Chapter 64: The Last Test
For the next several days, Liu Yiqing would visit Wenhua Hall from time to time to observe Xia Wuyang.
But what she saw and heard was always more or less the same. The elder Crown Prince was either frolicking with the Palace Maids, watching beauties dance, or occasionally playing games that would make one blush.
Even with Liu Yiqing’s composure, it was becoming a bit much to bear. Although he often hid away in the Practice Room, Liu Yiqing could tell that the elder Crown Prince did so partly out of fear, and partly due to his physical limitations.
If his body allowed it, he would indulge in pleasure every single moment. Just as many people said, this elder Crown Prince truly wanted to enjoy every possible delight before he died.
Aside from his boundless debauchery, she discovered nothing out of the ordinary.
She took out her observation notes from the past few days. They detailed the elder Crown Prince’s schedule: he was either indulging in pleasure or on his way to do so.
’Maybe... I really am overthinking this.’ Liu Yiqing couldn’t help but sigh. ’How could a man who spends his days drowning in wine and women have the strength to commit such a crime?’
Even so, Liu Yiqing decided to make one final attempt to probe him.
Under the cover of night, she silently approached the sleeping Xia Wuyang. Gazing at the debauched scene, she suppressed her discomfort and began to carefully examine his body.
The hall was filled with the thick scent of cosmetics, mixed with the rich aroma of wine and the smell of the Dragon and Tiger Elixir, causing her to frown instinctively.
The memories of what she had seen and heard over the past few days made her feel even more uneasy. After all, she was still an innocent young woman, and this was her first time experiencing something so... stimulating.
If the case weren’t so critical, she would never have done this.
The white-haired elder Crown Prince lay on his back in the center of a massive bed, surrounded by several beautiful women. There was a Qiuci Dancer, a young maiden from the Fox Race, and a newly arrived Palace Maid... The silk quilt was half-drawn, revealing his withered and aged chest.
Suppressing her discomfort, Liu Yiqing slowly drew closer.
First, she carefully observed Xia Wuyang’s breathing. It was shallow and erratic, sometimes rapid and sometimes faint—the very picture of old age and decline.
As a Fourth Grade Martial Master, she knew that High Tier Martial Artists could disguise their breathing patterns. If they had cultivated the right Combat Techniques and Secret Techniques, the disguise would be even easier.
After observing for a moment, she extended her slender fingers and gently placed them on Xia Wuyang’s wrist. The pulse she felt was faint and feeble, intermittent and weak—clear signs of a life about to reach its end.
She then gently felt some of the key points on Xia Wuyang’s body but still found nothing.
’Could I really be that paranoid?’
Liu Yiqing wondered to herself, but she still wasn’t convinced. She sent a sliver of her Qi Blood into Xia Wuyang’s body, using it like a sensitive probe to meticulously inspect him for any suspicious signs.
But no matter how thoroughly Liu Yiqing searched, all she could find was that Xia Wuyang’s body was indeed decrepit with age.
The blood flow in his body was extremely slow, showing signs of exhaustion. He wasn’t even a Martial Artist, so how could he possibly have killed an expert of the Upper Three Grades?
She probed for a full half-hour, and only stopped when she risked waking the elder Crown Prince.
’He really is a useless cripple!’
Liu Yiqing sighed softly and withdrew her fingers.
After a moment’s hesitation, she began to investigate Wenhua Hall itself.
She started by inspecting the furnishings. She examined every object with care, not even sparing the ashes in the Incense Burner.
Next, she checked the Practice Room. It was surprisingly tidy. Aside from a bed, an Incense Burner, a Meditation Mat, and other such items, the only other things she found were some Dragon and Tiger Elixirs hidden in secret compartments. There was nothing else out of the ordinary.
She meticulously inspected every inch of Wenhua Hall’s floor, not missing even the faintest trace.
She found nothing strange at all. The only thing she discovered was that there were Palace Attendants in Wenhua Hall spying on the elder Crown Prince, observing him at all times. They were clearly spies sent by other people, or perhaps they had been bribed.
In the end, all her findings indicated that the elder Crown Prince was indeed a cripple and there was nothing abnormal about Wenhua Hall, other than having a few too many spies.
She had indeed been overthinking things, and her heart was filled with mixed emotions.
The elder Crown Prince, Xia Wuyang, truly had nothing to do with the recent events.
Liu Yiqing quietly left Wenhua Hall and disappeared into the Eastern Palace, heading off to search for other suspicious leads.
The moment Liu Yiqing left Wenhua Hall, a light flashed in the eyes of the reveling Xia Wuyang. His eyes were as clear as water, with no trace of their former cloudiness.
"She’s finally gone!" Xia Wuyang muttered. Once the beauties in the Sleeping Palace were sound asleep, he once again slipped quietly into the Practice Room.
If that Liu Yiqing hadn’t left soon, Xia Wuyang would have had to use other means to get rid of her, lest she continue to delay his cultivation.
Inside the Practice Room, he activated his Mental Force Field. His formerly hunched body instantly straightened, his withered muscles filled out, and his aged face immediately reverted to that of a young man.
Qi Blood surged through his body like a tide, with phantoms of a dragon and tiger swirling around him. There was not the slightest sign of decay.
His Dragon Storage Skill was at the Perfection realm. Moreover, it was an improved Top Level Secret Technique, its effects far beyond imagination and even more potent than described in ancient texts. How could a mere Fourth Grade Martial Artist like Liu Yiqing possibly have detected it?
He took out a High Level Treasure Sword he had obtained from Princess Huanzhu. As he lightly caressed its blade, the sword vibrated faintly, as if awaiting his command.
His Escape Concealment Sword Technique had not yet reached Perfection. He planned to cultivate it now, along with the Stealth Technique, effectively combining the two.
He moved like a phantom, darting back and forth across the secret room. The light from his sword flowed like water, and each strike was traceless, its origin impossible to discern.
It was silent and soundless, as if it had merged into the air, leaving no trace behind.
His Combat Techniques, Secret Techniques, and Cultivation Technique... all were steadily improving. When the new day arrived, his Spiritual Power increased by another point. At this rate, he didn’t know when he would be able to awaken a new Companion Talent.
Xia Wuyang looked forward to that day. He hoped he would awaken a relatively practical Companion Talent—preferably one that increased his power and ability to survive. That way, he would have more trump cards to play in the depths of the palace.
Take this time, for example. If he hadn’t had his Personal Space to hide all the stolen treasures and resources, instead of leaving them in Wenhua Hall, it was quite possible that the Divine Female Constable, Liu Yiqing, might have actually discovered something.
Now, every suspicious item from Wenhua Hall was hidden in his Personal Space. There was still plenty of room inside, enough to store many more things.
To the people of this world, a Personal Space was simply unimaginable. They would never think such a thing existed, let alone suspect him of having one.
In the future, he could use the Personal Space to clean up many loose ends without leaving a single trace.
Just as Xia Wuyang was preparing to cultivate in peace for a while before going to retrieve his Dragon Roar Sword, one of the palace’s former concubines brought him another surprise.