[The Nine Provinces Cultivation Technique Ranking has now been fully updated]
[A new ranking will be released one month from now]
The Nine Provinces Golden Ranking in the sky did not last long before it closed on its own.
Soon after, it disappeared from everyone's view.
==========
Qin Dynasty, Xiangyang City.
Imperial Palace.
"The Qin Dynasty gained nothing again!"
"Not only that, but we have now helped nurture an unmatched enemy of the Qin Dynasty!"
"Sir, tell me, who is this Su Haotian who ranked 1st on the Cultivation Technique Ranking?"
"For someone to create a technique as powerful as the Heaven Emperor Scripture, he must be extraordinary."
"It couldn't be Zhu Houzhao. He already created the Azure Lotus Immortal Scripture, so without question, the Rank 1 must be the mysterious Vast Sea Emperor."
Ying Zheng's face darkened, clearly displeased.
Zhu Houzhao was already difficult enough to deal with.
Now another even more deeply hidden figure had emerged.
"Your Majesty, anyone who can create an Imperial Cultivation Technique like the Heaven Emperor Scripture must be an Emperor of one of the Nine Provinces nations."
"Even if not a current Emperor, they must have once ruled as Emperor."
"Among all the nations, no one fits that profile."
"There is only one exception. The Vast Sea Dynasty."
"We've received information from our spies inside the Vast Sea Dynasty. The identity of the current Emperor has been confirmed. He is indeed named Su Haotian."
"However, this Emperor rarely shows himself. All state affairs are handled by the Cabinet and the Military Council."
"Our spies also discovered that the current Prime Minister of the Vast Sea Dynasty, Xiao He, was once an official of the Qin Dynasty."
"He was unexpectedly recruited and nurtured by the Vast Sea Emperor, and now holds immense authority."
"The Vast Sea Emperor places great trust and importance in him."
"As for the other officials, there hasn't been enough time to identify their backgrounds."
The middle-aged scholar reported with a solemn expression.
It was now confirmed.
The Vast Sea Emperor was Su Haotian.
The one who ranked 1st on the Cultivation Technique Ranking.
A terrifying existence, possibly even more dangerous than Zhu Houzhao of the Ming Dynasty.
At least they had some understanding of Zhu Houzhao.
But when it came to the Vast Sea Dynasty, they knew nothing at all.
To be hidden this deeply made one question his intentions and ambitions.
"Xiao He? A former official of my Qin Dynasty, and yet he ran off to serve another dynasty?"
"Unforgivable. For him to rise to the position of Prime Minister, his talent must be exceptional."
"How did the Qin Dynasty not discover his value?"
Ying Zheng was furious.
It felt like a treasure of his had been stolen.
What angered him the most was not realizing that this treasure had any value until it was being used in someone else's hands.
It was a deep insult to his ability to identify and utilize talent.
Worse than losing a battle.
Clearly, the Qin Dynasty's talent cultivation system needed improvement.
There were likely many unrecognized talents within his borders, still waiting to be discovered.
"Sir, continue the investigation into the Vast Sea Dynasty. I want to know the origins and abilities of every single official they have."
"I want to see how many more of them came from the Qin Dynasty."
Although Ying Zheng was angry, it did not cloud his judgment.
"By the way, how is the situation with Monarch Changping?"
"Your Majesty, Monarch Changping seems to share the same ambition as you."
"He also wants the Dragon Essence and to gain immortality. If I'm not mistaken, he's already left the Qin Dynasty and is on his way to the Han Dynasty to seize it."
"Hmph, that traitor thinks he's worthy of the Dragon Essence? What a delusional fool!"
==========
Outside of Phoenix Nest.
"Your Majesty, thank you for protecting me during my breakthrough!"
As soon as she exited the Phoenix Nest, Empress Wu Zhao saw Zhu Houzhao standing not far away guarding her. Her heart was deeply moved.
"As long as you're unharmed."
"By the way, what's going on with the technique you obtained?"
"An ancient inheritance? Could such a thing really exist?"
"How come I've never heard of it before?"
Zhu Houzhao asked with curiosity.
"Your Majesty, it's absolutely true. The Phoenix Nest is a place where a powerful ancient being left behind their legacy."
"I only obtained the inheritance by pure chance."
"Can you tell me how it happened?"
"And when exactly does this 'ancient' era refer to?"
"Is it a few hundred years ago or several thousand?"
Zhu Houzhao looked puzzled.
Even in today's Nine Provinces, there were still some ancient beings alive.
Two thousand years old.
Four thousand years old.
Who knew if there were beings that had lived even longer?
"Your Majesty, I don't know exactly when this Ancient Empress lived, but it's at least ten thousand years ago!"
"Ten thousand years?"
Zhu Houzhao was greatly shocked.
Has human civilization in Nine Provinces really existed for that long?
Then why is there so little written about it in the historical records?
Not even ten thousand years ago. Even most dynasties from just a thousand years ago had faded into obscurity.
Clearly, human history is much older than people thought.
Not just two or three thousand years, or even four or five thousand.
Indeed, Zhu Houzhao's suspicions were correct.
This world harbored tremendous secrets.
==========
Zhu Houzhao did not continue to ask about ancient history.
But in his heart, he marked it as something to keep a close eye on.
"Your Majesty, are we returning to the palace now?"
"Return to the palace? No, not yet. There's a much more interesting place right now. We're going to join the fun!"
"Han Dynasty? Dragon Island?"
"Your Majesty, do you also seek the Dragon Essence?"
Empress Wu Zhao asked in surprise.
"The Dragon Essence? I don't care for something so trivial. I just want to see how many hidden cultivators are still lurking across Nine Provinces."
"So I can be better prepared."
"Empress, come see the world with me!"
"Oh right, we'll need to disguise ourselves if we're going to travel incognito!"
Zhu Houzhao smiled slightly and then pulled the Empress into a nearby cave.
Ten minutes later.
A handsome young man with an elegant folding fan walked out slowly.
His manner was graceful and carefree.
Behind him, Empress Wu Zhao wore a flowing golden-red gown, her aura striking.
The two of them together looked like a couple straight out of a fairy tale, a perfect match.
"Your Majesty!"
"When we're outside, stop calling me 'Your Majesty'. Just call me 'Husband'."
"And I'll call you 'Wife'."
Empress Wu Zhao blushed, turning her head slightly.
"Husband!"
"Hahaha, good!"
Zhu Houzhao laughed heartily, then took her hand and walked down the mountain.
Each step spanned dozens, even hundreds of meters.
In just a few moments.
The two of them had vanished without a trace.
==========
Border of Han Dynasty Territory.
A vast sea stretched out endlessly.
Countless ships sailed across the ocean in a frenzy.
"Hurry, Dragon Island is just ahead, hahaha, Divine Dragon, here I come!"
"Who would've thought I'd get the chance to join the legendary Dragon Slaying Expedition? Even if I don't obtain the Dragon Essence, this trip will still be worth it."
"Dragon Essence? How could we possibly get something like that? It'll surely be taken by the Great Grandmaster Realm and the Land Immortals."
"As long as we get even a piece of dragon meat, that would be a tremendous blessing."
"Hmph, you really lack ambition. I came here for the Dragon Essence itself! It's the treasure that grants immortality. How can I just hand it over to someone else?"
"Exactly. So what if they're Great Grandmasters or Land Immortals?"
"Such a treasure should go to whoever fate favors."
"Strength doesn't guarantee ownership. If my luck is good enough, the Dragon Essence will be mine!"
"Once I consume it and gain immortality and immense power, I may even surpass the Land Immortals in the future!"
"That's right, I came here solely for the Dragon Essence as well."
"All the Divine Dragon's essence is concentrated in the Dragon Essence. Dragon meat is nothing in comparison."
On every ship, countless cultivators from across Nine Provinces discussed amongst themselves.
They were all determined to obtain the Dragon Essence.
Even though they hadn't yet seen the dragon's shadow, they were already arguing about who would get the treasure.
Fortunately, the Divine Dragon was not present.
If it were, it would have likely killed every last one of these insects in a rage.
A deafening dragon roar echoed through the air.
The sea immediately began to churn violently.
Boom boom boom!
A series of massive explosions rang out.
Next, the ships on the sea were struck one after another by a mysterious force.
"The Divine Dragon?"
"Oh my god, it really appeared!"
"No way, it actually exists? I thought it was all a rumor!"
In the sky, a giant azure dragon nearly a hundred meters long soared overhead.
Seeing the group of ants below daring to scheme against it filled the dragon with fury.
A terrifying wave of energy crashed down.
Boom boom boom!
It launched a frenzied assault on the ships.
In just an instant.
The ships and everyone aboard them were destroyed.
The death toll was staggering.
The entire sea turned blood red.
The savagery of this dragon was evident.
"This is bad, this dragon is too powerful. It's definitely in the Mythical Realm... no, at least God Demon Realm!"
"We can't match it. Everyone, retreat!"
Sensing the dragon's overwhelming presence, all those still alive turned pale.
Regret began to surface in their hearts.
With such power, there was no way they could slay the dragon.
Perhaps only Land Immortals had a chance to take it down.
==========
"Husband, are we not going to make a move?"
In the shadows, Zhu Houzhao and Wu Zhao silently watched everything unfold before them.
"Let's just observe for now."
"Hm? Someone finally can't hold back and is making a move!"
"It's some foreign cultivators in the Heavenly Human Realm!"
"They really are arrogant."
Zhu Houzhao's expression shifted slightly.
A moment later, several powerful cultivators in foreign clothing charged at the Divine Dragon in the sky.
Their target was the dragon's reverse scale, aiming to slay it with a single strike.
Unfortunately.
They were only at the Heavenly Human Realm. How could they possibly match a God Demon Realm dragon?
Splat splat splat!
The dragon lashed out with its tail, hitting all of them squarely.
In an instant.
Their bodies were cleaved in half.
Their corpses fell into the sea, turning the water red.
==========
Elsewhere in the shadows.
The Qin Dynasty's Black Ice Platform Leader, Tang Dynasty's Yuan Tiangang, Sui Dynasty's Yuwen Tuo, Song Dynasty's Huang Shang, Yuan Dynasty's Phagpa, and Ming Dynasty's Dark Guard Leader Dark One had once again gathered.
As long-time rivals, none of them dared to let their guard down.
"Are we still not going to act?"
"None of us can handle this dragon alone. We'll need to join forces."
"Let's slay the dragon together first. We can divide the Dragon Essence afterward, what do you think?"
"That dragon is in the God Demon Realm. I'm only in the Mythical Realm. I can't even survive one strike. Let's observe a bit longer."
Dark One quickly shook his head.
He had no intention of acting just yet.
Huang Shang and Yuwen Tuo were equally cautious.
They weren't about to rush into things.
No one knew how many hidden Mythical Realm and God Demon Realm cultivators were lurking nearby.
If they made the first move, even if they succeeded in slaying the dragon, someone else might swoop in and take the prize.
They didn't want to end up doing the hard work for someone else.
Right now, whoever had the most patience would have the highest chance of success.
There was no rush.
The real battle would begin the moment the dragon died and the Dragon Essence appeared.
That would be the best time for all the true cultivators to act.
Phagpa and Yuan Tiangang sighed in resignation.
They had no choice but to wait as well.
==========
"Senior Nameless, are you planning to make a move?"
"You mustn't. Even if you slay the dragon, you'll become everyone's target."
"Besides, it's in the God Demon Realm. Not even you can defeat it!"
Elsewhere, Nameless, Tong Bo, Tong Zhan, and Yin Tianxue were also getting restless.
Nameless especially felt an intense urge to act.
Yin Tianxue noticed this first and hurriedly stopped him.
Perhaps because he had consumed Dragon Essence before, it gave him an uncontrollable impulse.
"What a savage dragon."
Nameless felt an inexplicable dislike toward this Divine Dragon.
In just a short time.
Every ship on the sea had been destroyed.
All who were aboard had been killed.
The entire ocean was filled with the stench of blood.
All the cultivators hiding in the shadows felt a chill in their hearts.
==========
"Hahaha, how amusing, truly entertaining!"
"Is no one going to make a move?"
"Do you all plan to sit back and reap the rewards?"
"If that's your plan, then I won't mind taking you mortals out before I slay the dragon!"
A wild and arrogant laugh echoed across the sea.
Everyone who heard it trembled slightly.
God Demon Realm.
It was undoubtedly the voice of someone at the God Demon Realm.
He was trying to force everyone out of hiding to attack the dragon together.
Those who were planning to sit on the sidelines and profit from the chaos now looked extremely uneasy.
"That's right. Everyone comes out and attacks the Divine Dragon together."
"If not, I don't mind teaming up with the other God Demon Realm cultivators to wipe you all out!"
Another powerful voice rang out.
"That's my Second Uncle!"
In the shadows, Yin Tianxue clenched her fists tightly.
Hatred flickered in her eyes.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
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
A Step Into The Past ( 寻秦记 )
・Shang Yang ( 商鞅 ) – Prime Minister of Qin Dynasty
Wind and Cloud ( 风云 )
・Mu Yingming ( 慕英名 ) — Master of Zhonghua Pavilion
Water Moon Cave ( 水月洞天 )
・Yin Tianxue ( 尹天雪 ) — Young Miss of Sword Control Manor
・Tong Bo ( 童博 ) — Survivor of Long Clan
・Tong Zhan ( 童战 ) — Young Master of Tong Clan