My Golden Core is a Star, do you call this cultivating?

Chapter 338: Is This Really How You Cultivate?

Wangshan Temple.

The mountain stood tall and serene, with the ancient temple perched on its peak, hidden amidst the clouds.

Occasionally, the sound of a distant bell echoed, creating a sense of a paradise on earth.

However, to the people of Zhenyang City, while it would have been appropriate to call Wangshan Temple a paradise three years ago, it wasn't the case anymore.

Now, the stone steps leading up to the temple were covered in blood, and every step was marked by bones.

Many who could no longer survive in Zhenyang City fled towards Wangshan Temple, only to be hunted and killed by demons on the steps.

Within the ancient temple, weeds grew everywhere, and thorns were scattered all around.

An old monk sat motionless in front of a Buddha statue, his eyes closed, chanting sutras.

Tap, tap.

Footsteps echoed, sounding particularly loud in the great hall.

The abbot of Wangshan Temple, eyes still closed, paused his chanting, "What brings you here, honored guest?"

Even without opening his eyes, just by listening to the footsteps, he could tell that the owner of these steps was neither one of his disciples nor a demon.

"I'm Qi Yuan from the Demon Subduing Division, here to inquire about something."

Qi Yuan looked calmly at the abbot of Wangshan Temple.

The abbot appeared to be paralyzed in his legs, his cultivation level reaching the peak of Qi and Blood.

Qi Yuan estimated that if it weren't for his leg problems, this abbot would likely have already reached the Jade Blood stage.

"What might this benefactor be here for?" The abbot remained calm and showed no fear despite Qi Yuan's affiliation with the Demon Subduing Division.

"The flower demon Man Luo—I want to know her whereabouts." Qi Yuan didn't waste any time.

The previously calm abbot's face showed a hint of pain upon hearing this name.

"She... is in the Fenghua Cave." The abbot did not hide anything.

"Your heartbeat tells me you're not lying, but... this statement is a lie." Qi Yuan studied the abbot.

With his level of cultivation, he could tell if an ordinary person was lying without using his ability to detect nose lengthening.

The abbot's heartbeat remained steady, and his micro-expressions suggested he was telling the truth.

But his nose had grown longer.

The abbot looked at Qi Yuan in surprise, "Benefactor... you are quite unique."

"Whether I’m unique or not is irrelevant. Tell me the correct answer." Qi Yuan wasn’t in the mood for games.

He was eager to hunt demons.

"The one you are looking for is in Fenghua Cave," the abbot replied again.

This time, Qi Yuan's nose didn't grow longer.

A look of interest appeared on Qi Yuan’s face. "Interesting, this time it’s true.
The flower demon Man Luo being in Fenghua Cave is a lie, but the person I’m looking for is indeed there.
Doesn’t this mean... oh, I need to use my brain here.
I’d better stop thinking and just go with it."

Qi Yuan didn’t bother thinking further.

This mission seemed complicated, but if he really wanted to complete it, it wasn't difficult.

If he could just search the souls of all the enemies, wouldn’t the truth come to light?

That would be much faster and more accurate than blindly guessing.

At this moment, the abbot said, "If the benefactor has come to eliminate the demon, please spare her life.
She... has had a pitiful life and only killed those who deserved to die."

The abbot’s voice carried deep helplessness.

According to the county magistrate, the flower demon Man Luo was raised by the abbot of Wangshan Temple himself, almost like his own daughter.

"Thanks for the information; I’ve noted it." Qi Yuan nodded.

He was still polite.

Even though he was just here to get some information, saying thank you was always good manners.

After saying this, Qi Yuan’s figure disappeared.

In the vast hall, only the abbot of Wangshan Temple remained.

He looked at the hall, seemingly seeing again the young boy and girl kissing beneath the Buddha statue.

He also seemed to see the tearful cries of Old Master Tong and Madam Tong.

Humans and demons walk different paths.

"A father who loves his son will plan deeply for him," the abbot muttered to himself.

---

Mount Shu Yao, known for its steep mountains and cliffs.

At this moment, led by Hou Mushi, a group of people made their way through a narrow mountain path.

The road was overgrown with thorns and brambles, making the journey treacherous.

Suddenly, Qi Yuan stopped in his tracks, "Bodyguard, it’s your turn to act."

Ahead, in a cave, two demons were clearly asleep.

These demons were scattered demons.

Hou Mushi, leading the group to exterminate demons, naturally targeted the scattered ones.

Otherwise, if they accidentally intruded into a demon camp within Mount Shu Yao, no matter how brave they were, they wouldn’t be able to handle it.

Yang Guang’s voice was robust, "Brother, you stay here and enjoy your melon, I’ll be right back!"

Having promised to protect Qi Yuan, Yang Guang was determined to keep his word.

After all, as long as he provided Qi Yuan with enough demon blood, he could obtain the entry pass to the Genius Alliance.

A great deal indeed.

"Make it quick," Qi Yuan said, sitting down on a large rock and eating a watermelon.

This watermelon had been stolen from a melon field—no, picked up from there.

According to their estimates, this watermelon had been planted by demons on Mount Shu Yao.

Since they passed by, they might as well confiscate it.

The only pity was that they hadn’t found the owner of the watermelons; otherwise, they could have earned more demon blood.

Qi Yuan sat on the rock, crossed his legs, looking relaxed.

Hou Mushi and the three other bailiffs stood nearby, each holding a watermelon and with their pockets full of watermelon seeds, planning to plant them back in the city where food was scarce.

"Lord Qi, letting Lord Yang go in alone... will that be dangerous?" Hou Mushi asked worriedly.
"There are two pig demons in the cave, both powerful demons at the late stage of Qi and Blood!"

A late-stage Qi and Blood demon was already considered an officer in a demon camp.

Hou Mushi had thought the three lords from the Demon Subduing Division would act together.

Instead...

"Don't worry, Yang Guang should be very strong; otherwise, he wouldn’t have offered to be my bodyguard.
It’s a minor issue." Qi Yuan continued eating his watermelon and spitting out the seeds.

Seeing this, Hou Mushi didn’t say more, though he still looked anxious.

As time passed, Qi Yuan finished his watermelon and stared at the rind in his hand, "There’s no trash can here. Where should I throw the rind?"

Qi Yuan was quite conscientious and didn’t litter.

Especially not with watermelon rinds—someone could slip on them and get hurt, and then he would have to pay compensation.

Hou Mushi blinked at Qi Yuan’s question.

This was a man from the capital?

The things he thought about were so strange.

“No worries, this place is rarely visited; only demons come here.
Even if someone slips, it’ll be a demon,” An Qiao said.

"Good point." Qi Yuan then discarded the watermelon rind.

Just then, footsteps were heard, accompanied by a robust voice.

"Brother Qi, those two pig demons have been slain. Is the demon blood sufficient?"

Not far away, bald-headed Yang Guang approached, carrying a pig demon in each hand.

Each pig demon weighed three to four hundred pounds.

Now they were just dead pigs.

Seeing this, Hou Mushi and the other bailiffs' eyes lit up.

Lord Yang was incredibly fierce.

He had killed two late-stage Qi and Blood demons in the time it took to eat a piece of watermelon?

"Not enough," Qi Yuan said, waving his hand.

Instantly, 100 drops of demon blood fell into his hand.

"No worries, we still have time; I’ll go kill more demons," Yang Guang said, carrying the two pig demons without even breaking a sweat.
“I am a man of my word. I promised to get you enough demon blood, and I will!”

To be honest, Yang Guang felt a bit guilty towards Qi Yuan.

After all, he was the one benefiting the most from this deal.

How much demon blood could a newly initiated Jade Blood cultivator like Qi Yuan actually use?

And the entry pass to the Genius Alliance was extremely valuable.

"I trust your character; good job," Qi Yuan praised him appropriately.

At this moment, Yang Guang threw the pig demon bodies to the ground, raising a cloud of dust.
"These demon bodies, take them back for food!"

Hou Mushi swallowed hard.

The two pig demons weighed almost a thousand pounds combined.

The people in the city would be able to eat well.

The four bailiffs hurried forward and lifted the two pig demon bodies.

They had all trained in martial arts, so they were incredibly strong.

"Hou Mushi, continue leading the way; this time, find a stronger one!" Yang Guang said confidently.

According to his calculations, killing another early Jade Blood demon would definitely suffice for Qi Yuan’s needs.

He chose to hunt an early Jade Blood demon rather than several late Qi and Blood demons to demonstrate his strength.

It was his way of showing Qi Yuan, "See? With me as your bodyguard, you can feel completely safe."

More importantly, if he didn’t kill an early Jade Blood demon, given that Qi Yuan himself could take down late Qi and Blood demons, it would seem as if his role as a bodyguard was redundant.

It’s like being the only person in a department; if you take a leave and everything functions fine without you, the leaders might realize they don’t really need you.

“A stronger one?” Hou Mushi’s expression changed multiple times. “Such a demon would be capable of commanding a hundred demon soldiers within the demon camp. Are you sure we should…”

“Relax, with me around, what’s there to fear?” Yang Guang pounded his chest with confidence.

After slaughtering two demon boars, his confidence was at an all-time high.

“Alright, as you say. We’ll seek out a serpent demon. It’s at the early stage of Jade Blood!” Hou Mushi said with a hesitant expression.

“Rest assured, a mere early Jade Blood demon is nothing to be concerned about,” Yang Guang replied, full of self-assurance.

Qi Yuan chimed in cheerfully, “This bodyguard was well worth hiring. If only I’d met him sooner, my previous mission world wouldn’t have been so tough.”

Yang Guang, now brimming with confidence, responded, “If we ever cross paths in another mission, I’ll protect you again!”

“Really?” Qi Yuan’s eyes lit up. “Even if we face a supreme enemy, you’ll still protect me?”

“Of course!” Yang Guang answered without hesitation.

Qi Yuan appeared thoughtful. “It’s a shame. There’s an enemy I’d love to have here right now. If I could call him over, you could help me kill him.”

“Oh? What kind of enemy?” Yang Guang asked instinctively.

“Well, the old ancestor of the Taihuang Palace. He’s quite formidable. He nearly forced me to leave my home. Alas, I’m too weak right now. If I were stronger, maybe I could stand against him!” Qi Yuan recalled the great catastrophe in the Canglan Realm and the Taihuang Palace behind it, particularly that Yang God.

That Yang God didn’t seem like an ordinary one.

Hearing this, Yang Guang’s thoughts settled. It’s probably just a mid-level Jade Blood cultivator.

“If he dares to come, I will surely take his head and present it to you, Brother Qi!” Yang Guang declared without concern.

“Brother Yang… such courage and boldness!” Qi Yuan exclaimed in awe.

In the Canglan Realm, anyone who knew about the Yang God from Taihuang Palace wouldn’t dare speak ill of him.

This was because a Yang God’s projection could span across the heavens; it wasn’t just a figure of speech.

Saying one wrong word might trigger his perception.

But this world was different—there were no stars reflecting across the heavens.

The Yang God of Taihuang Palace couldn’t perceive anything here.

Otherwise, a bolt of lightning might immediately descend from the sky and strike Yang Guang dead.

Still, Qi Yuan was curious.

If the Yang God from Taihuang Palace did come down, and Yang Guang tried to protect him by fighting the Yang God, what would the result be?

Seeing Yang Guang so confident, he must have some hidden cards up his sleeve, right?

“A gentleman is true to his word!” Yang Guang proclaimed, thumping his chest again.

“Brother Yang, how about this? After this game, why don’t you come home with me? If that old ancestor from Taihuang Palace descends, you can help shield me,” Qi Yuan suggested tentatively.

Although Yang Guang was only at the mid-stage of Jade Blood, who knew—maybe he had the cultivation of a Grand Supreme Dao Ancestor hidden within him?

That wouldn’t be so surprising, would it?

For instance, a small ant that eats a grain of rice today might have swallowed a dinosaur yesterday.

It makes perfect sense.

“No problem, consider it done!” Yang Guang agreed without hesitation.

“Let’s go, hunt the serpent demon!” Qi Yuan ordered.

Yang Guang’s eyes gleamed with pride. “Brother Qi, you just keep eating your melon. Leave the demon-slaying to me!”

About half an hour later, they arrived in a forest.

Yang Guang was true to his word; he said he’d go alone, so he went alone.

Qi Yuan and the others stayed in the forest, waiting for Yang Guang to return after killing the demon.

Qi Yuan sat on a stump, a foul stench in the air.

“The smell here is too strong; I’ve lost my appetite for watermelon. I might as well... cultivate.”

Having just obtained 100 drops of demon blood, it was definitely time to cultivate.

An Qiao watched Qi Yuan, eyes filled with admiration. “Mr. Qi, no wonder you reached the Jade Blood stage at such a young age. Your diligence is truly remarkable.”

Hou Mushi looked equally impressed.

An Qiao continued observing Qi Yuan, who closed his eyes and seemed to genuinely begin cultivating.

Then, an unusual voice came from Qi Yuan’s mouth.

“You have consumed 100 drops of demon blood and begun cultivating.
Cultivation is a path that values diligence.

50 drops of demon blood consumed; your cultivation has increased by fifty days, moving far along the early Jade Blood stage.

50 more drops consumed; your cultivation has increased by another fifty days.

Thanks to your strong early foundation, you are now just a step away from the mid-stage of Jade Blood.”

“??” An Qiao was perplexed.

“??” Hou Mushi was baffled.

Qi Yuan opened his eyes, looking quite refreshed.

“Not bad, this cultivation session was worth it. I’m almost at the mid-stage of Jade Blood now.”

Beside him, An Qiao looked at Qi Yuan with a peculiar expression.

Is this… really cultivation?

Does cultivation come with sound effects now?

“Mr. Qi… do you always cultivate like this?” An Qiao couldn’t help but ask.

“Yes, this method is quicker. Using demon blood... it's quite fast,” Qi Yuan replied frankly, not hiding anything.

An Qiao couldn’t hold back any longer.

She, too, had consumed demon blood for cultivation.

But she never did it like Qi Yuan.

It took her at least a day to refine a single drop of demon blood, converting it into qi and blood.

As for Qi Yuan… he just gave a self-narration, pretending to be some kind of system from TV shows and anime, and then boom—cultivation done?

This is simply a tall tale!

How could any serious martial artist cultivate like this?

“Mr. Qi, you can’t consume demon blood recklessly. Otherwise… you might go mad and end up exploding!” An Qiao cautioned.

“Don’t worry, I can add points. I’m not afraid,” Qi Yuan replied.

An Qiao looked at Qi Yuan with suspicion.

Has he already gone mad?
His mental state... seems quite abnormal.

Just then, a heavy stench filled the air again. Yang Guang reappeared, his bald head slightly bruised, but he looked pleased.

“Brother Qi, this time the haul is great. There were actually two early-stage Jade Blood serpents in the serpent’s den, and I killed them both.

The demon blood from these two serpents should be enough for you, right?” Yang Guang said, breathing heavily.

Clearly, hunting these two early-stage Jade Blood serpents had taken some effort.

But the gain was substantial.

The demon blood from these two early-stage Jade Blood serpents was definitely enough for Qi Yuan’s needs.

“Not bad, that’s 400 drops of demon blood,” Qi Yuan said, waving his hand, and 400 drops of demon blood appeared in his palm.

These 400 drops of demon blood were enough for him to step into the mid-stage of Jade Blood.

He was growing fonder of Mount Shu Yao by the moment.

Especially with a free fighter to help him.

He wondered if he should have Yang Guang help him wipe out all three thousand demon soldiers on Mount Shu Yao.

After all, Yang Guang was confident enough to challenge the Yang God of Taihuang Palace; wouldn’t sweeping away Mount Shu Yao’s demons be like blowing off some dust?

“However, this demon blood isn’t enough. I consume it very quickly in cultivation; you can ask An Qiao.

I swallowed up a hundred drops in one go just now,” Qi Yuan said expectantly to Yang Guang. “How about you go kill some more?”

“Not enough?” Yang Guang’s heart skipped a beat.