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

Upon hearing the words of Deputy Leader Divine Mechanism, Qi Yuan spoke up, "This matter requires careful consideration. After all, in this era, starting a business is the easiest way to fall back into poverty. I don’t want my mansion to be auctioned off."

As Qi Yuan spoke, he pointed into the distance.

The other Realm Lords were struck with fear.

They saw that the once-arrogant Green Brocade Realm Lord and the Chun Ran Realm Lord, who had spread news about Qi Yuan, exploded like balloons.

These two Realm Lords were extremely powerful.

In the outside world, they could be called ancestors, beings revered as creators.

Even the Leader of the Myriad Transformations Society might not be able to fully subdue them, let alone kill them.

But in Qi Yuan's hands, they were as fragile as paper, easily crushed.

Two Creation Realm Lords had fallen.

The Realm Lords of the Myriad Transformations Society were utterly shocked.

The fat old man looked at Qi Yuan, the words "sworn brother" stuck in his throat, eventually turning into a sigh of resignation.

"No wonder you could fall in love with a fourth-layer Yang God."

He was referring to Qi Yuan's claim when he first joined the Myriad Transformations Society that his partner was a fourth-layer Yang God.

At first, everyone thought he was just a pretty boy.

But now, it was clear that he was no pretty boy—he was a ruthless man.

Among the Myriad Transformations Society, an elderly man with white hair stared at Qi Yuan, his eyes gleaming with intensity. "A variable, this is the variable we’ve been searching for over countless eons in the Myriad Transformations Society!"

All the Realm Lords were startled upon hearing this.

They realized something, snapping out of their shock over the death of the Heavenly Tang Realm Lord, and were filled with immense joy.

The path pursued by the Myriad Transformations Society was precisely about seeking a new way, to forge a different path beyond the fourth and fifth layers of Yang God, and even to extend it to a sixth layer.

But... the universe is a vast, unchanging cycle.

Even if ripples occasionally appear, they are merely fleeting waves, unable to alter the grand tide.

Yet now, what had they witnessed?

In the Cosmic Sea, someone had effortlessly slain Creation Realm Lords.

The only beings capable of such feats were likely the Dao Lords.

If Qi Yuan wasn’t the variable, who was?

Everyone looked at Qi Yuan, their eyes shining as if they were desert wanderers who had been stranded for a hundred thousand years, suddenly seeing a peerless beauty.

This gaze made Qi Yuan uncomfortable.

"Don’t look at me like that, I’m socially awkward," Qi Yuan said, pulling another layer of clothing over himself, covering up completely.

Meanwhile, on Myriad Transformations Mountain, Zhao Santui was initially stunned, then overcome with immense joy. Suddenly, he burst into maniacal laughter. "When one person achieves enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven. I never thought I, Zhao Santui, would have such an opportunity!"

All the Yin God servants and Yang God managers were filled with ecstasy.

They never expected that the master they served would be so powerful, his will unbreakable.

At that moment, Deputy Leader Divine Mechanism suddenly spoke, "Fellow Daoist Qi, you should take the Purple Token and become the Leader of the Myriad Transformations Society!"

The other Realm Lords echoed without hesitation.

"Fellow Daoist, you should take the Purple Token and lead the Myriad Transformations Society!"

Even Liu Xu, the Realm Lord who had joined the Myriad Transformations Society with Qi Yuan in the Cosmic Spirit Sea, bowed her head, her heart filled with complex emotions.

"Me... as the Leader?" Qi Yuan asked in return.

"With your talent and strength, you are more than qualified to lead the Myriad Transformations Society," Deputy Leader Divine Mechanism said. "If you become the Leader, you can communicate with the Dao Lords."

As for the old Leader, he had long been forgotten by Deputy Leader Divine Mechanism.

After all, a perverted old man constantly searching for his underwear was no match for a handsome young man like Qi Yuan.

"In that case... I’ll reluctantly accept the role of your Leader," Qi Yuan said after a moment of thought.

Becoming the Leader came with many benefits.

Not only could he collect cultivation techniques from various cosmic realms, but he could also freely access numerous Dao Lord scriptures.

This would be of great help in creating the "Qi Yuan Scripture."

...

In the White Profound Palace, the Palace Master's expression was unreadable. "I never expected such heavy losses this time."

Originally, he and the Black Profound Palace Master had plotted against Qi Yuan.

But in the end, the Black Profound Palace Master had perished, and he himself had suffered minor injuries, a significant loss.

Now, his one hundred millionth descendant was about to be born in the main universe.

This special number should have been celebrated in the main universe.

But after causing such a mess in the Cosmic Sea, he dared not return, fearing the wrath of the Dao Lords.

At that moment, an urgent voice came through, "Palace Master, bad news! The Myriad Transformations Society has a new leader!"

"Oh? Did Heavenly Tang take over?" the White Profound Palace Master asked, unsurprised.

"It’s Qi Yuan!"

"Him?" The White Profound Palace Master was shocked. "Did Heavenly Tang lose to Qi Yuan?"

"Heavenly Tang Realm Lord... is dead."

"How is that possible?" The White Profound Palace Master was stunned. "Did his Dao heart collapse?"

At this level, the death of a Creation Realm Lord could only occur if their Dao heart collapsed, their true spirit extinguished.

But Heavenly Tang Realm Lord had been full of vitality, with no signs of decay or ill omens. How could he be dead?

"He was killed by Qi Yuan... instantly!"

"Chun Ran Realm Lord was also killed instantly!"

"What?!!!" The White Profound Palace Master's eyes widened in disbelief. "Is he a Dao Lord?"

But Dao Lords couldn’t truly enter the Cosmic Sea.

What was going on?

"Not good, my one hundred millionth descendant is about to be born. This is a major event, and I must return to celebrate."

No matter what, he had to flee.

If even Heavenly Tang Realm Lord could be killed instantly, and he was weaker than Heavenly Tang, staying any longer would be suicidal.

...

Outside the Cosmic Spirit Sea.

The Dragon Turtle Supreme took a deep breath. "As expected, where there are cultivators, there is strife. Even though Fellow Daoist Qi Yuan is already a major figure, joining the Myriad Transformations Society still led to him being plotted against."

The news of Heavenly Tang Realm Lord's plot against Qi Yuan had spread throughout the Ten Thousand Saints Palace.

The Dragon Turtle Supreme and Realm Lord Ghost had both heard of it and were deeply concerned for Qi Yuan.

After all, the schemes of Creation Realm experts could easily crush minor Realm Lords like them to dust.

"Fortunately, Fellow Daoist Qi Yuan is strong enough. Even if plotted against, he wouldn’t fall so easily," Realm Lord Ghost said.

"Sometimes I think that with Fellow Daoist Qi Yuan's strength, there’s no need for him to stay in the Cosmic Sea. He should return to the Immortal Realm, where it’s safer."

With Qi Yuan's current strength, he could transcend the universe. Even if the Immortal Realm were destroyed, he would remain unharmed, waiting quietly for the next epoch.

But in the Cosmic Sea, there was still the risk of falling.

Realm Lord Ghost smiled.

Return to the Immortal Realm?

With so many opportunities in the Cosmic Sea, how could he pass them up?

At that moment, whispers spread around them.

"Have you heard? The Myriad Transformations Society has a new leader."

"A new leader? Is it Heavenly Tang Realm Lord?"

Hearing this, Realm Lord Ghost's face showed concern.

"You’re right, the Immortal Realm is safer."

He was now somewhat afraid that his association with Qi Yuan might bring him trouble.

"What Heavenly Tang Realm Lord? It’s Leader Qi Yuan!

Heavenly Tang Realm Lord plotted against Leader Qi Yuan and was killed by him."

"How is that possible!"

In the Cosmic Spirit Sea, many were confused, some even unfamiliar with Qi Yuan.

"I heard this new Leader is vengeful. In the Myriad Transformations Society, even a Realm Lord who spoke disrespectfully to him was killed."

"Be careful with your words!"

Realm Lord Ghost and the Dragon Turtle Supreme exchanged glances, their thoughts complex.

"This old man thinks I should return to the Supreme Truth Society," the Dragon Turtle Supreme said.

He was afraid that his junior brother might use Realm Lord Ghost's name to take action against the Purple Fate Heaven or others.

Realm Lord Ghost nodded. "Agreed."

He too feared that his subordinates might act arrogantly.

...

Meanwhile.

The Myriad Transformations Society was livelier than usual.

Qi Yuan's residence was visited by many elderly men and women.

There were seven in total.

Each of these seven was as powerful as Deputy Leader Divine Mechanism.

They were either about to reach the fourth layer of Yang God or their true spirits are getting extinguished, dying in the Cosmic Sea.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist, on becoming the Leader of the Myriad Transformations Society. These three Realm Lords from the Black and White Profound Palaces are our gifts," a burly old man said.

His name was Xu Huang, and he had lived for countless epochs. He was the tenth Leader of the Myriad Transformations Society.

He had been in a state of dormancy, secluded and half-conscious.

But upon hearing news of Qi Yuan, he immediately awoke and captured three Realm Lords from the White Profound Palace.

These three Realm Lords had been key figures in the plot against Qi Yuan.

"Thank you for your kindness, old man. I appreciate it," Qi Yuan replied calmly.

"Fellow Daoist, these one hundred Dao Lord scriptures are our humble gift," another old man with a hoarse voice said.

He too had lived for countless epochs.

His true spirit was on the verge of extinction.

To avoid trouble, he had prepared a coffin for himself seven cosmic epochs ago and had been lying in it, waiting for death.

But upon hearing news of Qi Yuan, he crawled out of his coffin to present his gift.

"Fellow Daoist, this is my gift."

Another old man presented his gift with a solemn expression.

Seeing this, Qi Yuan felt both pleased and uneasy.

Power corrupts.

Look, he had just been promoted to Leader, and these lunatics were already bringing gifts.

After presenting their gifts, the lunatics left without lingering.

After all, in their current state, staying too long might lead to some transgression, which could anger Qi Yuan.

"Old Man Divine Mechanism, your friends are quite ambitious. Despite their age and mental issues, they still came to offer gifts," Qi Yuan remarked as he watched them leave.

At least Deputy Leader Divine Mechanism was more detached, not engaging in such social niceties. He hadn’t brought any gifts.

Qi Yuan didn’t hold grudges.

Deputy Leader Divine Mechanism's face twitched.

For some reason, he felt Qi Yuan was subtly reprimanding him.

"Fellow Daoist Qi Yuan, there were too many people earlier. Now that it’s just us, let me kowtow to you," Deputy Leader Divine Mechanism said, then promptly kowtowed to Qi Yuan, completely disregarding his dignity.

Seeing this, Qi Yuan sighed again at how power corrodes the heart.

"Ah, you’re making me feel embarrassed. Tell me, what do you want from me?" Qi Yuan asked.

He was someone who responded better to softness than hardness.

Perhaps that was why he liked soft, fragrant women, often indulging in his junior sister Jiang Lingsu, Jinli, Ning Tao and Canary.

Their soft bodies and delicate scents... were delightful.

Hard, unyielding men, he kept at a distance.

Hearing this, Deputy Leader Divine Mechanism perked up. "How did you cultivate?"

Cultivation?

This topic always excited Qi Yuan.

"To cultivate, you must first find a good teacher, attend lectures diligently, and cultivate the strongest methods."

"When I was at the Qi Refining stage, I sought a way to break through to Foundation Establishment. So I attended a lecture where the teacher said that Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment was the strongest method."

Deputy Leader Divine Mechanism nodded.

All paths lead to the same destination.

Foundation Establishment, the second stage of cultivation, had different names.

Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment was indeed one of the strongest methods.

After all, capturing the remnants of the Heavenly Dao required the strength of an Yin God.

"So, while I was still at Qi Refining, I devoured the Heavenly Dao to establish my foundation," Qi Yuan said earnestly, holding nothing back.

"..." Deputy Leader Divine Mechanism looked at Qi Yuan strangely. "You didn’t explode?"

Devouring the Heavenly Dao?

For Deputy Leader Divine Mechanism, it was simple.

But even the weakest Heavenly Dao would require the strength of a Great Venerable to devour.

Not to mention, the Heavenly Dao contained the consciousness of countless beings, enough to grind a cultivator’s soul to dust.

"Why would I explode? I’ve watched a lot of TV," Qi Yuan replied.

Deputy Leader Divine Mechanism fell silent.

Qi Yuan continued to elaborate.

"Later, I was stuck at Foundation Establishment. That’s when I met a great benefactor in my life, the Great Wisdom True Lord.

Though he was a bit eccentric, he often had ingenious ideas that were very helpful to me.

I asked him what the best material for forming a Golden Core was, and he said... the bigger, the better."

"Your Golden Core material was... breasts?" Deputy Leader Divine Mechanism's eyes widened.

Qi Yuan was speechless.

What was this old man thinking?

"The sun!" Qi Yuan said. "Isn’t the biggest thing we can see with our eyes the sun? So, I used the sun to form my Golden Core."

Deputy Leader Divine Mechanism was utterly silent. "Your path... is bizarre. It’s a miracle you’re still alive."

At the Foundation Establishment stage, forming a Golden Core with a star?

Wasn’t that suicidal?

He closed his eyes, pondering the feasibility of Qi Yuan’s cultivation path.

After countless calculations, he finally said with disappointment.

"Your cultivation method... is likely only suitable for you."

"However, you’ve inspired me. Perhaps, from the very beginning of cultivation, one should prepare to forge a new path."

Forging a new path meant creating a new cultivation system.

But how difficult was that?

Who, just starting out in cultivation, could forge their own path?

Even Creation Realm Lords might not be able to do so.

Only those who could forge new paths would eventually become Dao Lords.

Dao Lords were the pinnacle of cultivation, the strongest beings in the world.

"Alright, anything else? If not, I need to head to the opportunity zone," Qi Yuan said.

He planned to go to the opportunity zone to further enhance his strength.

Once he had explored all the opportunity zones, his strength would likely reach terrifying new heights.

"Have you glimpsed the path beyond?" Deputy Leader Divine Mechanism asked seriously.

This question was likely on the minds of all Creation Realm Lords, including the deceased fourth and fifth-layer Yang Gods.

Qi Yuan shook his head. "No, cultivation is too difficult. But it’s fine. As the saying goes, three cobblers with their wits combined equal Zhuge Liang. When the time comes, I’ll gather many people, hold a discussion, and ask for their opinions. Perhaps then I’ll glimpse the future path."

Qi Yuan answered earnestly.

"A Dao Lord assembly?" Deputy Leader Divine Mechanism asked.

Such an assembly was beyond his reach.

"Why Dao Lords? That’s too high a level. I can’t afford the drinks. I think Old Man Wang from the next village will do."

Back when he was forging his Purple Mansion path, he had sought advice online, freely borrowing ideas from netizens.

Now, forging the Yang God path, he would likely do the same.

Hosting a banquet at a five-star hotel to invite Dao Lords was out of the question.

A village feast would be more appropriate.