My Core is the Boss

After the Iron Bell Guard reached major completion, Qi Yuan tried to keep consuming demon essence blood, but his progress stalled.

A sudden inspiration struck him, and he applied immortal cultivation principles to the martial technique. "You have consumed demon essence blood... Iron Bell Guard... Peak."

In one session, he pushed Iron Bell Guard to the peak. The cultivation session was not without its insights. Ten thousand paths lead to the same summit, especially when Iron Bell Guard was similar to defensive techniques of immortal cultivation.

Though the gap between the two was vast in practice, Qi Yuan understood both roads deeply. That understanding was one thing he never lacked. After all, not only could his eyes read hidden information, but he also had a spectacular grasp of immortal cultivation.

In the same manner, he honed the Thousand-Edge Whirlwind Blade to perfection. He briefly studied the spatial-storage technique as well, and constructed a small dimension within himself to hold supplies.

Then, his eyes landed on another manual. "This Heaven Yang Finger looks interesting. Should I try it?"

Anyone who achieved the Great Accomplishment realm in it could present the stone token and gain direct entry to the Genius Alliance.

"You have consumed one hundred drops of demon essence blood and begun practicing the Heaven Yang Finger. Minor Accomplishment... Second layer... Major Accomplishment. Still not enough? You have consumed another fifty drops of demon essence blood. Heaven Yang Finger... Peak."

Now, with his martial arts techniques alone, he could effortlessly pin his former self down. Martial techniques added substantially to combat power.

In particular, mastering Iron Bell Guard allowed him to condense his Blood Martial Qi into a layer with a hardness comparable to iron. The slash of an ordinary demon could no longer injure him. Such a passive defense made him an ideal vanguard for charging straight in.

"All right. Time to head back to the real world and attend the Martial Arts Tournament."

Qi Yuan’s circumstances were unusual, and by extension, more flexible. Since he hadn’t entered the Underworld by dying, he could leave when he had no active mission. Others weren't so lucky. For example, Chen Fan had only ventured into the real game world a handful of times over several hundred years.

Thus, he left the Underworld. "Five days have gone by already? The time flow in the Mission World seems about the same as the real game world."

Before entering closed cultivation, Qi Yuan had instructed the hotel to contain all disturbances. The room was exactly as he'd left it. His arrays also ensured that even if someone without much situational awareness tried to intrude, they would not find any way in.

"Good to be back. I was far too weak in the Mission World."

That was why he'd spent the first mission moving carefully and cautiously, barely having a good night's sleep for fear of stumbling into a powerful demon.

Life had been hard for Luo Bufan, as it was for Qi Yuan. Everyone in this world carried their own particular bitterness. Some people were born without parents and orphaned from the start.

Qi Yuan, for his part, had never had a mother-in-law. No one would dote or shelter him. Even his power had gone down an entire realm, and he'd spent the whole mission on edge, terrified of being spotted by a great demon. Fortunately, his steady, careful approach had seen him through.

Now, with his peak Foundation Establishment realm restored, his confidence returned in full. Qi Yuan gazed up at the sun, thoughtful. "Looks like it's time to forge my core."

Very soon, the sky would have one more sun in it. Forging his core would gradually draw his Star Golden Cores toward him. The first to arrive would be the star where Ning Tao resided, his very first core.

"Breakthrough!"

***

Somewhere else entirely, in a military encampment.

Thousands of soldiers in uniform trained in formation, their battle cries rolling out in waves. Engines roared like thunder and shots fired freely on the range. In contrast, the steel-walled building at the heart of the compound was dead silent; its soundproofing was extraordinary.

The chief took a small sip of his tea, his tone assertive. "Kuang Huan, this matter has drawn the attention of the Seven Martial Stars. Sending a coffin to the Marquis Blue Sea puts us in a difficult position. The marquis had overstepped, yes, but his intentions were ultimately for the Qin Yuan Kingdom. How about I ask the marquis to personally apologize and we let the matter rest?"

The recent annihilation of the Guiran military camp had sent shockwaves through the upper ranks. The highest echelons of Qin Yuan had been watching Qi Yuan very closely ever since.

Whether out of personal greed or at the behest of some major figure, the Marquis Blue Sea had attempted to access Qi Yuan's phone and computer to gather more intelligence. However, Zero-One detected and intercepted the hacking attempt. Soon after, Qi Yuan arranged for Zero-One to deliver a coffin to the marquis's door.

Hence today's conversation.

Kuang Huan lowered his head, unable to bring himself to meet his superior’s eyes. "Chief, I can’t possibly interfere in Mr. Qi's affairs."

"That isn't the point. Just relay our message to him. If he dares send coffins to the Marquis of Blue Sea today, there’s no telling he won’t launch a killing spree against the Seven Martial Stars tomorrow. No matter how powerful he is, the Eye of the Sky doesn't exist for decoration.

"Nothing survives under it, not even a god. However, we prefer peace and not to stoke unnecessary conflict. All he needs to do is show goodwill, forgive Marquis Blue Sea, and everything else can be discussed."

The threat in his voice was evident.

Internally, Qi Yuan had generated considerable disagreement at the top brass. Some wanted to get on his good side, others wanted him eliminated, with the former holding the upper hand. Still, even that had strategy involved. First, they would apply pressure and show who was boss.

Kuang Huan frowned. "But..."

Having witnessed Qi Yuan's power firsthand, Kuang Huan thought of him as a god. Nevertheless, could the cultivator stand against the kingdom’s national-level weapon? When the Brilliant Star had invaded all those years ago, Arch Star had managed to maintain its independence and avoid annexation largely because of the Eye of the Star.

Kuang Huan found himself concerned for Qi Yuan. He knew Qi Yuan's nature. The cultivator would never regret anything he had done. If the conversation was handled with respect, there could be room to maneuver. Likewise, Qi Yuan would never bow to such pressure.

Kuang Huan opened and closed his mouth, unable to find the words. "I..."

The chief read the situation. He had his answer. Though the alliance faction held the advantage for now, the other faction was making moves too. Things were being done in the background.

Thus, he made his decision. "Kuang Huan, your grandfather and I were comrades. Since you won’t even speak to him, I suggest you stay out of this entirely."

He would send Marquis Blue Sea to meet Qi Yuan in person. If Qi Yuan refused to accept the apology, then other arrangements would follow. What he said now was meant to pull Kuang Huan clear of the blast radius.

"But Chief, Marquis Blue Sea is the one at fault—"

The chief cut him off, "Kuang Huan, you're not young anymore. Think about your family. When you go back, act as though none of this happened. Or better yet, stay here for a while."

The implication was clear: Kuang Huan would be locked down until the matter was resolved.

Kuang Huan felt utterly powerless and furious all at once. "I..."

What could be done? His thoughts were a jumbled mess.

After some time, he walked out of the steel building. Two guards fell into step beside him immediately, there to "look after" him.

For some reason, the sun felt particularly harsh on his eyes today. Then, he noticed a lot of the soldiers nearby were gazing up at the sky.

He did so as well, and his eyes immediately widened at the sight of the second sun. As something clicked into place, he couldn’t help but blurt out, "To hell with the Seven Martial Stars, they're not even worth a damn!"