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

Young Master Tu San glanced at the two women beside him—one tall and serene like jade, the other petite and lively—his gaze flashing with a trace of astonishment.

“Senior, I... cough cough... I’m a bit short on funds lately,” he said awkwardly.

His visit to the black market was primarily to purchase materials on behalf of a Bloodthorn Elder.

That elder’s outrageous demands had left Tu San financially drained.

Still, he eventually steeled himself to proceed with the transaction.

“Looks like I’ve lost my chance at fortune.”

Qi Yuan sighed, disappointment evident in his tone.

Nearby, the petite woman glanced at Tu San, her expression smug.

“From the sound of it, you spent ten thousand taels on this... lightsaber?”

Her expression made it clear—three parts of her thought Tu San was an idiot, and seven parts thought he was a conspirator.

Tu San hesitated for a moment before turning to glance at the taller, icy woman standing nearby.

Ultimately, he chose not to argue.

Instead, he turned back to Qi Yuan and asked cautiously,

“Senior, does this weapon truly have the abilities you claim?”

When dealing with the Bloodthorn Elder, Tu San needed a reliable means of self-defense.

“It’s absolutely genuine. With this lightsaber in hand, you can swagger through the Ning Kingdom with confidence,” Qi Yuan said.

“And by the way,” he continued, “there are still two more available. They’re incredibly cheap, but if you don’t grab them soon, there might not be any stock left in a few days.”

“Hah! Without your lightsaber, this auntie can also swagger through the Ning Kingdom!”

A mischievous voice interrupted from the side as the petite woman broke into a radiant grin.

She turned and began walking sideways like a crab to emphasize her words.

Seeing this, Qi Yuan’s gaze sharpened slightly.

This game still has truly bold players! he thought.

The phrase “swagger through the Ning Kingdom” was intentionally ambiguous, carrying a double meaning: one literal and the other alluding to the invulnerability granted by the lightsaber’s divine summoning ability.

Yet this petite woman mocked the phrase so openly.

Tu San laughed awkwardly.

“Well, your assurance certainly gives me peace of mind.”

But in truth, he only half-believed Qi Yuan.

After all, if Qi Yuan’s capabilities were as extraordinary as he claimed, wouldn’t he keep the lightsaber for himself and directly rob people instead of selling it?

Tu San, ever cautious, assessed others through a lens of suspicion.

“Ah, it seems today will end without a single decent sale,” Qi Yuan lamented with a sigh.

“Hey! What about my ninety-nine taels? Doesn’t that count as a sale?” the petite woman interjected indignantly.

“A small sale doesn’t count,” Qi Yuan replied earnestly.

“You...!”

The petite woman was momentarily rendered speechless. Finally, she pointed to several small, ungraded items on Qi Yuan’s stall and declared forcefully,

“These... wrap them all up. I’m buying them!”

Her tone was imperious. Though wary of the high-priced lightsaber, she opted to buy the ungraded items instead—anything to avoid being ripped off by an overpriced artifact.

Qi Yuan’s face lit up as he quickly wrapped up her selected items.

“That’ll be five hundred and seventy-two taels in total,” he announced.

He quoted a precise amount to convey professionalism.

The petite woman frowned slightly.

Ordinarily, she wouldn’t have spent so much on ungraded artifacts.

But in comparison to the ten-thousand-tael lightsaber, this price seemed tolerable.

Moreover, the quirky designs of these artifacts intrigued her.

“Now does this count as a proper sale?” she asked after completing her purchase.

“A medium sale doesn’t count as a proper one,” Qi Yuan replied matter-of-factly.

“Greedy scoundrel!” she spat, muttering under her breath.

Then, after a moment of thought, she spoke again,

“You’ve got talent. Want to join Heavenly Workshop and work for me?”

Her words revealed her true intentions.

Her grandfather was a high-ranking member of Heavenly Workshop, and her invitation was sincere.

The surrounding stall owners and passersby were stunned into silence.

“What?! Did she just mention the Heavenly Workshop?”

“Isn’t that on par with the Artifact Association?”

In the Blue Mountain Realm, most artifact masters were affiliated with the Artifact Association, a massive organization responsible for certifying and regulating all magical artifacts.

The association wielded immense political and economic influence.

But there existed a peer institution—the Heavenly Workshop—an exclusive alternative to the Artifact Association.

Unlike the association, which accepted nearly all artifact masters, the Heavenly Workshop prided itself on only recruiting prodigies.

While its membership was far smaller, its influence was no less significant.

Many artifact masters dreamed of joining its ranks, though only Earth-grade artifact masters could apply directly.

“Does the Heavenly Workshop pay ten thousand taels per month?

Do they provide free materials?” Qi Yuan asked casually, his tone nonchalant.

“...You’re insane!”

The petite woman was furious.

Recalling her elder sister’s earlier remark—"This one’s mad”—she realized it wasn’t an exaggeration.

Ten thousand taels per month? Even Heaven-grade artifact masters wouldn’t make such demands!

“In that case, your offer’s too low. I’m not interested.”

Qi Yuan waved dismissively.

His refusal left onlookers utterly bewildered.

Joining the Heavenly Workshop was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most artifact masters. Who in their right mind would turn it down?

“Do you even know what the Heavenly Workshop represents?”

The petite woman was both shocked and infuriated.

Qi Yuan’s artifacts, though ungraded, were brimming with creative ingenuity—exactly the kind of talent the Heavenly Workshop valued.

“No salary, no free materials, and not even...”

Qi Yuan glanced at the tall, icy woman beside the petite one.

“No mount provided? Not interested.”

“You...”

The petite woman’s fists clenched in frustration, her chest rising and falling in anger.

“Here. Take this Heavenly Workshop token.

If you ever decide to join, you can use it to enter.

Just remember—it’s non-transferable.”

She handed over a token to Qi Yuan before storming off with her newly purchased items.

The nearby crowd looked on enviously as Qi Yuan pocketed the insignia.

That night, after hours of unsuccessful attempts to sell more artifacts, Qi Yuan sighed as he packed up his stall.

“It seems heaven doesn’t favor hard work.

I’ve toiled until midnight, yet I haven’t made a single decent sale.”

“Old man, am I not working hard enough?”

“Master, you’re extremely diligent!”

Chen Kangbao replied earnestly, eager to appease.

“Let’s go home,” Qi Yuan said, and the two began their journey back to the Shen household.

Under the deep, cold night sky, the moonlight appeared particularly desolate.

When Qi Yuan returned to the Shen residence, he noticed that the household seemed unusually tidy and festive compared to normal.

“Brother-in-law, you’re finally back!”

From the main gate, a sleepy-eyed Shen Lingfeng peeked out, his face marked by dark circles.

“My sister came back today!” Shen Lingfeng exclaimed.

“Unfortunately, she only stayed for a little over an hour. She had urgent matters to attend to, so she returned to Mount Ye Lake.”

Shen Lingfeng’s tone was filled with regret.

After all, his sister and brother-in-law hadn’t yet officially met.

“It’s fine,” Qi Yuan said, smiling faintly.

“Brother-in-law... my sister isn’t like ordinary women.

You might be a charmer, with a knack for melting hearts with just a few words.

But my sister? She’s a true disciple of the Heavenly Sect—cold and indifferent.

If not for her unique physique, she probably wouldn’t have married in this lifetime.”

Shen Lingfeng now stood firmly on Qi Yuan’s side.

“I hope you win her over soon! That way, our parents can finally rest easy.”

“Oh?”

Qi Yuan raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

Shen Lingfeng leaned closer, whispering,

“My sister’s physique is... unique.

Many people covet her for it.”

“In fact,” Shen Lingfeng continued, “even I’ve never seen my sister’s true face.”

He sighed, his expression one of helplessness.

A furnace physique?

Qi Yuan speculated silently.

He thought back to the icy woman he had encountered earlier that day, whose aura seemed shrouded in mist and mystery, making it impossible to discern her true form.

---

The winding path stretched on as three figures hurried forward.

Leading the group was a well-dressed nobleman with a refined and elegant demeanor.

Behind him were two individuals resembling servants, each carrying goods on their shoulders.

A closer look revealed that these "servants" were burly and powerfully built, clearly far from ordinary individuals.

The three walked in silence, with Young Master Tu San’s expression heavy.

“Fourth Uncle, Elder Zhan Lei, we’ll reach Kunling Crossing in a little while,” he said solemnly.

In the face of threats from the Bloodthorn Elder, Young Master Tu San hadn’t taken the matter lightly.

After deliberating, he had reported the situation to his family.

As a result, his Fourth Uncle and Elder Zhan Lei had disguised themselves as servants and accompanied him.

Tu San’s Fourth Uncle was an Earth-grade low-tier weapon master, renowned for his exceptional combat prowess. He was famed for having once decapitated an Earth-grade Specter with a single slash of his massive blade.

As for Elder Zhan Lei, she was even more formidable.

An Earth-grade mid-tier weapon master, she ranked among the top three combatants in the Tu family.

If Qi Yuan were present to see Zhan Lei, he might have remarked:

“Big. Huge. Absolutely massive!

Her name suits her perfectly—like a thunderous eagle in battle or a bolt of lightning on the battlefield. Truly, a ‘Thunder Rabbit.’”

“Don’t worry. The Bloodthorn Elder, Black Crow, is just an Earth-grade low-tier weapon master.

With Elder Zhan Lei and me here, there’s nothing to fear.

Even if he has hidden tricks or has recently advanced, the two of us are more than capable of dealing with him,” Fourth Uncle said nonchalantly.

“Hmph! He dares to covet the Tu family’s resources? Let’s see if he can swallow them,” Zhan Lei said, her eyes flashing with killing intent.

Hearing this, Young Master Tu San exhaled in relief.

Roughly two quarters of an hour later, Young Master Tu San stopped at the edge of Kunling Crossing.

Fourth Uncle and Elder Zhan Lei placed the goods they had been carrying onto the ground.

Tu San looked at the misty expanse of Kunling Crossing ahead and gave a deep bow.

“Elder Black Crow, Tu San has brought the resources as promised!”

His voice carried with authority, echoing into the foggy expanse.

Moments later, the sound of wings flapping could be heard, followed by a hoarse voice.

“Smart move. I’ve credited the contribution points to your token.”

As the voice fell silent, the goods on the ground suddenly levitated and flew toward the mist.

But just as they were about to vanish, an unexpected explosion erupted from the pile.

Boom!

A deafening blast shook the surroundings, sending mud and debris flying everywhere and leaving a massive crater in its wake.

In midair, Elder Black Crow, with feathers torn and several broken, was visibly injured.

His body bore wounds so deep that his pale bones were faintly visible.

Hovering unsteadily, his eyes burned with fury.

“You little brat! So you came here with ill intentions! You’ll pay with your life!”

He swooped down with murderous intent, heading straight for Tu San.

“Elder Black Crow, this is Jining Province! It’s not a place where you can act recklessly!”

Tu San’s Fourth Uncle shed his disguise, his body growing larger as a radiant golden light enveloped him.

In his hand appeared a massive blade that gleamed with a cold edge.

With a mighty swing, he struck downward with unparalleled force.

The blade cleaved through trees and rocks in its path, the sheer might of the attack colliding with Black Crow’s spiritual body and producing a metallic clang.

“Throw it!”

At that moment, Elder Zhan Lei shouted, swinging two enormous iron balls chained together.

The balls were massive, comparable in size to stone platforms used for drying grain, and their momentum was terrifying.

The air howled as they flew, their sheer weight and speed capable of crushing anything in their path.

Bang!

The strike shattered one of Black Crow’s wings completely, rendering him heavily injured in a single exchange.

“See, Little San? With me around, there’s nothing to worry about!”

Fourth Uncle patted his chest confidently, sure of their victory.

However, Tu San felt a twinge of unease.

Though they had grievously injured Black Crow, the elder’s strength meant he could likely retreat into Kunling Crossing unscathed.

Even so, the mission’s primary objectives—delivering resources without loss and ensuring Tu San’s safety—were already achieved.

But just then, a cold and sinister voice echoed across the area, sending chills down their spines.

“Black Crow, you’re utterly useless. You can’t even handle something this simple.”

Zhan Lei’s heart sank as she instinctively looked skyward.

In the air, a long, slender shadow appeared.

It was... a snake.

A snake with wings!

“Elder Winged Serpent, I beg you! Please help me kill these people!” Black Crow pleaded, panic evident in his voice.

The serpent’s cold, piercing gaze fell upon the trio. Instantly, a paralyzing fear gripped them.

“You’re the Winged Serpent from the Mo Shan Kingdom! Why are you here in Jining Province?”

Zhan Lei’s scalp went numb.

Their plan had only accounted for dealing with Black Crow, a peripheral elder of the Bloodthorn organization.

Killing him wouldn’t have caused significant repercussions.

But this was entirely different.

The Winged Serpent Elder was a full-fledged elder of Bloodthorn, based in the distant Mo Shan Kingdom over three thousand miles away.

His presence here meant something far more sinister was at play.

She and Fourth Uncle had thought Black Crow’s schemes were limited to extorting Tu San.

But the involvement of the Winged Serpent suggested a much deeper conspiracy.

The Winged Serpent Elder was an Earth-grade peak weapon master with a fearsome reputation.

Over a decade ago, during a war between the Ning Kingdom and the Mo Shan Kingdom, he had personally slain a high-tier Earth-grade weapon master from Ning—a prince, no less!

His infamy was well-earned.

The Winged Serpent’s cold eyes swept over them before settling on Black Crow.

“Did you get the item? The Division Envoy is growing impatient,” he asked.

“I have it!” Black Crow responded hastily.

Zhan Lei’s heart trembled.

In her eyes, the Winged Serpent was already a terrifyingly high-ranking figure.

But now, it seemed he was merely following orders from an even more powerful superior—the Division Envoy.

The envoy had sent him to Jining Province specifically to retrieve an item from Black Crow.

The implications were staggering.

The three Tu family members suddenly realized they had unwittingly stumbled into a colossal conspiracy, one far beyond their initial assumptions.

A small wooden box floated into the air and landed on the Winged Serpent’s back before vanishing into his storage artifact.

After confirming its authenticity, the serpent seemed satisfied.

“Where’s the man?” the Winged Serpent asked.

“He’s still alive. Even with the Division Envoy concealing his presence, I dared not overstep my bounds. I merely took what was needed,” Black Crow replied, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes.

The Winged Serpent nodded slightly.

“The item is all that matters. As for the man... he’s important, but not that important.”

Turning his attention to the three Tu family members, he sneered.

“Since I’ve come all this way to Ning Kingdom, it’d be rude to leave without sampling some... appetizers.”

He flicked out his forked tongue, its stench filling the air with a nauseating odor.

Tu San’s face went pale.

Zhan Lei and Fourth Uncle, who had been confident moments earlier, now looked visibly shaken.

This was an Earth-grade peak weapon master, a terrifying foe who could not be easily defeated even by the strongest of Ning Kingdom’s Heavenly Sect leaders.

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