The Blood of an Origin Core Cultivator

"Greetings, Senior Brother Qi Yuan!" Dong Xian stepped forward, looking at Qi Yuan with a respectful expression. "It's you?" Qi Yuan gave Dong Xian a glance and couldn't help taking half a step back. People like Dong Xian, who seemed to have protagonist destiny, were best kept as far away as possible. In the TV dramas and anime Qi Yuan used to watch, whenever the camera suddenly gave a close-up of some supporting character being exceptionally kind to the protagonist, there was no need to think—that character was about to get killed off so the protagonist could awaken their hidden potential. Hence, many shows had comments like: "Old Man Fei." Qi Yuan was no old man, nor did he want to get axed. "Senior Brother Qi Yuan, I have a presumptuous request, though I don't know if I should voice it," Dong Xian said. Qi Yuan quickly replied, "Then you shouldn't." In one swift stroke, he choked off whatever Dong Xian was going to say. Meanwhile, Qi Yuan took a serious look at Dong Xian. [He is an ordinary youth. The remnant soul within his body has awakened; it is an artifact refiner who has taken a fancy to your kitchen cleaver.] Seeing Dong Xian frozen with no response, Qi Yuan patted his shoulder. "Young man, there's an exotic flame in Divine Medicine Peak's kitchen. I feel it would suit you quite well." Having said that, Qi Yuan turned and walked away. As he walked, however, he concealed the cleaver's aura. The fact that the remnant soul had eyed his knife had put him on guard. Back where he stood, Dong Xian was completely bewildered. "An exotic flame? What's that?" Just then, Elder Qi's voice sounded. "You need to be careful of this Qi Yuan. He isn't as simple as he looks." "Huh?" "During our close encounter just now, I detected that his kitchen cleaver has tasted blood." "Blood? Isn't that normal?" "The blood of an Origin Core cultivator," Elder Qi said. Dong Xian froze. An Origin Core cultivator? That kitchen cleaver... had killed an Origin Core cultivator? One had to know that in Great Shang, an Origin Core cultivator was an existence akin to an imperial consecrated elder. Could that ordinary-looking kitchen cleaver have actually tasted the blood of an Origin Core cultivator? Had the Peak Master of Seven Colors Peak bestowed it upon Qi Yuan? No wonder Elder Qi had said the cleaver was extraordinary. Elder Qi continued, "This Qi Yuan can only be befriended, never made an enemy." There was half a sentence he hadn't spoken: that blood had been spilled recently. Dong Xian couldn't help chuckling. "Why on earth would I make an enemy out of the head disciple of a peak for no reason?" ... On Seven Colors Peak, Jiang Lingsu had a look of novelty and surprise. "Eldest Senior Brother, you're leaving the sect?" Qi Yuan nodded. "I've already spoken with the Sect Master, and the old man agreed to let me go out to establish my foundation." "Establish your foundation?" Jiang Lingsu was puzzled. "Why leave the sect for that?" Couldn't he just achieve Foundation Establishment right here on Seven Colors Peak? "Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand li." Jiang Lingsu paused for a moment. "Eldest Senior Brother, sometimes what you say makes quite a lot of sense. But... I feel you definitely aren't doing this for Foundation Establishment." "Alas," Qi Yuan sighed. "Your senior brother is running for his life, fighting for a slim chance of survival in this world." Qi Yuan felt he was a lot like that tragic figure, the Great Immortal Nangong, daring to fight for an immortal fate in one lifetime. Jiang Lingsu was speechless. "Eldest Senior Brother, speak like a normal human." Seeing her reaction, Qi Yuan said, "Didn't I tell you I'm worried the Black Mountain Sect will suspect me of killing Chu Tianxiong and his group? If Old Demon Black Chicken leads his forces straight to the base of our peak and traps me here, won't I be dead meat? It's better to lay low outside until the storm blows over before coming back." Jiang Lingsu: "...Eldest Senior Brother, you'd better leave quickly. I'm afraid if I spend too much time around you, I'll lose my mind." Jiang Lingsu gave him a look of utter disdain. Yet, remembering something, she cautioned, "Traveling alone outside, you should still be careful. The people from the Black Mountain Sect might get desperate and really come looking for trouble with you." "Great minds think alike! I also feel the Black Mountain Sect harbors wild ambitions!" Qi Yuan agreed vigorously. Jiang Lingsu: "...Eldest Senior Brother, I think if only you were mute, you would definitely be a handsome man seen once in a century." It was just that the moment he opened his mouth... it ruined everything. Of course, it wasn't that Qi Yuan's voice was unpleasant, but rather that the things coming out of his mouth were utterly absurd. ... "Two seats are still available in Tian Class! Anyone wanting to upgrade, act fast—it only costs one spirit stone!" Aboard the spirit vessel, a female Qi Refinement cultivator called out crisply to the passengers in Di Class. This was a flying boat bound for Bloodless City. Bloodless City was located in the northernmost reaches of Great Shang, a rather chaotic city. After all, Bloodless City lay near the Black Mountain Sect's domain. Generally speaking, not many orthodox cultivators were willing to go there. However, the outskirts of Bloodless City produced a kind of blood crystal. These blood crystals were valuable and could aid certain cultivators in their cultivation. Therefore, many rogue cultivators—and even disciples from major sects—would travel to Bloodless City to gather blood crystals and boost their strength. At present, Qi Yuan sat inside the spirit vessel. This spirit vessel was a Foundation Establishment dharma artifact. Yet unlike ordinary Foundation Establishment dharma artifacts, all of its stat points had been pumped into speed. Hearing the 'flight attendant's' announcement, Qi Yuan felt a sudden urge. Having looted corpses the other day, he was newly rich and felt like going to sit in the Tian-class 'first-class cabin.' Yet thinking of how he was here on serious business and needed to keep a low profile, he snuffed out the thought. "Is Fellow Daoist also going to Bloodless City to mine blood crystals? Seeing your extraordinary bearing, you must be a disciple of a major sect, right?" Just then, a glamorous mature woman beside him struck up a conversation with Qi Yuan. The glamorous woman was exquisitely dressed, her hair wound into a falling-horse bun pinned slantwise with a peach-wood hairpin. Dressed in an elegant green-gray robe, she looked refined, gentle, and utterly dignified. Though her attire was simple, it was clear she was well-to-do—a wealthy lady. Hearing this, Qi Yuan couldn't help sighing in admiration. Even though he had changed his face with disguise techniques and concealing arts, reducing his handsome looks by ninety percent, people could still see through to his fundamentally 'gorgeous' nature. "I am merely a rogue cultivator." The role Qi Yuan was currently playing was that of a rogue cultivator. "Rogue cultivators are quite good too; they have drive in everything they do. When I was young, I was a rogue cultivator as well. Now that I'm older, I joined a sect because I prefer a more peaceful life," the glamorous woman mused. "Aren't you in the prime of your youth, big sister?" Qi Yuan said. As the saying went: in youth, one doesn't know the charm of older sisters, mistaking lolis for treasures. A glamorous, wealthy lady like the one before him would surely be adored by many Cao Cao types. Qi Yuan possessed the ultimate skill Tyrannical Strength, but he hadn't awakened Boss Cao's proclivities. "You truly have a way with words, Fellow Daoist," the glamorous woman giggled, swaying like a blossoming branch. "How could I compare to you young folk, so robust and strong?" Looking at Qi Yuan's tall, well-built physique, she seemed reminded of days gone by. "If you are going to Bloodless City to mine blood crystals, you must watch out for the Black Mountain Sect. In Bloodless City, offending the City Lord is far better than offending the Black Mountain Sect. Offend the City Lord, and only you might die; offend the Black Mountain Sect, and your entire family might perish." At the mention of the Black Mountain Sect, a clear flicker of fear and disgust appeared in the glamorous woman's eyes. "The Black Mountain Sect is so wicked they even slaughter entire families?" Qi Yuan lowered his voice, sounding somewhat agitated. If the Black Mountain Sect found out he had killed Chu Tianxiong, would their people cross over to Blue Star and slaughter his entire family? That would be outrageous! Then again, Qi Yuan reconsidered—what kind of entire family did he have? On the household register, there was only him. How tragic! When people insulted him online, he couldn't even fire back properly. "The Black Mountain Sect has immense influence and acts with overbearing tyranny. Not only must we hand over ten percent of the blood crystals mined in Bloodless City to the City Lord's Manor, but we also have to yield twenty percent to the Black Mountain Sect. And sometimes... even more than twenty percent!" As she said this, the glamorous woman gritted her teeth, looking quite furious. Hearing this, Qi Yuan flared up in fury. "Bloodless City isn't even under the Black Mountain Sect's jurisdiction, so why are they so arrogant? They're more heartless than capitalists—they deserve to be hung from streetlamps!" Seeing his reaction, the glamorous woman lowered her voice and said, "Fellow Daoist, keep your voice down. Don't let anyone from the Black Mountain Sect overhear, or you'll be in big trouble." Hearing this, Qi Yuan muttered in his heart: *I'm not being selfish!* *I'm not seeking revenge for myself!* *I'm carrying out justice on behalf of the heavens!* He brainwashed himself, having successfully seized the moral high ground from which he could look down upon the Black Mountain Sect. Throughout the spirit vessel's journey, he and the glamorous woman chatted delightfully. Of course, this had little to do with Qi Yuan's emotional intelligence; it was more likely thanks to his handsome face and youthful vigor. After about five shichen, the spirit vessel landed. The cultivators disembarked one after another. The glamorous woman offered a polite invitation: "If you have nowhere to stay, why not spend the night at my residence?" Hearing this, Qi Yuan checked the sky. "No thanks." He needed to hurry, or he wouldn't catch the last spirit vessel back. There was no way he would stay overnight here. Once he killed them, he had to flee immediately! As for returning to the crime scene? Anyone who murdered people regularly should know that hanging around the scene of the crime made it easy to get caught. Just then, a slightly displeased voice drifted over. "Mother, I'm here." A young woman in an exquisite palace-style gown walked over, accompanied by a female Foundation Establishment cultivator. The girl looked at Qi Yuan with faint hostility in her eyes. Qi Yuan found it utterly baffling. "Fellow Daoist Liu Piao, farewell." Qi Yuan bid farewell to the glamorous woman and turned to leave. The young woman in the palace dress stepped forward and took the glamorous woman's arm. "Mother, who was that?" The glamorous woman smiled. "Xiao Rou, your temperament is just too guarded against everyone. That was only a rogue cultivator I met by chance on the journey, here to mine blood crystals in Bloodless City. I saw he had a good demeanor, so we chatted a bit. You aren't that young anymore; it's time you found yourself a Dao companion." The vigilance in the young woman's eyes vanished, and she said helplessly, "I have such a massive operation at the blood crystal mines to manage—where would I find the time? And Mother, even if I'm not some favored daughter of heaven, not just any random rogue cultivator pulled off the street is worthy of me. Sigh, after picking you up, I still have to head to the Black Mountain Sect with the other mine owners. I've already made plans with them to depart in one shichen." At the mention of the Black Mountain Sect, an inescapable gloom gathered in her eyes.