[{"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-70":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},2282178,4464,"Chapter 70: Residual Heat","after-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-chapter-70",70,"\u003Cp>\"Arrogant!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old nurse’s hoarse voice was cold and sinister, while Imperial Consort Ji stared at Li Muxian in the candlelight, suddenly narrowing her eyes and saying:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you Jing Fei’s son? How did you enter this inner palace?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty, no matter who he is, sneaking into your chambers in the dead of night is a capital offense—let this servant first apprehend him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old nurse’s true qi slowly flowed from her eyes, forming a dark mist; her entire aura turned chilling and terrifying, causing all the candles in the hall to flicker violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Imperial Consort Ji’s gaze flickered as she sized up Li Muxian, about to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at that moment, a bronze candlestick on the pillar vanished, piercing the old nurse’s chest at an unfathomable speed; the terrifying force hurled her backward and pinned her against the massive screen behind her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, the You light in her eyes extinguished, the mist around her body dissipated entirely, and her wrinkled face twisted into an expression of utter disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Muxian said nothing, flicked his finger, and a Life-Death Mark sank into her body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately, the old nurse’s blood surged violently, her body trembling like a sieve, unbearable pain ravaging every inch of her flesh, forcing out agonized whimpers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Imperial Consort Ji turned pale with shock and shouted sharply at the eunuchs and nurses in the hall:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are you waiting for? Kill him!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the dozen or so people around her remained utterly motionless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire hall fell into a terrifying silence, broken only by the old nurse’s low moans and the occasional wind blowing in from outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Imperial Consort Ji pointed at them, her delicate, fair face contorted with shock and fury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But soon, she realized something was wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the eunuchs and nurses in the hall still held the exact postures they had when they entered—unchanged—and in their eyes lay nothing but terror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did you do this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Imperial Consort Ji finally understood, staggering backward until she collapsed onto the soft couch behind her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in the next instant, as she lowered her gaze, her eyes shifted—suddenly blazing with murderous crimson light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, Imperial Consort Ji erupted with a torrent of blood qi, spinning around and striking Li Muxian with a palm strike from afar, utterly without warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countless sharp blood shadows burst from her body; as they passed the bronze incense burner before the couch, the swirling crimson light crushed it into dust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the blink of an eye, those blood shadows reached Li Muxian’s front, as if ready to tear him apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet all the blood shadows vanished an inch before reaching him. Li Muxian shook his head and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You cannot kill me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Imperial Consort Ji’s heart froze. Without a word, she vanished in a flash, wrapping herself in swirling true qi as a blood shadow racing toward the hall’s rear exit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blood shadow moved at incredible speed, reaching the back door of the hall within seconds—she was about to escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at that moment, Li Muxian’s voice sounded beside her ear:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You cannot escape either.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next instant, Imperial Consort Ji felt an invisible hand slam into her; her body spun violently through the air and flew backward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a loud “thud,” she crashed onto the hall’s polished floor, shattering bricks and sending dust and lime flying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her bones were shattered; her once flawless face smashed directly into the tiles, her nose collapsed, her flesh a bloody ruin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Muxian walked slowly forward and stopped a few inches from her head, saying:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Does it feel powerless? Helpless?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Imperial Consort Ji lay groaning on the ground, struggling to push herself up with her hands—but the invisible force had crushed her dantian and meridians completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She now lacked even the physical strength to stand; her teeth were shattered, and she could not speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Li Muxian raised an eyebrow slightly and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If so, then this feeling is correct. You’re a wicked person—I won’t let you die easily.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, he flicked his finger again, and another Life-Death Mark sank into Imperial Consort Ji’s body:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t rush—the real pain has only just begun.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An hour later, Li Muxian stepped out of Yixin Palace, glanced back, and shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were all deserving of death; their only use before dying was helping him refine most of his Life-Death Mark martial art—barely enough to burn out a little residual heat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of this, Li Muxian did not linger; his form vanished instantly from the spot, disappearing into the imperial palace’s inner quarters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire Great Li Imperial Palace remained as tranquil as ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether Li Muxian had come or gone, not a ripple stirred—this night, as if nothing had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yesterday’s heavy rain had washed away all dust from Shangyang City; today’s air felt exceptionally fresh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rising sun glowed from the east, casting golden rays across the entire capital and the solemn Great Li Imperial Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fengyi Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Empress of Great Li wore an elegant purple robe and a dazzling jade crown, seated regally on a gilded, jeweled armchair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She surveyed the concubines standing before her with dignified authority, then slightly furrowed her brow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, one concubine dressed in crimson brocade with a light crimson gauze veil over it lifted her hand to adjust the golden dangling hairpin on her head and spoke loudly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Imperial Consort Ji has truly become formidable—she doesn’t even come to pay respects to the Empress. In another few days, she’ll turn the entire harem upside down!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the other concubines whispered among themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Imperial Consort Ji hasn’t shown up since morning. Even if she’s ill, she should have sent someone to inform us.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t talk about it—she now looks down her nose at everyone. I wonder what miraculous pill she’s taken to reverse aging—her skin is better than my young maids’.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Exactly. She’s never been more glorious among us aging concubines—she stands out like a crane among chickens. No wonder she’s so arrogant, not even respecting the Empress.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Enough!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Empress snapped, frowning at the old eunuch beside her, her expression calm and unreadable:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Go to Yixin Palace and find out what’s happened.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If Sister Ji is ill and has lost her wits, send the imperial physicians at once—don’t let anything happen to her.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old eunuch bowed and hurried off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half a stick of incense later, a chilling wind suddenly swept into the hall, revealing the returning old eunuch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Empress looked up, glancing at him with displeasure:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’ve been in the palace for decades—why are you so unrefined and disheveled?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the old eunuch’s face was ashen. He quickly bowed and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty—something terrible has happened in Yixin Palace!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, the Empress frowned slightly, yet remained unconcerned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She lifted the teacup beside her table, took a small sip, and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Take your time. This palace has always been peaceful—what could possibly be so terrible?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1168,"2026-06-20T01:43:38.503Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","def44678ac874bc2786d906155485cb76646ca09244638845422c137cd8acc50","after-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-chapter-71","after-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-chapter-69",259,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fafter-fifteen-years-of-secret-cultivation-i-star-cover.jpg"]