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

Chapter 470: A True Battle Between Powerhouses!

“Master, here are the treasures I’ve gathered over the past year—2,700 in total. The total cost came to…” Stone Pan bowed as he reverently handed the storage pouch filled with treasures to Qi Yuan. Over the years, he had served Qi Yuan with diligence and unwavering loyalty.

With his own cultivation now well into the Foundation Establishment stage, Stone Pan was no longer the naïve boy of years past. Yet, the stronger he grew, the more he understood the unfathomable depth and power of the man before him—a figure he could only admire and respect for a lifetime.

“Not bad. Let’s hope there’s something new in this batch.” Qi Yuan accepted the treasures, examining them closely. Over the years, he hadn’t only been researching flaws in the Ten Thousand Ghosts Banner but had also been studying various forging methods.

Unfortunately, due to the lack of materials, even though he had completed the Armory Pavilion, he had only managed to craft one weapon there. That single piece was forged from the remnants of ancient treasures that had been all but obliterated and reduced to mere ashes.

He hadn’t destroyed the other rare items to convert them into raw materials, perhaps because they were the last surviving tokens of certain lost civilizations and clans.

As he browsed through the treasures, looking for anything that might yield a new forging method, Stone Pan slipped away quietly.

Suddenly, Qi Yuan’s expression sharpened. Fixing his gaze on the space in front of him, he spoke, “Since you’re here, show yourself.”

A bright, cheerful voice rang out in response.

“Daoist, you’ve graced our Heavenly Earth Mystical Land with your presence; my apologies for not welcoming you sooner. I hope you’ll forgive me.”

A large figure, as broad as a double-door fridge, appeared with an almost comically small head. Following behind him was a hunched elder—Heaven Remnant Sage himself.

“I am Dao Buer, the head of the Holy Light Clan,” Dao Buer said, his face beaming with a bright smile.

As a servant, Heaven Remnant Sage stood quietly by, curiosity in his gaze as he regarded Qi Yuan. Meeting a Holy Light clansman without fleeing? The man clearly had nerves of steel.

“Are you here to fight?” Qi Yuan asked casually.

The opponent was merely at the Supreme Truth Realm—nothing too intimidating. While the Holy Light’s Supreme Truth could indeed influence Supreme Truth experts of higher standing, Qi Yuan’s own powers of resistance were formidable; he had no reason to fear.

Dao Buer’s face wavered slightly, “Daoist, you jest. As a guest, I wouldn’t harbor murderous intent toward you.”

“Ah…my nose grew,” Qi Yuan observed with disinterest. “You lie; you have a trace of killing intent.”

Dao Buer’s expression subtly changed. He was filled with disbelief—how had his Holy Light’s Command been detected? Could this man also possess a terrifying ancestral bloodline? That was the only explanation! It seemed this man wasn’t a Sixfold Heaven cultivator either. Just like him, he was an outsider.

He regarded Qi Yuan with heightened wariness, though his tone remained neutral. “Daoist, you misunderstand. That was merely unintentional, just a hint of idle killing intent. Aren’t you also covered in deathly energy?”

“It’s different. The ones I kill deserve it,” Qi Yuan replied.

“So do mine,” Dao Buer countered without thinking.

Qi Yuan paused, giving Dao Buer a considering look. “Your face is thick, I’ll give you that. Now, what do you want?”

Standing silently at the side, Heaven Remnant Sage was thoroughly shocked. Shouldn’t this black-robed man have knelt and submitted long ago?

“I’m intrigued by how you control this army of Spectral Souls, Daoist. I’d like to learn from you,” Dao Buer said calmly.

Dao Buer’s aims were lofty. To him, the key was complete control over the Spectral Soul army. But these souls were highly unique—even his Holy Light’s Command was ineffective. Using bells to enforce control and pollute them yielded only minimal results—progress was frustratingly slow, and it seemed there might not be a solution.

Yet, here this mysterious man in black had the Spectral Soul army working in perfect harmony. Some were building houses, some practicing calisthenics.

“It’s because… I treat them sincerely, so they treat me sincerely in return,” Qi Yuan said seriously.

Dao Buer paused, then laughed dismissively. “Daoist, you jest.”

It was clear he didn’t believe Qi Yuan’s words.

“If I treated you sincerely, would you be loyal to me like these Spectral Souls are?” Qi Yuan asked with a faint smile.

Dao Buer’s smile stiffened. “Daoist, I just remembered—I have a batch of pills refining. Until tomorrow.”

With that, Dao Buer turned and hurriedly left.

Moments later, Dao Buer stood high above in the heavens, his gaze sweeping over the Spectral Soul army below, his face dark with complex emotions.

“He can actually resist the Holy Light’s Command?”

“His bloodline must be extraordinary!”

“Could he be here for the same thing I am?”

He muttered to himself, his mind racing.

“Still, he seems slightly weaker than me. If he were stronger, he would have attacked rather than testing me!”

“His bloodline ability must be similar to the Holy Light’s Command. Engaging with him gave me an odd feeling…”

Sensing the unusual energy, he dared not linger any longer and had chosen to leave.

“Holy Light’s Command may not necessarily lose to him. Tomorrow, I’ll confront him again. I refuse to believe I can’t subdue another servant!”

Collecting servants was of little interest to Dao Buer. What he sought was the means to control the Spectral Soul army.

Meanwhile, lounging in his chair, Qi Yuan’s eyes glinted with interest.

“Absolute Adaptation… it’s actually stabilizing?”

Qi Yuan’s Supreme Truth insights consisted of Absolute Adaptation and Freedom. But his cultivation was still limited, so the progression and stabilization of these Supreme Truth abilities were sluggish. In battles against advanced Supreme Truth cultivators, he could barely use his Supreme Truth abilities.

However, interacting with Dao Buer had given his Absolute Adaptation experience in adapting to Holy Light’s Command.

“As the old man said, Supreme Truth insight has four levels: Dispersed, Gathered, Solid, and Patterned. I’m still in the Dispersed phase.”

A seasoned cultivator like Ancestor Purple Fate had likely reached the Solid level of insight.

Only a Supreme Being’s (faction leaders) Supreme Truth could reach the Patterned level.

“It seems Dao Buer needs to stay alive,” Qi Yuan thought.

He could rely on Dao Buer to gain more experience, raising his mastery over Absolute Adaptation. This would be an enormous boost.

The next day at dawn, Dao Buer and Heaven Remnant Sage appeared once again.

“Daoist, please don’t misunderstand. I harbor no ill will toward you,” Dao Buer said in an even tone, secretly activating the Holy Light’s Command.

He had decided to visit this mysterious man in black daily to see who would triumph.

“You may not, but this old man beside you may.” Qi Yuan smiled knowingly.

Heaven Remnant Sage’s expression flickered, a deep unease arising within him.

“Daoist, you jest. He wouldn’t dare!” Dao Buer said with a touch of surprise.

“Oh, he dares. After all… I killed his son,” Qi Yuan replied casually.

In Canglan World, Qi Yuan had once encountered the esteemed Lord Jasmine, who had an ancient mirror that contained a wisp of soul—a descendant of a Yang God from the Sixfold Heaven.

This arrogant remnant spirit had insulted Moon God Ancestor and was swiftly killed across two realms. The father, Heaven Remnant Sage, had preserved his son’s spirit in the ancient mirror, sending it down to the lower realms.

The spirit tried to possess Qi Yuan, only to be killed by him. Now seeing the spirit’s father, Qi Yuan instantly recognized him.

“You… you killed Ji’er!” Heaven Remnant Sage’s eyes blazed, his body trembling with barely restrained fury.

“See? He has killing intent toward me,” Qi Yuan noted calmly.

Dao Buer looked at Qi Yuan, surprise in his gaze. “Daoist, have you been to the Sixfold Heaven?”

Dao Buer knew Heaven Remnant Sage’s full history, including his son’s presence in the Sixfold Heaven. If Qi Yuan had indeed killed him, he must have been to the Sixfold Heaven.

Dao Buer was intrigued, but he felt a growing sense of superiority. His future was bright and limitless, while this mysterious black-robed man was bound by his past.

“Been there,” Qi Yuan replied without hesitation.

Dao Buer’s smile grew, his heart alight with glee. “Since this useless servant dared harbor killing intent, he should perish.”

In good spirits, he decided to kill Heaven Remnant Sage to entertain himself.

Heaven Remnant Sage’s face twisted with humiliation.

You’re happy, so you kill me?

“Master, I have served you faithfully!” Heaven Remnant Sage pleaded, powerless to resist.

“If you kill yourself now, you’ll be resurrected in three days as a high-level Supreme Truth cultivator,” Dao Buer replied offhandedly, in a good mood.

Heaven Remnant Sage’s fear turned to fanaticism as he killed himself without hesitation.

A mighty Yang God, powerful enough to consume a realm, perished like a mere insect.

“Am I not generous, Daoist?” Dao Buer asked, pride evident in his tone as he flaunted the power of Holy Light’s Command.

Qi Yuan looked at Dao Buer, suddenly saying in all seriousness, “Actually, I’m your father.”

Dao Buer suddenly sensed a profound unease.

“Daoist… you’re my grandson!” Dao Buer retorted, activating Holy Light’s Command, trying to influence Qi Yuan’s mind.

The two powers clashed like an exchange of adolescent taunts.

“Who’s the grandson here?” Qi Yuan replied, unfazed.

“You are!” Dao Buer snapped, only to find himself momentarily flustered.

“Good boy. Grandson, I see you,” Qi Yuan replied nonchalantly.

Dao Buer’s face darkened. “Daoist, stooping so low? Is that all you’ve got?”

“No respect for elders, calling me ‘Daoist’? I’m your father!” Qi Yuan declared earnestly, activating his supreme forgetting technique.

“…Another day, then!” Dao Buer decided, reluctantly leaving.

Not far away, Stone Pan observed the exchange with amazement.

This powerful, imposing figure had come to meet his master, had his servant die, traded insults, and then left?

“Stone Pan, what brings you here?” Qi Yuan asked.

Seeing Absolute Adaptation improve further, he was in high spirits.

“Master, while acquiring treasures, I’ve met many powerful cultivators. They warned me that the Holy Light Clan has deep connections. Should we be more cautious?” Stone Pan asked.

Qi Yuan glanced at Heaven Remnant Sage’s corpse with amusement. “The Holy Light Clan? Barely worth mentioning.”

Stone Pan didn’t argue, familiar with his master’s personality by now.

“Master, a while ago, you said you’d teach me the art of combat among the upper ranks. Today’s exchange… did you mean this?” Stone Pan asked, slightly bewildered.

Qi Yuan’s eyes sparkled. “Since this Dao Buer shows up daily, I’ll likely exchange a few words with him every day. Watch and learn closely.”

Stone Pan’s brow furrowed in doubt, wondering if this was just an elaborate joke.

Stone Pan left the area, still carrying a sense of confusion.

“Is this... a fight of insults?” he wondered, feeling thoroughly baffled. “But wasn’t Master just saying he was Dao Buer’s father?”

“Then again, how could Master be Dao Buer’s grandson?”

His mind was a swirl of tangled thoughts that he could neither untangle nor make sense of. With these lingering doubts, he returned to his quarters.

Just then, a towering cultivator approached him. “Stone Pan, have you passed along my message to that great Master of yours?”

This tall cultivator was a respected elder in the Heavenly Earth Mystical Land. After learning of Qi Yuan’s existence, he had wanted to establish a friendly relationship with him. After all, anyone who could command a Spectral Soul army must be a Supreme Truth Yang God.

“Yes, I’ve delivered your message,” Stone Pan replied.

“How did he respond?” The tall cultivator’s face showed a hint of anticipation.

“Master said… that the Holy Light Clan isn’t worth mentioning,” Stone Pan repeated Qi Yuan’s words.

Hearing this, the tall cultivator’s expression grew complex. “That Master of yours… he seems quite confident.”

Realizing his attempt to ingratiate himself had been futile, the tall cultivator shook his head. This Supreme Truth Yang God appeared to be somewhat overconfident. After all, the Holy Light Clan had the backing of an entire Holy Light bloodline.

The tall cultivator figured that Qi Yuan was on a short path to ruin. Stories of other cultivators had circulated in the tight circles of the Heavenly Earth Mystical Land, and many felt that Liu Xi, who had once declined a task for Qi Yuan, was the wiser one. Indeed, Liu Xi had recently entered a secret realm, securing valuable treasures and steadily advancing in cultivation. Meanwhile, this Supreme Truth Yang God, proud and dismissive, appeared to be courting death.

At that thought, the tall cultivator began to retreat, deciding it was best not to associate with someone whose life was so clearly endangered.

“Elder, I have a question,” Stone Pan said softly.

“Oh? What is it?” The tall cultivator’s tone had lost some of its former friendliness.

“What is combat among upper-level cultivators like?” Stone Pan inquired. “Today, a cultivator named Dao Buer came to see my Master, and they…”

He recounted the events of the day to the elder, hoping to gain some insight.

The elder, a seasoned and experienced cultivator, knew far more than Stone Pan could ever hope to understand at this point.

When he heard Stone Pan’s story, the elder couldn’t help but chuckle in amusement. “Even if Supreme Truth cultivators do battle, it would never look like that. It sounds as if your Master is just having some fun with you.”

The elder shook his head and left.

Stone Pan was left alone, unsure of what to think. “Master wouldn’t lie to me,” he reasoned, “and this elder must simply lack the insight.”

Resolved, he continued to attend Qi Yuan each day, watching his Master “duel” Dao Buer. He frowned and listened intently, striving to comprehend their cryptic exchanges.

“I’m your father!”

“I’m your grandfather!”

“You’ve broken your defense!”

“Keep barking, Stone Dog!”

The more he listened, the more surreal it seemed.

Time passed, and three years slipped by.

Stone Pan’s treasure-collecting expeditions slowed noticeably. Rumors spread that the Holy Light Clan’s master was about to emerge from seclusion, causing many to avoid Qi Yuan’s territory out of fear of provoking the Holy Light Clan.

One day, after yet another war of words with Dao Buer, Qi Yuan felt particularly refreshed.

“Finally, I’ve achieved Gathering-level Minor Accomplishment!”

Through these prolonged and high-stakes verbal sparring sessions, Qi Yuan’s Absolute Adaptation had survived and thrived in a high-pressure environment, reaching the minor Gathering-level phase.

“Now, without the Martial God path's assistance, I should be able to withstand a Supreme Truth cultivator who’s just entered the Great Supreme Truth stage.” Though, he noted, this only meant he could survive. To injure an average Great Supreme Truth cultivator, he would have to reach Major Accomplishment of the Solid level.

As for defeating someone like Ancestor Purple Fate, a veteran Great Supreme Truth cultivator, he would have to reach the Patterned level of mastery.

Dao Buer, in a way, was proving to be a reliable source of experience and a perfect “battery” for Qi Yuan’s cultivation.

“Stone Pan, what percentage have you understood so far?” Qi Yuan asked once more.

Stone Pan gave a pained smile. “Master, your disciple is dense. I have yet to comprehend even a single part.”

For the past three years, he had witnessed these exchanges, yet understanding eluded him.

“Master’s methods are profoundly simple and natural, deeply in tune with the Dao. It’s beyond me.”

“Ah, with your intellect, this level of combat is difficult to grasp. Poor you,” Qi Yuan said with a sigh. “Once you’ve glimpsed the vastness of the ocean, no river will satisfy; after scaling Mount Wu, all other clouds seem insignificant. You’ll likely find all other styles of combat unappealing in the future.”

Stone Pan said nothing, but inside he was conflicted. As much as he focused on Master’s verbal duels with Dao Buer… it felt less epic than two wild dogs barking at each other.

---

Meanwhile, elsewhere, Dao Buer wiped sweat from his brow.

“That black-robed man is truly formidable. Over the years, he’s influenced me subtly, whereas my Holy Light’s Command… has almost no effect on him.”

A fierce gleam flashed in Dao Buer’s eyes. “If there’s no progress in another half year… then it seems I’ll have to get serious.”

Dao Buer was no ordinary Holy Light clansman. His strength was extraordinary. Should any cultivator from the Sixfold Heaven enter the Heavenly Earth Mystical Land, Dao Buer was confident he could toy with them. So he held little fear of Qi Yuan.

It would be easy to kill him, but he wanted complete control, the secret to commanding the Spectral Soul army. If that proved impossible, however, he’d have no choice but to resort to lethal force.

After half a month, Qi Yuan’s expression lit up with excitement.

“The Ten Thousand Ghosts Banner… I’ve finally cracked its flaw!”

Years of studying the Ten Thousand Ghosts Banner had finally yielded results. Now, he could enter the Ghost Barrier as if the banner was a mere decoration. In fact, he could even steal the banner if he wanted to.

“But… I can’t just stroll in, or the banner’s master might notice something’s amiss. I’ll have to act as if it’s a struggle, as though I’m barely managing to slip through. I reckon I can get away with this about three times before he catches on, but… that’s all I’ll need.”

He felt satisfied with his progress. The only regret was—

“This Dao Buer seems to be losing his edge. He’s stopped trying to insult me. That won’t do; I’ll have to let him think he has the upper hand.” Qi Yuan mused over this plan.

Dao Buer’s “power supply” still had charge, and Qi Yuan wasn’t ready to lose such a valuable energy source. Although his rate of improvement in Absolute Adaptation was slowing, Dao Buer was enough to push him to the next minor stage of Gathering-level.

“To spend a few extra years here just for Dao Buer—could this be the great love of a father? It’s enough to bring tears to one’s eyes!” Qi Yuan muttered, pleased with his own resilience.

---

In the days that followed, Stone Pan’s expression grew increasingly troubled. Despite his advancement to the Golden Core stage, he found little joy in it. Cultivators began avoiding Qi Yuan’s territory; once close friends of Stone Pan’s had drifted away.

His journey in cultivation, which had once been full of guests and good company, was now marked by solitude.

Even so, Stone Pan stayed by Qi Yuan’s side. But he grew worried, for it seemed that lately Master was beginning to falter in his verbal exchanges with Dao Buer, a fact that caused Stone Pan great unease. He now believed that this was, in fact, high-level sparring between his Master and Dao Buer.

“Master… shouldn’t we consider leaving the Heavenly Earth Mystical Land? You’ve gathered plenty of treasures,” Stone Pan finally voiced his concerns.

Qi Yuan’s eyes sparkled. “The treasures are ready, but I’ve still got a bit more power to drain from that ‘battery’... Dao Buer.”

Or rather, he was nearly depleted.

“Don’t worry about me,” Qi Yuan added thoughtfully. “I expect I’ll be leaving the Heavenly Earth Mystical Land in about half a month. You can stay here to continue gathering treasures.”

“Master, you’re really leaving?” Stone Pan was both relieved and a bit downhearted. He was glad Master had taken his advice, but he felt a tinge of sadness.

“Yes,” Qi Yuan replied with a nod.

Once he had fully exhausted Dao Buer’s energy, he would end this tedious game. After all, Qi Yuan was no match for the tongue-twisting wits of the folks on Blue Planet. Luckily, Dao Buer wasn’t particularly skilled in the art of insults either.