through a long underground tunnel, a vast space opened up before them.
It was a grand, ancient underground palace.
Even Zhu Houzhao was momentarily shocked at first glance.
What was the connection between Wu Zhao and this underground palace?
With his heightened senses, Zhu Houzhao and the Dark Guard Leader easily avoided the traps.
"Your Majesty, this palace can only be opened by Her Majesty."
"It seems the palace's original owner intended her to be its successor."
==========
"Miss, there is a giant door here!"
"We have searched for a long time but found no mechanism to open it."
Shangguan Wan'er turned to Wu Zhao anxiously.
The structure in front of them was better described as a wall than a door.
At the center of it was a bright red gem.
It appeared to be fused with the door itself.
Seeing the gem, Wu Zhao's heart stirred.
She immediately activated her Nirvana Art and channeled her inner power into it.
In an instant, the massive door trembled.
Before everyone's astonished eyes, it opened wide.
"What an exquisite mechanism!"
"Even the Mohist School and the Gongshu Clan from the Qin Dynasty couldn't have built something like this."
A spark lit in Wu Zhao's eyes.
If she could master such sophisticated mechanism techniques, the benefits would be endless.
Surprisingly, behind the giant door was only a small chamber, roughly over a hundred square meters.
Inside were numerous iron boxes.
But what caught Wu Zhao's attention the moment she entered was the three jade boxes sitting on a stone platform in the center.
==========
"Your Majesty, should we reveal ourselves?"
"These treasures lie within the borders of the Ming Dynasty. They should rightfully belong to us."
In the shadows, the Dark Guard Leader looked at Zhu Houzhao and asked.
"No need. Let's first see what the Empress does next."
"I am more interested in her secret."
Zhu Houzhao waved his hand.
There were surely many valuable treasures in the chamber.
But none of that mattered to him.
More importantly, these treasures had not fallen into outsider hands.
Wu Zhao was his own. Giving them to her was no loss at all.
==========
Wu Zhao quickly put away the three jade boxes from the stone platform and suppressed her excitement.
Her expression returned to calm.
"Alright. Move all the boxes in this chamber back to the palace."
"Take out half of the contents. I want to offer them to His Majesty."
Wu Zhao's tone was firm.
"City Lord, why?"
"These treasures are yours. Why give them to the Ming Emperor?"
"If we used these resources on the disciples of the Netherworld City, our strength would rise significantly."
A Grand Elder spoke emotionally.
The resources here were far beyond his expectations.
They even held miraculous effects for Great Grandmasters.
Used wisely, they could nurture one or two Land Immortals.
Wu Zhao did not argue. Instead, she turned to Di Renjie.
"Huaiying, what do you think?"
"Your Majesty, Grand Elder, I believe Her Majesty's decision is absolutely appropriate."
Di Renjie responded calmly.
"You ungrateful brat, taking the enemy's side. I ought to beat you!"
The other Grand Elder was furious.
"Grand Elder, please calm down and hear me out."
"Do any of you believe that we could truly hide this operation from the Emperor and the Dark Guard?"
This question made everyone freeze.
"To speak frankly, if not for Her Majesty's presence, this place would have already been taken over by the Dark Guard."
"They have not acted because of Her Majesty, not because we are strong or well hidden."
Instantly, the room fell silent.
If not for the Empress's identity, they would have had no chance of retrieving the treasures.
"Enough. Do as I say. Offer half to His Majesty."
"If the Netherworld City were not in urgent need, I would have given all of it to His Majesty."
"Let's return."
==========
"Interesting. Dark One, do you think the Empress knows we've been watching her?"
"Was everything she said just now meant for me to hear so I would be pleased?"
In the shadows, watching all of this, Zhu Houzhao rubbed his nose and gave a wry smile.
"With Her Majesty's intelligence, I am certain she has already sensed the presence of the Dark Guard."
"Her words were intended for us to relay to Your Majesty."
"This way, Your Majesty won't blame her for acting without permission."
The Dark Guard Leader spoke frankly.
"Forget it. Let's leave."
"Did the Empress find this place by accident, using some treasure map?"
"Or was there another reason?"
Not finding the answers he wanted, Zhu Houzhao was a little puzzled.
However, when he recalled how the Empress activated the giant door, he grew suspicious again.
The way she looked at those jade boxes with such emotion was certainly genuine.
There was no way she could have faked that reaction.
It was clear those things were of immense benefit to her.
Though he could not explain why, Zhu Houzhao felt like this was a scene out of a fantasy tale where the protagonist stumbles upon a hidden treasure.
And the protagonist in this story was none other than Empress Wu Zhao.
==========
Ming Imperial Palace.
Zhu Houzhao returned immediately.
Not long after, Empress Wu Zhao also returned to the Imperial Harem.
She came to see him at once.
"Your Majesty, this Consort begs your forgiveness."
Before he could speak, the Empress bowed and offered to accept punishment.
"Empress, who exactly are you?"
This time, Zhu Houzhao did not beat around the bush.
"Besides being the successor of the Netherworld City, what other identities do you have?"
"You have truly stumped me, Your Majesty. I am not even sure what my real identity is anymore."
Wu Zhao seemed to have anticipated his question and responded with a bitter smile.
"For years, strange bits of information have suddenly appeared in my mind."
"This treasure was hidden within those fragments."
"This time, I acted personally to confirm whether the information was real."
She did not conceal anything and spoke frankly of her years of confusion.
"Could it be that the Former City Lord placed some secret technique on you?"
Zhu Houzhao's eyes sharpened.
"It shouldn't be. He would never harm me."
"There are probably other secrets about me even I do not know."
"Please rest assured, Your Majesty. Everything so far has been beneficial to me."
"In fact, it may help me advance my cultivation."
"I have a feeling that once I fully absorb the treasures obtained this time, my power will increase again."
Hearing this, Zhu Houzhao narrowed his eyes.
Why did this all feel so familiar?
It was now certain.
The Empress's identity was anything but simple.
If he had not personally confirmed that everything about her was normal, he might have suspected she was an ancient monster reborn in a new body.