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

As usual, Qi Yuan and Jinli chatted for quite a while.

"Did they borrow the immortal jade?" Qi Yuan asked.

"Yes, they did," Jinli replied.

The conversation brought Jinli back to the time they spent on the Wangyue Continent. Back then, Qi Yuan had been in the midst of dangerous situations in the Four Forbidden Lands, while she had always benefited from his protection.

"That's good," Qi Yuan continued. "When the time is right, you can instruct your family... to launch a sneak attack on the Molo clan's immortal jade mines in the Sixth Heaven."

In the Sixth Heaven, the holy lands have assets in the Fifth Heaven, and the Molo clan owns many immortal jade mines there.

"Be careful... if things become uncontrollable, come to the Moon God Palace immediately. With Youhuang Remnant Moon here, even if Molo Heavenly Lord brings the Molo Well to the upper realms, he won’t be able to harm you," Jinli said, still most concerned about Qi Yuan’s safety.

"Don't worry, a bunch of old men and women who don’t like to bathe won’t be able to hurt me."

After their communication ended, Qi Yuan transformed into Motu Heavenly Lord's form, seated himself in the cave palace, and continued to expand the Golden Core Chapter of the Qi Yuan Sutra.

"Sigh, my wife Ning Tao will be busy for quite a while again."

A single divine technique could practically condense a stellar Golden Core. In the vast, barren universe of the stellar Golden Core, Ning Tao rarely rested. There were simply too many divine techniques to process.

But this was normal.

In the Sixth Heaven, the lifespan of Yang Gods is virtually limitless. Barring death from the Root Demon Tribulation or at the hands of an enemy, they are essentially immortal.

With endless time, the divine techniques created by Yang Gods naturally accumulated.

"So, before the game begins, there are three ways to improve my strength:

1. Condense more Golden Cores, leveraging quantity.
2. Participate in the Supreme Truth Debates to comprehend ultimate truths.
3. Retrieve my family’s well—Creation Artifacts are a tremendous source of power."

Qi Yuan murmured to himself.

He was always methodical in his plans.

Fortune often favors those who plan well.

After some time, Qi Yuan opened his eyes, a smile playing on his lips before turning into a reflective sigh.

"Even after reaching the Yang God realm, it’s hard to resist inner temptations.

Everyone who sees the Supreme Truth Gate acts like they’ve seen a peerless beauty undressing—rationality vanishes, and they recklessly charge forward.

Of course, the most important thing is... that my acting is top-notch."

Qi Yuan mumbled to himself.

Then he realized that his metaphor wasn’t quite right.

Comparing the Supreme Truth Gate to a peerless beauty undressing was an insult both to the gate and to the Yang Gods.

"Another one has fallen into the trap—time to take a look."

Qi Yuan’s figure vanished, turning into a streak of light.

Around five hundred breaths later, Qi Yuan appeared in the Underworld, where traces of a fierce battle were everywhere—broken walls and ruins.

His latest attack, assisted by a sneak attack and the help of the Nascent Souls, had been an easy victory.

He looked down at the shattered soul on the ground and said, bored, "I am your ancestor!"

Once again, he had lured an unfortunate soul into the trap and then promptly crippled them.

"Another one for the collection of ‘three-crippled individuals’ in the Underworld!"

"Sigh, I’m so kind-hearted. My pure, untouchable beauty has become a three-crippled person, and yet I still stay by their side, loyal as ever."

Yes... body crippled, soul crippled, and mind crippled.

Commonly known as the "three cripples."

"Alright, with this one down, Wutian can now sneak in unnoticed."

Qi Yuan was in high spirits.

This three-crippled individual had been guarding an area on the edge of the Demon Abyss.

By controlling the area, Qi Yuan could allow Wutian Buddha to sneak in with his Buddha Kingdom, quietly bringing it into the Underworld.

When the time came, dealing with Supreme Truth-level Yang Gods would become much easier.

...

Time flew by, and two months passed.

During the time Qi Yuan was away, Jinli continued her attacks on the Molo Clan forces in the Jueyue Abyss, as she had before.

With Qi Yuan’s assistance, Jinli’s assaults were smooth and successful, each time bringing back considerable loot.

Yu Tiao looked at Jinli, her eyes filled with envy. "It seems the Moon Maiden is close to earning enough merit to request something from the Moon God Ancestor."

After she spoke, Yu Tiao regretted it.

After all, Jinli’s request was to relinquish her title as Moon Maiden.

Jinli nodded lightly in response.

In the Moon God Palace, her demeanor was always cold.

"The Moon Maiden has been unusually successful lately. Could there be a mole within the Molo Clan?" Yu Tiao shifted the topic, her eyes filled with curiosity and expectation.

A smile appeared in Jinli’s eyes. "That information is classified."

Of course, she wouldn’t reveal anything about Qi Yuan.

Yu Tiao didn’t pursue the matter further, but casually asked, "The man the Moon Maiden is fond of—what family does he hail from?"

Her eyes were filled with curiosity.

Others around them also turned to look at Jinli.

The fact that Qi Yuan had won Jinli’s heart, even convincing her to give up her Moon Maiden status, had piqued the curiosity of many within the Moon God Palace. Who was Qi Yuan really? Which holy land did he hail from?

Was his master or ancestor a Yang God or perhaps even a Supreme Truth-level expert?

"He’s not from any notable family," Jinli shook her head.

She understood what they were insinuating.

Her words caused those present to exchange astonished glances.

But what came next was even more shocking.

"I met him while I was in the lower realms," Jinli said, her eyes filled with fond memories.

The people around her were completely stunned.

"A cultivator from the lower realms?"

"He’s from the lower realms?!"

It’s incredibly rare for cultivators from the lower realms to ascend to the higher realms.

And within the Moon God Palace, such cases were practically unheard of.

After all, the Moon God Palace itself was part of the Sixth Heaven—a distant, lofty place compared to the lower realms.

Given that Qi Yuan had ascended from the lower realms, this meant he had no significant background.

Yet, despite that, Jinli was willing to give up her prestigious status as Moon Maiden for him. The shock among the crowd was palpable.

If Qi Yuan had been a descendant of a Supreme Truth or even a Yang God, they might have understood.

But a cultivator from the lower realms? A mere nobody?

As they stared at Jinli, their respect for her grew, though they also felt a hint of pity, as if her decision wasn’t entirely justified.

"He’s different," Jinli’s eyes sparkled with joy.

He had always been different.

The image of the once-masked Sword God had long been etched into her heart.

At that moment, a voice reached her ears.

"Jinli, come to the Moon God Temple."

It was Luo Yue Heavenly Lord who had spoken.

Jinli quickly quickened her pace and headed toward the Moon God Temple.

The moon was high in the sky, its silvery light bathing the temple, making it appear as if it were covered in a layer of translucent white jade.

Jinli, clad in a long black battle robe, her figure accentuated by a golden belt around her waist, stepped forward. The robe fell over her gracefully, and the wide golden collar at her neck added an extra touch of elegance to her already striking figure.

"Greetings, Luo Yue Heavenly Lord!" Jinli respectfully bowed from a distance.

Yang Gods cannot be directly gazed upon, so Jinli couldn’t see Luo Yue Heavenly Lord's true form.

"Mm," Luo Yue Heavenly Lord acknowledged, her voice deep and powerful. She got straight to the point, "How is Qi Yuan faring among the Molo clan?"

Luo Yue Heavenly Lord's eyes gleamed with curiosity.

It had been two months. Had Qi Yuan managed to deceive the other Molo clan heavenly lords and secure his position?

Jinli’s heart tightened.

She recalled her conversation with Qi Yuan from the day before.

A Buddha from the Buddha Kingdom had descended and helped Qi Yuan ambush and kill a Supreme Truth-level Yang God.

When she had heard this from Qi Yuan, she had been utterly shocked. It was just as unbelievable as when she’d heard some of his other wild claims while they were in the lower realms.

Wasn’t the Buddha Kingdom under the rule of the Present Buddha? How could there now be a Wutian Buddha?

And anyone who dared to call themselves a Buddha was certainly someone who had a chance at breaking through to the Supreme Truth realm.

Yet, this Wutian Buddha followed Qi Yuan’s orders.

How could Jinli not be astonished?

More importantly, they had successfully taken down a Supreme Truth.

This meant that most of the Demon Abyss was now under Qi Yuan’s control.

However, revealing this information would be too shocking. Until Qi Yuan had full control and could guarantee safety, Jinli would not disclose any of it, in case something unexpected occurred.

"For now, the situation is stable," Jinli responded calmly.

Luo Yue Heavenly Lord let out a breath of relief. "It’s good that he’s managed to lie low."

Then, her tone shifted.

"Do you think he’s capable of pulling off something big?" Luo Yue Heavenly Lord’s eyes gleamed with sharp intent.

Jinli lowered her head and respectfully asked, "What is the plan?"

"Thirty years from now, the Qiemo Abyss will experience its spiritual energy tide. At that time, Moqi Heavenly Lord will have to enter seclusion to handle the tide and cannot be disturbed.

That’s when Qi Yuan can secretly unlock the Creation Artifact's permissions, allowing Caiyue Heavenly Lord to sneak in and severely injure or even kill Moqi Heavenly Lord!"

Luo Yue Heavenly Lord laid out her plan with precision.

It sounded simple enough, but executing each step would be incredibly difficult. Gathering the information required for such a plan had not been easy either.

Jinli’s heart remained steady. "I will pass this message along to him."

"Good. If he manages to severely injure or kill Moqi Heavenly Lord, he can retreat to the Moon God Palace’s territory.

I still think you should try to convince him to join the Moon God Palace. If he remains alone, without a stronghold, he’ll have nowhere to hide when the Molo clan retaliates."

Luo Yue Heavenly Lord's eyes were full of hope.

If the plan succeeded in thirty years, it would be a major victory for her.

For so many years, both sides had been plotting against one another, aiming to critically injure or even kill each other’s Yang Gods. But the opportunity had never arisen.

Now, at last, she saw an opportunity, and she was thrilled.

"If Moqi Heavenly Lord is killed, even if you step down from your Moon Maiden role, I will arrange an opportunity for you to ascend to Yang God!" Luo Yue Heavenly Lord declared with authority.

The Moon God Palace had been on the decline recently, and she had to take bold actions to reverse the trend.

"Thank you, Heavenly Lord!" Jinli bowed deeply, her chest swelling with pride for Qi Yuan, though tinged with a touch of worry.

At the same time, in the Jueyue Abyss...

One of the Molo clan’s mythical cultivators was hiding in the shadows, his eyes filled with fear and anxiety.

He stared toward the center of the abyss.

"His Majesty... has betrayed us!"

Mu Lan, one of the top ten mythical cultivators of the Jueyue Abyss, had always been responsible for logistics.

Recently, the Molo clan had suffered continuous losses in their battles with the Moon God Palace. Their intelligence seemed completely exposed to the enemy.

Cautiously, Mu Lan pretended not to notice and conducted a secret investigation.

What he uncovered shocked him.

All the evidence pointed to Motu Heavenly Lord.

Every military expedition had been kept highly confidential, known only to the commanding mythical cultivators and Motu Heavenly Lord.

Yet recently, their actions had become so frequent that it felt like they were purposefully sending troops to their deaths.

All those who knew of the plans were dead.

So, logically, the one still alive must be the mole.

The leader of the Jueyue Abyss, Motu Heavenly Lord himself, was under suspicion.

Mu Lan was terrified.

"I must report this to the other heavenly lords," Mu Lan thought as he concealed himself.

He knew he couldn’t wait any longer.

Soon, they might send him to fight the Moon God Palace, and he knew he would be the next to die.

Waiting passively for death wasn’t his style.

"Mozhi Heavenly Lord?"

"No, Mozhi Heavenly Lord is too weak."

"I need someone stronger!"

"What about... Motang Heavenly Lord?"

Motang Heavenly Lord, a Supreme Truth-level Yang God, was second only to Moheng in strength in the Demon Abyss.

With this thought, Mu Lan stepped into a teleportation array and headed toward Motang Heavenly Lord's territory.

As his figure vanished, a pair of golden eyes appeared in the sky.

"Life is full of surprises. Should I give him a little scare later?"

Qi Yuan murmured to himself.

By now, Qi Yuan had all but dropped his act.

Previously, he had to pretend to be a giant eyeball.

Now... what’s the point of pretending anymore?

The nearby Yang God Heavenly Lords had already been quietly taken care of.

The remaining few were already under his watchful eye.

As for Moheng Heavenly Lord, Qi Yuan was saving him for last.

"When the time comes, it’ll be another day of stellar acting!"

Qi Yuan already had a detailed plan for dealing with Moheng Heavenly Lord.

As a Supreme Truth-level Yang God, Moheng Heavenly Lord had a talent for networking with other heavenly lords.

He had formed a small group with five other Yang Gods in the Heavenly Positions Realm.

They often chatted in this group, sometimes even gossiping about other Yang Gods.

Their camaraderie was clear.

On the surface, not even Motu Heavenly Lord knew these five were secretly in touch.

Now, of the six group members, only Moheng remained. The others had already been taken care of.

After pondering for a moment, Qi Yuan decided to set his plan in motion.

He pulled out five communication devices.

"A pig-slaughtering scheme, huh? I'm all the alternate accounts, and you’re the only pig!"

Qi Yuan started sending messages in the group chat.

"My fellow lords, I’ve seen purple light to the south. It seems to be Purple Qi. Could it be a scheme from the Moon God Palace? Who wants to join me in investigating?"

After a short while, Qi Yuan, using another account, replied.

"Purple Qi? I’m in!"

"I’ll come too!"

"Since we’ve all seen it, let’s go together!"

The other accounts quickly logged in and added their voices.

"What about Moheng Heavenly Lord? Will he come?" someone asked.

"Moheng is a Supreme Truth-level. He wouldn’t be interested in just a trace of Purple Qi."

"Exactly. If it were a full strand of Purple Qi, maybe he’d care, but split among five people? No way."

Qi Yuan manipulated all five accounts, chatting with himself in the group.

The goal was to create a plausible scenario for Moheng Heavenly Lord.

They had seen Purple Qi and were heading out to capture it!

After laying the groundwork, once the other Yang Gods were dealt with, Qi Yuan would turn his attention to Moheng.

"I laugh at the Molo clan’s foolishness and Moheng’s lack of wisdom!"

"The Molo clan is worthless. Soon, they’ll all be reduced to three-crippled individuals!"

Qi Yuan’s eyes gleamed with excitement.

The successful execution of these plans hinged on several factors: the irresistible allure of the Supreme Truth Gate to Yang Gods, the unique properties of the Underworld, which isolated the Yang Gods, and—of course—Qi Yuan’s overwhelming strength.

Had any one of these factors not been in place, capturing a Yang God in total secrecy would have been impossible.

"Once I’ve secured control of the Demon Abyss, I can head back to the Fifth Heaven, go fishing, and bring my well back home."

Qi Yuan's actions were always methodical, always well-planned.