My Core is the Boss

Inside the inn, Qi Yuan sipped tea while looking at the sheepskin scroll.

[This is an incomplete martial cultivation method. There are 124 flaws within it. It can be improved...]

No secret could remain hidden from his eyes.

"What a pity. The number of cultivation methods I know is too small to fully complete it."

At the moment, he could only improve the technique to a limited extent and was unable to fully derive it. Still, that was more than enough.

I've only just entered the Qi Blood realm. If I meet my white moonlight, I won't have enough confidence. I need to raise my strength a bit.

Thinking this, Qi Yuan began practicing the Heaven-Shocking Art.

About fifteen minutes later, he opened his eyes. "Too slow. At this rate, it’ll take me at least three months to reach the mid-stage of the Qi Blood realm."

If An Qiao heard it would only take him that long, she would probably consider him monstrously terrifying and say, “This child absolutely cannot be allowed to live!”

"Looks like I'll need to increase my stats."

Three drops of demon essence blood floated beside him. After swallowing one drop, he began circulating the cultivation method.

Since there was no system window, Qi Yuan simply voiced the lines himself, "You have devoured one drop of demon essence blood. Your martial cultivation has increased by ten days. Two drops remain."

If outsiders saw this, they would think he was sick, but Qi Yuan thoroughly enjoyed it.

"You have devoured two more drops of demon essence blood. Your cultivation speed increases. Suddenly, a flash of insight strikes, and you seem to grasp that the essence of the Heaven-Shocking Art lies in the word 'shock.' Thunder is shocking, startled horses are shocked, awakening insects are shocked. Your cultivation rises rapidly, equivalent to two months of bitter training!"

A few breaths later, a flash of blood-red light swept through his eyes. "I'm becoming more and more versatile. Back on Moonwatch Continent, I could voice monsters that couldn't speak, now I can even voice the system itself. If I ever lose my job in the future, I'll just play the role of a system."

He then muttered to himself, "Haa... I’ve already worked this hard and poured my sincerest feelings into it. Why hasn't Elder Huang come looking for me yet?"

He had just killed Fourth Master Huang. By all logic, Elder Huang should have received the news. If Elder Huang were a hardworking and diligent person, he should have come for revenge by now. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.

Hence, Qi Yuan decided to take the initiative. "Usually, after beating the elder, an even older one comes. But since the older one isn't coming, I'll just beat the elder and then go beat an even older one."

Naturally, he did not know that because the people from the Demon-Slaying Bureau had come to Yunyan County, the demons here had all been strictly ordered not to leave at will. They were all lying low in different areas.

Thus, he left the inn. If he killed another Fourth Master Huang and encountered another substitute white moonlight, he would reach the mid-stage Qi Blood realm. He planned to kill a few more this time.

***

As night fell, Qi Yuan stopped before an abandoned mansion. Earlier today, he had gone to the Huang Residence, only to find it empty. After investigating, he learned that all the demons in Yunyan County had gone into hiding. They had been gathering at various strongholds, seemingly to hold some kind of conference.

Qi Yuan stood before the mansion with an air of ease. "Elder Huang, a Qi Blood realm demon, is the strongest in the stronghold. The total number of demons should be around twenty."

Honestly, it was a rather tough target. If Elder Huang pinned him down while the other demons attacked, it would be difficult for him to retreat unscathed.

"System, you're really useless. Why do I need demon essence blood to add points?" Qi Yuan sighed, before adding, "Oh, sorry, I remembered wrong. I don't even have a system."

He was like someone complaining about flaws in a girlfriend, only to suddenly realize he had no girlfriend.

Just then, an arrogant voice sounded from behind him. "Heh, you're from the government. What are you looking at here? Don't you know that only demons are allowed into the mansion ahead?"

A sharp-beaked, rooster-faced demon walked over, vicious and sinister. Its eyes flickered as it looked at Qi Yuan. It would probably eat him if he let his guard down for even a second.

He recognized it at a glance. "A rooster?"

It was his first time seeing a rooster, let alone a demon one.

Qi Yuan puffed out his chest proudly. "Though I'm not a demon, my wife is. Naturally, I'm qualified to enter. I'm a live-in son-in-law."

To see his white moonlight, he had sacrificed too much.

"Your wife is a demon?" The Rooster Demon was surprised, the disdain in its eyes deepening. "So you're just a hairless pretty boy."

It had always despised humans for their lack of body hair. To think some demonesses actually fancied them... Those demonesses had appalling taste, removing all their fur and keeping only a handful of demonic features. How could demonesses fall for humans? Absolutely hideous, shameless beyond belief!

Qi Yuan grinned. "So now I can go in, right?"

The Rooster Demon shot him a cold glance. "You'll need to pass the old tree spirit at the gate. He's lived a long time and can see through disguises."

Following that, the Rooster Demon swaggered toward the decrepit mansion, tail feathers raised.

Watching its back, greed gleamed in Qi Yuan's eyes. A Rooster Demon, huh? I can buy a house with that. If only I were a civil servant...

As soon as he thought this, a gust of demonic wind swirled ahead. An old man with skin resembling withered bark appeared.

Rooster Demon immediately became respectful. "Elder Tree."

The bark-skinned old man glanced at it indifferently. "Rooster Demon. Enter."

The Rooster Demon respectfully saluted. "The human behind me claims to be some demoness’ kept man. I think he has ulterior motives. Please examine him carefully, Elder Tree."

The old man turned his gaze toward Qi Yuan, his eyes growing deep and unreadable.

Qi Yuan strode forward openly, his smile bright as morning dew. "Little Bride, come out."

Space trembled, and a streak of blood-red light flickered. Then, a wedding robe stood tall by his side. Beneath the dark night sky, the traditional Chinese-style, bright red dress appeared especially eerie. Yet it nestled against Qi Yuan like a small bird. Had she possessed a face, it would surely have been one of delicate beauty and soft brows.

Qi Yuan held her cold sleeve and introduced her generously, "This is my wife, Little Bride, whom I married with an eight-carrier bridal sedan."

The Rooster Demon's eyes widened. "This is..."

Its attempt at figuring out what sort of demon Qi Yuan’s wife was ended in complete failure. Could wedding robes really become spirits or demons in this world? That was a rare thing indeed.

Even the old tree's calm gaze shifted slightly at that moment. As he looked at Little Bride, a strand of demonic qi drifted toward her. He seemed to be determining whether Little Bride truly was a demon.

The Rooster Demon also seemed tense, wanting to know the answer.

After about twelve breaths, Elder Tree finally said in a somewhat hoarse voice, "Wedding Garment Demon. Enter."

Immensely pleased, Qi Yuan smugly glanced at the Rooster Demon. "I'm going in."

Unable to gauge Little Bride's cultivation, the Rooster Demon's gaze turned wary, and it hurried into the courtyard as well.

A few moments later, Elder Tree’s desolate voice drifted through the air. "It seems that I must move again. Cannot observe, cannot observe. The waters run too deep."