Clearly, Empress Tantai Zijun had secretly hidden the Late Emperor Tantai Hongyuan's human-skin remains beneath the Second Generation Mecha and brought them out of the Imperial Mausoleum.
To avoid being discovered, she had remained in Stealth Mode the entire time.
Now, she placed the human skin on the floor, closed her eyes, and began using her Mental Strength to summon that consciousness.
Sure enough, before long, the consciousness appeared and communicated with her in her mind.
"...Hast thou obtained the Heavenly Decree Seal? This object lies hidden within the Profound Sky Star Orbit, concealed among the Dragon Seal Phoenix Script. It is not thou who seeketh the seal; the seal chooseth its master."
"When the Dipper Handle of the Purple Forbidden Enclosure pointeth west, and the True Qi of the Imperial Star pierceth the crown, it shall manifest within the Square Inch Spirit Platform."
What it meant was, had she found the Inheritance Mark and accepted the inheritance?
Empress Tantai Zijun replied directly in her mind, "I don't know whether I found it. Could you please verify it for me, Senior?"
The consciousness paused before replying, "I sense no Inheritance Mark upon thee."
Empress Tantai Zijun's heart sank. Just as I thought.
But it was not as though she had been unprepared.
When she had sensed nothing descending upon her in the Imperial Mausoleum, she had already had this premonition.
Still unwilling to give up, she communicated with the consciousness in her mind. "...I brought the Late Emperor's remains back. Senior, can you help transfer that Inheritance Mark from the Late Emperor to me?"
The consciousness replied, "Oh? Where are Tantai Hongyuan's remains?"
Empress Tantai Zijun opened her eyes and pointed at the human skin wrapped in a yellow bedsheet on the floor. "...Right here."
The consciousness fell silent again