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

Qi Yuan felt rather helpless.

The game hadn't even started yet, and his character was already dead.

"This Xiantian Seed is really useless. Its gaming skills are terrible. Probably just a Bronze rank?"

Qi Yuan sighed deeply.

The reward from the last game sounded quite grand.

But in reality, was this all?

It would have been better if he had personally intervened.

He casually glanced at the game icon, which had loaded about two-thirds of the way.

"Judging by this time flow, if I wait to enter, even my bones might have turned to dust by then."

Qi Yuan sighed, not thinking too much about it, and continued to sit on the stone bench, waiting quietly.

...

Maple Forest Town was a small town in the mortal realm. Due to the abundance of maple trees in the area, with leaves as red as fire, many young people from wealthy families often came here to play during certain seasons.

At this moment, on a carriage, Chen Xiyu lifted the curtain, her face showing a look of curiosity.

"A strange man in a red robe appeared in the Beiye Forest, playing chess on a mountain?"

"Yes, Miss. Some woodcutters passing by saw him, but that person's attire was too strange, so no one dared to approach," the maid replied.

Chen Xiyu's eyes lit up, "Xiaoxi, do you think that person... could be a legendary immortal?"

In the mortal world, within a thousand-mile radius, there were always rumors of immortals.

But Chen Xiyu had never seen an immortal before.

Since she was young, she had been fond of stories about ghosts and strange tales, and she was particularly interested in such things.

"Don't! Miss, what if he’s a bad person! Recently, there have been a lot of skinning incidents in the city. Miss, you'd better not venture into the deep mountains and forests so casually!" the maid Xiaoxi quickly advised.

Maple Forest Town had never been very peaceful.

A few days ago, another skinning incident occurred. In a village near Maple Forest Town, overnight, two hundred households woke up from their sleep and suddenly found that more than half of the villagers had been skinned in their sleep. It was bloody and terrifying.

The townspeople of Maple Forest Town and the surrounding cities were in a panic.

After all, in the Kingdom of Hui, skinning incidents occurred from time to time.

The king had even once spent a great fortune to invite a celestial master from thousands of miles away, but to no avail.

The skinning incidents continued to occur.

Chen Xiyu shook her head, her attitude firm.

"I want to go and see for myself."

Two hours later, accompanied by several guards, Chen Xiyu headed towards Beiye Forest.

The forest was filled with shrubs and thorns, and even with the guards clearing the way, Chen Xiyu's fair arms still bore several bloody scratches.

Yet, she remained enthusiastic and excited.

"Miss, look, over there!"

At this moment, the maid Xiaoxi pointed ahead, her face beaming with delight.

Chen Xiyu looked over, her eyes filled with curiosity.

Deep in the forest ahead, a man in a red robe was sitting serenely on a stone bench. His eyes were closed, but from his profile, one could still discern his handsome features.

"There is actually such a handsome man in this world," Chen Xiyu couldn't help but stare.

Her once fair arm now seemed rather rough in comparison.

"He must not be an ordinary person!" Chen Xiyu's heart leapt with joy.

She wanted to seek a celestial fate and find the real culprit behind the skinning incidents.

"Miss, should we go over and ask?" Xiaoxi suggested.

Chen Xiyu quickly shook her head, "His eyes are closed, perhaps he is busy with something; we must not disturb him."

Chen Xiyu hesitated a bit, daring only to look at the man in the blood-red robe from a distance.

After about an hour had passed, the man remained seated, motionless, occasionally reaching out to place a black stone on the chessboard.

This demeanor only strengthened Chen Xiyu's belief that the man in the blood-red robe before her was no mere mortal.

"Let's go back!" Chen Xiyu made up her mind. She knew she had to seize this opportunity.

Why would an immortal so casually bestow a blessing upon her?

She was just an ordinary person, not some chosen protagonist of the world.

She decided to return home and gather all the gold, silver, and treasures she had saved over the years, along with the various rare and unique items she had collected, to offer to the immortal in exchange for a chance at immortality.

She quickly returned home and gathered all her savings.

However, her actions also drew suspicion from her family.

Her cousin heard the news and did not look pleased: "With Second Uncle not at home, you’re just going to give away the family's treasures like this?"

"Little sister, these are troubled times. Don’t be deceived by a swindler.

Any random bumpkin can dress up and deceive people. Do you believe every little trick?"

Facing her cousin, Chen Xiyu didn’t offer much explanation and simply said, "This is my money!"

She finished speaking and turned to leave.

Her cousin watched Chen Xiyu's departing figure, her eyes filled with pity, "Little sister is still too naive. How could there be so many immortals in this world?

Even if they are immortals, why would they so easily bestow blessings? More often than not, they take everything and give nothing in return. People are treacherous, and immortals even more so."

In this country, such incidents were common. Some lord or other would encounter an immortal, offer half of their fortune for a chance at immortality.

But those so-called immortals would usually just take the fortune and the promised blessings... were mostly just lies.

"I hope little sister learns from this deception and becomes more grounded instead of daydreaming all the time."

Meanwhile, Chen Xiyu, carrying gold, silver, treasures, and all sorts of rare items, hurried back to Beiye Forest.

Her heart was filled with unease and confusion about the future.

She understood what her cousin had said.

But she didn’t want to give up, nor did she want to live aimlessly.

As night fell, Chen Xiyu once again arrived at a place dozens of meters away from the chessboard.

Looking at that figure, her emotions were all over the place.

Seeing that the man was still meditating with his eyes closed, she didn't dare disturb him.

Days passed, one after another.

Chen Xiyu had already been there for two days.

The man on the stone bench remained seated, unmoving.

If not for the occasional placing of a chess piece, Chen Xiyu might have thought he was a corpse.

Finally, on the fourth day, Qi Yuan opened his eyes.

Seated, Chen Xiyu's eyes lit up with excitement.

The immortal had finally awakened!

She quickly tidied herself up, instructed the guards to bring the treasures forward, and approached.

Qi Yuan's gaze fell on Chen Xiyu, his expression inscrutable.

Over the past few days, he had naturally noticed Chen Xiyu's presence.

However, he had paid her no mind.

Chen Xiyu stepped forward, her face showing a respectful expression. She was about to speak when she heard the immortal begin to speak.

His voice was like a pool of water in a dark swamp, clear and bright.

"You wish to seek a celestial fate?"

The immortal's words were simple and direct.

Chen Xiyu's heart tightened, and she quickly replied respectfully, "This humble girl is willing to offer everything in exchange for a celestial blessing from the Daoist Master."

Chen Xiyu bowed her head, her attitude extremely devout.

The guards behind her opened the treasure chests, and a dazzling array of jewels came into view.

Gold jewelry, silver ingots, pearl hairpins, and various ornaments.

The chest was not large, but it was packed full of various items.

In another chest were ancient books and some strange objects that Chen Xiyu had collected.

These items, to be honest, were enough to impress some Qi Refining stage cultivators, who might reward her with some rudimentary "celestial blessings."

Qi Yuan glanced at these items, his expression curious.

Among the strange objects Chen Xiyu had collected, most were useless, but one had a faint spiritual energy fluctuation. To a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator, it might be a pleasant surprise.

With that thought, Qi Yuan smiled faintly, "If you had come half a year earlier, this would have been interesting."

Half a year ago, these items might have had some use for Qi Yuan. Chen Xiyu was a bit puzzled, not understanding his meaning.

Then she heard the immortal ask, "Why do you want to embark on the path of immortality?"

"To become stronger, to control my destiny, and to find out the true culprit behind the skinning monster!" Chen Xiyu did not hide anything and spoke her mind honestly.

Hearing this answer, Qi Yuan glanced at the Fenglei Valley ahead, "The true culprit behind the skinning monster... you might never defeat them even if you cultivate your whole life."

Qi Yuan knew the connection between the skinning monster and Fenglei Valley.

Faced with the Dark Sun in Fenglei Valley, all the Yin Gods in the vast You Tian Domain chose to remain silent and, in turn, became accomplices.

What could a mere mortal do, even if they knew the skinning monster's backer was Fenglei Valley?

"Even if you step onto the path of immortality, you wouldn't stand a chance against them. If you investigate too deeply, you might even attract death. Do you still wish to investigate?" Qi Yuan asked casually.

"Everything ends in death. If I fear death and do not investigate, then what's the point of following the path of immortality?" Chen Xiyu recalled a line from an old text of strange tales, gaining some insight, and replied firmly.

Qi Yuan chuckled.

He picked up a short sword from the wooden box and tossed it into Chen Xiyu's hands.

"The real culprit behind the skinning monster is within the chessboard. Go ahead and strike it with this sword, and I'll grant you your celestial fate," Qi Yuan said casually.

Chen Xiyu grasped the short sword, her hand trembling slightly from her lack of strength.

Holding the sword, she looked at the chessboard ahead, her eyes becoming resolute.

"Ah!"

She swung the sword down with all her might. To fulfill Qi Yuan's command, she put all her strength into it, her entire body leaning into the swing, channeling all her power into the strike.

Bang!

The strong counterforce made her see stars, and her wrist ached.

The chessboard in front of her cracked, a fissure appearing on its surface.

Qi Yuan watched this scene and suddenly laughed: "The Yin Gods wouldn't dare strike it, but a mere mortal does. How amusing."

As he spoke, he lightly tapped his finger, sending a stream of light into Chen Xiyu's mind.

A cultivation method and some cultivation experience entered Chen Xiyu's mind.

Chen Xiyu's face lit up with joy, and she hurriedly knelt down. "Thank you, Master, for bestowing this technique upon me."

Qi Yuan waved his hand dismissively. "No, I am not accepting any disciples, nor do I have the inclination to do so.

You gave me gold and silver, you broke the chess game, and this technique is my gift to you. From now on, we are even."

Chen Xiyu's expression turned to one of disappointment.

She had finally met an immortal, a seemingly kind and good-looking one at that, and naturally wanted to become his disciple.

That way, she would have some backing upon entering the world of cultivation.

"Well, I'm off to kill someone. This is where we part ways."

After the chessboard shattered, a door appeared in the distance, suspended in the air.

Qi Yuan transformed into a streak of light and passed through the door.

Seeing this, Chen Xiyu was taken aback. "The immortal can fly... Could he be a legendary... Foundation Establishment ancestor?"

She was also overjoyed. If an immortal of the Foundation Establishment realm had granted her celestial fate, she had truly hit the jackpot.

According to ancient records, when such celestial beings descended, even the king would kneel in reverence.

This was a true big-shot immortal!

Beside her, Xiaoxi, the maid, felt both excited and thrilled.

She decided that when she returned, she would write down this entire experience and turn it into a book.

At the end of the book, she would include an account of how the lady entered the world of cultivation and how the Foundation Establishment ancestor fought the skinning monster.

...

At this moment, inside Fenglei Valley.

A blood-colored figure appeared, holding a blood-red long sword, standing in mid-air.

The sky behind him seemed to be dyed red, like a sea of blood.

Any cultivator who saw this would think he was a terrifying demon.

"Dark Sun's white moonlights, your undertaker has arrived!"

His voice rolled like thunder, resounding throughout the entire Fenglei Valley secret realm.

Cracks appeared on the ground, and the earth trembled. Flames and thunderous energy spread out, instantly turning Fenglei Valley into a scene of hell.

Fires burned, thunder roared.

The sound of the earth shaking also echoed at this moment.

Numerous towering giants could be seen moving across the ground.

These giants were thousands of meters tall and incredibly burly. Each one was like a mountain, exuding a terrifying aura.

In the outside world, this kind of formidable force would be enough to sweep across various domains.

Facing these more than thirty puppets, Qi Yuan's expression remained unchanged.

"Not bad, the numbers are decent."

Good numbers and decent strength also meant that Fenglei Valley had plenty of valuable treasures.

"So many high-quality white moonlights appearing all at once. I'm almost embarrassed."

Despite saying this, Qi Yuan's eyes gleamed.

"Hehe, Blood-Robed Sword God, you've finally come." At this moment, an old ghostly figure appeared. He looked at Qi Yuan, his eyes filled with amusement.

"You... You're the permission dog!" Qi Yuan's eyes suddenly turned furious. "Well, well, you're the one who muted me, huh!"

Being muted for the first time in his life, Qi Yuan was naturally furious.

The Grand Master of the Divine Flower Society squinted his eyes. Now that he had control over all the puppets, even facing a formidable figure like the Blood-Robed Sword God, he was quite bold.

"It wasn't to mute you, but to protect the members of the Divine Flower Society.

Blood-Robed Sword God, you're really not a wise man.

Canglan Realm is vast and full of talents. Do you think you're the only one who has discovered something wrong with the cultivation techniques? Others have noticed it too, but they've all chosen to keep a low profile and not spread the word.

Yet you broadcast it everywhere, causing unrest, which is bound to create turmoil within Dark Sun.

If other members of the Divine Flower Society believe you, Dark Sun might decide to take them out as well.

So... I was protecting them!"

The Grand Master of the Divine Flower Society spoke confidently, as if he were in the right.

"Only by silencing you can this disaster not spread further."

"Sigh, if only you had settled for being ignorant, none of this calamity would have befallen you.

Even though the Great Calamity is terrifying, there is still a slim chance for us to survive.

But by drawing so much attention to yourself, you'll not only perish but also drag down those Yin Gods who wish to keep to themselves.

For the sake of your own reputation, you provoke the Great Calamity, causing it to slaughter indiscriminately. You are the true hypocrite and selfish one! Fortunately, your actions are so high-profile that we won't have to wait for the Great Calamity. You'll die today."

This was the belief and perspective of the Grand Master of the Divine Flower Society.

The Great Calamity was overwhelmingly powerful and unbeatable. If so, why resist?

Not resisting might mean some cultivators would die, but with a bit of luck, others could live in peace.

But resistance was certain death.

In his view, all those Yin Gods daring to strike against the Great Calamity were just fame-seekers.

For the sake of their reputation, they didn't care about the lives of their peers.

If their deeds went unnoticed, who knows if they would even dare to strike against the Great Calamity.

"You old bastard, you're just like the folks at the Palace of Light. Since that's the case... I'll send you to reunite with the folks there," Qi Yuan waved his hand dismissively, looking utterly disgusted.

He had to admit, he saw the shadow of the old man from the Palace of Light in the Grand Master of the Divine Flower Society.

They always spoke of the bigger picture, but in reality, it was all about their own benefits.

If they were just looking out for themselves, being honest about it would be fine. But they had to play the hypocrite, making them repulsive.

As the saying goes, they were the kind to act like a whore while trying to put up a chastity arch.

"Blood-Robed Sword God, you may be strong enough to easily destroy the Palace of Light and even kill the Four Generals of the Lei Family.

But this is Fenglei Valley. Even a myth-level figure from the Central Sky Domain would surely die here.

Today, I shall use your blood to forge my supreme achievement!" The Grand Master of the Divine Flower Society, confident of his victory, looked at Qi Yuan as if he were already a dead man.