After one night of rest, the digging resumed, With Zhi Rui being the first one to take a hold on the shovel. When the last day of surveillance came. Zhi Rui happily shoved the hope rock inside her pouch and walked out of the swamp.

The five entrances were properly finished, and the underground tunnels were made with meticulously thinking. if someone unfamiliar entered, they wouldn't know the way at first glance. It was like a maze. Full of unused rooms and traps. Another floor was dug right underneath the hall, were they feasted, right now in the bottom recently built floor, there were already luxurious furniture and sculpted walls. AS the bottom floor will be the Zhi Rui and her strongest subordinates quarters.

Zhi Rui admired the drawings on the wall as she walked the silent corridor. Her subordinates were on the first-floor dining. She took the chance to finish the temporary project.

On the entrance of the corridor, when you jump down, there's only one other side, that's were Her closest subordinated would sleep. And similarly to the one above Zhi Rui's abode was at the end of the corridor.

Reaching the end, in front of her bedroom's doors, Zhi Rui turned slightly to the side pressing a hidden mechanism, the half-meter wide crevice opened and Zhi Rui entered a dark tunnel that inclined upwards.

Zhi Rui kept going until the narrow tunnel turned. Zhi Rui crawled through forty more meters until another turn came, this time, straight upwards.

Zhi Rui simply jumped upwards. in the air, she looked around, it wasn't the swamp anymore, but a slightly dark and desolated forest.

As it was not that far from her base, the thundering clouds above was the same os the one on the swamp. she looked to the side, then saw the swamp a few hundred meters away. She immediately heightened her senses, the Dao protectors hadn't set foot on this place yet, so there might have been hight level beasts there.

Bushes moved and Zhi Rui immediately jumped upwards and materialized her energy. When she looked, there was only one, an undead human, But Zhi Rui laughed. it was one of the soldiers that were with her father on the day she fought him. Zheng Li had taken the soldiers as his puppets.

But she frowned, "How did he enter with his undead?" She thought aloud.

"The book." A cold, distant voice came to her ears.

After falling back down, she looked beside her. Unnoticed to her, a snow pale man covering an all-black robe was there.

He looked at her with his pool of dark eyes.

Zhi Rui smiles with sincerity. "How's your strength?"

He looked at Zhi Rui with a calm smile, something he seldom did. Making a sense of wonder blossom on the woman's chest.

"I'm a step away from level five. I saw there's subordinate form those suppose geniuses that it's at the fifth level, if you bait him here, I can kill him."

The smile wasn't on his face anymore as he spoke.

Zhi Rui admired. He was too different from before. His attitude, expressions, pose, behavior. It's like his very nature changed. Zhi Rui even considered if he was still The Zheng Li she knew.

But she shook her head. "You're too valuable for me to risk in trifling matters. Besides, doesn't liches and dark cultivators, have tribulations when they breakthrough? You'll need your full strength then. also, there'll be a lot of curious people so you'll need my help too. Make sure to call for me. I need to be there."

Zheng Li smiled at her. Suddenly he raised his hands slowly.

Plop, Plop.

Two head broke out from the earth's surface. Zhi Rui looked down and saw three undead rats. They were one meter long and had thick fur. Behind them, thirty more rats appeared, but these were alive.

"I noticed you were digging your base, so I brought these rats, they can dig well, and comprehended slightly complicated orders. I already beat them up, if you engrave the slave mark on them now, it'd be fine.

Zhi Rui's eyes shined. They took more than two weeks, to build two small floors underground. and that was using Zhun Xuyings tools. Even Zhi Rui with all her strength and agility, couldn't progress as much as she thought.

Now looking at how easily these small rats dig through the earth, It was was a treasure from heaven to Zhi Rui. Wasting no time, She leaned in, and etched her mark on every rat.

After they scurried to her side. She looked at Zheng li in the eyes, stepped forward and lightly leaned on his chest looking up to his eyes.

Zheng Li didn't move, he was entranced by Zhi Rui's world of emerald.

"What do you plan to do from now on?" Zhi Rui asked softly.

"I told you before, I'll build my strength. Then make you and Bianca mine."

Suddenly an eery hissing sound echoed and Zhi Rui looked to her left, five A pair of blue spider eyes were staring at her. a chill crawled up her spine. Suddenly she noticed the sound of leaves being crushed behind her. Turning around, in front of her, was a black snake, so thick that two large men wouldn't be able to embrace it.

It was the black mamba of the night. A silent predator of the underworld. But Zhi Rui could see its translucent blue blood, pouring out of numerous wounds, But the animal showed no discomfort. It was then that Zhi Rui noticed. Her eyebrows rose in surprise.

"You just killed it and made it into an undead!?" Zhi Rui exclaimed. That snake was a level fourth beast, coupled with its stealth abilities, and lethal poison. not even a cultivator of the fifty levels could fight it off easily. Yet Zheng Li did it.

But while she was dumbfounded by it a sudden thought occurred to her and she took the chance since she was already leaning on him. Zhi Rui sent her inner energy through her hand into his body. While his skin was completely fine. There was a translucent blue poison wreaking havoc inside of him. Before she could keep searching, his pale hands grabbed her shoulder.

"I'm a lich. although my body is still alive. my soul belongs to the realms of the dead now. Mortal wounds won't obstruct me." He said curtly.

But Zhi Rui's worries didn't leave. His temperature was cold, yet Zhi Rui felt a furious heat on the place he grabbed her. unwittingly. She tiptoed and planted a kiss on his lips.

Surprised, he took a second to compose himself as if to not scare Zhi Rui away, he, slowly, enveloped her in an embrace, her fragrance and soft body felt like cotton and flowers on him. Afraid of being too rough, he hesitated. but Zhi Rui didn't, and her tongue invaded his mouth and acted wantonly until it met his. His mind went blank the feeling, it was a wet and delicious act.

He could feel her heartbeat going faster. He knew her intentions, and nothing would bring him more joy than give it to her. But he allowed himself to indulge for five minutes when Zhi Rui brushed her tongue on his ear, an animalistic instinct came to him, something he couldn't even remember when was the last time he felt. Ye the had to stop it.

He grabbed her shoulder and pushed her away from him. Her hazed eyes showed momentary confusion. And His must've been portraying unsurmountable sorrow. He thought.

He smiled at her and kissed her forehead. "To conquer you I cannot be subdued by you. Today I relinquish pleasure so that in my future I can be rich with it. He smiled and gave her an amiable peck on the lips.

She was still in a daze, while he disappeared on top of the Blacksnake. His voice still reached her ears from the distance.

"I'll build my kingdom on this doomed underworld. If you ever need my help, you know what to do."

There was nothing on her mind as she stared his disappearing back. Then she smiled brightly. His aspirations were lofty and farreaching. He was progressing steadily too, she might really fall for him this way. Zhi Rui mused to herself.

With a smile, she sent some of the rodents to dig a tunnel while she sat on top of others.

She'd also built her palace beneath the surface. A place away from anybody's reach. Her future and of her subordinates depend heavily on the following days.

With red eyes, she laughed.