Surrounded by a hall of beauties, Xia Wuyang reclined on a soft couch. His white hair was disheveled, his old eyes half-lidded as he toyed with a freshly refined Qi Nourishing Pill.
The elixir was a uniform milky white with clear Pill Patterns, glowing with a gentle luster under the candlelight. He had cast his Soul Enchantment Technique on it, so no one around him noticed a thing out of the ordinary.
He’d had a rather pleasant few days. His Companion Talent, Alchemy Genius, had greatly increased his efficiency in refining Qi Nourishing Pills, and their quality had improved significantly.
Now, he could refine several batches a day, yielding dozens of pills.
After taking them, his Cultivation Speed skyrocketed. His Foundation was constantly being consolidated, and his Cultivation Realm was also on the rise.
At this rate, he would be able to break through to the Two Spirits True Monarch Realm within a few years.
Just as he was lost in thought, Andrew stepped forward quietly and whispered, "Your Highness, the Ministry of Internal Affairs just sent over a new batch of palace maids, supposedly chosen from Jiangnan. I’ve picked out a few of the prettiest ones. Would you care to see them?"
Xia Wuyang lazily lifted his gaze. "What a stupid question. Of course I want to see them."
Andrew gave a fawning smile. "Yes. His Majesty has been swamped with work lately and has had no time for the Harem. The Ministry of Internal Affairs had a backlog of new arrivals, so they’ve been assigned to the various palaces. They’re all quite lovely."
"Bring them in," Xia Wuyang said with a wave of his hand. "I want to have a taste."
A short while later, three young women were led inside.
They were all sixteen or seventeen, dressed in identical, pale pink palace gowns. With downcast eyes, they were the picture of demureness, and their looks were indeed extraordinary—beautiful enough to eclipse the moon and shame the flowers.
The one in the middle was especially striking. She had willow-leaf brows, almond-shaped eyes, fair skin, and a graceful figure. Though she didn’t have Fan Yingying’s striking resemblance to Consort Ji, she possessed the gentle, sweet charm unique to the Jiangnan water villages. What’s more, they were all virgins.
"We, Ning Xue, Zi Zu, and Qiu Ju, greet the Crown Prince." The three women curtsied gracefully, their voices soft and melodious.
Xia Wuyang’s gaze swept over their faces before finally resting on the one in the middle, Qiu Ju. An imperceptible light flashed in his eyes.
’Something’s off about this one. I sensed it the moment she stepped into Wenhua Hall.’
On the surface, she was no different from any other palace maid.
But Xia Wuyang was already a True Monarch; his perception was keen to a degree an ordinary person could scarcely imagine, and he also possessed a Companion Talent like the Mental Force Field.
He could clearly sense that Qiu Ju’s Qi Blood was exceptionally vigorous, far beyond that of a normal person. She was, in fact, a Super Grade Celestial Human.
Her breathing was deep and even, her steps light; she was obviously suppressing her aura.
Most importantly, he detected a faint, familiar aura about her.
It was the aura of the Dragon Tiger Fist!
It was extremely faint and almost completely concealed, but Xia Wuyang had cultivated the Dragon Tiger Fist for many years. Aided by his Extraordinary Spiritual Power and Mental Force Field, detecting it was a simple matter for him.
’Interesting,’ Xia Wuyang sneered inwardly. ’Someone actually sent an assassin disguised as a palace maid to kill me. A Super Grade Celestial Human, no less. That’s a pretty big move, especially considering the level of strength I’m currently displaying.’
Activating his Soul Enchantment Technique, he probed her surface thoughts and a plan began to form.
He remained outwardly unfazed, maintaining his guise as a lecherous old fool who hadn’t noticed a thing. Beaming, he said to Andrew, "They can all stay. Ning Xue and Zi Zu, serve the tea. Qiu Ju, come over and massage my legs... and let me have a feel."
"Yes," the three women replied in unison.
Ning Xue and Zi Zu busied themselves while Qiu Ju walked gracefully to the couch. She knelt, extended her delicate hands, and began to gently massage Xia Wuyang’s legs, enduring his groping.
Her technique was professional, the pressure just right. Her fingertips were warm, and it seemed she had been specially trained.
But Xia Wuyang could clearly feel the Qi Blood hidden in her fingertips. With every touch, she was probing the state of his meridians, confirming his actual condition. ’She’s certainly cautious,’ he thought.
Qiu Ju suddenly spoke, her voice as gentle as flowing water. "Your Highness, I learned some massage techniques back home. Would you like me to work on your shoulders and neck?"
"Good. I’d like that," Xia Wuyang said, closing his eyes as if in deep enjoyment. His right hand was already on Qiu Ju’s slender waist.
Qiu Ju rose, moved behind him, and gently placed her hands on his shoulders.
In that very instant, Xia Wuyang felt the Qi Blood in her body begin to accelerate.
The Qi Blood of the Dragon Tiger Fist surged through her meridians, gathering in her palms. The slightest exertion of force would be enough to shatter his neck.
’The time is right,’ he thought. ’But I can’t make a move myself, nor do I need to. If I reveal my true strength, all my years of patience will be wasted.’
With a slight flicker of his will, his Spiritual Power extended from his Sea of Consciousness like strands of silk, silently entangling the nearby Su Ling’Er.
Su Ling’Er was currently teasing a pure-white Cat Girl with a small piece of dried fish.
Suddenly, a Jade Talisman she carried began to grow faintly warm. It was a trump card from her family, meant to protect her in times of crisis.
It was a Protective Spirit Talisman, an item so rare that few even among the imperial concubines possessed one. This spoke volumes about Su Ling’Er’s family background.
And now, the Spirit Talisman had been triggered!
VMMMM...
A pale blue barrier of light instantly erupted from the Jade Talisman, shielding Su Ling’Er within it—and, by extension, Xia Wuyang, who was right behind her.
At that exact moment, Qiu Ju’s hands slammed down viciously on the back of Xia Wuyang’s neck!
BOOM!
Her palms collided with the barrier of light, producing a muffled boom that reverberated throughout Wenhua Hall.
Qiu Ju’s face fell. Her full-powered strike was enough to shatter the neck of any Martial Artist below the True Monarch Realm, yet it had been completely stopped by a barrier that had appeared out of nowhere. She couldn’t budge it in the slightest.
Even more terrifying, the force rebounding from the barrier numbed her hands and sent her Qi and Blood into turmoil.
’A Protective Spirit Talisman! How does this old bastard have something so valuable?’ Alarm bells screamed in her mind, and she immediately tried to pull back and retreat.
But it was too late. Xia Wuyang "panicked," rolling off the couch and screaming hoarsely, "Assassin! There’s an assassin! Guards! Guards!"
He screamed himself hoarse as he scrambled and crawled to hide behind a pillar. His wretched, terrified state would convince anyone that he was just a feeble old man, too weak to even truss a chicken, utterly incapable of defending himself and needing Su Ling’Er for protection.
The hall instantly erupted into chaos. The Cat Girls shrieked and scattered in all directions. Ning Xue, Zi Zu, and the others collapsed to the floor in terror, while Su Ling’Er clutched the glowing Jade Talisman, trembling uncontrollably.
A group of Guards rushed in, forming a wall in front of Xia Wuyang. "Help! Someone, quickly! Protect His Highness!" one of them shrieked.
At almost the exact same moment, the sound of urgent footsteps and shouts erupted from outside the hall.
The Imperial Palace was currently on high alert. Imperial Guards, Shadow Guards, and experts from the Divine Capture Sect were everywhere... and Wenhua Hall was no exception.
"Assassin! There’s an assassin in Wenhua Hall!"
"Quick, surround Wenhua Hall!"
"The Shadow Guards are here! The Imperial Guard has arrived!"
...
Qiu Ju’s face was deathly pale. She knew she had failed.
To think the elder Crown Prince had a Protective Spirit Talisman... and for it to activate at the precise moment she struck was just too much of a coincidence.
She felt that something was strange, that there was something she had missed.
But she had no time to dwell on it now. There was no time at all.

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