Chapter 145 - 144: Kill the Chicken to Scare the Monkey

Chapter 145: Chapter 144: Kill the Chicken to Scare the Monkey

Hearing the news, Xia Wuyang grew worried. Yun Liyue was his Crown Prince Consort, his Main Consort, and now she was being coveted by others. How could he not be concerned?

Although their relationship was strained, and the fault was entirely his, Yun Liyue had remained loyal and affectionate toward him—a debt he had yet to repay.

Furthermore, the dispute between Elder Qing Yin and some of the higher-ups in Xuan Nu Palace was also connected to him. Now that she had met with disaster and her whereabouts were unknown, he bore a portion of the responsibility.

Since Yun Liyue was being targeted because of this, Xia Wuyang naturally had a duty to protect her.

At present, Yun Liyue’s power was only at Second Grade Perfection, not even the First Grade. He feared she wouldn’t be able to fend off the villains lurking outside.

Moreover, the news had spread with suspicious speed. It was clear someone was deliberately disseminating it, though he didn’t know if their goal was to target Yun Liyue and the Eastern Palace, or if they were simply after the Sword Control Skill.

Right now, White Jade City was rife with undercurrents. Countless factions were investigating Yun Liyue, searching for any trace of the Sword Control Skill.

Late that night, Xia Wuyang made a point to scout the area outside the palace. As expected, he discovered numerous suspicious individuals lurking around the Imperial Palace. Each possessed a profound aura, and there were even experts of the Upper Three Grades among them.

Xia Wuyang used his Enchanting Heart Technique to influence Tantai Zhan, compelling him to strengthen the defenses around the Eastern Palace. Ostensibly, this was to ensure the security of the Imperial Palace, but the true purpose was to protect the Eastern Palace and Yun Liyue.

Tantai Zhan remained completely unaware, believing he was acting for the good of the Imperial Palace. This subterfuge was necessary to conceal Xia Wuyang’s involvement and, more importantly, to keep his identity as the Emperor a secret.

At the same time, he tasked the birds in the area with paying attention to the matter, investigating the source of the rumors to see if they could find the culprit behind it all.

Unfortunately, he had not yet dealt with the Chief Censor of the Shadow Guard. If he could enslave the man and turn him into a Spiritual Servant, investigating this affair would become far easier.

After observing the situation outside, Xia Wuyang prepared to inspect the perimeter of the Eastern Palace, checking for any major security vulnerabilities.

To his surprise, just as he approached Lizheng Hall, where Yun Liyue resided, his Extraordinary Spiritual Power detected a dark figure hidden outside the hall.

The man’s aura was profound; he was a First Grade Late Stage Grandmaster. He was currently lurking in the shadows like a venomous snake, clearly waiting for the right moment to strike.

’That was fast!’ A cold glint flashed in Xia Wuyang’s eyes. His Extraordinary Spiritual Power spread out like a silent, invisible spiderweb, enveloping the intruder.

He cast the Enchanting Heart Technique, subduing the man with ease. The Grandmaster became hopelessly lost in an Illusion, unaware of his true surroundings.

Observing the man through the Illusion, Xia Wuyang learned he was a famous rogue Grandmaster in the Jianghu, unaffiliated with any specific faction. He excelled at Body Techniques and Concealment and had even spent time as a Divine Thief, earning the moniker "Divine Hand." He was quite renowned in the Fallen Dragon Land.

He had infiltrated the Eastern Palace for the Sword Control Skill that Yun Liyue might possess, hoping to obtain it and further enhance his power.

’Since you dare to covet my consort, you should be prepared to forfeit your life!’

Xia Wuyang sneered and shattered the man’s heart meridian with a single palm strike. He then tossed the corpse outside the Imperial Palace. Through the mental interrogation, Xia Wuyang had already learned the locations of the man’s hidden resources and treasures, as well as the valuables on his person. He would retrieve them all later when he had time.

Unfortunately, there were no Miracle Treasures among the loot. The best item was a Flame Talisman, a Spirit Talisman crafted by a Spirit Talisman Master. It possessed a trace of Spirituality and could unleash an attack comparable to a strike from an ordinary True Monarch.

If used at a critical moment, it could be quite effective. Xia Wuyang naturally stored it in his Personal Space. It might just come in handy if he ever faced a dangerous situation.

The reason he had simply tossed the body outside was to make an example of the intruder and intimidate others. He wanted anyone else with similar designs to think twice about infiltrating the Eastern Palace to cause trouble for Yun Liyue.

Even a First Grade Grandmaster—the renowned Divine Hand, no less—had been slain without a sound. Anyone else who wanted to come after Yun Liyue would have to think long and hard about the consequences.

If these people still didn’t learn to be afraid, Xia Wuyang would just have to kill a few more First Grade Grandmasters. If a Super Grade Celestial Human were to infiltrate, he was confident he could kill one or two of them as well to further intimidate his enemies. By then, he imagined, they would learn to behave.

Besides, no one in the outside world was even certain if Yun Liyue possessed the Sword Control Skill. To lose one’s life for a mere possibility simply wasn’t worth the risk.

He continued his search, and only after confirming there were no other enemies did he approach Yun Liyue’s Lizheng Hall. He arrived just in time to see Yun Liyue escorting an unconscious Pan Mo toward the Flame Hall, where Yan Jiuge resided.

Xia Wuyang immediately concealed his presence and followed them from the shadows. The group soon reached the Flame Hall, where Yan Jiuge, having already received word, came out to welcome them inside.

"Jiuge, I need your help with this," Yun Liyue said, a flicker of worry in her bright eyes.

Yan Jiuge, dressed in red, looked all the more vibrant and captivating under the moonlight. She glanced at the unconscious Pan Mo. "Is this about Mo’er?"

"Yes." Yun Liyue nodded. "Lizheng Hall is beset by dangers right now. I’m afraid I can’t guarantee Mo’er’s safety, so I was hoping you could look after her for a while."

"Mo’er is your sister, which makes her mine, too. Leave her here with me," Yan Jiuge agreed without hesitation. "If you need anything at all, just say the word. You can also come to my Flame Hall, and we can face our enemies together."

Yun Liyue gave a radiant, grateful smile. "Thank you for your concern, Jiuge. I can still handle this for now. If it becomes too much, I’ll let you know. Also..."

She hesitated for a moment before continuing, "And... about the Crown Prince. He only has a few months left. Please look after him as well. Don’t let him get dragged into this because of me."

"Don’t worry. I understand," Yan Jiuge promised.

Hiding in the shadows, Xia Wuyang was stunned. He never expected that even at a time of crisis like this, Yun Liyue would still be thinking of his safety. How could he possibly face her now?

’Thinking of his obsessive and extreme behavior back then, of how he had hurt Yun Liyue, and of his ’muddle-headed incompetence’ these past few months...’ Xia Wuyang felt a pang of shame.

’He didn’t know what had been wrong with him back then. So what if he was deposed? So what if his mother was gone? So what if his future looked bleak? Was it really necessary to act like he wanted to die, hurting everyone around him and forcing them to save him?’

’Even if he could no longer cultivate or be the Crown Prince, he could still have lived a life of luxury and splendor. He still had so many loved ones by his side. Why did he have to be so paranoid and crazy?’

’In the end, it changed nothing. He only ended up hurting those closest to him. Every time he thought about it, his heart ached.’

’If he ever got the chance, he had to make it up to them.’