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

Cough cough!

Zhu Houzhao looked a little helpless. He had spent quite a while breaking the formation, and yet these two fellows hadn't even noticed him.

The moment they woke up, they were already bickering.

Just how deep must their hatred run?

Hearing the light cough, Zhao Kuangyin and Zhao Kuangyi instantly snapped out of it.

When they looked toward Zhu Houzhao not far away, their expressions changed drastically.

Their faces were full of disbelief.

They hadn't sensed the slightest aura.

Why would a living person appear here?

A formation?

Could it be that the formation which trapped them had been broken by this man?

"Who are you?"

"To be able to find this place, you must be someone of the Song Dynasty."

"Are you a descendant of the Southern Song Dynasty or the Northern Song Dynasty?"

Back then, Zhao Kuangyi had split the Song Dynasty, directly dividing it into the Northern Song Dynasty and Southern Song Dynasty.

They respectively represented the descendants of Zhao Kuangyi and Zhao Kuangyin.

Of course, the Emperors of the two Songs, Zhao Ji and Zhao Gou, were neither father and son, nor brothers.

They were both descendants of those two.

"Fools. There's another possibility!"

"He's from the Ming Dynasty, or more precisely, one of Liu Bowen's people!"

Zhu Houzhao looked at the two of them with mocking disdain.

So many years had passed, and yet these two were already outdated.

Even if they still possessed God Demon Realm strength and were rare cultivators in today's Nine Provinces, they could no longer keep up with the times.

At first, he had been a little wary and cautious.

But seeing their current state, the initial wariness faded.

Of course, he couldn't possibly let them go.

No matter what, these were the Founding Emperors of the two Songs.

If they were released, it would undoubtedly bring unnecessary trouble.

At the very least, it would be harmful to the Ming Dynasty with no benefit.

"Zhao Kuangyin, Zhao Kuangyi, there's no need for you to know who I am."

"What an arrogant brat."

"Don't think that just because you saved us from the formation, I would be grateful to you!"

"Heh. I never expected your gratitude."

"People like you, who would do anything for power, what would you know about gratitude?"

"Cruel and ungrateful, that's your usual way, isn't it?"

Zhu Houzhao held both of them in contempt.

Although the two were once brilliant figures who founded the two Songs, they were not worthy of his admiration.

"Brat, you only know how to run your mouth!"

"This place is one of the Song Dynasty's greatest secrets. Now that you're here, no matter the reason, we cannot let you live!"

"Prepare to die!"

Zhao Kuangyi shouted on the spot.

The next moment, his figure flashed, leaping toward Zhu Houzhao.

He launched a fatal strike.

He wanted to end Zhu Houzhao in a single move.

Unfortunately for him.

He had greatly overestimated himself.

"Hmph, looking to die!"

Zhu Houzhao sneered coldly. A mere Early God Demon Realm dared to provoke him?

He placed his left hand behind his back and flipped his right palm.

Then slowly pushed forward.

A booming palm strike landed squarely on Zhao Kuangyi's chest.

He had no chance to resist.

Zhao Kuangyi was sent flying backward, crashing directly into Zhao Kuangyin.

This was exactly what Zhu Houzhao intended.

But unexpectedly, Zhao Kuangyin's face turned cold as he transformed his palm into a claw and viciously struck Zhao Kuangyi's body.

Zhao Kuangyi, who had already been severely injured, suffered a second wave of devastation.

His internal organs shattered completely.

His bones and tendons broke apart inch by inch.

Only breath going in, none coming out.

"Zhao Kuangyin, how ruthless you are!"

"Ruthless? You split my Song Dynasty, and even sought my death. There has been no brotherly affection between us for centuries."

"If not for being trapped by the formation all these years, I would have torn you to pieces long ago!"

Zhao Kuangyin paid no attention to Zhu Houzhao and instead stared at Zhao Kuangyi with deep hatred.

Centuries of resentment finally exploded at this moment.

Once, Zhao Kuangyi had been his most cherished younger brother.

Anything good would be left for him.

Who would've thought this man turned out to be a thankless traitor?

No matter how he raised him, he could never be truly loyal.

In the end, it led to disaster.

Zhu Houzhao couldn't help but shake his head at the sight.

"Hahaha! Zhao Kuangyin, don't be so smug. I'll be waiting for you in the afterlife!"

With a vicious laugh from Zhao Kuangyi.

Zhao Kuangyin still wasn't satisfied. He struck again with his claws.

He directly blasted a massive hole through Zhao Kuangyi's chest, who had no strength to resist.

At this point, no matter how tenacious his vitality, he was destined for a violent death.

"Young friend, you've freed me from confinement and helped eliminate a major threat. Whatever you desire, just say the word, I won't be stingy with my reward!"

Having killed Zhao Kuangyi, Zhao Kuangyin immediately put on a generous front.

If Zhu Houzhao hadn't witnessed it himself.

Judging by his looks and demeanor, one might have really mistaken him for a man of righteousness.

But as a fellow Emperor, Zhu Houzhao knew very well.

It was all an act, a façade.

Now that he was uncertain of Zhu Houzhao's background, he was simply looking for a chance to recover his strength and plot his next move.

If it had been someone else, even a God Demon Realm cultivator, he might have succeeded.

Unfortunately for him, he was unlucky.

This time, he encountered Zhu Houzhao.

Even if Zhao Kuangyin had truly been bold and righteous, Zhu Houzhao still wouldn't let him live.

"Zhao Kuangyin, the world speaks of your magnanimity and tolerance. Seems your disguise runs deep."

"Unfortunately, meeting you in person is far worse than your reputation."

Zhu Houzhao sighed.

"This is no longer your era. If you are allowed to leave, Nine Provinces will only become even more chaotic."

"You're better off staying here forever."

Zhu Houzhao didn't care what had happened between the two centuries ago.

Nor did he plan to get answers from Zhao Kuangyin.

He would investigate it himself later.

"You want to kill me? Heh. You?"

"Don't think that just because you wounded Zhao Kuangyi, you're invincible."

"To me, you're nothing."

Zhu Houzhao snorted coldly at these words, unwilling to waste time with pointless talk.

"Take one move from me. If you survive, I'll let you keep struggling in the formation."

As soon as he finished speaking.

Zhu Houzhao's figure vanished without a trace.

Zhao Kuangyin was instantly shocked.

Before he could react, pain surged through his chest.

An overwhelming agony erupted, and blood surged up in his throat.

He couldn't stop himself from vomiting blood.

Thud thud thud thud thud!

Bursts of energy exploded from within his body.

One hole after another was blasted into his body, leaving him in utter ruin.

"Centuries have passed. Are young people really this powerful now?"

"How could this be?"

Zhao Kuangyin was in utter disbelief.

Zhu Houzhao looked no older than his twenties. How could he be this strong?

He couldn't understand it.

If even this young man was so terrifying, then how much more terrifying must the elders be?

"Who... exactly are you?"

Zhao Kuangyin stared at Zhu Houzhao.

"Since you were once a formidable Emperor, I'll tell you."

"I am the Current Ming Emperor, Zhu Houzhao!"

"The outside world is in chaos. Though the Northern Song Dynasty and Southern Song Dynasty still hold the title of dynasties, compared to the other nations, their strength is lacking."

"If nothing unexpected happens, both will fall within ten years."

"But for you, I suppose that no longer matters."

Zhu Houzhao finally gave him a few answers.

"Ming Emperor? Zhu Houzhao?"

"Damn it. Centuries ago, it was the Ming Dynasty's Zhu Yuanzhang and Liu Bowen."

"And now, it's the Ming Emperor himself!"

"If I had known, I would never have done what I did to the Ming Dynasty back then!"

"Forget it. I should have died centuries ago. To have lived this long... it's already enough."

Zhu Houzhao raised an eyebrow.

What did Zhao Kuangyin mean by that?

What did the Song Dynasty do to the Ming Dynasty centuries ago?

It was enough to make Liu Bowen personally act to seal the two Emperors?

Liu Bowen was Zhu Yuanzhang's trusted minister.

For him to do this, it must have been under Zhu Yuanzhang's orders.

If Zhao Kuangyin and Zhao Kuangyi were still alive...

Could that mean Zhu Yuanzhang was still alive too?

Then what about the Emperors of the other dynasties?

As Zhu Houzhao learned more about Nine Provinces, he began to realize how deep the waters ran.

Even with his cheat-like system, he couldn't afford to be careless.

Staring at Zhao Kuangyin's lifeless body, Zhu Houzhao had a complicated look on his face.

That man had once been a Founding Emperor.

And yet, he died here.

==========

Boom!

Zhu Houzhao stood before the divine dragon statue, staring for a long moment.

Then he suddenly slammed a palm down and shattered it.

The next instant.

A golden orb of light emerged.

Without hesitation, he absorbed it into the system space, just like he had done at the Qing Imperial Mausoleum.

This time, his purpose in coming to the Southern Song Dynasty was finally fulfilled.

Although he hadn't encountered a Southern Song Dynasty spy network like the Qing Mausoleum Guard.

He had faced the two Founding Emperors of the Songs, Zhao Kuangyin and Zhao Kuangyi.

Though he didn't gain any useful information, he now understood one thing, Nine Provinces was anything but simple.

And he had become much more cautious.

No longer as arrogant as he had once been.

"Yinxue, come out."

In the next moment, Mei Yinxue's figure appeared beside him.

"So those were Zhao Kuangyin and Zhao Kuangyi?"

"Sure enough, all Emperors are the same."

"Husband, will you become like them one day?"

Mei Yinxue looked toward Zhu Houzhao, making him give a bitter smile.

He didn't even know how to answer.

To be honest, if he didn't have his golden finger system constantly helping him cheat.

He might really have ended up just like those other Emperors.

"Don't be ridiculous. With your husband's power, why would I need to be so scheming?"

"Any enemy I face, I can crush head-on!"

"With overwhelming force, I'll sweep through all opposition. Isn't that even better?"

"The path I walk is completely different from theirs. Don't worry!"

"Alright, this underground palace is extraordinary and full of resources. Since we're here, we mustn't waste it."

"Take everything that can be taken."

"After all, once we leave, this place won't be left standing!"

This place was the Southern Song Dynasty's Dragon Vein and source of National Fortune. Naturally, it couldn't be allowed to remain.

Better to destroy it.

Mei Yinxue didn't stand on ceremony.

She extended her divine sense and quickly collected everything.

As for Zhu Houzhao, his figure flickered rapidly.

Anything of even slight value, he stored into the system space.

Even the treasures on Zhao Kuangyin and Zhao Kuangyi weren't spared.

Even if he couldn't use them, he could still use them as rewards for his subordinates.

Wouldn't that be even better?