[{"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-45":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},2282153,4464,"Chapter 45: Grandmaster","after-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-chapter-45",45,"\u003Cp>Li Zhi looked up toward the shadow’s direction, squinting his eyes, and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I wonder which of my Master’s seven Shadow Guards you are?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black shadow trembled faintly beneath the torchlight, like a wisp of rising smoke:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Highness has piercing eyes—I am the sixth among the Shadow Guards; you may call me Lu Ying.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Zhi nodded slightly, studying the figure with a calm and composed gaze, then asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What did my Master send you to find me for?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, a faint, ethereal voice emerged from the shadow:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Lord Director says the Emperor has agreed to let Your Highness leave the imperial prison within a month—but with one condition.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What condition?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shadow fell silent for a moment, then said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Emperor says that within a year, Your Highness must destroy any one of the four great sects of the Great Li underworld. If you succeed, he will restore all your former rights.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Li Zhi fell silent—longer than the shadow had—and though his face revealed no expression, he asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What if I fail?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shadow beneath the torch flickered slightly, and replied:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Emperor did not say.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“However, the Lord Director instructed me to tell you: out of respect for your master-disciple bond, if you can advance to the Realm of Martial Grandmaster within a month, we seven Shadow Guards may assist you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Zhi pondered briefly, then smiled faintly and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My Master still understands me best.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, he slowly raised his hand—and instantly, his entire aura transformed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A powerful, dense stream of true qi surged from his meridians, coalescing before him into the spectral form of an ancient longsword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An invisible blade intent emerged from the specter—sharp, chilling—making the air within the cell hum and tremble, echoing with suppressed metallic ringings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next instant, a vast, distant killing intent lashed toward the shadow beyond the cell; the spectral blade tore through space, crossing the distance in an instant and slashing downward at the shadow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heaven’s Killing Blade Intent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shadow beneath the torch gasped softly, and from behind it erupted countless shadowy tendrils, wrapping the blade specter in Cengceng  layers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A muffled sound of tearing cloth rang out; faint shards of brilliant blade-light escaped, carving inch-deep grooves into the brick walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shadow itself shuddered several times before gradually settling still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, from outside the cell, the shadow’s voice rose in awe:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I had no idea Your Highness had already ascended to the Realm of Martial Grandmaster—truly unexpected. The Lord Director, upon hearing this, will be overjoyed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Zhi slowly retracted the thick, cloudlike qi surrounding him, and shook his head:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Excessive praise—I merely gained insight within this prison and barely broke through.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, the shadow beneath the torch bowed slightly and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lu Ying and the other Shadow Guards will henceforth obey Your Highness’s commands.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need for such formalities.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Zhi raised a hand lightly, then his gaze shifted, and he sighed deeply:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I cannot fathom what the Emperor is thinking—ordering me to destroy one of the four great sects? It’s nearly impossible. I don’t even know how to begin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the shadow outside the cell remained silent; neither the Emperor nor the Lord Director were subjects for their kind to discuss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Highness, all things are possible with effort—there is no need to despair.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shadow shifted slightly and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lu Ying must return to report to the Lord Director; I shall not disturb Your Highness further.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, the shadow slowly retreated into darkness beneath the torch, and the space it had occupied returned to normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the Shadow Guard of the Hidden Spy Bureau depart, Li Zhi’s earlier worry vanished instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He frowned deeply, staring at the lamp on the table, his expression shifting between dark and uncertain:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Suddenly ordering me to destroy one of the four great sects—this condition is nearly impossible. Could it be… they’ve discovered my secret?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the cell remained silent, and no one answered his question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiguang Pavilion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The grand hall below had been destroyed; in a smaller adjacent hall, a group of young men gathered in frantic haste.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard the true seventh prince has already been confirmed—we’re all fakes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? Then what do we do? When I left home, the city lord personally escorted me a hundred li and promised to marry his daughter to me—if I’m not the prince, can I still marry her?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t believe it. Isn’t there still five days before we’re screened? Why has the true seventh prince been decided so soon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Belief doesn’t matter—this man bears an uncanny resemblance to Lady Jing. A eunuch from the Tianjin Guard recognized him at once. The matter has already been reported to the palace; news will spread soon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could it be someone who learned Lady Jing’s appearance and disguised themselves?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Foolish. This is treason punishable by clan extermination. No disguise can fool the palace’s experts, and no one would risk near-certain death.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what should we do now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s hope this man merely resembles Lady Jing—and fails the verification. Then we still have a chance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young men in the hall, upon hearing this news, were both despondent and agitated, yet clung to a faint hope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, three young men slipped away from the crowd and ascended toward the upper floors of Jiguang Pavilion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One wore a Confucian robe, but his face was twisted with malice. He turned to the other two, dressed in brocade robes, and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we want the man to fail verification, the safest method is to kill him and destroy the body before the palace envoys arrive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, one of them squinted and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Today, the three of us swear together: whoever becomes the true seventh prince must never forget to uplift the other two.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly. If we grow rich, we shall not forget each other!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The third young man clenched his fist, his eyes filled with cruelty:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know who he is. I’ll pretend to speak with him; you two strike when he’s unprepared—this will succeed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three exchanged glances, said no more, and silently moved toward the upper corridor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, one of them spotted Li Muxian standing in the corridor, lost in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He immediately donned a gentle smile and walked slowly toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as he reached halfway, Li Muxian suddenly turned his head:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I were you, I wouldn’t take another step forward.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man froze, then quickly bowed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, what do you mean? I only saw you alone here and thought to keep you company.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Li Muxian glanced toward the dark corner beside the stairs and raised an eyebrow:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your killing intent is so thick—do you think no one can tell you’re hiding there?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1132,"2026-06-20T01:43:38.503Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","fbe5b795bc2280d6b0d76d325fd4ca72974852ff861de505d9f3288b4522b8a3","after-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-chapter-46","after-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-chapter-44",259,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fafter-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-cover.jpg"]