Chapter 189 - 188: The Reason for Immortality

Chapter 189: Chapter 188: The Reason for Immortality

The Palace Attendants who mocked Xia Wuyang for being on death’s door had no idea that, at that very moment, after he had returned to his Practice Room, his body was overflowing with Qi Blood, surging with the force of a great river.

His Celestial Human Middle Stage Cultivation flowed through his meridians, a force far more vast and powerful than the blizzard blanketing the world.

The fragrant warmth of the snowy night had been nothing more than another performance.

What Xia Wuyang hadn’t expected, however, was that the great snowstorm would stir up trouble, bringing the suspicions surrounding him to light far sooner than he had anticipated.

’Then again, it wasn’t really premature. It was bound to happen sooner or later.’

According to the Imperial Physician, his time should have been up months ago. But thanks to the Monkey Wine from Princess Xiang Yun, he had "plausibly" lived for a few extra months.

Now that those months had passed, it was once again time for him to be approaching death’s door.

A few days later, the blizzard finally broke, and a sliver of daylight peeked through the clouds.

The palaces and pavilions of White Jade City were all blanketed in pristine snow. Among the golden-tiled roofs and vermilion walls, the occasional figures of Palace Attendants could be seen sweeping, carving winding paths for passage.

However, the rumors spread by Fourteenth Princess Xia Pingyu were more bone-chilling than the winter snow. They silently infiltrated every corner of the Palace, arousing suspicion among a growing number of Princes and Princesses.

「In the study of Wenhua Hall.」

Xia Wuyang, draped in a slate-blue crane robe with a dark pattern, was painting by the window.

With masterful strokes, a winter plum tree bloomed to life on the paper, drawing applause and cheers from the surrounding beauties who praised his incredible brushwork.

Su Ling’Er ground ink at his side, Hanik’s Heart tended to the Incense Burner, and Jin Xiuya quietly brewed tea, occasionally applauding as well to satisfy his desire to show off.

The scene appeared leisurely, but in truth, the number of prying eyes outside the hall had multiplied several times over.

Putting on a show of smug satisfaction, Xia Wuyang painted for a short while before his hands started to wander, and he soon began to fool around wantonly in the study.

The spies and informants watching from the shadows couldn’t help but facepalm at the sight, utterly speechless.

’A degenerate like this, hiding his strength? He’s already a broken man. How could he possibly be hiding anything? Those rumors must be baseless.’

’If this elder Crown Prince were truly that formidable, he wouldn’t be acting like this.’

Before long, more beauties were summoned to join Xia Wuyang in his revelry.

Amidst the boisterous music, Xia Wuyang’s eyes grew hazy with drink. A beautiful Palace Maid leaned in and asked in a low voice, "Your Highness, the Imperial Physician said your health was failing. How can you still be so full of vigor?"

Xia Wuyang knew exactly what was happening. ’Someone’s finally lost their patience and is using a planted Palace Maid to probe for the truth. This is just what I wanted.’

He decided to play along. Drunkenly hugging Su Ling’Er, he let out a "smug" laugh. "I’ve heard the rumors these past few days. It’s just my so-called brothers and sisters, isn’t it? Annoyed that I’m not dead yet and haven’t freed up the position of Crown Prince."

"Go on, spread the word. Tell them I’m doing just fine. Forget a few months—I’ll have no problem living another year, or two, or even ten!"

The entire hall fell silent. In the shadows, unseen ears perked up, and unseen eyes focused intently.

"Does this mean Your Highness has recovered? Can you resume your Cultivation?" a Palace Maid asked, clapping her hands with feigned delight.

Xia Wuyang raised his cup toward the Western Regions, a nostalgic look in his eyes. "Ah, Xiang Yun... When she returned to her homeland, she may have been a bit cruel, but she still had some lingering affection. She left me a full two jars of Monkey Wine, not one. All those bastards who can’t wait for me to die have been thoroughly deceived."

"I’ve been slowly drinking that remaining jar of Monkey Wine all this time. My body has improved a great deal, and even my lifespan has increased. They want me to die early? Well, I refuse to grant them their wish! I insist on living for another ten, no, a hundred years!"

He then seemed to succumb to his drunkenness, rambling on about past events—how some concubines had been ungrateful, while others had been loyal and true. He even grumbled that since Yun Liyue was so powerful, she should find a way to get him some treasures to extend his life and strengthen his body.

Growing emotional, he broke down into bitter sobs and was helped away by the beauties to rest.

Within half a day, his words had spread throughout the Palace. Many were left stunned, not having expected such a twist. No wonder the elder Crown Prince was still clinging to life.

"Princess Xiang Yun is quite the lovesick fool, secretly giving that old coot two jars of Monkey Wine. I heard the second jar was of a higher vintage and had an even better life-extending effect. No wonder the old bastard isn’t dead yet—it was the Monkey Wine all along."

"The elder Crown Prince was so cruel to Princess Xiang Yun. If it weren’t for him, her home country would have never fallen into ruin. To think she’s still concerned about him after all that... She’s not just devoted, she’s a fool."

"That was Monkey Wine, a Miracle Treasure! I heard it even reached the level of a High Level Miracle Treasure. To think it was all wasted on that old fossil Xia Wuyang. What a complete and utter waste."

"And here I was, thinking that old coot was on his last legs. I never expected him to have such a lucky break. It seems he’s really become an old kept man, willing to live off any woman without an ounce of shame."

...

All manner of gossip spread through the Palace, and everyone finally thought they understood why Xia Wuyang had managed to cling to life for so long.

This explanation would buy Xia Wuyang more time to grow and improve his strength, preventing further suspicion that might interfere with his Cultivation.

When Fourteenth Princess Xia Pingyu heard the news, she was so furious she ground her teeth. Before Princess Xiang Yun had left, she too had asked for some of the Monkey Wine.

She paced back and forth in her Warm Pavilion, her pearl-studded slippers sinking into the priceless rug. "That damn bitch! I tried so hard to win her over, but she kept insisting she had no Monkey Wine left. To think she secretly gave it to that old good-for-nothing to waste!"

"If she had given it to me, I might have already broken through to a higher realm, instead of being stuck at my current level, unable to advance!"

Her personal Palace Maid reminded her in a hushed voice, "Princess, Xiang Yun’s homeland is the most skilled at brewing Monkey Wine. Perhaps you could send someone to coerce them."

"Hmph! The Western Regions are too far away. How long would it take to brew a new batch of Monkey Wine? I can’t afford to wait," Xia Pingyu snapped, her beautiful eyes wide with frustration. "Besides, I hear Xiang Yun’s homeland is on the verge of collapse. They don’t have enough resources. It would be nearly impossible for them to start Refining Monkey Wine again."

The more Xia Pingyu thought about it, the angrier she became, until she couldn’t stop herself from throwing things again. The thought of Xia Wuyang squandering that precious Monkey Wine, in particular, sent her into an uncontrollable rage.

「Meanwhile, in Wenhua Hall.」

Xia Wuyang had his arm around Hanik’s Heart, watching the snowflakes drift down outside. A lecherous expression filled his face. "My beauty, it’s time for us to have some fun again."

With just a few simple sentences, he had temporarily dispelled the suspicions swirling around him and, at the same time, improved Princess Xiang Yun’s reputation—a fact that might even offer her some help in her homeland.

Most importantly, the prying eyes that followed him like a shadow had indeed diminished by more than ninety percent.