Chapter 192 - 191: Lost the Sword Control Skill

Chapter 192: Chapter 191: Lost the Sword Control Skill

Without him realizing it, more than two hours passed.

"The Illusory Shadow Sword Technique is complete!"

At that moment, a glint flashed in Xia Wuyang’s eyes. He casually picked up a nearby Bamboo Sword and thrust it forward.

The seemingly ordinary thrust transformed into a sky full of sword shadows the moment he struck.

Each sword shadow’s aura was different—some were fast, some slow; some heavy, some light... It was impossible to defend against, leaving one unsure of how to react.

This was the essence of the Illusory Shadow Sword Technique. It didn’t just use illusions to deceive the eyes; it could also use different auras to interfere with an opponent’s perception.

Even someone with greater Cultivation Power would find it difficult to distinguish the real from the fake in the heat of a rapidly changing battle.

A moment later, his Sword Techniques changed again.

The sword shadows seemed to solidify, roaming about the Practice Room. They swayed like Cyan Bamboo, drifted like ethereal clouds, and rolled like a great river, before finally transforming into kingfishers that fluttered and danced around him.

These were all illusions, of course. Behind the wondrous spectacle lay a fatal killing intent.

"Go..."

With a single command, the kingfishers flew out, weaving through the air. It was as if the Bamboo Sword had left his hand. The resulting illusion was astonishing, a true marvel.

As he further explored the Swordsmanship’s deeper applications, he discovered that combining the Illusory Shadow Sword Technique with the Soul Enchantment Technique produced an even more terrifying effect. An enemy could easily die within an Illusion, never even knowing how it happened.

’If I combine this with my Body and Step Techniques and my Companion Talent, Light as a Feather, the power will be unimaginable!’

At this thought, Xia Wuyang’s figure blurred into a series of afterimages within the Practice Room. Each afterimage wielded a sword, executing techniques that were fierce, gentle, swift, and slow, showcasing the full, wondrous potential of the Illusory Shadow Sword Technique.

To his pleasant surprise, the technique’s energy consumption wasn’t high. In a normal fight, he could use it for several hours without issue.

Its Level was so high that it had far surpassed both the Enchanting Heart Sword Technique and the Cyan Bamboo Sword Technique.

A High Level Spiritual Technique!

This was the Level of the fused Illusory Shadow Sword Technique. Its destructive power and lethality far surpassed what he had before. Although he hadn’t yet reached the True Monarch Realm and couldn’t unleash its full might, it was still a major enhancement.

This High Level Spiritual Technique, a fusion of the Confusing Skill and extremely high sword speed, had once again boosted his overall strength significantly.

However, as Xia Wuyang continued to grow stronger, a short, ghost-like figure silently flitted over the palace walls and slipped into Lizheng Hall.

The Crown Prince Consort, Yun Liyue, was currently in a secret chamber for her Cultivation, not in the Sleeping Palace.

The intruder was completely cloaked in specially made Night Clothes. The fabric seemed to absorb light, rendering him nearly invisible in the darkness.

Even the small animals Xia Wuyang had stationed in Lizheng Hall using his Soul Enchantment Technique failed to detect a trace of him as he slipped inside without a sound.

He held his breath and focused his spirit. His perception, that of a Super Grade Late Stage cultivator, spread out like a spiderweb, carefully probing every corner of the hall. He was searching for traces of the Sword Control Skill, but more importantly, he was on guard against the legendary Elder Qing Yin.

An hour later, he was surprised to have found no trace of a Super Grade Celestial Human’s aura. What’s more, he smoothly located the original manual of the Sword Control Skill in a hidden compartment within Yun Liyue’s Sleeping Palace.

’How strange. They said Lizheng Hall was guarded by an unparalleled expert, one who easily defeated even the Second Elder of Xuan Nu Palace. It doesn’t seem nearly as frightening as the rumors claim.’

The shadowy figure wondered to himself. ’Is this a trap? Or did I just get this easily because the rumored Elder Qing Yin isn’t here tonight?’

After another moment of observation, the shadowy figure departed quietly. He had the original Sword Control Skill manual; what did the rest matter?

His target for the night was the original manual of the Sword Control Skill. Now that his objective was complete, there was no reason to linger.

As for the Elder Qing Yin mentioned by the Third Prince, he hadn’t had the chance to probe her strength, but there would be plenty of time for that later. The priority was to escape with the original Sword Control Skill manual.

The next morning, when Yun Liyue finished her Cultivation and entered the Sleeping Palace, she noticed nothing out of the ordinary.

It wasn’t until she decided to study the Sword Control Skill that she made a horrifying discovery: the original manual was gone without a trace. The thief had not left a single clue behind.

With no time to waste on thought, Yun Liyue immediately began searching for clues and requested that experts in such matters conduct an investigation. Even Liu Yiqing hurried over after hearing the news.

She had been in the middle of investigating Yun Liyue and the mysterious Elder Qing Yin behind her. She never expected to suddenly receive news that a theft had occurred at Lizheng Hall, and that the stolen item was none other than the original Sword Control Skill manual.

Yun Liyue stopped pretending. Through the Xuan Nu Palace, the outside world had already concluded that she was practicing the Sword Control Skill. Now that the original manual was missing, there was no longer any need to be secretive.

Besides, the best results came from reading and comprehending the original manual, as it contained notes from predecessors and even inscriptions left behind using the techniques of the Sword Control Skill itself.

What the outside world wanted most, of course, was the original Sword Control Skill manual. ℯ

With the original manual stolen, the attention on her would lessen, diverting everyone’s focus elsewhere.

Liu Yiqing’s investigation confirmed that there were indeed signs of a break-in at Lizheng Hall. However, the intruder’s concealment methods were so superb that they left behind no clues that could lead to their identification.

The hidden compartment in the Sleeping Palace had indeed been opened using a clever method. If, as Yun Liyue claimed, it had contained the original Sword Control Skill manual, then this Supreme Secret Technique was truly missing.

When the news spread, reactions varied.

Inside Yangxin Hall, Emperor Xia, who had been keeping a close eye on the Sword Control Skill, was astonished. "Isn’t there someone secretly protecting Yun Liyue? How could the original manual still have been stolen? Was the thief so skilled that even her protector failed to notice?"

He didn’t harbor much doubt, as Liu Yiqing had already handed him the investigative report. According to her findings, the incident was most likely genuine, and not a case of Yun Liyue crying wolf.

If Yun Liyue had truly wanted to create a diversion, she would have done so during the most dangerous period earlier. It made little sense to do it now, after the crisis had passed and many factions had already witnessed her strength.

Nevertheless, some still suspected that Yun Liyue was putting on an act. They believed the original Sword Control Skill manual had not been stolen at all and this was just a ploy to divert the world’s constant gaze from her.

They even began to grow suspicious of the peerless expert behind her, the supposed Elder Qing Yin. For Yun Liyue, this was clearly not a favorable development.