"Investigate! Keep investigating for me! Use all our power, spare no expense! I must know who this Dragon Tiger True Monarch is, where he comes from, what his purpose is, and if he has any connections to anyone in the Imperial Court! Report any and all leads immediately. This is the most urgent matter at hand."
The sudden appearance of the Dragon Tiger True Monarch had terrified Emperor Xia, and he roared hoarsely at Zheng Zhicang and Sun Wuyang, who stood in the hall with their hands respectfully at their sides.
"Your servants obey!" Zheng Zhicang and Sun Wuyang replied in unison. As they lowered their heads, an imperceptible flicker of confusion crossed their eyes. They had no idea who the Dragon Tiger True Monarch was, either.
Emperor Xia paced a few steps in agitation, then added, "Also, strengthen the defenses of the Capital City, especially here at the Imperial Palace. The Imperial Guard, the Shadow Guard, the Divine Capture Sect... I want all of them on their highest alert! If any suspicious individuals approach, kill them on sight! Don’t let a single one get away."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" the two replied again.
Emperor Xia paused, his voice lowering slightly, carrying a hint of imperceptible unease. "Also, go to the rear mountain and report this matter to the Old Ancestor. See what instructions he has... No, on second thought, I’ll go myself."
That Old Ancestor of the Great Xia Royal Family, the Three Spirits True Monarch, was in seclusion year-round. Unless it was a matter concerning the very survival of the Dynasty, Emperor Xia would not dare to disturb him lightly. Even if he did so rashly, he would likely be met with a harsh scolding.
But the appearance of the Dragon Tiger True Monarch posed a threat that, in Emperor Xia’s mind, was comparable to an enemy army at the gates—or perhaps even more severe. It had to be reported.
However, after making the trip himself, Emperor Xia was stunned to find that the Old Ancestor was deep in seclusion and paid him no heed. This cast another layer of shadow over Emperor Xia’s heart.
The Old Ancestor was Great Xia’s final anchor. If he couldn’t emerge from seclusion in time or provide guidance, the Imperial Court would be in an extremely passive position against a potential True Monarch Level threat. The slightest misstep could lead to disaster.
’Something bad isn’t going to happen, is it? An existence of this Level is capable of destroying Great Xia, right?’
A terrifying thought flashed uncontrollably through his mind, but Emperor Xia forcefully suppressed it, not daring to dwell on it any further.
’No, I can’t lose my composure. I am the Emperor of Great Xia. If even I fall into chaos, what hope is there for Great Xia?’
His deep fear and unease ultimately transformed into an even more fervent and urgent desire—a desire for Power, a desire to break through to the True Monarch Realm!
’Only if I also ascend to become a True Monarch, gaining a longer lifespan and greater strength, can I handle any potential crises and stabilize this terrifying situation. I can’t slack off for even a moment longer.’
"It seems I must accelerate the search for an opportunity. Those stand-ins are not enough. Send a decree to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to continue the search. Expand the scope to the entire Great Xia. Any woman who bears the slightest resemblance to Consort Ji—regardless of her background, the cost, or whether she is married—find them all for me! Also, order the Imperial Medical Bureau to sort through all the rare medicinal herbs and Pill Formulas in their inventory that can aid in a breakthrough. I will spare no expense to find my opportunity as soon as possible." A ruthless glint flashed in Emperor Xia’s eyes.
He was like a traveler on the verge of dying of thirst in a desert who, upon seeing a possible mirage in the distance, recklessly rushes toward it, desperate to obtain it, unaware that beneath the Illusion might lie an even deeper trap.
And so, while more and more people were shaken by the name of the Dragon Tiger True Monarch, and while Emperor Xia, terrified and uneasy, frantically sought a breakthrough, inside Wenhua Hall, the Dragon Tiger True Monarch himself—the very one about whom the outside world spun fantastic tales and endless speculation—was leisurely peeling a chilled Crystal Grape while reclining on a soft couch covered with an Ice Jade Mat. He was surrounded by a cloud of beauties, any of whom he could pull into his embrace at a moment’s notice.
Listening to the beauties discuss in amazement the various commotions caused by the name Dragon Tiger True Monarch, as well as Emperor Xia’s panicked fury in Qianqing Palace and his subsequent decrees, a cold, mocking arc slowly formed on his lips. Then he sank back into a beauty’s embrace.
"Dragon Tiger True Monarch? The people of this world are quite good at coming up with names." Xia Wuyang mused over the title, finding it rather fitting.
He then paid it no more mind, embracing Hanik’s Heart and beginning to enjoy the imported delicacy. Soon, he was once again sharing a bed with several beauties, lost to the world.
Outside, the Palace Attendants once again shook their heads and sighed, gossiping about how much longer this elder Crown Prince, Xia Wuyang, could possibly live.
Outside the window, the scorching sun blazed and the cicadas chirped noisily.
’The more terrified Xia Shengming becomes, the more desperate he is to break through, the more he’ll lose his reason and commit vile acts.’
’And this name, Dragon Tiger True Monarch, is the perfect mirror to reflect the hearts of the people, as well as the weakness and panic in his own heart. Let him stew in his fear for a while.’
’The stage is set, and the actors are taking their places. The next act should be even more exciting.’
After the debauchery, silence returned to the hall. The beauties had all fallen asleep.
Only the occasional drip of water from the melting Iceberg, falling into a bronze basin, made a soft, "DRIP."
Xia Wuyang closed his eyes, his Heart Spirit sinking into his body. He could feel the Dragon Blood Fruit resting quietly in its Jade Box, seemingly able to make all the Qi Blood in his body resonate. He could also feel the unending, surging River True Qi in his Dantian and the vast Spiritual Power in his Sea of Consciousness.
’Dragon Tiger True Monarch?’
’This... is only the beginning. I still have many methods I haven’t shown yet.’
’On the day I no longer need any Disguise, when I rule over the world with my true face and identity, what a sight that will be?’
’At that time, I’m sure Xia Shengming will be quite surprised.’
’He has tirelessly pursued the Extraordinary Realm for over a hundred years, and only the path of Extraordinary Qi Refining at that. Yet I achieved it long ago. In fact, my Essence, Qi, and Spirit have all become Extraordinary, far surpassing his ambitions.’
Outside the window, the heatwave continued.
But a grander, colder undercurrent, stirred by the name of the Dragon Tiger True Monarch, was silently surging in the depths of the Great Xia Dynasty’s Foundation, gathering momentum, ready to overturn everything.
「Mid-July. The brutal heat continued.」
The water level of Taiye Pool had dropped to its lowest point in years. Large swathes of the cracked, grayish-brown lakebed were exposed, steaming under the scorching sun and emitting a pungent, fishy stench that made one want to keep their distance.
A few dead fish, their white bellies turned up, were embedded in the dried mud, attracting a swarm of buzzing green-headed flies that no one bothered to deal with.
At the base of the palace walls, even the hardiest weeds had lost their green, drooping listlessly. Their curled, yellowed edges looked as if they were about to catch fire.
Deep within Wenhua Hall, however, the Practice Room remained constantly cool and tranquil, as if it were a world of its own, sealed off from all the searing heat and clamor outside. It was even more comfortable than an air-conditioned room from his previous life.
Xia Wuyang sat cross-legged on the Cold Jade Meditation Mat, but his Heart Spirit had sunk into a much vaster world, and he was lost to his surroundings.
Often, when one focuses intently on a single task, they tend to forget the passage of time, or even their own existence. At this moment, Xia Wuyang was completely immersed.

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