Ji Ruxue wasn’t wrong. Otherwise, how could she dare to be so brazen?
Since the Empress was deposed, Emperor Xia had been visiting the Harem less and less. But when he did come, nine times out of ten, it was to Lan Yue Palace—to her.
Sometimes, he would just sit for a while, have a cup of tea, listen to Ji Ruxue play the zither, or watch her dance.
Other times, he would stay the night. When he left the next day, the gloom on his brow would always dissipate, and he would seem much more relaxed.
The Palace Attendants all said in private that Lady Ji was His Majesty’s confidante, the only person in the Deep Palace who could make the Emperor smile. This showed the extent of Ji Ruxue’s current favor.
There was even a rumor that one night several years ago, while Emperor Xia was enjoying himself with Ji Ruxue in Lan Yue Palace, he suddenly had a flash of insight. His Qi and Blood surged, and he faintly touched upon the opportunity to break through to the True Monarch Realm.
Although the opportunity vanished in a flash, preventing him from seizing it and breaking through to the True Monarch Realm, it made Emperor Xia dote on Ji Ruxue even more. He came to believe she was the key to his breakthrough and began visiting her frequently, hoping to find that opportunity again through her.
Of course, Ji Ruxue knew all of this. She knew it wasn’t a fabrication, but the truth.
She would often reenact the scene from that night years ago with Emperor Xia. Occasionally, he would feel that same spark of insight again. That feeling was growing clearer and clearer, and just a few days ago, he had mentioned that if all went well, he might be able to find his opportunity and break through to the True Monarch Realm within ten years.
That was why she had become increasingly brazen, arrogant, and ruthless, acting with even less restraint.
She knew that as long as Emperor Xia needed her, no one in the Harem could touch her, even if her family’s background couldn’t compare to the former Empress’s or those of the Third and Fifth Princes.
Ji Ruxue suddenly remembered something. "Right, His Majesty mentioned yesterday that war in the north and south is on the verge of breaking out, and provisions are running low. Relay a message to my brother. Have him allocate five hundred thousand shi of grain from his businesses in Jiangnan and donate it to the Imperial Court in my name. The important thing is to make sure His Majesty knows about it."
The Female Official was taken aback. "My Lady, five hundred thousand shi of grain... That’s no small amount. It won’t be easy to procure."
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained. His Majesty is worried sick about provisions right now. If I offer help in his time of need, he will remember the favor. It might not be long before the position of Empress is mine." Ji Ruxue toyed with a grape, her mind racing. ’Besides, I have my own ways to compensate my brother. I won’t let him suffer a loss.’
"Yes, I know what to do," the Female Official replied. She sighed inwardly. ’This lady is not only beautiful but also remarkably cunning and decisive.’
’No wonder she was able to climb from a minor Cairen to the rank of Consort in just a few decades. Now, she’s poised to dominate the entire Harem. Her future is truly limitless.’
Outside the hall, the scorching sun blazed, and the temperature climbed higher.
One of the three Palace Maids had already fainted. It was Xiaodie, the one who had been viciously beaten and had served Consort Ji for a long time. The other two were also swaying on their feet, their lips cracked and bleeding. They wouldn’t last much longer.
But no one dared to help them. The Palace Attendants of Lan Yue Palace kept their heads down and hurried past as if they hadn’t seen a thing.
In the Deep Palace, human life was as worthless as weeds. What did three Little Palace Maids matter?
And at that very moment, unbeknownst to anyone, a pair of eyes was watching everything unfold in Lan Yue Palace from behind the many layers of palace walls, its gaze cold. A plan against Consort Ji had already begun to form.
「In the Practice Room of Wenhua Hall.」
Xia Wuyang slowly opened his eyes. He had just finished a round of cultivation in the True Realm. Although there was "reality pollution" in the first layer of the True Realm, his powerful Spiritual Power protected him, making the danger negligible.
His River True Qi had grown a fraction stronger, and the River True Seed was getting larger. A nascent shadow of the first Spiritual Vein had already taken shape, bringing him ever closer to forging it.
The Spiritual Power from his Enchanting Heart Technique was also increasing steadily. It was now approaching 380 points. In just a few more days, he would have another chance at an epiphany to merge the two Body Refining Techniques.
But Xia Wuyang’s face showed no joy. Instead, his brow was slightly furrowed.
’Spirit Level resources are too scarce. There aren’t even enough for daily cultivation.’
He opened his palm. Lying in it was an elixir the size of a longan fruit, jade-green all over, and emitting a faint, fresh herbal fragrance that would make an ordinary person feel refreshed just by smelling it.
This was a Low Level Spirit Pill, a Qi Nourishing Pill. It could accelerate the accumulation of True Qi and was beneficial to the cultivation of a True Monarch. It was just a common elixir for daily practice, not a Spirit Treasure, but it was still quite rare in the Fallen Dragon Land.
He had plundered this elixir from the secret chamber of the Empress, Murong Wan. It was also the last of thirteen Spirit Pills.
The previous twelve had been completely consumed during his cultivation over the past half-month. Not a single one was left.
After all, they were just Spirit Elixirs and Medicines for daily cultivation. Since he had to take them every day, how long could they possibly last?
Xia Wuyang popped the Qi Nourishing Pill into his mouth. The elixir dissolved the moment it entered his stomach, transforming into pure Spiritual Qi that surged into his Dantian and was rapidly absorbed by the River True Seed. It was completely digested in just a few hours.
He could clearly feel the True Seed grow a sliver stronger, and his True Qi accumulation speed increased severalfold.
But this boost only lasted for a few hours, not even a full day.
Once the medicinal effects wore off, his Cultivation Speed returned to normal. Even when cultivating in the True Realm, his speed wasn’t that much faster.
’If I had enough Spirit Elixirs and Medicines every day—even just the most common Low Level Spirit Pills like Qi Nourishing Pills or Concentration Powder—my Cultivation Speed could increase by three to five times. Both my True Qi accumulation and Spirit growth would be much faster,’ Xia Wuyang sighed with regret.
He recalled the information Zheng Zhicang had once revealed: back then, Emperor Xia had seized a massive amount of Spirit Grass and Medicine from the Luo River Secret Realm, enough to refine a large batch of Spirit Elixirs and Medicines.
Among them were rare Spirit Materials like thousand-year Blood Reishi, Ice Soul Grass, and Dragon Saliva Fragrance. If they were refined into pills, they would be enough to support a True Monarch’s cultivation for many years. All these good things were probably hidden in Emperor Xia’s Storage Ring or in a place known only to him.
’I can’t make a move on it yet. I can only watch for now.’ Xia Wuyang shook his head.
Qianqing Palace was protected by a Spirit Array Group, and Emperor Xia himself had many trump cards—Spiritual Artifacts, Spirit Talismans, Spirit Medicine... an endless supply. More importantly, although that old ancestor of the Royal Family was in seclusion, his Spiritual Power likely still enveloped Qianqing Palace. Acting rashly would be far too risky.
Emperor Xia alone, with all his various trump cards, could potentially cause him to suffer an unexpected and humiliating defeat. And that wasn’t even counting the Royal Family’s old ancestor.
A cold glint flashed in his eyes. ’But even if I can’t touch Qianqing Palace, I can certainly stir up trouble elsewhere and bring Emperor Xia a little more "joy," can’t I?’
For a while, Emperor Xia had been having a hard time, but in the last few days, he seemed much more relaxed.
It was likely because Prince Zhenxi’s Mansion, Prince Zhenbei’s Mansion, the Celestial Treasure Pavilion, and others were no longer pressuring him. After all, he had already dispatched two hundred thousand Imperial Guards and mobilized Prince Zhenan’s Mansion, showing these pressuring factions his sincerity. As a result, Emperor Xia had far fewer things to be annoyed about.

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