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

Chen Kangbao pulled several steamed buns out of his robe and began placing them one by one in front of the skeletons scattered around the room.

He had brought a lot of steamed buns with him—it took him seven or eight minutes just to finish placing them.

However, as he looked at the vast number of pale, skeletal remains that filled the chamber, his expression grew pained.

“Young Master, I didn’t bring enough steamed buns… There aren’t enough for all of them to eat,” he said sorrowfully.

Qi Yuan remained calm and replied, “I have plenty of ingredients with me. You can cook something.”

As he spoke, various ingredients—cabbage, pork ribs, rice, and flour—flew out of his storage artifact.

While playing the role of the Cleaver, he had prepared a large stock of food.

Chen Kangbao immediately got to work cooking.

Meanwhile, the other Weapon Masters present were staring at the inscriptions carved into the stone slab, occasionally lost in thought or sighing.

However, to them, the words—despite describing the apocalyptic catastrophe of worlds falling into ruin—felt too distant and abstract.

Without the proper background music to set the atmosphere, it was hard for them to feel emotionally connected to what they were reading.

The only one who seemed truly distraught was the Confucian-robed scholar. Having lost his elder brother in this place, his grief was palpable.

“The collapse of worlds… To think that such a grave danger could threaten the heavens beyond… Why has no one ever told us about this?” Tu Sihai asked, his face full of shock.

“If the records here are accurate, then the Blue Mountain Realm… may be in grave danger!” the blind old man rasped in a hoarse voice.

After all, according to what was written, this place had gathered nearly 300,000 of the most talented Artifact Masters of the Blue Mountain Realm, including many Divine-tier masters. Their purpose was to forge the Heavenly Source, draw the attention of the gods, and transform it into a fragment of the Divine Light Treasure to combat the eternal night.

“Three hundred thousand people abandoned their names and disappeared into obscurity… yet the world remains so silent about their sacrifice. These people… I admire them greatly,” the charming, seductive woman said softly.

When they had first entered this underground palace, they had expected to find some incredible treasures.

But now, looking around, the only word that came to mind was “desolation.”

Aside from the skeletons, the weapons and materials left behind had all lost their spiritual essence and were no different from worthless debris.

In truth, there was hardly anything valuable left in the underground palace.

If there was anything of worth, it would likely be…

“The Heavenly Source… Is that the thing they were forging?” the elder Blackshade Brother said solemnly. “For so many Artifact Masters to work for decades together, they should’ve been able to create countless Divine-tier artifacts. Yet the Heavenly Source still failed? And in the end, it consumed the blood and flesh of 300,000 Artifact Masters along with everything in this palace. What kind of terrifying existence is this Heavenly Source?”

“This is bad. What if we’ve accidentally intruded and the Heavenly Source tries to consume us?” Wang Dao’s face showed his fear.

After all, even Divine-tier Artifact Masters had been devoured by the Heavenly Source. If they had entered without preparation, their fate might already be sealed.

“According to the inscriptions, the Heavenly Source should have already finished consuming everything… We should be safe. But… did they succeed?” Tu Sihai asked in confusion.

The Artifact Masters had come to this Strange Domain, toiling day and night to forge the Heavenly Source and draw the gods’ attention, hoping to bring forth the Light of Divinity.

“They must have failed,” the Confucian-robed scholar said, his voice hoarse. “If they had succeeded, the Radiance Society would have come to take the Heavenly Source long ago.

For the Strange Domain to remain sealed and forgotten for so long, it can only mean that the Heavenly Source failed to earn the favor of the gods and failed to transform into a fragment of the Divine Light Treasure.”

The Strange Domain had been constructed within the Ten Thousand Mountain Abyss, drawing the best Artifact Masters of the Blue Mountain Realm. The Radiance Society must have monitored its progress constantly.

If the Heavenly Source had succeeded, there was no way the Radiance Society would leave the fragment of the Divine Light Treasure abandoned here. They would have taken it to the heavens beyond.

But now, with the Strange Domain left untouched, as though forgotten by time, it was clear that even after sacrificing the blood and flesh of 300,000 Artifact Masters, they had still failed.

“If it failed… then where is the Heavenly Source now?”

The Weapon Masters present were filled with unease.

What if this terrifying creation had turned into some kind of cursed weapon of destruction?

Currently, the underground palace was nothing but a desolate ruin. The only thing of real value here was likely the Heavenly Source itself.

Having devoured countless Divine-tier artifacts and the blood and flesh of 300,000 Artifact Masters, the Heavenly Source must have become something that surpassed even Divine-tier artifacts.

And yet, even such a terrifying existence had failed to catch the gods’ attention and transform into a fragment of the Divine Light Treasure.

Just how precious must the legendary Divine Light Treasure be?

<hr>

“Sir Qi, I must go deeper into the underground palace to find my elder brother. Farewell,” the Confucian-robed scholar said, bowing respectfully before heading into the depths of the palace.

Along the way, the scholar passed countless skeletons, their pale remains scattered amidst the wilderness of the deep mountains.

The sight was shocking and sorrowful—a bleak and desolate valley filled with death.

Finally, he stopped at a staircase.

At the base of the stairs lay a skeleton, slumped lazily as if it had been basking in the sunlight before it died.

The moment he saw this skeleton, the Confucian-robed scholar knew he had found his elder brother.

“Brother…”

His voice choked with emotion.

Although he had long suspected that his brother had perished after disappearing, seeing his brother’s remains still filled him with overwhelming grief.

His elder brother had been the eldest son of their family—proud, carefree, and fond of fine clothes and high-spirited adventures across the land.

Their father had always worried, often saying that his brother’s wild and carefree nature would prevent him from taking on the family’s responsibilities.

It had surprised the scholar when his brother left to join the Strange Domain.

His gaze fell upon his brother’s bony hand. Through the gaps in the skeletal fingers, he noticed words carved into the stone steps behind it.

"If someone sees this, I leave behind one forging technique as a gift. All I ask is that you go to the capital of Shang Country and help redeem the courtesan An Xiang from Tianxiang Academy. I thank you."

These few simple words made the Confucian-robed scholar sigh deeply.

The inscription carried his elder brother’s unique style.

In his younger days, his elder brother had been unrestrained and wild, fond of visiting theaters and pleasure houses.

He had fallen in love with a courtesan named An Xiang and wanted to redeem her so he could marry her, but their father had fiercely opposed the idea.

This had caused a significant rift between his brother and their father.

Reaching out, the scholar tried to touch his brother’s skeletal remains.

But as soon as his hand made contact, the brittle bones crumbled into ash.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The traces of his brother’s existence in this world disappeared completely.

The Confucian-robed scholar froze, his hand pausing mid-air, before sighing deeply.

"Three hundred thousand lives hidden in the mountains, their loyal hearts shining through the cold night.

Buried in the desolate valley—do they regret it? Their heroic names will never pass into eternity!"

<hr>

At that moment, a group of more than ten people approached.

Leading them was none other than Fifth Wei.

He carried an air of dominance and menace, exuding the pride and arrogance unique to those in positions of power.

Striding forward confidently, he stepped on the skeletons littering the ground as though they were mere weeds, showing no regard for the dead.

Seeing the newcomers, the Confucian-robed scholar’s eyes narrowed. “Fifth Wei!”

“The Grand Scholar of Wentai Pavilion, tangled with the Judgement Society for years—perfect timing. I’ll capture you and see if those clowns from the Judgement Society dare to show their faces,” Fifth Wei sneered, his voice dripping with mockery.

Since arriving in the underground palace, he had found no valuable treasures. His frustration was mounting.

Now that he had come across the Confucian-robed scholar, his killing intent surged.

Immediately, a burly Heaven-tier Weapon Master stepped forward, ready to strike at the scholar.

But at that moment, a calm yet thunderous voice rang out.

“Stop. Son-in-law Qi Yuan is here. Show some respect!”

The source of the voice was a group approaching from the distance. At the forefront was a young man of strikingly handsome appearance, his expression languid and carefree.

It was Qi Yuan.

As he arrived, he looked at the Confucian-robed scholar with a relaxed smile.

This old man was truly his lucky charm.

Previously, the scholar had indirectly brought him Mo Sankong.

Now, the same scholar had brought along not just one but twelve Heaven-tier Weapon Masters.

Fifth Wei’s gaze swept over Qi Yuan and his companions with disdain. "A ragtag bunch of nobodies, daring to come here and seek death!"

Behind him, the Heaven-tier Weapon Masters also sneered when they examined Qi Yuan and his group’s auras.

A bunch of Earth-tier Weapon Masters, nothing more. Any one of the Heaven-tier masters present could easily slaughter them with little effort.

Tu Sihai, however, looked panicked and rushed to speak. "Brother Qi, they’re Heaven-tier Weapon Masters, their strength is extraordinary! You’re just a son-in-law—be extremely careful!"

Hearing this, Fifth Wei initially thought Tu Sihai had some sense of self-awareness. But as Tu Sihai continued, Fifth Wei couldn’t shake the feeling that something was… off.

The other Earth-tier Weapon Masters also chimed in anxiously:

"You’re just a lowly son-in-law! How could you possibly contend with Heaven-tier Weapon Masters? If you anger these powerful figures, there will be no place for you in Ning Kingdom!"

"Exactly! Hurry and kneel to beg their forgiveness. Maybe the esteemed Heaven-tier masters will show mercy!"

Their words were laced with worry, their performances so convincing that even Fifth Wei found himself momentarily swayed.

However, as the Heaven-tier Weapon Masters listened further, their expressions turned strange.

While the words seemed humble on the surface, there was an underlying tone—mocking and oddly sarcastic.

It felt almost intentional.

"What… is going on?" the Heaven-tier masters wondered.

Fifth Wei couldn’t hold back any longer. "Are you not afraid?" he asked coldly, his voice tinged with suspicion.

"Afraid? Of course, we’re terrified! You’re a Heaven-tier Weapon Master, after all!" Tu Sihai quickly responded, his face full of exaggerated fear.

"We’re doomed! Son-in-law Qi Yuan, beg for their mercy! Perhaps they’ll spare us!" Wang Dao added from the back, his tone equally dramatic.

Their voices were dripping with false humility, and their performances were excellent. On the surface, they seemed genuinely afraid.

However, Fifth Wei and the other Heaven-tier Weapon Masters were growing increasingly irritated.

The tone, the phrasing—it all felt… sarcastic.

Fifth Wei’s patience finally snapped, and fury erupted on his face. "Enough! You dare mock me? Die!"

He was a proud genius, used to being revered and flattered. He could not tolerate even the slightest insult.

This time, his anger boiled over, and he attacked directly.

"I’ll rip your mouths apart!"

However, instead of targeting Qi Yuan, he aimed at the chattering Earth-tier Weapon Masters.

Tu Sihai’s face turned pale with fear. "No! Don’t rip my mouth—rip Brother Qi’s instead! His is crooked anyway!"

Tu Sihai trembled as the overwhelming aura of a Heaven-tier master bore down on him. His body felt frozen, as if he were being stared down by a massive predator, unable to move a muscle.

"Enough!"

Qi Yuan’s cold voice cut through the tension like a knife.

"Fifth Wei! I can’t believe you’re the kind of person who bullies ordinary people, let alone a son-in-law!"

Fifth Wei’s movements came to an abrupt halt. "You… know who I am?"

When the Confucian-robed scholar had called out Fifth Wei’s name earlier, Qi Yuan’s group had not yet arrived.

"You sent Mo Sankong to capture my wife and make her your servant. Did you think I wouldn’t know?

Don’t you understand that, for a son-in-law, a wife is the ultimate bottom line?"

Qi Yuan’s voice rose, impassioned and righteous.

"As they say, every dragon has a reverse scale. Touch it, and you die!

A son-in-law’s woman—you dare to provoke her?"

Having traversed so many worlds, Qi Yuan’s acting skills had become extraordinary.

With his current appearance and delivery, he could easily star in a drama like Dragon King Son-in-Law and win an award.

Fifth Wei paused for a moment, his expression shifting. "You’re Shen Lingxuan’s husband?"

He stared at Qi Yuan, his gaze flickering before a wicked smile spread across his face.

"Well then, I’ve changed my mind. I won’t kill you. I’ll castrate you and send you to the palace!"

"I’ll make you watch as your wife—"

Before he could finish his vile threat, something strange happened. Fifth Wei found that he couldn’t speak the rest of his sentence.

Or rather, even though he spoke, no sound came out.

"Hey, this is a proper game! Don’t use inappropriate words. What if you summon the Harmonization Deity and get us all banned? Who’s going to compensate me for my investments if that happens?"

Qi Yuan looked at Fifth Wei, visibly annoyed.

"This game isn’t rated for adults. Can you please not use prohibited words?"

"You…" Fifth Wei was stunned.

Everything about this encounter was beyond strange.

Most baffling of all was how his words earlier had seemingly been muted—he could hear himself, but no one else could.

"What are you looking at me for? Just die already!"

Qi Yuan launched a punch straight at Fifth Wei.

The Heaven-tier Weapon Masters behind Fifth Wei watched with relaxed expressions.

Although Qi Yuan seemed unusual, he wasn’t in the state of Unity with the Heavens. There was no way he could harm Fifth Wei.

Fifth Wei shared their confidence. "A mere trickster. What’s there to fear?"

As he spoke, the surrounding thirty meters of space began to gather around him, the power of the heavens and earth pooling to his command.

Standing there, he seemed like the sovereign of this space, controlling everything within it.

This was the power of the heavens and earth—true, unmatched strength.

All illusions and tricks would crumble before such overwhelming might.

"You’ve worked so hard to cultivate your strength. Don’t you think my steady progression from leveling up is much more reliable?" Qi Yuan remarked nonchalantly as he threw another punch.

After embodying the Cleaver, Qi Yuan’s body had been hardened to an absurd degree.

Even direct strikes from Heaven-tier artifacts couldn’t harm him.

He showed no mercy to Fifth Wei.

The terrifying punch crashed down!

Instantly, the heavenly power surrounding Fifth Wei dissipated like a receding tide.

His face twisted in shock and disbelief.

In that moment, a voice echoed in his mind:

"See? Relying solely on your hard-earned strength isn’t always the best option."

Qi Yuan’s punch landed squarely on Fifth Wei’s chest.

Blood splattered as a gaping hole appeared in Fifth Wei’s heart.

His expression was one of sheer disbelief.

"How…"

"Your greatest mistake was underestimating a son-in-law. Let me tell you—across the heavens and myriad worlds, son-in-laws, security guards, bodyguards, and truck drivers… they’re never to be trifled with."

Without sparing a glance at Fifth Wei’s lifeless body, Qi Yuan turned his attention to the eleven remaining Heaven-tier Weapon Masters.

A sly smile played on his lips.

"Now… it’s hunting time."

In an instant, Qi Yuan’s speed surged tenfold.

The Earth-tier Weapon Masters couldn’t even track his movements.

The remaining Heaven-tier Weapon Masters were still reeling from the shock of Fifth Wei’s death.

"A monster!"

"He’s a monster!"

"Run!"

Even their prince had been killed. How could they stand against this terrifying Qi Yuan?

Qi Yuan moved like a specter, his speed and strength overwhelming. The Heaven-tier masters, who had lost their connection to the power of the heavens and earth, were nothing before him.

In just one hundred breaths, the palace was bathed in blood.

Every Heaven-tier Weapon Master present had been slaughtered.

The skeletal, desolate underground palace now bore fresh crimson stains.

Qi Yuan stretched lazily, looking satisfied.

"Not a bad haul," he muttered.

The Rosha Kingdom elites had carried plenty of gold, silver, and rare materials.

More importantly, Qi Yuan had gained a massive amount of experience.

Even his Unity with the Heavens energy had been significantly boosted, though he was still far from breaking through.

His role-playing as a son-in-law had also reached a new level of completion.

Now, the only thing missing might be… mounting Shen Lingxuan?