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

Chapter 376: Jin Li’s Star

The wind stirred.

Qi Yuan threw a punch.

The speed was incredibly fast, yet it seemed slow.

The elderly man with white hair let out an "Ouch" and fell to the ground.

Qi Yuan retracted his fist, brushed off his sleeves, and radiated an air of mastery.

"Not bad. You're as strong as the opponents I faced when I became the Spiritual Realm Martial Lord. One move!
It seems that some titled Martial Lords really aren't weaker than ordinary people."

Qi Yuan gave his evaluation.

When he became the Spiritual Realm Martial Lord, he had fought nearly ten thousand Martial Lords.

He defeated them in one move, and he defeated the runner-up of the Martial Arts Tournament in one move as well.

So, in Qi Yuan's eyes, they were equally strong.

The elderly man with white hair got up and said, "You brat! You don't even go easy on an old man. Aren't you afraid I'll just lie down and blackmail you?"

Over the years, the old man had grown quite familiar with Qi Yuan.

Although ten years ago, when Qi Yuan, the immortal, had swallowed a star, the old man had trembled in fear for several years…

But, he had adapted.

At worst, he would die standing tall!

"I'm not afraid. We signed a contract before the match. Even if compensation is involved, it’ll be the Martial Arts Tournament that pays!" Qi Yuan shrugged.

"Old man, goodbye."

He said and began walking toward the audience stands.

In the audience, the canary that used to cheer for Qi Yuan had been absent for several tournaments.

Now, cheering for him was none other than Meow Meow Xie Xinsu.

She was wearing a blue tank top, holding a small flag with her paws.

"Meow, meow, meow!"
She shouted with all her might.

But anyone could hear the reluctance and dissatisfaction in her voice.

Qi Yuan scooped up Xie Xinsu, instinctively slipping his hand under her tank top as he began to pet her.

Xie Xinsu stopped meowing, her face showing complete resignation.

Qi Yuan suddenly froze. "Why does this feel a bit indecent?"

Petting the cat when she wasn’t wearing clothes seemed perfectly normal.

But slipping his hand under her tank top felt a bit inappropriate.

"So, I guess I should just take it off and then pet her."

With that, Qi Yuan pulled off Xie Xinsu’s tank top.

...

At Tianyuan Sect.

The woman in tight-fitting clothes stood with her head lowered. The rain fell like strings of pearls from the eaves. The sect leader, dressed in green, her long hair falling to her waist, gazed at the rain.

Her eyes were filled with endless uncertainty.

"The danger indicated by the Tianyuan Stone is drawing closer and closer!" the sect leader said, her gaze full of apprehension.

"Is the danger still a threat with him around?" the woman in tight clothes thought of Qi Yuan.

Back then, Qi Yuan had swallowed the sun in one gulp, shaking the heavens and earth.

Even if the founder of the Tianyuan Sect descended, it wouldn't compare.

"The Tianyuan Stone is an unparalleled treasure. It cannot be wrong." The sect leader replied.

At that moment, a gentle voice rang out.

"The Tianyuan Stone is a rare and extraordinary treasure. It will not be wrong.

"It seems that this world is indeed on the brink of destruction."

A woman in a palace dress appeared. Her eyes sparkled with life, but a veil covered her face, obscuring her features.

Upon seeing the woman, both the sect leader and the woman in tight clothes quickly bowed, "Greetings, Founder!"

The woman in the palace dress was none other than Yu Mengxian, the founder of the Tianyuan Sect, who had descended from the Upper Realm.

Yu Mengxian looked up at the sky, her eyes full of complex emotions. "No stars reflecting the myriad realms… This must be a strange place."

The Upper Realm was divided into nine heavens.

In the Nine Heavens, countless stars reflected the Yang Gods, along with their beloved ones and subordinates.

In any of the Nine Heavens, as well as their affiliated lower realms and secret realms, these stars could be seen.

But there were certain strange places where the stars reflecting the myriad realms could not be seen.

Yu Mengxian had only heard of such places, but this was her first time encountering one.

"According to the Tianyuan Stone, the destruction of Arc Star may even affect the Fire Spirit Realm," Yu Mengxian said with concern. "The calamity is unstoppable. Only by returning to the Upper Realm can we escape it."

It was perfectly normal for strange places to experience various changes.

"Even you can’t solve this, Founder?" the sect leader asked.

In her eyes, the founder was the strongest person in the world.

"Not even me. Even the Yang God Heavenly Sovereign who presides over the holy land in the Upper Realm where I reside might not be able to resolve this." When Yu Mengxian mentioned the Yang God Heavenly Sovereign, her eyes were filled with reverence.

Thanks to the miraculous stone, her progress had been rapid, and she had now reached the mythical level of an Yin God.

In the holy land, she had achieved many accomplishments, earning her a chance to meet the Heavenly Sovereign, who had granted her the ability to reflect the myriad realms.

A Yin God with the ability to reflect the myriad realms was far more powerful than an ordinary Yin God.

In her holy land, she was considered among the top ranks.

"Even the Heavenly Sovereign of the Upper Realm can’t solve this?" the sect leader felt dejected.

"Doesn’t this world have a Heavenly Sovereign?

"If what you recorded back then is true, this Heavenly Sovereign might be even stronger than the one in my holy land."

Yu Mengxian’s heart raced.

The physical form of a Yang God was vast, often larger than an entire world.

But even the average Yang God’s physical form was only about the size of a regular star.

Swallowing a star in its entirety was unimaginable.

"However, such a being likely isn’t afraid of the calamity. Even if this world is destroyed, he will survive," Yu Mengxian said.

The woman in tight clothes let out a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

But then she felt a bit puzzled. "Founder, are you saying he’s still Qi Yuan?"

Her brother, the brother who had once been mentally unstable—how could he suddenly have become so powerful?

"The Tianyuan Stone tells me he is indeed this world’s Qi Yuan." Yu Mengxian murmured.

The woman in tight clothes sighed with relief. "That’s good."

"Can you introduce me to this Heavenly Sovereign?" Yu Mengxian’s tone became humble.

Every Heavenly Sovereign deserved her utmost respect.

Especially one stronger than the one in her holy land.

"Alright!" The woman in tight clothes quickly agreed.

...

In a park, Qi Yuan was holding Xie Xinsu, his head lowered as he gazed at a running track, deep in thought.

"To become a Martial God of the Ten Thousand Paths, I must comprehend all paths.

"What kind of path is this track?"

He stared at the track, not blinking.

Just then, a short-haired woman, dressed in light, cool clothing, approached. She had a bit of a sweaty smell about her.

"Hey handsome, your cat is so cute. I love cats too. Can I get your contact information?"

Qi Yuan didn’t look up. He replied softly, "Do you have a path in you too? Oh, but I’m not interested in your path."

He finished speaking and walked away with his cat.

The short-haired woman was stunned, her eyes wide, as if she had just realized something. She couldn’t help but mutter, "What a low-life man!"

Qi Yuan ignored her.

Over the years, he had spent his time walking the world, measuring and comprehending the Great Dao with his steps.

This enlightenment was somewhat similar to cultivating immortality.

With Qi Yuan's ability to perceive hidden information, his comprehension of the Dao was far more efficient.

No matter how difficult the path was, to him, it was just average.

"A humble woman greets the Heavenly Sovereign, Yu Mengxian."

At that moment, a voice echoed.

...

Qi Yuan, holding Xie Xinsu, looked at the woman in the palace dress and the woman in tight clothes.

"Ahem, I didn’t bring my bank card today," Qi Yuan quickly said.

The woman in tight clothes sighed and replied helplessly, "We’re not here to collect a debt."

She had already gotten used to her brother's strange way of thinking.

Her mood lightened a bit, realizing that her brother was still the same as he was before. It seemed he was still her brother.

Qi Yuan sighed with relief. "So, what do you want?"

Yu Mengxian gave a graceful bow before speaking, "I am the founder of Tianyuan Sect, descending from the Upper Realm.

"This world... seems to be on the verge of destruction."

"Oh, I know a bit about that, but not too much." Qi Yuan said.

Yu Mengxian wasn’t surprised.

If the Tianyuan Stone could foresee the world’s destruction, a being as powerful as this Heavenly Sovereign would surely know about it too.

"Does the Heavenly Sovereign have a way to stop it?" Yu Mengxian asked.

Qi Yuan shook his head. "I’m not entirely sure, but I need to become a Martial God of the Ten Thousand Paths, so I definitely won’t let this world completely collapse."

Yu Mengxian was left a little speechless.

She felt like this Heavenly Sovereign wasn’t as reliable as she had hoped.

He lacked the solemnity and mystery of the Heavenly Sovereign in her holy land.

"If this world shatters, ordinary people won’t survive. I plan to take a few people and leave this world..." Yu Mengxian said, glancing at Qi Yuan.

Since the woman in tight clothes was so close to Qi Yuan, she’d need to take her to the Upper Realm. But that required Qi Yuan's approval.

However, it was extremely difficult to bring people to the Upper Realm. Even for her, there were limits on how many she could bring.

"Do as you like, as long as you don’t interfere with me." Qi Yuan said indifferently. Then, as if something crossed his mind, he asked, "You’re from the Upper Realm. Do you know the Moon God Palace?"

Yu Mengxian's heart skipped a beat.

It was just as she thought—this man was surely an expert from the Upper Realm.

"Yes, the Moon God Palace is a holy land in the middle three heavens," Yu Mengxian replied.

The Upper Realm is divided into nine heavens.

The lower three, middle three, and upper three heavens.

The higher one goes, the richer the spiritual energy becomes.

Thus, the higher the heaven a holy land is located in, the stronger it is.

The Moon God Palace resided in the Sixth Heaven.

"I have a wife who is a Moon Maiden from the Moon God Palace. Her name is Jin Li. Do you know her?" Qi Yuan asked.

As he spoke, he waved his hand.

Instantly, a projection of a woman appeared in front of Yu Mengxian.

Brilliant like spring flowers, beautiful like the autumn moon.

When she appeared, all colors in the world seemed to pale in comparison.

Both Yu Mengxian and the woman in tight clothes were completely overshadowed by her beauty.

Qi Yuan had never seen Jin Li before, but he had seen the version of her that Qi Jianjun had transformed into.

"This..." Yu Mengxian's heart pounded wildly. "Seven hundred years ago, I once saw this Moon Maiden in the Demon Abyss."

Qi Yuan’s heart stirred.

It was as if time and space had overlapped, and a dream became reality.

The former Moon Maiden, now Jin Li, suddenly felt so close to him, as though he could reach out and touch her.

At this moment, Qi Yuan grew sentimental.

"It has been many years since I last heard from her. A single inch of longing forms a thousand knots of sorrow.

"When you saw her, how was she?"

"She... seemed to be doing well. I heard that after returning to the Moon God Palace, she constantly fought in the Demon Abyss, never stopping, as if seeking more achievements to make a wish to the Moon God Sovereign." Yu Mengxian glanced at Qi Yuan again.

In the Moon God Palace, the Moon Maidens held an especially unique status.

They were practically being groomed as successors.

Moon Maidens were forbidden to marry.

Once, a Yang God sought to marry a Moon Maiden, but he was directly expelled by the Moon God Sovereign.

The Moon God Sovereign had declared that the Yang God would never again be allowed to set foot in the light of the moon.

Now, Yu Mengxian's thoughts began to wander.

"Is that so?" Qi Yuan sighed. Suddenly, he thought of something. "Is there any way to contact her from the lower realm?"

Although he had asked Shen Wushen to send a message to the Moon Maiden…

Shen Wushen was in the lower three heavens, and it would take many years to deliver the letter.

"It would be difficult in the lower realm.

"However, this Moon Maiden has been favored by the Moon God Sovereign and has a star reflecting the myriad realms.

"If she knows of your star, you can move your star closer to hers. She should understand your message." Yu Mengxian explained.

"Oh, you can do that?" Qi Yuan's eyes lit up.

Does that mean he could move one of his star-core Golden Cores next to Jin Li’s star?

Then, if he shaped his star-core Golden Core into a heart or "romantic brain" symbol, Jin Li would know he was there?

Of course, it’s possible she wouldn’t realize it.

After all, Jin Li didn’t know that the sun in the sky was his star-core Golden Core.

But that didn’t matter.

"Do you know which star is hers?" Qi Yuan asked.

"Heavenly Sovereign, please take a look!" Yu Mengxian waved her hand, and a star map appeared before Qi Yuan’s eyes.

"This one is the Moon Maiden’s star."

Qi Yuan’s gaze fell on the tiny star, and his eyes filled with affection. "How cute."

Xie Xinsu, still in Qi Yuan’s arms, wriggled and meowed.

"What’s cute about it?"

"Heavenly Sovereign, please be careful. The Moon God Sovereign is a powerful Yang God. If your star projection gets too close to the Moon God Sovereign's, it may be seen as a challenge!" Yu Mengxian reminded him.

"Got it. Don’t worry, I’m a good person. I always follow the rules and never break them," Qi Yuan reassured her with a smile, but he was already thinking about how to use his star-core Golden Core to tell Jin Li that he had arrived.

"By the way, do you know of any cultivation techniques that can reshape your star? It’s always round, and that looks kind of odd." Qi Yuan asked.

If he could turn his sun into a heart shape, Jin Li would definitely know he had arrived.

"Ahem, I’ve never heard of such a technique," Yu Mengxian admitted.

Qi Yuan sighed with disappointment.

"Sigh, I still don’t have enough star-core Golden Cores.

"If I had millions of them, I could form words and symbols, like a drone display, and communicate across realms."

Qi Yuan mused to himself.

If only he had millions of star-core Golden Cores.

He could directly write massive words across the skies of all worlds.

"Promote civility, foster new virtues."

Yes, the entire cultivation world would surely become more refined.

Beside him, Yu Mengxian remained silent, not quite understanding Qi Yuan's words.

At this moment, Qi Yuan asked another question, "Do you know Ruan Yixi? She’s my master, my wife, and also from the Moon God Palace."

Yu Mengxian gave Qi Yuan a strange look. "I haven’t heard of her."

She had a feeling that if Qi Yuan showed up at the Moon God Palace, he’d definitely get into trouble with the Moon God Sovereign.

"If I write them a letter, how long would it take you to deliver it?" Qi Yuan asked.

"Probably… several years," Yu Mengxian answered.

Qi Yuan sighed in disappointment.

It seemed writing a letter wasn’t going to work.

Shen Wushen had already taken his letter up.

Besides, once he resolved the great calamity after the game’s return, he could head to the Upper Realm himself and meet Jin Li.

Though he and Jin Li had always been like online friends and had never met, to be honest, Qi Yuan felt a little nervous.

But then he remembered they already had children, so they were practically an old married couple. What was there to be shy about?

"Alright, no more idle talk. I still need to comprehend the Ten Thousand Paths. Goodbye."

Having gathered the useful information he needed, Qi Yuan didn’t bother to chat further with Yu Mengxian.

He left with Xie Xinsu in his arms.

Robot Zero-One followed closely behind, like a loyal servant or little sidekick.