Xia Wuyang was engrossed in his cultivation, eager to solidify his Foundation, break through to the Upper Three Grades, and prepare to steal the Bone Marrow Cleansing Fruit.
Meanwhile, Yun Shuang, the junior sister of the Tunneling Sect, was busy scouting the Imperial Palace, particularly the area around the Eastern Palace, to prepare for Xia Wuyang’s assassination.
Each pursued their own goal, both incredibly busy.
As night fell, just after Xia Wuyang had bedded several Palace Maids, he once again entered the Practice Room to cultivate.
A slender, graceful figure silently arrived near the Eastern Palace.
She landed in a tree with dense foliage, her form blending with the leaves and branches until she was nearly invisible.
The Tunneling Sect’s Stealth Technique was world-renowned. In both fame and power, it was in no way inferior to the Royal Family’s Dragon Storage Skill—and perhaps even surpassed it.
Yun Shuang’s talent was astounding. Though only in her twenties, she had already cultivated the technique to the Great Success Realm.
This was why she dared to infiltrate the Imperial Palace alone in search of Xia Wuyang.
Over twenty years ago, in a quest for a treasure capable of mending the body, the Eastern Palace’s Iron Cavalry had destroyed the entire Yun Family. Only she had been lucky enough to be saved by her master, narrowly escaping the slaughter.
It was a blood feud. Even if it cost her her life, she would kill the elder Crown Prince with her own hands.
’Xia Wuyang... Don’t even think about dying a comfortable death!’ Yun Shuang’s teeth were clenched, her nails digging deep into her palms. Even after so many years, whenever she remembered that night, her chest felt like it was about to explode.
Dark clouds obscured the moon, and the lanterns of the Imperial Palace failed to illuminate every corner.
Yun Shuang landed lightly. With her Stealth Technique at the Great Success level, she melted back into the shadows and moved toward the Eastern Palace.
Her fingertips brushed the wall, feeling for gaps between the bricks as she scaled the palace wall like a gecko.
But she quickly came to a halt, utterly silent and still, as if she didn’t exist.
A moment later, a patrol of Guards passed by, their conversation drifting to matters of the Eastern Palace.
"This damned weather keeps getting hotter. If it’s like this at night, I can only imagine the daytime."
"Enough with the chatter. Keep a sharp eye on our surroundings and don’t let anyone sneak in. This is right next to the Eastern Palace. If anything happens, we’ll be the ones to answer for it."
"The elder Crown Prince is on death’s door anyway, so who cares if something happens? He spends his days in debauchery and his nights in song. What a comfortable life he leads."
"So what if it’s comfortable? He’s only got a few months left at most. His comfort will be over soon enough. Nothing to be envious of."
...
Once the footsteps faded, a cold glint flashed in Yun Shuang’s eyes. She pressed on toward the Eastern Palace. The deeper she went, the more patrolling Guards and Palace Attendants she encountered.
Pushing her Stealth Technique to its absolute limit, Yun Shuang moved through the palace shadows like a phantom. But soon, she stopped short.
Her keen senses warned her of a hidden danger lurking in the shadows ahead.
’A mechanism? A trap? Or something else?’
This was the heart of the Great Xia Royal Family’s domain, home to countless Princes, Princesses, and concubines. Beyond the layers of Guards and Imperial Experts, how could it possibly lack protective Arrays and traps?
The area ahead was completely covered by mechanisms, traps, and special Arrays. Together with the surrounding Guards and Imperial Experts, it formed a Heaven- and Earth-Spreading Net, leaving almost no openings.
She could not advance any further from this direction.
Yun Shuang observed for a while, and, realizing she could not get through, quietly circled around to try other approaches, searching for any gap or weakness that would allow her to press deeper.
But after trying several different directions, she still couldn’t find a way to proceed. With time running out, Yun Shuang had no choice but to retreat in frustration. She would wait for another chance to observe, biding her time until the moment she could finally infiltrate the Eastern Palace and kill the elder Crown Prince.
However, just as she was leaving the Imperial City, she sensed someone appear beside her. She was about to strike when the person spoke. "Junior Sister, it’s me."
She looked toward the voice and saw it was her fourth senior brother, Li Mo. He too was concealed in the shadows of the trees, his gaunt face barely visible.
"Junior Sister, give this up," Li Mo said softly. "It’s too dangerous. Even our master wouldn’t dare to rashly charge into the Imperial Palace. An attempt like this is a suicide mission."
Yun Shuang frowned. "Fourth Senior Brother, have you been following me?"
"Everyone is worried about you," Li Mo sighed. "Master sent me to protect you in secret. He was afraid you might do something foolish."
Yun Shuang let out a cold laugh. "My parents suffered a brutal death, and my entire family was wiped out. Seeking revenge for them—you call that foolish?"
"The elder Crown Prince is already terminally ill. Everyone says he won’t survive the winter. Why do you have to take this risk? You could lose your own life," Li Mo said helplessly, trying to reason with her.
"Dying of old age? That would be letting him off far too easily. He slaughtered my entire Yun Family and has lived freely for all these years. Now he expects to die peacefully in his bed? I will not allow it."
Yun Shuang spoke with iron resolve, "I will personally cut off his head, tell him to his face why I am killing him, and make him die in despair and regret. It will be an offering to the one hundred seventy-three souls of my Yun Family."
"I understand how you feel," Li Mo said gravely, "but is this really necessary? To throw your own life away for a dying man—it’s not worth it. Even if you succeed, how will you escape? That elder Crown Prince is surrounded by beauties day and night. Do you really think you can kill him without alerting anyone? Even our master would struggle to do that. Once you’re discovered, the consequences will be unimaginable."
"So what if it costs me my life?" Yun Shuang replied without hesitation. "Don’t try to persuade me anymore, Fourth Senior Brother. My mind is made up. I’d rather risk everything to take down that old bastard than continue this living death."
Li Mo’s brow furrowed. "Junior Sister, Master and all our senior brothers are waiting for you at home. Come back with me."
"I can’t." Yun Shuang said no more. She leaped into the shadows and raced into the distance. "Stop following me, Fourth Senior Brother! Go back and tell Master and our senior brothers to just pretend they never had me as their junior sister."
"And remember to announce publicly that I have renounced my discipleship. That way, if something happens, it won’t implicate Master or the Sect."
With those words, Yun Shuang vanished into the distance.
Li Mo watched her receding figure and, after a moment of hesitation, decided to follow.
After all these years, they had practically raised Yun Shuang themselves. How could he not be attached to her? He certainly couldn’t stand by and watch her throw her life away.
’If he couldn’t stop her, then he might as well help her. After all, it’s just a Dying Crown Prince that nobody cares about. Even if they get caught, the worst-case scenario is that they both ’renounce’ the Sect together.’
’Would the Royal Family really wage a war to the death against the Tunneling Sect over one decrepit, old Crown Prince?’