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

Chapter 202: A Bountiful Harvest, the Taiyin Thunder Pearl

As they stared at the Linmu Immortal Liquid, the villagers' breathing became rapid, and they were itching to indulge in it. But since Qi Yuan hadn't said anything, they didn't dare move forward.

Seeing the eager villagers behind him, Qi Yuan asked, "You guys don’t even play basketball, so why are you so eager to drink bathwater?"

This puzzled Qi Yuan, as he remembered a basketball player from his previous life on Blue Star who was rumored to want to drink bathwater.

"Basketball? Bathwater?" The villagers were baffled by Qi Yuan’s seemingly random thoughts. They were focused on the Linmu Immortal Liquid, so the mention of these two unrelated things confused them.

"Ah, seems like this bathwater has already been used," Qi Yuan remarked. Then, he commanded, "Happy Arhat, collect all this bathwater."

Qi Yuan wouldn’t use this bathwater himself, but if his followers wanted to, he wouldn’t stop them.

Happy Arhat was excited. "Divine Lord, I’m about to condense my second divine aperture. Can I drink a bit of this Linmu Immortal Liquid?"

Long-brow Arhat quickly followed suit, his eyes filled with longing for the Linmu Immortal Liquid. The other villagers were just as eager. Even if they weren’t True Gods, drinking the Linmu Immortal Liquid would still offer numerous benefits, such as improving their cultivation and enhancing their talents.

"Go ahead, each of you can have a drink," Qi Yuan permitted.

The villagers rushed forward, scooping the bathwater with their hands, cradling it in their palms. Village Chief Yuli, his old face filled with bliss, inhaled the fragrance of the Linmu Immortal Liquid.

"This scent is truly marvelous. Just smelling it is invigorating. I can’t even imagine how wonderful it must taste!"

Village Chief Yuli savored the Linmu Immortal Liquid as if it were a child in a feudal kingdom tasting milk for the first time. The others were no better off—they were all enraptured by the experience.

"Too bad I can’t livestream this; it would be quite entertaining," Qi Yuan mused. He secretly took out a recording stone to capture the moment. Who knows, in endless ages, these people might become mighty figures. Then, he could show them this recording of their obsession with bathwater—it would be amusing.

"I’ve opened my second divine aperture!" Happy Arhat suddenly exclaimed. A powerful surge of divine energy emanated from him as he successfully opened a new divine aperture. His strength soared instantly. The other villagers also experienced varying degrees of improvement, their bodies nourished by the various treasures within the Linmu Immortal Liquid. Their faces glowed, and their postures became more upright.

"Not bad, we’ve already gained so much from just the first tower," Qi Yuan said, pleased. With Happy Arhat’s power increasing, he was naturally excited. According to what they had been told, the ancestral land had seven layers with over a hundred towers. If the first tower’s bathwater was this powerful, who knows what better treasures awaited in the other towers? Their overall strength would surely see significant improvement.

"Pack up the few tons of bathwater and let’s move on to the next tower," Qi Yuan ordered.

The villagers didn’t know why Qi Yuan kept calling the Linmu Immortal Liquid "bathwater," but they didn’t care. They just chalked it up to a quirk in his speech. After all, how could such a precious liquid be bathwater? Who would even use so much of this rare liquid for bathing?

"Yes!" Happy Arhat eagerly took out a storage bag and filled it with the Linmu Immortal Liquid.

Qi Yuan glanced around the tower, which was filled with metal scraps and various strange, broken objects. To him, most of these things were useless.

"Alright, on to the next tower!" Qi Yuan announced with a wave of his hand. The villagers followed him as they left the tower.

Outside, a group of ancient gods was still anxiously waiting, their nerves taut as they prepared to rush in and rescue them at any moment.

"It’s been so long without any movement—what’s going on?" Yanxi Venerable asked, puzzled.

"It’s truly strange," others agreed.

The interior of the tower was fraught with danger, with traps that could be triggered at any moment, awakening the Puppet Gods within. They had been inside for over a hundred breaths, yet there was no sign of trouble—such a thing was almost unheard of.

"Could he really be able to tell fortunes?" the younger twin sister wondered aloud.

The other ancient gods chuckled at the suggestion but didn’t take it seriously. Fortune-telling was one of the most unpredictable arts, and in a place as chaotic as the ancestral land, even a master of divination could meet their end.

Just then, a voice called out, "Why are you all still here?"

The ancient gods immediately looked up towards the source of the voice. They saw Qi Yuan opening something that looked like a glass window at the top of the tower and jumping out, followed by the villagers.

The sight of the villagers easily leaping out of the tower was like watching a man sneaking out of a woman’s house after a tryst.

The ancient gods were stunned.

They…

The younger twin sister, always blunt, exclaimed, "You made it to the top floor!"

If they were coming out of the top floor, it meant they had reached the top!

This tower had three layers, and even the first layer had claimed the lives of many ancient gods. No one had ever reached the second layer, let alone the top! How had these two gods and a bunch of mortals made it to the top and back out alive? Were the Puppet Gods inside still asleep?

The ancient gods were in utter disbelief.

Qi Yuan and his group landed beside them. "Of course I can tell fortunes—I naturally found a safe path. Unfortunately, this tower didn’t have anything valuable, just a bunch of bathwater," Qi Yuan said nonchalantly.

The first tower hadn’t impressed him much.

"Bathwater? There’s bathwater in the tower?"

The ancient gods exchanged confused glances, struggling to make sense of Qi Yuan’s words.

"Just bathwater? Wait, whose bathwater?"

Seeing how easily Qi Yuan and his group had come out, their minds raced with possibilities. Either Qi Yuan was extremely lucky, or he had some hidden abilities, or perhaps the tower was malfunctioning. Whatever the case, they couldn’t help but feel a mix of envy and jealousy.

After all, Yanxi Venerable had once ventured into this very tower. But after just one breath inside, he was chased out by a horde of Puppet Gods, leaving one of his legs behind. He had struggled mightily for a single piece of thin golden silk, which he now used as a mask to conceal his aura. The contrast between his hard-earned prize and Qi Yuan’s effortless success was stark and disheartening.

But when they heard it was just bathwater, they felt a bit better. It didn’t sound like anything too valuable.

Just then, the elder twin sister noticed something. "They all seem to have undergone a transformation, especially…"

Her gaze fell on Happy Arhat, whose strength had noticeably increased.

In such a short time, his cultivation had grown so much! There must have been some extraordinary treasure involved!

"I smell Linmu Immortal Liquid!" exclaimed a man with a large mole on his forehead, his eyes lighting up as he looked at the villagers.

"Linmu Immortal Liquid, I smell it too!"

"It really is Linmu Immortal Liquid!" some of the other ancient gods said, their eyes turning red with envy.

Linmu Immortal Liquid was a rare treasure even for True Gods below the level of Great Venerable. Not only did it taste exquisite and emit a divine fragrance, but just one drop could increase the speed of divine aperture formation fivefold for ten years. For True Gods stuck at a bottleneck, a few drops might even help them break through.

Such a precious elixir, and Qi Yuan had let those mortals drink it!

This was an outrageous waste!

Like casting pearls before swine!

The ancient gods were heartbroken. A treasure like that would have had a far greater effect on them than on mortals.

"You mean that bathwater? It is quite something. Shentu has always been skinny, but after drinking it, he’s gained some weight. If he starts liking bathwater, he might have to drink a bowl every day. Otherwise, people might think I prefer men," Qi Yuan remarked casually.

Normally, Qi Yuan didn’t care much about what others said about him. He was easygoing—unless someone crossed a line. But he couldn’t tolerate rumors about him liking men, especially since he was a married man.

"Bathwater? Linmu Immortal Liquid?"

"Drinking a bowl every day…"

The ancient gods were speechless. A mortal drinking such a precious elixir daily—wasn’t that overindulgence to the point of absurdity?

Some of the ancient gods secretly wished the mortal would just explode from overindulgence.

"How much Linmu Immortal Liquid did you manage to collect?" the younger twin sister asked, her voice tinged with envy.

"Not much, only about ten thousand catties," Qi Yuan replied offhandedly.

The ancient gods’ eyes went wide, and their breathing became ragged. If it weren’t for their sense of honor and the fact that Qi Yuan had saved them, they might have considered robbing him on the spot. Such treasures were enough to tempt anyone.

"Enough talking. I need to move on to the next tower. My goal is to clear out all the towers before dawn," Qi Yuan said, waving them off as he and his followers headed for the next tower.

The ancient gods exchanged complicated glances before following him.

After about a hundred breaths, they reached another tower.

The ancient gods had barely recovered from their shock when they saw Qi Yuan and his group boldly enter the new tower.

"Do you think it’s just luck?"

"I’m tempted to follow them in—ten thousand catties of Linmu Immortal Liquid!"

"That tower is dangerous. Are you looking to die?"

"I’m jealous, envious, and upset!" said the man with the large mole.

He voiced what everyone else was feeling.

If they had been envious before, now they were positively burning with jealousy. They had ventured into the ancestral land many times, risking life and limb, yet their combined spoils paled in comparison to what Qi Yuan had collected in just one outing.

How could they not be jealous?

"If you’re that jealous, why don’t you do what those mortals did and become Qi Yuan’s follower?" the younger twin sister teased.

During their earlier conversations, they had exchanged names.

The man with the large mole huffed, "Linmu Immortal Liquid is precious, but I’m not so spineless as to grovel for it!"

"True, Linmu Immortal Liquid is valuable, but it’s not worth selling your freedom for. Unless, of course, you could drink a bowl every day. In that case, I might consider relocating," said an old man, chuckling.

"The first tower might have been a fluke, but the second one is unlikely to be as lucky. Let’s not waste time speculating—keep a close watch. If anything happens inside, we’ll be ready to help!"

The ancient gods debated and speculated.

Then the man with the large mole posed a troubling question. "But what if they do come out of the second tower like they did the first? What then?"

The question hung in the air, silencing everyone.

Once might be luck, but twice? Calling it luck again would just be lying to themselves.

"If they emerge from the second tower, and the treasure is tempting enough… well, I might have to reconsider my stance," said Wangsong Venerable.

"Weren’t you always the proud pine tree? Now you’re thinking about becoming a follower?" the man with the large mole teased.

"I am a pine tree, and pine trees naturally suffer from osteoporosis!" Wangsong Venerable quipped, causing a few chuckles among the group.

Though they joked about becoming followers, none of them seriously considered it—at least, not yet. While the treasures were valuable, they weren’t worth giving up their freedom. After all, with enough time, they could advance on their own.

Meanwhile, inside the tower, Qi Yuan and his group reached the top floor once more.

"These are… Taiyin Thunder Pearls!" Priest Shentu, who was well-versed in various relics, recognized the terrifying orbs contained in a giant glass jar. His face was filled with shock.

"Taiyin Thunder Pearls, each capable of obliterating a city!"

Taiyin Thunder Pearls came in various sizes, with the smallest as large as a pea. These could release an explosion equivalent to a full-power strike from a First-Step True God. The largest, the size of a fist, had the destructive power of a Great Venerable’s attack, their might unimaginable.

The glass jar was filled with countless pea-sized Taiyin Thunder Pearls and twelve fist-sized ones.

The villagers' legs trembled at the sight. If these were to explode, they would all be blown to the heavens.

Qi Yuan examined the legendary Taiyin Thunder Pearls with a curious expression.

[Taiyin Thunder Pearl, also known as Fish Blasting Thunder Cracker, a popular toy among certain children.]

"A toy for blasting fish?" Qi Yuan thought, his interest piqued.

These Taiyin Thunder Pearls, with their nuclear-level power, were merely children’s toys in this world. It was a sobering reminder of just how deep and vast this world’s mysteries were.

But then Qi Yuan reminded himself—he was just a player in this world. There was no need to overthink it.

"This kid really had a thing for collecting fireworks. Too bad they’re all mine now," Qi Yuan thought with a sense of satisfaction.

As an adult, he finally had enough fireworks to fulfill his childhood dreams.

"Look at this—I’ve got so many fireworks!" Qi Yuan boasted, holding up the glass jar. The Taiyin Thunder Pearls rattled inside as he shook it, much to the horror of the villagers. They feared that Qi Yuan might accidentally set them off and blow them all to pieces.

"This haul is even better than the first tower. Let’s move on!" Qi Yuan commanded as he led the group back out through the window.

Outside, the waiting ancient gods sensed movement and looked up, their eyes widening.

"They’re coming out!"

"They really made it out!"

"Is he really that good at fortune-telling?"

The ancient gods were bewildered, their understanding of the world turned upside down.

"You’re still here?" Qi Yuan asked, genuinely surprised. "NPCs in this game need better AI—they’re just standing around watching."

Qi Yuan had played many games, and NPCs generally exhibited the following traits:

1. They often spaced out.
2. Their models were lazily designed.
3. They got new skins during holidays.
4. Their side quests were usually optional and didn’t affect the main storyline.
5. They didn’t have much health.

To Qi Yuan, these ancient gods were no different from game NPCs. A single Taiyin Thunder Pearl would wipe them out, without disrupting his main quest.

The younger twin sister’s eyes narrowed as she spotted something alarming. "Taiyin Thunder Pearls—a lot of them!"

The glass jar Qi Yuan held contained thousands of pea-sized Taiyin Thunder Pearls and a dozen fist-sized ones. As Qi Yuan casually shook the jar, the ancient gods watched in horror.

Qi Yuan waved the jar slowly. "Don’t worry—these are just for blasting fish."

He was proud of his collection of fireworks.

The ancient gods fell silent, eyeing the Taiyin Thunder Pearls warily. Just one of those fist-sized pearls could obliterate them all before they had a chance to flee.

"Your luck is truly remarkable, to find such treasures," the ancient gods remarked, their voices tinged with envy.

Wangsong Venerable’s eyes glowed red with jealousy. If the Linmu Immortal Liquid had only made him envious, the Taiyin Thunder Pearls made him outright jealous.

He looked at Qi Yuan with burning eyes and said, "Daoist, may I accompany you to the next tower? I’m willing to serve as your follower for ten years—or better yet, your subordinate for ten years!"

Qi Yuan was surprised. "I suppose I can agree to that."

What was one more follower? It was no trouble for him.

Seeing this, the other ancient gods who had been silently watching Wangsong Venerable’s boldness exchanged glances. The man with the large mole spoke up. "Daoist, I too wish to follow Wangsong Venerable’s example and accompany you to the next tower. Ten years of service for one tower!"

Qi Yuan nodded. "Alright."

Seeing that the ice had been broken, the remaining ancient gods quickly spoke up.

"Daoist, count me in!"

"Origin Heavenly Lord, my sister and I would like to join as well!"

With the precedent set, the other ancient gods didn’t hold back. Within a few short moments, all eight ancient gods had agreed to follow Qi Yuan into the towers.

Qi Yuan grinned. "One tower, ten years. With over a hundred towers here, you’ll be working for me for over a thousand years."