GULP...
The Celestial Water Essence slid down his throat, and a familiar medicinal power surged through him. Xia Wuyang was already circulating the Dragon Tiger Fist, beginning to absorb and digest the vast yet gentle medicinal power.
His Qi and Blood Power rose rapidly, and his five viscera were tempered to a greater degree as impurities were continuously flushed out.
He didn’t dare to be careless, making every move with extreme caution for fear of damaging his viscera.
However, with eighty points of Spiritual Power assisting him, he could direct every ounce of Qi Blood and Celestial Water Essence as easily as moving his own limbs. Such a problem was basically impossible.
’Having strong Spiritual Power really lets you do whatever you want.’
In just half an hour, his Dragon and Tiger Qi Blood soared to its limit. His five viscera were tempered even further, and he touched the edge of a bottleneck.
He didn’t try to break through immediately. Instead, he consolidated and acclimated to his new state before launching his assault.
CRACK...
Soon, the sound of something shattering came from within his five viscera. The bottleneck collapsed, allowing his Dragon and Tiger Qi Blood to continue rising and his viscera to be tempered on a deeper level.
Fourth Grade Late Stage!
Astonishing Kidney Power, an Unyielding Golden Spear!
This was one of the most important hallmarks of the Fourth Grade Late Stage, something many men dreamed of achieving.
For Xia Wuyang, however, it was merely the icing on the cake. He was already quite potent.
The outside world believed his prowess came from the Dragon and Tiger Elixir. Even the Qiuci Dancer, the Fox Race beauty, and the Brothel Courtesan who served him thought so. But only he knew the truth: although he had taken those Dragon and Tiger Elixirs, he had used them all for his Cultivation, not wasting a single drop.
Under the effects of the Celestial Water Essence, the next bottleneck was also quickly broken, and he reached a new level.
Fourth Grade Perfection!
Able to hold his breath for several hours, and go ten rounds in bed.
This was Fourth Grade Perfection. The five viscera had been astonishingly tempered and enhanced, giving rise to all sorts of phenomena and improving a Martial Artist’s overall qualities in every aspect.
The beating of his heart was so powerful it could even make the nearby table tremble, containing an immense, surging power.
His liver seemed to have turned emerald green, and what flowed through its lobes was not ordinary bile, but a Spiritual Liquid that glowed with a jade-like light.
His spleen appeared to have become an earth-yellow Jade, and with each slight tremor, it emitted a clear chime like a bell or a lithophone.
...
Rosy clouds seemed to materialize within his five viscera. The so-called Five Qi Chaoyuan was perhaps this very level.
When the Celestial Water Essence was completely consumed, these clouds became extremely dense, shrouding all five viscera.
The feeling of complete clarity was invigorating, making his entire body feel at ease.
The tempering of his heart made his Qi Blood boil like lava, capable of unleashing unimaginable destructive force, Attack Power, and lethality.
The tempering of his liver could increase his wound-healing speed by several, or even dozens of times, far beyond an ordinary person’s imagination.
The tempering of his spleen allowed him to withstand all kinds of Attacks, greatly strengthening his Defense.
The tempering of his lungs made his every move astonishingly sharp, allowing him to easily pierce through all sorts of enemies.
The tempering of his kidneys made his stamina increasingly astounding, reaching a level that ordinary people could only dream of.
...
He was now very, very close to the Third Grade Realm.
As long as he properly consolidated his foundation and cultivated for a while longer, he would be able to attempt a breakthrough to the Third Grade Realm.
Moreover, the increase in his physical attributes from his enhanced Spiritual Power would undoubtedly shorten this time significantly.
Before long, he would be able to rank among the Upper Three Grades and catch up to the most powerful Princes and Princesses.
’It had only been a few months since I awakened my Seven-Aperture Exquisite Talent, and I’ve already caught up. If those "dear" brothers and sisters of mine found out, I can’t imagine the looks on their faces.’
This made Xia Wuyang quite eager with anticipation. As dawn approached, all the phenomena subsided.
Xia Wuyang once again reverted to his decrepit, elderly appearance. He silently returned to the brocade couch, letting the Courtesan’s jade-like leg rest on his body, the Qiuci Dancer’s soft form press against his face, and his own hand slip inside the Fox Race beauty’s clothes.
His face wore a look of exhaustion and stupor, the aftermath of debauchery, as if he had been defeated by the beautiful women once again last night.
No one could tell what earth-shattering power this aged body could unleash if it ever erupted.
However, the joy of his breakthrough was soon interrupted by an unexpected event, casting a shadow of melancholy over Xia Wuyang.
Once again, in the dead of night, Xia Wuyang, who was cultivating in his Practice Room, faintly detected a soft sound outside and immediately returned to the brocade couch.
Soon, a figure carrying a unique fragrance appeared beside the couch. Her features were as lovely as a painting, exquisitely peerless. Her skin was like the purest white nephrite jade from the snowfields, and her amber eyes were captivating.
Even though she was over fifty years old, she still possessed the youthful beauty of a young maiden. Standing beside Xia Wuyang, she looked less like his Consort and more like his granddaughter.
She stared blankly at the decrepit Crown Prince before her, scenes from the past flashing through her mind. Even though their feelings had faded over the years, she still couldn’t help but often recall the days of their youth.
Back then, the Crown Prince had been so admirable. Even she, the most beautiful daughter of the Great Desert, had been deeply moved by him, willingly following him to White Jade City to become his Consort.
But no one could have imagined that so much would happen later, that the once high-spirited Crown Prince would become so decadent and despondent, now looking as if he were not long for this world.
She was Princess Xiang Yun, from a small kingdom in the Western Regions. Once hailed as the Pearl of the Western Regions, countless men from those lands would have done anything for her.
At this moment, Princess Xiang Yun, dressed in a goose-yellow gauze skirt, trod upon the flowers that littered the floor of the Sleeping Palace. The Golden Bells on her wrist chimed softly, seeming to carry the aura of the Great Desert, before which even the hall full of flowers had to bow their heads.
Feigning sleep, Xia Wuyang realized what was happening. Through his Mental Force Field, he "watched" Princess Xiang Yun, whose face was filled with reluctance and sorrow, and felt a pang of sadness in his own heart.
’If not for the current special circumstances—the Imperial Palace is fraught with danger, I don’t yet have enough strength, and I want to protect the concubines of the Eastern Palace—I would have revealed my true power long ago.’
After a long moment, Princess Xiang Yun gently shook Xia Wuyang awake. She led him to the hidden Practice Room, where she gave him a graceful bow, her delicate little face full of apology. "Your Highness, Xiang Yun... Xiang Yun has come to say farewell. I beg for Your Highness’s permission."
"You’re leaving me too?" Xia Wuyang deliberately feigned displeasure and anger, glaring at Princess Xiang Yun and speaking in a harsh tone.
Princess Xiang Yun’s eyes reddened. She bowed to Xia Wuyang again. "Your Highness knows that I have never been able to get used to this place. If not for Your Highness, I would never have come to White Jade City."
"If I no longer had Your Highness to bind me here, I would have returned to the Great Desert long ago. Besides, the situation in the Great Desert is not good right now. My Cultivation has seen some success, and I wish to return to help my royal father and mother. I implore Your Highness to grant my request."
As she spoke, tears fell from her eyes. She prostrated herself before Xia Wuyang, unable to speak for a long time.