My Golden Core is a Star, do you call this cultivating?

A lone small boat darted across the surface of Yeshan Lake, its speed startling as it cut through the water, leaving ripples in its wake.

Jiang Yunxi stood at the helm, gripping her kitchen knife. Her small, delicate hand waved in the air.

It was as if she were performing some sort of graceful, floral hand gesture.

This unusual motion didn’t lift her into the air but instead made her boat accelerate even faster.

After slaughtering the specter fish in that section of the lake, Jiang Yunxi didn’t pause. Following Qi Yuan’s advice, she planned to push forward with all her might to exterminate as many specter fish as possible.

“The specter fish are growing in number. You need to kill more, aim straight for their lair, and catch them off guard!”

That was what Qi Yuan had said to her.

“To become the world’s greatest chef, having the world’s greatest kitchen knife alone isn’t enough. You need to chop up plenty of top-quality ingredients too.”

Now, brimming with vigor and determination, Jiang Yunxi continued waving her hand, propelling her small boat deeper into Yeshan Lake.

Suddenly, a massive ship came barreling through the water, cutting across her path and stopping her in her tracks.

Onboard stood Xie Danran, clad in a green robe, exuding an air of arrogance. He gazed down at Jiang Yunxi and spoke in a detached tone: “The area ahead is restricted territory in Yeshan Lake. Unauthorized individuals must not enter!”

At this point, the Heavenly Sect had implemented several strategies to counter the Water Sovereign, including organizing the Artifact Forging Conference and sealing off major water areas to prevent the Water Sovereign from wreaking havoc.

This restriction also served to keep ill-intentioned individuals from entering the lake’s depths to conspire with the Water Sovereign.

After all, there was no shortage of people in this world who wanted to bring about its destruction.

Upon seeing a stranger, Xie Danran immediately moved to intercept her.

In fact, he had acted so recklessly that his massive ship almost capsized Jiang Yunxi’s small boat.

Luckily, Jiang Yunxi reacted quickly. Even so, her hair was soaked through, water dripping from her strands.

“Hey, how are you steering this boat? If I were just an ordinary fisherman, you’d have capsized me, and I’d be drowning in Yeshan Lake by now!” Jiang Yunxi shouted angrily.

Xie Danran cast a sideways glance at her. Seeing her dressed as a chef, with a floral-patterned apron tied around her waist, he raised his chin and said smugly, “A fisherman can swim—they won’t drown. Besides… aren’t you fine?”

Jiang Yunxi’s anger flared.

“If you knew what I’m doing here, you’d be scared out of your wits!”

Jiang Yunxi placed her hands on her hips.

“Hah…” Xie Danran sneered as if looking at a fool.

His condescending attitude made Jiang Yunxi’s blood boil.

At this moment, she finally understood the plight of those protagonists in stories who set out to save the world but were misunderstood and mocked along the way.

The protagonists would always have the option to explain themselves, but often chose not to.

“Well, I’m not like them!” Jiang Yunxi declared. “This place is crawling with specters, and I’m here to exterminate them and save the world! Don’t block my way!”

Xie Danran sized her up again, his smirk deepening into outright ridicule. “You’ve just stepped into the Xuan-tier, and you’re already talking about saving the world? With the Heavenly Sect guarding this area, how could there possibly be specters around?”

Jiang Yunxi’s heart sank, her chest tightening with grievance.

So this is what being misunderstood feels like?

She was clearly here to save the world, yet this arrogant man was standing in her way.

At that moment, Qi Yuan’s voice echoed in her ears.

“If he tries to stop you, cut him down with a single strike. This arrogant NPC is getting on my nerves.”

Now that the kitchen knife’s integration progress had reached two-thirds, Qi Yuan no longer felt like a mere tool. His senses had grown sharper than ever.

Long before they arrived here, he had already sensed Xie Danran pestering his wife.

<hr>

Meanwhile, on a distant ship, Shen Lingxuan stood in her blue gown, her elegant and serene demeanor exuding a frosty charm.

Beside her stood Ye Zhen, who frowned and said, “That person… looks like Yunxi. Why is she here?”

She gestured, and their ship glided forward under her command.

“Yunxi, is that you? What are you doing here?” Ye Zhen called out as their ship approached, her expression curious.

Hearing this, Xie Danran was taken aback. “You know her?”

His gaze toward Jiang Yunxi shifted upon realizing this.

“So it was a misunderstanding,” Xie Danran said, quickly adopting a more deferential tone.

Ye Zhen was the granddaughter of the Heavenly Crafting Hall's elder, a person of considerable standing.

When Jiang Yunxi noticed Xie Danran’s change in attitude, she scoffed inwardly. Though she held her kitchen knife tightly, she ultimately didn’t act on Qi Yuan’s suggestion.

“Ye Zhen-sis, I came here to… kill some fish!”

She pointed at Xie Danran. “But he stopped me!”

Ye Zhen chuckled and said, “The Heavenly Sect has placed defenses here to prevent evildoers from entering and to keep ordinary people from wandering in. But you’re an exception, Yunxi. If you want to kill fish, feel free. By the way, Duke Zhanshan is in the waters just ten miles ahead.”

Hearing this, Xie Danran offered no rebuttal.

What Ye Zhen said was true. However, Xie Danran had been shirking his duties, adopting a lazy, one-size-fits-all approach to enforcement.

In his mind, it was easier to simply bar everyone.

“My father is in the area?” Jiang Yunxi’s face lit up with delight. “Ye Zhen-sis, I’d love to chat, but I’m in a hurry. I’ll go on ahead.”

Without further ado, she sped off toward the lake’s depths.

Watching her retreating figure, Xie Danran muttered, “She’s the daughter of Duke Zhanshan? Just as they say—naïve and foolish to the extreme.”

Ye Zhen shot him a glare. “Duke Zhanshan is just ahead. Perhaps you’d like to share that sentiment with him directly?”

Xie Danran shrugged nonchalantly. “She claimed Yeshan Lake was crawling with specters and that she was here to save the world. Ridiculous.”

He laughed scornfully. “With the Heavenly Sect keeping watch here, where would specters even come from?”

<hr>

“Senior Brother, something’s wrong! Specters have been spotted in the water!”

Before he could finish speaking, a young man darted over, skimming the lake’s surface like a dragonfly. He landed squarely on Xie Danran’s ship.

Xie Danran’s face froze. The irony was almost too much.

Yet he didn’t dare to ignore the matter. “What kind of specter?” he asked urgently.

Even Shen Lingxuan and Ye Zhen turned their attention to the newcomer.

“Fish specters!” The young man took out a small, lifeless fish from his storage artifact.

The fish was no larger than a minnow, but its eyes gleamed with an inky darkness.

“This specter’s aura is weak—it’s newly born, isn’t it?” Ye Zhen surmised, her expression turning grave.

“It is indeed a newly spawned specter,” the young man confirmed. “This situation… is highly unusual.”

The room grew tense.

“This must be reported to the sect immediately. Something isn’t right!”

“Why would specters appear out of nowhere? Could this be Bloodthorn’s doing?”

“Is there a spirit-nurturing ground hidden here?”

“Where there’s one specter, there are bound to be more!”

The crowd grew increasingly anxious.

Even dealing with a single Water Sovereign was a monumental task. If Bloodthorn was involved, it would spell catastrophe for the Heavenly Sect.

Half a day later, on a grand dragon boat.

Powerful figures gathered.

Standing at the helm was the Grieving Wind Hand Wei Kun, his expression solemn. "It seems you’ve all heard the news by now: over a hundred specter fish have been discovered in Yeshan Lake."

Wei Kun was ranked in the top twenty of Ning Kingdom’s Earth Rankings and among the top three experts of the Heavenly Sect.

His strength had reached the peak of the Earth-tier Weapon Master realm, making him the most formidable individual present.

“Alas, we’ve yet to deal with the Water Sovereign. And now, with traces of Bloodthorn involved, this situation grows increasingly dire.” The patriarch of the Tu family sighed heavily, his aged face full of worry.

“The Artifact Forging Conference hasn’t even begun, but numerous Earth-tier artifact masters and several gifted young talents have already examined the Weilong Xuanyuan. None of them have any way to repair it,” said Wang Qingyi, an elder of the Heavenly Sect. His tone revealed his mounting concern.

The conference hadn’t officially started, but the most promising artifact masters and outstanding apprentices had already inspected the Weilong Xuanyuan, only to shake their heads in frustration.

This showed just how precarious the situation was. The Heavenly Sect had no effective countermeasures against the Water Sovereign.

Even if an ordinary Heaven-tier Weapon Master were to appear at Yeshan Lake, they might still be unable to deal with the Water Sovereign.

“Could it be that we’ll simply stand by and let the Water Sovereign merge with Yeshan Lake, flooding Jining Prefecture?” someone muttered grimly.

If the flood came, the death toll would reach into the millions.

“Should we begin evacuating the people downstream now?” Shen Wanshan asked with a heavy heart.

He had already braced himself for the worst.

“No! Absolutely not! That would create widespread panic and inflict immeasurable harm on Jining Prefecture and Jiangzhou!” someone objected.

Many others chimed in, supporting the notion that panic should be avoided at all costs.

But some voices scoffed, saying that in such a desperate situation, worrying about causing panic was ludicrous.

The argument grew louder, with disputes echoing back and forth.

How to respond to the Water Sovereign remained a contentious issue, with no unified approach in sight.

“If the sky falls, tall people will hold it up. Unfortunately, we’re the tallest ones here, so there’s no avoiding it!”

“Letting those commoners die isn’t the problem—the real damage is the loss of the Heavenly Sect’s resources and reputation. Do you have any idea how much we’d lose?”

“Silence!”

Finally, Wei Kun slammed the table in frustration, bringing the arguments to a halt. For a brief moment, calm returned to the boat.

All eyes turned toward Wei Kun.

He looked toward Duke Zhanshan and spoke softly. “Your Grace, please share your thoughts.”

Many were surprised. Why would they consult Duke Zhanshan?

The royal family, after all, was not as powerful as the Heavenly Sect.

What could the Zhanshan Duke offer in this situation?

“A few days ago, some Heaven-tier Weapon Masters from the Central Lands' Rosha Kingdom arrived here. Their strength is extraordinary. If we can enlist their help, the Water Sovereign would pose no problem,” Duke Zhanshan said, his voice hoarse but firm.

The crowd visibly brightened at the mention of this.

“Wait—Heaven-tier Weapon Masters from the Rosha Kingdom?”

“Central Lands, the sacred land of the Blue Mountain Realm? That’s where legendary cultivators are said to reside, though the journey there is incredibly arduous…”

“Heaven-tier Weapon Masters! If they act, the Water Sovereign would be nothing but a small fry!”

“With their help, there might be no need to repair the Weilong Xuanyuan at all!”

The Tu family patriarch stood up and asked, “Your Grace, how can we convince them to assist us?”

The rest of the group was equally eager, their curiosity piqued.

The Heaven-tier Weapon Masters from Rosha were not ordinary experts. It was doubtful they’d be swayed by the Ning Kingdom’s offerings.

“Our treasures in Ning Kingdom would likely fail to entice them,” Duke Zhanshan began.

“However, these Weapon Masters didn’t come here for trivial matters—they came with a specific purpose in mind. If we help them accomplish their goal, they may agree to lend us their strength.”

“What is their goal?”

“They couldn’t accomplish it themselves—what makes you think we can?”

“They came to Ning Kingdom searching for a god.” Duke Zhanshan’s voice was grave.

“A god?!”

The entire hall erupted in disbelief.

“A god has appeared in Ning Kingdom?”

All the Weapon Masters and artifact masters present held their breath, their hearts racing.

A god! The stuff of legends!

Heaven-tier Weapon Masters were already mythical figures in Ning Kingdom. While experts from neighboring nations occasionally visited, a god was something entirely different—a being confined to the realm of myths and reverence.

At that moment, Tu San’s expression changed dramatically as he remembered his glowing sword.

“A god?”

Could it be… him?

And that mysterious man who appeared in the Red Cloud Village… could he be connected to the divine?

Tu San’s breath quickened at the thought.

Could it be true? Could that figure really be linked to a god?

“Bring the documents detailing this god to everyone,” Duke Zhanshan ordered, motioning with his hand. A group of attendants entered, each carrying a stack of paper slips, which they distributed among the assembled crowd.

These documents contained all the known information about the god.

The attendees immediately began to study the materials with rapt attention.

After several dozen breaths of time, the elder of the Zhan family spoke up. “If such a god existed, wouldn’t we already know of their presence? Finding them will be exceedingly difficult.”

“Agreed. We lack the time. And there’s no guarantee this god is even in Jining Prefecture or Jiangzhou.”

“This seems like a desperate gamble,” someone murmured.

The crowd descended into murmurs of doubt and speculation.

Meanwhile, Tu San’s eyes gleamed with sudden realization.

“Wielding the light of judgment, descending like a divine arbiter… This has to be him! He must be the fabled God of Judgment, wielder of the first divine artifact, Divine Descent!”

His heart pounded as excitement and trepidation surged within him.

He had actually encountered a god—or at least, someone connected to one.

At that moment, his father, the Tu family patriarch, leaned in and whispered, “This sounds a lot like your glowing sword. Are the two connected?”

“Father, they are definitely connected!” Tu San whispered back urgently. “But listen to me—there’s a problem.

"From what Duke Zhanshan said, not all of those Heaven-tier Weapon Masters have goodwill toward this god. And the god himself has hidden his identity, likely unwilling to be exposed. If we reveal this connection and offend him, his wrath would be far worse than the Water Sovereign’s havoc.”

The elder patriarch froze.

Offending the Water Sovereign might lead to Yeshan Lake flooding Jining Prefecture, drowning a dozen counties.

Offending a god… would doom the entire Ning Kingdom.

Tu San had no intention of exposing Qi Yuan’s identity.

<hr>

Wei Kun let out a long sigh. “This is a desperate gamble. Searching for a god in a sea of uncertainty may yield nothing, but it’s all we have left.”

Just then, Xie Danran stepped forward. His posture was straight, his face filled with apparent resolve.

“I have a plan,” he announced, his voice steady but tinged with hesitation. “However… it is an extreme one. A cruel and ruthless strategy. Revealing it may cause some of you to curse my name forever. But for the Heavenly Sect, for the millions of innocents, I must speak!”

Xie Danran’s words stirred the crowd, who saw him as a self-sacrificing hero ready to make a tough call.

“Speak freely, Senior Brother Xie!”

“No one will blame you!”

“We are all here for the Heavenly Sect and the people of Jiangzhou!”

Tu San, observing this, scoffed inwardly.

Xie Danran—always despicable and petty. A man so narrow-minded and vindictive that he thought himself a genius strategist.

Xie Danran took a step forward, bowing slightly as he spoke. “Our ordinary treasures are not enough to entice the Heaven-tier Weapon Masters of Luocha. But what if the treasure isn’t ordinary?”

“What treasure?” someone asked, intrigued.

But others frowned deeply, sensing where this was going.

Xie Danran turned his gaze toward Shen Lingxuan, his eyes burning with determination.

If I can’t have her, that worthless husband of hers won’t either!

“Junior Sister Shen Lingxuan possesses the Profound Yin Physique, an unparalleled constitution. If an Earth-tier Weapon Master were to pair with her, they could comprehend the unity of heaven and earth and ascend to the Heaven-tier.

"Even Heaven-tier Weapon Masters could deepen their enlightenment by pairing with her.

“Why not offer Junior Sister Shen as a tribute to the Heaven-tier Weapon Masters from Rosha? With this treasure, they would certainly act on our behalf!”

Xie Danran's impassioned words echoed through the gathering like a thunderclap.

“Junior Sister, this is for the greater good,” he said, feigning reluctance as he turned to Shen Lingxuan. “Please do not blame me. This is all for the sake of the Heavenly Sect, for the millions of innocent lives at stake.”

The moment he finished speaking, an uproar ensued.

Shen Lingxuan’s Profound Yin Physique was not a well-guarded secret. This extraordinary constitution was highly coveted, drawing the attention of countless powerful figures.

Yet due to her not having fully stepped into the Earth-tier Weapon Master realm, the true potential of her physique had not yet been unlocked. Coupled with the protection of the Shen family and the Heavenly Sect, Shen Lingxuan had remained safe—until now.

“Xie Danran, do you even realize what you’re saying?” Shen Wanshan, the head of the Shen family, bellowed furiously. His eyes burned with rage, and his entire demeanor radiated killing intent.

Xie Danran ignored Shen Wanshan’s fury and looked at Shen Lingxuan with feigned sorrow. “Junior Sister, you’ve always carried the weight of the people in your heart. I beg you to consider the greater picture, to endure this sacrifice for the sake of countless lives.

"Pairing with a Heaven-tier Weapon Master won’t harm your life, and at most… it’s just your chastity. Wouldn’t it be better than wasting your body on that useless husband of yours?”

His words were shameless yet spoken with such conviction that a few people in the crowd nodded, albeit uncomfortably.

“Xie Danran, why don’t you sacrifice yourself, then?” Ye Zhen couldn’t hold back any longer. Her eyes narrowed, and her tone dripped with mockery.

Xie Danran stood unflinching. “If the Heaven-tier Weapon Masters from Rosha fancy me, I would gladly offer myself! For the greater good, for the people, I’d give anything!”

His shameless declaration was made with dramatic fervor, his eyes gleaming with self-sacrifice.

“You truly are despicable, Xie Danran,” Ye Zhen spat, her disgust evident.

Others in the crowd began murmuring.

“Well… the Profound Yin Physique is an extremely rare treasure…”

“It could indeed entice even the Heaven-tier Weapon Masters from Rosha. Who wouldn’t be moved?”

“While this plan is ruthless, it may be our only choice…”

Shen Wanshan’s fists tightened. His voice thundered through the gathering: “Xie Danran! If you dare to bring up such nonsense again, I’ll carve your tongue out myself!”

But despite Shen Wanshan’s fury, some present seemed swayed by Xie Danran’s words.

“I object to this proposal,” came a commanding voice.

All eyes turned to Tu Family Patriarch Tu Zhong, who stepped forward with an air of authority.

“Sacrificing an innocent young woman to buy peace? What kind of Heavenly Sect are we if we resort to such barbaric tactics?” Tu Zhong declared. His voice carried a weight that silenced many murmurs.

Shen Wanshan cast Tu Zhong a glance filled with gratitude, though inwardly he found it puzzling. The Shen and Tu families had always been rivals. Why was Tu Zhong standing up for them now?

The truth lay with Young Master Tu San, who had tugged at his father’s sleeve moments before. “Father, don’t let Xie Danran’s vile plan go through,” Tu San had whispered. “Trust me on this. The reasons are complicated, but I know for certain that if this happens, our entire Ning Kingdom will face unimaginable consequences.”

Tu Zhong had immediately understood the gravity of his son’s plea.

“Sacrificing one life to save millions?” Xie Danran asked in mock defiance. “I would gladly lay down my own life if I could! Shen Lingxuan, please consider the greater good!”

“Good!” Tu Zhong suddenly laughed coldly. “Then why don’t you sacrifice yourself first, Xie Danran? I won’t stop you. You claim your own life is unimportant compared to the people’s? Prove it!”

Xie Danran’s face turned pale.

“I…”

“What’s the matter? Afraid to die?” Tu Zhong’s tone sharpened as he pressed on, his words cutting through the room like a blade. “You speak of sacrificing one life for the greater good, yet when asked to sacrifice your own, you falter. Are you truly so cowardly? Or was this all a facade to advance your own petty schemes?”

The disdain in Tu Zhong’s voice was palpable, and it drew smirks and laughter from the crowd.

“Senior Brother Xie, you should try ‘sacrificing’ yourself first,” someone jeered.

“Yes, lead by example! Isn’t that what true heroes do?” another chimed in mockingly.

The pressure mounted. Xie Danran’s face flushed red with embarrassment and frustration.

Eventually, Wei Kun raised a hand to restore order. “Enough,” he said sharply. “This matter will be shelved for now.”

Though his tone carried authority, his gaze lingered briefly on Xie Danran, filled with thinly veiled contempt.

As the commotion subsided, two figures burst into the hall.

“Your Grace! Terrible news!”

It was Yun Li and Yun Hu, two trusted servants of Duke Zhanshan.

“What is it?” Duke Zhanshan demanded, his expression tense.

“Miss Yunxi… she…”

Duke Zhanshan’s heart skipped a beat. “What happened to Yunxi?”

“Miss Yunxi… she’s killed a lot of fish!” Yun Li exclaimed breathlessly.

“…” Duke Zhanshan blinked, confused.

“No, no, I misspoke!” Yun Li quickly corrected himself. “She’s electrocuted a lot of fish and then disappeared into the depths of Yeshan Lake!”

Duke Zhanshan covered his face with his hand. “…That foolish girl.”

<hr>

Deep within Yeshan Lake.

A small wooden boat glided across the water.

Jiang Yunxi stood at the helm, her knife in hand, slicing and hacking away with ferocity.

“ZAP! ZAP!” Purple lightning sparked through the waters. Hundreds, if not thousands, of specter fish perished in her wake.

“You’ve slain a specter fish. Your experience has slightly increased.”

Yunxi’s strikes were relentless, her spirits high. “Old Knife! These fish are too weak—they’re not even worth my effort!”

“I agree. This method is far too slow. Let’s go to their nest and wipe them all out in one go,” Qi Yuan’s voice echoed calmly from the knife.

At 80% synchronization, Qi Yuan’s control over the knife had grown significantly stronger.

He estimated that exterminating the specter fish or crafting a dish of unmatched quality might push his synchronization to 100%, granting him new rewards and unlocking the next character role.

This next stage of his journey filled him with anticipation.

Currently, Qi Yuan had reached the peak of the Purple Mansion realm, and his grasp over his Yin God Dao was becoming increasingly profound.

To create, one must first understand all things.

To shape life, one must understand the myriad beings of the world.

Without creation, how could one dare call themselves a god?

“Complete annihilation? That means facing the Water Sovereign directly, doesn’t it?” Yunxi’s face turned pale, her courage waning.

“How confident are you?” Qi Yuan asked.

“I… I don’t have a single shred of confidence,” Yunxi stammered.

“That means you have 99% confidence,” Qi Yuan declared. “Not bad. As expected of the chef I’ve chosen. Let’s go—together, we’ll take down the Water Sovereign!”

“Wait—what?” Yunxi blushed, unsure how to respond.

Before she could explain, Qi Yuan acted.

With a sudden motion, the boat flipped, throwing Yunxi into the lake.

“Confidence, Yunxi! Push through your limits! The world is counting on you!” Qi Yuan’s voice echoed like a motivational chant.

Yunxi flailed in the water, her knife gripped tightly. “Wait, Old Knife! Are we really doing this?”

“Specters are just oversized ingredients. Chop them up and turn them into dumplings for old man Zhanshan!” Qi Yuan’s tone was calm and encouraging.

Underwater, Yunxi clenched her teeth. “Okay… I’ll do it!”