[{"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-218":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},2282326,4464,"Chapter 218: Take the First Step","after-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-chapter-218",218,"\u003Cp>In an instant, the room was swept by a gale like a tidal wave, and all the heavenly qi within the hall condensed, then crushed down upon the men from Luoshen Peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tables, chairs, and the landscape screen beside them turned to dust in an instant, and even the entire Baixiang Pavilion trembled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An old man beside Zheng Zi sank his gaze and immediately punched forward, a purple aura forming an arched barrier that blocked all incoming attacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Zheng Zi, who had remained calm throughout, suddenly spoke in a low voice:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’re trying to escape—stop them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simultaneously, after delivering a palm strike, the hemp-clad elder seized the little girl beside him, leapt through the window, and fled beyond the Baixiang Pavilion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man who had punched nodded and immediately gave chase without hesitation toward the hemp-clad elder’s direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, as he took but a single step, the bodies of several large men previously thrown aside by the hemp-clad elder suddenly stirred, drawn by a hidden aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, a dense sound of collapsing bones filled the air; the bodies of the large men collapsed inward like deflated balloons, then exploded violently like barrels of gunpowder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shattered bones became sharp projectiles; blood expelled from their bodies instantly vaporized into crimson mist, then, under powerful qi manipulation, wove into a terrifying crimson spiderweb of killing intent, engulfing Zheng Zi and the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Watch out!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The remaining old man roared and acted at once to block this sudden killing technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But because the hemp-clad elder’s move was too stealthy and sudden, and the old man had acted hastily, he could not fully repel the crimson spiderweb’s force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a result, Zheng Zi and Yuwen Feng, unable to resist the escaping shockwaves, were blasted backward and slammed hard against the wooden wall behind them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cough… cough…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, Zheng Zi burst out from the shattered wood, coughing violently, wiping blood from his lips, and snarling with a venomous expression:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chase them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, Yuwen Feng, also wounded, charged forward and shouted to the old man who had been beside him:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That old bastard is strong—Shen Changlao, go with him! Bring him back alive!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Shen Changlao, who had been standing by Yuwen Feng, hesitated visibly and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I leave, what of your safety, Young Master?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Zi waved his hand, glancing at the middle-aged man beside him, and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s enough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he swept his gaze over the scar-faced man and Li Muxian in the hall and added:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Besides, can these two possibly threaten us in the slightest?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then coldly ordered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Send word immediately to seal off Bailian City—do not let that old bastard escape!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, the two old men exchanged a glance, said nothing more, and promptly rushed off in the direction the hemp-clad elder had fled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, the ruined hall was left with only Zheng Zi’s group, Li Muxian, the scar-faced man, and the Baixiang Pavilion’s courtesans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The courtesans huddled trembling in the corners of the hall, clearly terrified by the hemp-clad elder’s sudden attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scar-faced man had stood frozen in place the entire time, not daring to move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now he trembled violently, struggling to look at Li Muxian seated on the soft chair, his lips quivering as he whispered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That old man ran off alone… now it’s just you and me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Before I die, I only want to know one thing… why did you drag me to my death? If you don’t tell me, I won’t rest in peace…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Li Muxian glanced at him, utterly indifferent, and turned his gaze instead toward Zheng Zi and the others in the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Zheng Zi walked toward Li Muxian and the scar-faced man, his face dark:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It seems you two aren’t allies. Now that the old man’s gone, you have no one to rely on.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tell me—who gave you the nerve to cause trouble on my turf?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the scar-faced man could speak, Li Muxian calmly looked at Zheng Zi and asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I just realized something—you said you’re the young master of Bailian City, and the peak lord who controls Bailian Peak is your father?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Zheng Zi halted, narrowed his eyes at Li Muxian, saw no martial qi radiating from him, then laughed harshly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re about to die and still act tough? Do you even deserve an answer from me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a flick of his hand, he unleashed a surge of martial qi, sending a powerful gust of air flying through the space toward Li Muxian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If this palm strike landed, any ordinary martial cultivator would have been flung back and grievously wounded by the shockwave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, to Zheng Zi’s utter shock, Li Muxian made no move—and yet the air blast did not harm him in the slightest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Muxian remained seated on the soft chair, utterly motionless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s going on?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Zi frowned, sensing something was wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind him, the middle-aged man—who had remained still until now—suddenly moved to Zheng Zi’s side, his expression grave:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master Zheng, be careful—this man is suspicious. There may be a hidden expert behind him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then eyed Li Muxian warily, scanning the entire hall as if searching for the hidden assailant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Zheng Zi immediately stepped back, activating his martial qi to shield himself, and growled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Miao Qianshi, find that hidden person!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind them, Yuwen Feng frowned, growing wary as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With both Luoshen Peak elders gone, if Li Muxian truly had a hidden expert backing him, their situation was dire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You who hide in shadows lack dignity—why not show yourself?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After searching briefly and detecting no trace of a hidden aura, the middle-aged man spoke into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Li Muxian raised an eyebrow, his expression thoughtful, and asked Zheng Zi:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I just thought of something—if I spread word that you’ve been killed, will your father, the peak lord of Bailian Peak, come personally to Baixiang Pavilion to avenge you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hall fell utterly silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Zi’s face darkened with murderous intent; he glared at Li Muxian and turned to the middle-aged man:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Miao Qianshi, can you or can you not find that person?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the middle-aged man frowned tightly but said nothing—he sensed no aura of anyone nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next instant, his gaze darkened and he spoke:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Looks like we must force him out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, he lunged forward, reaching out to seize Li Muxian where he sat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1081,"2026-06-20T01:43:39.330Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","4cc1286715311f0109a05edc771fb8a02eb2ec48ee9681566f9783501b94cc28","after-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-chapter-219","after-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-chapter-217",259,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fafter-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-cover.jpg"]