[{"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-24":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},2282132,4464,"Chapter 24: Many Imperial Princes","after-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-chapter-24",24,"\u003Cp>The city gate guards verified Cang Yinyue’s token and asked several questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, after glancing at Li Muxian—the handsome Six Gates “fugitive”—they recorded the information and allowed the two to enter the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond the wide, lengthy gate passage, they stepped onto Qingstone-paved streets of Shangyang City, where the hooves of mules and horses rang crisp and clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, a roar of human voices surged toward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Muxian and Cang Yinyue rode side by side along the street; ahead, pedestrians flowed like a river, carriages and horses crowded the thoroughfare, shops lined both sides with banners fluttering, stretching endlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eat first upon entering the city—I’ll report your status to the Hidden Spy Bureau.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cang Yinyue brought Li Muxian to a bustling tavern, ordered several dishes from the waiter, then left Li Muxian alone and vanished into the back courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Muxian didn’t mind; the Hidden Spy Bureau claimed to be the Empire’s top intelligence agency, yet had no official government office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All its spies and informants held countless public identities, but their true identities remained hidden, visible only in the shadows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While waiting for the food to arrive, Li Muxian sat in the private room, sipping the tavern’s free tea, listening to patrons’ loud or hushed conversations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In places crowded with people, one always heard interesting tidbits—and unverified, explosive rumors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you hear? The Polar Pavilion has received another seventh imperial prince—hmm, that’s the sixty-first prince to appear in just the past month!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s right. When I first heard someone claimed to have found the long-lost seventh prince, I even went to watch in person. Turns out it was a mistake—he wasn’t the real prince. Since then, so many have shown up, I’ve grown numb to it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In this world, some just want to leap straight to the top. I say anyone claiming to be a prince should be charged with treason and executed publicly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You can’t say that—what if you accidentally execute the real seventh prince?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I say, forget searching for the real prince. The one locked up in prison has extraordinary literary and martial talent—he’s our true dragon, our true emperor. That so-called prince lost in the common world for twenty years? Probably just an ignorant vagrant or beggar. Bringing him back would only shame the imperial family.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shh! How dare you say that? The Heaven Brocade Guard will throw you in prison and cut off your head.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s there to fear? My uncle used to serve beside the seventh prince. He told me many times—the seventh prince will surely become our great Li’s next… monarch… cough… cough…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A young nobleman in emerald brocade robe, face flushed from wine, was speaking when someone quickly clamped a hand over his mouth, causing him to choke on his drink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shock jolted Zhang He sober; realizing he’d spoken foolishly while drunk, he immediately fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just then, the door to his private room was suddenly kicked open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three figures stepped in, led by a young man with a sinister face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On one side stood a woman in a green luó gown, her face beautiful but her eyes cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side stood a massive, tower-like man, broad-shouldered, bearded, over seven feet tall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the giant who kicked the door; he scanned the five men in the room and growled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I just heard someone speak treasonously about the prince and His Majesty. That’s high treason. Come with me to the prefecture office.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang He rose to speak, but a man in blue robes beside him held him back and bowed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sir, you’ve misunderstood. We’ve been drinking here, chatting about poetry and verse—never once mentioned the prince or His Majesty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, the other three and Zhang He immediately nodded vigorously:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s right—we were just drinking, talking, composing poems.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Zhang He’s eyes flashed, and he shouted loudly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who are you? Why burst into our private room? Are you trying to pick a fight?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The giant snorted coldly and snapped:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re good at lying. We heard every word you said—clear as day—from across the way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He reached out, aiming to grab Zhang He—he’d recognized his voice as the speaker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You dare touch me? My uncle is Vice Minister of Revenue! Hurt me, and you’ll lose your head!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang He had some martial training; he shouted angrily and stepped back swiftly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the giant’s iron grip moved like a storm—his hand shot forward, and his body leapt in the same instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang He was too slow; he was about to be caught when the blue-robed man suddenly punched—his fist slicing like a blade, aimed straight at the giant’s temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing the threat, the giant abandoned Zhang He, dodged sideways, and twisted his claw into a strike aimed at the blue-robed man’s chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, they exchanged dozens of blows, locked in fierce combat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The table’s fine dishes and wine were overturned; chairs and tables shattered under the force of fists and claws.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sinister youth and the green-gowned woman stood by the door, motionless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang He and the other three pressed against the wall, too afraid to intervene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, after trading a powerful punch, the giant suddenly kicked sideways—his foot smashing through a wooden partition wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Private rooms in the tavern were separated by thick wooden panels; the wall collapsed with a crash, revealing the scene in the adjacent room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You said you were composing poetry? Then listen to what the people next door heard—what exactly did they hear?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The giant grunted, struck a blow to drive back the blue-robed man, then swiftly retreated toward the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, the blue-robed man’s expression changed, but he stopped fighting and did not pursue—only stepped beside Zhang He.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the adjacent room sat a woman. She didn’t even glance at the fallen wall, merely sipping her tea in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Miss, did you hear those arrogant, rebellious words? Please speak up and testify.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The green-gowned woman stepped forward and addressed the woman in the next room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, Zhang He’s eyes flickered with panic; he shouted loudly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My uncle is Vice Minister of Revenue!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His meaning was clear—he hoped to intimidate the woman next door into silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The green-gowned woman glanced at Zhang He, then pulled out a badge:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Miss, don’t be afraid. We’re from the Six Gates.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1050,"2026-06-20T01:43:38.503Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","79cdce1769ef1170516e4cf820b4a26b2fc23e2d283e93d062254cf5154016bc","after-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-chapter-25","after-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-chapter-23",259,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fafter-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-cover.jpg"]