Chapter 209 - 208: Talent Soars

Chapter 209: Chapter 208: Talent Soars

Faced with the furious Emperor Xia, Divine Female Constable Liu Yiqing could only kneel on the ground, not daring to make a sound.

After his temper had subsided, Emperor Xia said sternly, "Liu Yiqing, how long has it been? You still haven’t found a single trace of the culprit. Since you’re incapable, I’ll just have someone else take over."

"This subject is incompetent!" Liu Yiqing lowered her head.

Emperor Xia snorted coldly and turned to leave the palace. At the same time, he ordered more men to be mobilized to search for the thief’s whereabouts and recover the stolen resources and treasures as quickly as possible.

That afternoon, the Divine Capture Sect dispatched several Divine Constables, leading nearly a hundred Famous Constables, to enter the Inner Treasury and the National Treasury to search for any traces left by the thief.

These were all renowned figures in the Jianghu, now gathered both inside and outside the Imperial Palace. Most of them were men, and they could no longer be concerned with whether their presence would disturb the concubines in the palace—a clear sign of how desperate Emperor Xia had become.

However, what they didn’t know was that the thief was currently lounging on a soft couch in Wenhua Hall. He had his arms around Su Ling’Er on his left and a newly arrived Qiuci Dancer on his right, savoring the feeling of their warm, soft bodies.

During this time, masters from the Divine Capture Sect also came to investigate. Xia Wuyang let them search every inch of Wenhua Hall, inside and out, but they found nothing and could only leave resentfully to continue their search elsewhere.

Before long, cries of alarm and women’s sharp rebukes echoed from the palaces of some of the concubines.

Seizing the opportunity, Xia Wuyang even requested additional Guards to protect Wenhua Hall, lest the thief break in, but the Ministry of Internal Affairs rejected his request.

A fatuous Crown Prince whose palace only contained Dragon and Tiger Elixir—what was there to steal? Never mind the thief; even they themselves looked down on him.

By the evening of the next day, Xia Wuyang had adjusted his Essence, Qi, and Spirit, and was ready to consume the Special Mortal Jade Marrow Reishi.

Xia Wuyang naturally wouldn’t delay, lest complications arise from waiting. After enjoying his evening meal and the company of a few flower-like young women, he was sent to the Practice Room to rest.

As soon as he locked the stone door from the inside, Xia Wuyang took out the Jade Marrow Reishi, preparing to consume it and greatly improve his Talent and Qualification.

The Luminous Pearl in the Practice Room cast a soft glow that fell upon Xia Wuyang.

He sat cross-legged on the Jade Couch and opened the Cold Jade Box containing the Jade Marrow Reishi. The moment he did, a pure medicinal power filled the air, making the entire Practice Room feel like a forest in spring.

The Jade Marrow Reishi was as translucent as jade, with naturally formed, cloud-like patterns on its surface. A faint, cyan light flowed across it—a special substance formed from absorbing countless years of solar and lunar essence. It would be difficult for such a substance to form in less than several hundred years.

"HUU..."

Xia Wuyang took a deep breath. His Essence, Qi, and Spirit were adjusted to their Peak, and he was ready to begin absorbing the medicinal power of the Jade Marrow Reishi.

After his recent improvements, and with his Spiritual Power steadily increasing by one point each day, Xia Wuyang’s Talent and Qualification had also been continuously improving.

Although it was a bit slow, the cumulative effect over time had allowed him to advance a fair way within the Extraordinary Talent Level, bringing him closer and closer to the Unparalleled Level.

’This Jade Marrow Reishi should be equivalent to several years of my accumulation.’

He placed it in his mouth, and it truly melted instantly. A gentle stream of medicinal power continuously seeped into his body, improving Xia Wuyang’s talent, qualification, and Foundation at an astonishing rate. It even provided a certain boost to his overall strength.

Any minor injuries that had appeared in his body from today’s cultivation were also rapidly repaired, leaving no lasting damage behind, just as before.

After all, he possessed a Supreme Talent. While increasing his Spiritual Power by one point each day, it also constantly repaired his various hidden injuries.

Therefore, Xia Wuyang could be much bolder in his daily Cultivation. The Elixirs he consumed and the methods he used were more intense than those of an ordinary Martial Artist, so his rate of improvement was naturally faster.

As his Talent and Qualification grew, his Comprehension was also strengthened and enhanced. Xia Wuyang felt a faint sense of sudden enlightenment, which soothed his Heart Spirit.

The growth brought about by the improvement of his Talent and Qualification was multifaceted. While the most important aspect of an Unparalleled Level genius was their astonishing Cultivation Speed, their other attributes wouldn’t be too shabby either.

For example, the ability to deduce many things from a single fact, a stable Foundation, and astounding Comprehension... all of these were also involved. Otherwise, how could one be worthy of the title "Unparalleled" based on astonishing Cultivation Speed alone?

However, the degree of improvement in these other areas was not as great; the main effect was still the increase in Cultivation Speed.

This transformation lasted for several hours. It wasn’t until just before dawn that Xia Wuyang finally opened his eyes.

At this moment, his Talent and Qualification had risen by a huge margin. He was now about two-thirds of the way to the Unparalleled Level. If he were to consume around three more Special Mortal Treasures, he might be able to push his Talent and Qualification to the Unparalleled Level.

But Xia Wuyang also knew this was little more than a fool’s dream.

Emperor Xia had accumulated treasures for so many years, yet there was only a single Special Mortal Treasure in the Inner Treasury. How could such a treasure be easy to obtain?

’It’s the kind of thing you can only stumble upon by chance, not seek out deliberately. It requires fortune and opportunity.’

He reached out and clenched his fist, feeling how much lighter his body had become. Xia Wuyang nodded in satisfaction.

Sensing carefully, he found that along with the enhancement of his Talent and Qualification, his skin, muscles, bones, five viscera, six bowels, blood, and other aspects had all improved, becoming even more extraordinary.

He stood up and stretched his limbs. Every movement seemed much more coordinated. He casually threw a palm strike, and its power had increased significantly.

’If I could raise my talent to the Unparalleled Level, the changes would surely be even greater.’

An Unparalleled Level talent was a qualification seen once in a thousand years. For someone possessing it, breaking through realms was as easy as drinking water. They could be considered a guaranteed future True Monarch, with a high probability of ascending to the True Monarch Realm.

It should also play a significant role later on when breaking through the Qi Refining Stage and striving for higher levels.

He tested his current Cultivation Speed. Whether he was practicing Cultivation Techniques or Combat Techniques and Secret Techniques, his speed was a huge leap forward, far more efficient than before.

While cultivating, more insights would also surface, accelerating his Cultivation Speed and deepening his understanding.

The feeling was truly delightful.

’I wonder when I’ll be able to consume the next Special Miracle Treasure. I’ll need to pay more attention to Emperor Xia’s private stash. According to Zheng Zhicang, among the Miracle Treasures Emperor Xia snatched from the Luo River Secret Realm back then, there was more than one Special Miracle Treasure.’

’Although he might have already consumed some, there’s a chance he has duplicates still on his person.’

’Besides, as the Emperor of the Great Xia, who rules over a territory of 36 million square kilometers, his chances of obtaining Special Miracle Treasures are much greater than mine. He needs to be watched closely.’

’Once I overthrow Xia Shengming and become Emperor Xia myself, I can personally dispatch people to search for them.’

While Xia Wuyang was savoring the delightful effects of the Jade Marrow Reishi, things were not going so well for Emperor Xia.