Chapter 186 - 185: Breaking Through

Chapter 186: Chapter 185: Breaking Through

Outside the hall, the spies and agents from the other palaces were also sneering at Xia Wuyang, the elder Crown Prince.

"He’s about to die, yet he’s still such a lecher. Isn’t he afraid of dying on top of a woman? Still, this old geezer’s life has been worth it, getting to sleep with so many stunning beauties."

"Tell me about it. Su Ling’Er, Hanik’s Heart, and the newly arrived Jin Xiuya—which one of them isn’t a devastating beauty? Across the entire Imperial Palace, few women can compare to them. That old geezer is really living the life."

"It’s a shame all those gorgeous women have to serve an old coot like him. Who knows what will happen to them after he dies."

"Qiuci Dancers, Demon Fox Girls, Jiangnan Beauties, the Shou Liji... The elder Crown Prince never had it this good before he was deposed. Who would’ve thought that after his fall from grace, he’d get to enjoy so many pleasures? It’s a shame his life is almost over; he won’t be able to enjoy it for much longer."

...

Mocked by all, the elder Crown Prince, Xia Wuyang, waited until dawn before emerging from the Practice Room with a lecherous grin and pouncing on the still-fresh Shou Liji.

There were twelve Shou Liji, and several were still virgins. Given the role Xia Wuyang was playing, how could he possibly pass them up?

Several hundred meters away, perched among the palace’s upturned eaves, Song Yuyan gazed wistfully at Xia Wuyang, who had a woman in each arm. Her mind was flooded with memories of their past.

’The Crown Prince’s performance is so flawless, even I can barely tell what’s real anymore.’

’But that familiar aura can’t be mistaken. It must have been his doing.’

’Just what is the Crown Prince’s Cultivation Realm? To have stolen the Thousand-year-old Glazed Fruit so silently... he must be a Grandmaster, or maybe even higher. How did he cultivate to this level?’

’Did he recruit some master to secretly protect him and help him accomplish these things? Is that why a trace of an aura was left behind? It’s impossible to figure out. But one thing is for sure: there’s more to the Crown Prince than meets the eye.’

...

Song Yuyan didn’t leave until Xia Wuyang, once again "exhausted," returned to the Practice Room.

After getting used to his new Companion Talent, Light as a Feather, Xia Wuyang began to hone his Essence, Qi, and Spirit, preparing to break through to a higher realm.

After this period of consolidation, his Cultivation Foundation had stabilized. He had also fully adapted to his current level of Cultivation and could unleash his full combat strength.

Now was the time to consume another Miracle Treasure. He still had one High Level Mortal Treasure, a Blood Lotus Fruit, which could significantly raise his Cultivation Realm and save him a great deal of time and effort.

He would spend the day honing his Essence, Qi, and Spirit. Once he was sure there were no issues, he would consume the Blood Lotus Fruit at night to advance his Cultivation Realm.

Before he knew it, night had fallen. The moonlight, like water, flowed silently over the glazed tiles of Wenhua Hall.

Inside the hall, flickering candlelight illuminated the twelve gracefully dancing Shou Liji. Their skirts swirled like ocean waves, and their jade pendants chimed like babbling brooks.

Xia Wuyang watched with a look of utter fascination. Soon, he could no longer bear to just watch and pounced on the most beautiful of them, Jin Xiuya, ordering several other Shou Liji to attend to them.

The night deepened outside the hall as phoenix tree leaves drifted to the ground. The rhythmic footsteps of the patrolling Guards occasionally broke the silence, forming a strange contrast with the sounds of debauchery coming from within.

After about an hour, even with the help of the Dragon and Tiger Elixir, Xia Wuyang "couldn’t perform" any longer. Supported by the Shou Liji, he returned to the Practice Room, intending to get some rest.

But as soon as the stone door was locked from the inside, the expression on Xia Wuyang, who had been lying on the Jade Couch, instantly changed. He sat up cross-legged, his Qi Blood swirling around him like smoke and mist.

"It’s time to break through!"

Xia Wuyang took out the Blood Lotus Fruit, which was crimson all over. Its surface was covered in natural patterns that looked like pulsing veins, and it emitted a mouth-watering fragrance.

He placed it in his mouth, and the Blood Lotus Fruit dissolved instantly, transforming into a scorching torrent that surged into his meridians. Unlike the gentle energy of some Miracle Treasures, the Blood Lotus Fruit’s power was turbulent, like a volcanic eruption.

Anyone without sufficient strength who consumed a Blood Lotus Fruit directly would be instantly incinerated.

But for Xia Wuyang, who had already stepped into the Super Grade Realm, the Blood Lotus Fruit’s immense power was well within his control.

This was especially true given his Companion Talent, Deep Roots and Strong Trunk. With a Cultivation Foundation three times stronger than that of Martial Artists at the same level, his capacity to withstand such energy was drastically increased, far beyond what any ordinary Martial Artist could handle.

Containing the energy of the Blood Lotus Fruit was more than manageable. After all, it was only a High Level Mortal Treasure, not a Top Level Mortal Treasure.

At his current level, he could easily handle the energy of a Top Level Mortal Treasure, let alone a High Level one.

Through Introspection, he watched his faintly glowing Dragon and Tiger Qi Blood strengthen and expand at an astonishing rate, far surpassing the speed of normal Cultivation.

Even among High Level Mortal Treasures, the Blood Lotus Fruit was considered quite rare, and its potency was immense.

As his Dragon and Tiger Qi Blood expanded, the filth and impurities clogging his Dantian and the surrounding meridians were rapidly cleared away. Soon, new pathways were opened, allowing the surging Dragon and Tiger Qi Blood to flow into his Dantian and cleanse it even more thoroughly.

As the filth and impurities were purged, Xia Wuyang could clearly feel his body growing lighter and his overall constitution stronger. Every aspect of his being was constantly improving.

The feeling of lightness was incredibly liberating, as if a great weight had been lifted from him.

Before he knew it, his Dragon and Tiger Qi Blood had expanded to a certain point and run up against a barrier—the bottleneck to the next stage.

The impurities in his Dantian and the surrounding pathways had been cleansed to a point. The remaining dregs were far more stubborn and would require even stronger Qi Blood to be purged.

Xia Wuyang knew he had reached the peak of the Celestial Human Initial Stage. It was time to break through to the Middle Stage.

He could feel that plenty of the Blood Lotus Fruit’s energy remained, and the Dragon and Tiger Qi Blood within him was raging at its peak. It was time to charge the barrier.

Without further hesitation, his Extraordinary-Level Spiritual Power surged forth. With perfect control, he directed every iota of his Qi and Blood Power and the Blood Lotus Fruit’s energy to assault the bottleneck barrier.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BANG! THUD! CRACK!

An irregular series of impacts rang out. With each one, the bottleneck barrier trembled, showing that his assault was having a considerable effect.

Xia Wuyang’s expression remained calm as he systematically continued his assault. After an unknown amount of time, cracks began to appear on the barrier’s surface.

This meant a breakthrough was now possible. He continued to hammer away at it.

RUMBLE...

An hour later, with a final, deafening roar, the bottleneck barrier collapsed. The shackles holding him back from the Celestial Human Middle Stage were shattered.

His Dragon and Tiger Qi Blood began to expand rapidly. Not just its quantity, but its quality as well, was advancing by leaps and bounds.

In just a few short minutes, his Dragon and Tiger Qi Blood had strengthened by more than thirty percent. It could now expel impurities from a deeper level, further refining and enhancing his body.