An Upper Three Grades expert, in the grasp of the current Xia Wuyang, was completely powerless to resist.
CRACK...
The sharp crack of bone pierced the silence of the Practice Room. Ghost Shadow’s eyes bulged, fixed on Xia Wuyang’s cold, merciless gaze.
He died without ever understanding how this elder Crown Prince, whom everyone believed to be at death’s door, had recovered his Cultivation and become so terrifying.
Xia Wuyang released his grip, and Ghost Shadow’s body crumpled to the floor. He took out a silk handkerchief and leisurely wiped his hands, as if he had just crushed an ant.
After a moment of consideration, Xia Wuyang placed the body into his Personal Space and sped toward Wude Palace like a phantom.
He quickly located Zhao Wuji through the Spiritual Chains. Using the Soul Capturing Technique and the Enchanting Heart Technique, he instantly plunged Zhao Wuji, who was already bound to him, into an Illusion.
After cultivating for a while, he began his routine patrol of the area, ensuring no one was coming to assassinate the Third Prince, Xia Wuchen.
But just then, he discovered Ghost Shadow, whom he had sent to check on the elder Crown Prince’s condition. Ghost Shadow was critically wounded. Before he died, he told Zhao Wuji that he had already checked on the elder Crown Prince.
The elder Crown Prince was just as expected—growing ever closer to death. But on the way back, just as Ghost Shadow was about to reach Wude Palace, he was ambushed and someone snapped his neck.
He had managed to play dead and hold on until Zhao Wuji arrived. His killer was none other than Feng Ping, the Second Grade Grandmaster who served the Fifth Prince, Xia Wushang.
After speaking his piece, Ghost Shadow died in Zhao Wuji’s arms. And at that very moment, Xia Wuyang placed Ghost Shadow’s actual corpse into Zhao Wuji’s embrace. Zhao Wuji believed everything that had happened was real.
What he didn’t know was that everything he had just experienced was merely an Illusion. Under the power of the Spiritual Chains, the Soul Capturing Technique, and the Enchanting Heart Technique, Zhao Wuji remained completely oblivious.
Thus, he dared not delay and immediately reported to the Third Prince. Upon seeing the corpse of his trusted Hidden Scout, Xia Wuchen flew into a rage.
A chill ran down his spine, especially when he learned that this was all the Fifth Prince Xia Wushang’s doing. His rival had even dispatched a Second Grade Grandmaster to stake out Wude Palace for some unknown purpose.
"Xia Wushang, you’ve gone too far!"
Xia Wuchen’s eyes were bloodshot. "You dare to kill even one of my trusted Upper Three Grades men? Do you really think I’m that easy to bully?!"
"Your Highness, the Fifth Prince’s actions are growing more and more outrageous. He might be planning to make a move against you. If we don’t strike back, I fear he will only escalate," Zhao Wuji said, adding fuel to the fire under the influence of the Illusion.
Xia Wuchen gave the order at once. "Strike the Fifth Prince’s properties in White Jade County again! Especially that important mine of his at West Mountain—destroy it immediately!"
"Your Highness, please reconsider," one of his advisors couldn’t help but urge. "We are currently under confinement. If we make too big a scene, I’m afraid Your Majesty will be displeased."
Xia Wuchen sneered. "Displeased? Xia Wushang dares to commit murder right here in my Wude Palace, and I’m supposed to be afraid of Father’s displeasure?"
The conflict between the Third and Fifth Prince, which had just started to de-escalate, flared up once more, even more fiercely than before.
「Meanwhile, in the Practice Room of Wenhua Hall.」
Xia Wuyang sat cross-legged. Before him, on a Jade Disc, rested a completely translucent Clear Heart Fruit.
A shimmering light could be faintly seen moving within its flesh. This was the Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure he had obtained from Princess Xiu Min. While it couldn’t compare to a High Level Miracle Treasure, it wasn’t far behind.
After all, treasures capable of enhancing Spiritual Power were exceedingly rare, to say nothing of one that had reached the level of a High Level Mortal Fruit.
He activated the Tenth Floor of the Enchanting Heart Technique and swallowed the Clear Heart Fruit. A potent medicinal energy soon surged forth. It was enveloped by layers of his Spiritual Power and began to be absorbed and refined. Like a cool stream, it flowed into his Sea of Consciousness and began to enhance the seven aspects of his Spiritual Power.
HUMMM...
It felt as though a clear spring was flowing through his Sea of Consciousness as his Spiritual Power began to rise rapidly. However, the rate of increase was not as fast as he had imagined.
This was because of the influence of his Supreme Talent Seven-Aperture Exquisite. When Xia Wuyang practiced a Spiritual Cultivation Technique, he had to enhance all seven aspects of his Spirit, unlike other Martial Artists who only needed to improve three or four aspects, or perhaps even just two or three.
As a result, it was naturally much slower and more difficult for Xia Wuyang’s Spiritual Power to grow.
In the end, one rare Clear Heart Fruit only managed to increase his Spiritual Power by a small fraction, equivalent to about three points.
’It might not be a huge increase, but at least it’s comprehensive.’ It also saved him three days of accumulation, so Xia Wuyang was quite satisfied with the Clear Heart Fruit’s effect.
It didn’t seem like much, but it still raised his overall combat strength.
In particular, his comprehension of various Cultivation Techniques, Combat Techniques, and Secret Techniques became deeper and faster than before.
Most importantly, his Cultivation Foundation, bolstered by his Spiritual Power, grew even more solid.
’In just a few days, I should be able to consume the Dragon Saliva Grass and drastically increase my Cultivation Realm.’
’As a High Level Miracle Treasure, it should at least raise my Cultivation Realm to the Second Grade Late Stage, or maybe even Second Grade Perfection.’
At this thought, Xia Wuyang smiled faintly and immersed himself in his Cultivation, completely losing track of time.
He spent most of his days cultivating, with a smaller portion dedicated to carousing and debauchery. In the past, this behavior would have raised suspicions long ago, but now, almost no one paid him any mind.
This was precisely what Xia Wuyang needed. With every passing day, his Power grew. It was no exaggeration to say he advanced a thousand miles a day.
With the aid of a Miracle Treasure, he could advance ten thousand miles a day—a speed that would leave any ordinary person utterly dumbfounded.
Occasionally, he would call for a few new Palace Maids. Spicing up his life was secondary; the most important thing was to maintain his "dissolute and debauched" persona to avoid arousing suspicion.
The number of beauties in Wenhua Hall grew and grew. Every one of them was young and gorgeous, and Xia Wuyang had slept with nearly all of them.
Meanwhile, the number of eunuchs, Guards, and old Nannies... dwindled, having been "reasonably" dismissed by Xia Wuyang to other parts of the Eastern Palace.
After all, Wenhua Hall was only so large. It was already crowded enough with so many beauties; where would there be room for all those eunuchs, Guards, and Nannies?
And among those eunuchs, Guards, and Nannies, the number of spies had been the highest. In fact, over half of them had been spies for other Princes and Princesses.
He wasn’t sure how many days he had been cultivating when a distant explosion startled him awake.
The entire Wenhua Hall trembled from the force of it. Xia Wuyang was "appropriately" startled and rushed out of the Practice Room, demanding to know what had happened.
Word quickly reached Xia Wuyang that the Gold and Silver Palace had collapsed, which was the source of the tremendous boom.
At that very moment, a large group of unidentified Death Warriors had launched a suicide attack on the Gold and Silver Palace, frantically bombing it with explosives.
Under the barrage of explosives, the vast Gold and Silver Palace quickly collapsed. Glazed tiles scattered in every direction, and Jade pillars snapped in two.

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