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

"Too much purple energy is not good."

"It can't be too ostentatious. It needs to be reserved, giving the impression that it’s something special, that the purple energy has some interest in him, but is too reserved to approach him first."

"Before seeing the purple energy, we need to throw in some difficulties. If it’s too easy, he’ll get suspicious and might even think the Gate of Myriad Principles ahead is a trap."

"By adding difficulties, he'll feel like it’s something he’s earned through effort, and he’ll convince himself it’s all worth it."

In a desolate, barren land, Qi Yuan's figure appeared.

"Disrupt the Five Elements!"

The aura around Qi Yuan fluctuated, rising and falling.

Back when he was on Wangyue Continent, he had refined his Qi with the power of the Five Ancestors, establishing the beginning of the Five Elements Qi Refinement.

Now, with just a flick of his hand, he could disrupt the Five Elements in this area.

For Qi Yuan, disturbing the Five Elements was simple, but for other Celestial Sovereigns, it would be quite difficult—unless they specialized in the Five Elements and had comprehended the principles of the Five Elements.

Thus, Qi Yuan's "forged scene" was perfectly authentic. Even a Celestial Sovereign wouldn't be able to detect anything amiss.

"Next, set up some fragmented ancient arrays..."

Qi Yuan didn’t have much experience in formations.

But with his pair of eyes capable of seeing hidden information, altering arrays—changing them so much that even their creator wouldn't recognize them—was a simple task for Qi Yuan.

After half a day, Qi Yuan looked at his handiwork with satisfaction.

"I can’t believe I spent half a day setting up this trap."

"But now I’ve gained some experience. Next time, I can just copy and paste!"

"Too bad I don’t have much purple energy, and I only have one Gate of Myriad Principles. Otherwise, I’d set more traps."

"I can't mass-produce this. It’s inefficient."

Qi Yuan looked at the trap he’d set with a satisfied expression.

"I need a little push. What if that Celestial Sovereign is a recluse and doesn't want to come out?"

As he said this, he lightly pressed his finger down.

Instantly, the spiritual energy within the trap surged, shooting toward the sky.

"Alright, time to head back."

Qi Yuan clapped his hands, and his figure vanished.

"I need to be careful these days. My home is unprotected now, and it would be bad if someone broke in."

...

Inside the Molo Sacred Tower.

Celestial Sovereign Mozhi sat in his cave, his large robe faintly tinged with blood.

He stared at a scroll in front of him, his eyes flashing with a fierce light.

"I was cultivating peacefully, and now they want me to go to that damned Molo Abyss Battlefield?!"

"I can’t kill the ants, and I’m forced to fight my peers. What’s the fun in that?!"

Not long ago, Mozhi Celestial Sovereign received a command from the Elder Council to replace Celestial Sovereign Mocan and guard the Molo Abyss.

Mozhi was reluctant to take this assignment.

After all, he would be up against the Celestial Sovereigns of Moon God Palace.

In terms of strength, he was no match for them.

So, he would just have to endure being bullied.

What made it worse was the war’s rules of engagement—he couldn’t attack lower-level cultivators without cause.

In short, this was a miserable task, where he was sent to suffer.

He couldn't defeat the Yang Gods, couldn't kill the lower-level cultivators, and couldn't vent his frustrations.

"I have to leave within a month... Damn it!"

Mozhi Celestial Sovereign had no desire to head to the frontlines.

Once he started guarding, it would likely last for millennia.

But he couldn't refuse the Elder Council’s command.

"Even as a Celestial Sovereign, life can be this tough. Sigh."

Mozhi sighed.

But suddenly, his brow furrowed.

"Hmm?"

He sensed an abnormal aura.

It was faint, but he still picked up on it.

Mozhi Celestial Sovereign stood up immediately, his gaze seeming to pierce through the sky, seeing thousands of miles away.

"What’s this?"

He narrowed his eyes, focusing on the distant scene.

In a desolate area, spiritual energy was in chaos, and the Five Elements were disrupted.

"This is…"

Without hesitation, Mozhi Celestial Sovereign concealed his aura, moving toward the deserted area, blending in like an ordinary mythical-level cultivator.

"Disrupted Five Elements could mean a treasure is about to be revealed, or something unusual is happening."

His eyes gleamed, trying to see through the scene in front of him.

"An ancient formation blocking my vision?"

Mozhi's eyes lit up.

"A formation that even I can’t penetrate? Could it be…"

There must be some rare treasure here!

Perhaps it was even the abode of a powerful ancient figure.

"Something doesn’t feel right. This seems too convenient." Mozhi's instincts told him danger was afoot.

It was like being woken up by a noise at night, going outside, and seeing a hole in the ground with a sign next to it saying, "Treasure Inside."

It was exaggerated, but for Mozhi Celestial Sovereign, that’s exactly how it felt.

Because a treasure that could tempt even a Yang God was exceedingly rare, and encountering one by chance was unlikely.

The Five Elements' disruption could only mean a treasure coveted by even Yang Gods was hidden here.

"Seal!"

Mozhi raised his hand, and instantly, the sky and earth around the area were shrouded by his power.

No matter what, he had to suppress the aura here first.

If the disturbance in the Five Elements continued, other Celestial Sovereigns might sense it within a few years.

"This is the heart of our Molo Clan territory, so it should be safe. I’ll go in and take a look."

Saying this, Mozhi advanced.

He encountered a fragmented ancient array, emanating an ancient and profound aura.

"Such a formation technique... I’ve never seen anything like it. Must be a lost method from ancient times."

Mozhi thought for a moment, then plunged into the formation without hesitation.

Several hundred breaths passed as Mozhi ventured deeper.

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Thankfully, this formation is so old. If it were fully intact, it might have taken me a hundred days to break through."

A hundred days might be a blink of an eye for a Celestial Sovereign.

But he only had a month before he had to report to the Sixth Heaven to take up his guard duty, so he couldn’t afford the delay.

"Another formation ahead. There must be something… Wait, is that purple energy?"

Suddenly, Mozhi's heart trembled, his eyes sparkling. "It’s the Purple Qi, the first energy of the immortal realm. No wonder the Five Elements were disturbed!"

Mozhi was elated.

He had sensed the aura of Purple Qi.

Purple Qi was the primordial energy of the immortal realm, representing chaos and the beginning.

For Celestial Sovereigns, Purple Qi was incredibly valuable.

For example, if someone’s Past Self was at the mythical realm, Purple Qi could elevate it to the Yang God realm.

Moreover, for an average Yang god, progress in cultivation usually involved reflecting the stars in the heavens.

But these stars didn’t just appear out of thin air—they required Purple Qi.

The more Purple Qi a Celestial Sovereign possessed, the stronger their star reflections, the more effective their Reflection of All Heavens, and the faster their power would grow.

That’s why when Celestial Sovereign Ten Suns aspired to challenge for the position of Great Sun Sovereign, all the other Yang Gods were shocked.

First, it meant Celestial Sovereign Ten Suns must have possessed an incredible amount of Purple Qi.

Second, Ten Suns must have had extraordinary talent to command the power of ten suns in the sky.

Of course, what these Celestial Sovereigns didn’t know was that their star reflections were nothing compared to Qi Yuan's.

Because Qi Yuan's star reflections were actual stellar projections!

"Fate is smiling upon me! Who knew I, Mozhi, would have such a day!"

Mozhi was overjoyed and didn’t hesitate to head toward the next formation.

...

Ji Buping returned from afar, glancing at the distant tent.

He saw that familiar figure and, after some thought, flew over and casually asked, "I didn’t see you around yesterday. Did you find something new?"

Harvesting Miluo Light was a matter of both luck and skill.

Ji Buping was worried that Qi Yuan had gotten lucky, which made him jealous and uneasy.

After all, Black Demon Abyss valued bloodlines above all else.

Yet here was Qi Yuan, someone without any special bloodline, ranked higher than Ji Buping.

If Qi Yuan also got lucky and harvested Miluo Light, Ji Buping would feel even more unbalanced.

A simple cultivator from a rural Second Heaven—how could he have such good fortune?

"I did find something," Qi Yuan said softly, looking at Ji Buping.

Ji Buping's heart skipped a beat, and he felt a pang of jealousy. "You're really lucky to have found Miluo Light."

"It wasn't Miluo Light," Qi Yuan shook his head. He looked at Ji Buping and said, "But, considering you're able to cozy up to an old lady, you must have some ambition, right?"

"You... You!" Ji Buping's face darkened, a menacing aura emanating from him. "You insolent brat! How dare you insult me like this? Even if a core member of Black Demon Abyss fancies you, today, I’ll kill you!"

He was genuinely angry.

Of course, he wasn’t actually planning to strike.

Qi Yuan remained calm as he saw this. "There's no need for that, my friend. I really do admire your determination."

After all, Qi Yuan couldn’t have brought himself to do what Ji Buping did, sleeping with an old woman.

Though Qi Yuan’s fantasies did involve old men and women as his unattainable "white lotuses"—ethereal figures who often didn’t bathe—they were just fantasies.

"Hmph!" Ji Buping’s killing intent was real, but he didn’t act.

After all, he wasn’t on a leash, so he wouldn’t truly make a move.

"Because I know your ambition, I’m offering you a chance to make a fortune," Qi Yuan said casually.

Today, Qi Yuan was playing the role of a talent scout.

Ji Buping was startled and asked cautiously, "What kind of opportunity?"

"Yesterday, I wasn’t out looking for Miluo Light. I was following a fat sheep. He’s rich—very rich," Qi Yuan’s eyes gleamed with excitement.

"You..." Ji Buping's expression remained unchanged, but his heart raced. "You’re talking about robbery?"

He had done robberies before, so he knew exactly what Qi Yuan was suggesting.

"Robbery? No, no. I prefer to think of it as 'nomadic cultivation.'"

Even the term "homeless" had been rebranded to make it more palatable, so why not rebrand robbery?

Ji Buping squinted. "Very rich?"

Despite his distaste for Qi Yuan, the allure of money was hard to resist.

In the world of cultivators, this was fairly normal.

"Ridiculously rich, but his strength is... well, a bit on the strong side," Qi Yuan added. "That’s why I’m inviting you to join in and get rich together."

Ji Buping inwardly sneered.

Qi Yuan was likely just a Grand Sovereign. When he said "a bit strong," the target was probably Step Four.

But Ji Buping was Step Six. He didn’t see any reason to worry.

Still, he asked, "Are you sure we can handle him together?"

"Don’t worry about it. He’s old—on the verge of decay. The two of us, young and full of vitality, can easily take him down."

Qi Yuan added, "Oh, and he’s a high-ranking member of the Molo Clan."

"And we’re from Black Demon Abyss, their superiors!"

"So, if we kill him and clean up the evidence, there won’t be any problems."

"So, are you in or not?"

Qi Yuan said, activating his Great Forgetfulness Sutra Technique.

Because he wasn’t good at expressing himself, Qi Yuan often relied on this ability to sway others.

"Once we finish this job, you might just have enough contribution points to reach the Sixth Heaven!" Qi Yuan said, coaxing him.

Ji Buping’s face changed slightly, his expression frozen for a moment. "Sixth Heaven?"

"Yes, the Sixth Heaven. Are you in?"

"I’m in!" Ji Buping nodded fiercely.

Just one high-ranking Molo Clan member, right?

If Qi Yuan dared to do it, why should Ji Buping hesitate?

He was Fourth Grade Bloodline, after all!

And as for splitting the spoils unfairly or any possible treachery? Ji Buping, at Step Six, wasn’t afraid of a Step Four.

If you don’t take risks, what’s the point of cultivating?

"Excellent!" Qi Yuan was thrilled. "Let’s go set up an ambush. If this goes well, we’ll keep working together."

"I’ve already got my eye on several Molo Clan high-ups. They’re all top-tier fat sheep!"

"They’ve got way more money than that old woman you’ve been cozying up to."

Hearing this, Ji Buping took a deep breath. "Really?"

"Why would I lie? I’m the most honest and trustworthy person you’ll ever meet. I never tell lies," Qi Yuan said with a straight face.

Ji Buping looked at him. "You’re an interesting guy. I misjudged you before."

Ji Buping sized Qi Yuan up, as though seeing a sheep ready for slaughter. "By the way, where’s your companion?"

Ji Buping was referring to the woman he’d seen with Qi Yuan earlier.

That woman hadn’t gone through the purification process of immortal spiritual energy, which meant she wasn’t even a Yin God.

So, Qi Yuan's strength probably wasn’t that impressive.

"My companion is in the Sixth Heaven. I’ve got another one on the Sun," Qi Yuan replied wistfully.

Ji Buping froze, then said, "Didn’t you just claim you never lie? And now you’re spouting nonsense?"

"I wasn’t lying," Qi Yuan said, too lazy to explain. He suddenly asked, "What about your family?"

When dealing with potential enemies, Qi Yuan always made it a point to find out whether they had family ties—because family meant leverage.

"I walk alone, with no family."

"Oh! Good to know!" Qi Yuan said brightly. "Alright, let’s move. The fish is on the hook, just waiting for us to reel it in."

"Let’s do it!" Ji Buping’s spirits lifted as he readied himself for a big score.

So what if their target was a Molo Clan higher-up?

He was from Black Demon Abyss, a superior force over the Molo Clan!

"Let’s go."

Qi Yuan and Ji Buping turned into streaks of light, disappearing from view.

When they reappeared, they had already left the Miluo Realm.

Ji Buping glanced around, surprise flickering in his eyes. "How did you slip past the Molo Clan guards?"

After all, the entrances and exits of the Miluo Realm were heavily guarded by Molo Clan cultivators.

Yet, Qi Yuan had led him out without the guards even noticing.

"Because... we’re from Black Demon Abyss. They simply can’t see us!" Qi Yuan lied to hide his unique abilities.

"Is that so?" Ji Buping looked at him skeptically.

Now that they were outside the Miluo Realm, Ji Buping was starting to have second thoughts.

If the target were still in the Miluo Realm, they could fight without alerting the Molo Clan.

But out here, any commotion would attract the attention of the Molo Clan's powerhouses.

Still, if Qi Yuan wasn’t afraid, why should Ji Buping be?

And if things went wrong, he could always make a quick escape, leaving Qi Yuan behind.

After all, with his strength, Ji Buping didn’t fear surprises.

"Let’s go, we’re almost there. That old man is already caught in the trap!" Qi Yuan said happily.

Why did he bring Ji Buping along? First, because Qi Yuan liked playing talent scout when he saw potential ambition. Second, because life was boring, and he needed some entertainment.

And third—because it helped spread the karma around.