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

Wu Qi inexplicably felt a surge of fear. It was as if she were being stared at by some terrifying creature. Goosebumps formed on her delicate, snow-white skin. She looked at Qi Yuan, her breathing slightly rapid. "What’s special?"

"Your... blood." Qi Yuan stared at Wu Qi. Her skin was so pale that he could see the blue veins beneath, her blood slowly flowing through them.

Wu Qi was stunned.

"My blood?"

She didn't quite understand, even suspecting Qi Yuan might be some wealthy person with a strange fetish.

"To me, the most special thing about you is your blood," Qi Yuan shrugged. "Why don’t you give me some of your blood, and in return, I might fulfill a small wish of yours. Oh, and period blood doesn’t count!" he added, as if an afterthought.

Qi Yuan’s final comment made Wu Qi, who thought herself poised and open to anything, blush all the way to her ears. She lowered her head, not daring to meet Qi Yuan's eyes. His words had hit her with too much impact, throwing her mind into chaos, imagining all kinds of scenarios.

Could it be... that Mr. Qi was a monster who loved to drink the fresh blood of young girls?

"What do you think?" Qi Yuan smiled lightly.

Wu Qi felt nervous and, after a moment of hesitation, she bit her lip and leaned her head toward Qi Yuan. She slightly pulled down her top, exposing her snow-white neck. "Mr. Qi... take my blood!" she said, as if resigned to her fate.

The road she chose, she had to walk it herself. Compared to losing a little blood, she was more eager to rise above others. With the opportunity right in front of her, she didn’t want to miss it.

"I'm an omnivore, but I don't drink human blood. Drinking human blood is against the law. I never break the law. Pull your neck back. I’ll find you when I need your blood in the future."

Right now, Qi Yuan’s strength was still too weak. Even though he sensed something unusual about Wu Qi’s blood, it would consume a lot of energy to figure out what was special about it. This wasn’t crucial for him right now, so he simply left it as a potential clue for the future.

For now, the most important thing was to increase his strength. Once his strength improved, he could easily see what was special about her.

Hearing Qi Yuan's words, Wu Qi breathed a sigh of relief.

"My blood will always be available for you, Mr. Qi!" Wu Qi said sincerely.

"I live in the Jun'an Community. You can drive now."

"Jun'an Community?" She set the destination as Jun'an Community. When she saw its general location, her heart skipped a beat.

In high school, she had heard from classmates that Qi Yuan was an orphan of a martyr. After seeing him on the cruise ship, she had assumed Qi Yuan had intentionally hidden his identity while attending school. But now, hearing that he lived in the Jun'an Community, she started to think of many possibilities.

How could such a prominent figure, someone whom even a hereditary viscount would go to great lengths to please, live in such an ordinary neighborhood? Could there be some hidden story behind this?

"Yes, Jun'an Community," Qi Yuan closed his eyes slightly, not saying anything more.

Wu Qi felt confused and bewildered. She wanted to ask why Qi Yuan lived in such a place, but even with her curiosity, she didn’t dare to ask. After all, offending Qi Yuan by mistake could easily result in her death. In Qin Yuan Nation, it was really not a big deal for a noble to kill a celebrity.

Qin Yuan Nation, an ancient empire, had a clearly stratified society. Wu Qi's heart was all over the place as she drove towards the Jun'an Community.

As night began to fall, with various colorful lights illuminating the modern city, the car finally arrived. Unlike the brightly lit roads they had passed, only a few streetlights were on near the Jun'an Community. Compared to the place where Wu Qi lived, it seemed like a different world.

Seeing this ordinary neighborhood, Wu Qi’s confusion deepened. This neighborhood couldn’t be compared to a wealthy area at all. It wasn’t even as good as her own neighborhood.

At this point, Qi Yuan stretched lazily. Seeing the familiar neighborhood, he smiled.

"We’re here."

Qi Yuan got out of the car, and Wu Qi quickly followed, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

"Thanks for driving me," Qi Yuan said politely.

Wu Qi hurriedly replied, "It’s no trouble at all."

"Here... 27 yuan for the fare."

Qi Yuan said, pulling out twenty-seven yuan from his pocket, a mix of notes and coins.

Wu Qi was taken aback.

Fare?

"Take it. I'm not a freeloader," Qi Yuan said, always someone who abided by the law. "And don’t go online calling me stingy. When I took a taxi to the martial arts hall, the fare was 26, and I even added an extra yuan!"

Qi Yuan handed the money to Wu Qi. It was cash, not a transfer. After all, he didn’t want the police to misunderstand.

Wu Qi took the money, her face full of confusion. She couldn’t understand Qi Yuan’s behavior at all. Was this some kind of eccentricity of powerful people?

"My home doesn’t have a cat that can cook, so I won’t invite you in. Goodbye."

Qi Yuan spoke courteously, leaving promptly, leaving Wu Qi dazed in the wind. She watched him, her feelings incredibly mixed.

"Does he really live here?"

She felt uneasy. After all, that morning, her agent had suggested that Qi Yuan might just be an ordinary person who had helped Viscount Kuang Huan with something, earning his favor.

…

"Mr. Qi, Zhao Shiqi... asked me... to arrange a meeting with you to apologize," Kuang Huan’s voice on the phone was filled with nervousness and excitement.

Yesterday, he and Qi Yuan were attacked by a sniper. After discovering it was the work of the Black Crystal Earl, Kuang Huan's first thought was to leave with Qi Yuan and avoid the storm.

But who would have thought... the Black Crystal Earl, Zhao Renji, suddenly died that day. If Qi Yuan hadn’t been involved, Kuang Huan wouldn’t believe it. This also made Kuang Huan realize that Qi Yuan was indeed a cultivator who could kill without a trace.

No matter how many guards Zhao Renji had around him, he was still killed by Qi Yuan.

"Who is that? I don’t know him," Qi Yuan responded, unfamiliar with the name.

"He is Zhao Renji’s younger brother and now the head of the Zhao family."

After Zhao Renji’s death, the power had fallen into other hands. Zhao Shiqi wasn’t a fool; although he had his principles and beliefs, he wouldn’t let the Zhao family’s power slip away. In just one day, he had completely taken control of the Zhao family.

"Oh, him? I can't be bothered to meet him. The person I wanted to kill is already dead. Why should I meet him? Does he want to avenge his brother? Tell him I have a certificate for a mental illness; I’m not afraid of him," Qi Yuan replied.

Kuang Huan felt both joy and shock at his words. As expected, Zhao Renji was killed by Qi Yuan. Thankfully, he hadn’t been stingy with that billion yuan to double-cross Qi Yuan. If Qi Yuan could easily kill Zhao Renji, killing him would be just as easy.

"I will relay Mr. Qi's words to Zhao Shiqi as they are. By the way, Mr. Qi, Zhao Shiqi probably doesn't know yet... that Zhao Renji was killed by you. Should I keep it a secret?"

"I’m not pretending to be a pig to eat a tiger; why hide it? Besides, with my certificate for mental illness, what’s there to fear?"

Qi Yuan said casually.

With no parents, no children, and a certificate for mental illness, Qi Yuan was essentially invincible.

"Alright," Kuang Huan agreed over the phone.

Qi Yuan hung up and continued cultivating.

In the days that followed, Qi Yuan continued his regular training. He went to the martial arts hall during the day and returned home at night to refine some herbs for cultivation.

Life was peaceful, like an ancient well without ripples.

If anything had changed, it was that he now had a full-time driver, Wu Qi.

Once, while Wu Qi was driving him home, the other people in the martial arts hall noticed this.

Wu Qi was somewhat famous in Tianyue City. This caused quite a stir in the martial arts hall. Everyone started saying that Qi Yuan was dating the famous Wu Qi.

Wang Shiqiao’s gaze toward Qi Yuan changed, and she looked at him with a strange expression, saying, "No wonder, you're dating a celebrity."

In the Ming Wu Martial Arts Hall circle, besides someone of Xu Tiehua's status, the other wealthy second-generation individuals still weren’t in a position to look down on Wu Qi.

The fact that Wu Qi drove Qi Yuan to and from the martial arts hall every day surprised everyone there.

Especially Wang Shiqiao, who had already heard from her best friend, Xing Yu, that Qi Yuan was of ordinary origin.

Xing Yu's view of Qi Yuan had also changed. She thought Qi Yuan was on the same path as she was. She developed an inexplicable liking for Qi Yuan.

In the evening, Qi Yuan got out of Wu Qi's car again and walked into the community.

The streetlights in the community were dim and orange, giving off a particularly warm feeling.

On a flat piece of ground, a burly man was practicing martial arts. His movements were powerful, extremely fierce.

Qi Yuan even felt that Xu Tiehua, the top student of the Ming Wu Martial Arts Hall, was far inferior to this burly man.

"Brother Yang, still practicing?" Qi Yuan walked over directly.

The burly man's name was Yang Shan. He had moved in next to Qi Yuan a week ago, becoming his neighbor.

Yang Shan was in his thirties, with a burly build, exuding a soldier's aura. However, he had sustained some injuries and retired early.

Since he also practiced martial arts and so did Qi Yuan, the two had become quite familiar with each other. After all, in terms of martial arts, Yang Shan had progressed further.

Qi Yuan occasionally asked Yang Shan for advice on certain issues.

"You're back? Have you made another breakthrough?" Yang Shan looked at Qi Yuan, his eyes flashing sharply.

"Yes," Qi Yuan nodded.

"Your talent... is frightening," Yang Shan said, a strange look on his face.

"Not bad, not bad, the third-best in the world," Qi Yuan replied without a hint of modesty.

"You probably want to ask me how to break through and become a martial artist, right?" Yang Shan said, his expression turning serious.

"Yes."

At that moment, Qi Yuan had reached the sixth level of the "Ming Wu Resonance Fist." He was just one step away from reaching the seventh level.

Once he broke through to the seventh level, he could receive a martial artist certificate.

Regarding this breakthrough, Qi Yuan still had many doubts in his heart.

"To become a martial artist, you need to develop your own innate martial skill! Innate martial skills go beyond human limits and can unleash terrifying power.

Rumor has it that in ancient times, martial artists who reached a certain level could develop their own innate killing moves, powerful enough to cut off rivers with a single finger! However, those experts who researched this subject all concluded that such stories are nonsense and that innate martial skills can't evolve into innate killing moves."

Yang Shan spoke with a hint of disappointment in his eyes.

He wasn’t just a retired soldier; he was a peak martial artist.

On the path of martial arts, he had nearly reached the limit. Yet, even so, he found himself unable to defeat someone who had taken advanced gene drugs.

After getting injured, he chose to return to his hometown, Jun'an Community.

"Now, talking about innate killing moves is like talking about mythology. Let's continue with innate martial skills.

This is the core of every martial artist, and every martial artist's innate martial skill is unique.

For instance, the champion of the last Martial Arts Tournament had the 'Phantom Sound Fist.' With one punch, countless shadows would appear, making it impossible for opponents to defend against.

One could say that such an innate martial skill borders on the Dao, transcending human limits. After all... as carbon-based lifeforms, without advanced gene drugs, we are indeed quite weak."

Yang Shan spoke, his eyes showing a touch of nostalgia.

When he first displayed his innate martial skill, he felt for the first time that martial arts were so enchanting.

He even believed that he had embarked on a path to the extraordinary.

After all, innate martial skills were neither ordinary martial techniques nor mere skills; they were... extraordinary.

Yes, that was how Yang Shan defined innate martial skills.

Although this kind of extraordinary power was weak, it was still extraordinary.

Unfortunately, after struggling for more than ten years, he had reached the pinnacle of martial arts but still couldn't break through his limits.

Especially after years of hard training, only to be easily defeated by someone who had simply injected an advanced gene drug.

Even innate martial skills were useless against such individuals.

Gene drugs could even awaken genetic martial skills that completely outclassed innate martial skills.

Yang Shan became disheartened and felt that the path of martial arts had come to an end.

For so many years, even with researchers studying martial arts and peak martial artists investing heavily in research labs to find ways to break through martial arts limits, no success had been achieved.

Martial arts had even been reduced to a folk culture that needed protection, as well as a competitive sport.

"Extraordinary, huh?" Qi Yuan's eyes lit up.

To be honest, he had never seen an innate martial skill before.

In the Ming Wu Martial Arts Hall, there were only a few martial artists, none of whom he was familiar with, and none who casually displayed their innate martial skills.

"Saying it's extraordinary is really just giving martial arts a flattering label," Yang Shan chuckled self-deprecatingly.

If martial arts were truly extraordinary, then why would taking gene drugs allow someone to perform something similar to an innate martial skill?

"Saying it a hundred times isn't as good as you seeing it once yourself. I'll demonstrate my innate martial skill for you.

Hong Lei Palm!"

With Yang Shan's voice, his eyes became sharp.

A powerful aura spread out, and Qi Yuan sensed a force beyond the norm.

"A bit stronger than a Blue Star human," Qi Yuan judged.

Of course, only slightly stronger—he couldn't withstand blades or swords.

"Ha!"

With a loud shout, Yang Shan launched a powerful palm strike. The air seemed to tremble, and a dull thunderous sound seemed to echo in the air.

Hong Lei Palm, just like its name.

This palm strike was enough to surprise ordinary people; it could even easily smash a brick in one blow, no problem.

Striking an ordinary person with it could even kill them instantly.

Qi Yuan squinted his eyes. In that palm strike, he saw something different.

"What a pity. If you lived on Blue Star and performed the palm strike that splits bricks on live streams every day, you’d definitely become a qigong master with millions of followers. Unfortunately, this is Gongxing," Qi Yuan commented.

Yang Shan's punch did have a bit of an extraordinary element to it.

On Blue Star, it might have fooled many people into thinking he had real kung fu.

But this was Gongxing, where many people took gene drugs.

Some could even perform feats like bending steel with their bare hands.

A peak martial artist was nothing special.

"What's Blue Star?" Yang Shan asked, confused.

"A blue planet, hmm, it's my home, actually... I'm an alien."

"...Your mental illness certificate... it's real, isn’t it?" Yang Shan asked, surprised.

He had been warned at the start that his neighbor had a mental illness certificate.

But Qi Yuan had told him he was only pretending because having a mental illness certificate made things easier and came with subsidies.

Yang Shan had believed him.

Now, it seemed Qi Yuan’s mental illness wasn’t fake.

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