The tempering of the five viscera, each organ strengthening the others!
Xia Wuyang’s Qi Blood surged like a dragon. The Celestial Water Essence and Dragon and Tiger Qi Blood coursed through his body in a continuous cycle. With each revolution, his five viscera grew tougher and purer.
At a certain moment, a tremor ran through his body as his Qi and Blood Power erupted completely. An unprecedentedly powerful aura swept out from him.
Fourth Grade Martial Artist!
Organ Refining Realm!
He had achieved it. He was now qualified to be called a Martial Master, a teacher of the Martial Dao who could guide the cultivation of most other Martial Artists.
His lifespan had increased further, giving him ample time for future cultivation breakthroughs.
With every move, he could unleash over ten thousand kilograms of power. His breathing was deep and sustained, and his stamina had soared. In a life-or-death battle, he could fight continuously for hours on end.
He slowly opened his eyes. Within his pupils, a Star River seemed to flow, deep and vast. Not a trace of his former aged appearance remained.
"Haaaah..."
He let out a long, turbid breath and looked down at his own hand. As he slowly clenched his fist, a series of crisp cracks echoed from his knuckles.
Power. Unprecedented power!
Prowess. Unprecedented physical prowess!
Right now, although he was only a Fourth Grade Martial Master, the boost to his physique from his growing Spiritual Power gave him the strength to fight a Third Grade Martial Artist.
Combined with his Nether Acupuncture Needle, Dragon and Phoenix Body Technique, the combat methods of his Dragon Tiger Fist, and his Soul Capturing Technique... he might even be able to win.
He had completely absorbed this portion of the Celestial Water Essence. His cultivation was now approaching the Fourth Grade Middle Stage, having advanced him by an entire Grand Realm.
It might not seem like a huge leap, but this was a breakthrough into the Fourth Grade Realm, not the Sixth or Fifth Grade Realms like before. To advance this much at this stage was exceptionally rare.
Countless Fifth Grade Martial Artists were stuck, unable to cross into this new Grand Realm. The power of the Celestial Water Essence was undeniable; it had almost pushed him up another minor realm.
If he took the remaining portion of Celestial Water Essence, he could reach the Fourth Grade Late Stage at a minimum, perhaps even Fourth Grade Perfection.
At that point, he could attempt to break into the Third Grade Realm—one of the Upper Three Grades. Among the Princes and Princesses of the Great Xia Royal Family, those who managed to reach the Upper Three Grades were few and far between, not even enough to count on one hand.
Each one was a powerful contender for the throne. If Xia Wuyang could reach the Third Grade Realm and reveal his true strength, he would undoubtedly stabilize his position as Crown Prince, perhaps even strengthening it.
However, the thought of an investigation from years ago, and of his mother’s sudden "Qigong Deviation," sent a chill through his heart.
’They even dared to make a move on my mother back then. It just goes to show how powerful the mastermind is. If I hadn’t been seen as a useless cripple all these years, I’d probably be long dead by now.’
’So, the Third Grade isn’t enough. I need to be stronger. I’ll need to be at least as powerful as Emperor Xia before I can even think about revealing anything.’
’I’m also suspicious of my so-called father, the Emperor. After all, when Mother died so unexpectedly, he seemed far too calm.’
’Both Mother and I suffered calamities one after the other, yet Emperor Xia only investigated for a few months before hastily calling it off. Could he have been involved? Or did he discover someone so powerful that even he was afraid?’
’Even the Royal Family has to tread carefully around the factions supporting certain Princes. Was it one of them?’
Xia Wuyang didn’t have the answers. But he knew that as his Cultivation Realm continued to rise, he would one day unravel all these mysteries and eliminate every last one of his enemies, no matter who they were.
After his breakthrough, the next step was to consolidate his new realm and adapt to his power. He would then have to meticulously polish his cultivation until his Foundation was perfectly smooth and flawless. Only then could he consume the next bottle of Celestial Water Essence.
With his Spiritual Power growing daily and his Comprehension rising with it, polishing his Foundation wouldn’t take too long. In a few dozen days at most, he would be ready to consume the next bottle of Celestial Water Essence.
At that time, his cultivation and strength would take another leap forward. After that, he could use Dragon Elephant Blood Coagulation Pills to slowly progress until he reached Fourth Grade Perfection and could attempt his breakthrough to the Third Grade Realm.
He would use this time to properly consolidate his realm and prepare for his advancement into the Upper Three Grades.
In a few more months, Princess Ling Yi might be able to procure another Middle Level Miracle Treasure to help him raise his Cultivation Realm.
The future was indeed promising. ’I wonder if any of the other Princes and Princesses have Miracle Treasures, aside from Xia Lingyue. When the time comes, I can use the Language of the Heart and have the birds in the palace keep a close eye on them.’
With a slight smile, Xia Wuyang immersed himself in his cultivation. As dawn approached, he returned to the Sleeping Palace to accompany the various beauties in their sleep, getting in some ’exercise’ on the side.
During his breaks, he would secretly circulate his Qi and Blood Power, practicing his Cultivation Technique, Combat Techniques, and Secret Techniques. The days passed in peace and stability. No one bothered him—or rather, everyone couldn’t be bothered with the Dying Crown Prince, and were just waiting for him to kick the bucket.
Spiritual Power +1!
Without him realizing it, nearly two months had passed since the awakening of his Seven-Aperture Exquisite. With this latest increase, his Spiritual Power had now reached sixty points.
Every ten points marked a bottleneck, and he had just broken through another small one.
Feeling the rapid increase in his Spiritual Power—and with it, his memory, understanding, and Comprehension—Xia Wuyang felt slightly intoxicated. He gained deeper insights into his various Cultivation Techniques, Combat Techniques, and Secret Techniques.
Now he could further refine and enhance them in preparation for his future cultivation.
His physique was also spurred on by his Spiritual Power, improving by a large margin. It didn’t just raise his Cultivation Realm; it also enhanced his potential, his Foundation, his Defense... every aspect of his being, not just a select few.
After all, each increase in his Spiritual Power encompassed seven different aspects. To support such growth, his body’s overall condition had to improve, not just one single facet.
This time, as his Spiritual Power broke through to a new level, he didn’t awaken a new Companion Talent. He had just awakened one at fifty points, so it was naturally too soon for another.
He wondered if he would awaken a new Companion Talent when his Spiritual Power reached seventy points.
Even a support-type Companion Talent would provide him with considerable help.
After this breakthrough, when he began cultivating the Soul Capturing Technique, he had a feeling that everything was as clear as the lines on his palm.
In a trance, Xia Wuyang became completely immersed. His Soul Capturing Technique, which was already at the Great Success level, began to advance rapidly, and his Spiritual Power even rose along with it.
All sorts of inspiration flooded his mind. This didn’t just advance his Soul Capturing Technique; it gave him deeper insights, allowing him to refine the technique, making it more compatible with his own nature and even more powerful.
At this rate, it might not be long before his Soul Capturing Technique could break through the Top Level and advance to an even higher plane.
’I wonder what level lies beyond the Top Level!’