The Underground Palace had not been opened since the day the Empress moved in, and Han Ziye had never appeared again. Shangguan Linlang gradually gave up hope, resigned herself to fate, and continued to lie there like a living corpse, until the Underground Palace would cease to exist and she could dissipate into the ether. However, the wheels of fate had not stopped turning, and just when the Empress had given up on herself, the heavens sent Shangguan Zifeng to her side, rescuing her from misery. Yet it was this so-called person of destiny who led her to jump into another pit of fire.
One day, at an unknown Shichen Chinese Time, while the Empress was feigning sleep with closed eyes, she suddenly heard a subtle noise coming from the Underground Palace. The sound was indeed faint, hardly noticeable to others, but the Empress, who had spent too long in the Underground Palace, was overly familiar with her surroundings, so no sound escaped her ears.
The Empress, who had never heard any outside noise before, was suddenly excited, she desperately wanted to make some noise, to attract the attention of any living creature. Unfortunately, she was unable to move due to some cursed spell that damned Han Ziye had inflicted on her. Having no other options, the Empress could only prick up her ears to the outside noises, hoping against hope that the heavens would send her a savior, and preferably, take her away from this dreadful place. She truly did not want to continue playing the role of the miserable Ghost Empress anymore.
Gradually, the noise within the Underground Palace grew louder, and Shangguan Linlang even heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps. She became even more convinced that someone was entering the Underground Palace. The Empress had initially thought that it was the Dead Ghost, Han Ziye, come to check on her, but to her surprise, it turned out to be someone from the future with deep connections to her own Shangguan Clan.
"Ingenuity of the heavens, truly ingenious! To think that there is such a well-preserved ancient tomb in existence. These pieces of furniture are clearly exquisitely made and quite old. This tomb must have been here for at least a thousand years, and to think that I, Shangguan Zifeng, would find such an archaeologically valuable tomb in my lifetime. Hahaha, the heavens are truly watching over me, at last I can make a name for myself in the world."
The voice of a young man, brimming with excitement, came through the coffin to Shangguan Linlang's ears. The Empress, who was paying close attention to the noises outside, had naturally heard every word spoken by this so-called Shangguan Zifeng, and she then realized she had been asleep for a whole millennium. The Empress vaguely felt that this man, who shared her surname, might just be her redemption. She kept praying to the heavens, hoping that Shangguan Zifeng would come to her coffin and release her.
Perhaps it was in response to Shangguan Linlang's prayers, after his excitement, Shangguan Zifeng spotted the coffin in the center of the Underground Palace, adorned with countless precious Luminous Pearls, and walked straight toward the Empress.
Shangguan Zifeng's footsteps were light, but they weighed heavily on Shangguan Linlang's heart. She heard her heartbeat pounding like a drum; she knew this stranger was walking towards her. The Empress grew more and more excited, feeling that she might finally see the light of day again, no longer constrained to her deathly slumber.
"Ancestors, please do not take offense, I am an archaeologist, and it is my duty to excavate large ancient tombs, with no intention to disturb or alarm the Undead. We seek only to study the past, to fill the void in modern knowledge, and gain a better understanding of the era in which you lived, please forgive us," said Shangguan Zifeng, kneeling devoutly in front of the coffin, knocking his head to the ground several times in a respectful manner, before he rubbed his hands together, eager to begin.
The Empress listened intently to Shangguan Zifeng's words. Although she did not quite understand what an archaeologist was, combining Shangguan Zifeng's previous and subsequent words, the Empress had an epiphany, thinking that perhaps an archaeologist was similar to a Tomb Robber. By that time, the Empress didn't care how reprehensible tomb robbers were; she only desired that this Tomb Robber would release her quickly, instead of rambling on endlessly. She was nearly frantic with urgency.
The layout of the Underground Palace where Shangguan Linlang was located was not complicated. Han Ziye had not installed any hidden weapons or traps, as the Underground Palace was originally within the confines of his own Imperial Palace, and the obstinately self-righteous Emperor never believed anyone would be brazen enough to disturb his Ghost Empress within. Therefore, after thoroughly examining the area and finding nothing unusual around the coffins, Shangguan Zifeng skillfully opened it.