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

Riding on Chen Kangbao’s back, the two headed toward Kunling Crossing.

The mountain path was rugged, climbing upward, with ferns growing along the rocky edges.

However, the area around Kunling Crossing was too remote and dangerous for any farmers to come here to gather wild vegetables.

Soon enough, Chen Kangbao, under the "blessing" state, moved swiftly and carried Qi Yuan to Kunling Crossing.

Kunling Crossing was eerily silent, with only the chirping of insects breaking the stillness.

“Young Master, it seems like a great battle took place here earlier. Was it the commotion from before?” Chen Kangbao looked ahead at the desolate Kunling Crossing with fear in his eyes.

The entire Kunling Crossing looked as if it had been split apart by a giant’s sword.

The swamp, mud, and shrubs were all heavily damaged, and a foul stench lingered in the air.

“Put on my gas mask, along with our equipment, and carry me inside!” Qi Yuan ordered.

He couldn’t even take on an average adult, let alone traverse a perilous place like Kunling Crossing—it would be courting death.

“Understood.” Chen Kangbao put on the gas mask.

Qi Yuan also put on his own. He glanced at Chen Kangbao and couldn’t help but smirk.

“Why do I feel like we’re off to some shady private party?”

“Or maybe a secret rave in the mountains?”

He recalled how certain groups on Earth would often gather in secluded mountains for secret parties, though he wasn’t sure if they wore masks for such events.

“What is a rave, Young Master?” Chen Kangbao asked, puzzled.

“If it’s something you shouldn’t ask about, don’t ask. Let’s head into Kunling Crossing and take a look.”

Before arriving, Qi Yuan had prepared a variety of tools and magical artifacts—all of which he had crafted himself.

Fully equipped, Chen Kangbao carried Qi Yuan into Kunling Crossing, trudging through the hazardous terrain.

Before long, the two stopped in front of a "puddle."

Yes, a puddle—a stain, to be exact.

This stain was left behind by the Black Crow Elder. Its body had been melted by that light sword’s strike, leaving almost nothing behind.

A perfectly fine person had been reduced to nothing, with barely any trace left in the world.

Seeing this, Qi Yuan felt a pang of sorrow as he gazed at the scene. “What a tragic death! I can’t even properly take care of your inheritance, sob sob!”

With no inheritance left behind, Qi Yuan felt deeply grieved.

He had always prided himself on being charitable.

When someone passed away, he was more than willing to step in as a "caretaker" for their belongings, ensuring they weren’t neglected.

But alas, tragedy struck. The enemy was too ruthless, leaving not a single coin behind.

“Young Master, don’t be too sad. Look, there’s something good over there!” Chen Kangbao pointed toward the spot where the Winged Serpent had died.

The Winged Serpent, being significantly more powerful, had left behind a few items of value.

“What good stuff? Do you think I’m that kind of person? I’m just worried that their belongings won’t be properly looked after!” Qi Yuan retorted.

Some people, after killing someone, would covet the deceased’s surviving spouse.

Qi Yuan was different—he cared only about the surviving belongings.

“Hurry and take me over there to have a look. In this heat, we can’t let these things overheat.”

“Right away!”

Chen Kangbao carried Qi Yuan and sprinted toward the Winged Serpent’s remains.

Compared to the Black Crow, the Winged Serpent had left behind more items.

A pristine bone.

A fragment of an Earth-grade magical artifact.

A damaged storage artifact.

A wooden box.

The bone was the reverse scale bone under the Winged Serpent’s scales, the hardest part of its body. When struck by the giant light sword, its entire body melted, leaving only this fist-sized piece of bone.

The fragment of the Earth-grade magical artifact was now useless. Qi Yuan picked it up, seeing it as nothing more than crafting material.

He was particularly eager about the storage artifact.

“Hopefully, it has something good inside.”

When he opened it, Qi Yuan’s face fell with disappointment.

“Empty? Nothing at all?”

Qi Yuan was speechless.

“A storage artifact this large, and there’s nothing in it?”

The storage artifact was massive, comparable to several large trucks combined.

Yet it was completely empty. Qi Yuan couldn’t fathom why the Winged Serpent would carry an empty storage bag.

“Sigh, I suppose it’s not a total loss. This storage artifact alone is worth as much as an Earth-grade magical artifact—several tens of thousands, maybe even hundreds of thousands of taels.”

“You down there, don’t worry. I’ll take good care of your belongings.”

Qi Yuan picked up the storage artifact and turned his gaze to the wooden box.

The box’s material was unknown, and it was only the size of a palm.

Despite enduring that devastating strike, the box remained completely intact, which piqued Qi Yuan’s curiosity.

“This must be a treasure. I’ve struck gold.”

[A mysterious box, entrusted to you by Guan Zhu, was ultimately stolen by Black Crow.]

“Wait… this is my box?”

Qi Yuan blinked in surprise, his mind racing.

He recalled many things at once.

The conspiracy involving the Radiant Society’s Fang Shisan targeting Qi Yuan, the live-in son-in-law, stemmed from Qi Yuan giving something to someone else.

It seemed that the original Qi Yuan had indeed handed something over—this very box, to Black Crow.

“My possession…”

Qi Yuan didn’t feel any sense of joy in retrieving it. Instead, he felt cheated.

“The Winged Serpent traveled thousands of miles, presumably to protect this wooden box. It must be extraordinary.”

During As My Divine Descent, Qi Yuan had gained some insights into the identities of both the Winged Serpent and Black Crow.

He held the wooden box and easily opened it, surprising himself.

Considering the box had withstood such immense force, he had expected it to be much harder to open.

Inside the box lay a small wooden tablet, resembling a bookmark.

The front of the tablet bore intricate engravings, with the faint words “You Mu” visible. The back had the characters “Xuan Hun” etched on it.

It appeared entirely ordinary.

“You Mu… Xuan Hun… What does it mean?” Qi Yuan pondered, but no answer came to mind.

[Divine Wood Token, created from divine wood. Gather all three pieces to unlock the Divine Wood Abyss.]

“A special game item? Collectible for unlocking a dungeon?”

Qi Yuan made a guess.

Such items were usually rare collectibles.

He held the Divine Wood Token, inspecting it closely.

Suddenly, a sharp, sorrowful female voice emanated from the token.

“Run!”

The single word echoed briefly before fading away.

Qi Yuan blinked. “Who’s speaking?”

He attempted to use his supernatural ability to communicate with the voice he’d heard.

But no response came; the voice seemed like an illusion.

“Was it just my imagination?”

“Hey, what are you saying? Can you repeat that? Run from what?”

Qi Yuan mumbled to himself, but there was no answer.

His attention returned to the Divine Wood Token.

When he extended his consciousness into the token, a string of words appeared in his vision.

“Who are you? Run! The Bloodthorn is hunting down anyone holding the Divine Wood Token!”

A chat group?

Instant messaging?

Qi Yuan was stunned by the familiarity of what he saw.

The Divine Wood Token had a messaging feature.

“I’m just a kitchen knife. Were you the one who told me to run earlier? What exactly is the Divine Wood Token, and do you know where the Divine Wood Abyss is? Do you also have a Divine Wood Token?”

Qi Yuan sent four questions in rapid succession.

The other party hesitated for a while, seemingly cautious.

“You’re not from the Bloodthorn?” They sounded uncertain.

“No.”

“Then run quickly. The Bloodthorn is actively hunting down anyone holding a Divine Wood Token. In the Blue Mountain Realm, only a few of us token holders are still alive, all hiding in fear.

You must leave the Blue Mountain Realm immediately. The Bloodthorn’s influence is everywhere here. It’s far too dangerous!”

The other party seemed agitated and anxious.

“Where would I run to? I’m still playing the game! I just got this token after killing two old geezers from the Bloodthorn. What’s it even for? Tell me,” Qi Yuan pressed the mysterious NPC for details.

The other party fell silent, seemingly in disbelief.

“You killed members of the Bloodthorn and took the token?”

“Yeah.”

“…”

“In the Blue Mountain Realm, there is a forbidden land known as the Divine Wood Abyss. It’s the ultimate sacred place for all weapon masters.

Within the Divine Wood Abyss is a Divine Wood. Its branches and leaves are the rarest and most precious crafting materials in the world.

Many legendary artifacts were forged using Divine Wood.

Its materials can even be used to create weapons surpassing divine-grade artifacts!”

The other party sounded fervent, clearly in awe of the Divine Wood.

“Oh, so it’s like a treasure vault,” Qi Yuan said nonchalantly.

“If you’re strong, you must leave the Blue Mountain Realm at once. Don’t let Bloodthorn get hold of your Divine Wood Token. If they gather all three pieces, they can enter the Divine Wood Abyss.

The Bloodthorn harbors ambitions far beyond simply obtaining crafting materials. They want to turn the Divine Wood into a specter!

If the Divine Wood becomes a specter, it will give birth to a being more terrifying than gods themselves. The entire Blue Mountain Realm will be doomed!”

"Oh..." Qi Yuan remained calm.

To the other party, this might be a catastrophic world-ending crisis.

To Qi Yuan, he’d heard too many similar tales; it barely moved him.

"Does the Bloodthorn already have a Divine Wood Token?" Qi Yuan asked.

"They do."

"Doesn’t that mean they can see this conversation?" Qi Yuan raised another question.

Just then, a new message appeared in Qi Yuan’s view.

"Yes, I’ve been watching all along... So, what clever plan are you concocting to deal with me?" A message from the Bloodthorn member appeared.

"...," responded Ji Wuyun.

Qi Yuan blinked, momentarily stunned.

It felt as if he’d been talking behind someone’s back, only to realize the person was in the group chat the whole time.

Still, Qi Yuan had thick skin. "How about we work together and enter the Divine Wood Abyss as a team?" he suggested without hesitation.

This suggestion left Ji Wuyun speechless.

Even the Bloodthorn operative seemed momentarily taken aback.

"Don’t! The Bloodthorn is far too powerful. They might even have god-tier weapon masters among their ranks. If we join forces and enter the Divine Wood Abyss, the moment they betray us, we’ll all be dead!" Ji Wuyun hurriedly tried to dissuade Qi Yuan, clearly anxious.

"Brother Kitchen Knife, you’re quite something. This partnership... I’m interested," the Bloodthorn operative finally replied.

"Majority rules. Shall we work together?" Qi Yuan sent the invitation again.

Ji Wuyun went silent, clearly reluctant to say more. It was evident he was beginning to suspect Qi Yuan might also be from the Bloodthorn, baiting him into a trap.

"Brother Kitchen Knife, if he’s unwilling, we can work together for now. When the Divine Wood Abyss opens, other Divine Wood Token holders may show up. Then we’ll all have a chance to enter together," the Bloodthorn operative proposed. "The next time the Divine Wood Abyss is said to open is less than two years from now."

"Alright, I’d like to go, but I’m broke. Can you lend me some silver for travel expenses?" Qi Yuan asked, making no attempt to hide his desire for freebies.

The Bloodthorn operative seemed briefly stunned before replying, "Where are you currently?"

"You should already know that," Qi Yuan chuckled.

The Winged Serpent Elder’s death here wouldn’t remain a secret for long. The Bloodthorn would likely receive news of it soon.

"Alright, Brother Kitchen Knife, hold tight. I’ll check our Bloodthorn member records.

Once I’ve located the right people, I’ll provide you with a passcode. When you meet them, share the code, and they’ll give you all their silver," the Bloodthorn operative said calmly.

It was clear he cared little about the fate of those members—or perhaps, he valued the Divine Wood Token far more than their lives.

"Great! I’ve got my travel funds sorted," Qi Yuan exclaimed happily. "One last question: do you have a lot of old folks in the Bloodthorn who don’t bathe often?"

"Brother Kitchen Knife, why are you asking this?"

"I’m short on high-quality ‘White Moonlight,’ sigh." Qi Yuan sighed theatrically.

"Brother Kitchen Knife, you jest."

With that, the conversation ended. The group chat fell silent again, with no one responding further to Qi Yuan’s remarks.

Qi Yuan was unimpressed.

"Not responding makes you a cowardly little puppy!"

In his time navigating the strange terrain of Heaven and Earth Mystical hidden realm, Qi Yuan had honed his taunting skills through countless verbal duels with an elder from the Holy Light Clan. He now possessed an almost supernatural ability to break people’s composure with insults.

"Don’t stay silent. I know an old man who’s got some serious bladder issues. He might just water the plants!"

Qi Yuan finished his comment and turned to glance at Chen Kangbao.

Just then, a loud wail broke through the air.

"Wuuu... Master!"

Chen Kangbao was crouched down, biting into the bone left behind by the Winged Serpent.

Crunch!

It wasn’t the sound of the bone breaking but rather the sound of teeth shattering.

Qi Yuan turned his gaze, only to see Chen Kangbao’s lips sealed shut, now blackened and bruised, resembling mulberries.

"Young Master... I’ve been poisoned!" Chen Kangbao’s mouth could no longer open. His voice was squeezed out of his throat, sounding like the croak of a frog. His face was filled with panic and fear.

"Why do you eat everything in sight? Are you the reincarnation of some mythical eater of forbidden fruits?" Qi Yuan sighed, exasperated. "Don’t worry. This poison won’t kill you. It’ll just leave your mouth paralyzed for about seven or eight days, rendering you unable to open it or speak."

"Noooo!" Chen Kangbao cried out in misery.

How was he supposed to eat during that time?

This old man’s belly was already growling in hunger!

"Hurry up and carry me out of here. If the Bloodthorn shows up, we won’t stand a chance at escaping!" Qi Yuan cut short any further complaints.

The most important thing now was to get to safety.

Currently, his strength had yet to recover. Returning to the Shen family residence to lay low was the wisest course of action. Once his power returned, he could afford to roam freely again.

…

The next day.

Qi Yuan sat before a pile of forging materials, his expression complicated.

"My body’s so weak now, even forging doesn’t feel the same as it used to. Old man, come over here and help me hammer these materials," Qi Yuan called to Chen Kangbao.

"Right away, Young Master. Just let me finish my meal!"

At that moment, Chen Kangbao sat at a table with a few bowls of porridge and some large meat buns.

Two straws were inserted into his nostrils, which he used to inhale with great force.

The cold porridge and meat bun filling flowed through the straws into his nostrils, down his esophagus, and into his stomach.

That’s right—since his mouth was paralyzed and couldn’t open, he had resorted to eating through his nose.

(This is purely fictional. Do not try this at home!)

But the efficiency of eating through his nose was laughably low, and Chen Kangbao was a gluttonous old man. Most of his day was now consumed with eating.

"Want me to drill two more holes in your face?" Qi Yuan said dryly, unable to hide his exasperation.

Just then, the group chat lit up with a new message.

"Brother Kitchen Knife, in Ning Country, our Bloodthorn organization doesn’t have many members—just three hundred seventy-two in total.

Here’s a list of their personal information and the passcode. Find them, say the code, and they’ll hand over all their silver to you," the Bloodthorn member informed him.

"Thanks," Qi Yuan replied with a grin.

At that moment, the previously silent Ji Wuyun reappeared, sending several question marks.

"???"

"Aren’t you worried he’ll kill your Bloodthorn members and rob them of their silver?" Ji Wuyun asked incredulously.

"Death is merely another form of release. Their corpses will, in time—whether decades or centuries—become specters," the Bloodthorn member replied indifferently.

Ji Wuyun read this and concluded both these men were lunatics. Their logic was unfathomable.

"Thanks for the info. I’ll take a look at who’s closest to me and go borrow some silver," Qi Yuan replied nonchalantly.

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