My Core is the Boss

The Exploding Bird-Slaying Fist erupted. Qi Yuan's fist fell like the end of the world.

Boom!

The bloodstained stone shattered instantly.

The black-robed man froze. "M-Martial Lord..."

Qi Yuan's strike had been overwhelmingly powerful, unmistakably displaying the strength of a Martial Lord.

The black-robed man was in disbelief. In the next instant, his body dissolved and scattered into fragments. Not even a peak Martial King like him, with the bloodline of a Martial Lord, stood a chance against Qi Yuan. Such was the gulf between a god and a mortal.

Qi Yuan remarked casually, "Oh, shattered so completely there's nothing left to bury. Looks like you won't even get some grace."

Wang Niang trembled in disbelief as she struggled to comprehend what she had just witnessed. "How can there be a Martial Lord within a Mountain-Sea Scroll?! Impossible!"

Without ancestral blood, how could a peak Martial King break through to Martial Lord?! And the true Martial Lords of the Origin Land could not leave it or they would die. That was precisely why the Heavenly Mending Pavilion's Martial Kings could wander through the Mountain-Sea Scrolls, correcting worldlines, re-enacting histories, and saving the world before the Dawn Chime.

Qi Yuan said, "Nothing is impossible in this world. Any interest in becoming a bride for Han Xianyun?"

Wang Niang tried to calm herself down. "Mr. Qi, you must stop. I do not know how you broke through to Martial Lord. Perhaps you're blessed with great fortune and an extraordinary destiny, but never forget this.

"A Martial Lord may be a true power within a Mountain-Sea Scroll, but they’re still as insignificant as dust before the tide of fate. The Dawn Chime will arrive in less than three thousand years. We must correct the worldline. Only then can the world's rebirth proceed without error!"

"I have no interest in any of that."

Thunder had pretty much told him as much. Still, a game reset had nothing to do with him. Why would he even bother if the world's fate was uncertain? Who could say what was real and what was false?

At the same time, Wang Niang had spoken with total sincerity. Qi Yuan knew because his nose hadn't grown any longer. He had simply been through too much to take anything at face value.

"Sir, please prioritize the greater good. Help bring Young Miss and Tu Kongming together, and restore the world trajectory. I thank you in advance."

Wang Niang then drove her palm into the top of her own skull. Her head cracked open and blood rushed out. She had hoped to move Qi Yuan through her own death. Of course, had Qi Yuan not been so strong, the roles would've been reversed.

Thus, not even the slightest change crossed his face. "What a pity. Han Xianyun just lost such a spectacular wife. By the way, if I drove such a great and noble person to her death, doesn't that make me the villain? Should I... Kekekeke!"

***

Three months passed quickly. Many things had happened. Members of the Heavenly Mending Pavilion came in waves, seeking to kill Qi Yuan, but he got rid of them all with ease.

Although Tu Kongming never did win over Wang Yuanyu, he remained as lovesick as ever. In contrast, Wang Yuanyu's heart had never been stirred by Tu Kongming, and she viewed Qi Yuan as nothing more than a friend. The story's two leads had refused to follow the script.

Ma Longhu, on the other hand, played his villain role with dedication. He stirred up trouble and targeted Wang Yuanyu according to the original trajectory. In the end, Tu Kongming still stepped forward to take the blow for her and died. Unlike Wang Niang's predictions, Wang Yuanyu did not follow him in death.

At the time, Qi Yuan finally met Ma Longhu as well. He simply killed the horse demon without much effort. Qi Yuan had not bothered to save Tu Kongming. He didn't know Tu Kongming, nor did Qi Yuan have any desire to save him. The mission had never asked him to protect the man anyway.

Qi Yuan brushed his hands and sighed. "Mission complete. Time to go. I stayed a bit long this time and missed the Martial Arts Tournament several times. What a loss."

To become a Mortal Martial God, one had to win a hundred consecutive Martial Arts Tournaments. Entering a Mountain-Sea Scroll meant being unable to participate, which risked breaking a winning streak.

Thus, Canary had helped him out by halting the tournament's proceedings. Naturally, a Martial Arts Tournament only counted when Qi Yuan participated. It was akin to keeping a seat warm.

Wang Yuanyu glanced at Qi Yuan. Then, her gaze fell upon the lifeless Tu Kongming, her eyes tinged with melancholy. "Just as Wang Niang said, he ended up dying to save me. And yet, I feel no grief or gratitude whatsoever. Am I cold-blooded?"

Qi Yuan smiled slightly. "Obviously. Speaking as a man of supreme self-confidence, you've spent all this time by my side, yet I never once managed to stir your heart. So yes, you are rather cold-blooded."

Wang Yuanyu hesitated. "I-is that a bad thing?"

"What is good? What is bad? Sometimes, it's okay to be a little selfish. Of course, if you've offended me, then sorry, no matter how good you are, you're not good enough."

Wang Yuanyu smiled faintly. "Are you going to leave?"

"Yes, I am going home. It's been many years since I've seen my wives. I miss them dearly."

She said sincerely, "I hope we have the chance to meet again."

In this vast world, finding someone worth talking to was a rare thing.

"As long as your lifespan is sufficient, you'll have the chance." Then, as if struck by something, he added, "You can watch TV dramas to immerse yourself in experiences, but don't mistake them for reality. It's like us scrolling through videos and trending topics. Sometimes, what we see is just what others want us to see."

Wang Yuanyu tilted her head and nodded. "Strangely, you seem like a cultured man."

The two began complimenting each other back and forth.

Qi Yuan glanced at the black sack on Wang Yuanyu's head. "As an actress, you're not bad either. You'd be perfect playing a kidnapper."

Though black silk stockings would probably be more fitting.

"Next time we meet, I'll send you a pair of stockings and you can model for me."

Wang Yuanyu smiled. "Deal. By the way, what's a TV drama?"

Clearly, calling Qi Yuan a cultured man had just been flattery. She hadn't understood a word of what he said.

"Well, all of you are characters in a TV drama. I'm the audience."

Thus, he vanished. In the vast expanse of heaven and earth, only Wang Yuanyu remained.