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

Chapter 203: Primordial Liquid for Divine Apertures, Born to Protect Babies

"Well then, let's head to the third tower," Qi Yuan declared, waving his sleeve as the twenty-one of them headed toward the third tower.

The ancient gods were filled with anticipation, eager to see how Qi Yuan managed to bypass the numerous dangers and reach the top of the tower to claim the treasures.

Soon, they entered the third tower.

Qi Yuan turned to the group and said, "Please wait a moment while I do some calculations."

As soon as he spoke, his eyebrows began to twitch rapidly.

The villagers were used to this sight, but the ancient gods were left bewildered.

"Is he really using his eyebrows to tell fortunes?"

"Can this even be possible?"

"How could this be?"

Their worldview was shattered once more. Initially, they thought Qi Yuan was using some profound Daoist technique or had access to some secret knowledge within the tower. But it turned out to be exactly what it appeared—just like when he had used his eyebrows to divine the situation at the entrance to the ancestral land.

"Could this be the legendary and long-lost 'Dancing Brows' celestial calculation technique?" Wangsong Venerable quickly adjusted to his role as a follower, addressing Qi Yuan as "Divine Lord."

The younger twin sister looked puzzled. "Is there really such a technique? Why haven’t I heard of it?"

The other ancient gods also looked at Wangsong Venerable, curious to learn more about Qi Yuan’s abilities.

"If it’s long lost, it's natural that you wouldn't know about it," Wangsong Venerable replied.

"Wangsong Venerable, since you know about this celestial technique, why not tell us more about its origins and its power?" one of them asked.

"Ahem, I actually don’t know anything about it, nor do I understand it."

"What? Then how do you know about it?"

"I don’t know, and I don’t understand."

"Uh?"

"It’s been lost for so long. How could I possibly know? I’ve never even heard of it before!" Wangsong Venerable said earnestly.

The other ancient gods were left speechless. So, Wangsong Venerable had just made it up? But it did sound plausible. After all, if it had been lost for so long, it was only natural that they wouldn’t know about it.

"Everyone, follow me. Do exactly as I do," Qi Yuan instructed, then began to move forward.

The villagers quickly followed, mimicking his movements as they walked through the empty tower.

The ancient gods hurried after them.

Before long, they reached a platform.

"It’s safe here for now. You can move freely within a ten-meter radius. I’ll continue my calculations," Qi Yuan said.

The ancient gods' eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Dragon Silk!"

"Divine Dragon Fist Gloves!"

"Condensed Flame Marrow!"

All sorts of precious treasures were scattered around the small area.

These treasures were extremely rare and often required battles to the death to obtain, yet here they were, lying all over the place.

The ancient gods' eyes were practically glowing red as they frantically picked up the treasures. If they weren’t afraid of waking the Puppet Gods, they might have tried to take the very ground they stood on.

"Let's move forward!" Qi Yuan ordered.

He led the group higher up the tower.

The ancient gods were already making a fortune, collecting many rare treasures along the way.

Finally, they reached the top floor.

The ancient gods gasped.

"Primordial Liquid for Divine Apertures!"

On a table before them were ten vials of Primordial Liquid for Divine Apertures. Each vial could open one divine aperture! These ten vials could open ten apertures!

How could the ancient gods not be tempted?

This kind of elixir was priceless in the mortal realm. Although some Great Venerables had claimed that ten vials were the maximum a cultivator could safely consume, that was still an astonishing amount.

[Primordial Liquid for Divine Apertures, produced by He Yao Pharmaceutical Factory No. 6, Office Branch, designed to protect babies’ health. He Yao Pharmaceutical Factory, born to care for babies.]

Qi Yuan looked at the Primordial Liquid with a thoughtful expression. A short description, but it revealed quite a bit of information.

The mention of the "industrial zone" made Qi Yuan think deeply. Ever since entering the ancestral land, he had noticed its oddities. Combining this with the mention of the industrial zone, Qi Yuan began to see the ancestral land as a small city.

The towers they had entered so far contained things like bathwater and fireworks, which seemed like household items. If there was a residential area, it would make sense that there would be an industrial area too.

He speculated that one of the upcoming towers might even be the actual He Yao Pharmaceutical Factory No. 6 Office Branch, where they might find far more Primordial Liquid than the mere ten vials here.

The slogan "born to care for babies" amused Qi Yuan.

Do babies really need Primordial Liquid for Divine Apertures? Does this mean that babies here are born as divine spirits? The origins of this place were becoming increasingly mysterious.

"Do you ancient gods of the ancient one clan know when the ancestral land fell into the mortal realm?" Qi Yuan asked.

Wangsong Venerable quickly replied, "Divine Lord, it's said that the ancestral land fell into the mortal realm when the world first opened."

"That long ago?" Qi Yuan was surprised. "Could this Primordial Liquid be expired?"

Qi Yuan’s thoughts quickly shifted from the origins of the ancient one clan to concerns about the liquid’s expiration date, leaving the villagers even more confused.

"Are the babies of the ancient one clan very strong at birth?" Qi Yuan asked, curious about the Primordial Liquid, which seemed to be a kind of baby formula.

"Ordinary clansmen are born at the Foundation Establishment stage, which is considered average in the mortal realm," Wangsong Venerable explained.

"Born at the Foundation Establishment stage? Then this baby formula isn’t for you," Qi Yuan mused.

According to what the ancient one clan had said, they came from beyond the mortal realm, but the information Qi Yuan had gathered suggested otherwise. The ancient one clan’s babies were born at the Foundation Establishment stage, and they likely couldn't even handle the Primordial Liquid. It was possible that the ancient one clan claimed to be from outside the mortal realm to seem more prestigious.

"So, does this mean every race starts at a different point?" Qi Yuan murmured.

In the Canglan Realm, everyone started as a normal person. In the mortal realm, they started as Foundation Establishment cultivators. But in this so-called ancestral land, the starting point might be as Yin Gods.

This was terrifying.

"Let’s go, onward to He Yao Pharmaceutical Factory No. 6, on the road to becoming true gods!" Qi Yuan collected the Primordial Liquid and led the group out of the window to continue their journey.

Qi Yuan decided to speed up his progress. After all, there weren’t enough good things in the residential area. He needed to head to the industrial zone, where products were made in bulk. If he found a warehouse, it would be a huge jackpot.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the ancestral land…

A burly man was covered in wounds, but his face was filled with excitement.

"Destiny is on my side!"

"How exhilarating!"

He had just found two broken bottles of Primordial Liquid for Divine Apertures in a metal box.

He quickly downed the liquid, and within a hundred breaths, he had condensed two new divine apertures.

"This haul is better than all my previous ones combined!"

The burly man was overjoyed.

Earlier, he had run away with Snake Elder, who was terrified. Watching Snake Elder ignite his divine apertures to flee had left the man puzzled, but he hadn’t dared to ignite his own apertures to keep up.

At the Yin God level, whether one was at the first step or the seventh, there wasn’t much difference in speed and strength—at least not much that would be noticeable. The real difference lay in the number of divine apertures and the amount and use of divine energy. A Great Venerable, with their divine domain, could easily slaughter a first-step Yin God.

The burly man had stumbled into the ancestral land, still dazed. He had woken a Puppet God, and after a fierce battle, he escaped with severe injuries. But finding two bottles of Primordial Liquid made it all worthwhile.

"That guy’s fortune-telling ability is quite something."

He lay back in a more comfortable position, feeling at ease.

At his level, it would take nearly a thousand years of hard work to open a single divine aperture. Opening two in a row made him feel triumphant.

"I can’t wait to run into Yanxi, Wangsong, and the others. I’m going to boast so much."

Right now, all he could think about was running into his acquaintances and showing off. For ancient gods, the joy of bragging to their peers was a source of happiness in their long lives.

Two hours later, Qi Yuan entered another tower.

His expression remained calm, but the eyes of the ancient gods behind him were glowing.

They were getting rich!

Really rich!

By now, they felt like wealthy landlords, overflowing with profits.

Though Qi Yuan kept the bulk of the loot, their own gains were ten times—no, a hundred times—greater than all their previous earnings combined! And most importantly, there was no danger involved.

As they entered the tower, Qi Yuan noticed something strange.

"The air quality here is poor. Everyone should wear a mask, or you might get sick," Qi Yuan advised.

His eyes could see tiny particles in the air that could cause illness even in ancient gods.

The villagers quickly used their Daoist arts to cover their mouths, noses, and ears. They had come to understand Qi Yuan's peculiar way of speaking.

At that moment, Qi Yuan glanced at Yanxi Venerable, his expression odd.

Yanxi Venerable looked confused. "Divine Lord, what is it?"

"You’ve got some strange tastes," Qi Yuan said, looking at the golden scarf on Yanxi Venerable’s head.

Yanxi Venerable was even more puzzled, and the others were curious about what Qi Yuan meant.

"Wearing underwear on your head—are you a perverted superhero? No, you’re even more perverted because this is… the sexy version," Qi Yuan said, waving dismissively.

If Yanxi Venerable wore that in the modern world, he’d be considered a pervert.

"Underwear? Sexy?" Yanxi Venerable touched the delicate golden scarf, bewildered.

Could this really be… underwear?

The other ancient gods hadn't thought much of it at first, but after Qi Yuan's comment, they couldn’t help but see it too. The scarf on Yanxi Venerable’s head did look a lot like underwear.

"Pfft…" The younger twin sister was the first to burst out laughing.

The other ancient gods followed, laughing heartily.

"It really is underwear!"

"Yanxi Venerable… this is too funny!"

"If the Divine Lord says it’s underwear, then it must be underwear!"

The ancient gods and villagers couldn’t stop laughing.

Yanxi Venerable, embarrassed, quickly removed the golden scarf. He considered throwing it away but then couldn’t bear to and put it back into his storage bag.

His reputation was in tatters.

"Let’s move on. This is He Yao Pharmaceutical Factory No. 6—I hope we find some good stuff here," Qi Yuan said, leading the group onward.

He had finally reached the office branch of He Yao Pharmaceutical Factory No. 6.

"He Yao Pharmaceutical Factory?" The ancient gods were puzzled but no longer surprised.

This tower was indeed different from the others. While the previous towers had required them to ascend, this one led them downward.

As they descended, Qi Yuan's curiosity grew.

"No wonder this is a pharmaceutical factory. Even the Puppet Gods here are at the sixth step of the divine path."

Qi Yuan had already detected at least seven Puppet Gods of Great Venerable level hidden within the tower. The deeper they went, the more Puppet Gods there were.

"No wonder the ancestral land has lasted so long."

Qi Yuan muttered to himself.

This place was filled with dangers.

Earlier, Qi Yuan had come across a trash can made of alloy, and inside it were three Great Venerables at the seventh step of the divine path. It was unimaginable.

Even Qi Yuan didn’t dare provoke these Puppet Gods.

He even thought that if the full force of the mortal realm’s greatest powers had attacked the ancestral land at its peak, they still wouldn’t have been able to conquer it. No wonder so many towers still stood, their treasures intact.

This trip to the ancestral land was proving to be worthwhile. If his followers used all these treasures, how strong could they become?

It was impossible to imagine!

The ancient gods were filled with anticipation. Throughout their journey, Qi Yuan had remained calm, seemingly unimpressed by the treasures they found. But here, his attitude had changed.

They were eager to see what lay ahead.

"This door is a bit heavy. Some of you ancient gods, help me open it," Qi Yuan said as they reached a large door made of special alloy.

"I’ll do it!" The man with the mole stepped forward and pulled at the door with all his might.

Despite his strength, which could topple mountains, the door didn’t budge.

"Four of you should do it," Qi Yuan suggested, impressed by how heavy the door was. Even as a thief, he couldn’t open it.

Three more ancient gods stepped forward to help, and together, the four of them strained against the door.

"Hup!"

"Push!"

Boom! The alloy door finally gave way and swung open.

Inside, the ancient gods' breaths quickened.

"Primordial Liquid for Divine Apertures!"

"Pain Relief Pills!"

"Pure Spirit Powder!"

The room was filled with countless treasures, all stored in transparent glass cases. They seemed endless, impossible to count.

The ancient gods’ hearts trembled. There was enough Primordial Liquid for Divine Apertures here to supply the entire mortal realm and still have plenty left over. In addition, there were numerous other rare and valuable treasures for enhancing cultivation, healing, and more.

Qi Yuan smiled. "Now, this kind of cheat suits my status."

He picked up a bunch of Primordial Liquid and other treasures.

"Each of you take ten vials of Primordial Liquid and two other treasures," Qi Yuan said casually.

The ancient gods' eyes reddened with gratitude.

Wangsong Venerable looked at Qi Yuan with tears in his eyes. "Divine Lord, I’ve decided—I’ll follow you for the rest of my life!"

Wangsong Venerable was ready to pledge himself entirely to Qi Yuan, not just for a limited time.

"Okay," Qi Yuan replied, unfazed.

The other ancient gods were grateful and excited, but they weren’t ready to give up their freedom for the rest of their lives, unlike Wangsong Venerable.

Each of them took their allotted share of the Primordial Liquid and other treasures.

None dared to take more than they were given.

After receiving their Primordial Liquid, the ancient gods eagerly drank it down.

Immediately, divine apertures began to open, one after another, in a scene that was truly astonishing.

Happy Arhat also advanced to the second step of the Yin God.

"I’ve finally reached the second step!" one ancient god exclaimed in delight.

"I can’t believe I’ve made it to the late second step—I might even reach the third step!" the elder twin sister marveled.

The group was filled with joy, excitement, and overwhelming happiness, their minds buzzing with elation.

It was as if an ordinary worker earning five thousand a month had suddenly received a hundred years' worth of salary all at once.

Meanwhile, Zhao Zun and the other villagers who hadn’t yet reached the level of a true god were enviously holding their vials of Primordial Liquid. Unfortunately, they couldn’t use these treasures until they became true gods.

Zhao Zun was envious, feeling a surge of impatience and frustration. He couldn’t wait to break through to the level of a true god.

"Alright, now that everyone has had their breakthroughs, let’s continue exploring the other warehouses," Qi Yuan said, waving his hand.

He began collecting the glass cases full of treasures into his storage bag.

Over the next few hours, they opened five more warehouses. Two of them appeared damaged, with no valuable items left inside. However, the remaining three warehouses were filled with treasures, just as valuable as the Primordial Liquid for Divine Apertures.

Having already been stunned by the Primordial Liquid, the ancient gods were better prepared to handle this new wave of treasures, though the shock still lingered.

"He Yao Pharmaceutical Factory isn’t great—everything here is for babies. Is there nothing for adults?" Qi Yuan complained, still unsatisfied.

By now, they had reached the fourth layer of the ancestral land, having explored more than seventy towers. Three more layers remained unexplored.

Meanwhile, on the seventh layer of the ancestral land…

A burly man clad in a sleek, liquid-like combat suit stood tall, the suit shimmering with colorful lights. This suit, excavated from the ancestral land, was worn by Ao Shi Great Venerable. This was his second time entering the seventh layer of the ancestral land.

The first time, he had entered as a Nascent Soul cultivator and by sheer luck had become a true god. Later, as a Great Venerable, he had been too afraid to return.

For years, he had studied the ancestral land, finally uncovering some secrets. Of course, much of his progress was built on the research of the ancient gods before the Great War of the Gods.

The liquid-like suit he wore greatly increased his chances of survival in the seventh layer.

His expression cold, Ao Shi Great Venerable stared at Snake Elder, his eyes dark and menacing.

"Your cover was blown?"

The ancient gods, including Snake Elder, trembled in fear. They also wore liquid-like suits, but none as advanced as Ao Shi Great Venerable’s.

"Yes, that newcomer exposed us immediately. I suspect a Great Venerable has discovered our plan!" Snake Elder reported the situation truthfully.

Ao Shi Great Venerable narrowed his eyes. "You didn’t kill them, but I don’t blame you."

Snake Elder sighed in relief. Ao Shi Great Venerable was notoriously unpredictable, and they had feared his wrath.

"You need not fear me. We are all ancient gods and should look out for each other. I’m alone among the new gods, struggling to maintain my position. I need reliable people to help me. You’re ancient gods like me, so I trust you," Ao Shi Great Venerable’s tone softened.

Snake Elder’s anxiety vanished, replaced by a sense of being valued. "We’re willing to serve you with all our strength, Great Venerable!"

The other ancient gods echoed his sentiments.

"Good. I do have a task for you all," Ao Shi Great Venerable said, his voice warm.

"Please, Great Venerable, tell us!" Snake Elder replied eagerly, hoping to redeem himself.

"To open this tower’s side door, we need to burn some true gods. I’m short a few, so I’ll need you to enter the tower," Ao Shi Great Venerable said gently.

Snake Elder’s face drained of color as a sense of impending doom washed over him.

"You!"

He cursed, trying to flee.

But the divine domain was activated, pinning him down.

Two new gods, dressed in similar liquid-like suits, stepped forward, their expressions mocking as they pressed the ancient gods down and tossed them into a terrifying furnace in front of the tower.

The furnace could incinerate even true gods.

Ao Shi Great Venerable didn’t give Snake Elder and the others a chance to survive. Perhaps these ancient gods didn’t know, but every new god did—no one was crueler to ancient gods than Ao Shi Great Venerable, who had once been an ancient god himself.

Perhaps to prove his loyalty, Ao Shi Great Venerable was notoriously ruthless.

"Feng Kui, Tan Zui, I need you two to bring the other ancient gods in the ancestral land here. We still need more true god bodies to open this door," Ao Shi Great Venerable commanded.

Two terrifying new gods, one male and one female, both at the third step of the divine path, appeared.

With two third-step gods after them, the first- and second-step ancient gods had no chance of escape.

"As you command!"

The male and female gods bowed their heads and vanished.