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

[Demon God Ranking – Rank 6]

[Huang Xuemei (Six Fingered Zither Demon)]

[Force: Successor of the Heavenly Demon Zither]

[Cultivation: Late Mythical Realm Land Immortal]

[Technique: Heavenly Dragon Eight Sounds]

[Reward: 1x Intermediate-Tier Enlightenment Card (Can be used for enlightenment, increasing comprehension two hundred times, duration one day!)]

==========

The three Mythical Realm Qing Mausoleum Guard stared at the ranking for a moment, then glanced at the woman not far away.

As if they couldn't believe it.

They scanned the ranking again and again, and their expressions changed drastically.

They unconsciously took several steps back, then quickly regained their composure.

They glared viciously at the mysterious woman.

"Late Mythical Realm? You're the Six Fingered Zither Demon!?"

Although it was phrased as a question, it was clearly a statement.

"What a pity. Only three of you came, and the real target hid in the shadows."

"But that's fine. You're its lapdogs. Killing you will surely make it feel great pain."

"Death is inevitable. You might as well die at my hands."

Huang Xuemei, the Six Fingered Zither Demon, put away the Enlightenment Card she received from the Heaven Dao Reward and cast a look of contempt at the three Mythical Realm Qing Mausoleum Guard.

No one knew who she meant by "it",

It seemed this mysterious being was the true target of all the Land Immortals gathered here.

"Six Fingered Zither Demon?"

In the crowd behind, Dongfang Bubai was also stunned.

The Six Fingered Zither Demon had once been infamous throughout the Ming Martial World.

Countless cultivators had died under her hands.

Even now, compared to this woman, Dongfang Bubai's demonic prestige was clearly inferior.

She had always thought this Zither Demon had been secretly assassinated by some so-called righteous sects and died in some dark corner.

She never imagined the woman not only survived but had grown far stronger.

She had become a Mythical Realm cultivator.

Truly terrifying.

Though Dongfang Bubai was confident she wouldn't lose in the future, at this moment, she knew the woman could kill her with a single strike.

Ding ding ding!

A series of zither sounds echoed once more.

Waves of sonic attacks wildly assaulted the three Mythical Realm Qing Mausoleum Guard.

"Ah! Impossible! How could I be hit?"

"Boss, save me!"

The weakest of the three Mythical Realm Qing Mausoleum Guard was struck by the sound waves and immediately let out a miserable wail.

His eyes were full of despair and terror.

Dongfang Bubai and the others nearby looked on with disdain.

With such weak mental strength, how did they even reach the Mythical Realm?

It was unbelievable.

Though they were all in the Mythical Realm, compared to the Six Fingered Zither Demon, they were on a completely different level.

Boom!

A massive explosion erupted as one Mythical Realm cultivator died before everyone's eyes.

Yet Huang Xuemei remained calmly playing her zither, her expression unchanged.

"Azure Dragon Envoy, stop playing around. Lord Fourth Dragon Head is still waiting for us."

"The target already knows we're coming. We must move faster."

A stranger's voice suddenly echoed in the sky above the battlefield.

The voice alone carried the might of the Mythical Realm.

Not far away, Huang Xuemei's brows furrowed slightly.

Her zither music instantly turned sharply murderous.

Terrifying waves of sonic force surged, dozens of times faster than before.

Pupupupupu!!

In nearly an instant.

The final two Mythical Realm Qing Mausoleum Guard were hit.

The sound waves pierced straight through their bodies.

Leaving behind horrifying gaping wounds.

Blood gushed.

Their bodies crashed heavily to the ground.

Even Mythical Realm cultivators stood no chance against the Six Fingered Zither Demon.

"Six Fingered Zither Demon, don't be too smug. Our master will avenge us."

"All of you will die in that place!"

The three Mythical Realm Qing Mausoleum Guard glared hatefully at everyone present.

Then.

Boom! boom!

They self-destructed.

Nothing was left of their bodies.

Truly dead beyond recovery.

==========

Ming Imperial Palace.

"Your Majesty, this is a secret report that just arrived from the Qing Dynasty!"

Dark Guard Leader Dark One handed over a report.

Zhu Houzhao took it, glanced over it briefly, then tossed it aside.

"I already knew. I've been preparing for this battle since I was Crown Prince."

"All to eliminate the greatest threat within the Qing Dynasty."

"Nurhaci, did you really think faking your death would let you hide?"

"Trying to imitate the Han Dynasty? Too bad for you, the Qing Dynasty faces me as its enemy. Your defeat is inevitable."

"You'll die more miserably than anyone."

Zhu Houzhao chuckled coldly.

His eyes were full of mockery.

Nurhaci.

That's right, Nurhaci.

The true Founder of the Qing Dynasty.

On the surface, in the Nine Provinces, he had supposedly been dead for over a century.

But during Zhu Houzhao's days as Crown Prince, while studying historical texts, especially Qing Dynasty-era records, he discovered many inconsistencies.

He delved into both official and unofficial histories and finally confirmed his suspicions.

Later, during his travels across the Nine Provinces, he deliberately visited the Qing Dynasty to verify the truth.

His findings confirmed everything.

To be cautious, Zhu Houzhao didn't act immediately.

Instead, he devised deeper and more comprehensive plans.

He completely infiltrated the internal structure of the Qing Dynasty.

The spies and plants within both the Imperial Court and Martial World exceeded all expectations.

People like Lu Siniang were only the tip of the iceberg.

Even within the Qing Imperial Court, many insiders existed.

And they were deeply hidden.

Just like the assassination attempt on Emperor Yongzheng by Lu Siniang.

She had more than one secret helper.

That assassination only succeeded because of meticulous planning by those behind the scenes.

Otherwise, with the terrifying Flying Guillotine Guard alone, Lu Siniang could never have escaped.

Zhu Houzhao's arrangements were known only to himself.

Even Dark One, who was closest to him, only knew fragments.

This time, to perfectly destroy the Qing Dynasty, he had even prepared nine different plans.

The Ming-Qing War was a colossal chessboard.

The many Land Immortals of the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Army, the Qing Army, Qing Dynasty cultivators, and even Hongli and the supposedly dead Nurhaci.

They were all pawns.

The only one moving the pieces was Zhu Houzhao himself.

"Dark One, prepare for departure. I will leave the Imperial Palace and travel to the Qing Dynasty."

"I want to personally witness the fall of Nurhaci."

"For a hundred years, every crisis my Ming Dynasty has faced, he was the puppet master."

"Even the so-called Yuan Dynasty wasn't as dangerous as him."

"Even if all else fails, even if I spare Hongli and the Qing Army, I will still eliminate Nurhaci."

"Even if he has cultivated Heavenly Human Realm and Mythical Realm cultivators using foreign powers, even if his strength is top-tier in the Nine Provinces, it doesn't matter."

"Yes, Your Majesty. I understand what must be done."

Before leaving, Zhu Houzhao spent a final moment of intimacy with the women of the Imperial Harem.

Only then did he leave the Imperial Palace.

"Nurhaci's own strength isn't overwhelming, but he possesses extraordinary treasures."

"To be safe, I need another helper."

"And it must be one at the God Demon Realm!"

With that thought, Zhu Houzhao looked up at the ranking in the sky, and a figure came to mind.

His face grew firm.

With a flash, he vanished without a trace.

==========

"Six Fingered Zither Demon?"

"Oh my god, I've heard of her. She once caused a huge stir in the Ming Martial World."

"Heavenly Dragon Eight Sounds, its power is terrifying and unstoppable."

"The Heavenly Demon Zither is also one of the most top-tier treasures in the Martial World."

"Anyone who gets it and learns the Heavenly Dragon Eight Sounds can instantly become one of the rarest cultivators in the Nine Provinces."

"I can't believe the Six Fingered Zither Demon is a woman. That's too shocking."

"Another woman. Why are so many demoness emerging in the Nine Provinces?"

Of those on the ranking, aside from Demon Master Pang Ban, nearly all were women.

It seemed when women became terrifying, they could be far more capable than men.

The Demon God Ranking had stirred the entire Nine Provinces.

More and more people discussed the Six Fingered Zither Demon.

Curiosity, admiration, and fear, every kind of emotion filled the air.

==========

Temujin Military Tent.

"National Master, have you found the Demon Master's whereabouts?"

"Not yet. The Demon Master left the Demon Master Palace without leaving a single word."

"No one knows what he's planning."

"Haha, he's probably off in some corner using an Enlightenment Card!"

"Next time we meet, he might already be a Mythical Realm cultivator."

"With both the National Master and Demon Master assisting me, how can the Yuan Dynasty not crush the Ming Dynasty and Southern Song Dynasty?"

Temujin's expression was full of resolve and excitement.

"By the way, National Master, do you know anything about this Huang Xuemei, the Six Fingered Zither Demon?"

"Yes, Khan, I know a bit."

"She's a true bloodthirsty demoness."

"The number of people who died under her Heavenly Demon Zither is in the hundreds, if not thousands."

"She definitely doesn't have friendly ties with the Ming Dynasty."

"This is the perfect time to recruit her under your banner."

"She's a natural-born killer."

"If she pledges loyalty to you, her killing potential will be enough to slaughter countless Ming Dynasty soldiers."

"Ming Dynasty's Qi Jiguang, even Hua Mulan, would all fall to her blade."

"No one could stop her!"

"In that case, find an opportunity to recruit her well."

"Whatever her conditions are, I'll agree."

"Yes, Khan. I'll dispatch people immediately."

==========

Qin Imperial Palace.

"Sir, this Huang Xuemei, the Six Fingered Zither Demon, is quite powerful. She matches the Qin Dynasty's style perfectly."

"In the Ming Dynasty, she's viewed as a villain. But in our Qin Dynasty, she could become a heroine known to all."

"If we bring her to the Qin Dynasty and pair her with Monarch Wu'an, it would be an excellent match."

"That would greatly enhance Monarch Wu'an's efficiency."

"And it would prevent the Qin Dynasty from sinking into a quagmire of warfare."

"Avoiding massive national loss."

For some reason, Ying Zheng felt great admiration the moment he saw the Six Fingered Zither Demon.

He even envisioned grooming her into a battlefield general.

The Ming Dynasty had a Hua Mulan. He, Ying Zheng, could also nurture a female marshal worthy of the Renowned Marshal Ranking.

Especially after reviewing the intelligence on her handed over by the Shadow Guard.

With proper cultivation, she might just succeed.

No one knew what Ying Zheng was truly thinking.

After all, the Six Fingered Zither Demon was just a cultivator. She was suited for duels, not battlefields.

No matter how strong she was, once she entered war, her role would be minimal.

She might not even be as useful as the most average general.

"Your Majesty, should we reconsider?"

"This woman is too extreme and prone to emotional outbursts. She lacks the temperament of a marshal."

"If we force her into that role, it may endanger our soldiers."

Shang Yang had also reviewed the intelligence on the Zither Demon.

He saw no qualities of a marshal in her.

She wasn't even qualified to be a Qin Dynasty general.

What was the Emperor thinking?

Was this all because of a rivalry with Zhu Houzhao?

Because the Ming Dynasty had a female marshal, did the Qin Dynasty have to raise one too?

Even if that were the case, why choose someone from the Ming Dynasty?

Why not cultivate one from within the Qin Dynasty's own women?

Even Shang Yang couldn't understand Ying Zheng's move.

Ying Zheng neither rejected nor agreed with the suggestion.

His eyes shimmered with an unreadable light.

It seemed that recruiting the Six Fingered Zither Demon held deeper meaning for him.

Even someone as clever as Shang Yang couldn't fully grasp it.

Unfortunately.

No matter what Ying Zheng planned, he would ultimately be disappointed.

No matter what he did, the Six Fingered Zither Demon would never submit to the Qin Dynasty.

Especially not with Zhu Houzhao around.

There's no way he'd let his carefully groomed cultivator be stolen by his greatest rival, the Qin Dynasty!