The Great Zhou Empress Obtains the Secret Key

"Master, it seems people are fighting up ahead."

Lin Bai probed with his divine sense and discovered quite a few people locked in fierce battle ahead.

"It has nothing to do with us. If no one offends me, I offend no one."

"Let's go."

But there was only one path along this ancient road, so they continued down it.

"Hahaha, Qin Ruoxue has nowhere left to run, does she!"

"Hand over the Secret Key obediently, and I might consider leaving you an intact corpse."

"Of course, it would be even better if you let this general have some fun first! My Empress."

"Hahahaha."

The general leered at one of the women.

"General, someone is coming."

A soldier noticed someone approaching and hurriedly reported it to the leading general.

"What a buzzkill. Go see who it is."

On the ancient road, more than fifty mounted soldiers were besieging two women.

"You treacherous rebel, don't even dream of obtaining the Secret Key."

"Even if I, Qin Ruoxue, die, I will never let you have it."

"Your Majesty, I'll cover you. Run!"

At that moment, Feng Qingyang and Lin Bai approached from the other direction.

"Carry on. We're just passing through."

"Stop! Did you hear something?"

The leading general called out to Feng Qingyang and Lin Bai, who were about to leave.

The Ancient Saint Secret Realm was about to open, and whoever possessed the Secret Key could get a share of the spoils. At such a critical moment, it was better to kill wrongly than let even one person slip through.

"My master said we're just passing through. Carry on. Are you deaf?"

"How dare you speak to the general like that!"

Seeing that the two arriving men had drawn the attention of their attackers, the two besieged women felt that their chance had come.

"Your Majesty, go!"

After saying that, the woman shoved Qin Ruoxue hard.

Then, with a boom, she self-destructed. The shockwave overturned the soldiers surrounding them, taking them down with her!

"Shuang Er!"

With no time to grieve, Qin Ruoxue turned and fled.

"Damn it!"

The general could not be bothered with Feng Qingyang and Lin Bai either. He turned and chased after Qin Ruoxue.

"These people have rocks in their heads. We already said it had nothing to do with us, yet they insist on courting death."

"Let's go."

Feng Qingyang and Lin Bai continued on their journey. They were about to leave the borders of the Great Zhou.

Unexpectedly, the woman being hunted circled back.

Qin Ruoxue had been injured and knew she could not flee far, so she circled back and caught up to the two men ahead.

"Young master, please save me!"

Qin Ruoxue pleaded.

Feng Qingyang sized up the woman chasing after them. They had been too far away earlier for him to see clearly, but up close, calling her beauty capable of sinking fish and shaming geese, eclipsing the moon and putting flowers to shame, would not be an exaggeration. There was even a trace of heroic spirit between her brows.

However, after being pursued for days, she was covered in dust and dirt, ruining that beauty. Her sword-slashed clothing also exposed large swathes of snow-white skin.

A beautiful face was nothing but a skeleton beneath the skin. Feng Qingyang felt no ripple in his heart.

"Why should I save you?"

"Or rather, what reason do I have to save you? Because you're good-looking?"

Feng Qingyang checked her with the system and found that her identity was rather interesting.

Great Zhou Empress: Qin Ruoxue
Cultivation: Spirit Transformation Peak
A treacherous minister fabricated rumors that the Empress had executed meritorious officials of ten years' standing. Beacon fires rose throughout the dynasty, and traitorous rebels dragged the Empress from the throne and proclaimed themselves emperor.

"Young master, this is the Secret Key that opens the Ancient Saint Secret Realm. Now that I am alone, it is useless for me to keep it. I offer it to you."

Qin Ruoxue took an item from her robes and handed it to Feng Qingyang.

Feng Qingyang accepted the Secret Key from Qin Ruoxue and casually played with it in his hand.

"Oh? The Ancient Saint Secret Realm?"

"Yes, young master. With this Secret Key, one can enter the Ancient Saint Secret Realm. Inside are abundant resources, fortuitous encounters, and inheritances."

"In three days, the Ancient Saint Secret Realm will open in the Qilin Dynasty. At that time, anyone holding a Secret Key may enter."

"Not interested at all!"

What attraction could an inheritance left by a Saint possibly have? Within three years, every member of my Azure Cloud Sect will be a Great Emperor. Though the resources inside might be worth plundering... no, engaging in some fair competition for.

Ding! As the future Myriad Heavens First Divine Sect, having too few disciples will not do. A mission has been issued: recruit one genius disciple. Upon completion, a massive reward will be granted.

A genius disciple has been detected and will appear in the Qilin Dynasty three days from now. Host, please proceed there as soon as possible.

Only then did Feng Qingyang's eyes light up. The system had not issued a mission for days—he had missed it to death. Don't misunderstand; he only missed the rewards the system gave.

In the Qilin Dynasty? Could he be entering the secret realm? Perfect. I just obtained a secret realm key. This must be fate!

Upon hearing Feng Qingyang say he was completely uninterested, Qin Ruoxue began to despair.

The dignified Empress had truly reached the end of the road.

Seeing how sincerely this Empress was begging him for help, even offering him a treasure and nearly kneeling before him, Feng Qingyang was moved.

A great man could bend and stretch; a young woman could open and close. This Empress was capable of great things.

"Still, seeing how sincere you are, saving your life would not be a problem."

"However, you must..."

Before Feng Qingyang could finish, Qin Ruoxue eagerly agreed first. "There's no need to consider it. I'm willing, young master."

As long as the green hills remained, there would be no shortage of firewood.

No matter what she had to do, preserving her life was the most important thing. Even if it meant serving tea and pouring water, warming his bed and sleeping with him, so what?

In the depths of despair, Qin Ruoxue clutched this sole hope tightly.

"Then fine. Follow me back to the sect."

He could have refused, taken the Secret Key, and walked away, but how would that be any different from finishing the deed and not paying? Once he had accepted the cause, he had to bear the consequence.

Lin Bai did not say a word from the side, nor did his eyes wander. He had already reached the realm where there were no women in his heart, and drawing his sword came naturally as divinity.

He only wanted to recite a poem.

"Returning home in joy, I hear disastrous news."

"With one hand, my Wang family is wiped out."

"The ungrateful Nian Family comes to break the engagement."

"Drawing my sword, I first slay the one in my heart."

"Thank you, young master, for saving my life."

"Young master, my name is Qin Ruoxue. You may simply call me Ruoxue."

She did not reveal that she was the Great Zhou Empress. The Great Zhou no longer existed, so what Empress was she? She would have to wait until she rose again before speaking of it.

At that moment, the orderly thunder of hoofbeats came from behind.

"Qin Ruoxue, where do you think you're going?"

"These bastards really are in league with her! Kill them without mercy!"

Seeing Qin Ruoxue together with those two men from earlier, the leading general flew into a rage.

First, she had sent people to distract him, then she had pulled a tiger from the mountain. This Empress was truly scheming!

I, Xing Daorong, the Great Zhou's number one general, had nearly fallen for it!