Inside the hall, the Cat Girls were frolicking around an embroidered ball. The Fox Girl was curled lazily on a soft cushion, grooming her fur, while the Jiangnan Beauties were rehearsing a new dance, preparing to perform for him.
Seeing him emerge, they all swarmed around him, their sweet voices and soft words creating a captivating scene of vibrant, fragrant beauty.
Xia Wuyang laughed heartily, embracing the women on his left and right, whispering sweet nothings. He was once again playing the part of the debauched and muddle-headed elder Crown Prince.
The show had to go on. Besides, it was a good way to balance work and rest.
Meanwhile, the real show over at Qianqing Palace had only just begun; it was far from time for the curtain to fall.
At least, not before Xia Wuyang had his fill of fun. This play wouldn’t end so easily. He was going to make Emperor Xia thoroughly "enjoy" the same suffering his mother had once endured.
Inside Warm Fragrance Pavilion, red candles burned brightly, and the amorous atmosphere was thick in the air.
Emperor Xia embraced the beautiful woman in his arms, feeling the faint yet real resonance of their Qi and Blood. His heart filled with a long-absent anticipation, as if he could already see the moment he would find his opportunity and ascend to the Extraordinary realm.
He felt he had finally found the right path. The rank of True Monarch was now within his grasp.
Though Consort Ji was dead, there were countless women in the world. Surely one could replace her. Why hang himself from a single tree?
He just needed to find more, try more, and he would surely grasp that mystical opportunity again, helping him to transform and advance.
He had no idea that amidst this tender intimacy, a sinister, cold poison had already crept into the deepest parts of his meridians. Like a hibernating viper, it lay in wait for the right moment to strike—and that moment was drawing ever closer.
Outside the window, the downpour subsided, the thunder faded into the distance, and clear skies were on their way.
The deep night concealed all the schemes and machinations within the Deep Palace.
And in a corner unknown to all, the gears of the future were silently turning, waiting for the moment everything would erupt.
Imperceptibly, the scorching summer heat of White Jade City grew more and more unbearable.
During the day, the sun was like a red-hot branding iron beating down on the Imperial City’s glazed tiles, sending up visible, shimmering heat waves that spared no corner.
The water level in Taiye Pool had dropped by over a foot and continued to fall.
Large patches of grayish-brown sludge were exposed on its banks, emitting a faint, fishy stench, occasionally dotted with the carcasses of dead fish.
The withered lotus plants had completely decayed, their scorched, yellow leaves drooping. They swayed listlessly in the wind, as if putting up a final struggle, refusing to collapse.
The cicadas shrieked themselves hoarse, their tireless cries ringing out from dawn till dusk, fraying everyone’s nerves. From time to time, Palace Attendants would step in to exterminate a swarm.
The Palace Attendants walked hugging the shadows at the base of the walls, terrified the vicious sun would bake off a layer of their skin—an unbearable thought.
Even the normally diligent Imperial Guard were now listlessly hiding in the shadows of the watchtowers. The tunics under their armor were soaked through with sweat, clinging unpleasantly to their skin in the most uncomfortable way.
The Imperial City could only catch its breath at night. Every day, the poor died in the suffocating heatwave.
After midnight, the heat finally began to dissipate, and the air grew slightly cooler.
A night breeze blew in from the direction of Taiye Pool, carrying a hint of cool moisture. It wound through the palace complexes, caressing sweat-dampened backs and bringing a rare, refreshing comfort that tempted many to step outside their homes.
The Star River hung low in the sky, as brilliant as crushed diamonds scattered across black velvet. The moonlight spilled like mercury, coating the sweeping eaves of the palace halls in a hazy, frost-like sheen. It was a breathtakingly beautiful sight.
「In the depths of Wenhua Hall, inside the Practice Room.」
A heavy, custom-made stone door sealed out all external noise, heat, and disturbances, allowing nothing to penetrate.
Inside, a Luminous Pearl emitted a soft, steady white glow, illuminating the spacious and tranquil room.
Xia Wuyang sat cross-legged on the Cold Jade Meditation Mat in the center of the room, focused on his Cultivation.
The Meditation Mat was carved from Thousand-year Cold Jade from the Land of the Far North and naturally exuded a bone-chilling coolness, making one impervious to any summer heat.
It also helped a Practitioner calm their mind and spirit, resist Heart Demons, and cultivate more effectively.
At this moment, the aura around him was as placid as an ancient, bottomless well, with not a single trace leaking out; it was all locked firmly within his body.
However, anyone with keen perception would be able to sense the vast and astonishing power lurking beneath that calm facade—an energy sufficient to destroy all of White Jade City.
He slowly opened his eyes. A sapphire starlight swirled within their depths—a sign of his abundant River True Qi—before vanishing in a flash, as if it had been a mere illusion.
Deep within his pupils, silver phantoms of a dragon and tiger flickered in and out of view—a sign that his Dragon and Tiger Golden Bell Body Refining Cultivation had stabilized and was continuing to improve.
Even deeper still, a faint, glazed luminescence shimmered—a sign of his progress with the Enchanting Heart Scripture’s Refining God Cultivation.
Essence, Qi, and Spirit... all three had entered the Extraordinary realm. Through his recent period of arduous training, they had stabilized completely, showing no signs of instability.
"It’s time," Xia Wuyang murmured to himself, a smile touching his lips.
’Time for another major leap forward. And as it happens, I still have an Ordinary Spirit Treasure.’
With a flick of his wrist, he retrieved an object from his Personal Space.
It was the very piece of the Thousand-year-old Stalactite he had obtained from Princess Jinping. It was as thick as a baby’s arm and about half a foot long, its entire body a lustrous, milky white without a single flaw.
Its surface was as smooth as the finest mutton-fat jade, but within, a cloud-like spiritual light swirled, as if a tiny, flowing nebula was sealed inside. Its appearance alone was exceptional.
The moment it appeared, the air in the room grew fresh and humid. The dense Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi was so thick it nearly solidified, forming a faint, milky-white mist in the Luminous Pearl’s glow that left one feeling utterly refreshed.
This was a Top Grade item among Low Level Spirit Treasures. The Spiritual Qi it contained was both pure and gentle, with minimal side effects, making it perfectly suited for a True Monarch to stabilize their realm and advance their Cultivation.
If an ordinary True Monarch were to obtain this treasure, they could save at least a century of arduous training. The effects were easy to imagine.
Xia Wuyang did not hesitate. He regulated his breathing, bringing his body and mind to their optimal state. His Essence, Qi, and Spirit were flawless.
The Heart Method of the River Scripture flowed through his mind. Inside his Dantian, the phantom of the sapphire Spiritual Vein—now over three kilometers long—trembled slightly. It emitted the faint sound of a rushing river, growing excited as if in anticipation.
He raised his hand, bringing the Stalactite to his lips.
He didn’t swallow it, but gently took one end into his mouth.
’A bit strange, perhaps, but I can’t be bothered with that now.’
The texture was smooth, warm, and slightly cool, with the characteristic delicacy of Jade. It was like he was eating the stone itself.
But in the next moment, the Stalactite softened on its own, transforming into a milky-white spiritual stream like divine nectar that slid down his throat. The taste was surprisingly pleasant.
BOOM...
Like a giant boulder dropped into a calm lake, a boundless and utterly pure torrent of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi erupted inside Xia Wuyang’s body, causing him to tremble violently.
The sheer volume and purity of this Spiritual Qi far surpassed the Thousand-year-old White Fruit he had previously consumed. His meridians began to swell, and he felt as if he could not possibly contain it all.
But Xia Wuyang was well-prepared and felt no alarm.

Comments

Loading...