Golden Core is a Star, and You Call This Cultivation?

Yunzhong Pavilion.

Prodigies gathered, banquets were in full swing, with exquisite food and fine wines flowing freely.

Huang Tu stood at the center of the crowd, full of spirit and confidence.

Xu Tongchen stood by his side, holding a cup of wine, but his mind was elsewhere.

He was still pondering the strange sensation he had felt that day.

The Solar True Fire was his greatest stroke of fortune and his most prized possession.

With it, he could have easily ranked in the top ten of the Eastern Lands Prodigy List. However, to keep a low profile and not overshadow Huang Tu, he chose to rank just behind him.

The Solar True Fire was incredibly powerful and highly sensitive to treasures related to the sun.

Yet when he saw that man, he felt as if the man himself... was like a blazing sun.

“Huang Tu’s mastery of the Dao has deepened. This time, he might break into the top fifteen, maybe even the top ten, in the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle,” someone at the banquet praised Huang Tu.

Huang Tu accepted the praise with an arrogant expression.

At this point, someone else added, "It’s a pity though. If Huang Tu had Xu Tongchen’s Solar True Fire, he would surely be ranked in the top three!"

Hearing this, Xu Tongchen's expression subtly changed.

The speaker was Zheng Fangxing, a cultivator ranked seven hundredth on the Eastern Lands Prodigy List.

His sect had a long-standing grudge with Xu Tongchen’s Seven Words Sect.

Now, he was blatantly trying to sow discord.

Despite this, the haughty Huang Tu didn’t bother hiding his true thoughts and glanced at Xu Tongchen. “It is indeed a pity.”

Xu Tongchen felt stifled and angry, but he couldn’t retaliate, so he could only force an awkward smile.

The Bright Palace’s arrogance was ingrained, and they acted with impunity.

Zheng Fangxing continued, “That Blood-Clad Sword God from the Divine Flower Gathering has been relentlessly provoking the Bright Palace.

My master, Mo Ku, has long been disgusted by his arrogance and has gone to the Ming King Palace to join Elder Qian Yuan in facing off against him.

But... some people, despite being from Cuiyun Continent, fail to unite with us against the Blood-Clad Sword God. Their relationship with him is rather ambiguous.”

Zheng Fangxing was clearly targeting the Seven Words Sect.

A few days ago, Elder Qian Yuan had challenged the Blood-Clad Sword God.

The surrounding forces near the Ming King Palace were all summoned to witness the battle.

Of course, it wasn’t just to witness; it was to support.

Zheng Fangxing’s master, Mo Ku, had gone early upon hearing the news.

Xu Tongchen’s master, Xu Yeli, however, had made excuses not to go.

“Some people are just cowards, too afraid of the Blood-Clad Sword God,” Zheng Fangxing kept egging on the situation.

“Hmph, a mere cultivator from the Hundred Nations, who just happened to break through to the Purple Palace Realm, dares to challenge the Bright Palace? He’s courting death!”

“At Ming King Palace, Elder Qian Yuan has set the stage. I bet that Blood-Clad Sword God won’t even dare to show up and will just hide in the Hundred Nations!”

The young prodigies in the palace were full of praise for the Bright Palace and full of mockery for the Blood-Clad Sword God.

Their sects might have had Purple Palace cultivators, but in front of the Bright Palace, they could only play the dog.

The idea of a Blood-Clad Sword God challenging the Bright Palace seemed absurd to them.

"After the prodigy battle, we’ll probably hear about the Blood-Clad Sword God’s defeat," a young cultivator said.

Huang Tu nodded in agreement. "The Blood-Clad Sword God is nothing to fear. He’s just using underhanded methods."

For the past few days, jade slips of the Bright Palace’s Nascent Soul elders being struck by divine lightning had been circulating widely.

In the cultivation world, many secretly criticized the Bright Palace.

After all, the Bright Palace’s overbearing nature had long bred resentment among lower-level cultivators.

But criticism aside, it didn’t really harm the Bright Palace.

With dozens of Purple Palace cultivators and a powerful incomplete Yin God artifact, no coalition of lower-level cultivators could shake the Bright Palace’s position.

The prodigies at the banquet, all of noble birth, didn’t even register the voices of the common cultivators.

The banquet continued, and as Zheng Fangxing’s provocations persisted, most attendees subtly or openly shunned Xu Tongchen.

Xu Tongchen sat alone in a corner, drinking gloomily. His thoughts kept returning to the man he had seen that day.

He had secretly sent someone to investigate.

The results should be coming soon.

……

In his cave, Qi Yuan was still digesting some of the techniques his junior sister had obtained from Jiang Ya.

Unfortunately, his progress was slow.

Rubbing his forehead, Qi Yuan glanced at Xiao Jia, who was sleeping on the table beside him, his eyes softening.

"I think it’s about time. I’ll head to Ming King Palace soon and meet my alluring White Moonlight," Qi Yuan mused.

At that moment, a sound echoed outside the cave.

It was like a doorbell from Blue Star.

Qi Yuan looked through the array and saw a young man.

The cave door opened, and Qi Yuan looked at the young man calmly. "What brings you here?"

"I am Xu Tongchen of the Seven Words Sect. Three days ago, I saw you briefly.

I apologize for this sudden visit. I hope you won’t take offense," Xu Tongchen spoke with utmost humility.

He was eager to understand why his Solar True Fire reacted so strongly.

As he drew closer to this young man, the Solar True Fire within him became more agitated.

His entire body began to heat up, and he couldn’t help but look at Qi Yuan with growing intensity.

Qi Yuan frowned. "Get to the point."

"When I formed my Golden Core, I was fortunate enough to condense a wisp of Solar True Fire..."

"Solar True Fire?" Qi Yuan was surprised.

That was a valuable treasure.

With Solar True Fire, a Golden Core cultivator could resist even the divine powers of a Nascent Soul.

It was truly a city-level rarity—a random Golden Core cultivator with the power to kill a Nascent Soul.

"Ever since I saw you, my Solar True Fire has been jumping, almost as if..." Xu Tongchen hesitated to continue.

Qi Yuan looked at him thoughtfully.

[This is an ordinary cultivator, but with the Solar True Fire, he’s somewhat extraordinary. The Solar True Fire sees you as its father.]

"Is that all?" Qi Yuan looked at the sky. "I’m busy right now, off to kill someone. We’ll talk after I’m done."

With that, Qi Yuan vanished, leaving a dumbfounded Xu Tongchen behind.

"Daoist..."

He wanted to call out to Qi Yuan, but he was already gone.

Torn with indecision, Xu Tongchen finally decided to wait.

Not understanding the reason behind this was like having ants crawling inside him.

An hour later...

In the sky, a figure clad in a blood-red robe streaked like a blood-red rainbow across the heavens.

A loud voice echoed down from above.

“The Bright Palace has committed countless evils and has been struck by divine retribution!”

“I, the Blood-Clad Sword God, will stand up for all those who suffer injustice and vow to destroy the Bright Palace!”

The voice was powerful, echoing across the world.

Countless cultivators looked up.

Unfortunately, the blood-red streak was too fast for them to see clearly.

They could only hear the invigorating shout.

Some were excited, others anxious, while some felt helpless.

Qi Yuan sped toward Ming King Palace, his pace as fast as if he were rushing to meet a lover.

But this time, he wasn’t meeting a lover—he was meeting his White Moonlight.

Suddenly, an elderly voice called out, "Blood-Clad Sword God, please wait."

Qi Yuan paused, landing on a hill.

"What’s the matter?" Qi Yuan asked, seeing the Purple Palace cultivator wrapped in a black robe. He didn’t sense any hostility or killing intent.

“Blood-Clad Sword God, the Bright Palace has set a trap at Ming King Palace. Besides the three Purple Palace cultivators, two more nearby have also gone there.

Elder Qian Yuan is in the middle stage of the Purple Palace Realm, and he has a treasure bestowed by the Grand Palace Master.

If you go this time, it will be certain death. Why not… retreat for now? They have too many Purple Palace cultivators. Targeting their Nascent Soul elders would be a better strategy!” The black-robed cultivator spoke quickly, his tone tinged with concern.

Qi Yuan glanced at the black-robed cultivator. “What, do you have a grudge against the Bright Palace?”

The black-robed cultivator hesitated, his expression melancholy.

This was Xu Yeli.

Recently, Qian Yuan had pressured his disciple to serve Huang Tu.

That was bad enough.

Then he learned that the Grand Palace Master of the Bright Palace was not only dealing with the Blood-Clad Sword God but also borrowing a treasure... the Divine Shape Confining Fire Cover.

After the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle, the Grand Palace Master intended to use this treasure to transfer the Solar True Fire from his disciple Xu Tongchen to Huang Tu.

He knew his Seven Words Sect was facing its greatest crisis.

“Yes, a blood feud!” Xu Yeli nodded vigorously. “Why don’t you and I form an alliance, roaming together, forcing the Bright Palace into a dilemma! We are too weak to confront the Bright Palace head-on!”

Xu Yeli earnestly tried to persuade Qi Yuan.

He valued the Blood-Clad Sword God as an ally, believing that together they could pose a serious threat to the Bright Palace.

Perhaps the Bright Palace would hesitate to act against his disciple Xu Tongchen.

Qi Yuan looked at Xu Yeli, deep in thought. "An alliance... could work."

“Really?” Xu Yeli was excited. An alliance, though still like an egg against a rock, was better than fighting alone.

"This time I’m heading to Ming King Palace, and I could use someone... to play the suona.

While I battle the Bright Palace’s Purple Palace cultivators, you can play music for me. It’ll make killing them more enjoyable," Qi Yuan said calmly.

He was starting to miss the band from the Flowing Wind Realm.

“...” Xu Yeli was utterly bewildered.

He understood each word the Blood-Clad Sword God said, but together they made no sense.

Killing? Playing music?

What was this!

“You’re still going to Ming King Palace?” Xu Yeli asked.

“Of course, I’m carrying the mandate of heaven, and destiny is on my side.

Right now, I’m the great magician Liu Xiu. Anyone who opposes me is courting death!” Qi Yuan was full of confidence.

Xu Yeli was speechless.

He felt as if it was difficult to communicate with this Purple Palace cultivator.

It was almost as if... there was something wrong with his mind.

"Sigh, it seems all geniuses are lonely," Qi Yuan lamented. "But time will prove everything.

How about this—if I wipe out Ming King Palace today, how about you play music for me every time I go on a mission against the Bright Palace?"

Although one Purple Palace playing music was no match for three hundred or three thousand, the situation was special, wasn’t it?

Xu Yeli remained silent, unsure of what to say.

He had come to warn him that Ming King Palace was dangerous and to avoid it.

How had it turned into a bet... to play music for him?

He looked at the Blood-Clad Sword God, then gritted his teeth. "If you can kill Qian Yuan, I’ll play music for you!"

Qi Yuan glanced at Xu Yeli, then smiled. "Wait for my good news."

Qi Yuan vanished.

Xu Yeli, shrouded in his black robe, stood silently for a long time.

“Either… he’s a madman, or… he has something up his sleeve.”

But he couldn’t understand what the Blood-Clad Sword God’s trump card was.

The Bright Palace’s Hundred Nations Blood Battle had been tacitly approved by those powerful figures.

……

Ming King Palace, the air was filled with killing intent.

The sky was covered with dark clouds, and a storm was brewing.

Qian Yuan looked at the image in his jade slip, his eyes serious. "Divine lightning..."

Divine lightning was always associated with taboos.

Now, divine lightning had struck, and Nascent Souls had fallen.

The scene was particularly shocking.

“That Seven Desires Demon Lord must have some secret!” The red-bearded elder’s eyes gleamed.

“Heh heh, once we kill the Blood-Clad Sword God, I’ll personally go to the Hundred Nations and uncover the secret!” Hei Sheng said, as if the secret was already his.

“These Divine Flower Gathering members are truly detestable. Many are secretly supporting that Blood-Clad Sword God!” Mo Ku said, holding a jade slip from the Divine Flower Gathering.

He was also a member of the Divine Flower Gathering.

"Once we kill the Blood-Clad Sword God, I’ll trouble you, Mo Ku, to announce it in the Divine Flower Gathering’s discussion area, to clear the Bright Palace’s name," Elder Qian Yuan said calmly.

He didn’t care about the opinions of ordinary members of the Divine Flower Gathering.

What mattered was the opinion of the Eastern Lands leader of the Divine Flower Gathering.

The Grand Palace Master had already gone to meet them, and the matter would soon be resolved.

"To cultivate to this level and still be so unwise, this Blood-Clad Sword God..." a Purple Palace master sighed.

“Hmph, hasn’t Xu Yeli lived for thousands of years and is still just as unwise? The Bright Palace has done so much for him, and now when we’re in trouble, he’s making excuses to avoid helping. It’s despicable,” Mo Ku said.

Qian Yuan’s eyes darkened. “Xu Yeli... he’s had it too easy.”

Mo Ku felt a hint of joy at this.

This was the outcome he wanted.

Just then, the five Purple Palace cultivators present all looked up.

In the sky above, a blazing blood-red rainbow was flying toward Ming King Palace.

The terrifying aura it emitted made everyone’s hearts tremble.

“The Blood-Clad Sword God, he’s really coming!”

“He dares to come!”

The five Purple Palace cultivators were surprised but quickly regained their composure.

Outnumbered, why would they fear a newly-advanced Purple Palace cultivator?

The blood-red rainbow stopped in the sky, revealing a figure clad in blood-red robes, with a sword on his back, and an incredibly handsome face.

A terrifying aura of blood pervaded the air as Qi Yuan spoke coldly, “Is everyone here?”

Looking at the five Purple Palace cultivators below, he was a bit disappointed.

Only five? That’s too few.

And none of them were late-stage Purple Palace.

This generation’s White Moonlight wasn’t very impressive.

Qian Yuan looked at Qi Yuan, his voice booming. "Blood-Clad Sword God, you’ve got some guts. I actually admire you for that.

If it weren’t for your constant slander and provocation in the Divine Flower Gathering, I would have considered recruiting you as a guardian beast of the palace!”

“The Bright Palace sure is a joke. You’re all old, but still playing the fool?” The blood-red sword on Qi Yuan’s back let out a sharp cry. “Today, I’m here to carry out heavenly justice.”

Since they had agreed to a duel, it was time for a massacre.

Why waste words?

The blood sword was drawn.

In that moment, Qi Yuan seemed to have emerged from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.

His blood-red robe seemed to be dripping with blood.

He was enveloped in a kingdom of blood.

The five Purple Palace cultivators were momentarily stunned.

The man before them didn’t look like a righteous cultivator at all!

He looked like a powerful demon!

The dense aura of blood was so thick that if someone said he had killed tens of billions, they would believe it.

And this guy claimed to be upholding justice?

“You, upholding justice? What a joke! Today, for the sake of the world, the Bright Palace will rid it of you, this demon!”

Qian Yuan was in the middle stage of the Purple Palace Realm, second only to the three palace masters of the Bright Palace.

In all of Cuiyun Continent, he was among the top cultivators.

His strength gave him confidence.

The five Purple Palace cultivators looked at Qi Yuan with both fear and disdain.

At that moment, Qi Yuan, holding his sword, his blood-red robes fluttering, said, “Once, with this sword, I slew 1,700 Purple Palace cultivators. Today... sending you all on your way is a favor.”

The Purple Palace cultivators were stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.

“Mad as a hatter, no wonder he dares to come to Ming King Palace!”

How many Purple Palace cultivators were there in all of Cuiyun Continent? Claiming to have slain 1,700 Purple Palace cultivators with one sword—who was he trying to fool?

Not even a Yin God would claim to have killed 2,000 Purple Palace cultivators.

Qi Yuan didn’t bother responding.

With White Moonlight, sweet talk was useless; they needed to be thoroughly beaten until they wept bitter tears.

Master of the Void Realm: Heart Demon Invocation!

Qi Yuan unleashed his source divine power.

The sun and moon were thrown into disorder.

Souls were twisted.

Heart demons were born.

In an instant, the Purple Palace cultivators’ expressions changed drastically.

When an expert made a move, it was obvious.

Their previous arrogance and disdain vanished entirely.

Only by facing him directly did they realize what a formidable opponent they had encountered.

“Engraved... you’re a late-stage Purple Palace?” Qian Yuan’s face was grim, tinged with fear.

Engraved-level source divine power. Late-stage Purple Palace... the Bright Palace only had three, and they were the palace masters!

The Blood-Clad Sword God... was a late-stage Purple Palace cultivator, something they had never considered.

The Hundred Nations producing even one Purple Palace cultivator was already terrifying.

But a late-stage Purple Palace? Every late-stage Purple Palace cultivator in the Eastern Lands was a long-established figure.

How could one suddenly appear out of nowhere? He was bewildered, desperate, struggling to resist Qi Yuan’s source divine power.

His micro-level source divine power was fragile against the Master of the Void Realm’s Heart Demon Invocation.

Qi Yuan didn’t bother with dead men.

The red-bearded elder, meanwhile, had fallen into madness.

He seemed to see a giant city, with thousands of Purple Palace cultivators gathered.

A man in blood-red robes stepped forward, and with one swing of his sword, 1,700 Purple Palace cultivators were trapped in a demonic realm, gradually falling to their deaths.

“It’s real... how is this possible!”

How could anyone kill thousands of Purple Palace cultivators with a single sword?

His mind shattered at that moment.

The other three Purple Palace cultivators were just as powerless. When Qi Yuan unleashed his source divine power, they fell into madness.

Though they were not supreme beings from the Flowing Wind Realm, Qi Yuan’s source divine power was of a very high level and at the engraved stage.

To him, these five Purple Palace cultivators were indeed nothing more than a matter of a single sword strike.

Qi Yuan stood in the void, looking at the five Purple Palace cultivators with a sense of regret. “They’re dying too slowly. I’m in a hurry to get back.”

These weren’t supreme beings from the Flowing Wind Realm, so even after falling under his source divine power, they didn’t immediately die from heart demon possession.

As he thought about this, Qi Yuan’s sword stabbed forward once more.

It was like stabbing pigs—Qi Yuan systematically dealt with the five Purple Palace cultivators one by one.

“Luckily, they don’t have a tyrant body that’s immune to control; otherwise, killing them would’ve been more troublesome.”

Effortlessly, he slew all five Purple Palace cultivators.

Qi Yuan found that slaughtering weaker opponents was indeed satisfying.

By now, the entire Ming King Palace was in shock, with all the Nascent Soul cultivators paralyzed with fear.

Qi Yuan smiled wickedly. “Die.”

With just a word, those Nascent Soul cultivators fell into a boundless hell.

Ming King Palace was reduced to ruins in an instant.

Standing amid the devastation of Ming King Palace, Qi Yuan’s smile widened.

“These five White Moonlights weren’t too bad.”

With a wave of his hand, he skillfully collected all the storage bags.

Then he glanced at the fallen Nascent Souls.

“Even though they’re not White Moonlights, they traveled all this way to deliver gifts.”

"A light gift still carries deep affection."

"A gift from an elder must not be refused."

Like a dragon with an insatiable hoard of treasures, Qi Yuan collected those storage bags as well.

Then, standing amidst the ruins of the Ming King Palace, he glanced around with satisfaction.

After a moment, he decided it was time to leave, having accomplished his goal and more.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!