My Wife Turns Out to be an Empress of the Dynasty

In the desolate north, amidst swirling yellow sand, a verdant oasis stood.

The ethereal, mist-shrouded palace of glass exuded an aura of divine sanctity.

Yet, despite its resplendence, this palace concealed the darkest of secrets.

A cacophony of debauchery filled the air, incessant and unsettling.

Aside from the two corpulent figures in the main hall, countless elders and disciples engaged in unspeakable acts of debauchery behind closed doors.

Yin and yang were harvested interchangeably, a perpetual cycle of exploitation.

The root of all this debauchery lay in the continuous recruitment of unfortunate youths from the mainland, to serve as vessels for cultivation, subjected to indoctrination and lashings within the dungeons.

Within the main hall, two corpulent men exuded formidable auras—one in mid-level immortality, the other in late-stage immortality—having absorbed the lifeblood of countless maidens.

They were the esteemed master and second master of this debauched celestial palace.

"Boss, this year's harvest in the mortal realm hasn't been favorable. The vessels brought back by the major dynasties have inferior aptitudes," grunted the second master, reclining against a woman, resembling a swine.

The woman, herself an elder of the palace, was partaking in the process of reciprocity.

"Not too bad, as long as there's no retribution from above, we're in the clear... No one in the mortal realm can touch us," chuckled the master, stroking his stubble.

The second master concluded his indulgence promptly, patting his belly, and prompting the woman to make way for the next.

Breathless, he inquired, "By the way, why hasn't Third Sister returned yet? She's been touring the imperial courts, taking this long? Could she have been ensnared by some pretty-faced youth?"

"No," the master explained, "One of the elders within the palace was murdered, in the capital of the Jing Nation...

Upon hearing the news, she decided to apprehend the perpetrator for execution."

"Ah," nodded the second master, his gaze turning sinister, "To dare slay even our palace's elder, they must be oblivious to their impending demise... Bringing them back will serve a purpose; anyone capable of such an act must possess formidable cultivation. Whether male or female, turned into vessels, they'll nourish our disciples' cultivation for millennia. Third Sister's journey won't be in vain."

"Yes..." the master fell silent.

The second master noticed a new arrival, a female elder.

Furrowing his brow, he commanded, "I'm done with cultivation for today. You may leave; summon another disciple from the dungeon!"

"Yes, Master!"

As the words left her lips, the second master considered offering one to the master as well, but before he could speak, a resounding, purposeful stride echoed in their ears.

Both being formidable immortal practitioners, their hearing was acute.

They turned their heads toward the entrance, where a swordsman strode in.

Though his face remained obscured, his aura was inscrutable, causing them to furrow their brows in concentration, unable to discern a single detail.

As the female elder brushed past the swordsman, she couldn't help but feel surprised.

His robust, martial appearance was unfamiliar—had the master recently acquired new tastes?

As she reached the threshold of the grand hall, a sudden surge of curiosity overcame her, compelling her to steal a glance backward.

That single glance nearly petrified her.

The swordsman approached the master and second master, seated on their elevated thrones.

Before the master could inquire about his identity, a towering flash of sword light erupted!

The entire hall split asunder!

The heavens themselves seemed cleaved. The wind silenced.

Simultaneously, the swine-like second master froze, his coal-black eyes flooding with fear and regret.

A slender line of blood materialized at his center.

In an instant, the crimson and white burst forth.

The swordsman withdrew his blade with a fluid motion, then lifted it once more towards the grand master with precision.

"Wait! We are from the Blissful Immortal Palace. We have the Supreme Elder presiding over the palace. You dare to..."

The grand master's eyes bulged as he hastily intervened.

The female elder stood dumbfounded. Rooted to the spot, she forgot even to call for help!

However, the swordsman remained undeterred, delivering another swift strike!

Like the second master before him, the grand master's body tensed, a thin line of blood emerging from the center of his face, and trailing down his neck.

"Transcendence..."

His tone was incredulous, uttering his final words of disbelief.

Upon hearing this, the female elder collapsed, her face expressionless, as if made of clay, as she sat at the threshold of the hall.

In just a few breaths, before the second master's contempt could be realized, planning to despoil her like any other recent captive, he and the grand master were both slaughtered!

Who could have foreseen it? In this land where the Blissful Immortal Palace had stood for millennia, the two immortal masters were slain in a matter of moments, meeting their gruesome demise within the hall!

Moreover, until their dying breaths, they never knew their assailant!

The female elder sat in a daze for a moment, until the swordsman approached.

She had admired his resolute and handsome countenance earlier, but now, all that remained was fear.

She quickly prostrated herself, like a desperate dog, before the dead soldiers controlled by Gu Lan.

"Senior, spare my life. I'm willing to do anything you ask!"

"Anything you ask, front or back... What a classic line!"

The swordsman curled his lip in disdain, his voice gravelly and low.

"Where is the treasure vault of your celestial palace?"

The treasure vault? Was he here to plunder?

The female elder was taken aback!

The swordsman furrowed his brow, the gleaming blade pressing against her neck, causing her to tremble with fear, her senses overwhelmed.

"I know! I know! The treasure vault is located in the rear mountain... I'll take you there, Senior!"

"Good."

The voice of Gu Lan echoed.

The female elder, trembling, led the way, escorting Gu Lan towards the lush greenery of the oasis's rear mountain.

Her mind was in turmoil and confusion!

Was this senior so powerful merely for the sake of plunder?

If he had simply slaughtered the two masters without a word for the sake of wealth, it was beyond ruthless; it was utterly callous!

"Senior, could it be that you're from the Yin God Palace?"

After much hesitation, the female elder, her legs weak, finally ventured to ask.

"The Yin God Palace?"

Gu Lan heard this name for the first time, likely an addition from the original novel, yet already integrated into the world.

However, since the female elder harbored such suspicions, it indicated that the Yin God Palace held a position similar to the Blissful Immortal Palace... and perhaps they were adversaries!

"If I were, would you plan to play both sides?" Gu Lan's voice remained enigmatic, a low chuckle escaping him.

The female elder's hair stood on end, hastily waved her hands.

"I dare not! I dare not! As long as Senior spares my life, I'll be your slave from now on, never betraying you in any circumstance!"

In order to survive, she continued to offer chips and information.

"I am not from the Yin God Palace. Tell me what you know about it."

"Yes."

With a tongue honed from daily practice, the female elder recounted the past of the Blissful Immortal Palace and the Yin God Palace in the time it took to reach the treasure vault.

This involved matters of the mythical realms of the celestial and divine!

"The Yin God Palace is enigmatic and unpredictable on the mainland. No one knows who its master is. It is said that their strength has long transcended mortal understanding... Yet, they also have disadvantages, having long been severed and banished from the Immortal Realm, unlike us, who have the Blissful Immortal Palace as our main sect in the celestial realm..."