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

Chapter 199: The Myth Plan

As Qi Qi sat beside Qi Yuan and listened to him speak, she couldn't help but give him a thumbs-up.

“Godfather, you’re truly one in a billion. Out of all the Golden Core cultivators in the Fanxin World, not one of them has... condensed a golden core like yours.” It was hard to tell if Qi Qi was praising or mocking him.

“Indeed, the Fanxin World is a bit lacking. I know a friend who not only condensed a golden core but also a Nascent Soul,” Qi Yuan said, thinking of the Wise True Monarch.

The Wise True Monarch lived up to his name, possessing great wisdom.

Qi Qi took a sip of her soup, making a soft slurping sound before setting her porcelain spoon down to speak. “Honestly, Godfather, I think condensing a stellar Nascent Soul is more impressive than a stellar golden core.”

“And why do you say that?” Qi Yuan asked, genuinely curious.

“A Nascent Soul is the foundation of a true god. The stronger the Nascent Soul, the stronger you’ll be as a true god. A golden core is just a transition; it’s something you’ll eventually shatter anyway, so it doesn’t really matter how well you form it,” Qi Qi explained, sharing what she knew.

“Sigh, you’re definitely not as wise as the Wise True Monarch. Sometimes, his words make me feel enlightened. But listening to you... feels like a waste of time,” Qi Yuan said, shaking his head.

Nearby, Zhao Zun noticed their conversation winding down and took the opportunity to report the current situation in Fei Wu City to Qi Yuan. Although he was reporting to Qi Yuan, Qi Qi was listening closely.

After the report, Zhao Zun said, “Lord, I ran into an old acquaintance in Fei Wu City. She asked me to give you a gift.”

Zhao Zun then recounted his encounter with Yang Lian and described the situation with her sister.

He also relayed Yang Lian’s message that her sister was too weak to see anyone.

“A gift?” Qi Yuan's interest was piqued. “A little girl sent me a gift? Seems like I'm really winning hearts and minds here—destiny is on my side!”

He was eager as he took the blood-red jade leaf from Zhao Zun's hands.

[Blood Jade Leaf, a unique creation, stained with the blood of a true god. Wearing it in the Fanxin World increases your luck by one.]

“Luck?” Qi Yuan examined the leaf, his eyes filled with curiosity.

Luck was a somewhat abstract concept. In the past, when he controlled the Heavenly Dao in the Moon Watching Continent, he could bestow luck upon others, but it was a very shallow effect.

“I’ll accept her gift. I just wonder when I’ll have the chance to return the favor,” Qi Yuan mused.

Zhao Zun had already conveyed the message that the girl didn’t want to see anyone, so Qi Yuan thought it was enough to accept the gift without being presumptuous.

Zhao Zun bowed his head. “I’ll relay your words to her, Lord.”

“Good,” Qi Yuan replied.

Half a day later, in a small courtyard, Yang Lian looked at a familiar figure with a smile on her face. “No need for a return gift. Just thank the Origin Heavenly Venerable for his kindness.”

How could anything match the value of world luck as a return gift? Yang Lian doubted that even a god could repay such a gift.

Seven days passed quickly.

The expedition team, consisting of the Eighteen Arhats and the Four Heavenly Kings, had already returned to Fei Wu City. This time, they split into two groups and, following Qi Yuan’s plan, executed each step meticulously.

The remaining two cities fell quickly to their surprise attack, with the resident evil gods caught off guard and slain.

Of the seven cities in Fei Ling Prefecture, four were previously under the complete control of evil gods. Now, only the prefecture’s capital remained. According to intelligence, a powerful evil god at the Second Step of Heaven was set to take control of it.

This evil god was mid-stage Second Step, a formidable opponent. Even if the Four Heavenly Kings and Eighteen Arhats joined forces, defeating this god would be challenging.

The entire Fei Ling Prefecture was now in turmoil. On one hand, Qi Yuan’s forces were actively hunting down and killing evil gods and their followers. On the other hand, many of the remaining evil god followers were lying low, waiting for the arrival of the new prefecture lord to purge the ancient gods.

The whole prefecture was on edge. The noble families who initially planned to flee didn’t slow down despite Qi Yuan’s campaign against the evil gods; in fact, they hurried even faster, fearing they might become collateral damage. Those who remained were mostly common cultivators and the poor masses. Of course, a few noble families also made their way to Fei Wu City, choosing to stand with the Origin Heavenly Venerable against the impending crisis.

In just a few days, the once-empty Fei Wu City had become lively again. Every day, there were feasts along the streets, filling the city with a rare sense of joy and celebration amidst the pervasive blood mist.

Qi Qi stood on the city walls, watching the people below enjoy the feast, smiles lighting up their faces. She couldn’t help but recall the day she stood on a mountain, witnessing the endless rain of heavenly fire that reduced Tianfu City to ashes. Countless citizens rose up in resistance, but in the end, Tianfu was consumed by flames.

“Maybe, in this oppressive world, sharing a feast of an evil god’s bounty is the only thing worth celebrating,” Qi Qi thought to herself. “No wonder people hold feasts after death—perhaps it’s to dispel the fear of death with the lively atmosphere.”

“Miss Qi Qi, the Lord is preparing to return to Qing Shui Village.”

“Alright, I’ll go see him off!” Qi Qi lifted her head, her eyes bright with anticipation.

Her godfather was returning to Qing Shui Village to head to the ancestral land. She, along with the Four Heavenly Kings and some of the Arhats, would stay behind to guard Fei Wu City.

Back in Qing Shui Village, the Thunder God Venerable couldn’t help but smile when he received the news.

“This guy really is bold—he’s already killed three evil gods?”

Hearing the news, the Shenlei Venerable was both impressed and taken aback. This Origin Heavenly Venerable was truly a man of action.

“The Flowing Venerable could be a problem...” The Shenlei Venerable knew a bit about the gods in Lin Kingdom before he arrived. The Flowing Venerable was the son of a Great Venerable and the brother-in-law of Zhang Feng.

He hadn’t expected the Flowing Venerable to be the new evil god of Fei Wu City.

After thinking for a moment, he activated a jade slip. Immediately, his shadow appeared in an ancient land.

An old man with white hair was meditating with his eyes closed. When he sensed the presence, he opened his eyes. “Shenlei Venerable, is there trouble in the Northern Region?”

“Ahem...” Shenlei Venerable coughed, his aura somewhat weakened. “I’m here to ask for a favor.”

“Don’t tell me you’ve been reckless again, randomly attacking evil gods and exposing yourself?” The white-haired old man spoke in exasperation.

This old friend was good in many ways, but he was too reckless and never listened to advice. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be so battered and bruised.

“Ahem, this time it wasn’t me being reckless,” Shenlei Venerable admitted, embarrassed. “It’s my... Qing Shui Village guardian who was reckless. I couldn’t stop him.”

“Oh?” The white-haired old man was intrigued. “Your disciple, reckless? Interesting. Wasn’t he supposed to be staying in the village? Did he run off and seduce an evil god’s daughter?”

“No, nothing like that. He... killed all the evil gods in Fei Ling Prefecture,” Shenlei Venerable said gravely.

For him, killing a few evil gods wasn’t the issue. The real problem was what came after.

The Northern Region was a stronghold of the evil gods, their main base.

Hearing this, the white-haired old man was stunned. “How could he be so bold?”

He muttered to himself, then grew worried. “You should take him and flee south before the evil gods catch on. His talent is exceptional—able to visualize over twenty legendary gods. Even if he’s not a Heaven’s Chosen, he might as well be.”

“I... can’t take him,” Shenlei Venerable said bitterly.

“You can’t even control your own disciple?” The white-haired old man was furious.

“Ahem, is it possible he’s not actually my disciple?” Shenlei Venerable looked even more embarrassed.

“What?”

“Sigh, when I first went to Qing Shui Village, he told me he already had a master and didn’t want to become my disciple. I didn’t want to force him... into being my disciple. But then he went to the Hundred Flowers Conference and brought back the Great Venerable of Qionghua as his vassal.” Every time he thought about it, Shenlei Venerable found it unbelievable.

“A Great Venerable? As a vassal? Shenlei Venerable, are you pulling my leg?” The white-haired old man was incredulous.

A Great Venerable becoming the vassal of a mere Purple Palace cultivator? It was unheard of.

“I’m not lying. If I am, may I be struck by five lightning bolts!”

“Ha, lightning strikes would be like a tickle for you,” the white-haired old man laughed.

“Anyway, his talent is truly exceptional, but he’s incredibly stubborn. I can’t persuade him to leave,” Shenlei Venerable said with a sigh.

“Useless! Just knock him out and bring him back!” The white-haired old man was frustrated.

“I don’t want to be the bad guy.” Shenlei Venerable hesitated before adding, “His talent is too great. He can’t break through to the True God realm using treasure alone, so he’s planning to seek an opportunity in the ancestral land of the Gu Clan.”

The white-haired old man fell silent, contemplating the situation. After a long pause, he finally spoke. “So, you want me to be the bad guy?”

The ancestral land of the Gu Clan was located in the Southern Region.

Shenlei Venerable let out a long breath. “If he emerges from the ancestral land without breaking through to the True God realm, you can deceive him, make up a story about a way to break through, and keep him in the Southern Region. If he does break through, you must keep him there—his future is no less than that of a Heaven’s Chosen.”

This was the hope of the Fanxin World.

When the time was right, the gates would be opened, and these seeds of hope would be sent out of the Fanxin World.

Shenlei Venerable spoke earnestly, hoping to convey the gravity of the situation.

Against the evil gods, the Fanxin World was already weakened. In the great war of Hongtang, all the mythical beings had fallen. Now, the ancient gods had to use the last of their strength to protect the seeds of hope and send them away.

Of course, given the evil gods' blockade, it was unlikely that many ancient gods would escape the Fanxin World.

But if even one could escape, it would be worth it.

The white-haired old man looked at Shenlei Venerable and, after a long pause, finally said, “I don’t know if the Myth Plan will succeed. But if his talent is sufficient, he can have one of the core spots.”

“Thank you,” Shenlei Venerable said sincerely.

The Myth Plan didn’t have core spots for people like them. Those were reserved for the seeds of hope.

They, the True Gods, were merely sacrifices.

When the time came, the ancient gods would split into two groups. One group would launch a massive assault on the evil gods in the Fanxin World, drawing their attention. The other group would break open the gates and send the mythical beings and seeds of hope out.

Of course, the likelihood of breaking through the evil gods' blockade was slim, but they had to try.

“By the way, Zhu Kexiu recently obtained a new artifact and has been sent outside the heavens. He’s returned now, and his divine domain has grown even stronger,” the white-haired old man warned.

Zhu Kexiu had once been a close friend of Shenlei Venerable. However, this Great Venerable had chosen to betray the ancient gods and join the evil gods.

Shenlei Venerable had been furious at the betrayal, charging headlong into battle against two Great Venerables, including Zhu Kexiu. Had the white-haired old man not intervened, Shenlei Venerable might have perished.

“Damn that bastard! Am I really no match for him now?” The Thunder God Venerable cursed, then sighed in resignation. “But I probably won’t get another chance to fight him.”

Hearing this, the white-haired old man felt a pang of sorrow. He had mentioned Zhu Kexiu to stir up Shenlei Venerable's desire for revenge.

Shenlei Venerable looked at the white-haired old man with a serene smile.

“When I trick that kid into staying in the Southern Region, he’ll probably hold a grudge against me. I won’t dare face him again—it would just be awkward. So, let this broken old body do one last thing for him. I’ll help him clear out Fei Ling Prefecture and deal with Zhang Feng.”

He was already seriously injured, with only about three hundred years of life left. He knew he wouldn’t stand a chance against any Great Venerable now.

But he was confident he could take down the mid-stage Second Step evil god in Fei Ling Prefecture and Zhang Feng, the Third Step traitor. However, once he did, he knew he wouldn’t be able to escape the fallen region.

The white-haired old man looked at Shenlei Venerable, deeply moved. “I’ll take care of him.”

“Alright, no more talk. That kid is probably on his way back,” Shenlei Venerable said as his projection faded away beside the white-haired old man.

In the desolate land, with blood flowing like rivers, the white-haired old man stood up, gazing at the sky, his expression somber.

At that moment, his jade slip glowed, and a figure cloaked in black appeared. Seeing this figure, the white-haired old man’s expression tightened. “Why have you come? Be careful!”

The figure in the black robe spoke in a hoarse voice, “I’ve found a new node. It’s located in the heavens...”

The white-haired old man’s eyes lit up with joy. “Another node? That’s good news.”

Nodes were critical to the Myth Plan, determining whether they could open the gates of the Fanxin World and escape.

The black-robed figure remained motionless, showing no sign of joy. After several seconds of silence, his calm voice broke the stillness. “I killed the Pear Blossom Great Venerable.”

The white-haired old man fell silent, his voice turning hoarse. “That wasn’t your fault.”

“Hmm.” The black-robed figure responded lightly and disappeared.

Back in Qing Shui Village, Shi Chongshan came forward to greet them. Seeing the large black dog, he smiled warmly. “Brother, you’ve returned.”

The black dog nodded in a human-like gesture. It glanced at Zhu Zhuangshi nearby, opening its mouth to spit out a large bone.

Shi Chongshan saw this and said to Zhu Zhuangshi, “Hurry up and thank my brother. He was thinking of you even during the feast and brought you back a bone!”

Zhu Zhuangshi looked at the bone, on the verge of tears.

He had once brought a bone home for the black dog after a feast, and now karma had come full circle.

He didn’t dare be angry at the black dog, so he glared at Shi Chongshan instead. “When I get stronger, I’ll make you pay, you treacherous scoundrel!”

Of course, he wouldn’t actually eat the bone—the black dog wasn’t really trying to insult him.

“Alright, enough nonsense. We need to pick some people to go with me to the ancestral land,” Qi Yuan said as he appeared, addressing the village chief, Yu Lei.

Yu Lei's heart leaped as he quickly responded, “How many people, Lord?”

“Hmm... seven or eight,” Qi Yuan said casually.

This time, he planned to take the Dragon Subduing Arhat, the Tiger Subduing Arhat, the Long-Browed Arhat, and the Happy Arhat with him. He also thought about bringing seven or eight villagers along.

“Lord, may I go as well?” Yu Lei asked eagerly.

“You can go if you’re not afraid of death,” Qi Yuan said coolly.

Entering the ancestral land was extremely dangerous for anyone below the True God level. Even Great Venerables could perish there, let alone these villagers.

“Let the villagers volunteer, but make sure they understand the risks. If no one volunteers, just... pick anyone. If too many volunteer, choose the strongest eight,” Qi Yuan instructed.

This time, he wanted to be prepared for the journey into the ancestral land.

According to what Yu Lei and Shen Tu had told him, there were many dangerous areas in the ancestral land, but also many safe ones. With his ability to sense fortune and disaster, Qi Yuan believed he was well-suited to navigate it.

After finishing his instructions, Qi Yuan turned to Shenlei Venerable. “Thunder Old Man, why don’t you come with me to the Gu Clan’s ancestral land as my bodyguard?”

Shenlei Venerable gave Qi Yuan a sidelong glance. “You wish.”

“Sigh, you’re freeloading in our Qing Shui Village, doing absolutely nothing. During the last expedition, I even asked you to join the music band and add some thunder effects for the BGM, but you refused. You’re so stingy—might as well be a mascot,” Qi Yuan grumbled.

Shenlei Venerable was always eager to eat but never lifted a finger to help.

“Don’t worry. I have a great gift for you when you get back!” Shenlei Venerable stroked his beard, looking smug.

“Just don’t make it too abstract,” Qi Yuan shot back. “All I ever expect from you is to add some BGM for me.”

“Do you think I, a Great Venerable, would stoop so low as to provide background thunder for your battles? Dream on!” Shenlei Venerable glared at Qi Yuan, deeply insulted.

To think a proud warrior like him would be reduced to mere sound effects—it was unthinkable.

Qi Yuan looked at him and sighed. “Thunder is an art, too. Looks like I’ll have to call in the Thunder Department.”

The Thunder Department was one of the Eight Divisions of Heaven. They were responsible for managing thunder, rain, wind, and clouds, and had the authority to monitor and judge good and evil across the Three Realms.

The Thunder Department was quite famous among the Eight Divisions, overseen by the Nine Heavens Indestructible Heavenly Venerable. It was said that this Venerable was an avatar of one of the Four Imperial Lords, the Eternal Life Emperor.

If Qi Yuan could visualize this Venerable, he would definitely have the most epic special effects in every battle, with lightning flashing all around. Of course, the Venerable’s status was quite high, and Qi Yuan might not have enough evil god power to visualize him yet.

But he could start with the Five Thunder Emperors and the Thirty-Six Thunder Generals. They should be easier to visualize, and they’d still bring top-notch effects to the table.

“What’s this Thunder Department now?” Shenlei Venerable chuckled. “You folks at the Huaxia Dragon Group sure are something!”