My Core is the Boss-Chapter 83.2: Moon God, News About Moonwatch Continent

Far away, in the Cuiyun Immortal Province...

Seeing that his friend request had been accepted, the golden-robed man smiled in delight.

Great Sun Flame Emperor: Daoist friend, you truly are remarkable. Just a single post from you gets hundreds of replies! I imitated your style and instantly got dozens! You're my inspiration!

Qi Yuan exhaled. "So it was a coincidence."

Qiyuann Sovereign: Since I'm your benefactor, why not send me a Heaven-tier cultivation technique? Profound-tier is fine too.

Great Sun Flame Emperor: ...Qiyuann Sovereign, are you truly in need of one?

Qiyuann Sovereign: Yes. Urgently.

Great Sun Flame Emperor: I have a small discussion circle. You seem like a kindred spirit, want to join?

Qiyuann Sovereign: ...Sure.

Soon, Qi Yuan was added into what resembled a chat group.

There were only four members: Great Sun Flame Emperor (group owner), Rogue Immortal, Iceberg Empress, and himself.

Rogue Immortal: Whoa, a newcomer?

Great Sun Flame Emperor: This is the Heavenly Dao class guy from the Public Zone.

Rogue Immortal: Hell yeah! A big shot! Heavenly Dao class Foundation Establishment, my peer! Sadly, even after a hundred thousand years, I'm still at mid stage Immortal Foundation Establishment. It is my greatest regret.

Qiyuann Sovereign: Senior is so powerful. Could you spare a Heaven-tier technique, just to see your level?

Rogue Immortal: Ahem. I don't have any, but since you've joined, you're one of us. Brothers and fellow seekers of the Dao. We share our manuals here. Three Profound-tier and seven Jade-tier techniques. Help yourself.

Qi Yuan’s eyes beamed.

Qiyuann Sovereign: How could I impose...?

He was already browsing through the shared cultivation techniques.

Great Sun Flame Emperor: We're all brothers here. If you have any cultivation methods, you can share them too. We will walk the great Dao together. United, we'll reach greater heights.

Qiyuann Sovereign: All of you are truly good people.

Qi Yuan thought for a moment, then copied the Radiant Sword technique into the group exchange. He quickly opened the other manuals and quietly memorized their contents.

Great Sun Flame Emperor: Qiyuann Sovereign, you're fierce! You actually got the Radiant Sword technique! Isn't that a Bright Palace technique?

Great Sun Flame Emperor immediately dropped his earlier condescension. Being able to produce a Profound-tier technique, and that one in particular, meant that Qiyuann Sovereign was no ordinary cultivator. Even if the man liked to boast, he clearly had some strength of his own.

Qiyuann Sovereign: Nah, I'm just an ordinary cultivator who formed my foundation through Heavenly Dao Fragments.

Rogue Immortal: And I'm just an ordinary Immortal Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Just then, Rogue Immortal realized that Qi Yuan sounded much cooler than him.

Rogue Immortal: I just occasionally slay some evil demons and heretics, that's all.

Qi Yuan made a humble reply.

Qiyuann Sovereign: Senior, you're truly powerful. When I was on the Moonwatch Continent, I had faced three thousand alien demons. To keep them from wreaking havoc upon the living, I sealed them in a deathly abyss and stood guard for a full month before slaying them all. I cut off their lifespan!

Great Sun Flame Emperor was excited

Great Sun Flame Emperor: Cut off their lifespan? Such a flavorful phrase. Mind if I borrow it later?

Qiyuann Sovereign: Go ahead.

After recording all the techniques, Qi Yuan logged out. He couldn't help feeling that although those two were quite friendly, they both seemed a little off, especially their manner of speaking.

He quickly began studying the Profound and Jade-tier techniques, using them to refine and improve his own Qi Yuan Scripture.

"At last, I've perfected the Qi Yuan Scripture up to nearly mid-stage Foundation Establishment," he muttered. "It's a pity it's still too slow. At this rate, it'll take at least five years for me to reach mid stage."

These techniques were far beyond anything the Black Mountain Sect had ever plundered. Qi Yuan sighed, the Great Shang Kingdom really was too small, a mere village-level cultivation compared to the great powers out there. Just a few techniques was enough to fill many gaps in his scripture, but he was still frustrated.

Five years from early to mid stage Foundation Establishment probably sounded fast, but it was unbearably sluggish to him. Who knew when that Black Rooster Demon would enter late-stage Nascent Soul and suddenly awaken?

Even though Qi Yuan had formed his foundation, he couldn't shake the feeling that he hadn't truly won against that strange creature in his dream. A foreshadowing had been left behind.

Qi Yuan sighed. "Game system, when will you unlock already? Leveling up by fighting monsters is way faster than meditating like this."

Step-by-step cultivation was just too slow.

"White Moonlight, please, let there be a White Moonlight who gives me a soul-enhancing technique!" he prayed devoutly to the heavens.

His Hundred Temperings Soul-Refining Technique only improved his divine soul a little a day. More techniques were required to merge and evolve it into something greater.

"My divine soul has grown stronger now... time to try connecting with that game icon again."

As soon as he said it, Qi Yuan acted, sending his divine sense into the gaming jade.

***

Flowing Wind World.

The demoness Ning Tao still wore her black dress, standing atop a lofty mountain. She bore deep wounds, her aura faint yet fierce.

Five terrifying figures surrounded her, each emanating the might of a Heaven realm expert. If Qi Yuan were here, he would instantly recognize their realm.

A white-bearded elder, exuding an immortal's air, said coldly, "Demoness, hand over your treasures, and we'll grant you a whole corpse!"

Greed burned in his eyes. A mere hundred years, and this demoness had reached their level. They obviously believed she possessed some powerful, cultivation-accelerating treasure.

The other four stared at Ning Tao with equal hunger.

As she stood at the mountain’s peak, her embroidered dress swayed in the wind. She appeared even taller and more graceful than before. Her slender waist curved like sculpted jade. Her skin was so pale it shone like moonlight over fresh snow, dazzling against the darkness of her gown.

She glanced at them with proud and cold eyes. "Does it never occur to you that my strength comes from my own talent?"

"Talent, my ass!" Snarled a burly man. "Where's the man behind you? Call him out!"

Over the years, Ning Tao's rapid rise had gone unpunished only because of the rumors that she was backed by a mighty cultivator. A man no one dared provoke. Yet, no one had ever discovered who he was.

A cold-eyed woman hissed. "Ha! As if she ever had such a backer! It was just a lie to scare others!"

These five were the rulers of Slaughterblood City, infamous for sacrificing three hundred children each year to Sin CityCity of Sin.

Ning Tao had once been among those children.

They advanced slowly toward her.

Ning Tao smiled. "To kill you, I need no 'husband.'"

The first time she heard that strange voice long ago, she had used it as a distraction to kill her attackers. In truth, she feared the owner of that voice deeply. Her mother had once told her that calling a man husband would momentarily still his killing intent.

Back then, she was young and powerless, and had cried out to the heavens in desperation.

Now, a hundred years had passed. She was no longer that frail, cowardly girl. She had become strong enough to protect herself, and no longer trembled before that unknown voice.

Though it seemed like she'd been cornered by the five rulers, she was the one who had laid the trap to destroy them all.

“Today will be your end!” she declared.

Ning Tao lifted her Death ScytheScythe of Death, the wind whipping her long hair across her mesmerizing face. An overwhelming aura burst forth.

Just then, a thunderous voice rolled across the heavens. "Damn game! You dare block me... die! Ah, wait. I'm not your husband!"

Boom!

The voice struck like divine thunder, echoing as though god himself had spoken directly from the Celestial Realm.

The five looked up in horror. Above, spiritual energy churned violently, coalescing into bolts of purple-red lightning.

"Innate divine technique... Supreme of the Five Realms!"

Terror filled their faces. Was this the hand of a supreme being? Did this demoness truly have a mighty cultivator backing her?