Xia Wuyang had no idea that a chance encounter had led this "good sister" of his to plot against him.
However, the method she chose would not only fail but might even end up helping Xia Wuyang.
The carriage rolled along a palace road paved with Han Baiyu marble. Along the way, Palace Attendants prostrated themselves in salute, their foreheads pressed tightly to the ground.
No matter how much they looked down on this elder Crown Prince, he was still the Crown Prince. According to palace rules, they were required to pay their respects to Xia Wuyang.
Though many began to whisper amongst themselves after the carriage passed, Xia Wuyang had neither the time nor the energy to pay them any mind. He simply committed it all to memory.
His fingertips tapped lightly on the carriage window, his expression as calm as still water.
They soon arrived at the Inner Treasury. Everyone else remained outside; only Xia Wuyang was permitted to enter.
The Imperial Guards on duty couldn’t be bothered to ask any questions and let him straight in. If he needed any texts, he just had to register them on his way out.
Xia Wuyang walked directly into the depths of the Inner Treasury, using his Dragon Storage Skill to its fullest extent to avoid leaking the slightest trace of his aura. Many hidden masters were concealed within; the number of Martial Artists of the Upper Three Grades alone was in the double digits, and there might even be a Super Grade Celestial Human present.
If his Dragon Storage Skill weren’t already approaching Perfection, he would never have dared to come.
In the depths of the Inner Treasury, scrolls containing precious Cultivation Techniques, Combat Techniques, Secret Techniques, and accounts of marvels rested on sandalwood bookshelves, exuding a faint fragrance. They were mostly handwritten copies; the originals were hidden away somewhere unknown.
Even Xia Wuyang, as the Crown Prince, did not know the location of the original texts. Perhaps only Emperor Xia knew.
The handwritten copies were more than enough. Xia Wuyang strolled among the shelves, seemingly browsing at random, and soon found what he was looking for.
The Soul Capturing Technique!
A Top Level Secret Technique. It could seize the soul and bind the spirit, alter memories, and plunge a person into an Illusion Technique, making them lose all sense of their whereabouts. It could also be used to supplement an Attack, assaulting an enemy’s Sea of Consciousness.
He feigned curiosity as he flipped through it once, then set it aside. The Super Grade Celestial Human hidden in the shadows saw this and paid it no mind.
He had no idea that with just that one casual flip-through, Xia Wuyang had already firmly committed its contents to memory.
In addition to the Soul Capturing Technique, Xia Wuyang also browsed through several other texts that interested him, preparing for his future cultivation. For example, he found a Combat Technique well-suited for assassination.
The Nether Acupuncture Needle!
It could kill without a trace, leaving no external wounds, no marks, and no energy fluctuations.
By shooting imperceptible, ox-hair-fine needles into an enemy’s body, it could induce natural-seeming ailments like a cerebral hemorrhage or a heart attack. The needles would then dissolve into the bloodstream, leaving no trace whatsoever.
At a certain level of mastery, one could even leave latent injuries with a delayed onset, which could be set to trigger up to three days later.
This was exactly what Xia Wuyang needed. In the future, when he encountered enemies it was inconvenient to deal with openly, he could use the Nether Acupuncture Needle to assassinate them, sparing himself the trouble of it souring his mood.
He flipped through one text after another, as if searching for something, and gradually began to appear agitated. This made the Super Grade Celestial Human hidden in the shadows frown and secretly shake his head.
’He was so high-spirited and proud in his youth. What a pity he was crippled. His Essence, Qi, and Spirit are completely depleted; he’s not far from death.’
Finally, Xia Wuyang stopped before a Secret Technique, a glint flashing in his eyes. He had clearly made his choice.
The Dragon Phoenix Secret Skill!
A Top Level Dual Cultivation Skill. Even ordinary people could practice it. The technique could also be used to nourish the body and prevent excessive depletion.
However, it was extremely difficult to practice; not even one in a hundred geniuses could successfully master the basics.
Xia Wuyang feigned urgency, taking the Dragon Phoenix Secret Skill with him as he left the Inner Treasury. After registering it, he took it back with him.
But in his mind, he had already memorized all the texts he had browsed. His main focus for cultivation would now be the Soul Capturing Technique and the Nether Acupuncture Needle.
Of course, the Dragon Phoenix Secret Skill couldn’t be ignored either. Even if he didn’t dare use it now, it would be useful in the future.
Soon, news that the elder Crown Prince had borrowed the Dragon Phoenix Secret Skill from the Inner Treasury spread like wildfire throughout the Ninefold Palace, provoking a wave of scornful laughter.
"He’s so old, a dying man, yet he still wants to practice the Dragon Phoenix Secret Skill? He should take a look in the mirror and see if he’s even capable."
"It seems Xia Wuyang really isn’t far from death. His body must be failing him, otherwise he wouldn’t be so naive as to want to practice the Dragon Phoenix Secret Skill."
"He couldn’t practice it even before he was crippled, let alone now. The elder Crown Prince is truly delusional. Does he really think he’s some kind of genius?"
"He’s gone senile. His mind isn’t working anymore, otherwise he’d never do something like this."
There was also an uproar in the Eastern Palace. It was one thing for Xia Wuyang to indulge in nightly revelries, but to want to practice a Dual Cultivation Secret Skill on his deathbed just to continue his debauchery was another.
If he could actually succeed, that would be one thing. But to borrow a Dual Cultivation Secret Skill that was impossible for him to master was simply a disgrace.
The Great Xia Royal Family had numerous prodigies, yet not one in ten thousand had managed to master the Dragon Phoenix Secret Skill. Even the exceptionally talented Emperor Xia had failed, so what hope did Xia Wuyang have?
Just as everyone imagined, after returning to Wenhua Hall and finding he was unable to practice it, Xia Wuyang tossed the Dragon Phoenix Secret Skill aside. He continued to rely on Elixirs for his nightly revelries, completely lost to the world.
Day by day, Xia Wuyang’s strength steadily improved.
Seventh Grade Middle Stage!
Seventh Grade Late Stage!
Seventh Grade Perfection!
In just a few short days, he had already returned to Seventh Grade Perfection—the same Cultivation Realm he had reached before being crippled. The next step was the Sixth Grade Realm, the level of a Middle Grade Martial Artist.
In the Jianghu, this level was enough to be called a top-tier master, someone who could roam the world freely.
According to this world’s system of realms, Ninth Grade Strengthened Body, Eighth Grade Skin Refining, and Seventh Grade Flesh Refining... constituted the Lower Three Grades. Sixth Grade Tendon Refining, Fifth Grade Bone Refining, and Fourth Grade Organ Refining... made up the Middle Three Grades. Third Grade Viscera Refining, Second Grade Marrow Refining, and First Grade Blood Exchange... were the Upper Three Grades.
The Celestial Human realm stood alone as its own grade: the Super Grade!
What realms lay beyond that, Xia Wuyang did not know. However, he had heard rumors that supreme beings who surpassed the Celestial Human realm were hidden within the Great Xia Royal Family, though he didn’t know if this was true.
After reaching Seventh Grade Perfection, Xia Wuyang began to meticulously polish and consolidate his foundation, preparing to break through the Lower Three Grades and advance into the Middle Three Grades in one fell swoop.
Most of the Princes and Princesses of the Great Xia Dynasty were in the Middle Three Grades; only a handful of monstrous prodigies could advance to the Upper Three Grades.
If he could step into the Middle Three Grades, his lifespan would increase dramatically, giving him more time for cultivation and improvement.
Besides his Cultivation Realm, he didn’t neglect his practice of the Dragon Storage Skill, the Dragon and Phoenix Body Technique, the Soul Capturing Technique, and the Nether Acupuncture Needle... all of which were progressing steadily.
Just as Xia Wuyang was lost in his cultivation, a Palace Maid on the brocade couch outside the Practice Room slowly opened her eyes and began searching for any sign of him.
Although her body was still exhausted and the sleep-inducing incense was still burning, the Palace Maid, having prepared in advance, had already taken an Antitoxic Pill.

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