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

Chapter 332: Immortality of the Dao, Not Your Immortality

The martial arts tournament continued.

Soon, it was Qi Yuan’s turn to compete.

“Contestant number 06, Qi Yuan... please enter the arena.”

With this announcement, Qi Yuan stepped onto the stage.

In the VIP box, Canary quickly waved her small fists and held a glow stick in the other hand, cheering excitedly.

"Qi Yuan, go for it!"

At this moment, Canary was Qi Yuan's cheerleader.

Xu Tiezhu, who had just finished his match, immediately became tense and watched Qi Yuan closely.

To be honest, he used to think of Qi Yuan as just another student in the same martial arts school, without any thought of comparing himself to him.

But now, Qi Yuan had entered the national competition through a special route, naturally making Xu Tiezhu pay more attention to him.

He wanted to understand what made Qi Yuan special.

The strong do not care to compare themselves with the weak, but when they are on the same level, the desire to compete becomes stronger.

"Xing Yu, who do you think will win this match?" Xu Tiezhu asked.

Xing Yu carefully looked at the arena and replied, “Qi Yuan's opponent is Xie Heng, known for his Charging Fist. He once made it into the top 100 of the national tournament and is not far from reaching the pinnacle of martial arts. His chances of winning are quite high.”

Xing Yu analyzed rationally.

Wang Shiqiao shook her head, “Qi Yuan will win.”

With the head on his shoulders, Qi Yuan would win. There was no doubt about it.

“Haha, it's rare that you two have different opinions.

Never mind, let's just sit back and wait; we should have a result in a few minutes…”

Xu Tiezhu’s words came to an abrupt halt, and the orange he was holding dropped to the ground. His eyes widened in shock.

At that moment, the entire arena erupted in cheers.

The electronic voice echoed throughout the venue:

“Contestant number 06, Qi Yuan, wins!”

“It was a one-hit KO!” Xu Tiezhu was stunned.

Wang Shiqiao's body tensed up slightly, her face showing an expression of fervor.

As expected... it had to be him.

Xu Tiezhu couldn’t help but feel a sense of defeat in his heart: “Such strength must mean he's reached the pinnacle of martial arts! He's so young, and he's only been practicing martial arts for… a few months, yet he's already at the peak.

The difference between people… how can it be this vast?”

Qi Yuan's victory was certainly something to be happy about.

But seeing how strong Qi Yuan was made Xu Tiezhu feel worse than if he had been eliminated in the first round.

He had been practicing martial arts for so long and barely made it to the national level.

Yet Qi Yuan, in less than three months, had left him far behind.

Seeing this, Xing Yu also looked somewhat moved, but she still smiled and said, “Senior Xu, if things don’t go well in martial arts, you can always go back and inherit your immense wealth and noble title.

That’s something… even the champion of the martial arts tournament can't compare with.”

A look of envy flashed in Xing Yu's eyes.

To her, the champion of the martial arts tournament was just a larger-than-life internet celebrity.

It would probably take a long time for them to monetize their fame and accumulate a fortune.

Meanwhile, both she and Xu Tiezhu already had fortunes worth billions.

On top of that, Xu Tiezhu held a noble title that almost every citizen of the Qin Yuan country would go crazy for.

Hearing Xing Yu’s words, Xu Tiezhu finally felt a bit better, his mood lightening somewhat, but he still said, “Even without relying on family background, I’m far inferior to Qi Yuan.”

“Family background is also a form of strength,” Xing Yu added.

For some, the starting line is a finish line that many can’t reach even after a lifetime of effort.

The rest of the martial arts tournament was quite dull.

Without the trash-talking segment, everyone was very restrained.

Even when knocked down in the arena, no one dared to make any bold remarks.

The most they would say was something harmless like, “I’ll be back.”

In any case, this martial arts tournament was the most civilized ever.

However, the intensity of the matches didn’t decrease, and there were many quick knockouts.

Especially Zhang Yang, who knocked out his opponents in seconds.

Qi Yuan did the same, easily defeating his opponents.

Soon, the second day of the martial arts tournament arrived.

However, this time… an unusual situation occurred: twenty-one people made it to the finals.

A two-versus-two competition meant one person would have a bye.

At this moment, everyone’s attention was on the drawing of lots.

Qi Yuan was also eager: “I’ve always had good luck. Hurry up and give me a bye!”

The numbers on the big screen continued to spin.

Canary smiled slightly, “Isn’t your robot Zero-One the best at hacking? Have it secretly manipulate the results, and you’ll be all set.”

“Cheating is bad; it’s unethical. But you did remind me of something,” Qi Yuan mused.

Back in the Flowwind Realm, he used to threaten the Heavenly Dao whenever he had nothing to do.

Eventually, his threats paid off.

Now, he also wanted a bye.

So... should he continue to threaten the Heavenly Dao?

“Hey, up there, aren’t you going to thank me? After all, I’ve done a lot for the civilization and harmony of your world. How about giving me a little favor?” Qi Yuan whispered to the sky.

Canary smiled, “Isn’t asking the Heavenly Dao for a favor also cheating?”

“No, it’s different,” Qi Yuan turned his head.

This wasn’t cheating; it was simply the Heavenly Dao repaying him with gratitude.

The White Snake repaid Xu Xian with her body; why couldn’t the Heavenly Dao give him a little advantage?

At that moment, the numbers on the screen stopped.

A look of joy flashed in Qi Yuan's eyes: “Sure enough, threatening the Heavenly Dao works. I… got a bye.

Sigh, I guess I should keep threatening it whenever I have nothing to do.”

Qi Yuan was happy. It was better to have a bye than to fight.

If he kept threatening the Heavenly Dao, maybe he could even get a bye straight to the finals.

Watching others fight while he completed his tasks effortlessly — who wouldn’t enjoy that?

After the first round bye, there was a second-round bye.

But there was no third-round bye.

Because there were only six people left.

Perhaps Qi Yuan’s threats to the Heavenly Dao had worked; he got byes in the first two rounds, and in the third round, he faced Han Xianyun, the Northern Crane.

Han Xianyun immediately surrendered.

This scene also drew a lot of criticism from the spectators.

“It’s rigged!”

“There’s definitely a conspiracy!”

“That kid’s luck is way too good!”

“Not only did he get a bye, but his opponent also surrendered!”

“That’s Han Xianyun, the Northern Crane!”

“He must be some rich kid experiencing life.”

“He's so handsome, I’d love to have his babies.”

“Hey, buddy, keep it together. No need to embarrass yourself in public.”

At this moment, Zhang Yang had just finished his fight. His sharp gaze fell on Qi Yuan’s VIP box, filled with fighting spirit.

He returned to his own box to rest because the final match would take place in an hour.

The final rules were simple: a three-person melee. The last one standing would be the champion.

Back in his box, Zhang Yang was immediately attended to by staff members who began to care for him.

“Brother Zhang, congratulations in advance! The championship is definitely yours this time!” a short man said with a grin.

He wasn’t from the martial arts world but came from a prominent family. He was a follower of Zhang Yang.

“It’s going to be tough. Qi Yuan’s strength… is hard to fathom. I even have a feeling that if given another six months, he could break through the pinnacle of martial arts!” the burly martial artist said seriously.

He had seen Qi Yuan in action; even against those at the pinnacle of martial arts, Qi Yuan easily defeated them.

Zhang Yang could hardly achieve such a feat.

Zhang Yang squinted his eyes and said nothing.

At this point, the short man continued, “Hmph, even if that kid somehow wins the championship, what’s the point?

Heh heh, a while back, his performance caught the attention of many big shots in the Martial Arts Alliance.

They all thought of him as the next Luo Bufan, a hope for breaking the pinnacle of martial arts.

But now… heh heh, they’ve already abandoned him. Recently, they’ve all been flocking around Brother Zhang.”

The short man spoke with a sense of pride.

He wasn’t lying.

Qi Yuan’s display of power and talent had caused a stir within the Martial Arts Alliance.

But this commotion didn’t last long.

As rumors spread, the upper echelons of the Martial Arts Alliance began hearing about cultivation.

Why bother with martial arts when you could cultivate immortality?

Even if you break the pinnacle of martial arts, you still couldn’t defeat a genetically enhanced soldier, could you?

So why bother practicing martial arts?

Therefore, these high-ranking officials had been circling around Zhang Yang lately.

After all, Zhang Yang's family had ties to immortality.

Hearing this, a hint of desolation flashed in the burly martial artist's eyes. He then said, “Indeed, even if Qi Yuan wins the martial arts tournament, the future belongs to Brother Zhang. Immortality... that's the true path".

"Hmph, the future is mine, and so is the present. This championship will be mine!" Zhang Yang's eyes flashed with determination.

He looked toward Qi Yuan’s VIP box, a hint of killing intent in his gaze.

This martial arts tournament would be his final fight in the martial arts world, a grand send-off. The future had no place for martial arts — only the path of immortality mattered.

He, Zhang Yang, would not only stand at the pinnacle of martial arts but also the pinnacle of immortality.

…

In the VIP box:

Qi Yuan sat calmly.

"The peak of martial arts is lonely and uninteresting, not as fun as the pinnacle of martial arts. Ever since I got my mental illness certificate, I’ve been doing things more and more whimsically. So, I think I prefer the pinnacle of chaos."

"Agreed, being too serious isn’t good either," Canary said, nodding quickly as she thought of something.

She didn’t want to see Qi Yuan staring at a door in a daze every day.

She liked this version of Qi Yuan, the one whose eyes were full of her.

Besides, she had been watching a lot of shows lately. In many of them, the male protagonist would abandon everything, even his family, to pursue his ultimate goal.

Some characters, even after achieving immortality, would choose to watch their loved ones grow old and die, only to lament, "True freedom comes from having regrets."

But Canary didn’t like such protagonists. She didn’t want to be abandoned; she wanted to be the one who stayed by his side.

"I'm always serious, but... I'm a bit worried. I think I might have a bit of pre-championship anxiety?" Qi Yuan suddenly looked a bit downcast.

"Hmm?" Canary was puzzled.

"If I win the championship, won't I become a celebrity? To be honest, I’ve never been famous before."

Of course, the Blood-Clothed Sword God didn’t count.

The Blood-Clothed Sword God had fame, but he never showed his face.

As a socially anxious person, Qi Yuan didn’t mind being a masked hero, but the thought of becoming a public figure made him nervous.

"After I win, if I walk down the street, will people ask for my autograph? Will they want to take pictures with me or secretly photograph me?

That would be so embarrassing. I don't want my life to have no privacy.

Hey, Canary, how much should I charge for an autograph?" Qi Yuan mused as he continued worrying.

Canary: "…"

"What if people online criticize me?" Qi Yuan asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

Canary smiled gently, "Ning Tao will step in. Anyone who speaks ill of you will be wiped out!"

"Having someone to protect me feels really good."

Qi Yuan glanced at Canary, his tone suddenly turning heroic.

"The final battle is about to begin, and so is my journey.

The wind is cold, the river water is icy, Qi Yuan goes to win the trophy and will return victorious!"

"Blood Pearl, do your best! I’ll be waiting for you to return safely!" Canary said softly, showing a rare tenderness.

The national martial arts tournament final had finally reached its climax.

A hundred breaths later, on the arena stage, three contestants stood at three corners.

Qi Yuan stood in the north, his posture upright, his expression calm.

Zhang Yang stood in the south, his eyes sharp, brimming with fighting spirit and even a hint of killing intent.

The last contestant, however, had a pale face and a look of resignation.

He turned to the referee and said, "I… surrender."

He surrendered without hesitation.

The previous round had drained him significantly, and his injuries hadn’t yet healed.

He had assumed that Qi Yuan and Zhang Yang would be in similar conditions to his own.

The praise his friends had for these two seemed exaggerated.

But to his surprise, these two were completely unharmed.

Zhang Yang turned his gaze toward Qi Yuan, his eyes full of surging battle intent: "You’re quite impressive. You’re qualified to be my opponent in martial arts!"

Of course, this was limited to martial arts, Zhang Yang silently added in his mind.

"I am indeed impressive, but you’re a bit lacking," Qi Yuan replied, looking at Zhang Yang with no trace of fighting spirit. "But… I do enjoy these kinds of easy wins. It’s like playing a game on easy mode."

If the road to mastering martial arts and the path to mastering spirituality were filled with opponents like Zhang Yang, Qi Yuan would be thrilled.

Zhang Yang looked down on him, sneering, "Your talent in martial arts is strong, but in my eyes, it’s nothing special.

You have no idea how terrifying your opponent truly is.

Today, I will shatter your arrogance and show you what true power is!"

Zhang Yang roared, his voice like a thunderclap.

As he shouted, his clothes tore apart, shredding into strips.

This highly dramatic scene immediately drew cheers from the audience.

"He’s on the verge of breaking through the pinnacle of martial arts!"

"Zhang Yang is incredibly powerful!"

"So strong!"

The experienced martial artists in the crowd couldn’t help but exclaim in awe.

Even those at the peak of martial arts felt they wouldn’t last a single round against Zhang Yang.

"Qi Yuan… is in danger!" Xu Tiezhu thought anxiously.

Even though he didn’t enjoy seeing his friend succeed while he struggled, he wasn’t about to wish ill on his friend.

Wang Shiqiao said flatly, "Still not enough."

She glanced at the others cheering for Zhang Yang, a hint of mockery in her eyes.

She felt a sense of superiority, like she was the only one sober while everyone else was drunk.

Zhang Yang’s strength didn’t compare to Qi Yuan’s, not even close.

Could Zhang Yang wipe out an entire military camp with a single sword?

As expected, Qi Yuan’s disdainful voice came from the arena.

"Is this all you’ve got?"

Qi Yuan took a step forward, and an overwhelming pressure swept across the arena.

Zhang Yang’s imposing aura suddenly diminished.

Fear flashed in Zhang Yang’s eyes: "Is this… blood essence?"

A powerful martial artist can suppress others with their spirit, energy, and blood.

Clearly, Qi Yuan had advanced far beyond Zhang Yang on the path of martial arts.

At this moment, Zhang Yang felt a deep sense of defeat.

It was the first time he had ever lost so badly.

But soon, this sense of defeat turned into madness.

"It doesn’t matter how strong your martial arts talent is. This world has changed!

I will bury you along with martial arts!"

Driven by jealousy, Zhang Yang became more and more crazed, desperate to destroy the person before him.

At that moment, a flame suddenly burst forth from Zhang Yang’s palm.

The crowd erupted in shock and excitement, mixed with confusion.

"Immortality… is eternal!"

At this moment, Zhang Yang finally unleashed the power of immortality, revealing his ultimate trump card.

"Eternal? Not for you," Qi Yuan said, his eyes flashing with resolve.

"Who needs immortality? I am invincible as I am!"

He threw a punch.

A surge of blood and energy erupted in the air.

"You should really see… what martial arts is all about!"

One punch, all things arise, and all perish! Zhang Yang’s smile froze, his body exploding into a cloud of blood mist.

The crowd was stunned, falling into complete silence.

On the arena stage, Qi Yuan took a deep breath, "What a thrilling and satisfying final battle!"

His performance was excellent, and he figured it would probably win him a lot of fans.