True Monarch Dazhi looked at Qi Yuan and said, "Since you don't wish to shatter your own Golden Core, how about shattering someone else's to form your Divine Infant?"
Qi Yuan swept his gaze across everyone present, then replied with a bitter smile, "Their Golden Cores are far too weak. I have no interest in them."
At these words, the expressions of the prodigies present shifted.
"Unworthy as I am, I condensed an Earth-grade Golden Core using ten-thousand-year Mysterious Yin Malice. Once unleashed, it transforms everything within three li into pure Mysterious Yin. Dare I ask, Fellow Daoist, is such a Golden Core weak?" one of the prodigies could not help but demand.
Hearing this, the singing maidens on the pleasure boat showed envious looks.
For an ordinary cultivator, forming any Golden Core at all was a joyous occasion.
Most Golden Cores formed ranged between the ninth and first grades.
Those capable of forming a Mysterious-grade, Earth-grade, or Heaven-grade Golden Core were truly one in a billion.
The Hundred Kingdoms possessed well over a billion living souls, yet aside from Qi Yuan, the highest achieved had been Kang Fulu's first-grade Golden Core.
Qi Yuan looked at the prodigy with a face full of pity. "Weak."
Turning everything within three li into Mysterious Yin?
What kind of nonsense was that?
Back when he was in Qi Refinement, he could have hacked him to death with a kitchen knife.
"And what kind of Golden Core did you form? Why don't you bring it out for us to see?" the prodigy sneered.
Qi Yuan shook his head. "I'm afraid that if I bring it out, all of you will die."
A Stellar Golden Core was not something one casually summoned.
"You simply don't dare," the prodigy mocked coldly.
Naturally, they assumed Qi Yuan was merely boasting.
The other prodigies laughed as well. "Lü Ti, who knows? Perhaps he condensed an Immortal-grade Golden Core, so he naturally looks down on your Earth-grade one."
Qi Yuan ignored them. These people were far too young; it would take thousands of years for them to mature into his white moonlight. He could not be bothered to waste his breath.
Turning back to True Monarch Dazhi, he asked, "Their Golden Cores are too weak, so I genuinely don't want them. Is there any other method?"
True Monarch Dazhi asked, "Do you know why a Divine Infant is called a Divine Infant?"
Qi Yuan froze.
Truth be told, he really had no idea.
Generally speaking, wasn't it simply shattering the core to form the infant, allowing the divine soul to take control?
"Actually, I don't know either," True Monarch Dazhi admitted. "However, based on my years of reading ancient texts, I deduce that the Divine Infant is the foundation of the Yin God. As everyone knows, once you step into the Yin God realm, you can give birth to an Origin Spirit and roam the Great Void. How do you think that Origin Spirit comes to be?"
A divine soul was a cultivator's ordinary soul.
An Origin Spirit, however, was something far more profound.
Upon reaching the Origin Core realm, one's divine soul could leave the physical body. But an Origin Spirit was a higher-order existence that could journey into the legendary Great Void.
"Could it be that the Origin Spirit metamorphoses from the Divine Infant?" Qi Yuan could not help guessing.
"Precisely! That is my theory as well. Both share the word 'Divine,' so there must be a connection. In other words... the Origin Spirits of all Yin Gods and even Yang Gods are their Divine Infants." True Monarch Dazhi shared his personal revelation.
Qi Yuan stared at the astral projections across the dome of the sky, his eyes wide. "Immortal gods are Divine Infants?"
"I've shared this only with you; do not speak of it to others. It carries immense karmic weight," True Monarch Dazhi said solemnly.
The singing maidens and prodigies aboard the pleasure boat were struck speechless. Claiming that immortal gods were Divine Infants—what an absurdly bold claim.
"Rest assured, I won't tell anyone else." Qi Yuan cast a glance over everyone on the boat.
For reasons unknown, a sudden chill gripped their hearts.
True Monarch Dazhi nodded. "Do you know what my Divine Infant is?"
"What is it?" Qi Yuan asked.
True Monarch Dazhi's expression turned sorrowful. "My Dao companion suffered cultivation deviation and passed away prematurely. I took her hair and fashioned it into an outer core; her body formed my Golden Core. My Divine Infant is her hair. I hope that one day, when I advance to the Yin God realm and my Divine Infant metamorphoses, it will nurture... her Origin Spirit."
Qi Yuan fell silent.
He was never good at consoling others, so he simply said, "May you achieve your wish."
"Thank you." A sharp light flickered in True Monarch Dazhi's eyes. "One day, she will be reborn from the ashes within my Divine Infant!"
Qi Yuan's thoughts drifted far away.
He thought of the Five Ancestors in the Five Elements Forbidden Ground—Ancestor Jin, Ancestor Shui, Ancestor Tu, and the rest. Back then, they had sacrificed themselves to bestow upon him the qi of the five elements and allow him to successfully master the forbidden ground.
If he condensed a Divine Infant based on his own concept, could those old acquaintances walk out from his Divine Infant in the future once he stepped into the Yin God realm?
Of course, it was only a passing thought.
True Monarch Dazhi spoke again: "Harboring both a Golden Core and a Divine Infant is defying heaven itself. You may face heavenly retribution. Take care of yourself, Fellow Daoist."
"I will." Qi Yuan nodded.
True Solar Fire had already been kindled upon his Stellar Golden Core.
The potential of this Golden Core was boundless. In Qi Yuan's view, given enough time, he could even devour every star in an entire universe.
Even without stepping into the Divine Infant realm, Qi Yuan could steadily grow stronger relying purely on his Stellar Golden Core. That meant even if he did not perfect the Qi Yuan Scripture, he could still slowly rise into one of the supreme figures across the myriad heavens and realms.
A Golden Core was already an invincible path; why bother condensing a Divine Infant?
Yet Qi Yuan clearly had greater ambitions.
He wanted to elevate himself in every conceivable way.
Naturally, the Qi Yuan Scripture had to be perfected, and a Divine Infant had to be formed as well.
"Thank you for the guidance, Fellow Daoist. I've gained a great deal," Qi Yuan remarked with feeling.
While the path to his Divine Infant was not yet entirely set, he already had plenty of ideas.
***
As night fell, Qi Yuan returned to his cave abode.
Iceberg Overlord Woman of the Divine Flower Society had sent over a hundred arts to him, all contributed by her sisters for his benefit.
Among them were four Heaven-grade arts, dozens of Mysterious-grade arts, and countless Jade-grade arts.
In an instant, Qi Yuan had gone from a pauper to a temporary tycoon.
"With so many arts, it should be enough to advance the Qi Yuan Scripture, right?"
Qi Yuan immediately threw himself into the grand endeavor of modifying and compiling his technique.
Time flew by.
The day of the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle drew closer and closer.
More and more prodigies gathered in Yunzhong City.
Every day, figures of prodigies could be seen soaring through the skies of the city.
Qi Yuan remained entirely deaf to the outside world, focusing solely on perfecting the Qi Yuan Scripture.
One day, Qi Yuan suddenly snapped awake.
"Only two days left until the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle..." he murmured.
To be frank, the Qi Yuan Scripture was at a critical juncture, and he had no desire to attend the prodigy battle. But remembering that the top twenty would earn the right to enter Wangyue Continent, along with the sect master's solemn entrustment, his gaze grew resolute.
"Looks like I still have to make an appearance at this Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle."
With that thought, Qi Yuan walked out of his cave abode.
Outside, Kang Fulu was having a heart-to-heart chat with a catgirl.
Not far off, Jiang Ya was perched in a bodhi tree, seemingly deep in thought over some difficult problem.
Spotting Qi Yuan, Kang Fulu looked surprised. "Junior Brother, where are you headed?"
"To take part in the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle," Qi Yuan replied.
Kang Fulu stared in horror. "Today?"
He slapped his thigh, thinking he had lost track of time. But after checking the date, he looked at Qi Yuan with a bizarre expression. "Isn't it two days from now? Why are you going already?"
"I'm going to see if there's a back door I can use," Qi Yuan said softly.
"A back door?" Kang Fulu's expression turned even stranger. He called over to Jiang Ya in the distance, "Does the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle have back doors?"
Jiang Ya broke out of her contemplation and glanced at Qi Yuan. "The Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle is jointly arranged by three Yin Gods. There are no back doors whatsoever."
"Originally, there are no back doors in this world, but once enough people walk through them, one appears," Qi Yuan stated matter-of-factly.
Yet for some reason, the moment he said it, he felt the phrasing sounded a bit odd.
Kang Fulu watched him and said no more. "Junior Brother... I wish you success in finding that back door."
Qi Yuan departed from the inn.
An hour later.
Qi Yuan's appearance had changed drastically, and he now wore a blood-red robe.
He came to a stop before a palace, a look of delight surfacing in his eyes. "Finally found it."
The palace before him was desolate and quiet.
A boy in front of the main gate was dozing off, nodding his head in a daze.
Qi Yuan swept a glance over him.
As if sensing something, the sleeping boy jolted awake. "Who... who are you?"
Looking at Qi Yuan, an inexplicable dread seized his heart.
"Me... just a Golden Core cultivator participating in the Eastern Lands Heavenly Pride Roll," Qi Yuan replied truthfully.
The fear in the boy's chest subsided somewhat. "Why have you come here if you're taking part in the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle?"
"I heard that the mighty Feng Lan, who is in charge of this prodigy battle, resides here."
"He's not seeing anyone. No visitors!" Hearing this, the boy looked thoroughly dismissive.
Currently, there were two Purple Mansion experts in Yunzhong City: the Court Master of Yunzhong Court and the mighty Feng Lan.
Occasionally, cultivators who did not know their place would come to pay their respects to Feng Lan. The man before him was presumably one of them.
Just then, the main gates opened, and a tall, slender woman stepped out.
"Mingri, what's going on?" she asked.
"He's here seeking an audience with Master," the boy hurriedly replied.
Qi Yuan looked at the tall woman, a surprised expression appearing in his eyes. "Booger Fairy, what a coincidence running into you here."
He glanced down at her hands.
Her fingernails were neatly trimmed; they had clearly been cut short not long ago.
He could not help sighing in admiration. These prodigies truly knew how to take advice. The moment he pointed out that long nails with nail polish were bad for picking one's nose, she had immediately trimmed them and switched to Dao arts.
At his words, Fairy Fengyue's expression warped completely, and fury flared within her.
Lately, the most famous person in Yunzhong City besides the top three on the Heavenly Pride Roll was her—thanks to the new nickname "Booger Fairy."
Even several of her sisters had used it to tease her.
A few days ago, one of her suitors had secretly gifted her an art. When she opened it, it turned out to be a spell for picking noses!
She was so furious she could burst!
She had wanted nothing more than to string up True Monarch Dazhi and Qi Yuan and thrash them thoroughly. Still, she had refrained from bullying the weak, resolving instead to challenge Qi Yuan once the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle began to teach him a lesson.
Now, a stranger had brazenly addressed her as Booger Fairy to her face. How could she not be enraged?
"Who are you?" She glared at Qi Yuan, fuming with anger.
If he failed to provide an explanation, she would beat him half to death.
"I am... the Blood-Robed Sword God," Qi Yuan declared calmly.
"What? The Blood-Robed Sword God?" Fairy Fengyue froze.
Dread and awe surged into her heart.
She had not attended the Fish-Dragon Banquet and had never seen the Blood-Robed Sword God in person, but she was well aware of his terrifying might.
That was a ruthless figure who had single-handedly annihilated the Palace of Light.
Why was he here?
Fairy Fengyue never doubted for a second that the red-robed man before her might be an impostor.
The Blood-Robed Sword God was infamous for his ferocity; no one would dare impersonate him. Moreover, many knew he had provoked Venerable Yeqiong and thoroughly offended him. Impersonating the Blood-Robed Sword God would be pure suicide.
Looking closely at the man before her, she could not fathom the depths of his cultivation at all.
It was definitely him!
Her heart was filled with both terror and grief.
Even a titan like the Blood-Robed Sword God knew her... as the Booger Fairy?
A senior at the level of the Blood-Robed Sword God could easily live for ten thousand years. In other words, she would not be able to shed this title for at least ten thousand years!
"Senior, please wait a moment! I will go inform our ancestor at once!"
"Just lead me inside directly; it saves time," Qi Yuan said casually.
Fairy Fengyue's expression shifted, but in the end, she nodded.
***
Deep within the palace.
Feng Lan was playing chess with the Court Master of Yunzhong Court.
"To think that such a massive event would occur after being in Cuiyun Continent for barely a month," Feng Lan remarked with a sigh.
The Court Master of Yunzhong Court wore a melancholic expression as well. "Who could have imagined that the mighty Palace of Light would be wiped out overnight? That Blood-Robed Sword God is truly a god of slaughter. I wonder how he managed to destroy the Palace of Light. Could it be that the falling sun that day was truly connected to him, just as he claimed?"
"How could that be?" Feng Lan shook his head. "In this realm... there can only be one. You understand."
The Court Master of Yunzhong Court fell silent at that, not daring to speak further.
One did not casually discuss a venerable one, especially that particular one.
Feng Lan added with worry, "Once the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle concludes, I must hurry back. Staying in Cuiyun Continent is far too dangerous. Surviving the great tribulation only to die here would be far too unlucky."
He was terrified of the Blood-Robed Sword God.
Currently, he was in charge of the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle, serving the three Yin Gods. In name, he counted as a temporary subordinate of Venerable Yeqiong. If the Blood-Robed Sword God found out, given what they knew of that lunatic, he would undoubtedly cut him down.
Who in Cuiyun Continent right now did not fear the Blood-Robed Sword God?
Justice triumphing over evil?
It was merely a greater monster eradicating evil!
"Ancestor, the Blood-Robed Sword God has arrived," an urgent voice transmission suddenly sounded.
The chess piece slipped from Feng Lan's fingers and clattered onto the board. Sheer terror overtook his face.
The Court Master of Yunzhong Court looked on in shock. "Fellow Daoist, what is it?"
"No, I have to run! The Blood-Robed Sword God is here to kill me!" Feng Lan cried in panic and despair.
He moved to flee on the spot, but before he could take a single step, he felt a terrifying gaze lock onto him.
"Running the moment you see me—could it be that you're a villain? If you are, I, the Blood-Robed Sword God, will have to enforce justice on heaven's behalf!" Qi Yuan's lazy voice drifted in.
Even as a Purple Mansion cultivator, Feng Lan's divine soul trembled violently. His expression twisted. "I wasn't running... Just had to pee... urgently..."
"Your Feng family is truly strange. One picks her nose, and the other has an urgent bladder." Qi Yuan glanced at Fengyue, then at Feng Lan.
Feng Lan felt deeply embarrassed, though a flicker of confusion crossed his mind.
Judging by his tone, the Blood-Robed Sword God hadn't come to kill him?
He looked at Qi Yuan with utter deference. "May I ask what brings Senior Blood-Robed Sword God here? How may this humble one serve you?"
At this moment, not a shred of a Purple Mansion expert's dignity remained; he looked entirely like a groveling subordinate.
After all, toward a Yin God, he felt only reverence. Toward the Blood-Robed Sword God, he felt pure, unadulterated terror. The man was a monstrous fiend.
"I signed up for the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle a while back," Qi Yuan said, casually taking a seat in a nearby chair.
Feng Lan was stunned.
The Blood-Robed Sword God signed up for the prodigy battle?
Why would a Purple Mansion titan register for a prodigy tournament?
"Unfortunately, I've recently been studying a cultivation method that has reached a critical stage, so I can't spare the time to attend. Can the schedule for the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle be pushed back?" Qi Yuan asked mildly.
Since he was asking for a favor, his tone was quite genial.
"Senior... the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle cannot be delayed," Feng Lan said with great difficulty, utterly baffled.
The Blood-Robed Sword God had to be nearly ten thousand years old, right? At such an advanced age, he couldn't even enter the battleground in the first place.
Feng Lan explained the reason: the secret realm's opening time was fixed and could not be altered by human effort.
At this, Qi Yuan looked at Feng Lan. "Compared to the top ten prodigies on the Eastern Lands Heavenly Pride Roll, who do you think is stronger—them or me?"
Feng Lan was dumbfounded.
Was this titan making fun of him?
"Naturally, Senior is stronger!" he answered gingerly.
"See? Even you admit I'm stronger. Doesn't that mean that as long as I participate, I'm guaranteed to place in the top twenty?"
"Yes, you would." Feng Lan could only nod, casting a cautious glance at Qi Yuan before adding weakly, "It's just that Senior's age is a bit... high. The Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle is restricted to young people under two hundred years old."
"I am very young. This year I'm only twenty... less than thirty years old," Qi Yuan stated firmly.
He had originally intended to tell the truth, but then he remembered he was already married to Xiao Jia. Getting married before the age of twenty violated the marriage law, so he slightly inflated his age.
Inside the room, the Court Master of Yunzhong Court watched in silence, not daring to utter a word.
Fairy Fengyue stood to the side, struggling desperately to hold back her laughter.
Feng Lan's expression strained. "Senior... indeed looks very young."
"It's not that I look young, I *am* young!" Qi Yuan corrected him.
"So, my strength meets the standard, and my age qualifies. If I enter the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle, setting aside the top three, reaching the top ten shouldn't be an issue, right? Since the outcome is certain, let's skip the process and just assign me to the top ten directly," Qi Yuan declared overbearingly.
Truth be told, pulling strings through the back door like this felt fantastic.
Feng Lan was rendered speechless.
Could the Blood-Robed Sword God even hear himself speak?
If anyone else—even a late-stage Purple Mansion cultivator—had made such a demand, he would have cursed them for their shamelessness. But before the Blood-Robed Sword God, he truly dared not utter a single word of protest.
"This matter must be reported to the three Yin God Venerables. This humble one... has no authority to decide," Feng Lan said meekly.
"Then report it quickly and get me an answer right away," Qi Yuan urged, his tone chilling. "If anyone maliciously prevents me from claiming a top-twenty spot in the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle, they are making an enemy of me!"
Cold sweat broke out across Feng Lan's forehead. "I shall report it immediately!"
Even with ten lives, he would never dare make an enemy of the Blood-Robed Sword God.
The fate of the Palace of Light was still fresh in his memory. A sect that had stood for ten thousand years, the supreme force of Cuiyun Continent, had been wiped out just like that!
Chapter 154