[{"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-243":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},2282351,4464,"Chapter 243: Fire","after-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-chapter-243",243,"\u003Cp>For a moment, the blurred figure within the fiery sea above the heavens fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amidst the blinding, dazzling flames, only the searing air currents stirred by the heat produced a continuous howling wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crimson Fire Sovereign, who had shown no emotion before, finally began to slowly turn his eyes—two orbs burning with brilliant golden flames—as if gazing down at Li Muxian seated atop the roof of Bai Xiang Pavilion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Muxian, however, remained expressionless from start to finish, silently observing the changes in the atmosphere between heaven and earth, carefully studying every detail of the opponent’s use of his innate divine ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet now, seeing the Crimson Fire Sovereign suddenly halt his attacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Muxian furrowed his brow:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why stop?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he waved his hand toward the blurred figure wreathed in flames above, saying:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Continue.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, the sea of fire above Bai Xiang Pavilion trembled and churned violently, surging into dozens of fire waves ten feet high, after which the blurred flame figure let out a roar like rolling thunder:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I underestimated you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Muxian said nothing, merely waiting silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, as soon as the Crimson Fire Sovereign finished speaking,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the next instant, the flames within a hundreds-of-zhang radius above the sky suddenly coalesced into streams of molten brightness, reversing like a tide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within mere breaths, all the roaring fire streams, as if gathering into the sea, were sucked back into the body of the blurred figure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, the once-bright Bai Lian City, illuminated as if by daylight, rapidly dimmed, swallowed once more by the black veil of night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only a colossal flame figure, ten zhang tall, remained condensed above Bai Xiang Pavilion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After absorbing all the flames of the heavens, the giant flame figure was wreathed in streams of intensely condensed gold-red light, while at its brow, a black fire core formed—a vortex that devoured all surrounding light, radiating a terrifying heat as if capable of burning all things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Li Muxian’s eyes brightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Admittedly, this flame-controlling innate divine ability looked flashy and extravagant, its visual spectacle delightfully impressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, that didn’t mean the ability was merely superficial—when wielded to such an extreme degree, it could effortlessly crush even the top martial experts of Bai Lian Peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the flame figure, like a god descending from the heavens, stood midair, radiating terrifying heat and pressure, then stretched out its arms and clenched its fists, crashing down toward Li Muxian below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, the colossal flame figure, engulfed in rolling fire waves, plummeted from the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fiery tail trailing behind it left scorch marks on the night like red-hot irons, while the surrounding sky rippled with heat-induced distortions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, streams of gold-red light converged in the fist of the terrifying flame figure, and visibly, a section of space above Bai Xiang Pavilion’s roof collapsed and vanished within the blazing light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, the enormous fist—larger than a house—once again halted three feet above Li Muxian’s head, unable to advance an inch, just like all previous attacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the entire Bai Xiang Pavilion beneath Li Muxian, despite the overwhelming flood of flames descending upon it, remained utterly undamaged from start to finish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, the colossal flame figure’s flames erupted violently, unleashing a deafening roar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately, it gathered more rolling fire streams and swung its fist again toward Li Muxian below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One punch, two punches, three punches…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After dozens of punches, the space around Li Muxian and the colossal flame body was filled with seemingly endless flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All that could be seen was blinding, sky-piercing firelight—no other detail remained visible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after several breaths did the flames dissipate, revealing the true structure of Bai Xiang Pavilion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And atop the pavilion’s roof, the colossal figure wreathed in gold-red flame streams had now ceased its punching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Li Muxian still sat calmly upon the roof ridge, and the Bai Xiang Pavilion beneath him remained perfectly intact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, the air between them seemed frozen, so silent not even a needle could fall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long silence, the flame figure finally spoke in a deep, rumbling voice:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who are you? I have never heard of any young martial expert in the Great Li court possessing such strength.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Li Muxian shook his head but gave no answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You’re a dead man already—why ask so many questions? You talk too much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Better to just keep attacking. Even if you die, at least your record will look decent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, no one had ever struck him this many times before—most were obliterated within two moves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Crimson Fire Sovereign clearly failed to grasp Li Muxian’s kindness, seeing only his indifference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, he became furiously enraged, roaring in fury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t believe your defense is flawless!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crimson Fire Sovereign’s voice thundered, and the next instant, his ten-zhang-tall fiery body collapsed inward, the surrounding flame waves compressing until the gold-red flames grew dark and heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, the colossal flame figure shrank instantly to normal human size, revealing the Crimson Fire Sovereign’s true appearance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his body had shrunk, his aura grew even more unfathomable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And though the Crimson Fire Sovereign appeared as an ordinary middle-aged man, he was far from normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His body was naked, skin translucent, veins pulsing with magma that illuminated the contours of his ribs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deep within his eye sockets burned brilliant flames like two collapsed miniature suns, his pupils transformed into white-hot vortices—wherever his gaze fell, the air ignited, surging into fire waves several zhang high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simultaneously, a black fire core, the size of an eye, appeared on his brow, and the space where he hovered had become a flame-black hole that devoured all, its edges wrapped in flames that never extinguished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now, can you still block me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crimson Fire Sovereign’s blazing eyes locked onto Li Muxian below, his crimson hair like three thousand flame dragons, dancing wildly in the firestorms, scattering sparks of flame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, a streak of black flame drifted from his brow core and merged into his fingertip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pointed at Li Muxian—and instantly, a ring-shaped firestorm erupted, containing strands of flame hurricanes compressed to their utmost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At once, the surrounding space seemed unable to withstand such terrifying heat, cracking open into fissures, from which fiery pillars, like inverted thorns, erupted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silent and unseen, the heavens tore into spiderweb cracks; the space atop Bai Xiang Pavilion collapsed instantly, all light and heat of Bai Lian City converging there, then erupting in an instant like a solar prominence of gold-white radiance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that moment, heaven and earth fell silent—Li Muxian and the Bai Xiang Pavilion beneath him were engulfed by the terrifying radiance, as if a burning sun had crashed onto the pavilion’s roof.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several breaths later, all light vanished, and everything returned to normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black fire core on the Crimson Fire Sovereign’s brow dimmed slightly; he looked down—and frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Muxian, who had been seated atop the pavilion’s ridge, was gone—but the Bai Xiang Pavilion remained exactly as before, undamaged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, the Crimson Fire Sovereign felt a dread premonition; his blazing eyes swept the surroundings at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wherever his gaze fell, firelight shimmered and air warped—but no trace of Li Muxian could be found.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t bother looking. I’m here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Li Muxian’s voice drifted softly into the Crimson Fire Sovereign’s ear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flames in the Crimson Fire Sovereign’s eyes flickered violently; then, in shock, he saw Li Muxian’s figure materialize in midair, just a few feet before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How is this possible? How can there be such an invincible defense? Even my ‘Heartfire Core,’ forged over countless years, cannot break through!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How… did you do it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crimson Fire Sovereign clearly could not accept it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For decades, he had used his flame-controlling innate ability to daily absorb the essence of earthfire from subterranean magma, barely managing to forge that single core capable of burning through metal and stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet even so, he could not pierce Li Muxian’s defense—not even a single thread of his clothing had been scorched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In response to the Crimson Fire Sovereign’s question, Li Muxian shook his head in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze was fixed now on the opponent’s brow—the tiny, eye-sized black fire core.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Muxian narrowed his eyes, expression thoughtful, then looked at the Crimson Fire Sovereign before him and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your innate divine ability is indeed impressive. But you have not reached my realm—you do not understand true unity with the Dao or the limits of martial cultivation. You may wield great power, but if you know only how, not why, it is useless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this, he ignored the shock and doubt flashing across the Crimson Fire Sovereign’s face, then raised his hand and reached for the black fire core on the opponent’s brow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next instant, the Crimson Fire Sovereign’s expression changed drastically—he could clearly feel his brow core suddenly slipping from his control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His bloodline, the flames in his eyes, and the gold-red fire streams swirling around him were all pulled by an irresistible force, drawn away from his body toward the distant core.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, all flames on the Crimson Fire Sovereign’s body extinguished, and he dimmed, reverting to the appearance of an ordinary man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, he could only maintain his floating posture through his own martial qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the black fire core—decades of accumulated essence—seized, the Crimson Fire Sovereign lost most of his innate divine power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No! I still have my martial cultivation!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, the Crimson Fire Sovereign stared at his own hands, and a flicker of confidence returned to his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Li Muxian suspended the black fire core half an inch above his palm, then glanced at the Crimson Fire Sovereign.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If even his innate divine ability couldn’t touch him, did he really think he could win by comparing martial cultivation? How could he be so foolish?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Li Muxian paid him no mind, instead studying the black fire core before him, its inner temperature terrifyingly immense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just now, his ability to resist the Crimson Fire Sovereign’s flames had relied entirely on his cultivation realm and his control over the true qi of heaven and earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, at his current state of unity with the Dao, if he did not wish it, no force could approach him even a fraction of an inch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And through observation, he had realized that though the power wielded by divine beings differed from true qi, their methods of control and application were fundamentally similar, both obeying the same “rules of operation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, when one reached a certain unbreakable realm, even innate divine abilities were powerless against him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for why Li Muxian was interested in the black fire core, it was because he had suddenly felt a spark of curiosity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had once created and perfected a martial art called “Indestructible Golden Body”—a divine technique he considered the supreme body-strengthening and protective art in the world, impervious to blades, weapons, and poisons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Muxian wanted to test whether this black fire core’s extreme heat could break through his Indestructible Golden Body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he thought this, his will shifted—and golden patterns emerged on his skin, glowing with a faint golden radiance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he released his restraint on the black fire core, allowing it to fall freely toward his palm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Throughout this, his eyes never left the process.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, as the saying goes: curiosity killed the cat—if this black fire core accidentally burned through his palm, then…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And at that very moment, a palm condensed with terrifying incinerating fire and immense martial qi silently pressed against Li Muxian’s chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then came the Crimson Fire Sovereign’s furious, grim voice:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How dare you distract yourself before me...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet before he could finish speaking, a faint radiance that had surfaced across Li Muxian’s skin rippled slightly, and the palm was flung back at a speed faster than it had come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Muxian glanced at the Crimson Fire Patriarch flying backward, then a thread of invisible true qi pierced directly through the man’s third eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crimson Fire Patriarch’s body, its life extinguished in an instant, lost all strength and fell like a severed kite toward the ravine below the street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ravine already lay strewn with corpses—including the Peak Lord of Hundred Refinements and the Disciple Master of the Sect Head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crimson Fire Patriarch’s corpse landed among them, as if his presence added nothing, and his absence meant nothing either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Li Muxian withdrew his gaze and resumed observing his experiment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black fire core settled into his palm; golden patterns densely etched across his skin glowed, repelling the core’s terrifying heat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Li Muxian felt a faint warmth emanating from his palm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet his hand remained utterly unharmed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only the ink-black fire patterns merged with the golden radiance on his skin, emitting a black-gold luster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Li Muxian raised an eyebrow slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Immortal Body of Indestructibility was indeed unparalleled—allowing a mortal body to withstand such heat was already beyond human limits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, in Li Muxian’s view, it was still insufficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he sought transcendence in the martial Dao, and suddenly he wondered: if only there were something like Kirin blood or Azure Dragon true qi, something that could further enhance his body’s defense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2202,"2026-06-20T01:43:39.330Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","a136c69c5a5101105116d718f66f41a07dff075fd4b088339565f86830959fa6","after-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-chapter-244","after-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-chapter-242",259,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fafter-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-cover.jpg"]