[{"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-31":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},2282139,4464,"Chapter 31: Key","after-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-chapter-31",31,"\u003Cp>“Da Qi?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Anzi exclaimed in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Da Qi fell over a hundred years ago; today, the world is dominated by five rival states—so where did this long-lost Beiqi Ming Qi technique come from?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could it be remnants of Da Qi causing trouble?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Anzi’s gaze shifted, and he quickly thought of one possibility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An Quan did not deny it, only stared at the young man on the ground, his brows tightly furrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that moment, he recalled the five dead men in the Ji Guang Pavilion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So it’s all because of this Beiqi Ming Qi—hidden within the body, killing without a trace. No wonder we found no clues.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An Quan murmured to himself: the five men who died in the Ji Guang Pavilion last night had no wounds, yet died suddenly and mysteriously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Our Tian Jin Wei never found the cause, and finally had to seek help from the Six Gate Bureau—yet now, we’ve accidentally stumbled upon the culprit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An Quan suddenly turned to Xiao Anzi and asked sharply:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You just said this was discovered by the new young master who arrived today?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Xiao Anzi nodded quickly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, and it was that young master who specifically told me to examine the Tianquan point—otherwise, I never would’ve noticed the black qi.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, An Quan unconsciously narrowed his eyes and asked further:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even though the Beiqi Ming Qi had already invaded your true qi and body, he still intervened to expel it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Anzi nodded again, but when he saw An Quan’s face twist with faint astonishment, he asked hesitantly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dry Father, is there something wrong here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You don’t understand—Beiqi Ming Qi depends on martial qi and blood qi to survive. Once a living person is tainted, it remains unless all life force is extinguished and the body’s true qi and blood qi vanish—otherwise, it stays forever within the body.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An Quan spoke solemnly, and Xiao Anzi’s heart clenched at the words; he asked doubtfully:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But how could that young master expel it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An Quan shook his head, deep in thought:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s exactly what I want to know. As far as I know, Beiqi Ming Qi is nearly impossible to resolve.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Either suppress it with overwhelming martial cultivation, or find someone who cultivates this technique and force them to remove it—there is no other way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Xiao Anzi frowned and asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you suspecting that young master cultivates Beiqi Ming Qi?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An Quan nodded, then shook his head:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not sure. When those five died, he hadn’t even arrived at the Ji Guang Pavilion yet. Besides, he had no reason to help you—doing so would only expose himself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, he paused to think, his gaze sweeping over the young man on the ground, then ordered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go fetch the case files of this man and the new young master—I need to review them all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Also, this matter is grave. I must consult with the other eunuchs and the Town Commander before deciding.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, An Quan ordered several other young eunuchs to guard the scene, then moved his body in a flash, leaving only a lingering afterimage as he vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Muxian found his room, inserted the jade tablet into the door’s recess, turned it gently, and the door slowly opened automatically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This mechanism is quite refined.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Muxian nodded slightly; it was said that in the neighboring state of Da Zhou, there was a sect called “Lu Gong Divine Hall” that had pushed mechanism arts to their extreme.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Legend claimed this sect built a colossal mechanized city, where every house, street, and wall operated through countless mechanisms, astonishing to behold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They could even forge massive mechanized warships, giant mechanized beasts, and mechanical men whose strength rivaled powerful martial cultivators…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of this, Li Muxian sat at the room’s table and pulled out a six-sided wooden box from his robe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On his journey to Shangyang City, he had already studied the Da Qi secret treasure’s key in depth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Muxian suspected this wooden box might be one of the real keys.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the box lay a strangely shaped magnet with an extremely unique and powerful magnetic field.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without the box’s casing, iron and stone within a hundred meters would be drawn to it—even hundred-jin heavy iron could be yanked through the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This magnetic field is unusual—it might resonate with other keys. I should carry this box with me; perhaps I’ll get lucky and find others.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Muxian’s expression turned thoughtful as he tucked the wooden box away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeking transcendence in martial cultivation couldn’t depend on this one dead end—he needed other methods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shangyang City might hold opportunity—or nothing at all—but Li Muxian still hadn’t decided where to begin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, if his identity as the Seventh Imperial Prince was real, he might leverage it to find some openings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he truly had no desire to get entangled in all these messy factions—it would only bring trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, the young eunuch from earlier knocked on the door:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master Li, the Tian Jin Wei Town Commander, Master Yu, has summoned everyone to the first-floor hall. Please proceed there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Muxian opened the door, glanced at the young eunuch, and asked casually:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you find out what that black mist on the boy was?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Xiao Anzi hesitated, then glanced left and right before whispering:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My Dry Father says it’s Beiqi Ming Qi—a secret technique from the Da Qi imperial family.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, Xiao Anzi watched Li Muxian’s expression closely; seeing no reaction, he whispered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master Li, you haven’t cultivated this technique, have you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Muxian glanced at him and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I didn’t even know what Beiqi Ming Qi was—why would I cultivate it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, he motioned for Xiao Anzi to lead him downstairs to the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, all the prospective Seventh Imperial Princes residing in the Ji Guang Pavilion gathered in the first-floor hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Muxian stood in a corner, observing the others—all young men his own age.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he soon found his gaze drawn to one person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a strikingly handsome young master, with skin like white jade, red lips and white teeth, clad in a moon-white robe that radiated elegance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he clearly sensed this person was a woman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Interesting—the competition for Seventh Imperial Prince is intense enough, and now even women are sneaking in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Muxian rubbed his chin; this woman must be someone important—she’d fooled Tian Jin Wei’s eyes with forged identity, her skills were formidable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he wondered: what was she doing inside the Ji Guang Pavilion?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did she truly think no one could see through her disguise?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The imperial palace was filled with countless experts, and Emperor Yuanwu’s martial cultivation was unfathomable—he’d see through her disguise effortlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1127,"2026-06-20T01:43:38.503Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","afe8293284c389111e1a532b26be08c8bd34e8c7fce237321d952a7bbdcc7cda","after-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-chapter-32","after-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-chapter-30",259,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fafter-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-cover.jpg"]