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

"What's the matter?"

Golden Canary peeked her head back and looked at Qi Yuan with curiosity, seeing that he hadn’t made a move.

Cough, cough… "I'm too big. It's hard to get in," Qi Yuan said, exasperated.

After illuminating the heavens and with Ning Tao’s help, he had found the coordinates for the Flowing Wind Realm. For a powerful being like him, entering a lower realm only required knowing its coordinates to access through the Dark Void.

However, the issue now was that his strength was too immense for easy entry.

When he thought about the Flowing Wind Realm, he felt a bit helpless. It was like back in the day when he tried to log into a game, and the icon would load only halfway before leaving him hanging.

This was just like those pesky games that tease players. In his case, the game had teased him by sending a wife-like character, Ning Tao, who kept calling him "husband" with each breath, making Qi Yuan restless.

Now it was the same issue—difficult to enter.

"That can't be!" Golden Canary wrapped her small hands around Qi Yuan and tried to pull him in with all her might, but still, nothing budged.

The movement seemed to make her think of something, and her cheeks flushed red. "You handle it yourself."

"Sigh, I get it now. It’s not that I’m too big. It’s because this is a game world, and I’m a real person. Entering a game world is naturally tricky!"

It was like trying to imagine a person on Earth diving into a computer game—how difficult would that be? You’d probably have to smash the screen to shove yourself inside! The game world looks vast, but any sharp observer would notice that it’s all an illusion, hidden inside the screen.

Unless you had a giant computer, it’d be tough to fit a person into the game.

"Time to use my clever brain."

In that moment, Qi Yuan's thoughts swirled, and suddenly, something came to mind.

"Is it because I haven’t disguised myself as a game character?"

He recalled what Great Wisdom True Monarch once said—when a Heavenly-level Yang God descended into a world, they’d be reduced to the Mythic stage. A Lesser Principle-level being would drop one minor realm.

For a Greater Principle-level being, their strength would remain unchanged.

With 4,000 Nascent Souls inside him and combat strength comparable to a Yang God, unless he reigned it in, entering the Flowing Wind Realm could easily shatter the world.

Even worse, if he pushed too hard, the realm would crumble entirely.

"Condense," Qi Yuan muttered softly.

Immediately, the 4,000 Nascent Souls within him withdrew their energy. His own aura began to recede, and his celestial power lowered to the Mythic level.

"What about the strength of the Myriad Martial God?" Qi Yuan wondered.

Would this realm restrict that power?

He gave it a try and attempted to slip into the Flowing Wind Realm. To his delight, the realm didn’t reject him.

Smiling, Qi Yuan exclaimed, "It’s not resisting!"

It seemed the power from his Myriad Martial God state wasn’t detected by the world’s rules. With Golden Canary in tow, he quickly entered the Flowing Wind Realm.

"I should be more cautious. The quality of this game world is a bit fragile…"

Qi Yuan had a sense that if he let his Myriad Martial God power slip even a little, holes would be punched all over the Flowing Wind Realm. It felt like a game character punching a hole in a computer screen.

So, even though the world didn't restrict his Myriad Martial God power, he had to control it carefully. After all, this was Golden Canary's home.

"As expected, my celestial power is limited to the Mythic level."

Qi Yuan observed his energy levels.

Before entering the Flowing Wind Realm, he had deliberately lowered his celestial power to the Mythic level, and after entering, he found it could not be restored. He figured he'd only regain full power after leaving the realm.

No wonder Yang Gods rarely descended to lower realms—having their power stuck at the Mythic level, if they got surrounded by a dozen Mythic beings, dying in a small world would be quite a miserable end.

At this moment, Golden Canary took a deep breath, her eyes sparkling with joy.

"This is the Flowing Wind Realm!"

Ahead of them stood a forest of red maple trees, painting the entire world in shades of red, like something out of a fairy tale.

Ning Tao appeared beside them, standing with Golden Canary, one on each side of Qi Yuan. Her eyes glimmered with nostalgia.

"This was the place where I first heard your voice," Ning Tao said softly.

Dressed in a black gown, with a petite and delicate frame, Ning Tao gazed up at Qi Yuan, her eyes filled with endless memories.

"Is that so?" Qi Yuan smiled.

As the memories flooded back, Qi Yuan looked at Ning Tao’s lovely, cool smile and gently said, "You've grown up, Ning Tao. You're the most beautiful girl in the world."

In the past, a young Ning Tao, with the word "demon" engraved on her face, had been labeled a demon girl and hunted down.

On this very mountain, those hunting her had insulted her as a demon and called her ugly. The young Ning Tao had defiantly raised her head and declared, "When I grow up, I’ll be the most beautiful girl in the world!"

Qi Yuan had heard this vow through a jade slip linked to the game and, in a good mood, casually responded a few words, causing the killer hunting Ning Tao to lose focus, giving her the chance to strike back and kill them.

Qi Yuan gently touched the spot on Ning Tao's face where the word "demon" had once been etched, his gaze infinitely soft.

Ning Tao smiled, her expression radiant like the melting of spring snow or pear blossoms in bloom.

"When I illuminated the heavens, I couldn’t find any trace of the Gate of Ten Thousand Demons. Now, entering this realm, my powers are limited, so I can’t help you, husband. You’ll have to find the gate yourself."

"Alright," Qi Yuan nodded.

Finding something was definitely easier for a Sun God than for a Mythic-level being.

Since he still retained the strength of the Myriad Martial God, he figured that, with a bit of caution, it would only take him about fifteen minutes to search the Flowing Wind Realm.

That search, however, was limited to sensing the Gate of Myriad Principles.

Of course, this was with care—he didn’t want to risk collapsing the realm.

"There’s a stone pond ahead. I’m going to take a bath, but you better not peek!" Ning Tao teased.

"Hehe, I’m going too!" Golden Canary giggled.

Ning Tao and Golden Canary held hands and headed toward the stone pond where they once shared many memories. Even though countless years had passed, Ning Tao’s powers ensured she could restore the pond to its former state.

Meanwhile, Qi Yuan closed his eyes, activating the power of the Myriad Martial God.

The vastness of the Flowing Wind Realm seemed small in his eyes. He even felt that one punch could shatter the entire realm, so he needed to search with caution.

"Sometimes being too strong isn't a good thing," Qi Yuan mused as he unleashed his blood energy, searching for any sign of the Gate of Myriad Principles throughout the realm.

The search was a crude one—being more precise could risk breaking the game’s server.

Time passed, and eventually, a hint of disappointment showed in Qi Yuan’s eyes.

"As expected, I didn’t find it. But it’s fine... I have plenty of time."

One day in the Flowing Wind Realm was about ten years in the Canglan Realm, and the time between the two realms flowed differently.

And in any case, rushing things would do no good. The Gate of Myriad Principles, one of the most unique treasures Qi Yuan had encountered, wouldn’t show up just because he wanted it to.

It required both time and opportunity.

But with the Ten Suns Illumination already in place and the Great Forgetfulness Sutra constantly influencing the Flowing Wind Realm, Qi Yuan’s search had already begun.

During his time in the Gate of Myriad Principles, he had left a mark using the Great Forgetfulness Sutra. As long as the gate still existed in the Flowing Wind Realm, it was only a matter of time before the star essence could locate it.

Otherwise, he’d have no choice but to destroy the Flowing Wind Realm, and even then, it might not appear.

Before coming, Qi Yuan had already tested his luck—his left eyebrow had twitched, a sign that his trip to the Flowing Wind Realm would yield something.

Perhaps he should treat this journey as a vacation.

Standing up, Qi Yuan began walking toward the stone pond.

Suddenly, a clear voice called out.

"Hehe, you did peek back then. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have married you."

Back in the day, Ning Tao had once joked in the pond that if Qi Yuan peeked at her, she’d marry him when she grew up.

Golden Canary was now teasing him, reverse-engineering the past based on the present outcome.

"Don’t slander me. I’m an upright gentleman," Qi Yuan replied, looking over.

Golden Canary sat on a stone slab, her blue and orange dress shimmering. The blue silk fabric was embroidered with flowers and birds, while her orange sash, tied in a butterfly knot around her waist, was soaked with water, making it look like a rain-drenched butterfly.

She lifted her skirt, revealing two pale, slender legs. Her unadorned, lotus-like feet dangled, and her small, exquisitely shaped toes gleamed like perfect little jewels.

Meanwhile, in the pond, Ning Tao, dressed in black, was fully submerged, her cold and delicate face contrasting sharply with her pale skin and the black stockings that wrapped around her feet. The stockings emphasized her delicate toes, which pressed together daintily.

One girl was like a cherry blossom—cute and lively—while the other was like a snow pear—cold and pristine.

Seeing the two of them, or rather, one person, Qi Yuan’s expression softened. "We have plenty of time, so I’ll walk with you along the paths I couldn’t walk with you before."

From Golden Canary to Ning Tao, so much time had passed, and Qi Yuan had missed so much.

Especially after the Gate of Ten Thousand Demons, when Golden Canary had become the demoness that all hated and reviled. The most vain and beautiful girl was labeled a hideous monster, and her suffering could only be imagined.

"Hmph, there’s a lot of places to walk then!" Golden Canary turned her head, but the joy on her face was impossible to hide.

Ning Tao, still in the water, stretched out her slender hand. "Then let’s start here."

The bond between her and Qi Yuan had begun at this very spot.

With a splash, water droplets flew everywhere.

"Hey! This water is cold! I don’t want to get in!" Golden Canary pouted. Despite her complaints, she clung tightly to Qi Yuan, her eyes filled with deep affection.

At that moment, Qi Yuan playfully grasped Golden Canary’s delicate, dainty foot, his eyes curious. "Why hasn’t there ever been a woman with a foot fetish?"

Could it be that male feet just weren’t appealing?

Qi Yuan let his thoughts run wild.

"Disgusting!" Golden Canary’s face turned bright red. "Ning Tao, help me step on him!"

…

"Help me, Master, save me!"

"I’m suffering so much!"

"I’m going to die!"

"They’re too cruel! How can they be so heartless?!"

In a secluded room, Ling Yayi was on the verge of tears, howling like a ghost.

Illumined Buddha looked at Ling Yayi with calm eyes. "If he’s still alive and can come save you, then everything will end."

"Hey, Illumined Buddha! You’re not human! How can you bully someone like this?

"I already said I don’t want to become a monk, and I definitely don’t want to participate in some Great Buddha Assembly!"

Ling Yayi, the old man, felt indignant.

It was bad enough that he had been captured by the Illumined Buddha, but now they wanted to force him to become a monk?

Naturally, he refused.

But the Illumined Buddha didn’t care about his opinion and subjected him to daily “torture,” claiming that Ling Yayi’s desires were too strong and needed to be cleansed.

The “cleansing” involved spiritual torment.

First, they used Dao techniques to amplify Ling Yayi’s desires several times over, maybe even tenfold.

Then, all kinds of temptations surrounded him—gourmet foods, beautiful fox maidens dancing seductively, precious magical artifacts parading by.

And all he could do was look. He couldn’t touch, couldn’t take, couldn’t eat.

How could Ling Yayi not be furious?

The mental strain was exhausting, akin to engaging in twelve intense battles in one night.

How he knew this so specifically was anyone’s guess.

"You possess the power of reincarnation, which makes you connected to the Buddha’s path. You are destined to become a great Buddha.

"This time, the Great Buddha Assembly is being held. You’ll represent our Tanka Holy Land, and you must claim the top prize," the Illumined Buddha said calmly. "You have too many desires. Without proper cleansing, even with the power of reincarnation, it will be difficult for you to break into the top ten."

"Who asks for help like this?!" Ling Yayi wailed in despair.

This was too cruel!

There were bad people in the Upper Realm!

What kind of test was this?

This wasn’t even physical torture!

If it were actual torture, he might have caved by now!

"Fine! I’ll represent you guys! Just stop torturing me, okay?"

"This is not torture; it’s cleansing your desires.

"Sadly, you’re not the Blood Lord.

"If he were here, he would probably need no cleansing at all and would naturally become a great Buddha."

The power of reincarnation in the Thirteen Northern Demons undoubtedly had a connection to the Blood Lord.

The Blood Lord himself must possess an even more intense reincarnation force.

From reading ancient texts, the Illumined Buddha had gleaned that the Blood Lord was an extraordinary genius.

Unlike the man in front of him, who had too many desires, his spirit too tainted.

"Heh, you’re wrong about that. My master, that old man, was far worse than me.

"He killed without blinking an eye. His robes were drenched in blood! Why do you think he’s called the Blood Lord? It’s because of how many people he’s killed!

"And you think he could become a great Buddha?" Ling Yayi laughed.

Since his master wasn’t around, he felt free to spin a few tales at his expense for amusement.

"He has slain millions, but he’s no longer killing living beings. Instead, he’s cutting down the delusions in his heart.

"A genius like that, why shouldn’t he become a great Buddha?" The Illumined Buddha’s voice was filled with the wisdom of the Buddha’s teachings.

Ling Yayi froze, his lips twitching. "Are you saying I have too many desires because I haven’t killed enough?"

The Illumined Buddha shook his head. "If you kill too much, you’ll become a great demon.

"But once you lay down your blade, your soul will be annihilated, and your body can become a Vajra protector for our Buddhist sect."

"…So, whether I kill more or kill less, I’m wrong!" Ling Yayi was speechless. "And isn’t the saying ‘lay down the blade and become a Buddha’? Why would my body become a Vajra protector?"

"If it were so easy to become a Buddha, the Buddhist Kingdom would be filled with slaughter."

There was a trace of helplessness in the Illumined Buddha’s calm voice.

"Hey, if any of my senior brothers get captured by you people from the Upper Realm, what kind of treatment will they receive?" Ling Yayi asked cautiously.

"With the power of reincarnation, they could become great Buddhas. Generally speaking, they wouldn’t be in much danger.

"Besides, you are disciples of White Supreme, so the Buddhist Kingdom likely wouldn’t harm you.

"But… in all things, karma reigns supreme. Anything is possible." The Illumined Buddha’s reply was measured.

The Buddhist Kingdom wasn’t entirely peaceful.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have spent so many years fighting each other, vying for the title of the true orthodox Buddhist Kingdom.

The chance to claim that orthodoxy had arisen in the Flowing Wind Realm.

That was why all the Buddhist Sons from the various holy lands had entered the Flowing Wind Realm.

The Illumined Buddha wished for the Buddhist Kingdom to unite and stop the fighting.

But… was uniting them really so easy?

"I hope they’re okay," Ling Yayi sighed. "This feeling… isn’t good at all."