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

The meager haul of 300 taels left Qi Yuan rather disappointed.

Still, it wasn’t entirely surprising.

Bandits like these rarely carried much money on their person while out robbing.

“Young Master, should we… file a claim for damages?” Chen Kangbao suggested from the side. “And maybe get a free meal out of it while we’re at it.”

Qi Yuan glanced at Chen Kangbao. “I’m starting to think you might actually be my Nascent Soul.”

In the Mortal Heart Realm, Qi Yuan often organized communal meals for the villagers.

But since leaving that place, he hadn’t heard the phrase “getting a free meal” in ages.

“I’m not strong enough right now. Filing a claim might just get me killed,” Qi Yuan replied.

The fact that these five bandits knew his power level suggested they had some ties to the higher-ups in the ghost market.

If he dealt with these low-level thugs, he might provoke their superiors, leading to an endless cycle of retaliation. At some point, he might even face the ghost market’s controller—likely an Earth-grade weapon master—and be hunted down.

While Qi Yuan’s combat skills were close to flawless, his physical capabilities were only equivalent to a Yellow-grade weapon master. His techniques allowed him to kill any Xuan-grade weapon master, but even techniques had their limits.

An ant, no matter how skillful, could never defeat a fighter jet.

The bodies of Earth-grade weapon masters were as impervious as steel. Qi Yuan’s techniques wouldn’t even scratch them.

To defeat an Earth-grade weapon master, one would need comparable strength or a Heaven-grade weapon.

More importantly, the whole situation seemed like too much trouble. Qi Yuan needed time to grow.

“These five only gave me enough experience to gain one level. What a waste.”

The more Qi Yuan looked at the five corpses, the more irritated he felt.

They weren’t just broke—they also provided minimal experience.

“Old man, it’s time for you to shine. Find me a place with plenty of specters to kill,” Qi Yuan instructed.

He desperately needed experience points.

Playing the role of a son-in-law or acting as a divine presence wouldn’t give him any.

Experience could only be earned by defeating major enemies.

“Right away, Young Master!” Chen Kangbao replied enthusiastically.

<hr>

As the morning sun rose lazily, Qi Yuan’s expression carried a trace of melancholy.

“So poor… My storage artifact is nearly full.”

“And my money’s almost gone.”

“Why doesn’t anyone recognize my genius and buy my artifacts?”

So far, he had only sold one light sword, and that was to Tu San.

Apart from Tu San, no one else seemed willing to pay. This left Qi Yuan frustrated.

Pretending to be divine required a huge amount of resources.

Crafting drones, faux-angelic robots, and even a sky battleship—all these things required money and materials.

With his current finances, how could he accomplish such feats?

“Brother-in-law…” Shen Lingfeng approached, limping and looking weak.

“What happened? Got bullied by a woman?” Qi Yuan squinted at him.

If Shen Lingfeng turned into a pathetic simp, Qi Yuan would be very disappointed.

“No… no!” Shen Lingfeng quickly denied it.

He wasn’t about to admit that he got strung up and beaten by his mother for asking about her bathing schedule on Qi Yuan’s behalf.

“Sigh. Don’t mention me when you talk about chasing girls anymore,” Qi Yuan said, easily discerning the truth.

Shen Lingfeng had indeed been bullied by a woman.

“Brother-in-law, I’ve got a problem. I need your advice,” Shen Lingfeng said hesitantly.

“Go on.”

“You know I’ve been sending letters? Well, one of them reached the Zhao family. But instead of the young lady replying, it was the old matriarch. She wants to meet me. What should I do?” Shen Lingfeng looked distressed. ȑáΝộＢÊṥ

The Zhao family matriarch was a famous widow in Fengshan County—wealthy but long past her youthful beauty.

“What? Are you planning to take a shortcut in life?” Qi Yuan asked.

“No! I want to turn her down, but… you know I’m bad with words,” Shen Lingfeng admitted.

“Tell her: ‘I like Miss Yang. Miss Yang wears Valentino, and you’re wearing orthopedic shoes.’” Qi Yuan replied flatly.

Hearing this, Qi Yuan briefly considered crafting a Valentino knockoff for Jinli to wear. But he quickly dismissed the idea, remembering he didn’t have the rights to the brand.

“Huh?” Shen Lingfeng was confused, feeling his brother-in-law’s words were profound and difficult to grasp.

“Just write what I said. And remember, as a man, you need to protect yourself out there—don’t let anyone take advantage of you.”

“Also, brother-in-law, Lin Qinghe sent word earlier. They’ve caught Fang Shisan from the Radiance Society. He asked when we’d like to come see him.” Shen Lingfeng mentioned this with deep admiration for Qi Yuan.

After all, Qi Yuan had deduced the murderer’s identity from a single glance at a decayed corpse. Truly impressive.

“They found him?” Qi Yuan’s eyes narrowed.

How convenient.

Neither his left nor right eyelid twitched.

“Let’s go see who this Fang Shisan really is!”

<hr>

Meanwhile, in the county prison…

Lin Qinghe stood outside a cell, looking perplexed as he observed the burly man inside.

“So, this person really exists? How did Qi Yuan know about him?” Lin Qinghe muttered to himself, puzzled.

The prisoner, Fang Shisan, sat calmly in his cell, showing no fear of death.

Lin Qinghe hadn’t apprehended Fang Shisan. The man had turned himself in.

This entire situation was bizarre.

Footsteps approached, snapping Lin Qinghe out of his thoughts. He quickly went to meet them. “Young Master Shen, Young Master Qi, you’re here. Fang Shisan from the Radiance Society is inside.”

He led Qi Yuan and Shen Lingfeng through the prison.

The smell was unpleasant—stale and damp, with hints of rot and straw—reminiscent of a pigsty.

Soon, Qi Yuan stood before Fang Shisan’s cell.

“This is Fang Shisan. He came to the yamen this morning and turned himself in.

I tried interrogating him, but he refused to talk, saying he’d only speak after meeting you, Young Master Qi,” Lin Qinghe explained.

He glanced at Qi Yuan and Shen Lingfeng, surprised by their dynamic.

Wasn’t Qi Yuan just a son-in-law?

In Ning County, he’d been known as a timid and useless man.

Yet, here in Fengshan, Shen Lingfeng seemed to defer to him.

“You’re the one who killed Old Zhong?” Qi Yuan asked, his tone calm.

Fang Shisan looked at Qi Yuan, equally calm and unafraid of death.

“Yes,” Fang Shisan replied, sizing up Qi Yuan.

“Why? Does it have anything to do with me?” Qi Yuan pressed.

To fully embody the role of Qi Yuan, the son-in-law, he needed to resolve the unresolved grudges tied to the character.

Besides, even if he denied being the son-in-law, would anyone believe him?

“Yes,” Fang Shisan answered without hesitation.

Lin Qinghe looked on, bewildered. The exchange felt more like a conversation between a superior and a subordinate than an interrogation.

“What’s the reason? And why did you turn yourself in?” Qi Yuan continued.

“The reason…” Fang Shisan’s lips curled into a strange smile. “Because you don’t deserve to live.”

Qi Yuan froze for a moment.

The man seemed entirely genuine.

On reflection, given the original Qi Yuan’s reputation, he might indeed not have deserved to live.

“And as for surrendering, I wanted to see you for myself,” Fang Shisan said, his gaze turning curious. “You’re different from before.”

“Of course. I’m a god descended to earth. Naturally, I’ve changed,” Qi Yuan replied earnestly.

Chen Kangbao chimed in, “The Young Master is a god!”

Lin Qinghe stood to the side, increasingly confused by the strange atmosphere.

“When you gave it away… you sealed your fate,” Fang Shisan said cryptically.

He was clearly referring to something but refused to elaborate.

“What did I give away?” Qi Yuan asked, genuinely curious.

Fang Shisan fell silent.

Qi Yuan could tell the man was speaking the truth.

It seemed the original Qi Yuan had handed something over to someone, provoking the Radiance Society’s wrath.

But why had their response been so convoluted? Why kill Old Zhong first, and why target Qi Yuan with such hesitation? Were they afraid of something?

Suddenly, Qi Yuan paused, frowning.

While reviewing the original Qi Yuan’s memories, he realized parts were missing—like someone had erased them.

Alternatively, it might be because his role-playing progress wasn’t high enough to unlock the full memory.

When Fang Shisan refused to answer further questions, Qi Yuan shifted topics. “What is the Radiance Society?”

Fang Shisan’s calm eyes flickered with surprise. “You don’t know the Radiance Society but know I’m Fang Shisan?”

He stared at Qi Yuan, his gaze growing fanatical.

“When the night falls, and the world descends into chaos, only the Radiance Society can guide the way!”

With that, Fang Shisan suddenly spat blood, his life force rapidly fading.

“He… killed himself?” Lin Qinghe exclaimed, shocked.

Fang Shisan was clearly no ordinary man.

His mental fortitude and swordsmanship—evident from his swift execution of Old Zhong—marked him as exceptional.

And yet, he had surrendered only to take his own life during questioning.

The whole situation felt bizarre.

Lin Qinghe examined the body and confirmed that Fang Shisan had severed his own arteries.

“A madman. He must’ve been insane!” Shen Lingfeng muttered.

Suicide? That kind of pain was unthinkable!

Qi Yuan stood silently in the cell, deep in thought. “It seems there are hidden depths to this.”

The original Qi Yuan’s identity was far from simple.

Lin Qinghe sneaked a glance at Qi Yuan, finding him increasingly enigmatic after witnessing Fang Shisan’s death.

Did I misjudge him all along?

<hr>

Back at the Shen residence, Qi Yuan sat in his room, lost in thought.

Today’s events left him with many unanswered questions.

“The original Qi Yuan handed something over, angering the Radiance Society.”

He muttered to himself.

No lie detected.

This confirmed the statement as true.

Qi Yuan’s nose could function as a lie detector, even for his own statements.

“Was it given on March 11th this year?”

Lie.

“On May 16th?”

Lie.

“On July 21st?”

This time, his nose didn’t grow.

Qi Yuan’s eyes narrowed.

“July 21st was just before he returned home to pay respects to his ancestors.”

He hadn’t been guessing randomly—only testing dates tied to gaps in the original Qi Yuan’s memories.

“So, on July 21st, the original Qi Yuan gave something to someone, angering Fang Shisan of the Radiance Society and provoking a vendetta?”

“But why didn’t Fang Shisan act directly? Was he avoiding something?”

“Ugh, this is too complicated. Thinking is such a hassle.”

“Forget it. I’ll just focus on getting stronger. Once I’m strong, everything will come to light anyway.”

Qi Yuan decided to set the matter aside for now.

<hr>

“Major discovery, Young Master!” Chen Kangbao burst in, his face alight with excitement.

“I’ve found a Spirit Cultivation Zone!”

“A Spirit Cultivation Zone? Like the one in Red Cloud Village?” Qi Yuan’s eyes lit up.

Since arriving in Fengshan County, Qi Yuan hadn’t spent his time idly swatting flies.

For him, knowledge was the ultimate tool for production.

Without sufficient information, how could he efficiently identify and exploit high-value white moonlights?

Places like Red Cloud Village’s Spirit Cultivation Zone were perfect for discovering such valuable targets.

“You’re saying the Radiance Society has a Spirit Cultivation Zone here in Fengshan County?” Qi Yuan asked, surprised.

Fengshan County wasn’t like Ning County.

With Earth-grade weapon masters present, how could a Spirit Cultivation Zone exist undisturbed?

“Yes!” Chen Kangbao exclaimed. “Master, it took tremendous effort for me to dig up this information!”

Chen Kangbao puffed up his chest, clearly expecting a reward—a bun or two, perhaps.

“If even you could find out, how come no one else in Fengshan County has acted on it?”

“Oh, others know about it,” Chen Kangbao admitted. “But they can’t get in. The Spirit Cultivation Zone is surrounded by a grand formation. Even Earth-grade weapon masters can’t breach it!”

Chen Kangbao shared everything he had learned.

“In that case, it makes sense,” Qi Yuan said, stretching lazily.

“Alright, let’s check out this Spirit Cultivation Zone. Hopefully, it doesn’t disappoint and gives us plenty of white moonlights to work with.”

He was eager to gain more experience.

Today’s encounter with Fang Shisan had given him a sense of unease.

It was clear that the original Qi Yuan had always been under someone’s watchful eye.

Everything he did had likely been observed.

Now, Qi Yuan needed to grow stronger to avoid falling into the same trap.

He couldn’t tolerate the thought of someone spying on him—even while he bathed—without him noticing.

For all he knew, someone could be watching him at this very moment.

“Today, I’m setting a grand goal!”

“To grow stronger so that no one can secretly watch me bathe!”

<hr>

In the Tu family estate, soft candlelight illuminated the room.

Tu San held the light sword, his eyes filled with admiration. “It’s truly remarkable. Absolutely worth 1,000 taels.”

Every time he used the light sword, he felt as though it enhanced his charisma.

Still, the thought of spending 10,000 taels to unlock its so-called special ability made his heart ache.

Frankly, he wasn’t sure if the claim was true.

And he didn’t dare waste one of the sword’s three charges on a mere test.

After all, each activation would effectively cost 3,000 taels.

As Tu San marveled at the sword, his expression suddenly changed, his gaze growing serious.

About fifteen minutes later, dressed in a black cloak, Tu San appeared in a shadowy alley.

The alley was pitch black, devoid of any signs of life.

Suddenly, a crow flew into view, landing in front of him.

Upon seeing the crow, Tu San’s eyes filled with reverence.

“Greetings, Elder,” he said solemnly.

This crow was the manifestation of a Radiance Society elder—a mysterious Earth-grade weapon master.

Tu San hadn’t expected this elder to summon him.

“In a few days, I will be leaving Ning Country.

There are some resources I need you to gather for me.

In exchange, I will grant you contribution points,” the crow rasped.

It then began listing a series of rare materials.

Tu San’s expression shifted repeatedly. “Elder, these items are far too precious. I’m not sure I can afford them.”

“Hmph!” The crow’s cold snort echoed through the alley. “Do you truly believe… your cover is perfect, Tu San?”

Tu San’s face changed drastically.

How does he know? Have I been exposed?

“These items must be delivered in two days,” the crow commanded, brooking no argument.

With that, it spread its wings and vanished into the shadows, leaving no room for Tu San to protest.

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