Chapter 183 - 182: Shou Liji’s Group Dance

Chapter 183: Chapter 182: Shou Liji’s Group Dance

The quality of this group of Shou Liji was absolutely astounding.

They wore modified ancient-style robes. The upper garment was a short, plain white jacket embroidered with a flying phoenix pattern in gold thread, revealing arms as fair as white jade.

Below, they wore high-waisted, long skirts with layered hems dyed in twelve different shades of blue. When they walked, the skirts billowed like ocean waves, creating a particularly beautiful effect when they moved together.

Most distinctive were the sheer gauze shawls they wore, embroidered with intricate snowflake patterns in Silver Thread. Under the candlelight, the shawls shimmered faintly, offering a tantalizing glimpse of the captivating figures beneath.

The lead girl stepped forward and bowed gracefully to Xia Wuyang. "This servant, Jin Xiuya, greets the Crown Prince."

Her Xia dialect carried the unique accent of Shouli Country, adding a certain seductive charm to her voice.

The other girls behind her followed suit, bowing to Xia Wuyang.

Xia Wuyang feigned infatuation, unable to resist grabbing her slender, jade-like hand. "Excellent, excellent! Quickly, raise your head. Let me have a good look at you."

Jin Xiuya slowly lifted her head, revealing a small, exquisitely beautiful face. Her skin was as white as snow, her willow-leaf eyebrows were gracefully curved, and her almond-shaped eyes shimmered like autumn waters.

Between her brows was a lotus-shaped floral marking, adorned with pearls, which added a beauty that was an alluring mix of sacred and seductive.

The other eleven women each had their own unique charm. Some were cute and winsome, their playful glances holding a hint of innocence. Others were Cold and Glamorous, like snow lotuses on a high mountain peak. A few had eyes filled with passion, their every frown and smile carrying a soul-stealing allure...

"Wonderful! I just love beauties like you." Saliva dripped uncontrollably from the corner of Xia Wuyang’s mouth. He couldn’t help but pull Jin Xiuya into his embrace, and while he was at it, he swallowed a Dragon and Tiger Elixir. "Quick, quick! Let me dote on you properly."

Just as Xia Wuyang was about to start getting handsy, a eunuch rushed in. "Your Highness, a message has come from outside. They want to recall these Shou Liji, lest they damage Your Highness’s health."

Xia Wuyang froze. ’Was there a mistake? Why would they be recalled otherwise? Or is this just a performance, to avoid being resented by Yun Liyue’s side?’

He used his Soul Enchantment Technique to understand the situation. By reading the shallow thoughts of these Palace Attendants, he learned that this was a plot hatched by several Princes, aimed at sending Xia Wuyang to an early grave.

They had gone to great trouble to procure this group of stunningly beautiful Shou Liji, only to hear the news that Yun Liyue was backed by a Super Grade Perfection Celestial Human. Consequently, they began to hesitate.

But before they could make a decision, this group of Shou Liji had already been sent to Wenhua Hall as originally planned. By the time the Prince and Princesses realized something was wrong, the women had already arrived.

So, they hurriedly sent someone to recall them, hoping to avoid angering Yun Liyue and her mysterious master.

Xia Wuyang was speechless. ’I’d originally thought some hard-headed Prince or Princess was determined to see me dead. I never expected it was just a blunder.’

’But recalling them is impossible,’ he thought. ’Otherwise, how could I live up to my current reputation?’

"What?" Xia Wuyang feigned outrage, refusing to let go of Jin Xiuya. "Since they’ve already arrived at my Sleeping Palace and been doted on by me, they are now my people! No one is allowed to recall them! Get out!"

He deliberately raised his voice to ensure everyone around could hear. "I was just getting bored with no one to entertain me. These Shou Liji arrived at the perfect time. Now, scram!"

He directly dismissed the Palace Attendants who had come to recall the Shou Liji and began to act with wild abandon.

Seeing this, the Palace Attendants were helpless. They wanted to use force, but when they considered his status, and then thought of Yun Liyue’s side, they didn’t dare. They could only return and report to their masters.

When the Prince and Princesses behind the scheme heard the news, they were utterly speechless.

"That old fool is getting more and more senile. Can’t he see that this is meant to harm him? And yet he’s clinging to them and won’t let go."

"What do we do now? If something happens to the old fool because of these Shou Liji, I’m afraid Yun Liyue won’t let us off the hook."

"What else can we do? He’s kept the women, and I hear he’s already started ’playing’ with them. Can we possibly bring them back now? We need to get this information to Yun Liyue as soon as possible. Tell her we abandoned the plan, but the old fool refused to let them go."

...

As the news spread, the outside world became even more convinced that the elder Crown Prince was a lost cause, so muddled that he couldn’t tell right from wrong.

He should have considered his own health. Recalling those Shou Liji was for his own good, yet Xia Wuyang actually thought they were trying to harm him and refused to send them back.

You can survive a disaster sent by heaven, but not one of your own making. The elder Crown Prince was digging his own grave.

That night, Wenhua Hall was brightly lit. Xia Wuyang had specially ordered red carpets to be laid out and all sorts of Glazed Lamps to be hung around. He wanted to enjoy the famous group dance, the specialty of the Shou Liji.

Jin Xiuya, who had already been ’favored’ by him, had a flushed face. She led the group of stunning beauties in a graceful bow. "We servants will present the ’Flying Cranes Ascend to Heaven’ dance for Your Highness."

"Excellent, excellent! I can’t wait." Xia Wuyang clapped his hands repeatedly, urging the group of Shou Liji to begin their performance.

The music began, and the twelve stunningly beautiful girls started to dance gracefully.

This group of Shou Liji was of exceptional quality. Even the least among them would have scored a 99 out of 100 in his past life. As for the most beautiful and elegant one, Jin Xiuya, if she were in his past life, she would have broken the scale, scoring thousands of points. One could only imagine the level of her beauty, grace, and talent.

Their dance was truly unique, combining the elegance of classical dance with the seductive allure of an Exotic Realm.

Twelve graceful figures flowed across the hall, their long sleeves fluttering and stirring up waves of fragrance. It wasn’t the scent of any perfume, but the unique, ethereal aroma of young maidens—a scent that could haunt one’s dreams and leave one utterly captivated.

Their steps were perfectly synchronized, yet each dancer had her own distinct flair.

At times, they were like a blooming lotus, the twelve of them forming a circle with their skirts flaring out like unfurling petals. At other times, they were like a flock of wild geese flying south, forming neat lines with dance movements so light it seemed they were riding the wind. Even more impressive was their ability to change formation in an instant—from a circle to a square, then to a figure eight—each movement executed with flawless precision.

As the lead dancer, Jin Xiuya’s skill was extraordinary, far beyond what an ordinary person could imagine. In his previous life, she could have competed for the title of world dance champion with ease.

She executed an aerial flip, her gauze shawl tracing a graceful arc through the air. She landed with a light tap of her slender feet, like a dragonfly skimming the water’s surface, a sight that stirred the soul.

Xia Wuyang leaned back on a soft couch, his face a mask of obsession. His hands toyed with something soft and smooth, his gaze locked onto the dancing figures, wishing he could swallow them whole and defile them to his heart’s content. Every so often, he would clap his hands in applause.

"Marvelous! Simply marvelous!"

Xia Wuyang praised them again and again. Unable to restrain himself, he descended from the high platform and reached out to embrace the gracefully dancing Shou Liji. He especially grabbed Jin Xiuya, holding her tight and planting several hard kisses on her.

"Someone, bring the rewards!"

Xia Wuyang shouted, and soon, Palace Attendants brought over a tray of gold ingots.