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

Chapter 374: The Eastern Lord’s Wall, Spiritual Martial Lord

Dressed in a blood-red robe, Qi Yuan walked along the bridge formed by Shuhou and Erdi, moving against the flow of time toward the Origin Land.

He passed through time and space, crossed the Black Sea, and went against the river of time.

Qi Yuan closed his eyes, feeling the wash of time.

This time, no one was around to chat, so he could seriously contemplate the power of time and space, much like when he had meditated on the Gate of Myriad Variations.

"This Black Sea... has no master, does it?"

"It looks kind of like my River of Forgetfulness."

"Hey, Black Sea, you and I seem destined for each other!"

Qi Yuan called out softly to the Black Sea.

As he moved backward through time, his figure left only a fleeting shadow.

Within countless Mountain and Seas Scrolls, one by one, figures raised their heads to gaze at the sky.

They saw nothing, but in their eyes, it seemed as if a red shadow had flashed by.

"Is that him?" Long-lost memories flooded back, and the one-eyed man’s body trembled as an image of the man, crowned with glory and sweeping through armies, appeared in his mind.

On the small boat, Lu Zhu's eyes suddenly narrowed. "Master?"

The sword in her hand resonated with a hum, filled with joy, followed by endless melancholy.

Wang Yuanyu's eyes also revealed a complex expression. "Teacher?"

She remembered that her teacher had once promised to bring her a pair of stockings.

In the various worlds Qi Yuan had passed through, many powerful beings were now awakening long-buried memories, recalling the man with invincible talent.

At this moment, Qi Yuan had finally crossed the Black Sea and returned to the Origin Land.

Stepping off the bridge, Qi Yuan’s expression became inscrutable as he looked at the Black Sea.

"You've contemplated the Black Sea but gained nothing."

He tried to mimic a system voice but failed miserably.

The Black Sea was much harder to comprehend than the Gate of Myriad Variations.

That gate had offered insight with just a glance.

"Shuhou, Erdi, you can return now. When I need you again, I’ll call."

Qi Yuan softly spoke to Shuhou and Erdi, who stood in the Black Sea.

At the same time, he thought about how Shuhou and Erdi could work in the underworld as gatekeepers for the Bridge of Helplessness.

"To follow our master’s orders is our honor!" Shuhou and Erdi responded in unison.

At that moment, Qi Yuan’s figure flashed.

When he reappeared, he was at the top of the tower where the Contest for Ancestral Blood was held.

Unlike when he had left, the tower’s peak was now crowded with Martial Lords.

Looking around, there were nearly ten thousand of them.

When they saw Qi Yuan appear, these incredibly powerful Martial Lords all lowered their proud heads.

Even those without heads bowed their bodies.

"Greetings, Martial God!"

The eyes of the nearly ten thousand Martial Lords were filled with reverence.

To traverse the Black Sea, to cover the sky with one hand, and to swallow the sun—these were feats beyond the power of a Martial Lord. Such acts could only be explained by the existence of a Martial God!

Only a Martial God could explain this!

Fat Egg Martial Lord’s body trembled, though not out of fear but rather excitement.

His ancestor was none other than the legendary Martial God.

Black Deer Martial Lord and the other titled Martial Lords had hope in their eyes.

This time, the Morning Star Chime might actually be within reach!

Qi Yuan looked at these Martial Lords, his expression calm, as if a thought had suddenly occurred to him. He spoke softly.

"Would it be fitting for me to smirk right now?"

This scene reminded him of a TV drama.

The useless son-in-law had just been slapped, and then tens of thousands of men in suits appeared, kneeling.

"Welcome back, Dragon King!"

How similar!

As he spoke, he grinned crookedly.

The Martial Lords exchanged puzzled glances, unable to understand or make sense of it.

Qi Yuan was slightly disappointed.

None of these Martial Lords got the joke.

Shouldn’t someone have said, "He’s about to smirk, tear his mouth apart"?

He waved his hand dismissively. "I'm not a Martial God yet, just a Martial Lord. Don’t call me that."

Qi Yuan had never liked pretending to be someone stronger than he was.

He preferred honesty and sincerity.

The Martial Lords present were filled with confusion upon hearing this.

Come on, is it possible to be this humble?

If you’re a Martial Lord, then what are we?

Especially when they recalled the sight of Qi Yuan swallowing a star, which was simply too overwhelming.

If Qi Yuan wished, couldn't he even swallow the entire Origin Land?

Qi Yuan returned to his throne as he spoke.

"Everyone go back home. The Contest for Ancestral Blood is still ongoing," Qi Yuan said. "If too many people gather here, someone might think we're brawling or doing something indecent. That wouldn’t look good."

He was a bit socially awkward.

Seeing so many elderly men and women made him feel uncomfortable.

Only when facing his "white moonlight" did he become more enthusiastic and friendly.

"The Contest for Ancestral Blood is about to end, and the Eastern Lord’s Wall will soon appear. Let us accompany the Heavenly Sovereign to witness the Eastern Lord’s Wall," a titled Martial Lord suggested.

The title "Heavenly Sovereign" was something he had picked up from the old man in the upper realm.

When they mentioned the Eastern Lord, all the Martial Lords’ eyes lit up with respect and fervor.

That gaze was somewhat similar to how they looked at Qi Yuan, though not exactly the same.

"Alright," Qi Yuan replied casually, not saying much more.

Right now, he was anxious to figure out what exactly a Spiritual Martial Lord was.

Once he became both a Spiritual and Human Martial Lord, he would then attempt to break through to the realm of the Martial God of Myriad Daos.

...

Time passed quickly, as if the world had accelerated. The Contest for Ancestral Blood sped up significantly.

Inside the tower.

Mu Yan was drenched in blood, staring down a terrifying beast in front of him. With a fierce shout, he poured every bit of his Blood Martial power into his attack.

"Kill!"

He was determined to reach the top thirty.

Only by entering the top thirty could his ancestor grant his request to plead on Qi Yuan’s behalf.

In the Origin Land, that would offer Qi Yuan another chance at survival.

"Die!" Mu Yan slashed down with his blade.

Such a powerful strike could sever rivers and move mountains.

The terrifying beast before him was, of course, slain with a single strike.

Panting heavily, Mu Yan’s eyes showed a trace of uncertainty.

"Next time, I’ll face ten beasts. If I can defeat them, I’ll make it into the top thirty!"

One beast had been difficult enough to deal with—ten would be...

Gritting his teeth, his resolve strengthened.

Wielding his great blade, he looked ahead.

However, at that moment, his expression suddenly shifted dramatically.

"Th...three hundred?"

Before him, like a mountain, three hundred beasts charged at him.

They jostled for position, rushing toward him.

Worst of all, there were indeed three hundred of them!

Killing one hundred would secure first place.

But three hundred... what in the world?

Was he being targeted?

That seemed the only explanation.

Why else would he suddenly face three hundred enemies?

"No, I can’t retreat. Otherwise... I’ll be dead last for sure!"

Mu Yan thought to himself.

What he didn’t know was that on another floor of the tower, a man dressed in black robes was standing on a bamboo pole, looking helpless.

"Clearly, I’m not afraid of heights. So why... why can’t I move?"

On the other side, Mu Yan gripped his long blade tightly and charged forward without hesitation, determined to face the three hundred beasts.

If he had to bow out, he’d do so with dignity.

"You’re all gonna... DIE!"

With one mighty slash, the power was strong enough to split a star!

Crack!

Mu Yan blinked, momentarily dazed.

The expected outcome didn’t happen.

The three hundred beasts before him seemed to be made of paper, crumbling into pieces and turning into meat paste.

He blinked again. "An illusion? Were they all fake?"

He was confused, doubting his own eyes.

Had he really slain so many powerful beasts with one swing?

Was that real?

Just then, a gentle voice suddenly rang out.

"What an astonishing slash, felling three hundred beasts in one go.

Child, you’ve reached the peak of the Martial King realm. This time, you shall be the champion of the Contest for Ancestral Blood!"

"What?" Mu Yan, still holding his great blade, was stunned. He stared at the illusory Martial Lord in front of him, skeptical as if everything was an illusion.

"Truly deserving of my bloodline, the undisputed number one Martial King!" came a joyful, hearty voice. The form of a Martial Lord emerged and appeared beside Mu Yan.

This Martial Lord gazed at Mu Yan with admiration and affection.

When Mu Yan saw the figure, he immediately bowed, his expression serious. "Greetings, Ancestor!"

This Martial Lord was none other than the progenitor of Mu Yan's bloodline, a Great Martial Lord.

Mu Yan was puzzled as to why his ancestor was suddenly so affectionate.

"No need for such formality. Winning first place in the Contest for Ancestral Blood is a great achievement." The Great Martial Lord praised him, clearly moved with excitement.

At this moment, he was sure that the Qi Yuan Mu Yan had mentioned was indeed the legendary Martial God Qi Yuan.

Otherwise, why would the Martial God mention Mu Yan and favor him?

And even if he wasn’t the Martial God...

If a Martial God praised Mu Yan, there was no way he wouldn’t win first place, right? That would imply the Martial God had poor judgment!

So at this moment, Mu Yan was undoubtedly the champion of the Contest for Ancestral Blood!

Mu Yan heard his ancestor’s congratulations, still feeling as though he was in a dream, unable to comprehend the reality.

"Now that you’ve won first place, go and receive the Ancestral Blood Baptism, become a Martial Lord, and join the ranks of our Eastern Alliance!" the Great Martial Lord instructed.

Hearing this, Mu Yan began to accept the reality.

His heart surged with excitement.

Could it be that he truly was an unrivaled genius?

That, in the moment of crisis, he had transcended his limits and slain three hundred beasts in one strike?

The thought thrilled him.

Indeed, he was the protagonist of this world, the chosen one, blessed with endless fortune.

Suddenly recalling something, Mu Yan hurriedly spoke. "Ancestor, now that I’ve entered the top thirty, could you please..."

He was still worried about Qi Yuan.

"Don’t worry about it," the Great Martial Lord reassured him, looking at Mu Yan with approval.

Mu Yan’s heart was filled with excitement, as though his life had taken a miraculous turn.

But he needed to quickly undergo the Ancestral Blood Baptism and become a Martial Lord.

After all, relying on his ancestor’s favor to help Qi Yuan was still a personal favor, subject to potential oversight.

Once he became a Martial Lord, only then could he personally guarantee Qi Yuan’s safety.

Full of anticipation, Mu Yan went to receive the Ancestral Blood Baptism.

Meanwhile, atop the tower, Qi Yuan let out a yawn.

"The Contest for Ancestral Blood is finally over."

Black Deer Martial Lord immediately responded, "The Heavenly Sovereign’s foresight is truly remarkable—Mu Yan has won first place!"

"Oh, really? Not bad." Qi Yuan hadn’t been paying attention to the contest. He’d either been resting or occasionally discussing the creation of the underworld with that online friend of his.

That friend was an absolute gem.

They had even gone so far as to prepare seven PowerPoint presentations, laying out various plans for the underworld.

Such a warm-hearted internet user was hard to find.

At one point, the friend had even asked if, once the underworld was built, they could join as a low-ranking minion.

Qi Yuan didn’t hesitate to agree.

"Now that it's over, shouldn’t the Eastern Lord’s Wall be appearing soon?" Qi Yuan asked as he looked at the Martial Lords of the Eastern Alliance.

"Indeed!" Black Deer Martial Lord answered quickly. "Please wait just a moment, Heavenly Sovereign."

Several titled Martial Lords from the Eastern Alliance stepped forward.

A vast surge of Blood Martial energy filled the air, and within the tower, an ancient aura began to rise.

Qi Yuan sat on his throne, his face full of curiosity.

Before him, on a wall atop the tower, a bloodstain appeared.

As if a single drop of blood had been spilled, the entire wall slowly turned crimson.

At that moment, information flowed into Qi Yuan’s mind.

[The Eastern Lord’s Wall, containing a single drop of the Eastern Lord’s blood.]

"Heavenly Sovereign, this is the Eastern Lord’s Wall!" Black Deer Martial Lord said, bowing deeply.

The ten thousand Martial Lords of the Eastern Alliance all looked at the wall with expressions of awe.

"The Eastern Lord is currently holding back the Great Tribulation alone, leaving only a single drop of blood on the wall to communicate with us," explained one of the titled Martial Lords, his eyes filled with mixed emotions.

This complex emotion was a blend of guilt and frustration.

They felt guilty for being unable to help the Eastern Lord.

"Through the Eastern Lord’s Wall, we can glimpse a part of the Great Tribulation. It’s uncertain how much longer the Eastern Lord can hold on," Black Deer Martial Lord said worriedly.

He waved his hand, and it seemed as though the wall opened up like a window.

Through the window, a scene unfolded. Terrifying roars and growls echoed, sending chills down everyone’s spine.

Qi Yuan gazed at the wall, countless images flashing before his eyes.

They were threads of multicolored light, vibrant with various hues, some of which couldn’t even be perceived by the human eye.

Each thread of light carried the most extreme evils, transforming into monstrous entities that devoured space and consumed all things.

Within the monstrous mouths, fragments of universal laws were shattered and absorbed into the threads of light.

On one side of the world was a massive, writhing ball of threads, while on the other side was... a single figure.

A man in white robes, his face and features indistinguishable, stood within the void, as if holding the world in balance.

Countless threads of light and color tried to consume him, but none succeeded.

[Root Demons, strange beings that feed on all things. Their conditions for birth are extraordinarily rare.]

As Qi Yuan focused on the ball of threads, his eyes conveyed this critical information.

"These monsters are multiplying. The Morning Star Chime draws near, and if we fail to restart the world and awaken the Eastern Lord’s consort, the Eastern Lord might struggle to hold on!" Black Deer Martial Lord said with great concern.

Compared to the last time they had glimpsed this scene, the situation had grown even more perilous.

As he spoke, he glanced at Qi Yuan.

If the Eastern Lord’s consort could be revived, and with the assistance of this Heavenly Sovereign, there was a chance to survive the Great Tribulation.

Qi Yuan, however, was intrigued. "The Root Demons seem to embody all the world’s emotions: jealousy, greed, stubbornness... they’re a bit like my innate power."

His innate power was the Void Realm Sovereign: Heart Demon Induction.

For some reason, Qi Yuan felt an odd connection to the Root Demons.

Or rather, the Root Demons overwhelming the Eastern Lord didn’t seem to frighten him.

All things in the universe had their opposites.

"Does the Heavenly Sovereign’s innate power resemble these negative emotions?" Black Deer Martial Lord gave Qi Yuan a wary look.

After all, this didn’t seem like the power of a good person.

"What negative emotions? This is pure positive energy!

Jealousy? In some ways, jealousy drives people to improve, sparking ambition.

Lust? For the laws of the world, the more life, the better. Lust promotes reproduction, leading to more life!

Arrogance? Isn’t that simply pride, a sense of dignity that pushes martial artists to strive forward?"

"......"

Black Deer Martial Lord fell silent. There seemed to be some truth to it, though not entirely.

The other Martial Lords looked at Qi Yuan with odd expressions. Even if they disagreed with his reasoning, none dared challenge his views.

At that moment, Qi Yuan’s gaze shifted to the figure fighting the Root Demons.

[The Eastern Lord’s Projection, a member of the Holy Light Race.]