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

Chapter 157: You All Continue, I Took the Wrong Path

In the Heaven and Earth Cave, a childish voice echoed.

“The sun in the sky has mutated again. I wonder if this is… a good thing or a bad thing.”

A seductive female voice chuckled lightly. “This at least involves the struggle of a Great Sovereign. We shouldn’t worry about such matters. Instead, we should consider whether we’ve made any progress in recent years, whether we’ve opened another Divine Aperture.”

“The Sovereign of Sentiments is as amusing as ever,” an elderly voice said. “Let’s not bring up such matters.”

These three were the Yin Gods of the Eastern Lands, the ones responsible for hosting the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle. In reality, however, the battle was entirely organized by Yeqiong Sovereign. The other two never interfered, and the conversation they were having was just among their avatars. Their true bodies were already in deep slumber, focusing on expanding their Divine Apertures.

“In half a month, the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle will end, and the gate to Moonwatching Continent will open. I wonder… if we can secure a place there,” the seductive female voice said, tinged with inexplicable sadness.

“The Demora Clan… they are too strong,” the elderly voice lamented. “Without the help of other Yin Gods, we cannot contend with the Demora Clan.”

The childish voice then spoke, “Seeking help from other Yin Gods? That would be handing Moonwatching Continent over to them on a silver platter! Absolutely not!”

“But the Demora Clan has a Second-Step Yin God!” the elderly voice brought up again.

Mentioning a Second-Step Yin God made the other Yin Gods fall silent. They were all First-Step Yin Gods, having only opened a few scattered Divine Apertures. Against a Second-Step Yin God, they stood no chance.

At this point, the seductive female voice spoke again. “I heard that recently, a certain Blood-Clad Sword God destroyed the Radiant Palace. The remnants of that battle from the Void Realm are no small matter. This suggests that a battle of Second-Step caliber occurred in the Void Realm. Could this Blood-Clad Sword God be a Second-Step?”

“No, he doesn’t have any divine nature. He isn’t a Yin God.”

“Could it be that he possesses a powerful Yin God artifact?” the female voice grew greedy.

“Why don’t I have a Yin God artifact?” the elderly voice grumbled.

Unless one was at the Second Step, a Yin God’s divine power would be insufficient to open additional Divine Apertures, let alone to forge a Yin God artifact.

“If the Blood-Clad Sword God dies in Moonwatching Continent, that would be great,” the seductive voice laughed. “Then I could pick up that Yin God artifact.”

“You’re daydreaming. Would the Demora Clan leave a Yin God artifact behind?”

“Yeqiong, sending the Blood-Clad Sword God to Moonwatching Continent is quite the scheme.”

“I didn’t scheme against him; he wanted to enter Moonwatching Continent. I merely granted him that small wish. If he dies there, he can’t blame me,” the childish voice said with righteous indignation.

…

The Eastern Lands were in turmoil.

Meanwhile, the small Great Shang Kingdom was far from peaceful.

True Lord Kumu, the Sect Master of the Divine Light Sect, had been troubled for days.

With Mu Kong’s death at the Divine Light Sect, the Red Sword Sect would now have even more reason to target them. Even though the Red Sword Sect’s Supreme Elder was still injured, he was still a Purple Mansion cultivator. A Purple Mansion and a Nascent Soul were on entirely different levels, much like how a Yin God and a Purple Mansion were not on the same level.

The sect’s grand array had already been activated, awaiting the arrival of the Red Sword Sect’s Supreme Elder.

At this moment, a terrifying aura swept across the sky.

True Lord Kumu’s face changed. “A Purple Mansion?”

The elders and deacons of the Divine Light Sect also looked grim.

“They actually came!”

“It’s over. The Divine Light Sect is finished!”

“Wait, it’s not just one—it’s two Purple Mansions!” True Lord Kumu felt two powerful presences, and his heart sank into despair.

One Purple Mansion could easily destroy the Divine Light Sect, let alone two. The Red Sword Sect’s old, undying Purple Mansion even found someone to help? This was beyond disgraceful!

“Sect Master, let’s fight them to the death!” A Golden Core elder said angrily.

“We swear to defend the sect!”

The entire sect was united in resolve.

Meanwhile, outside the sect, Meishan and Xu Yeli exchanged puzzled looks.

“Did we come to the wrong place?”

“We shouldn’t have.”

“Why does it feel like they see us as their greatest enemies?”

The two were confused.

Finally, they spoke up.

“Meishan of the Blood-Clad Alliance is here to visit the Sect Master of the Divine Light Sect!”

“Xu Yeli of the Blood-Clad Alliance is here to visit the Sect Master of the Divine Light Sect!”

Their voices boomed, passing through the sect’s protective array and into the ears of all the disciples and elders of the Divine Light Sect.

The elders and disciples exchanged confused glances.

“Blood-Clad Alliance? What’s that?”

“What’s going on? Isn’t this the Red Sword Sect?”

True Lord Kumu was just as baffled, and Elder Xuan Chong was equally bewildered.

The elders flew to the sect’s gate and looked out.

True Lord Kumu’s eyes widened in shock.

The two elders before him had auras as deep as the ocean.

The one in front, especially, did not seem like an ordinary Purple Mansion.

Why were such powerful figures visiting the Divine Light Sect?

“Are you the Sect Master of the Divine Light Sect?” Meishan looked at True Lord Kumu. Despite being a Nascent Soul cultivator, Meishan’s demeanor was exceptionally gentle.

After all, this man was the elder of the Blood-Clad Sword God.

“I am Kumu, Sect Master of the Divine Light Sect. May I ask who you are?” True Lord Kumu asked, full of doubt.

“Our leader of the Blood-Clad Alliance has a gift for you,” Meishan said.

A purple-gold gourd appeared in his hand. Despite the sect’s protective array, the gourd passed through without obstruction, landing directly in True Lord Kumu’s hands.

“The purple-gold gourd?” True Lord Kumu was stunned as he looked at the familiar gourd.

It was the lost treasure of the Wood Clan!

For a thousand years, he hadn’t seen this treasure!

And now, it had reappeared!

Elder Xuan Chong also stared intently at the purple-gold gourd.

The rest of the sect was confused, not understanding why the Sect Master and Elder Xuan Chong were reacting so strongly.

True Lord Kumu was overwhelmed with emotion, holding the treasured gourd, memories of the past flooding his mind.

But a question nagged at him.

The purple-gold gourd was supposed to be a reward in the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle.

How had it ended up here?

Suddenly, he thought of Qi Yuan and Kang Fulu.

He had only ever mentioned the treasure and its significance to these two.

Now that the treasure had returned, it must be related to them!

But who?

True Lord Kumu immediately ruled out Kang Fulu. After all, he knew how capable his son-in-law was.

That left only Ruan Yixi’s disciple, Qi Yuan, whom he couldn’t quite figure out.

A flurry of thoughts crossed his mind.

Could it be that this young man, Qi Yuan, had caught the attention of the Blood-Clad Alliance’s leader?

As unlikely as it seemed, True Lord Kumu thought it possible.

Qi Yuan, though seemingly unreliable, was extremely good-looking. In private circles, he was ranked tenth among the Ten Beauties of the Great Shang. If not for his eccentric personality, he might have been ranked first.

It was entirely possible that a senior had taken a liking to him and made him their Dao companion.

For the sake of True Lord Kumu, Qi Yuan must have made a great sacrifice. The Sect Master felt deeply moved.

Was this the “two subordinates” that Jiang Lingsu had mentioned?

If so, it all made sense.

True Lord Kumu asked, “May I ask if the leader of the Blood-Clad Alliance is male or female?”

“Of course, he’s male.”

True Lord Kumu’s face stiffened, his gratitude deepening even further.

Qi Yuan’s sacrifice… was immense.

“The leader also said that you are his elder and have taken great care of him. He has another gift for you,” Meishan added.

True Lord Kumu was stunned.

Elder?

Care?

So, what he had just imagined was wrong?

Did he know the leader of the Blood-Clad Alliance?

Could it be...

As for the gift, he didn’t think much of it.

At that moment, Meishan smiled. “Please take a look at who this is.”

Xu Yeli nudged a figure forward, who tumbled into the Divine Light Sect.

“A Purple Mansion!”

“A Purple Mansion?”

The figure’s aura was weak, bound by an Immortal Binding Rope, but any Nascent Soul cultivator could tell that this was indeed a Purple Mansion!

Seeing a Purple Mansion bound like a dead dog and thrown in front of them left everyone in shock.

After all, this was the first time they had seen a Purple Mansion so up close.

Elder Xuan Chong’s heart skipped a beat when he saw the face of the bound Purple Mansion, and a torrent of emotions surged within him.

“Honglian… you wretch!”

The figure was none other than Honglian!

This was the same Honglian who had forced the Sacred Queen to her death, destroyed the Wood Clan, and slaughtered Elder Xuan Chong’s entire family and clan!

He could never forget that face.

Day and night, in his dreams, he would see that haughty face!

True Lord Kumu’s excitement was no less intense than Elder Xuan Chong’s.

He stared at Honglian, overwhelmed by both shock and satisfaction, though still puzzled.

“The leader said this man is yours to deal with as you see fit. We must return to the Blood-Clad Alliance to report. To avoid any mishaps, I suggest you behead Honglian and display his head,” Meishan proposed.

Beheading and displaying the head was a common practice in the Canglan Realm, often used to satisfy deep-seated grudges.

True Lord Kumu looked at Meishan and Xu Yeli, then bowed solemnly. “Thank you both, and thank you to the leader of the Blood-Clad Alliance!”

He didn’t know who the leader was, but there was undoubtedly a deep connection with Qi Yuan, possibly even...

He turned to Honglian, his eyes brimming with hatred, eager to tear him apart.

Half an hour later.

The beheading ceremony began.

True Lord Kumu wore a solemn expression.

Honglian, like a dead dog, was filled with terror in his eyes.

“If you kill me, Shuixian Continent will go to war with Cuiyun Continent!” He struggled, desperate to avoid death, especially at the hands of a mere Nascent Soul cultivator.

The elders and disciples of the Divine Light Sect were in awe, witnessing something they had never seen before—a Purple Mansion being beheaded. It was a rare spectacle indeed.

True Lord Kumu held his sword, ready to decapitate Honglian and avenge his people.

At that moment, a terrifying aura swept across again.

“You dare kill my disciple? Divine Light Sect, how bold of you!”

“Has the name of the Purple Mansion lost its weight after so long?”

“Today, none in the Divine Light Sect shall survive!”

A Purple Mansion expert in a brown robe appeared outside the sect, his face contorted with rage.

He looked at True Lord Kumu, then froze.

Because he saw another Purple Mansion bound.

This bound Purple Mansion’s aura was incredibly strong, a mid-stage Purple Mansion cultivator.

How had such a powerful cultivator been captured here?

He was dumbfounded.

At that moment, a passionate voice rang out.

“Time’s up! Execute him!”

With those words, True Lord Kumu’s sword glowed brightly.

Slash!

As the sword fell, Honglian’s head rolled to the ground.

His soul, bound by the Immortal Binding Rope, slowly dissipated.

Only then did everyone else notice the brown-robed elder.

The elder stood in the air, completely stunned.

What had he just witnessed?

A mid-stage Purple Mansion powerhouse had been beheaded by the Divine Light Sect?

Had he come to the wrong place, or was he still dreaming?

“You all continue… I took the wrong path...” He muttered, the situation too bizarre for him to comprehend, and decided it was best to leave.

At that moment, a gentle voice called out from behind him, “Fellow Daoist, please stay.”

The brown-robed elder’s body froze.

A late-stage Purple Mansion!

...

Half a month passed quickly.

“Hmm, the progress on the Golden Core Path is promising. The accumulated Solar True Fire… is it enough to devour a star now?” Qi Yuan pondered.

After some thought, he decided to stockpile more.

After all, devouring a star was not the same as devouring a planet.

The two were fundamentally different.

Moreover, if he remembered correctly, the stars around him were all bigger than his.

Even after devouring a dozen planets, the difference compared to those stars was still vast.

“I’ll gather more Solar True Fire. With a bit more effort, I should be able to devour a star. That should be enough to defeat Yeqiong Sovereign, right?”

Qi Yuan mused.

“Until I devour another star, I should keep a low profile.”

Qi Yuan felt he was still too weak.

“Sigh, if only my Golden Core were in this world. If it were, I’d dare to directly challenge a Yang God!”

Of course, Qi Yuan was only joking.

Not knowing how strong a Yang God was, he wouldn’t recklessly provoke one.

“Leader!” The Master of Yunzhong Pavilion called from outside the hall.

Qi Yuan’s eyes lit up. “Has the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle ended?”

“Yes, it has ended, and the entrance to Moonwatching Continent has opened,” the Master of Yunzhong Pavilion said as he entered the hall.

Qi Yuan was pleased. “Let’s go. I want to enter Moonwatching Continent.”

The Master of Yunzhong Pavilion’s expression turned serious. “The situation in Moonwatching Continent is unclear. Aside from those three Sovereigns, no one knows what’s happening inside. If you enter rashly, there may be danger. Perhaps it would be wiser to send some juniors in first to scout?”

Currently, the only Yin God in Cuiyun Continent was the Blood-Clad Sword God. If something happened to him, the Purple Mansions would have no chance of surviving the impending calamity.

“What you say makes sense,” Qi Yuan nodded. “If Yeqiong Sovereign ambushes me, that would be a huge loss.”

The Master of Yunzhong Pavilion smiled. “Shall I make arrangements then?”

“Why arrange for others? Isn’t it fine if I go?” Qi Yuan said, his appearance changing as his face and blood-red robe transformed into a black outfit. “I’m a Yuan Dan cultivator. Before, I was just pretending to be a Purple Mansion in front of you. Now I’ve returned to my original form. As a Yuan Dan, no one should pay attention to me, right?”

The Master of Yunzhong Pavilion was silent, unsure how to respond.

...

At the entrance to Moonwatching Continent.

The prodigies had gathered.

Those ranked in the top nineteen of the Prodigy List were all present.

Gu Xiaoyao, dressed in black, stood at the forefront. Having cultivated the Heavenly Dao Foundation, he had rightfully earned the top spot on the Prodigy List.

True Lord Dazhi stood nearby, eyes closed, seemingly dozing off.

Jiang Ya was also among the crowd, her expression calm.

Xu Tongchen’s eyes glimmered with sharpness.

With the Radiant Palace destroyed, he no longer hid his strength. His Solar True Fire burned everything in its path, securing him a spot in the top twenty.

“Where’s the last person? When will they arrive? I’d like to see which prodigy dared to take a shortcut,” a female cultivator from Shuixian Continent spoke, her voice laced with mockery.

She was ranked third on the Eastern Lands Prodigy List, her mastery of water far surpassing others. Those ranked between twentieth and thirtieth were no match for her.

The other prodigies looked at Ling Jiao with wary eyes.

Ling Jiao had every reason to be proud.

First, her talent was exceptional.

Second, she hailed from Shuiyun Palace, which possessed a Yin God artifact.

Third, her mother was the youngest daughter of a Yin God from the Northern Lands, doted on by that Yin God.

She was truly a prodigy born with a silver spoon.

“Sorry, sorry, I’m a bit late.” At that moment, a voice rang out.

The crowd turned to see a “bulky” man approaching.

The man was dressed in layer upon layer of robes—at a glance, there were dozens. Each robe looked incredibly valuable.

On his head, he wore a dragon crown that obscured his face, making it impossible to see his features.

Most absurdly, he had turtle shells strapped to both his back and chest.

In his hands, he carried large bags.

“Sorry for being late. Please, have some buns and soy milk,” the “bulky” man said.

This man, of course, was Qi Yuan.

For this trip to Moonwatching Continent, he had made many preparations, wearing numerous protective robes and covering himself with talismans. Until he had devoured a second star, Qi Yuan had decided to reform his ways and live quietly.

The first step was to disguise himself so Yeqiong Sovereign wouldn’t recognize him.

Because of these preparations, he arrived a bit later than the others.

Though, truthfully, he wasn’t late, as the entrance to Moonwatching Continent had yet to fully open.

The buns and soy milk floated from his hands toward the gathered prodigies.

The nineteen other prodigies looked at each other, catching the buns and soy milk.

Only Ling Jiao snorted coldly, waving her hand to knock the buns and soy milk to the ground.

Qi Yuan looked at Ling Jiao, full of self-reproach. “Sigh, I thought everyone liked sweet soy milk, so I bought the sweet kind. I didn’t know you preferred savory. If I had known, I would have bought savory for you.”

Ling Jiao looked at Qi Yuan with disdain. “I wondered who took a shortcut. Turns out it’s someone who hides their face, too scared to show their true identity.”

She was puzzled.

This wasn’t the Blood-Clad Sword God?

This man didn’t have the aura of a powerhouse. He couldn’t be the Blood-Clad Sword God.

Then who was he?

She wanted to find out who had taken the Blood-Clad Sword God’s place in Moonwatching Continent.

This was her mother’s task for her.

That’s why she deliberately picked on Qi Yuan.

The other prodigies also watched Qi Yuan, curious.

Only Xu Tongchen wore a strange expression, avoiding eye contact with Qi Yuan.

“What do you mean I’m not showing my true identity? It’s just that I’m wearing more clothes. You’re wearing clothes too, so why say I’m hiding my identity? Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black? How about this, you take off one piece of clothing, and I’ll take off one too. That way, we’ll both show our true selves?” Qi Yuan said seriously.

Ling Jiao’s face darkened.

How many clothes was she wearing?

This man was wearing dozens!

Shameless!

The other prodigies watched, amused.

At that moment, True Lord Dazhi, munching on a bun, spoke up, “I think this gentleman has a point. Let’s all undress together.”

“Hmph!” Ling Jiao snorted coldly, saying nothing more.

In her heart, she marked Qi Yuan as an enemy.

What started as a provocation at her mother’s behest had now turned into a real grudge!