My Wife Turns Out to be an Empress of the Dynasty

"In that direction!" Gu Simu activated the Supreme Iris and, following Zhe Liang's description, immediately located the city filled with blooming other shore flowers. Beside her, Gu Xiaoqi seemed eager to set off at once. Zhe Liang, however, was stunned as he watched the golden light emanating from Gu Simu's Supreme Iris.

This was a divine eye technique, and she was using it with such ease. When did Mumu start training in this? As someone who had also awakened innate abilities, Zhe Liang understood better than anyone the power of such abilities. Among them, divine eye techniques were undoubtedly the most challenging to awaken and master.

But considering Mumu was the daughter of the master, with his constant guidance, it wasn't surprising she could wield such supreme techniques from birth.

"Let's go! The trial to find the inheritance begins!" Gu Simu patted the little Suan Ni beneath her and led the charge toward their destination. Gu Xiaoqi followed closely, unfurling her golden-red flaming wings and keeping pace with the little Suan Ni. Zhe Liang melded into the shadows, moving swiftly through them, keeping up with ease.

Only the Mountain Back Puppet, carrying a small book basket, ran with short, quick strides, struggling to keep pace. Despite using the ground-shrinking technique, it couldn't match the others' speed and just managed to keep up.

"Daidai, hurry up and come over! We're all here, just waiting on you!" Before long, Gu Simu and the others reached their destination. Gu Simu waved to the Mountain Back Puppet, urging it to catch up, while the others observed their surroundings. Just as Gu Simu had seen with the Supreme Iris, the area was indeed filled with other shore flowers and had a city.

Yet, the environment here was unusually eerie, even for the Mandala Arena. The other shore flowers were particularly strange, seemingly perpetually in bloom, with none wilting. Tiny red lights flickered on the petals, drifting like flowing blood. The city itself was also peculiar, constructed entirely from black meteoric iron, giving it a majestic yet ominous and cold appearance.

"Feng City! Is that the name of this place?" Zhe Liang read the characters "Feng City" above the city gate and felt an ominous foreboding. This eerie sensation hadn't even occurred when he accepted Cheng Feng's challenge.

"Uncle Zhe Liang, don't be afraid! Mumu will protect you and Sister Qiqi!" Gu Simu's adorable smile and mature words dispelled some of his unease. Beside them, Gu Xiaoqi shook her head helplessly. She had no choice but to accept being addressed as a younger sister to Zhe Liang, despite being of noble blood herself.

"I'll go first, Zhe Liang will cover the rear! Mumu, you're the youngest, so stay in the middle," Gu Xiaoqi asserted her authority during their expedition, taking the lead into the city.

The trio entered the dark passageway of the city gate, surrounded by pitch-black darkness. Suddenly, strange screeches echoed through the passage. Blood-red eyes opened all around them, as shadowy figures darted towards them.

"Gloomy Bats! These creatures are bloodthirsty; everyone activate your defensive artifacts!" Zhe Liang immediately recognized the attackers as Gloomy Bats, common in the Underworld, though these were unusually large and powerful. In the narrow passageway, evasion was impossible; they could only defend themselves.

After withstanding the initial assault, he could counterattack and gradually eliminate the Gloomy Bats.

However, only he activated his defensive artifact. Gu Simu, far from frightened, eagerly brandished her divine battle axe, excitedly eyeing the approaching Gloomy Bats. Yet, she had no chance to act as Gu Xiaoqi, even without revealing her true form, summoned her terrifying phoenix flames. Manipulating the flames, she created small phoenixes that swiftly engulfed all the Gloomy Bats.

In an instant, the Gloomy Bats were reduced to ashes, leaving no trace.

"Xiaoqi, can you now instantly summon phoenix flames? And that strike just now seemed to form a nascent domain!" Zhe Liang was astonished, watching Gu Xiaoqi fold her flaming wings. Was this still the Xiaoqi he knew? Over the years, she had indeed advanced significantly. He knew phoenix flames were the bane of Gloomy Bats, but he hadn't expected Gu Xiaoqi to handle the crisis so effortlessly.
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During their time in the human realm, although his attack power was inferior to Xiaoqi's, their overall strength wasn't far apart. Now, after over a decade of arduous cultivation in the Underworld, despite his immense progress, Xiaoqi's advancement seemed even greater. This was the benefit of training under their master.

"When we left the human realm, you told Zhe Liang and me that we'd meet again at the peak. I haven't forgotten those words!" After obliterating the Gloomy Bats, Gu Xiaoqi smiled at Zhe Liang, her wings folding gracefully. At this moment, she seemed to have fully matured, embodying the goddess of flames.

Zhe Liang was momentarily dazed. He hadn't anticipated such a transformation in Xiaoqi after all these years.

"Uncle Zhe Liang, don't be discouraged! Dad always says Sister Qiqi likes to sleep in her Divine Space Ring and doesn't practice controlling the phoenix flames properly. She could progress even more if she did," Gu Simu thoughtfully consoled him.

Gu Xiaoqi: "..."

Zhe Liang: "..."

Ouch, that hurt! Zhe Liang couldn't help but envy the constant guidance Xiaoqi received from their master. But he knew their paths were different; he had to forge his own way. Envy aside, he hadn't wasted a single day during his years in the Underworld. He believed he could keep pace with Xiaoqi and wouldn't be left behind.

The trio continued forward. Exiting the city gate passage, they entered the city itself. Though uninhabited, the city was immaculately clean, with no trace of dust. Walking down the main street, they saw many shops: pawnshops, cloth stores, grain shops, taverns, tea houses, and more, indicating a once bustling city. Now, however, it was deserted.

"Help! Kind souls, please help this old woman! Give me a cake to eat, please? My child is starving!" Suddenly, a hunched figure emerged from an alley. It was an old beggar woman, clothed in rags, her face etched with sorrow, invoking a natural sense of pity.