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

Chapter 359: Now We Advocate for Equality, It’s Fair for Me to Compete with a Foundation Establishment Cultivator!

Sixty years passed in the blink of an eye.

Worldly affairs were like fleeting clouds, disappearing in an instant.

Time could wash away everything, and even the deepest marks couldn't resist its erosion.

"Congratulations to contestant Qi Yuan for once again winning the Martial Arts Tournament!"

A clear voice rang out as Qi Yuan looked at the elderly man lying on the ground before him, his expression calm.

"Young man, very good, you've improved compared to last year!"

The elderly man smiled wryly. "Sigh, I lost again."

"Don’t worry, you fought valiantly. Isn't being the runner-up still something?" Qi Yuan, always respectful to the elderly, tried to comfort the old man.

"But there are only the two of us competing! What's the use of being the runner-up?" The old man grumbled. "How is this Martial Arts Tournament still running? It’s really strange."

The old man glanced around the arena.

Yes, the arena was large but somewhat dilapidated.

When he was younger, the Martial Arts Tournament wasn’t very popular, but at least half the seats would be filled.

Sometimes, if the organizers were willing to spend money, they would even hire fake spectators to boost the atmosphere.

But now... there wasn’t a single spectator.

Wait, no, there was one.

In the audience sat a beautiful young woman waving a glowing stick, her face full of excitement.

"So strong! Champion again!"

"Qi Yuan, you're amazing!"

"I'm your biggest fan!"

Yes, the only spectator was Canary, who was always enthusiastically cheering for Qi Yuan.

Every tournament, she would act as his cheerleader, fan, and even family, tirelessly cheering him on.

Hearing this, the elderly man felt even more bitter. "Immortal, could you perhaps stop entering the Martial Arts Tournament? When I was young, my dream was to win just one championship. You've already beaten me almost sixty times. Could you give me a chance?"

The old man was at a loss.

In his youth, he loved watching martial arts shows, and he used to wield a wooden stick, tearing up the fields.

But his martial talent was mediocre, and he could never qualify for the main tournament.

Later, when the immortal path revived and martial arts declined, fewer and fewer people participated in the Martial Arts Tournament.

That was when he reignited his desire to compete.

His rankings steadily improved, and he began to have hopes of winning a championship.

But every time... he lost.

"Immortal, I don’t have many years left. Could you give me a break? After all, the Martial Arts Tournament is ruthless. The flowers, applause, and fame all belong to the champion. No one remembers the second-place finisher who quietly leaves in defeat," the old man pleaded emotionally.

For almost sixty years, Qi Yuan hadn’t aged. He was clearly a cultivator, so wasn’t it unfair for him to participate in a Martial Arts Tournament?

Having a cultivator in the Martial Arts Tournament was practically bullying!

"You’re different. You’re always the runner-up, so people will remember you," Qi Yuan smiled.

With that, he walked toward Canary, gently holding her soft, white hand. "See you next year, young man."

Canary excitedly clung to Qi Yuan, waving her hand. "Look, what do I have here?"

"An invitation?" Qi Yuan glanced at what Canary was holding.

"Yes, haven’t you been trying to break through to the Purple Mansion realm? I’ve been keeping an eye out and discovered that some cultivators from the Three Realms, along with some demon cultivators from Canxing, are hosting a symposium to discuss the Dao of the Purple Mansion. To attend, one must be a Nascent Soul cultivator. If you go, you might gain something."

Hearing this, Qi Yuan nodded seriously.

"You’re right."

Although, in this game, Qi Yuan had already reached the Purple Mansion realm, his breakthrough had been rather confusing.

In reality, he was still just a weak Nascent Soul cultivator.

He still looked up to the powerful Purple Mansion cultivators.

"Perfect. After attending this symposium, I’ll consolidate what I’ve learned and then ask for advice from online forums. That way, I’m sure I’ll find the correct answer!"

Qi Yuan was clever. He knew that listening to multiple perspectives was crucial.

Listening to just a few Nascent Soul or Purple Mansion experts wasn’t enough. The wisdom of the masses was boundless.

Posting a question on forums might spark some incredible inspiration.

"I also have an invitation, so I’ll go with you," Canary said, waving her hand and revealing two masks. "Quick, put this on. The symposium requires attendees to hide their identities."

Qi Yuan looked at the mask, his expression strange. "Are you sure this symposium is legit?"

These masks looked like something he’d only seen in certain... videos.

"What are you thinking?" Canary blushed.

Sometimes, for fun, she would wear a mask. She knew exactly what Qi Yuan was thinking.

"Nothing. Let’s go to the symposium." Qi Yuan embraced Canary, and they both disappeared.

The game’s tasks were almost complete.

He was about to finish the game.

However, he still had no clue about the Purple Mansion realm.

Though he had learned much from the Wise True Lord, it still didn’t feel like enough.

He needed more inspiration.

Otherwise, it would be embarrassing to become a mediocre Purple Mansion cultivator.

After all, he was about to become the first Purple Mansion cultivator of the Shenguang Sect—a trailblazer!

He needed some strength to back that up.

---

The symposium took place on a patch of sea.

Above the sea floated a dilapidated cruise ship.

Occasionally, a streak of light would flash by, entering the ship.

Xie Tang’s face was covered with a black cloth, and she sighed.

Sixty years had passed, and she had reached the Nascent Soul level.

In the Xuantian Sect, only the sect master was stronger than her.

As for her senior sister… still no sign of her.

The responsibility of the sect had fallen on her shoulders, and she had matured.

"Master, there are so many powerful people here." Wang Zhiqi, who had been observing the old ship, said curiously.

This neighbor of Qi Yuan had reached the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, and despite sixty years passing, she still looked like a young girl.

"Conceal your aura properly and don’t let anyone discover your identity!" Xie Tang warned her, frowning like a cluster of stars.

Currently, the Wu Gui Kingdom and Qin Yuan were still at war.

This conflict had lasted for nearly sixty years.

The Three Realms Alliance had also fractured, and they were now fighting among themselves with real ferocity.

Adding in the demon clans, the world’s situation had become even more chaotic.

There was a chance that an enemy might be present at the symposium. If their identity was revealed, it could lead to deadly consequences.

"Understood, Master!" Wang Zhiqi quickly concealed her cultivation again.

At that moment, Xie Tang’s brow furrowed as a man and a woman landed nearby. Though their faces were obscured, their aura was exceptional.

What was more, she felt a strange sense of familiarity from the pair, though she couldn’t pinpoint why.

"Fellow cultivators, are you also attending the gathering? Why don’t we go together and look out for each other?" Xie Tang suggested.

Wang Zhiqi followed, her face full of curiosity.

She, too, felt that strange sense of familiarity.

The couple, of course, was Qi Yuan and Canary.

Looking at Xie Tang and Wang Zhiqi approaching, Qi Yuan nodded. "Sure."

Wang Zhiqi was Yang Shan’s daughter.

When he first entered the game, Qi Yuan’s martial cultivation wasn’t deep, and Yang Shan had helped him a lot on his martial path.

His first time competing in the Martial Arts Tournament had been thanks to Yang Shan pulling some strings for him.

So Qi Yuan felt a sense of goodwill toward Yang Shan’s daughter.

Xie Tang looked at the pair, her expression curious, her mind spinning with many thoughts.

In the Three Realms and among the demon clans, there were very few Nascent Soul couples like this.

Moreover, none matched the physiques of the couple before her.

However, judging by their apparent age, they were likely newly ascended Nascent Souls like her, not ancient monsters.

Her enemies were all ancient monsters, so she was cautious of Qi Yuan but not overly so.

"The path of immortality is truly difficult, especially reaching the Purple Mansion realm. It’s far beyond the Nascent Soul level. I wonder if I’ll have the chance to enter the Purple Mansion in this lifetime," Xie Tang sighed.

"Sigh, I completely agree," Qi Yuan nodded. "The path of immortality is filled with obstacles at every step.

When I was trying to break through to the Foundation Establishment realm, I fought 2,700 old men and nearly died.

Breaking through to the Golden Core was even more dangerous. My core was too large and almost burst me from the inside.

As for when I reached Nascent Soul, I encountered the greatest crisis of my life. That person almost crashed the game I was playing."

Qi Yuan’s reflections were sincere.

His journey had been incredibly difficult.

Hearing Qi Yuan’s words, Xie Tang found them strange, but she could somewhat relate.

Breaking through to Foundation Establishment and nearly getting killed by 2,700 old men was a bit exaggerated but still somewhat believable.

But… what did he mean by almost crashing the game when breaking through to Nascent Soul?

"You must be a rogue cultivator, right? Your breakthroughs sound incredibly difficult," Xie Tang commented sympathetically.

Wang Zhiqi also looked at him with sympathy in her eyes. "Although it’s harder for rogue cultivators to break through than it is for disciples of sects like us, you’ve now reached Nascent Soul, so you’ve finally emerged from the hardship and transformed into a dragon."

Wang Zhiqi praised him at the right moment.

Qi Yuan felt dissatisfied.

He was part of a sect.

Wasn’t the Shenguang Sect a sect?

He was about to break through to the Purple Mansion realm and become the first Nascent Soul in the Shenguang Sect’s history, making his ancestors proud!

"I’m not a rogue cultivator!"

"Huh?" Wang Zhiqi was stunned. "But if you’re not a rogue cultivator, why were your breakthroughs so difficult?"

She looked at Qi Yuan, her gaze filled with admiration.

He must have poor talent.

"You're a late bloomer!" Wang Zhiqi exclaimed.

Qi Yuan was speechless.

Yang Shan’s daughter, almost eighty years old now, still didn’t know how to speak tactfully. She had no sense of emotional intelligence.

"Is it possible that my Foundation Establishment is different from yours?" Qi Yuan looked at Wang Zhiqi, feeling a sudden urge to brag. "Your Foundation Establishment is too weak. I could defeat a thousand of you!

If you don’t believe me, how about we have a sparring match?"

"Make that ten thousand," Canary chimed in, giggling.

Wang Zhiqi froze, a bit dumbfounded.

Surely this senior Nascent Soul expert wasn’t seriously proposing to spar with a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator?

"Ahem, senior, how could I dare to spar with you?" Wang Zhiqi quickly said, feeling flustered. "I’m not worthy."

"Sigh, the Qing Dynasty has been gone for so long, yet there are still people with pigtails in their thinking?

Nowadays, we advocate for equality for everyone, men and women alike.

We are both human, and we are equals. Why wouldn’t it be fair for us to spar?" Qi Yuan decided to help Yang Shan “educate” his daughter. Wang Zhiqi was younger than him but still had such outdated, feudal thinking—not at all like a modern, independent woman.

Wang Zhiqi blinked, feeling that what this senior said... made some sense.

But the thought of sparring with a Nascent Soul expert filled her with dread, and she looked to Xie Tang for help.

Xie Tang smiled. "Senior, there’s no need to tease the juniors."

"I’m not joking. I’m serious," Qi Yuan said earnestly. "You’re from ancient times, so it’s understandable that your thinking is feudal. But she’s from the modern era and still has such outdated thinking."

Xie Tang was at a loss for words.

The once harmonious atmosphere had now turned awkward, and the four of them fell into silence, not speaking much more.

After presenting their invitations, they all boarded the cruise ship to attend the gathering.

It must be said that many Nascent Soul cultivators had gathered for this meeting—over thirty of them in total.

As for juniors like Wang Zhiqi, there were even more.

The Nascent Soul cultivators were all assigned seats, while the juniors like Wang Zhiqi stood, with nearly a hundred people gathered.

An old man wearing a crimson mask entered, his aura exuding great power. He was clearly at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage.

He scanned the room, glancing over everyone present before speaking. "Since everyone is here, let’s begin. I’ll throw out the first thoughts, and then we can all exchange ideas and discuss."

The old man with the crimson mask sat at the head of the table, his face obscured. His voice was ethereal, like the sound of immortals.

"The transformation from Nascent Soul to the Purple Mansion realm revolves around the soul.

Only by refining the soul to its utmost can one break through.

The key difference between Nascent Soul and the Purple Mansion is in divine powers.

Nascent Soul cultivators possess Daoist divine powers, while Purple Mansion cultivators approach the true essence of the laws of heaven and earth.

Therefore, I believe that breaking through from Nascent Soul to Purple Mansion requires refining the soul and understanding the source.

The most difficult part of this process is comprehending the source. Throughout history, many cultivators have been stuck at this stage.

Comprehending the source can only be done by oneself, and no one else can assist. Even if a god descended, they could not help with this.

Both aspects are essential.

If the soul is strong but the understanding of the source is lacking, one cannot advance.

On the other hand, if the source is understood but the soul is weak, one can use the ‘Soul Burning Pill’ to stimulate the soul and still step into the Purple Mansion realm."

As the old man in the crimson mask spoke, many of the cultivators present nodded in agreement or fell into deep thought, feeling that they had learned much.

Especially for some rogue cultivators, this was knowledge they had never encountered before.

However, upon hearing this, Qi Yuan was deeply disappointed.

It didn’t compare to a single word from the Wise True Lord.

"Sigh, you said you were just throwing out some initial ideas, and I thought it was just modesty.

But it turns out you were serious—you really were just throwing out the basics.

I have to admit, you're honest," Qi Yuan thought. Continuing like this, he wouldn’t gain anything. Should he... guide them in the right direction?

These words caught everyone’s attention.

Wang Zhiqi’s eyes widened as she stared at Qi Yuan, thinking that this senior... had quite the sharp tongue.

How could anyone speak like this?

"This senior is at the peak of Nascent Soul and is kindly sharing his experience with us. Why would you mock him?" a Nascent Soul rogue cultivator couldn’t help but speak out.

The old man in the crimson mask looked slightly irritated. "Since you consider my words mere bricks, do you have any ‘jade words’ to offer?"

"I don’t have any ‘jade words,’ but... your ‘bricks’ are faulty.

For example, you mentioned that if one’s soul is insufficient, they can use the Soul Burning Pill to step into the Purple Mansion realm. Is that really viable?

Hmm... out of a billion people, maybe one might succeed.

And as for comprehending the source, who says no one can help with that?

I know many people who were stuck at the peak of Nascent Soul but managed to break through to the Purple Mansion with the help of others," Qi Yuan said earnestly.

When he was in the Flowing Wind Realm, he had taught many powerful individuals to comprehend the source of divine powers, helping them step into the Supreme realm.

"Ridiculous, nonsense!"

"The source of divine powers is one’s own Dao. How could it be taught by someone else?"

"Show us someone who has succeeded like that!"

Qi Yuan’s words sparked immediate debate and confusion among the attendees.

One man, shrouded in a purple robe, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine when he heard Qi Yuan’s words, as though he had just heard something terrifying.

He looked at Qi Yuan, his face filled with fear and suspicion.