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

Pale blue clouds descended, and the ground seemed dreamlike, sometimes with flashes of light darting across.

In the void, there were faint yet powerful presences lurking.

Qi Yuan looked up at the sky, his brow furrowing as he pondered. "The strong… are growing more numerous."

He sensed again that another powerful being had arrived.

Recently, several mighty figures had descended into the Realm of Supreme Truth, and Qi Yuan had been laying low.

Each of these figures was far beyond his ability to contend with.

If he offended any of them, he imagined it would end badly.

“I wonder if that figure from Taihuang Palace has arrived yet.”

Qi Yuan mused over this when suddenly, a loud and careless voice called out.

"Are you really going to attend that so-called Yin God Debate?" Oxhorn Sister approached, her flowing purple robe giving off a celestial air but somehow still looking utterly rustic on her.

"Yes." Qi Yuan nodded.

Today was the day the Yin God Debate was set to begin.

“Don’t tell me you’re going there to teach them about cultivation?” Oxhorn Sister asked playfully.

“I’m going to listen to the teachings.”

Qi Yuan answered earnestly.

The participants in the Yin God Debate were split into two groups: those teaching and those listening.

Listeners, like Qi Yuan, were mainly cultivators at the Purple Mansion stage, sitting at the back, listening to the Yin Gods give lectures.

The lecturers were often promising talents at the Yin God level, invited to speak at the Supreme Truth Debate Conference.

Talents like Oxhorn Sister had been invited, but she had no interest in attending.

She planned to participate in the Yang God Debate instead.

For a prodigy like her, participating in the Yang God sessions was fitting—why would she ever attend the Yin God ones?

“You really are something... The Yin God Debate and the Yang God Debate are happening at the same time. If you go to listen to that, you might miss out,” Oxhorn Sister reminded him again, concerned.

After all, such grand events came only once in millennia.

“Cultivation must follow its proper order. I’m just a small Purple Mansion cultivator, so why should I attend the Yang God Debate?”

Qi Yuan shrugged, unconcerned.

Once he fully understood the path of the Yin God, he could don the guise of another identity and head to the Wall of Supreme Truth to comprehend his own supreme truth.

But before that, he needed to figure out his Yin God path.

It sounded contradictory, but Qi Yuan found it perfectly reasonable.

After all, there wasn’t any law that said you couldn’t comprehend the supreme truth without first grasping the Yin God path.

"Well, you're talented enough to mess around however you like," Oxhorn Sister said, waving off the matter as she sauntered away.

Qi Yuan packed up his things and disappeared in a streak of light.

When he reappeared, he stood before a pavilion.

“Are you… Myriad Dao?”

A friendly voice called out.

“I’m Lin Daihu!”

Two men and one woman approached him, with the scholar-like young man in the lead smiling warmly.

To participate in the Yin God Debate, one had to register and join a group.

Qi Yuan had signed up under the name Myriad Dao and was promptly added to a group by Lin Daihu.

Lin Daihu was the type who got along with everyone, and he had formed a small circle of Purple Mansion cultivators attending the Yin God Debate.

The idea was that by going together, they could look out for each other and also exchange insights.

“This is Feng Can, and this is Yu Jiao,” Lin Daihu introduced the other two.

Qi Yuan gave the two a quick glance. Hmm, very ordinary Purple Mansion cultivators.

Their cultivation, appearance, and even their backgrounds seemed plain.

That was just fine. Qi Yuan had always preferred his freedom and didn’t want to deal with arrogant or conceited cultivators at this time.

If Lin Daihu hadn’t been so enthusiastic and Qi Yuan hadn’t had a bit of social anxiety, he wouldn’t have come at all.

“Lin, you know the Yin God Debate best. Which speaker is the most unique or interesting?” Qi Yuan asked, getting to the point.

That was why he’d come.

Lin Daihu had done his homework on the debate, and Qi Yuan, being rather lazy, hadn’t bothered preparing.

“The more unique ones are in the Yellow Tier area. But… the teachings there are often so outlandish that most can’t follow them,” Lin Daihu explained, also warning Qi Yuan.

“Usually, only those who struggle to step into the Yin God realm go to the Yellow Tier area. Why would you go there? Are you seeking insights for a friend or family member?” Yu Jiao asked curiously.

Generally, anyone who made it to the Realm of Supreme Truth to attend this debate was confident in their own ability to reach the Yin God realm.

So Yu Jiao assumed Qi Yuan was here to gain knowledge for someone else.

She deduced that Qi Yuan probably came from a less prominent background, but was talented enough to join a major sect.

However, he was still tied to family obligations.

“No, it's for myself,” Qi Yuan replied truthfully, his expression serious. "Cultivation is difficult. Every step is like walking on thin ice—there are too many dangers along the way."

"You're right, fellow Daoist. We ordinary folk with average talent and backgrounds can't compare to those prodigies," Lin Daihu sighed.

That was precisely why he enjoyed making friends, never hesitating to share his resources.

"Yeah, it's tough. If I wasn’t lucky and smart, I’d probably be dead already. Honestly, if you gave my cultivation path to a Yang God, they wouldn’t survive either," Qi Yuan shrugged.

The three beside him were taken aback, with Yu Jiao pursing her lips, keeping silent.

Lin Daihu, however, chuckled. “It seems your cultivation path has been full of dangers.”

“I’m heading to the Yellow Tier area. What about you?” Qi Yuan asked.

“Why not go together? The Yin God Debate lasts quite some time. It wouldn't hurt to hear some of the more unconventional ideas. You never know what you might learn," Lin Daihu suggested.

The other two nodded in agreement, not objecting.

"Alright."

The four of them headed toward the Yellow Tier section of the Yin God Debate.

The Realm of Supreme Truth was vast, and the location of the Yin God Debate was in a smaller world.

As soon as Qi Yuan stepped inside, he couldn’t help but exclaim, “Wow, it’s true. Purple Mansion cultivators really are everywhere.”

All around him, as far as the eye could see, were Purple Mansion cultivators—vast crowds of them.

Feng Can chuckled, “In a place like this… even dogs are rare.”

Lin Daihu had certainly done his homework. In no time at all, he led the group to the Yellow Tier area, even securing a celestial boat for them to ride.

Now seated aboard the boat, they gazed at the towering mountains in the distance as they chatted.

Meanwhile, Qi Yuan’s attention was on his game jade slip.

So far, the game had loaded about two-thirds of the way.

Just as he immersed himself in the jade slip, he heard the familiar silent voice.

“Are you eavesdropping on me or something? Every time I focus, you start talking,” Qi Yuan complained.

“I don’t have time to chat right now, and I definitely don’t want to tell you another sequel to ‘Journey to the West.’ I have to attend the Yin God Debate.

Ugh, the Yin God realm is so difficult…”

Qi Yuan sighed.

For some reason, he had discovered that chatting with the source of the silent voice sped up the loading of the new game.

So, he often engaged in idle chit-chat with it.

But his social anxiety made for awkward conversations.

He often resorted to phrases like, "Have you eaten yet?" or "What are you doing?"

The other party clearly didn’t have a mouth—probably blind too—so it wasn’t like they could eat.

So, Qi Yuan usually resorted to telling stories to pass the time.

And the owner of the silent voice really loved listening.

“Fine, I’ll tell you a bit more,” Qi Yuan began again.

“Sun Wukong, facing the evil Buddha Wutian, was just about to transform and slaughter him.

Suddenly, a flash of golden light appeared, and who should show up but Huluwa Little Gold? He shouted at Sun Wukong, ‘Dad, Wutian Buddha is your father!’

Sun Wukong was dumbfounded, feeling as though the world was spinning…”

When it came to telling stories, the wilder, the better.

And of course, to avoid outright copying, he had to make some adjustments.

After all, the original "Grandpa" in Huluwa had an unknown identity.

So, what if it turned out to be Wutian Buddha? Would that be too much?

Qi Yuan continued with his nonsense storytelling.

Some time passed before Lin Daihu reminded him from the side.

“Myriad Dao, the Yin God Debate is starting. The lectures are about to begin!” Lin Daihu called out.

Qi Yuan withdrew his consciousness from the game jade slip.

Sitting on the celestial boat, he looked up at the sky.

Above, countless peaks stood tall, suspended in midair and shrouded in clouds.

On each peak, dozens of Yin Gods sat cross-legged, exuding immortal energy with their celestial robes billowing.

“The path of the Yin God lies in the divine.

Purple Mansion cultivators are still mortal, but Yin Gods transcend mortality and become divine.

To step into the Yin God realm, one must convert their spiritual energy into celestial spiritual energy…”

The Yin Gods began to speak, sharing their insights into the Yin God path.

As their voices echoed through the heavens, the laws of the universe seemed to ripple with their words.

Watching the spectacle, Lin Daihu looked excited. "No wonder they say Yin Gods’ lectures are enlightening. Just hearing a single sentence gives me new insights."

Using the compass on their celestial boat, they could focus on any speaker they wanted, isolating that speaker’s voice for their own listening.

Qi Yuan, meanwhile, listened carefully to these lectures, his eyes closed in contemplation.

For Qi Yuan, his path had already diverged from the traditional cultivation route.

He was well aware of this.

His path as a Yin God would be different from these speakers'.

He needed to forge his own way.

But before that, he needed a deeper understanding of the traditional Yin God path.

About half a day passed.

Qi Yuan felt somewhat disappointed.

The teachings from these lecturers weren’t much different from what he already knew.

“These people are average at best,” Qi Yuan muttered under his breath.

Yu Jiao, overhearing him, was surprised. "You’re quite ambitious, aren’t you?"

Feng Can also glanced at Qi Yuan, thinking he was a bit too arrogant.

The speakers here weren’t necessarily the top prodigies, but they weren’t far from it either.

In their respective sects, they were considered among the best.

Lin Daihu quickly added, "As cultivators, we must neither be too arrogant nor belittle ourselves."

It seemed Qi Yuan hadn’t picked up on the subtleties in their words and instead asked, "What do you all think is the biggest difference between Purple Mansion cultivators and Yin Gods?"

Lin Daihu blinked at the unexpected question before responding instinctively, "The transformation of internal spiritual energy into celestial spiritual energy?"

A Yin God could destroy a kingdom with a single strike—that was the power of celestial spiritual energy.

No matter how powerful a Purple Mansion cultivator’s innate magical powers were, they could never compare to the might of celestial energy. The two forces simply weren’t on the same level.

“But… why is it that the gods I remember were all omnipotent, while these Yin Gods seem like I could kill them with one slap?”

Qi Yuan pondered aloud.

To him, the gap between gods and mortals was vast.

Gods were supposed to be almost all-powerful.

Shouldn’t gods be able to create worlds, at the very least?

If they couldn’t even create living beings, could they still be called gods?

In contrast, the Yin Gods of the Sixth Heaven were undoubtedly powerful.

But they fell short of what Qi Yuan imagined a god should be.

“Ahem, you probably shouldn’t say things like that,” Lin Daihu quickly advised, concerned that a senior might overhear.

Qi Yuan, however, was lost in thought.

His mind raced with ideas.

"These Yin Gods couldn’t even beat me, a mere Purple Mansion cultivator."

"There’s something wrong here!"

“This means they aren’t true gods—they’re fake gods!

“If a god can be killed by someone below their level, how can they still be called a god?”

In Qi Yuan’s understanding, gods weren’t necessarily omnipotent or omniscient, but they should at least wield immense divine power.

If a mere transcendent being could kill a god, it seriously diminished their divine status.

"So, to truly become a god… shouldn’t I at least have a divine domain? Or create a world?"

Qi Yuan’s thoughts spun wildly.

That being on Gongxing seemed more like a true god to him.

After all, according to Zero-One, Gongxing’s existence stemmed from her thoughts.

A single thought giving rise to a world—now that was godlike.

"So, my Yin God path has to be held to that standard."

Qi Yuan thought seriously.

It had been a long time since he’d really flexed his mental muscles!

Once he started thinking, it was hard to stop.

At the same time, he began to adapt his Qi Yuan Scripture with this divine law in mind.

After an unknown amount of time, Qi Yuan suddenly paused.

“If I want to create a world, I must first understand the world.”

“I know about the myriad ways, but simply knowing isn't enough. How can I create?”

This presented a major challenge.

“Could it be that I need to become all things first before I can truly understand them?”

Qi Yuan delved deeper into thought.

He was tempted to swallow the Ascension Blood Insight Pill.

But he knew he needed to save it for the right moment.

After all, it would be much more useful in front of the Wall of Supreme Truth.

After some time, Qi Yuan opened his eyes, a glint of clarity flashing through them.

“Indeed, staying in a place with a strong cultural atmosphere really makes my mind sharper.”

He had already come up with some ideas regarding his Yin God path.

Lin Daihu turned to him. "Fellow Daoist, have you gained some insights? Shall we head to the Heaven Tier area to continue listening?"

Feng Can and Yu Jiao also looked at Qi Yuan expectantly.

The Yin God Debate lasted quite a while, and they had gained a lot from the Yellow Tier area.

“No, listening any further would be pointless.” Qi Yuan shook his head.

Feng Can couldn’t help but comment, “Could it be that you’ve already comprehended everything?”

Of course, his tone carried a hint of sarcasm.

After all, throughout the debate, Qi Yuan had been acting rather arrogantly, speaking as if he were superior to the others.

To Feng Can, it was off-putting—he couldn’t respect someone who hadn’t yet mastered their temper, let alone someone who acted high and mighty without reason.

“I haven’t, but I’m in a hurry to attend the Supreme Truth Debate, so this Yin God Debate ends here for me,” Qi Yuan said lazily.

“The Supreme Truth Debate?” Lin Daihu froze, his eyes widening.

The Supreme Truth Debate was an event where only Yang Gods could participate.

Even within major sects, only the very top prodigies were allowed to attend, and they were usually just there to observe.

Could it be… Myriad Dao was hiding his true identity and was actually one of those rare, unparalleled prodigies?

“Goodbye, everyone.” Without waiting for their reactions, Qi Yuan departed, his figure vanishing in an instant.

The guards overseeing the Yin God Debate, seeing Qi Yuan leave, didn’t dare stop him.

Yu Jiao’s expression grew complicated as a strange sense of loss welled up within her.

"Could what he said actually be true?"

Feng Can paused. “Myriad Dao has always spoken out of turn. He’s capable of saying anything.”

His words sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

Only Lin Daihu wore a joyful expression. “If it’s true, that would be wonderful.”

After all, this was all about building connections!

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