My Golden Core is a Star, do you call this cultivating?

Chapter 100: The Opportunity to Comprehend the Essence

On the city wall, Zhang Sheng and Chen Jiao, both on the verge of death, had a glimmer of color in their eyes.

"The one I admired most was our human leader, the White Emperor, but now I have to add another... the young hero!" Zhang Sheng looked at Qi Yuan with immense admiration.

Chen Jiao was also extremely excited.

He never expected that the formidable demon army, which was enough to wipe out the Song Camp, would be annihilated by Qi Yuan alone.

“Cough cough... Such a feat calls for a drink!” Chen Jiao, imitating the boldness of a wandering knight, raised a bowl of wine with one arm and poured it into his mouth. The blood from the corner of his mouth stained the wine red.

By now, Qi Yuan had returned to the city wall.

He looked at the two men in their final moments and asked, "Is there any quest you need to trigger?"

What he meant was, do you have any regrets?

If he was free or if it was convenient, he might accept their quest.

“Dying after witnessing the young hero slaughter the demon army, I have no regrets in this life,” Zhang Sheng said. The color in his pupils faded quickly. “The young hero is destined to be a great ruler, there's no need to be confined in... Wu Gui City.

Wu Gui City is just the hope of the Great Xia people, not the hope of the world.

The young hero can head to other cities, where our human brethren are also fighting.”

Qi Yuan remained silent after hearing this.

“My family’s pig still...” Chen Jiao couldn't finish his sentence, exhausted, he leaned against the wall, unable to move. He raised his blood-stained wine bowl, seemingly to toast Qi Yuan, but couldn't muster the strength.

The wind fluttered the military flags, and the open wine jar emitted its fragrance. The two men seemed drunk and fell silent.

Qi Yuan looked at them, seeing their lives fade away just like many others.

“If I remember correctly, there are three levels of death.”

“The first level is brain death, where bodily functions cease.”

“The second level is social death, where a funeral is held, IDs are canceled, and the world is informed of their death.”

“The third level is when dust returns to dust and they are forgotten by everyone.”

“You two are lucky. I am destined to become an immortal being, living as long as the heavens, and I will remember you.”

Qi Yuan said, picking up Chen Jiao’s wine bowl, still tinged with blood.

He took a sip; it was sour with a hint of blood.

“It tastes terrible!”

He glanced at the two men, then sat on the city wall.

“Xiao Jia.”

He called.

Xiao Jia appeared, clutching his sleeve obediently.

He hugged her, and they sat on the city wall, looking at the vast desert.

Qi Yuan slowly recovered his vitality.

He was very strong.

But slaughtering the demon army also consumed much of his energy.

Now, his level was still low, making it hard to kill the demon army.

Not to mention venturing outside.

Encountering a powerful one might mean dying before even achieving success.

Of course, sitting in Wu Gui City also posed dangers.

Five days later, another demon army appeared.

Qi Yuan, wielding a broken sword, merged with Xiao Jia and charged into the demon army.

Drinking couldn’t solve worries, so how could they be resolved?
Naturally, by killing and killing and killing!

...

Time flew by, and the night was pitch black. On the walls of Wu Gui City, the military flag of Great Xia fluttered in the wind.

“It has been half a year since we last saw intelligent beings.”

Since the deaths of Zhang Sheng and Chen Jiao, no new intelligent beings came to Wu Gui City.

But the demon army attacked the city periodically.

Each attack was stronger than the last, although the increase in strength was limited.

“At level 59 now, with the next attack, I’ll reach level 60.”

Qi Yuan, hugging Xiao Jia, pondered.

At level 50, he didn’t awaken any new minor skills.

So, at level 60, would he not awaken major skills either?

Suddenly, in the dark night, a helpless voice reached Qi Yuan’s ears.

“Am I really that ugly? Why haven’t you come to see me all these years?”

The voice was familiar; Qi Yuan had heard it in the Canglan Realm.

It was Ning Tao.

Last time, he didn’t respond.

This time, his consciousness returned to the flesh locked by eighteen chains.

He looked over and saw Ning Tao seemed to be asleep, her small body curled up, looking insecure with a tear stain at the corner of her eye.

“Even as a supreme being, she still sleeps.” Qi Yuan secretly criticized, “And talking in her sleep too.”

At that moment, Ning Tao suddenly opened her eyes in her sleep, showing a hint of apprehension: “Husband, you’re here.”

“I’ve told you many times, I’m not your husband, and you’re not my wife.”

“Do you refuse to acknowledge your little wife, or do you want to call me mother?” Ning Tao smiled coquettishly.

“This conversation is impossible.” Qi Yuan was helpless and then asked, “Why is there no star in the sky of Liufeng Realm?”

He was curious.

He had asked Zhang Sheng and Chen Jiao but got no answer.

So, he wanted to ask Ning Tao.

Ning Tao was surprised: “Aren’t you a supreme being?”

If he were, he would know why.

Qi Yuan looked at Ning Tao: “Did I ever say I was a supreme being? I’m just a little Dao foundation builder.”

“No, you are a supreme being!” Ning Tao remembered, when she was besieged, Qi Yuan killed several strong people with his primordial power.

Since he was a supreme being, why didn’t he know why there were no stars in the sky?

Her eyes showed shock: “You are not a cultivator of this realm!”

Qi Yuan wanted to shrug but realized he had no shoulders: “You’re pretty smart for an NPC to figure out I’m a player.”

Ning Tao, contemplating, calmed down: “So, you didn’t come to see me because you can’t come to this world?”

“It’s because I don’t want to see you.” Qi Yuan said bluntly.

“Husband, you’re so contrary.” Dressed in a black dress, Ning Tao approached Qi Yuan, smiling charmingly, seeming happy knowing his identity.

“You still haven’t told me why there are no stars in this world’s night sky.” Qi Yuan redirected the conversation.

“Because Liufeng Realm... is a forsaken land.”

“A forsaken land?” Qi Yuan was puzzled.

Ning Tao whispered: “A place not shone upon by the sun and moon, is forsaken.

In a forsaken land, heart demons breed, hence the demons.”

“That’s how demons are formed?” Qi Yuan couldn’t understand.

“Husband doesn’t know? Seems you really are not from Liufeng Realm?

Does that mean I mistakenly summoned you here, imprisoning you by accident?”

“Since you know it’s wrong, why not release me and apologize?” Qi Yuan suggested.

If Ning Tao released him.

This mass of flesh would crawl back to Wu Gui City.

This flesh seemed valuable.

It needed to be researched.

“Release you?” Ning Tao squinted, thinking. A golden light flashed in her eyes, “I can’t let you go!”

Qi Yuan was helpless.

Then Ning Tao continued: “Husband, do you know, our northern region’s lord is searching for a demon named Blood Demon.

The lord said this demon would bring disaster, the great enemy of Liufeng Realm.

The lord decreed that anyone who sees Blood Demon must kill without mercy!”

“And then?” Qi Yuan didn’t understand.

Ning Tao looked at the flesh locked by eighteen chains, her fear growing: “Husband, don’t you think you are the legendary Blood Demon?”

“Are you kidding?”

...

“Blood Demon, what’s that?” Leaving the underground palace of Tianxin Palace, Qi Yuan returned to Wu Gui City.

Many thoughts crossed his mind.

“Could the final boss of this world be the mass of flesh I’m inhabiting?”

“In the final battle, I’ll fight myself?”

Qi Yuan found the game’s setting confusing.

He hugged Xiao Jia and jumped off the city wall, digging a big pit and burying themselves underground.

At the Great Xia Imperial Court.

The young emperor's face showed some majesty. Sitting on the dragon throne, his expression kept changing.

Finally, he said solemnly: “Yuan Qi, Great Xia can no longer gather an army to support Wu Gui City.”

The emperor never thought that the Song Camp he sent would hold out this long.

The Great Xia flag had been flying over Wu Gui City for half a year.

This was unprecedented since the southern and northern wars began.

The emperor suspected something happened in Wu Gui City.

He knew Yuan Qiong’s Song Camp had no overlords and expected them to die reaching the city.

Holding out for half a year was impossible.

Beside, the neighboring Dazui had a nation protector stationed at Galan City, constantly reinforcing it.

While Yuan Qiong’s camp had no overlords.

How could they hold out for half a year?

Something must have happened in Wu Gui City.

But Great Xia was too far, unable to reach.

The emperor, curious, understood he must suppress his curiosity.

Else, it might cost lives.

Yuan Qi, determined, said: “Your Majesty, I am willing to resign from my palace command to go to Wu Gui City!”

The emperor looked at Yuan Qi, deeply moved: “Yuan family has only you left.”

Yuan Qi’s father died in Wu Gui City.

Yuan Qi, defiant, raised his head: “The soldiers in Wu Gui City have not returned home for half a year, they haven’t tasted home wine. I am willing to deliver wine!

I want to fight and defend Wu Gui City with my comrades!”

Yuan Qi knelt and kowtowed.

The young emperor, deeply moved, felt a surge of sadness: “Sadly, I won’t live to see the victory of the southern and northern wars.”

The war might last hundreds or thousands of years.

The fallen soldiers might mean the war wouldn’t end soon.

But they went anyway.

...

Wu Gui City had many graves.

Some were Zhang Sheng and Chen Jiao’s.

Qi Yuan sat on the city wall as always.

Time passed, and he smiled.

“Are there more monsters to die?”

“Sadly, they are too stupid to communicate!”

“Otherwise, knowing they’d die, I could line them up for execution.

The process differs, but the outcome is the same.”

Qi Yuan jumped off the wall.

As he landed, dust rose.

He stood, ten meters tall, clad in blood-red armor, wielding a giant blood-colored sword.

Like a giant armored warrior, he charged into the demon army.

“Just a thousand demons, the strongest level 50, is that all?”

Qi Yuan fought fiercely, his sword constantly slashing.

Wherever he went, all demons perished.

His experience bar skyrocketed.

Suddenly, a prompt sounded in Qi Yuan’s ear.

【Leveled up to 60, gain a chance to comprehend the essence. Use it?】

Many thoughts crossed Qi Yuan’s mind.

He didn't expect at level 30 to awaken minor skills and now at 60 to get a chance to comprehend the essence.

Understanding the term "essence," Qi Yuan knew its importance.

But now, he couldn't think much.

The demon army was still attacking.

“Kill!”

Qi Yuan fought harder, wanting to finish off the demon army and see what comprehending the essence meant.

He charged into the demon army, fighting like a god.

...

Far away.

The demon controller Misan looked puzzled: “Caixia, did Wu Gui City fail again?”

The woman named Caixia was also surprised: “Behind Wu Gui City is Great Xia, a small country with no overlords.

The demon army sent should have easily destroyed Wu Gui City.”

Their main enemy was Galan City.

Wu Gui City’s capture was left to the demons.

Usually, it should be easy.

But it wasn't captured in half a year.

Misan noticed this by chance.

“Did another city support Wu Gui, maybe Galan?” Misan wondered.

“Galan can barely defend itself, supporting Wu Gui is suicide!” Caixia scorned.

“In a few days, lead a team of overlord-level demons to Wu Gui City and capture it,” Misan ordered, “Whoever is in Wu Gui City must die.”

“We overlooked this small city, but now that we noticed it, it will die!” Caixia was eager to fight.

...

After killing all demons, Qi Yuan was exhausted, blowing off the blood on his broken sword.

He returned to Wu Gui City.

“No demons for five days.”

“Time to see what comprehending the essence means.”

Qi Yuan found a secluded, safe place.

He whispered: “Use it.”

【Comprehending the essence, the longer you stay, the better the effect.

Note, the duration of comprehension in the real world is instantaneous.】

Qi Yuan was relieved.

If he took too long, demons might sneak into Wu Gui City, which would be bad.

But now, no need to worry.

【Comprehension begins.】

With the prompt, Qi Yuan’s consciousness blurred.

When it cleared, he felt strange.

Like facing the sun, feeling like the Dao, hanging in the sky.

Now, he was on a mountaintop.

He was a drop of blood, or a mass of blood, the size of a marble.

This drop of blood stood on the peak.

Qi Yuan looked up.

In the sky, a door appeared.

What kind of door?

Qi Yuan couldn’t describe it, couldn’t find words.

But he knew it was a door.

Seeing the door, Qi Yuan sensed several strong auras rising, trying to enter.

But they shattered before touching the door.

The door seemed the most terrifying thing.

Touch it and die.

“Is this the essence?”

Qi Yuan observed the door.

It constantly changed, never fixed.

【The Door of Myriad Variations, the Unknown Door.】

Even with his eyes, Qi Yuan could only learn the name, nothing more.

He knew his knowledge was too limited.

He kept watching the door.

After a long time, a voice like a lark sounded.

“Oh my, a new neighbor.

Wow, so ugly, round and red.

Will it lower our Nine Pan Peak’s average beauty?”

Qi Yuan saw a small, colorful bird nearby.

“You’re ugly!” Proud of his looks, Qi Yuan couldn’t tolerate insults.