The Empress of Ascendant Dao

A brilliant but underestimated woman awakens forbidden knowledge in a world where divine rule has choked progress for millennia. Posing as a reckless spendthrift, she secretly pioneers a revolutionary path—fusing alchemy, invention, finance, and strategy—to shatter the old order. Teaming with a visionary prince bound by duty yet hungry for change, she ignites a civilization-wide renaissance that challenges heaven itself. As their bond deepens, so does the danger: ancient powers will stop at nothing to crush this heresy. With every breakthrough, she risks everything—not just for power, but to forge a future where anyone, through merit and will, can ascend. Epic worldbuilding, high-stakes innovation, and a love that defies fate collide in this bold reimagining of cultivation fantasy.