[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-after-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star":3,"chapter-after-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-after-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-chapter-207":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","After Fifteen Years of Secret Cultivation, I Start as a Top-Grade Ultimate Peak!",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2282315,4464,"Chapter 207: Signal","after-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-chapter-207",207,"\u003Cp>“What are you doing here? Where are you headed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the experts from Luoshen Peak who had set up the roadblock halted the scar-faced man and his companions, beginning to interrogate them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Excellency of Shengfeng, we are from Xishan Knife Sect, and we have come to pay our respects and celebrate the birthday of your revered Seventh Saint Peak Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scar-faced man bowed deeply, appearing utterly humble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, he pulled a gold ingot from his sleeve and respectfully offered it to the young man asking questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man wore dark robes of Yunfeng and wore an expression of cold indifference; he casually took the gold and tossed it into a pottery jar on the nearby table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately, he and the three others beside him began inspecting the carts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There are five carts of Xishan iron ore, already listed on the birthday tribute roster a month ago.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scar-faced man followed behind, explaining, while the young man glanced at him—seeming to see through his thoughts—and sneered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Relax. We would never covet the tribute meant for our Peak Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the scar-faced man’s eyes flickered, and he stammered assurances of his loyalty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are these people with you too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, after finishing the cart inspection, the young man suddenly turned his gaze, narrowing his eyes toward the hemp-clad elder and Hu Rui’an and the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scar-faced man’s expression shifted wildly; he was about to speak, but the young man had already walked toward Hu Rui’an and the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Within Lancheng’s territory, ignoring Luoshen Peak’s rules by refusing to dismount from your carts—first offense: fifty lashes; second offense: execution without mercy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? Do I have to personally invite you out?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man’s face darkened; he drew his waist whip and slashed it through the air, the sharp qi exploding with a thunderous crack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet before he could reach the cart, Wu Shang, seated motionless atop his horse, raised a hand and struck with a single sword slash aimed straight at the young man’s throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faced with this sudden killing strike, the young man’s eyes widened instantly, and he roared:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So there’s something fishy after all!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, he whipped his whip to block the sword, while simultaneously retreating backward—as if he had anticipated this exact moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, the dozen or so other Luoshen Peak experts reacted instantly, drawing swords and knives in the blink of an eye, surrounding Hu Rui’an and his companions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, the scar-faced man was struck with mortal terror—he never imagined Hu Rui’an and the others would attack Luoshen Peak’s men without a word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was Lancheng! On Luoshen Peak’s own territory! How dare they?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s over…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scar-faced man staggered, nearly collapsing to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Rui’an and the others were traveling with them—Luoshen Peak would surely assume they were all in cahoots. Now, this situation was like shit in one’s pants; no explanation would help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who are you? How dare you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, a middle-aged man with a sinister face stepped forward from behind the Luoshen Peak disciples, his gaze slowly scanning Hu Rui’an and the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle, these people are of unknown origin, hiding within Xishan Knife Sect to deceive us—they must have ill intent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man who had retreated from Wu Shang’s sword quickly bowed and spoke, his eyes cold as he glanced back at Wu Shang and the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the middle-aged man waved his hand and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then seize them first and interrogate them later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, he gestured, and without another word, the Luoshen Peak experts immediately attacked Hu Rui’an and his companions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within Lancheng’s territory, they didn’t need reasons to kill—especially when the targets’ behavior was already suspicious; no questioning or evidence was required.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Looks like there’s no choice left. I thought we could travel in peace.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Rui’an shook his head, then flicked his finger, releasing a thread of martial qi that split into a dozen streaks of light, striking toward the Luoshen Peak experts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, the streaks pierced through the foreheads of the Luoshen Peak experts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The warriors, who had just leapt into the air with swords raised, were instantly thrown backward, crashing heavily onto the dusty road—each one dead on impact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This happened too quickly; in the blink of an eye, only the middle-aged man and the young man remained alive among Luoshen Peak’s forces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both men were stunned, and without hesitation, they immediately sent out a signal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A purple flame shot skyward and exploded high above them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Rui’an watched this without interference, and instead gave a glance to Cheng Zhong behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Zhong nodded slightly, then ignited a pale gold flame that rose gently into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After completing this, Hu Rui’an turned to the two remaining Luoshen Peak men and smirked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Still sending signals? Unless your Peak Master comes in person, the more who come, the more will die.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, the two Luoshen Peak men paled again; the middle-aged man suddenly barked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Split up and run!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, he turned and fled blindly toward the rear; seeing this, the young man’s face darkened, but he had no choice but to flee in the opposite direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet before he took a single step, a flash of cold light arrived instantly—his head flew high into the air, blood spurting three feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged man, who had only fled a few zhang ahead, met the same fate—the cold light appeared in an instant, and his body was severed from his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, the dusty road fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scar-faced man and all the Xishan Knife Sect disciples sat huddled on the ground, trembling in terror, too afraid to make a sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hemp-clad elder, who had stood silently by without moving or speaking, remained standing, still silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Hu Rui’an glanced at the hemp-clad elder, then walked to the cart, dismounted, and whispered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Highness, the signal has been sent. If the Guard Commander sees it, he will know we have safely reached Lancheng.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pale gold flame signal was unusual—not a secret code of the Tianjin Guard, but one personally entrusted to him by Commander Fu Qiwén.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was clearly for Li Muxian, the Eighth Imperial Prince; the commander had instructed him to send it at an appropriate moment after entering Lancheng, indicating hidden plans for Li Muxian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Rui’an had not sent the signal earlier—first, because there was no opportunity; second, because he did not know Li Muxian’s intentions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as they neared Luoshen Peak, unless they disguised their trail, conflict with Luoshen Peak’s men was inevitable—and this forced Hu Rui’an to make his decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the cart, Li Muxian’s expression grew thoughtful; he understood Hu Rui’an’s meaning perfectly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until now, he had never regarded Luoshen Peak as a threat, and thus had never planned or considered how to eliminate it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even during this journey, most of his time had been spent revising the Azure Dragon Cangming Scripture; he had rarely discussed Luoshen Peak with Hu Rui’an.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, in his view, it was unnecessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1186,"2026-06-20T01:43:39.330Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","bdd58a2528d17c9920c0178a786957514130fe7a3f3daae828d3556ca1fb6644","after-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-chapter-208","after-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-chapter-206",259,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fafter-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-cover.jpg"]