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

In front of the ruins, deathly stillness permeated the air, as if one had stepped into the ultimate darkness.

There wasn’t a trace of light to be found.

Clearly, they had failed.

“The Artifact masters lineage of the Blue Mountain Realm… is severed.”

A woman’s voice suddenly echoed beside Shen Lingxuan.

The speaker was an insect, about the size of a moth and similar in appearance to a butterfly.

This creature was a Spirit of Heaven and Earth, a lifeform said to have existed since the dawn of creation.

Shen Lingxuan had encountered it after arriving in the ruins.

“All those who came here to forge fragments of the Divine Bright Artifact were true prodigies among artifact masters. Now that they are gone… the art of artifact forging in the Blue Mountain Realm will stagnate for centuries,” the Butterfly Spirit spoke, its voice carrying a sense of melancholy.

In its eyes, those artifiìact masters who came to this Forbidden Zone were unparalleled geniuses, plucked from across the world.

Under normal circumstances, these individuals would have had bright futures and assured prosperity.

The Butterfly Spirit turned toward Shen Lingxuan:

“Lingxuan, you bear a Heavenly Fate and are someone with a special destiny. You may ignore other treasures in this Forbidden Zone, but you must claim the Source of the Forbidden Zone.

Only those with a Heavenly Fate can suppress the Forbidden Source, preventing it from flourishing. Moreover… if you refine the Forbidden Source, you will gain all sorts of extraordinary abilities, allowing you to hide within the Blue Mountain Realm and avoid being… discovered by outsiders.”

The Butterfly Spirit’s expression turned grave as it spoke.

“If you don’t, and if you achieve Unity with the Heavens, you’ll undoubtedly attract the attention of outsiders, and you’ll end up like your previous life—dead.”

A powerful icy aura radiated from Shen Lingxuan.

Memories from her past life surged forth in that instant.

In her previous life, she had been a proud daughter of heaven, devout in her cultivation. Yet one day, without warning, a streak of sword light descended from beyond the heavens, shattering her body in an instant, leaving not even a corpse behind.

Even now, the mere memory of that strike left her shaken.

Such power… it had to have been a Divine-tier existence.

“What does ‘Heavenly Fate’ truly represent?” Shen Lingxuan asked.

The Butterfly Spirit paused for a moment before replying, “It represents the will of the world. It represents ownership of the world.”

Clearly, it was speaking in riddles, offering limited insight.

Perhaps this was all it knew.

Dressed in her black gown, Shen Lingxuan resembled a black rose—cold and austere.

“Mo Sankong is outside. The Heaven-tier Weapon Masters from the Rosha Kingdom are also making their way here. It’s hard enough to deal with just them. Claiming the Forbidden Source will be nearly impossible,” she said.

The Butterfly Spirit trembled slightly and replied, “That is indeed a problem. Unfortunately, I lack combat abilities—I can’t even handle an Earth-tier Weapon Master.”

“However, I can scout ahead for you to avoid certain dangers,” it offered.

<hr> “Ah, before exploring ruins, you have to eat your fill. Otherwise, you won’t have the energy.”

Chen Kangbao spoke as he pulled a steamed bun from his pocket and stuffed it into his mouth.

While eating, he waved another bun toward Tu Sihai and the others.

“Anyone want some?”

The seductive woman covered her mouth, her expression one of mild disgust at the sight of the sweat-covered bun. “Thank you for the kind offer, sir, but I’ll pass.”

To her, Chen Kangbao was just a servant of Qi Yuan, so she refrained from showing outright anger.

“No thanks,” the others also politely declined.

Only Wang Dao smiled broadly. “I’ll take one. Thank you, sir.”

Chen Kangbao was overjoyed. “Here you go!”

Wang Dao immediately took the bun and began devouring it without a care. “Delicious.”

“Alright, time to explore the ruins and find that Mo Sankong!” Qi Yuan said.

The group of eight adjusted their gear and headed northeast, toward the Seventeenth Black Gate of the Ten Thousand Mountains Abyss.

Based on Wang Dao’s account, Mo Sankong had entered through that gate.

Under the cover of night, they traveled quickly.

Qi Yuan glanced at the blind elder in their group and, with a humble tone, asked, “Old man, in a few months, I might also go blind. What do you think is the most important thing for a blind man?”

In a few months, he would have to play the role of a blind artifact master. Meeting an actual blind man was a rare chance for him to seek guidance.

The blind elder paused, slightly surprised. His left eye was blind, but his right eye was still intact. “Perhaps… regaining sight.”

“Regaining sight, huh?” Qi Yuan murmured thoughtfully.

The blind artifact master’s greatest wish was likely to become a Divine-tier artifact master or ascend to even greater heights.

But could he truly achieve that while blind?

Roughly half an hour later, the group reached a mountain hollow under the cover of darkness.

The terrain appeared as though an earthquake had once occurred, causing soil and rocks to collapse and revealing part of the ruins.

A dozen black iron doors stood before them, adorned with intricate, mysterious patterns.

“Half of the doors here are open. Fortunately, the one we need to enter is open too; otherwise, we’d waste a lot of time,” Tu Sihai remarked.

The iron doors in the ruins were incredibly sturdy. Even a top-tier Grandmaster would struggle to destroy them.

“What do you mean open? Isn’t there a dog hole right there?” Chen Kangbao exclaimed in astonishment.

“That’s the hole that duck-voiced guy squeezed through,” Wang Dao added, recalling the scene with lingering fear.

Had it not been so difficult to exit the ruins, he suspected the Weapon Master might have killed him for witnessing such a humiliating sight.

“A dog hole? It’s clearly a dragon-and-phoenix hole,” the seductive woman teased, chuckling.

Tu Sihai also laughed. “Let’s not fool ourselves. There’s no shame in crawling through it.”

The others nodded in agreement. Just getting through was what mattered.

The blind elder glanced at the seductive woman and remarked, “I’m just worried your half-pound of meat up front might not fit through.”

“Blind fool, be careful, or I’ll stab your good eye when we’re inside!” The seductive woman didn’t take offense.

Qi Yuan inspected the hole and said seriously, “The blind elder’s right.”

The seductive woman’s face turned crimson.

If it had been anyone else, she wouldn’t have cared.

But Qi Yuan was a mysterious powerhouse, almost certain to ascend to Heaven-tier Weapon Master status in the future. Moreover, he was young and exceptionally handsome.

At that moment, Qi Yuan spoke up:

“A mere broken door? Watch carefully; the son-in-law is about to smirk!”

He stepped forward toward the black gate.

The Blackshade Brother’s younger sibling looked surprised and said, “This black gate is made of Planiron. Even Heaven-tier Weapon Masters would struggle to break it.”

Clearly, he didn’t think Qi Yuan could do it.

Qi Yuan suddenly stopped and turned back with a grin. “That’s it. Keep talking like that. Without someone doubting me, it’s no fun to smirk.”

The son-in-law smirk would have no soul without someone casting doubt.

Ideally, there’d also be a handsome man or beautiful woman for him to slap.

Though, Qi Yuan hated pain, so getting slapped was out of the question.

The younger Blackshade Brother felt awkward.

Tu Sihai, recalling Qi Yuan’s eccentric personality, tentatively added, “Brother Qi, I fear even your attack will have no effect on the black gate.”

He spoke sincerely.

“Your lines lack punch. I should’ve brought you all a drama to watch and learn proper delivery!” Qi Yuan shook his head.

The blind elder said nothing, quietly observing Qi Yuan’s antics with distaste.

Without wasting further time, Qi Yuan stretched out his hand and gave the black gate a gentle push.

A massive force erupted.

His hand transformed into a razor-sharp blade, shifting from a push to a slash.

Boom!

With a thunderous crash, the indestructible black gate shattered like tofu.

A man-sized opening appeared before them.

“This… how is that possible?”

“It actually broke!”

Everyone was stunned, their faces filled with disbelief.

They had expected Qi Yuan to be strong, but they hadn’t expected this level of power!

Breaking the black gate with one strike—was that even something a Heaven-tier Weapon Master could do?

Qi Yuan, seeing their stunned expressions, decided not to smirk after all.

“Now your reactions are proper. This is just like on TV. Your earlier taunts lacked conviction,” Qi Yuan said, brushing his hands off.

The group exchanged confused glances, unsure of how to respond.

“I didn’t expect Brother Qi to be so powerful. It seems this exploration will depend entirely on you,” Tu Sihai said, offering timely flattery.

The blind elder reevaluated his opinion of Qi Yuan, retracting his previous judgments.

Wang Dao, meanwhile, was overjoyed. Qi Yuan’s overwhelming strength gave him peace of mind.

At that moment, the elder Blackshade Brother asked, “If we rely entirely on Brother Qi, how will the spoils be divided if we find treasure?”

This question caught everyone’s attention.

If Qi Yuan did all the work, how would the rewards be shared?

Would this just turn into a sightseeing tour, with all the treasures going to Qi Yuan?

“Who says you won’t contribute?” Chen Kangbao smirked mysteriously, flipping his hand to reveal several trumpets, gongs, and drums.

“If we encounter enemies, you can assist the young master by playing these instruments!”

Everyone looked at one another, dumbfounded.

“The young master is kind-hearted. He doesn’t want enemies to die silently, so he’s prepared a grand funeral for them. I even brought steamed buns for the wake!” Chen Kangbao said proudly.

The younger Blackshade Brother turned pale. Was this some sort of insult?

The blind elder, however, grabbed a trumpet. “If playing counts as contributing, I’ll play.”

After all, playing a trumpet was far safer than delving into the ruins’ dangers.

“What a great opportunity!” the seductive woman said, taking a trumpet with a sultry smile. “I’m very good at blowing.”

Wang Dao didn’t hesitate and grabbed a trumpet.

The younger Blackshade Brother hesitated, but seeing his brother pick one up, he reluctantly followed suit, though his expression was stiff.

Deep down, he wanted to protest, but Qi Yuan’s strength left him no choice.

Seeing the group with their trumpets, Qi Yuan was reminded of his days in the Mortal Heart Realm, leading the villagers of Qing Shui Village in conquest.

Killing, then feasting.

“Don’t worry. With me, no one will dare harm you.”

“And if, by chance, you are harmed, I’ll find you and bring you into my underworld later.”

Qi Yuan’s confidence was unwavering. A son-in-law should always radiate confidence.

The group was speechless, unsure of how to respond.

Only Chen Kangbao continued playing his loyal henchman role.

“The young master is a deity incarnate! Follow him, and there’ll be buns to eat every day!” he exclaimed, comically fawning over Qi Yuan.

The younger Blackshade Brother cast Chen Kangbao a look of disdain. This man was truly shameless, a disgrace to Weapon Masters.

<hr> The group entered the ruins through the black gate.

Roughly fifteen minutes later, the sound of trumpets echoed.

Five dark figures emerged, their faces twisted in malice.

Each one had the strength of an Earth-tier Weapon Master and charged at the group with feral growls.

“You dare attack me when I’m already smirking? Do you think I’m just a weakling son-in-law?”

Qi Yuan’s expression remained calm. With a light tap of his foot, five stones rose into the air. He kicked them.

Whoosh!

The stones shot forward like cannonballs, striking the five shadows.

The shadows froze mid-air before crashing to the ground, lifeless.

Chen Kangbao grinned. “The young master is invincible! The moment the trumpets sounded, those specters died!”

Tu Sihai’s eyes widened in awe.

Brother Qi was ridiculously strong.

Even the younger Blackshade Brother, who had been full of grievances, suddenly felt a pang of respect.

Had they fought those five specters themselves, it would’ve been a fierce battle.

“Feast time! Feast time!” Chen Kangbao called out.

He pulled more buns from his pockets.

This time, no one refused. Even those who found it distasteful pinched their noses and swallowed the buns.

“These specters’ eyeballs are decent—they’re worth some money. You’ve been playing trumpets so well, so you can have them,” Qi Yuan said nonchalantly.

Tu Sihai blinked in confusion. “These eyeballs… are worth money?”

Specter eyeballs were considered worthless. Everyone knew that.

Were they for eating?

“Not much. Maybe a few hundred taels,” Qi Yuan replied casually.

“This is all thanks to Brother Qi. These should go to you,” the elder Blackshade Brother offered politely.

“I don’t need these,” Qi Yuan waved dismissively.

The group didn’t think much of it. A few hundred taels weren’t a big deal.

Tu Sihai, however, was curious. “What are they good for?”

“For… male vitality. You know…” Qi Yuan began, but before he could finish, there was a gust of wind.

Five figures darted toward the specters’ corpses.

“Brother, leave me one! You already took two!”

“Little bro, you’re still young. Don’t fight me for it!”

“But we’re twins!”

Nearby, the seductive woman looked on with disdain. “A bunch of useless men.”

She glanced at the blind elder. “You always act high and mighty, saying you avoid women.”

“Hmph.” The blind elder snorted. “This is for a friend. I’m taking it on their behalf.”

He clutched the eyeballs tightly and stored them in his artifact pouch.

“What a shame I can’t return to Blue Star. I could’ve made a fortune with these eyeballs,” Qi Yuan sighed.

He had missed countless opportunities to get rich.

If he could mass-produce these eyeballs, he’d be a saint on Blue Star.

He’d dominate any election for planetary leader in a landslide.

“Let’s keep moving,” Qi Yuan said, scanning the group without judgment.

The others remained thick-skinned, pretending nothing had happened.

<hr> As they ventured deeper, the group faced numerous dangers.

But Qi Yuan crushed them all with ease.

Every time the trumpets sounded, the fight was over in seconds.

Qi Yuan was simply too powerful—a true six-dimensional warrior with no weaknesses.

Whether it was speed, strength, or any other attribute, the specters couldn’t match him.

He bulldozed his way through with invincibility.

“Pay attention! I’m about to smirk!”

“Start the feast!”

“Kill, kill, kill!”

At first, the group hesitated with the trumpets, but as they ventured deeper, they stopped caring.

“Brother, is my trumpet louder than yours?”

<hr> In the depths of the ruins.

A scholar in a Confucian robe coughed, blood dripping from his mouth.

Mo Sankong’s gaze was filled with malice. “I didn’t expect to run into the Grand Sacrificial Wine of the Literary Platform of Shang Nation here.”

The Shang Nation was a small kingdom bordering the Rosha Kingdom.

It had no king, only a council of elders.

Under this system, the Shang Nation revered the mythical God of Judgement.

In the age of the God’s divine presence, the Shang Nation had been a vassal state of Rosha Kingdom, basking in the light of divine radiance.

After the God’s destruction, however, the Shang Nation had boldly severed ties with Rosha Kingdom.

This had enraged the Rosha Kingdom.

Especially since the Shang Nation had secretly aided the Judgement Society. Thanks to their support, the Judgement Society had managed to preserve much of its strength.

Had the destruction of the divine presence not weakened the Rosha Kingdom, leaving it vulnerable to enemy nations, they would have long since dispatched armies to wipe out the Shang Nation.

Now, seeing the Grand Sacrificial Wine of Shang Nation, Mo Sankong’s smile turned vicious.

Killing this man would be a tremendous achievement.

“A mere novice Heaven-tier dares to challenge me?” Mo Sankong sneered, his eyes filled with disdain.

His claw-like hand struck at the Confucian scholar, who barely managed to defend himself but still ended up with a bloody gash on his shoulder.

As Mo Sankong prepared to strike again but the sound of trumpets rang out in the distance.

He turned abruptly to see a bronze gate opening. Several figures stumbled through.

A group of eight entered his line of sight.

The trumpets abruptly stopped.

The trumpet players froze upon seeing Mo Sankong, their faces filled with shock and fear.

“Unity with the Heavens… that’s a Heaven-tier Weapon Master!”

“And the other one is… a Heaven-tier Weapon Master in combat?”

Wang Dao opened his mouth to speak but swallowed his words.

Earlier, he had assumed Mo Sankong was just a strong Earth-tier Weapon Master because he hadn’t displayed his full strength.

But now, seeing him in combat, the aura of Unity with the Heavens was unmistakable.

There was no doubt—Mo Sankong was a Heaven-tier Weapon Master.

Though Qi Yuan was powerful, he had yet to display the aura of Unity with the Heavens.

Even if his strength and speed surpassed Mo Sankong’s, Unity with the Heavens wasn’t something that could be overcome by sheer physical prowess.

Tu Sihai realized the situation and quickly spoke up. “Senior, we mean no offense by intruding. We’ll leave immediately.”

He spoke humbly, lowering his posture.

After all, Mo Sankong was a Heaven-tier Weapon Master, and clearly not a newly advanced one at that.

Mo Sankong’s eyes narrowed into a cold smile. “You can leave, but the old man stays.”

He pointed at Chen Kangbao, his expression arrogant.

Looking at the Confucian scholar, his gaze turned cunning. “You may have hidden yourself well, but when that old man appeared, I noticed the surprise and worry in your eyes.

You know him… and you know him well.”

Standing in mid-air, Mo Sankong exuded supreme confidence, his demeanor that of an absolute ruler.

“He stays, and the rest of you can leave.”

“Otherwise… you all die.”

His voice was domineering, dripping with contempt.

The Confucian scholar’s face filled with worry and guilt.

I’ve implicated Elder Chen! he thought bitterly.

On the other side, Tu Sihai and the others were equally uneasy.

The oppressive aura emanating from Mo Sankong was overwhelming, far stronger than any Heaven-tier Weapon Master they had ever encountered.

Even if they worked together, they likely wouldn’t be a match for him.

Though Qi Yuan was incredibly strong, he hadn’t reached Unity with the Heavens. There was no way he could win.

“Hey, eunuch, don’t you think you’re overestimating yourself?” Qi Yuan said, his tone tinged with surprise. “Even if you let us leave, I’m not planning to let you off.”

Mo Sankong’s expression darkened instantly.

He clearly didn’t like being called an eunuch—it struck a nerve.

“Oh, how bold. I didn’t expect such insolence from someone in this puny kingdom.

Fine. Today, none of you will leave alive!”

Killing intent surged in Mo Sankong’s heart.

Tu Sihai and the others braced themselves, nerves taut.

Tu Sihai called out, “Brother Qi, you take the lead. We’ll assist you. We must fight!”

At this point, with Mo Sankong’s killing intent so clear, no amount of pleading would change the outcome. Their only option was to fight for a slim chance of survival.

“Why would you need to fight?” Qi Yuan said calmly. “Keep playing your trumpets. I’ll take care of him for his funeral.”

“But he’s a Heaven-tier Weapon Master!” the blind elder protested, his tone filled with disbelief.

Was Qi Yuan insane?

“Hmph. Even a Heaven-tier Weapon Master will fall before the young master!” Chen Kangbao shouted, raising his hand. “Play the trumpets!”

Tu Sihai and the others hesitated for a moment before reluctantly picking up their trumpets and playing once more.

They remained tense, ready to step in if things went south.

Qi Yuan turned his gaze to Mo Sankong and spoke calmly:

“Mo Sankong, do you know the crime you’ve committed?”

Mo Sankong paused, momentarily confused. “You know me?”

“You dared to covet my wife, Shen Lingxuan. If you take her, how am I supposed to play the role of the son-in-law?

You’ve committed a capital offense, and there’s no forgiveness for your crimes.

If you kneel and end your own life, I’ll grant you a final mercy—I’ll even arrange for you to eat your own funeral feast.”

Qi Yuan was magnanimous, even respecting the rights of criminals.

As for how a dead man would eat his own funeral feast?

Simple—he’d slice open Mo Sankong’s stomach and stuff it full of buns.

“You’re courting death!” Mo Sankong roared, his fury reaching its peak.

“Shen Lingxuan has already caught the eye of my lord. If you hand her over to us and end your own life, I’ll spare your family!”

“Hey, I’m an orphan. Why don’t you bring my family back to life?”

The trumpets blared, urgent and loud.

Among the Earth-tier Weapon Masters, faces turned pale with anxiety and unease.

Even the Confucian scholar was deeply worried, his heart filled with confusion.

Wasn’t Qi Yuan just a lunatic from the Madhouse?

Wasn’t he a mere mortal?

How could he suddenly be so powerful?

“Die!”

Mo Sankong struck, entering his Unity with the Heavens state. He gathered the power of heaven and earth, directing it toward Qi Yuan.

“Child, without reaching Heaven-tier, you are but an ant. You have no understanding of what the power of heaven and earth truly is!”

Mo Sankong’s voice brimmed with confidence and contempt.

Even if his raw strength and speed couldn’t match Qi Yuan’s, Unity with the Heavens gave him access to the forces of heaven and earth within a ten-meter radius.

This power, weighing tens of thousands of pounds, was beyond mere human strength.

This was the greatest divide between Heaven-tier and Earth-tier Weapon Masters.

To date, there had been no recorded instances of an Earth-tier Weapon Master defeating a Heaven-tier opponent.

“Heaven and earth’s power?” Qi Yuan chuckled. “Hey, eunuch, do you know the value of being a shareholder?”

Suddenly, Qi Yuan struck, throwing a single punch.

Mo Sankong’s expression shifted to one of utter horror.

He suddenly realized that the power of heaven and earth he had gathered was… dissipating.

No, not dissipating—it was retreating, wilting!

As if a son had run into his father at a brothel.

“How… how is this possible?” Mo Sankong stammered.

The power of heaven and earth was the foundation of every Heaven-tier Weapon Master.

It could only be overcome by stronger forces of heaven and earth—never through retreat.

But here it was, shrinking away before the punch of an Earth-tier Weapon Master.

Boom!

Before Mo Sankong could understand, the punch landed squarely on him.

Without the protection of heaven and earth, his internal organs shattered instantly, and his body collapsed.

Even in death, his face was frozen in disbelief and confusion.

There would be no explanation for him.

With one punch, a Heaven-tier Weapon Master was dead.

Qi Yuan smirked. “To me, there’s no difference between you and any other Earth-tier Weapon Master.”

The trumpet music stopped abruptly.

The Earth-tier Weapon Masters stood frozen, their faces painted with shock.

This level of power defied everything they had ever known.

How could an Earth-tier Weapon Master shatter the forces of heaven and earth, killing a Heaven-tier Weapon Master in a single blow?

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