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

Chapter 395: Are You Still Looking for a Buddha?

Bai Baixiang was deeply shaken.

The half-Buddha’s heart was pounding even faster.

The master of the Buddha disciple Bai Ze?

"Could it be that senior also comes from the Buddhist Kingdom?"

As he spoke, he glanced at the two women by Qi Yuan's side, Golden Canary and Ning Tao.

This senior must have been from the Buddhist Kingdom but had left due to attachment to worldly desires, right?

But claiming that Bai Ze was his half-disciple? The half-Buddha didn’t believe it.

Bai Ze was the disciple of the Great Sun Brightness Buddha, and even ordinary true Buddhas wouldn’t dare to claim to be Bai Ze’s master.

This guy had serious guts.

"Do I look like I’m from the Buddhist Kingdom?" Qi Yuan asked, proudly holding the two women closer, as if showing off to the half-Buddha.

After all, this half-Buddha was clearly a single man.

Qi Yuan felt extremely superior.

The half-Buddha was puzzled.

Not from the Buddhist Kingdom?

But the disciple of the Great Sun Brightness Buddha had never left the Buddhist Kingdom before descending into the lower realms.

How could he be his half-disciple?

Was this guy bluffing?

If so, it made sense.

As a member of the Buddhist faith, the half-Buddha understood the many desires that cloud people's hearts. Even he wasn’t exempt from such feelings.

After all, becoming a true Buddha was itself a form of attachment.

At this moment, Bai Baixiang suddenly widened her eyes and mustered the courage to ask, her voice trembling with excitement, "Could senior be... the Blood Lord?"

Her voice wavered, and she seemed thrilled.

If he was the Blood Lord, then everything would make sense.

Qi Yuan glanced at Bai Baixiang with a bit of surprise. "There are still young people in this world who remember the Blood Lord?"

In this game, there was no need to hide one’s identity.

Honesty was the best tactic.

"You really are the Blood Lord! Godfather!" Bai Baixiang exclaimed and attempted to pounce on Qi Yuan.

But halfway through, she was frozen mid-air by Ning Tao.

Ning Tao frowned, "Covered in sweat, and besides, my husband is still young!"

The half-Buddha standing nearby was also stunned, his expression full of surprise.

The Blood Lord?

He had heard of this figure.

A legendary figure from nearly ten thousand years ago in the Flowing Wind Realm, one who could stir the winds of the world.

But no matter how powerful, wasn’t he just at the Fifth Realm, the Purple Mansion stage?

How did he suddenly become... so powerful?

It was well-known that breaking through the Yin God stage and opening the divine orifices required a great deal of time.

Even in the Buddhist Kingdom, where the power of incense could aid in breakthroughs, the half-Buddha had only advanced from one step in the Heavenly Stage to two over ten thousand years.

Qi Yuan looked at Bai Baixiang curiously. "How do I suddenly have a god-granddaughter?"

"Godfather, my master is White Crane! She’s your goddaughter, remember?" Bai Baixiang said excitedly.

Qi Yuan's memory flashed to a white crane.

That crane girl was from the White Emperor Palace.

Back when Qi Yuan held power in No Return City, sweeping the world, White Crane shamelessly called him godfather.

Or rather, she went around telling everyone that Qi Yuan was her godfather.

But Qi Yuan had never acknowledged her.

He looked at Bai Baixiang with a puzzled expression. "I’m a human, your master is a bird. Can a human give birth to a bird?

So, she’s not my daughter.

I only have two daughters!"

Bai Baixiang blinked, realizing there was some logic to his words, but then quickly said, "No, my master is your goddaughter!"

"Why are you as shameless as your master?" Qi Yuan decided not to argue further and asked, "Is your master still with Bai Ze?"

Bai Baixiang shook her head, clearly unsure.

At this moment, the half-Buddha spoke up, "In three months, the Great Buddha Assembly will take place. By then, Buddha disciple Bai Ze should attend."

"Oh, a gathering of single dogs?" Qi Yuan said excitedly.

Did that mean he could go and ask for alms?

The half-Buddha looked embarrassed.

This Blood Lord had quite a sharp tongue.

"Please, Blood Lord, do not speak lightly. During the Great Buddha Assembly, true Buddhas from the Upper Realm may listen to the Buddhist discourse, and a Sacred Buddha disciple will be chosen."

The half-Buddha’s expression became reverent and excited as he spoke.

The Buddhist Kingdom in the Upper Realm had been at war for so long.

Now, there was finally an opportunity to unite and bring an end to the conflict. The half-Buddha was naturally eager.

"What’s the point of being a Sacred Buddha disciple?" Qi Yuan asked. "Can they get divine techniques from the divine kingdom for free?"

Qi Yuan suddenly had a plan.

Begging for alms was too much trouble—why not invest in Bai Ze and help him become the Sacred Buddha disciple?

If Bai Ze won, wouldn’t that mean unlimited divine techniques?

"They can," the half-Buddha confirmed.

"Do you think Bai Ze has the potential to be a Sacred Buddha disciple?" Qi Yuan asked. "Why don’t you all support him?"

The half-Buddha’s expression grew strange. "Buddha disciple Bai Ze has a chance, but he lost the Great Sun Golden Lotus and may be held accountable for it. Unless he can recover it."

Hearing this, Qi Yuan’s face turned as strange as the half-Buddha’s.

It seemed that Bai Ze becoming the Sacred Buddha disciple might be difficult.

After all, Qi Yuan had already swallowed the Great Sun Golden Lotus to forge his flawless golden body.

There was no way he was returning it.

Suddenly, he had an idea and quietly asked the half-Buddha, "Are you still looking for a Buddha?"

The half-Buddha: "..."

This question was beyond his capacity to answer, and he dared not even entertain it.

After the Great Sun Brightness Buddha passed away, the true Buddhas of the Fifth Heaven refused to submit to one another.

There was no Buddha in the Buddhist Kingdom.

Now, they were only choosing a Sacred Buddha disciple to temporarily unite the Buddhist Kingdom and stop the fighting.

But for a Sacred Buddha disciple to become Buddha?

That was wishful thinking.

"Well... yes, I suppose we are," the half-Buddha stammered nervously.

Such a matter was too significant to speak of lightly. If a true Buddha sensed his words, he would be in serious trouble.

"I have a friend. He’s really handsome and has a deep connection with Buddhism. How about I recommend him to become your Buddha? What do you think?" Qi Yuan said eagerly.

The half-Buddha began sweating profusely.

By now, he was sure this man was no ordinary deity!

No ordinary deity would dare be this bold!

He must be a Yang God Heavenly Sovereign!

But even a Yang God Heavenly Sovereign descending alone into the lower realms was far too audacious!

"Senior, regarding the position of Buddha, I dare not speak lightly.

To become the Buddha, being handsome isn’t enough. One must possess profound mastery of Buddhist law, gain the trust of ten thousand Buddhas, and cause the entire Buddhist Kingdom to tremble and radiate Buddha’s light!" the half-Buddha explained cautiously.

Becoming the Buddha was no simple task.

Even true Buddhas at the Realm of Principles in the Buddhist Kingdom couldn’t unite the ten thousand Buddhas as the Great Sun Brightness Buddha had.

One major reason was that becoming the Buddha required the recognition of the Buddhist Kingdom itself, which was a creation artifact.

The entire Buddhist Kingdom was a creation artifact.

Only the original Buddha had ever been acknowledged by the Buddhist Kingdom artifact.

"Based on what you said, I think my friend—actually, several of my friends—would be perfect candidates. How about you help me recommend one of them?" Qi Yuan said eagerly.

Qi Yuan prided himself on being a good person.

Seeing that the Buddhist Kingdom was leaderless, he was offering a few candidates to fill the position of Buddha.

And to avoid making things awkward for the half-Buddha, Qi Yuan even employed advanced "sales tactics," offering multiple options.

It’s like being asked at a restaurant whether you’d like green tea or milk. Most people will pick one. But if you’re simply asked if you want a drink, you might refuse altogether.

So, Qi Yuan gave several options to choose from.

"Well... I could ask around?"

The half-Buddha didn’t dare refuse.

He feared that this slightly unhinged Blood Lord might kill him.

After all, the way the Blood Lord had gone to such lengths to explain things to that insignificant old woman earlier was extremely strange and baffling.

"However, I hold a low rank, so I may not be able to get word to a true Buddha."

"No worries, just ask for me," Qi Yuan said calmly.

Even if he didn’t get a response, he could just ask directly during the Great Buddha Assembly.

Surely, by then, all the Buddhas would hear his intentions.

---

Flowing Wind Realm.

The once-glorious city of No Return now lay in ruins, a desolate wasteland.

A tall man stood there, gazing with melancholy. "I once dreamed of returning home in wealth and glory, but where are the people of my homeland now?"

Seven thousand years ago, this man had broken through the Fifth Realm, entered the Sixth Realm, and ascended to the Upper Realm.

After a thousand years in the Upper Realm, he had made some progress.

Later, when he heard about the Buddhist Kingdom’s conflict in his homeland, the Flowing Wind Realm, he hadn’t hesitated to return.

After all, the Flowing Wind Realm was too small to survive the conflict between the Buddhists. The realm might be destroyed.

But upon returning, he realized just how weak he was.

Even a random half-Buddha could crush him.

Chen Huan was filled with disappointment and helplessness.

Life had been better when he was following the Blood Lord—carefree and without worry.

The Blood Lord always created miracles.

All Chen Huan had to do was manage the trumpet and drum corps.

"All my old friends are gone, no longer wearing the red robes of the trumpet corps."

Chen Huan sighed and recited a poem, his voice filled with loneliness.

Beside him, the old man Kunxia Daoist’s eyes gleamed with amusement. "This Blood Lord seems interesting—he’s got some luck on his side."

After descending into the lower realms, Kunxia Daoist had hidden himself.

When he met Chen Huan, he deliberately befriended him.

After all, he needed to keep a low profile and couldn’t risk openly searching for information.

"To be blunt, if the Blood Lord were willing to adopt me as his godson, I’d slide on my knees and call him Dad!" Chen Huan said with a tinge of regret.

It was a shame he hadn’t seized the opportunity back then.

Along the way, Chen Huan had shared stories about the Blood Lord with Kunxia, though he had left out certain details.

Suddenly, Chen Huan’s expression changed as he overheard a conversation from a nearby abandoned tavern. "What did you say?"

A powerful aura swept through the tavern, and the cultivators inside turned pale.

"Senior, we were saying that the Blood Lord has reappeared in the world..."

"This world is getting crazier. Even ancient figures like the Blood Lord are returning."

"Yeah, it’s a pity this is no longer the Blood Lord’s era."

Some of the tavern’s cultivators sighed, lamenting the passing of a once-great hero.

Chen Huan didn’t share their sentiment. Instead, he was filled with excitement. "Where is the Blood Lord now?"

His heart raced with anticipation.

Back then, the Blood Lord had left with the source of destruction, and no one thought he would survive.

Now, hearing that the Blood Lord might still be alive, how could Chen Huan not be excited?

Even if it was a lie, he had to see for himself!

"The Blood Lord has no fixed abode, but he said he would attend the Great Buddha Assembly in three months."

The news of the Blood Lord’s reappearance was like a pebble tossed into a lake, causing barely a ripple.

In today’s Flowing Wind Realm, Buddhism was dominant.

Who cared about the Blood Palace or the Blood Lord? Only a few still paid attention.

And the news of the Blood Lord’s return had been quietly spread by Qi Yuan himself.

He figured that if any old acquaintances wanted to see him, they could come to the Great Buddha Assembly.

As for everyone else, Qi Yuan didn’t care.

For now, Qi Yuan was wandering, accompanying Golden Canary and Ning Tao as they walked the paths they had never traveled together.

In the meantime, he was also searching for the runaway gate.

Qi Yuan had heard of people leaving their hometown, but a gate running away? That was a first.

"Farewell, friend. I’m heading to the Great Buddha Assembly to meet the Blood Lord!" Chen Huan said as he parted ways with Kunxia Daoist, brimming with excitement.

He couldn’t wait to flaunt his divine orifices in front of the Blood Lord.

But more than that, he was ecstatic that the Blood Lord was still alive.

At that moment, Kunxia Daoist narrowed his eyes. "I’m also quite interested in this Blood Lord. How about I join you? We’ll meet this legendary figure together, and I’ll take in the Great Buddha Assembly as well."

Kunxia’s intentions were simple.

Though he was hiding in the lower realms, he couldn’t stay hidden forever.

He also didn’t dare act too boldly or form his own faction—it would be too risky.

If Taihuang Palace found him here, things could get messy.

The best option was to take over an existing local power.

And he had to be cautious.

Anything related to the Buddhist Kingdom was off-limits.

But the Blood Palace? Now that was a tempting target.

It had power, elders, and a decent reputation.

With a few tricks, Kunxia could turn the Blood Lord into his puppet and rule through him.

As for Chen Huan, Kunxia didn’t want to make a move just yet.

Chen Huan still had connections to the Upper Realm. If he disappeared, it could cause problems.

Kunxia Daoist smiled warmly, his eyes twinkling.

This descent into the lower realm was going smoothly—clearly, destiny favored him!

---

"Sigh, it’s too tragic! Too tragic!"

"I don’t want to become a bald monk—I still want to get married!"

Ling Yayi wailed, his face filled with pitiful sorrow.

The Illumined Buddha looked at him calmly. "You’ve lived for ten thousand years and still haven’t gotten married. Do you really think it’s going to happen now?

Whether you marry or not seems irrelevant. You might as well... join our Buddhist Order."

Ling Yayi’s face twitched, frozen in awkwardness.

The Illumined Buddha had a point.

What difference did it make whether he took a vow of celibacy or not?

He’d lived for over ten thousand years and hadn’t been with anyone!

Should he blame it on the fact that all the women he met were too strange for his taste?

Maybe... maybe he should give up!

"Oh, by the way, I have some news for you."

The Illumined Buddha’s eyes flickered with a complicated emotion.

"What news?" Ling Yayi asked, confused.

"Some true Buddhas have received word that the Great Sun Golden Lotus is with the Blood Lord."

This news had just reached the Illumined Buddha.

What had happened at the Gate of Ten Thousand Demons could no longer be kept secret, and some true Buddhas had discovered the truth.

"If it’s with my master, so what? Do you think you can actually find him?" Ling Yayi retorted, unafraid.

His master had swallowed the source of destruction and left. The best-case scenario was that some remains were still left behind.

Did these Buddhas think they could find his master’s corpse and summon his soul?

"There’s been a recent rumor that the Blood Lord has reappeared and will attend the Great Buddha Assembly. Perhaps he intends to reunite with old friends at the event."

"What?!" Ling Yayi was utterly shocked, his body trembling with joy. Then his face turned pale with fear. "If my master shows up, what will those true Buddhas do to him?"

If his master were still alive and deeply connected to the Great Sun Golden Lotus, Ling Yayi couldn’t even imagine the consequences.

The Illumined Buddha shook his head, his expression heavy. "I cannot say for certain."

The message was clear.

There was no way the Blood Lord could be allowed to keep the Great Sun Golden Lotus.

And if it was taken from him, the Blood Lord’s fate would be sealed.

Ling Yayi’s gaze flickered, and after a long silence, he asked, "If I become the Sacred Buddha disciple, can I save my master?"

"You can."

"Illumined, shave my head! Quickly!"

"And bring me real beauties—ten times more than before!"

"Today, I’m pushing myself to the limit!"