[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-after-the-sky-fell":3,"chapter-after-the-sky-fell-after-the-sky-fell-chapter-29":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","After the Sky Fell",{"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},2280885,4462,"Chapter 29","after-the-sky-fell-chapter-29",29,"\u003Cp>Spirit tablet of Zhao Ge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Spirit tablet of Zhao Qian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi followed Zhao Ge and his daughter into the courtyard’s main hall, where he saw it arranged like a mortuary: white circular paper money scattered across the floor, and in the center, two coffins, each with a spirit tablet before it, and beside each tablet, an incense burner with a single stick of incense burning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The incense stick was long, slowly burning, emitting an unusual fragrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We entered Ghost Street by feigning death; we set up this scene to deceive the Yin Soldiers. Do you see the two incense sticks in the center? Those are Soul-Departing Incense. Before they burn out, we must return to this courtyard and lie inside the coffins to safely return to the Yang World. If anything goes wrong, we’ll become wandering ghosts, lost forever in Ghost Street,” Zhao Ge said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Li Yi didn’t fully understand, he grasped the gist. Curious, he asked: “It’s so dangerous—why risk entering Ghost Street?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To buy medicine,” Zhao Qian said, her eyes flickering as she studied Li Yi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ge continued: “I was wounded by a Yin Spirit; my soul is damaged. Only Coffin Fungus can heal me—if I don’t take it, I won’t survive the season. This herb is sold only in Ghost Street, so my daughter and I risked coming here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see,” Li Yi said at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ge then spoke again: “I’ve observed your steps are erratic, your breathing unstructured—you’ve never trained in martial arts, correct?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Martial arts?” Li Yi immediately shook his head. “No, I’ve never trained in martial arts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mind was quick; he had already adapted to the local customs and began speaking in their style.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s strange. Without martial training, how do you have such a physique? Just now, when I grabbed you, your muscles tensed instinctively—your strength is unbelievable.” Zhao Ge studied Li Yi again, surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Maybe I was born with divine strength,” Li Yi said. “My friends always say I’m Li Yi, peerless in courage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pfft~!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Qian couldn’t help but cover her mouth and laugh. “You? I could knock you down with one hand. Divine strength? You’re just blowing wind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi laughed too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Yi, peerless in courage? Excellent phrasing, excellent praise. Your friends must be no ordinary people. But this old man finds his interest piqued—I’d like to test whether you truly deserve such praise.” Zhao Ge now sensed Li Yi’s unusual nature. He rolled up his sleeves and strode forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old man, what are you doing?” Li Yi felt an inexplicable tension under the old man’s “admiring” gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Mengde, try to resist,” Zhao Ge said, suddenly reaching out with one hand and clamping his fingers around Li Yi’s arm, all five fingers tightening like steel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His fingers sank deep into flesh and bone, gripping his acupoints, tendons, and sinews.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this grip, even the strongest young man would go half-numb and cry out in pain, collapsing to his knees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I’ll be rude,” Li Yi realized—the man was testing his skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he didn’t know why, he didn’t want to be looked down upon. His arm felt numb and weak, but not enough to render him helpless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He surged with force, lifting his arm—and with it, Zhao Ge’s frail body—into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Power radiating through the whole body? What nonsense.” Zhao Ge exclaimed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Watch out,” Li Yi said, then slammed Zhao Ge down toward the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The body of a cultivator, after transformation, was terrifyingly strong—impossible to restrain easily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zhao Ge twisted nimbly, dodging the blow, then his rough palm slid down Li Yi’s arm, striking precisely at his major acupoints, bone gaps, sinews, and skin membranes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Still not down?” he growled, voice like thunder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This much force? I can still hold,” Li Yi swung his other hand and punched Zhao Ge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No technique—just raw speed and strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ge didn't dodge; he caught the punch with one hand and then pressed his palm into Li Yi's chest with the momentum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi stepped back half a pace, then immediately kicked out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm?” Zhao Ge was even more astonished. His palm should have shattered Li Yi’s ribs—yet the boy only staggered?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is this body some kind of monster?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Worse—he could counterattack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though that kick came like a child’s brawl, without form, Zhao Ge still met it with his own leg, blocking it head-on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Boom!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ge’s right leg went numb. Now he began to believe Li Yi’s claim—he truly was born with divine strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he grew even more delighted, and reached out again, this time with greater force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi kept countering. He felt Zhao Ge’s strikes made his body go numb, draining his strength briefly—unpleasant, but after a few seconds, his cultivated body recovered quickly, and he struck again with fists and feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One man tested cautiously; the other attacked wildly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As time passed, Zhao Qian, watching from the side, grew astonished. At first, she thought Li Yi was just a pretty shell—tall and fair, but useless, full of empty boasts. But now, seeing her father’s probing tests, she realized otherwise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Father’s already using heavy force. In the past, any young man seeking to become his disciple would collapse within one or two moves. What bones does this Li Yi have? What sinews? Where does his endurance come from? Ghost Street truly is strange—anything impossible can happen here.” Zhao Qian dropped her amusement and began observing seriously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi, young and proud, felt increasingly frustrated being constantly pressed. Though Zhao Ge had saved him, he still wanted to strike back—he refused to be seen as weak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no matter how he countered, Zhao Ge always blocked him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His strikes grew faster, angles more cunning—his body began instinctively learning martial techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet even so, Li Yi gained no advantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time he improved, the old man grew stronger still—always keeping him one step behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi didn’t know: Zhao Ge was no ordinary martial artist. In his world, he had tempered his sinews, bones, and skin; refined his blood and qi; infused his power into acupoints—he could even spar with Yin Spirits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can’t just improve a little—it’s useless. I need a secret technique.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mind raced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Yi had never trained in martial arts, had no defensive skills—he only followed the cultivation methods of his own world, evolving continuously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had one technique: Eye Strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had awakened his Mediumship—he should be able to use Eye Strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He recalled the words Liu Yan had spoken: Focus the spirit in your eyes—your gaze can kill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>ottkдnoC〇\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi’s intuition flared—he concentrated his gaze, sharpened his spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Father, his eyes...” Suddenly, Zhao Qian noticed: in the dim mortuary, Li Yi’s eyes were glowing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not an illusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They truly glowed faintly—and at that moment, Zhao Qian sensed an unusual danger, so she instinctively cried out a warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at that instant, Li Yi’s gaze had locked onto Zhao Ge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eye Strike!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the next moment, Zhao Ge swung a fist—blood qi surged from it, striking directly into the glowing gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, the bright light vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi’s Eye Strike was shattered outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ge didn’t strike again. He stepped back several paces and burst into loud laughter: “Hahahaha! Good! Good! Good! What divine sinews and tiger bones! What natural divine strength! What a heavenly talent! I, Zhao Ge, have lived half a century, opened martial halls, taught thousands—never have I seen a talent like yours!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heaven has favored you beyond measure—it seems to have poured every best foundation a martial artist could have into your body.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laughing, laughing, tears streamed down his aged face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tears of excitement, of joy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is your dad crazy?” Li Yi asked, puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Qian rolled her eyes, saying nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She understood her father’s feelings—he had found a legendary jade. But this boastful, oversized fool didn’t realize how extraordinary he was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment of exuberant laughter, Zhao Ge calmed himself. He steadied his breath, stood with hands behind his back, straightening his slightly hunched spine, then spoke solemnly and seriously: “Li Yi, Li Mengde—become my disciple. I will take you as my inner disciple. Train under me for three years, and I guarantee you’ll be unbeatable in Xingzhou. In ten years—not twenty—you will dominate the world. Someday, you may even settle the realm with your fists, crush the Eight Provinces, sit upon the Golden Throne, and make gods and spirits bow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Become your disciple? Unbeatable in Xingzhou? Where is Xingzhou? Settle the realm? What does that even mean... Is my fantasy before death growing worse? This martial arts dream feels absurd—I never even liked martial arts novels.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi blinked, bewildered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The situation grew stranger by the moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And... was he even still on Earth? Could he ever return?\u003C\u002Fp>",1465,"2026-06-20T01:26:56.586Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","24d74d9ad3fb60718686eff5a162818ab276f7174bdc6172db2681deba39c701","after-the-sky-fell-chapter-30","after-the-sky-fell-chapter-28",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fafter-the-sky-fell-cover.jpg"]