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

Qi Yuan extended his finger, and the turtle lying on its back struggled clumsily, trying to bite his finger. However, its limbs were too short, and its strength too weak, making it impossible for it to flip over. The once-mighty second-layer Yang God, now reduced to a foolish and sluggish turtle, was a sight that sent shivers down the spines of those who witnessed it.

Xianling Yingjun and the other three stared at Qi Yuan, their hearts filled with awe. The Yang God who had been hiding within Wu Chun's consciousness now revealed herself. Trembling, she bowed respectfully to Qi Yuan.

"Greetings, Senior."

Wu Chun and Tong Chang, snapping out of their daze, also hurriedly bowed. "Greetings, Senior!"

Qi Yuan's earlier display had completely stunned them. A second-layer Yang God, a being of immense power, had been effortlessly subdued by the man before them. What realm was he in? The legendary Supreme Truth realm? As for the even higher Realm Master level, they dared not imagine it. To them, a Realm Master was as distant as a Yang God was to mortals.

Xianling Yingjun blinked, his expression twisting. "You... really became a Realm Master?"

He recalled the messages Qi Yuan had sent him. At first, he had been shocked. Then he convinced himself that his friend wasn't driving a luxury car, and he felt balanced. But now, his friend was piloting a cosmic battleship.

The others were equally stunned. A Realm Master? The overlord of the universe? This young man before them was a Realm Master?

"Yes, I am a Realm Master. Didn't I already tell you? Or have you developed amnesia and forgotten?" Qi Yuan said nonchalantly.

Xianling Yingjun's emotions were in turmoil as he stared at Qi Yuan, his thoughts racing. The expressions on the faces of the other three were even more dramatic. A Realm Master! The legendary Realm Master! In the Zhou Universe, Realm Masters stood at the pinnacle, rarely appearing in the mortal world. Ordinary Yang Gods might never have the chance to meet one in their entire lives. And yet, they had just met... a living Realm Master?

However, Xianling Yingjun's next reaction left them speechless.

"Hey... Brother Qi Yuan, ahem, do you still owe me some favors?" Xianling Yingjun said boldly, his tone both flattering and comical.

The other three were dumbfounded. Addressing a Realm Master by name? Wasn't he afraid of being annihilated to the point where even his true spirit would cease to exist? Moreover, directly telling a Realm Master that he owed him favors was incredibly tactless. Wasn't he afraid of angering the Realm Master and getting them all killed?

"Yes," Qi Yuan nodded calmly.

"How about this... I'll call you... Grandpa?" Xianling Yingjun shamelessly suggested.

He didn't dare propose becoming a sworn brother or godfather, as the gap between a Realm Master and himself was too vast.

The other three looked on, torn between admiration for Xianling Yingjun's audacity and disdain for his shamelessness.

"No, I don't want my daughter to have another godson. She's still young," Qi Yuan flatly refused.

Qi Jianjun was still young, and Qi Yuan couldn't bear the thought of her becoming a mother at such a tender age.

Seeing his rejection, Xianling Yingjun wasn't discouraged. "How about... becoming your disciple?"

He was hopeful. If it were any other Realm Master, he wouldn't dare act so boldly. But Qi Yuan was different. To him, everything in the world seemed equal.

"I'm too lazy to take disciples. It's too much trouble... How about this? I'll modify your cultivation technique to help you improve your strength... or maybe... help you casually comprehend the embryonic form of a rule?" Qi Yuan offered.

This tutorial-style NPC had indeed helped him a lot, and Qi Yuan always repaid kindness with kindness. Although sometimes what he repaid far exceeded what others had given, he didn't mind. Life was about doing as one pleased, following one's whims.

Xianling Yingjun's eyes lit up with ecstasy. The other three, however, were filled with deep envy, though they dared not show it. After all, they weren't familiar with this Realm Master. If he decided to kill them, no one could save them. They also didn't dare to speculate on the thoughts of a Realm Master. To them, it was like ants trying to comprehend the mind of a god.

...

[Specter Essence, a derivative of the Black Heaven's origin, possesses infinite energy and a corrupting nature... Where Specter Essence exists, the Black Heaven is present.]

Qi Yuan looked at the Specter Essence in his hand, his eyes filled with curiosity. He had extracted a strand of Specter Essence from the Yang God. As for the Specter Essence on Qi Huang, it couldn't be extracted as it had already been activated. The Specter Essence before him was about the size of a grain of rice, crystal clear and mesmerizing.

"It seems the Specter Gods of the Black Heaven and Black Earth are trying to invade the Zhou Universe through Specter Essence," Qi Yuan mused.

Through the Specter Essence and the turtle Yang God, Qi Yuan had learned much. This Yang God from the Black Heaven and Black Earth had been using Specter Essence corruption to fish for victims. In the Void Paradise, there were many missions to record the aura of Specter Essence. Many Void Walkers came to the Divine Wood Universe to record the Specter Essence aura. At that point, the Yang Gods of the Black Heaven and Black Earth would strike, controlling these Void Walkers and implanting Specter Essence into their true spirits, which they would then carry back to the Void Paradise. In this way, Specter Essence would take root in the Zhou Universe. To the Black Heaven and Black Earth, the Zhou Universe was a second Divine Wood Universe.

"Are the Black Heaven and Black Earth really that confident?" Qi Yuan wondered.

The Zhou Universe was not the Divine Wood Universe. The Zhou Universe had Realm Masters at the Creation Realm. In terms of strength, a hundred or even ten thousand Divine Wood Universes were no match for the Zhou Universe. Yet, the Black Heaven and Black Earth dared to target the Zhou Universe.

"What exactly is the Black Heaven?"

"I really want to see the Black Heaven with my own eyes."

Qi Yuan murmured. If he could see the Black Heaven with his eyes, he would understand its true nature. He wanted to see what this so-called Black Heaven really was.

...

Cosine Realm.

Shangguan Qingteng, dressed in black, looked like an ordinary old man. Shangguan Qingmiao sipped his wine, his eyes filled with a hint of sorrow.

"Qingmiao, what's done is done. Grieving won't help," Shangguan Qingteng comforted.

The two of them had been sent by Yuan from the Tai Star Domain to the Chaotic Star Domain to rescue a prodigy named Qi Yuan, who had the potential to break through to the Ancestral God realm. Before they left, the Qingyun Army, the War Star Army, the Tu Star Army, and a total of seventeen other armies from the Tai Star Domain had rushed to the front lines to hold back the forces of the Black Heaven and Black Earth. These armies numbered in the hundreds of millions. They marched day and night, without rest, braving wind and rain. The march took three years, and as soon as they reached the battlefield, they were sent to the front lines. In less than three months... they were completely wiped out. Sweat and blood filled the front lines. Yet... the front lines still fell.

Upon hearing this news, Shangguan Qingmiao's mood was understandably heavy. He was filled with grief.

"Brother, do you think... their deaths were worth it? Will future generations... be able to protect this great land?" Shangguan Qingmiao asked, his face filled with sorrow.

This was not an isolated incident. Over the years, countless heroes of the Divine Wood Universe had been buried on the front lines. The Void Sea was like a massive meat grinder.

Shangguan Qingteng sighed, his expression filled with helplessness. "We do our best and leave the rest to fate."

Surrendering meant certain death, but resisting also meant death. At least... they would die standing.

"I say, we might as well join the Radiant Society. Maybe there's a chance of survival!" Shangguan Qingmiao said discontentedly.

Shangguan Qingteng's eyes flashed with a deep light. "A universe can have those who cower, but it also needs those who dare to fight. And we happen to be the ones who dare to fight."

In the Radiant Society, the highest leader on the Divine Wood Universe's side was Yuan's younger brother, Yi. Yuan had chosen the Path of Human Enlightenment, while Yi had chosen the Path of Divine Enlightenment. If the Path of Human Enlightenment were exhausted, the Path of Divine Enlightenment could carry the embers of the Divine Wood Universe and reignite them in the Radiant Universe. Of course... was the Radiant Universe really so benevolent as to offer them a way out? That was something no one could predict.

"Forget it. I've always been arrogant and domineering. I can't bring myself to kowtow to the Radiant Society," Shangguan Qingmiao muttered, downing another cup of wine.

Shangguan Qingteng tapped the table, his mood also tinged with melancholy. "Once we take Qi Yuan to the Tai Star Domain, if he breaks through to the Ancestral God realm, it will be a boost to our combat strength."

"Right. The boss said Qi Yuan's talent is extraordinary. He might even have a chance to break through to the second layer of the Ancestral God realm in the future," Shangguan Qingmiao said, his face lighting up with excitement.

This was some good news. Currently, the Tai Star Domain was in dire need of high-level combat power. The plans for the Path of Human Enlightenment and the Path of Divine Enlightenment had been in motion for tens of thousands of years. Countless craftsmen had died in the process. There were now seven treasures of the Path of Human Enlightenment. Faced with the invasion of the Black Heaven and Black Earth, the Divine Wood Universe was no longer completely defenseless, as it had been hundreds of years ago when Yuan had gone alone to the Void Sea to face enemies many times his strength. Now, what they lacked most was high-level combat power.

"Hehe, now that the Black Heaven and Black Earth are invading, we'll at least take a chunk out of them," Shangguan Qingmiao chuckled.

As for the final outcome, they knew it, but did that mean they shouldn't resist?

"Hmph, even if they have Specter Essence and can revive indefinitely, we can still drain some of their Specter Essence!" Shangguan Qingteng said.

In truth, he knew that Specter Essence was infinite and could never be fully depleted. Hadn't they seen how even the Void Realm Masters of the Zhou Universe were unwilling to provoke the Black Heaven and Black Earth? But being able to take a bite out of the Black Heaven was still a good thing for them.

"Sir, something's wrong!"

At that moment, a divine-level soldier hurried over, his face filled with anxiety.

"What is it?" Shangguan Qingteng asked, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.

"The nearest teleportation array... we might not be able to use it," the soldier said.

Teleporting Ancestral God-level experts required a tremendous amount of energy. Thus, Shangguan Qingteng and Shangguan Qingmiao had been waiting in this realm for the Human Enlightenment Society to clear the way so they could teleport to the Quijin Realm.

"What happened?" Shangguan Qingmiao quickly asked.

"I heard... fifteen Yang Gods are heading to the Quijin Realm. The surrounding worlds... are all on high alert. Something major must be happening in the Quijin Realm," the soldier said gravely.

Shangguan Qingteng's expression changed. "Could it be..."

He had a terrifying suspicion. Yuan had mentioned that the ninety-nine Specter Gods in the Quijin Realm were hunting Qi Yuan. Qi Huang of the Quijin Realm was a notorious second-generation heir with many treasures, enough to besiege a myth-level expert. Now, with over a dozen Yang Gods heading to the Quijin Realm, it was likely that Qi Huang had been killed by Qi Yuan. It was possible that Qi Yuan had broken through to the Yang God realm during the battle. Such talent was terrifying. But...

"Over a dozen Yang Gods... Qi Yuan is doomed."

With over a dozen Yang Gods attacking, even if Qi Yuan had just broken through to the Ancestral God realm, he would be no match. Even if the two of them joined forces, they would struggle to handle such a situation.

"There's no other way. We'll have to force our way through the teleportation array, take Qi Yuan, and flee to the Tai Star Domain. That's our only chance," Shangguan Qingteng said.

This was their only opportunity. Every second counted, and there was no room for hesitation.

"Agreed!" Shangguan Qingmiao nodded.

He knew that this move was risky and could easily lead to their deaths in the Chaotic Star Domain, but there was no better option. They could die, but the seeds of the Human Enlightenment Society... must not die. They were the hope of the Divine Wood Universe.

"Let's go!"

Instantly, two terrifying auras erupted, heading straight for the teleportation array.

The two of them attacked, their auras overwhelming. The Specter Gods blocking their path were annihilated in an instant. Once they made their move, they would be exposed, and an endless pursuit would follow.

"Let's go."

Meanwhile, in the Quijin Realm.

Qi Yuan lounged lazily.

"Indeed, without any disturbances, my progress in mortal seclusion has sped up."

Now, his progress in mortal seclusion had reached 10%. There was still some distance to go before completion.

"If I can laze around like this for another three or four years, I should be able to complete my mortal seclusion and achieve success."

Qi Yuan murmured to himself.

Suddenly, he seemed to sense something, and a look of helplessness appeared in his eyes.

"Unfortunately, gold shines wherever it is."

"Even with my handsome looks, if I stay indoors all day, those Specter Gods will still find me and disrupt my mortal seclusion."

"So... maybe... I should just slaughter all the Specter Gods in the Chaotic Star Domain? Would that allow me to focus on my mortal seclusion?"

Qi Yuan had a sudden idea.

No one could stop him from undergoing mortal seclusion!

At that moment, two terrifying auras descended from the sky.

The auras were so powerful that even the Specter Gods were shaken.

A booming voice echoed across the land.

"Qi Yuan, where are you? We are Ancestral Gods from the Human Enlightenment Society, sent by Yuan to take you to the Tai Star Domain. Over a dozen Specter Yang Gods are chasing us. We must leave immediately!"

The two Ancestral Gods wasted no time in stating their purpose. They had already sensed that the dozen or so Yang Gods were closing in and would arrive soon. If they didn't leave now, it would be too late.

"Human Enlightenment Society?" Qi Yuan was surprised.

He hadn't expected Yuan to send people to fetch him. He thought of the master of the Learning Academy—it must have been his doing.

"Don't worry. I've mastered my divine arts and have become a Realm Master. These enemies are nothing to me. I can kill them with a wave of my hand," Qi Yuan replied calmly.

In the sky, Shangguan Qingteng and Shangguan Qingmiao, who had initially been delighted upon hearing Qi Yuan's response, were now dumbfounded.

Had Qi Yuan... gone mad from cultivation? How could he be a Realm Master? It was impossible!

Without hesitation, the two of them landed in Qi Yuan's courtyard.

"There's no time to explain. We must leave now. The Tai Star Domain is safe."

The Quijin Realm was in a war zone, controlled by the Specter Gods. It was no place to linger.

"No, this place is perfectly safe. I'm a Realm Master. Who would dare provoke me?" Qi Yuan said casually. "Besides, I'm busy with my mortal seclusion to break through to the Yang God realm. I don't have time to go to the Tai Star Domain."

Qi Yuan refused.

Shangguan Qingmiao was speechless.

Qi Yuan really had gone mad from cultivation, speaking incoherently. First, he claimed to be a Realm Master, and now he was talking about mortal seclusion to break through to the Yang God realm.