Golden Core is a Star, and You Call This Cultivation?
Chapter 150: The Great Calamity Approaches, News from the Moon Watching Continent

"..."

The Master of Cloud Court remained silent.

He didn’t quite understand.

The Dragon King with a crooked mouth? What does that mean?

"Sigh, there's definitely a generation gap between us and you old folks," Qi Yuan sighed upon seeing the Master of Cloud Court remain reticent.

He had come to understand something.

No wonder the "white moonlight" always remained "white moonlight" and could never be elevated—it's because of the generation gap due to old age.

The Master of Cloud Court's mouth twitched. "Senior, you sure know how to joke."

As he spoke, he looked toward Huang Tu beside him. "Could Senior perhaps spare this young man's life as a favor to me?"

At this moment, Huang Tu’s eyes were filled with intense fear.

How could the blood-robed man before him possibly be the Blood-Robed Sword God? The Blood-Robed Sword God, who was like a nightmare, someone he wished to tear apart and devour, was standing right next to him, yet he didn’t dare to harbor any resentment; his body was trembling uncontrollably.

This was because the Blood-Robed Sword God was truly a fearsome killer.

"Why should I do you this favor? He wanted to kill me, so I killed him. That's only natural," Qi Yuan replied nonchalantly, glancing at Huang Tu.

The geniuses around Huang Tu felt as if they were plunged into an icy pit. They quickly distanced themselves from him, viewing him as a plague.

"If Senior kills Huang Tu, then... it will be difficult to reconcile with the Bright Palace," the Master of Cloud Court warned. "This battle of geniuses is crucial, and Huang Tu is the only hope for the Bright Palace to make it into the top twenty."

"Oh, he’s from the Bright Palace? And he’s that important to them?" Qi Yuan was surprised.

No wonder Huang Tu looked familiar—it turned out he was a junior from the "white moonlight."

"More important than a Purple Mansion cultivator, even... comparable to a Palace Master," the Master of Cloud Court emphasized Huang Tu’s significance.

It seemed that he genuinely wanted to save Huang Tu.

Hoping that the Blood-Robed Sword God would spare his life for this reason.

Qi Yuan was speechless. So the people of the Bright Palace couldn’t survive without Huang Tu? Can’t they just watch a video?

A cold smile appeared on Qi Yuan’s face. "All the more reason to kill him."

With a flick of his finger, a spell flew toward Huang Tu.

The Master of Cloud Court’s face changed, and he tried to intervene.

Unfortunately, the gap in strength between him and the Blood-Robed Sword God was too great; he couldn’t stop Qi Yuan’s attack.

Even if he tried, he would be injured.

The spell struck, and Huang Tu's gaze froze.

His body went limp, collapsing to the ground, lifeless.

The Master of Cloud Court’s face grew particularly grim.

The geniuses present were all terrified.

This Blood-Robed Sword God was beyond reason.

He truly killed this genius!

He didn’t care at all about being criticized for bullying the weak.

With Huang Tu dead, the Master of Cloud Court sighed. "Senior, was it necessary to strain relations with the Bright Palace like this?"

Qi Yuan didn’t respond to the Master of Cloud Court but instead clapped his hands and looked at Rogue Immortal Sovereign. "Another one bites the dust. Your rank on the genius list just went up a notch. How far are you from the main list now? Want me to kill a few more?"

Upon hearing this, the other geniuses turned pale with fear, retreating several steps.

Was this Blood-Robed Sword God insane?

Rogue Immortal Sovereign was completely stunned. He forced a smile that looked worse than crying. "No... no need."

Beside him, Gao Jien stood frozen, not daring to move.

If it weren’t for the presence of two Purple Mansion cultivators, he would have already rushed over to ask his junior brother what the deal was with this Blood-Robed Sword God.

The Master of Cloud Court looked at Qi Yuan and slowly spoke, "Actually, there’s another message from the Bright Palace that they asked me to convey to Senior."

"Are you a lackey of the Bright Palace?" A wave of killing intent swept over Qi Yuan.

After all, it was the "white moonlight," very valuable.

"No, no," sweat formed on the Master of Cloud Court's forehead as he sensed a crisis. "I have no affiliation with the Bright Palace."

Hearing this, the killing intent around Qi Yuan faded.

"Senior, could we speak privately?" the Master of Cloud Court suggested.

Some things are best not transmitted in public.

"Hmm, alright. We can even take two steps," Qi Yuan nodded, then looked at Rogue Immortal Sovereign. "Rogue Immortal Sovereign, when the Fish Dragon Gold Pill Dance begins, make sure to record it for me. Thanks."

After speaking, Qi Yuan and the Master of Cloud Court disappeared, leaving behind a crowd of awestruck and terrified geniuses.

Rogue Immortal Sovereign sat there dazed, his mind a mess.

The other geniuses looked at him with envy.

Gao Jien quickly transmitted a message, asking, "Junior Brother, what’s going on with this Blood-Robed Sword God and the Bright Palace? Should we make a run for it and head back to Thunder Realm Continent?"

"Senior Brother... I’m not really sure either," Rogue Immortal Sovereign replied, still feeling confused.

Meanwhile, in the cavern, a faint incense burned, giving the entire residence a touch of immortal aura.

Qi Yuan, clad in a blood-red robe, blood energy emanating from him, looked at the Master of Cloud Court. "Speak, what is it?"

"Sigh, Senior should not have killed Huang Tu. This has completely offended the Bright Palace," the Master of Cloud Court began.

"I've already offended them," Qi Yuan said indifferently.

He was planning to destroy the Bright Palace anyway; why would he care about offending them? What’s the point of fearing dead enemies?

Even in this world of cultivation, if he destroyed his enemies' bodies and souls, they couldn’t come back as ghosts.

"Senior may not know how important it is for the Bright Palace to have someone enter the top twenty in this Eastern Continent Geniuses Battle."

"Isn't it just to gain entry into a new world?" Qi Yuan asked, surprised.

The Master of Cloud Court was taken aback. "If Senior knows that, then shouldn't you know what it implies?"

"Oh? What does it imply?" Qi Yuan asked, confused. "Don’t give me riddles; just explain."

The Master of Cloud Court’s heart skipped a beat.

It seemed the Blood-Robed Sword God truly didn’t know.

But... shouldn’t every top power in each continent, or at least the legitimate major forces, be aware of this?

Could it be... the Blood-Robed Sword God is just a rogue cultivator?

Thinking this, the Master of Cloud Court grew even more respectful.

He hesitated. "Senior, this matter involves the secrets of heaven. I really can’t say. If I did, I might die on the spot. I can only tell you eight words: 'The great calamity approaches, prepare early.'"

"A great calamity?" Qi Yuan was surprised.

But he didn’t press further.

Judging by the Master of Cloud Court's expression, there was no point in asking.

"This time, the Eastern Continent has discovered a new world. The three... Yin Gods of the Eastern Continent have decided that any sect or force with a genius in the top twenty will have the opportunity to enter this new world and expand their territory," the Master of Cloud Court continued.

"The Eastern Continent has three Yin Gods?" Qi Yuan asked.

That was what interested him.

"Such a secret is beyond my knowledge," the Master of Cloud Court shook his head, not expecting the Blood-Robed Sword God to ask that.

"How powerful are Yin Gods? Can ten thousand of you kill one Yin God?" Qi Yuan asked again.

"Ahem..." The Master of Cloud Court was embarrassed. "Senior, please don’t put me on the spot. Yin Gods... are practically like deities in this world. I can’t even begin to fathom such a realm, let alone make any comparison."

"What if I pulled the sun out of the sky and smashed it on a Yin God? Could that kill them?" Qi Yuan asked again.

The Master of Cloud Court was sweating profusely.

Why was this Blood-Robed Sword God so obsessed with challenging Yin Gods? The first thing he wanted to do was attack a Yin God.

He had to admit, the Blood-Robed Sword God's strength was formidable, perhaps nearly on par with the Master of Ascension Pavilion.

However, Yin Gods and Purple Mansion cultivators were entirely different levels.

One was still cultivating to become an immortal, while the other was already akin to a celestial being.

"It should be able to smash them to death..." the Master of Cloud Court awkwardly replied.

Hearing this, Qi Yuan felt reassured. "By the way, what is this new world? How strong are its inhabitants?"

"The Moonwatch Continent, its strength is weak. The strongest there are comparable to the Infant Soul stage in our Canglan Realm. So, the top twenty geniuses of the Eastern Continent could easily sweep through the Moonwatch Continent."

"Moonwatch Continent?" Qi Yuan’s eyelids twitched.

He didn’t expect to hear the name of that world.

Wasn’t that the world from the game he had played? The place where he had formed his Heavenly Dao Foundation?

Jinli...

Was it the same name or the same place?

His heart was in turmoil, though he appeared calm. "Do I have the qualifications to go to the Moonwatch Continent?"

"Senior, the matter decided by the three Yin Gods is unchangeable. You must be in the top twenty of the Eastern Continent Geniuses Battle to have a chance to enter the Moonwatch Continent."

"Hmm, understood," Qi Yuan said, still feeling a bit unsettled. "I’m leaving."

With a flash, he disappeared.

Leaving behind the Master of Cloud Court with a wry smile.

"Sigh, it seems the grudge between the Blood-Robed Sword God and the Bright Palace is irreconcilable now."

...

The Bright Palace.

The Third Palace Master, Zizhu, stood with a respectful expression, though her eyes held a trace of killing intent. "First Palace Master, Huang Tu... was killed by the Blood-Robed Sword God!"

The First Palace Master was enveloped in light, making it impossible to see his face. All that could be known was that this was a towering figure of a man.

"I know," the First Palace Master responded calmly. "I’ve already arranged a meeting with the Blood-Robed Sword God through the Eastern Continent Branch Master of the Divine Flower Society. We’ll sit down and have a proper talk."

"Still talking?" The Third Palace Master was perplexed, her face twisted with anger. "He killed Huang Tu, cutting off one of our escape routes!"

"The great calamity approaches; everything must be done according to plan. We can’t afford to be bogged down by such trivial matters. If we need to retreat, we retreat. It’s just a matter of losing some face," the First Palace Master stated calmly.

"Unless the Blood-Robed Sword God walks into our headquarters, there’s no point in wasting manpower trying to surround and kill him. Why do something so futile? This matter should end here."

He, too, wanted to kill the Blood-Robed Sword God.

If the Blood-Robed Sword God were to come to the Bright Palace headquarters, with the help of multiple Purple Mansion cultivators and the Emperor’s Extreme Dragon Crown, he could easily ensure the Blood-Robed Sword God had no way out.

However, the Blood-Robed Sword God was no fool; why would he walk into a trap?

So, the First Palace Master could only consider shaking hands with the Blood-Robed Sword God for now.

"Before returning, I personally visited that one. He said that our Bright Palace could take in another disciple. Xu Tongchen’s talent far surpasses Huang Tu's. He will definitely make it into the top twenty, maybe even the top ten. We’ll take Seven Words Sect’s spot," the First Palace Master declared decisively, sealing the fate of the Seven Words Sect with a single sentence.

As for whether the Seven Words Sect would agree, that wasn’t his concern.

...

The next day.

With a nervous heart, Xu Tongchen arrived once more outside Qi Yuan’s cavern.

This time, unlike before, it seemed that Qi Yuan and his two friends were playing chess.

At this moment, Qi Yuan held a black piece, contemplating his next move.

"Qi Yuan... Daoist, long time no see." Xu Tongchen looked at Qi Yuan, his legs trembling involuntarily.

Who would have thought that this seemingly ordinary man, with whom he had cultivated daily, was now the infamous Blood-Robed Sword God of Canglan Continent?

His odd behavior caught Jiang Ya’s attention. She glanced at Xu Tongchen, then back at Qi Yuan, pondering something.

Qi Yuan gave Xu Tongchen a glance. "Come and sit. I'll go cultivate with you once this game is over."

Hearing this, Xu Tongchen sat down beside Qi Yuan.

Opposite Qi Yuan was Kang Fulu, who now placed his black piece and looked at Qi Yuan with satisfaction. "Junior Brother, you’ve lost this game."

Qi Yuan looked at the board and could only shake his head. "Seems I’m only good at playing Gomoku."

Jiang Ya, sitting nearby, smiled softly.

Qi Yuan and Kang Fulu were both quite poor at chess.

Kang Fulu looked even more pleased with himself, but then something occurred to him, and he asked, "Junior Brother, you didn’t attend the Fish Dragon Banquet yesterday, did you? I didn’t see you there."

"I did attend," Qi Yuan replied. "You were with Senior Sister Jiang Ya at the time, and... Xu Tongchen was also there."

"Strange, why didn’t I see you?" Kang Fulu wondered. He turned to Xu Tongchen, "Daoist Xu, did you see my junior brother?"

Yesterday, he had attended the Fish Dragon Banquet with Jiang Ya and Xu Tongchen, with whom he had a passing acquaintance.

"I... I did see him," Xu Tongchen replied, sneaking a glance at Qi Yuan. He didn’t know how to answer.

Should he say, "Your junior brother is the terrifying Blood-Robed Sword God"?

"Oh dear, Daoist Xu, you saw my junior brother and didn’t tell me? Were you too intimidated by the killing intent of the Blood-Robed Sword God?" Kang Fulu’s expression grew serious.

"This Blood-Robed Sword God... he and I both hail from the Hundred Nations. His strength is truly terrifying. I wonder where he slaughtered so many people to cultivate such blood energy. Such a peerless killer is probably quite reclusive. Most people wouldn’t dare stay near him for long. Who knows when the Blood-Robed Sword God might kill them?"

Xu Tongchen remained silent, unsure of how to respond.

Qi Yuan looked at Kang Fulu. "Senior Brother, the Blood-Robed Sword God is actually a nice person. He’s not interested in killing young people; he only likes killing old folks."

Kang Fulu rolled his eyes at Qi Yuan. He had seen the Blood-Robed Sword God kill geniuses as if they were nothing. What would a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator like Qi Yuan know about the Blood-Robed Sword God?

"Alright, you two should go cultivate," he said, too lazy to argue with Qi Yuan.

"Okay," Qi Yuan agreed.

Last time, he had felt a resonance with the True Sun Fire.

This time, he intended to fully grasp the True Sun Fire.

Following Qi Yuan, Xu Tongchen entered the cavern.

This time, his mindset was completely different from before.

Previously, he had treated Qi Yuan as an equal, but as a genius ranked in the top thirty, his pride occasionally surfaced.

But now, all that pride was gone, replaced entirely by reverence and fear.

"Bring out the True Sun Fire. This time, I must comprehend it," Qi Yuan ordered.

Hearing the senior's command, Xu Tongchen immediately summoned the True Sun Fire.

Qi Yuan's expression became serious and focused as he entered the zone.

Before him, the True Sun Fire, dark within and bright on the outside, emitted a golden glow.

Qi Yuan stared at the True Sun Fire as if he were standing within a sun itself.

Inside the sun, powerful flames burned furiously, as if they could incinerate everything.

The flames seemed to notice Qi Yuan’s presence, burning even more fiercely, looking more excited.

Almost as if a daughter had met her sugar daddy.

"True Sun Fire, you are my True Sun Fire," Qi Yuan murmured, repeating the phrase.

Suddenly, a spark of the True Sun Fire leaped out, flying into Qi Yuan’s hand.

Qi Yuan's eyes brightened, a flicker of flame dancing in his pupils.

A look of joy appeared on his face. "I’ve comprehended the True Sun Fire!"

Hearing this, Xu Tongchen was shocked, but remembering that this was the Blood-Robed Sword God, his surprise diminished somewhat. "Congratulations, Senior! Congratulations!"

In truth, Xu Tongchen was also curious.

Why would a Purple Mansion powerhouse who had already comprehended his primordial divine ability still be interested in learning his True Sun Fire?

Even if he mastered it, it would only be a powerful ordinary divine ability, useful only for killing Infant Souls, and would be useless against a fellow Purple Mansion cultivator.

Of course, these thoughts stayed in his mind; he would never voice them.

"It’s been tough for you, but it’s a win-win," Qi Yuan said casually.

He was well aware that standing next to him had nourished the True Sun Fire for Xu Tongchen.

The other guy must have thought of him as an old man.

But Qi Yuan didn’t care.

"Senior... then I’ll take my leave," Xu Tongchen hesitated before testing the waters.

"Hmm," Qi Yuan nodded. He knew Xu Tongchen had recognized his identity but didn’t mind.

After all, Xu Tongchen’s teacher was a member of his music band.

When he went to take down the Bright Palace, he’d have to bring him along.

After Xu Tongchen left, Qi Yuan entered the Divine Flower Society’s jade slip once more.

During this period, he had been posting on the Divine Flower Society forum, live-streaming his plans to destroy the Bright Palace.

Many people had supported him.

This time, he logged in with his main account and entered the Divine Flower Society Four Emperors chat group.

As soon as he joined, he saw Rogue Immortal Sovereign bragging.

"You guys don’t know, Origin Heavenly Lord is a true big shot!"

"When I met him initially, he was so down-to-earth that I thought he was a total newbie. Then, when the Purple Mansion cultivators appeared, they acted like dogs in front of Origin Heavenly Lord! I was completely shocked! Origin Heavenly Lord is a true big shot!"

"Before he left, Origin Heavenly Lord asked me to record the Fish Dragon Gold Pill Dance. And during the performance, I was allowed to stand right on the stage. If it weren’t for so many people... no, if it weren’t for remembering Origin Celestial Lord’s instructions, I would have done something... inappropriate."

"I could tell from the beginning that Origin Heavenly Lord wasn’t ordinary. I’m just waiting for the Bright Palace to be destroyed," Ice Empress commented in the group.

"Ice Empress, you won’t have to wait long. My plan to destroy the Bright Palace is already in its final stages. In a few days, I’ll go and annihilate them," Qi Yuan said seriously.

By now, everyone in the Bright Palace had retreated to their headquarters.

It was said that the First Palace Master would return soon, and Qi Yuan intended to wipe them out in one fell swoop.

"Wow, the big shot is here! Let me pour you some tea!" Rogue Immortal welcomed him warmly.

"Origin Heavenly Lord, you’re here?" Great Sun Flame Emperor sent a message in the group.

Qi Yuan saw that his private messages were blinking.

It was a message from the Great Sun Flame Emperor.

"Origin Heavenly Lord, are you really going to destroy the Bright Palace?"

"Hmm, the plan is already in motion; how could it be left unfinished?" Qi Yuan replied.

He was curious why the Great Sun Flame Emperor would private message him.

"The Bright Palace is no ordinary force. It has deep ties with a Yin God," the Great Sun Flame Emperor cautioned.

"Even if the Buddha himself showed up, he couldn’t stop me!" Qi Yuan declared.

Seeing this, the Great Sun Flame Emperor knew that Origin Celestial Lord had made up his mind. He said:

"Your conflict with the Bright Palace has caught the attention of the higher-ups in the Divine Flower Society. The Society’s President will likely try to add your Blood-Robed Sword God account as a friend."

"Is that so? I’ll check later and accept the request."

It's important to give face to a forum moderator, after all.

"Origin Celestial Lord... if a Yin God from the Bright Palace comes after you, just mention the name Feng Jun (Wind Monarch). It might save you from a calamity," the Great Sun Flame Emperor finally advised.

To be honest, he didn’t think Origin Heavenly Lord could actually destroy the Bright Palace.

He feared that Origin Heavenly Lord’s temperament might provoke that Yin God.