When Xia Wuyang was young, he practiced the Dragon Tiger Fist. He reached the Third Floor Perfection, equivalent to the Seventh Grade Perfect Realm, in just over a decade.
Had he not focused on building a solid Foundation to reach higher levels in the future, he might have already reached Sixth Grade or even the Fifth Grade Realm by the time he was thirty.
His original Talent and Qualification had been quite good. While not Top Level, it was still above average. Combined with a large amount of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures to aid him, his Cultivation Speed was not slow.
One could only imagine what it felt like to be cultivating the Dragon Tiger Fist once more.
He had already mastered this top-level Body Refining Technique so thoroughly that knowing it backward and forward was a simple matter.
While indulging in food, drink, and entertainment, Xia Wuyang had been re-examining the Dragon Tiger Fist. He’d had many new insights and made subtle improvements to make it a better fit for his body.
’Since I’m going to cultivate the Dragon Tiger Fist again, I’ll start with the Dragon Form Stance!’
Xia Wuyang spread his legs slightly, his stance like an old tree’s gnarled roots, and began to practice the Dragon Tiger Fist. ’The Dragon Form is calm and serene, while the Tiger Form is active. Only when dragon and tiger converge can one condense the Dragon and Tiger Qi Blood and achieve the posture of a Dragon Coiling and Tiger Crouching.’
Soon, he felt the blood in his body begin to boil. As if it were the most natural thing in the world, he effortlessly condensed the Dragon and Tiger Qi Blood, reached Entry Level again, and set foot on the path of Cultivation once more.
Ninth Grade Initial Stage!
The Strengthening Body Realm!
Xia Wuyang closed his eyes and focused, feeling the nascent warm current inside him. After forty-two long years, the sensation of Qi and Blood Power flowing through his body once more actually made his eyes sting.
At first, the warm current was as thin as a silk thread, but it gradually grew stronger with the passage of time, circulating endlessly through his limbs and torso.
The medicinal power accumulated from years of consuming Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures was now being absorbed by the Dragon Tiger Fist, transformed into sustenance for his growth.
Xia Wuyang also had a few bottles of nourishing elixirs on him, ready to replenish his energy at any moment.
His Qi and Blood Power rapidly strengthened, his physical constitution improved at a breakneck pace, and his Cultivation Realm was also constantly breaking through.
No, to be precise, it wasn’t a breakthrough, but a recovery.
Ninth Grade Middle Stage!
Ninth Grade Late Stage!
Ninth Grade Perfection!
The breakthroughs in his realm came as naturally as water flowing into a channel. He soon returned to the Eighth Grade Realm, the Skin Refining Realm. As the name suggests, this realm required the tempering and enhancement of the skin all over his body.
A great deal of medicinal power was still accumulated within him. Decades of rare delicacies now all transformed into surging Essence. The latent medicinal power deep within his body melted away like spring snow, nourishing every inch of his reborn form.
Eighth Grade Initial Stage... Qi Blood, thin as silk, seeped into his skin!
Eighth Grade Middle Stage... Skin becomes as tough as cowhide!
Eighth Grade Late Stage... Qi Blood surges like a tide, providing astonishing Defense!
Eighth Grade Perfection... Skin as hard as iron, difficult for blades and spears to pierce.
...
The progress he made in a single hour was equivalent to ten years of bitter Cultivation for an ordinary person.
His strength had returned to Eighth Grade Perfection. The next step up was the Seventh Grade realm—the very realm he had reached before he was crippled.
After decades of stagnation, returning to Eighth Grade Perfection in a single burst left even Xia Wuyang feeling overwhelmed. He didn’t dare to continue pushing and slowly began to calm his agitated Qi Blood.
Although the threshold to the Seventh Grade was within reach, he still needed time to consolidate his gains.
The Martial Dao of this world was divided into ten grades in total: Ninth Grade Strengthened Body, Eighth Grade Skin Refining, Seventh Grade Flesh Refining, Sixth Grade Tendon Refining, Fifth Grade Bone Refining, Fourth Grade Organ Refining, Third Grade Viscera Refining, Second Grade Marrow Refining, First Grade Blood Exchange... and beyond them, the Super Grade Celestial Human.
The Emperor of the Great Xia, Xia Shengming, was a Super Grade Celestial Human. Each grade was further subdivided into four minor realms: Initial Stage, Middle Stage, Late Stage, and Perfection.
In his first Cultivation session, Xia Wuyang had broken through two Grand Realms and eight minor realms. It would not be an exaggeration to say this was a case of releasing long-accumulated potential; the improvement was undeniably massive.
After breaking through to the Eighth Grade, his lifespan surged by more than a decade, and his body was rejuvenated. At this rate, it wouldn’t be long before he could perhaps return to his youthful appearance.
However, for the sake of safety, Xia Wuyang used his Dragon Storage Skill as usual to conceal everything. The man in the mirror returned to his decrepit, elderly state to avoid anyone discovering the abnormality.
After consolidating and adapting to his explosive increase in Cultivation and strength, Xia Wuyang returned to the Sleeping Palace to accompany Han Su and Xuang Yi. The two had not yet woken up, completely unaware that in just over an hour, the useless Crown Prince had been utterly transformed.
Without disturbing the two women, and considering that he would need more supplements for his future Cultivation, an idea formed in Xia Wuyang’s mind.
With his hair disheveled and his clothes in disarray, he threw open the hall doors and roared at the eunuchs and Palace Maids waiting outside, "Two Palace Maids are not enough! Today, I want to sleep with ten! And bring me ten more bottles of nourishing elixirs!"
Having said his piece, he slammed the doors shut and waited for the Palace Maids and nourishing elixirs to arrive.
With his current strength, he no longer needed nourishing elixirs when it came to carnal matters. However, to avoid arousing suspicion and to gather more resources for his Cultivation, he had no choice but to act this way.
The Palace Attendants outside were stunned by his words. It took them a good while to come to their senses before they scrambled to make preparations, not daring to delay for a single moment.
Ten Palace Maids filed into Wenhua Hall, awaiting Xia Wuyang’s favor.
The many hidden spies and informants were left dumbfounded, but they didn’t grow suspicious.
"Ten bottles of nourishing elixirs? That’s against regulations. Should we really get them? Will there be a problem?"
"The man is already a cripple, what kind of problem could there be? Just go get them, quickly. Otherwise, if something does happen, we’ll be the ones facing the dire consequences."
"He can’t even be peaceful in his old age. Wanting to sleep with ten women... isn’t he afraid he’ll die in bed?"
"He’s a dying man one way or another. Just let him run wild."
...
After a brief discussion, the eunuchs and Palace Maids hurried to the Inner Treasury to retrieve the nourishing elixirs. They dared not delay for a second, fearing the Dying Crown Prince might perish in bed before the Elixirs even arrived.
The news spread like wildfire throughout the Imperial Palace, causing many a Prince and Princess to sneer, thinking their elder brother was becoming increasingly senile.
A man in his seventies with no Cultivation to his name, his days clearly numbered, was still indulging himself so wantonly.
’Is he afraid he won’t die fast enough?’
「In the Eastern Palace, Xian De Hall.」
The Crown Prince Consort, Yun Liyue, had also received the news. Although she was over sixty years old, because of her Cultivation, she looked no different from a young maiden.
Her skin was fairer than snow, her brows like distant mountains. Her almond-shaped eyes were as clear as water, yet so deep they seemed capable of seeing into a person’s very soul.
She stood before a carved window, gazing in the direction of Wenhua Hall.
The candlelight flickered across her cool, picturesque face, casting her in a noble beauty reminiscent of moonlight.
"Is what you’re saying true? The Crown Prince summoned ten Palace Maids to attend to him in Wenhua Hall?"
The Palace Maid, Cyan Bamboo, lowered her head. "Your Highness, the matter has already spread throughout the Eastern Palace. In fact, many people in the Imperial Palace have heard about it. It is said His Highness has already prepared ten brocade couches in the Sleeping Palace..."
Yun Liyue’s fingers paused slightly. The orchid leaf she had been toying with was crushed into fine powder. A hint of anger flickered across her exquisitely picturesque face.
"Prepare the sedan chair. I am going to Wenhua Hall."
Her voice was as calm as still water, yet it carried an undeniable, resolute edge.