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

Chapter 283: Are You the Master’s Illegitimate Son?

“You’re quite unexpected yourself.”

Qi Yuan glanced at the woman in the tight black outfit.

The woman was momentarily stunned. Her beautiful eyes flashed with a complex expression.

“Are you pretending to be sick?”

Her eyes were filled with surprise.

She had seen Qi Yuan's medical diagnosis and had spoken with the female doctor.

There was nothing wrong with Qi Yuan's diagnosis.

“How did you know? I’m indeed pretending to be sick. Having a certificate for mental illness makes things easier.”

Qi Yuan said seriously.

He always carried this mental illness certificate with him.

Now, he was just playing the role of a mentally ill person.

“Really?” The woman in tight clothes looked curious, unsure of what to think.

“Absolutely. Do I look like someone with a mental illness?” Qi Yuan said as if it were obvious.

Soon, the meal they ordered arrived.

Qi Yuan and the woman started eating and chatting as they ate.

“Where’s Cui Fan? I need to find him urgently,” Qi Yuan asked while eating a chicken leg.

He wanted to find Cui Fan to borrow some high-interest loans. Maybe he could borrow a million.

The woman in the tight outfit smiled charmingly, “He got arrested and is in jail.”

“Huh?” Qi Yuan was taken aback. “What happened?”

What kind of bad luck is this?

He had just talked to Cui Fan two days ago, planning to borrow some high-interest loans for some spending, and now he’s in jail?

“He was arrested for illegally operating high-interest loans and using violent methods to collect debts. Oh, by the way, Tianyue City has been cracking down on this recently, and most of the loan sharks have been caught,” the woman explained with a smile.

Qi Yuan was speechless.

“Are you short on cash?” the woman asked casually, glancing at Qi Yuan.

“Yes, I was planning to borrow some from the loan sharks,” Qi Yuan replied honestly.

From what Xiao Mei said, it seemed borrowing from loan sharks was off the table for now.

“Loan sharks have connections that are not to be messed with; they are either involved with the underworld or with... shady dealings. If you’re short on cash, it's better not to borrow from them,” the woman named Xiao Mei said softly.

In Tianyue City, the network of loan sharks was very intricate. Those caught were just scapegoats.

“But... I need money,” Qi Yuan said helplessly. “These police are too diligent. Couldn't they have waited until I borrowed the money before arresting them? That way, I wouldn’t even have to pay it back.”

“What do you need money for? How much?” the woman asked casually.

“I want to practice martial arts, to fight!” Qi Yuan said seriously. This was also his current main mission.

“Martial arts...” The woman in the tight outfit was momentarily stunned. It seemed she was thinking of something, and a complicated expression crossed her eyes. “Practicing martial arts has no future. Even if you become number one in Qin Yuan Nation, at best, you'll just be an internet celebrity.”

“Wouldn’t being an internet celebrity be quite profitable for someone with a mental illness like me?

Are you saying practicing martial arts is less promising than tightening screws in a factory?” Qi Yuan asked in surprise.

The woman in tight clothes was at a loss for words.

She was looking at it from too high a standpoint.

Indeed, for Qi Yuan, practicing martial arts was indeed a... path forward.

“If you need money, I can lend you some. How about 100,000?” the woman asked.

Qi Yuan felt disappointed at her words.

When he wanted to borrow money, he meant borrowing without the intention to repay.

With someone like Xiao Mei, it was obvious he’d have to pay it back.

“Sure, but could you lend a bit more?” Qi Yuan urgently needed money.

Besides the funds needed for martial arts training, he also needed to buy various materials for his immortal cultivation.

So, he needed to get more money.

“How about 9 million?” Qi Yuan looked at Xiao Mei with great anticipation. She seemed quite capable, so why not borrow a lot in one go? What if it worked out?

Xiao Mei was at a loss for words. She looked at Qi Yuan and finally said, “Thirty thousand at most.”

She had calculated the amount carefully.

Thirty thousand would be enough for Qi Yuan to dabble in martial arts.

“Alright, thirty thousand it is,” Qi Yuan was easily satisfied.

He spoke and gave Xiao Mei his bank account number.

Xiao Mei squinted at Qi Yuan. “This is our first meeting, and a blind date at that. I’m willing to lend you thirty thousand. Aren’t you afraid there’s some sort of plot?”

Indeed, under normal circumstances, today’s events wouldn’t have happened.

“I have a mental illness certificate. I’m not afraid of plots.” Qi Yuan said matter-of-factly.

“I’m starting to suspect you’re really just pretending,” the woman in tight clothes remarked.

“I told you, I’m pretending.”

“Alright, check your account. I’ve already transferred the money. Goodbye.”

The woman acted swiftly, immediately standing up. Her tight black outfit hugged her long legs, emphasizing her figure.

“Wait, don’t go yet. You haven’t paid for the meal!” Qi Yuan called out to the woman in the tight outfit.

The woman was momentarily stunned. “I should pay?”

“Have you ever seen a mentally ill person pay for their meal?”

The woman’s face froze, gritting her teeth as she looked at Qi Yuan. “Fine, I’ll pay!”

Qi Yuan lowered his head and continued eating his food at Qin De Ji.

The woman in the tight outfit paid for the meal, left the store, and got into a black sedan parked on the street.

Inside the car, two people were already seated.

A male driver and a large-built woman.

Both were seated in the front; the woman in the tight outfit sat in the back.

“Captain, did you finish the task?” the large-built woman asked in a rough voice.

“Yeah...” The woman in the tight outfit had a deep look in her eyes. “I’ve met the master's son... Judging by his condition, he seems fine. Looks like the information we received earlier was incorrect.”

A few days ago, the woman in tight clothes got news that the master’s son was critically ill, so she rushed back to meet Qi Yuan.

However, upon meeting him today, although Qi Yuan looked a bit weak, he could still eat. Even her military-grade diagnostic device didn’t detect any major issues with Qi Yuan’s body.

So, she felt relieved.

“That’s good.” The large-built woman forced a smile. “It’s a blessing that he grew up safe and sound.”

“He wants to learn martial arts,” the woman in tight clothes said, pondering while fiddling with a small knife in her slender fingers.

“Martial arts?” The large-built woman’s pupils contracted. “Could it be... he knows how the master died... and wants to avenge him? But... martial arts alone won’t be enough...”

The woman in the tight outfit chuckled. “You’re overthinking it. I think he wants to practice martial arts just to stay fit. As for the master’s matters, we’ll handle them ourselves.”

“You’re right.” The large-built woman nodded. “Sigh, lately, things have been strange. There seem to be more and more missions.”

“Yeah, it seems like there’s been a surge in missions to explore ancient tombs and ruins,” the woman in tight clothes said, frowning.

Such missions were rare in the past, only occasional. But recently, they were popping up like mushrooms after a rain.

“I have a feeling something big is about to happen,” the large-built woman muttered.

The driver in the front laughed. “No matter how big the event is, how could it affect small people like us?”

---

Mingwu Martial Arts School.

Located in Tianshan Tower, it occupies three floors: the second, third, and fourth.

Mingwu Martial Arts School ranks among the top eight in all the martial arts schools in Tianyue City.

Every year, many young children come here to practice martial arts and build their strength.

Currently, in the hall of Mingwu Martial Arts School, a group of children in training uniforms were practicing martial arts, punching and kicking, looking quite disciplined.

Qi Yuan leaned on the railing, watching the performance below. “They’re all show-offs. I could easily take on ten of them. Is there any real martial arts?”

The staff member next to him couldn’t help but smile awkwardly.

The kids practicing below were, at most, eight or nine years old.

You’re a grown man, and you’re proud of being able to take on ten of them?

“If you want to learn real martial arts, the registration fee is a bit higher, at 120,000. But there will be additional expenses later...” the staff member explained.

“Alright, sign me up quickly,” Qi Yuan said.

He didn’t look further at the children’s moves below; those martial arts techniques were too superficial.

He wanted to see how martial arts in this world differed from martial arts in the Canglan Realm.

Soon, Qi Yuan, led by the staff member, arrived on the fourth floor.

“This is the office of the Second Senior Brother. To learn real martial arts, you need to pass the test here.”

“Shouldn’t I be able to learn once I pay?” Qi Yuan asked.

If a business required a test, what would happen if you failed?

“Learning real martial arts is different,” the staff member’s attitude toward Qi Yuan shifted slightly.

As the saying goes, "Poor people study, rich people learn martial arts."

Anyone truly able to study martial arts must come from a family with some money. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to afford it.

The staff member knocked on the door.

Inside, a deep voice responded.

“Come in!”

Qi Yuan followed the staff member into the spacious training room.

The staff member quickly said, “Second Senior Brother, this person is here to learn real martial arts.”

Qi Yuan also looked at the man in front of him, his gaze narrowing slightly.

The man had a buzz cut and a square face, with a tall and sturdy build that looked quite powerful.

Qi Yuan noticed his nostrils were a bit large, especially the left one, which was noticeably larger than the right.

His gaze immediately focused on the buzz-cut man’s finger.

“You’re here to learn martial arts?” The Second Senior Brother looked at Qi Yuan with a strange expression. “You seem to have some physical issues.”

“Just a minor illness, nothing to worry about. How do we proceed with the test?” Qi Yuan asked curiously.

He was wondering, if it was a bone examination, how he should refuse.

The Second Senior Brother looked like he frequently picked his nose.

“It’s simple.”

The Second Senior Brother opened a drawer and took out a wooden token.

The token was pitch black, appearing to have some age.

“Drip a drop of blood on it,” the Second Senior Brother placed the token in front of Qi Yuan.

“Drip blood? This sounds like something from immortal cultivation,” Qi Yuan remarked, his expression odd.

After all, it was the first time he had seen blood required for martial arts.

Qi Yuan bit his finger, and a drop of blood rolled onto the wooden token.

Qi Yuan watched the token, curious to see what would happen.

After a few moments, several white lines began to appear on the pitch-black token, continuously spreading.

“Three lines... Hmm... basically qualified, mid-lower aptitude, suitable for martial arts training.” The Second Senior Brother gave his judgment.

As he spoke, he put the token back into the drawer.

Qi Yuan gently touched his finger, and the blood that had dripped into the token silently returned to his body.

No one else noticed this subtle action.

“Do the lines indicate aptitude?” Qi Yuan asked.

It seemed that martial arts in this world were different from those in the Canglan Realm.

“Yes!” The Second Senior Brother nodded vigorously. The strength in martial arts largely depends on aptitude.

“Generally speaking, people in Qin Yuan Nation have some martial arts aptitude.

The higher the aptitude, the more suitable one is for martial arts training, and the greater achievements they can achieve.

When I was tested, I had five lines!”

The Second Senior Brother puffed out his chest at this point.

Although martial arts were not highly regarded in the outside world—after all, training for decades might not compare to a single injection—there was still a hierarchy among martial artists.

“What’s the maximum number of lines?”

“My master said the maximum is twelve lines. Such a genius might be able to leap ten meters in a few months of training!” The Second Senior Brother said this with a look of longing.

Qi Yuan was speechless upon hearing this.

He could already leap ten meters as he was now.

It seemed that martial arts experts in this world were still relatively weak.

“How strong is the champion of the martial arts tournament? How many meters per step?” Qi Yuan asked.

This was his main concern.

After all, he was a man determined to become the Human Martial Lord.

“Wouldn't that be at least ten meters per step?” The Second Senior Brother looked at Qi Yuan. “Don’t aim too high. Not everyone can participate in the martial arts tournament!”

He looked at Qi Yuan as if seeing through his thoughts.

He had seen many washed-up idols coming to learn martial arts to participate in the martial arts tournament, just to try and re-enter the spotlight.

With Qi Yuan’s good looks, participating in the martial arts tournament might not yield a great rank, but at least it would put him back in the public eye.

Maybe he would even become an internet sensation.

Qi Yuan was a bit speechless after hearing the Second Senior Brother’s words.

Leaping over ten meters?

The champion of the martial arts tournament?

Isn’t that too weak?

The difficulty of this task seemed too low.

“Second Senior Brother, does this mean I’m enrolled now? I’ll transfer the money to you right away. When can I start learning martial arts?”

Qi Yuan asked.

The martial arts of this world and those of the Canglan Realm.

Qi Yuan wanted to see how different the martial arts in this world were.

“Hmm, I’ll give you a technique.”

The Second Senior Brother took out a thin booklet from the drawer.

On the booklet, the archaic words “Mingwu Resonance Fist” were written in bold characters.

“This technique is the prized teaching of our Mingwu Martial Arts School, consisting of twelve levels.

Here are the first three levels for you.

Remember, do not disclose this technique to others, understood?” the Second Senior Brother warned.

“What about the rest of the technique?” Qi Yuan asked.

“The rest... you need to pay extra.

Young man, these first three levels are enough for you to practice for a year.” The Second Senior Brother replied truthfully.

When he was practicing this technique, it took him seven months to master the third level.

Qi Yuan’s aptitude was lower than his, so taking a year was normal.

“How much is it?” Qi Yuan asked.

“Hmm... a total of three million?” The Second Senior Brother replied truthfully. “Come, let me explain our prized teaching, the Mingwu Resonance Fist. It emphasizes the unity of the five viscera and muscles to achieve a kind of resonance, thereby unleashing great power...

Don’t be fooled by the grand words; in practice, it's quite difficult.

After all, who can control the vibrations of their own viscera?

It requires long-term experience... and...”

“Like this?”

But at this moment, Qi Yuan flipped through the three levels of the technique.

He extended a punch, thrusting it forward forcefully.

At this moment, his whole body and internal organs were in perfect harmony.

All the blood vessels in his body seemed to converge in his fist.

Bang!

A powerful punch was thrown, resembling a thunderous explosion.

The Second Senior Brother was momentarily stunned, his left nostril twitching upwards.

“Are you the master's... illegitimate son?”