Chapter 153 - 152: A Frame-up?

Chapter 153: Chapter 152: A Frame-up?

All sorts of taunts and insults rained down on Elder Yuheng like a volley of sharp arrows.

Even with her composure, she was utterly mortified, and the fear in her heart continued to spiral.

After all, whether she had leaked the information intentionally or not, she had ultimately exposed the Palace Master’s scandal to the public—with both witnesses and physical evidence. Even if she could prove it wasn’t her intention, the Palace Master would never let her off easy.

The other Xuan Nu Palace disciples also looked grim. How could they feel anything but terrible after being subjected to such insults?

During the journey under escort, Elder Yuheng came to understand the severity of the situation from the chatter and jeers of the people on the road.

Because of her actions, Xuan Nu Palace’s thousand-year reputation had been destroyed in an instant. Many no longer considered it one of the Renowned Sects.

Many families, Sects, and Gangs all scrambled to draw a clear line with Xuan Nu Palace, terrified of being implicated in their downfall.

More and more people in the Jianghu had mockingly begun to call Xuan Nu Palace the "Witch Palace." Many Demon Sects even started trying to recruit its disciples.

Most importantly, the beautiful title of the Mistress of the Profound Lady Palace, the Bing Qing Fairy, was gradually being replaced with "Filthy Witch," while her three hundred concubines had become infamous throughout the land.

’It’s over... It’s all over. I’ll be lucky if I can just escape with my life this time.’

Elder Yuheng’s face was ashen, and she moved like a walking corpse.

She hated the mysterious person who had done this to her—and by extension, Yun Liyue—down to her very bones.

’In her mind, the mysterious person was most likely connected to Yun Liyue. Otherwise, why would she have met with such a disaster right after leaving the Eastern Palace?’

’But where did Yun Liyue get a trump card like that? How could she convince an expert of that caliber to act on her behalf, even at the cost of grievously offending our Xuan Nu Palace?’

’The elder Crown Prince is already in that state. Could he still have loyal followers? It doesn’t seem possible.’

Fortunately, along the way, Elder Yuheng had devised a solution: pin everything on Yun Liyue.

"Senior Sister Tianxuan, please tell the Palace Master that on the night I went to press that bitch Yun Liyue for the Sword Control Skill, not only did she refuse to hand it over, but she also injured me with it. If she hadn’t, I would never have been so easily controlled by that mysterious person and forced to do such an outrageous thing."

"Therefore, that mysterious person is most likely connected to Yun Liyue! His goal was to clear her of suspicion and get revenge on our Xuan Nu Palace at the same time."

The more Elder Yuheng spoke, the more fluent she became, and the more she believed her own words. "I implore Senior Sister Tianxuan and the Palace Master to investigate this thoroughly. My own life is insignificant, but if we fall for that bitch Yun Liyue’s scheme, our Xuan Nu Palace will face even greater trouble."

In truth, Xia Wuyang had already used his Soul Enchantment Technique to make Elder Yuheng forget that Yun Liyue had injured her with the Sword Control Skill. He had altered her memory to make her believe that he was the one responsible for everything.

He did this, of course, to prevent the Sword Control Skill from being exposed, and to have Elder Yuheng herself prove Yun Liyue’s innocence.

He never expected, however, that in her desperation to survive, Elder Yuheng would stumble upon and fabricate part of the actual truth. That was something he hadn’t foreseen.

This news indeed caused Elder Tianxuan’s expression to shift. She decided to report the matter to the Palace Master before determining how to deal with Elder Yuheng.

Upon receiving this news, the Mistress of the Profound Lady Palace’s anger subsided considerably. Besides, from what she knew of Elder Yuheng, she truly wasn’t one to gossip.

For her to do something so out of character now—something that had even dragged the Palace Master herself down with her—clearly meant something was wrong.

’Suspend the previous plan for now. We will wait until the truth is uncovered. From now on, keep a close watch on Yun Liyue.’

The Bing Qing Fairy made her decision. Although it wasn’t the exact outcome Xia Wuyang had hoped for, the plot against Yun Liyue was now on hold.

Until they found the person who had bewitched Elder Yuheng, there would likely be a period of peace, giving Yun Liyue more time to consolidate her strength and cultivate.

The same was true for Xia Wuyang. It gave him more time to improve and make breakthroughs. Once his preparations were more thorough, he could finally make his move against Xuan Nu Palace.

Thus, the storm targeting Yun Liyue came to a temporary close due to this unexpected turn of events. The Xuan Nu Palace still had many other matters to handle.

But both sides understood this was merely the calm before the storm. The underlying conflict was bound to erupt again.

For Yun Liyue and Xia Wuyang, however, any delay they could secure was a victory in itself.

But while he wanted to stall for time, there were always those who couldn’t stand the sight of him.

One morning, the crisp sound of bells echoed from outside Wenhua Hall. A Palace Attendant came forward with a fawning expression to report, "Your Highness, someone has sent over a group of stunningly beautiful Qiuci Dancers, saying they’re for you to... sample."

’Xia Wuyang’s heart turned to ice. He was already in this state, yet someone still wouldn’t leave him alone. Who had a death wish? Did they want him to serve them the "career-ending castration combo," or perhaps the "career-ending vegetative state special"?’

On the surface, however, Xia Wuyang was ecstatic. "Quickly, quickly! Let my beauties in! Which of my dear brothers or sisters is so thoughtful, sending me a group of Qiuci Beauties? I just adore Qiuci Beauties!"

Soon, eight Dancers dressed in exotic attire entered in single file. Each possessed a graceful figure, her face hidden behind a light veil that revealed only a pair of enchanting, soul-stealing eyes.

The most captivating of them all was the woman in the lead. She wore a red dancing skirt embroidered with golden thread, a string of silver bells tied around her waist that chimed with her every step.

"I, your humble servant, Hanik’s Heart, greet the Crown Prince." The lead Dancer stepped forward gracefully, gave Xia Wuyang an elegant bow, and removed her veil. The other Qiuci Dancers followed her lead, bowing in unison toward Xia Wuyang before removing their own veils.

Even with Xia Wuyang’s self-control, he couldn’t help but be momentarily stunned upon seeing Hanik’s Heart’s face.

It was a face of exquisite beauty, blending exotic charm with classical elegance. Her jet-black hair cascaded like a waterfall, her skin was fairer than snow, and her bright eyes shone like the most precious Gemstones of the Western Regions.

What was most striking was the aura about her—both alluring and pure—that made her utterly unforgettable.

As she gracefully approached him, she seemed like a Fairy who had stepped right out of a mural—ethereal, mysterious, and untouched by the mortal world.

The other seven Dancers each had their own unique charm: some were coy and cute, some seductive and passionate, and others possessed a cold, glamorous beauty with a hint of mischief. Every one of them was a top-tier beauty, one in a million. In his past life, they would have been considered goddesses.

Hanik’s Heart was even more devastatingly beautiful, enough to topple kingdoms. It would be no exaggeration to say her beauty could bring ruin to a nation.

Beauties of this caliber were hardly inferior to the famed Jiangnan Beauties; in some respects, they even surpassed them.

Moreover, based on Xia Wuyang’s observations, every one of them was a virgin, completely untouched. Who would be so willing to part with them? To send over such a group of Qiuci Dancers, so exceptional in every way, was almost too generous.

Even as a plot against him, this was far too lavish. Normally, beauties of this quality were worthy of being sent to Qianqing Palace.