Golden Core is a Star, and You Call This Cultivation?

Zhou Xiao’s small, wiry figure emerged from the shadows. He held the leash of the black-and-white mutated beast dog, his expression full of malice.

His hair was disheveled, and his wrists bore scratches and bite marks, faint traces of blood still visible. The beast’s white fur was stained with patches of blood, especially around its neck, where clumps of fur had coagulated into matted tufts.

Zhou Xiao’s gaze landed on Qi Yuan. “You’re not really insane, are you?”

Zhou Xiao looked visibly surprised.

Although Huang Yanshou had claimed Qi Yuan’s madness as the reason for sending him to the madhouse, Zhou Xiao knew that this “madness” was fabricated.

But now, Qi Yuan was out in the dead of night, catching mosquitoes with Chen Kangbao?

Could this be true insanity?

Even worse, these two lunatics were conspiring to kill him!

And loudly, no less!

The mutated beast dog had heard everything long before Zhou Xiao arrived.

“I’m not insane,” Qi Yuan replied, giving Zhou Xiao a glance. His heightened senses picked up faint traces of a woman’s scent mixed with the pungent smell of death.

Zhou Xiao scrutinized Qi Yuan with a knowing expression. “With my thirty years of experience running this madhouse, I can tell at a glance whether someone is mad. And you, you’ve lost your mind from fear.”

Zhou Xiao furrowed his brow.

Whether Qi Yuan was truly insane didn’t matter.

What mattered was that he needed to die—but not by Zhou Xiao’s hand.

After all, Qi Yuan was the son-in-law of the Shen family. If he died at the hands of a mutated beast, the Shen family could easily connect it back to Zhou Xiao.

But if he died to a spectral entity? Then there would be no consequences.

“Mad or not, you can live. But that man next to you… he must die!” Zhou Xiao sneered, his malicious intent directed at Chen Kangbao.

It had been an unfulfilling day, and Zhou Xiao was eager to kill again.

Beside him, Chen Kangbao trembled in fear. “Master, what do we do now?”

Qi Yuan’s gaze lingered on the muscular frame of the mutated black-and-white dog.

At his current strength, even after reaching Level 2, he was no match for this beast.

“Today’s lesson,” Qi Yuan began, as if lecturing a student, “is that plans never keep up with change!

“The world evolves every day, and you can never predict whether tomorrow or an unexpected crisis will come first.

“Look—before you even started implementing the first step of your plan, the enemy showed up!”

Qi Yuan’s words flowed like water, undeterred by their predicament.

Behind him, Chen Kangbao shrank back from the beast, fear written across his pale face. Still, he managed to stammer, “But… what do we do now?”

“That’s simple. You’ll hold the dog down while I go kill the old man,” Qi Yuan replied casually.

“Me?!” Chen Kangbao’s eyes widened in disbelief.

His frail, thin frame hardly seemed suited to such a task.

Zhou Xiao, observing their exchange, sneered. “Lunatics. Both of you.”

“Yes, you!” Qi Yuan insisted earnestly. “Don’t be afraid. I just blessed you—you’re now incredibly strong. All you have to do is pin the dog down, and I’ll take care of the old man.”

“I’m blessed?”

Chen Kangbao’s eyes visibly brightened at the words.

“Yes. Hold down the beast.”

With newfound courage, Chen Kangbao took a bold step forward. He laughed maniacally, declaring, “I’ve been blessed! You’re finished!”

He charged toward Zhou Xiao and the mutated beast dog with surprising vigor.

“Madmen. Absolute madmen!” Zhou Xiao scoffed, his tone dripping with contempt.

It was clear to him now: Qi Yuan was certifiably insane, spouting nonsense about blessings. And Chen Kangbao? Equally unhinged, actually believing it.

“Little Huang, kill him!” Zhou Xiao tugged on the leash.

Qi Yuan was temporarily off-limits, but Chen Kangbao was fair game.

The black-and-white mutated dog launched itself at Chen Kangbao, its massive shadow enveloping him like a small black tiger.

Chen Kangbao’s eyes gleamed with zeal. “Just a measly mutt? I’ve been blessed by a heavenly deity! Come, fight me!”

He flung himself toward the beast.

Zhou Xiao remained calm, watching the scene unfold as though already envisioning the outcome.

The mutated beast dog was a terror in the mountains, capable of overpowering even tigers.

Its enormous size and strength were more than enough to kill any ordinary human, let alone this frail old man.

“Blessings from heaven! I’m invincible!”

Chen Kangbao roared and collided with the beast, his hands grappling with its massive form.

What happened next stunned Zhou Xiao.

The ferocious beast… was pinned down by Chen Kangbao!

Chen Kangbao’s face lit up with unrestrained joy. “I’ve got it! I’ve pinned it down!”

The blessing worked!

Zhou Xiao was dumbfounded, his expression frozen in disbelief.

He quickly regained his composure, clutching the Beast-Control Token tightly in his hand, trying to rally the dog.

“Useless creature! Get up and fight!”

But no matter how much Zhou Xiao shouted or how furiously the beast thrashed, Chen Kangbao held it down with astonishing force.

It was at this moment that Zhou Xiao realized something was terribly wrong.

And then, he noticed Qi Yuan’s calm, predatory gaze fixed squarely on him.

A chill ran down Zhou Xiao’s spine. “Don’t come any closer!”

Qi Yuan’s expression softened into a gentle smile. “No need to panic. I’m not here to hurt you.”

For reasons Zhou Xiao couldn’t explain, Qi Yuan’s serene demeanor momentarily put him at ease.

Then Qi Yuan added, “Actually… I’m a kitchen knife.”

Zhou Xiao’s jaw dropped. “What?”

What kind of lunatic calls himself a kitchen knife?

Zhou Xiao’s confidence returned. I’m sane. How could I possibly lose to a madman?

“Let him go,” Zhou Xiao tried bargaining. “That dog won’t hurt you.”

“I can’t,” Qi Yuan replied. “I’m a knife, and I want to chop things.”

With that, Qi Yuan lunged forward.

Zhou Xiao was prepared for Qi Yuan’s approach. Though no master, he had trained in martial arts and carried a dagger for self-defense. He believed himself more than capable of handling an unarmed lunatic.

But Qi Yuan’s speed was faster than Zhou Xiao anticipated.

“You’re what’s on the menu today!” Qi Yuan’s calm voice reached Zhou Xiao just before a sharp hand strike landed on his neck.

The blow hit with precise force, leaving Zhou Xiao stunned and gasping.

“You…”

Before he could say more, his body crumpled to the ground.

His lifeless eyes stared upward, unable to comprehend how this seemingly useless son-in-law had overpowered him with a single strike.

[You’ve cut through the metaphorical vegetable. Experience slightly increased.]

Qi Yuan shrugged at the cold, mechanical voice in his mind.

“This madhouse director was pitifully weak—only worth fifty mosquitoes’ worth of experience.”

Indeed, killing Zhou Xiao barely moved Qi Yuan’s experience bar, and he remained at Level 2.

“Master! I’ve got the beast pinned down, but I can’t hold it much longer!”

Chen Kangbao’s face was flushed, the veins in his arms bulging as he used every ounce of strength he had.

“I’m giving you another blessing,” Qi Yuan reassured him.

Gripping the dagger he had taken from Zhou Xiao, Qi Yuan moved toward the struggling beast.

The dog’s wide eyes, filled with panic, met Qi Yuan’s as the dagger plunged into its throat.

The beast howled and thrashed, but after a few moments of violent convulsions, it fell still.

[You’ve heroically slain the mutated black-and-white dog. Experience increased!]

Qi Yuan narrated to himself in a mock-mechanical tone:

[Level 3 achieved. Physical attributes enhanced.]

[Level 4 achieved…]

[Level 6 achieved. Physical attributes significantly enhanced.]

The experience gained from the beast was leagues beyond that of mosquitoes. Within moments, Qi Yuan had reached Level 6.

Now, his strength had grown considerably. Though he still couldn’t overpower a beast of that size in raw power, his combat skills were more than sufficient to outmatch it.

“Well, that completes the first step of the plan,” Qi Yuan declared.

His newfound strength granted him a solid 600 pounds of raw punching force—far beyond any ordinary man.

Chen Kangbao, meanwhile, was beside himself with excitement.

“Master, you’re incredible! We’ve finished the first step. Now we’ll move on to the second…” His voice trailed off as realization dawned.

Chen Kangbao froze in place, his pale face now tinged with panic. “Master… we’ve made a critical mistake in our plan!”

“Oh?” Qi Yuan asked casually, flicking the blood off the dagger. “What’s the problem?”

“Our second step requires interrogating Zhou Xiao to uncover the mastermind behind this plot.” Chen Kangbao’s voice cracked. “But in the first step, you already killed him! How are we supposed to question a dead man?”

Chen Kangbao clutched his head like a grieving parent. “It’s all my fault. I made a mistake when planning!”

Seeing his “strategist” lamenting so dramatically, Qi Yuan chuckled. “Don’t worry. This wasn’t your fault.”

“Huh?”

“It’s simple,” Qi Yuan explained, a wry smile on his face. “Who sent me here under the guise of madness? The one who did that is obviously the mastermind.”

Chen Kangbao immediately understood.

“Master, you’re brilliant! So, who was it?”

“Huang Yanshou. The second son of the Huang family,” Qi Yuan replied flatly.

Flashes of memory filled Qi Yuan’s mind—remnants from the original Qi Yuan of this world. While visiting Ninghe County to honor his ancestors, he’d crossed paths with Huang Yanshou.

Huang had approached him with false friendliness, offering gifts of silver and women.

The women, however, had been turned away by the timid Qi Yuan of this world. Not wanting to risk being found out by the Shen family, he’d rejected them outright.

But Huang Yanshou hadn’t given up. Under the pretense of camaraderie, he’d taken Qi Yuan to climb a wall late at night—right into the courtyard of a widowed woman.

The night ended in disaster. A spectral entity had appeared, killing the widow and nearly claiming Qi Yuan as well. Left in a daze, Qi Yuan had been declared mad and sent to the madhouse.

“So it’s the Huang family!” Chen Kangbao exclaimed, his face clouded with worry. “The Huang family is one of the most prominent households in Ninghe County. They’ve gained a lot of favor with the people through charity work, like distributing food to the poor.

“If we go against them, we must plan carefully! Otherwise…”

Chen Kangbao’s voice trembled as he assessed the potential backlash.

“Then you’ll make the plan,” Qi Yuan said nonchalantly, waving his hand. “Meanwhile, I’ll continue farming mosquitoes for experience.”

“You can leave it to me!” Chen Kangbao’s eyes sparkled with determination. His master’s trust invigorated him, filling him with purpose.

“Master, what about these corpses?” Chen Kangbao asked, looking at the lifeless bodies of Zhou Xiao and the beast.

“That’s easy,” Qi Yuan replied, gesturing toward the distant pond. “See the fisherman over there? He hasn’t caught anything all day. Let’s toss the bodies onto his line. He shouldn’t leave empty-handed.”

Qi Yuan smiled as he spoke, his tone brimming with mischief. “Fishermen should never go home empty-handed.”

Chen Kangbao burst into laughter. “Master, you’re truly kind-hearted!”

He eagerly bent down, preparing to move the corpses.

“Bless me again, Master,” Chen Kangbao said. “With your power, I’ll carry these to the fisherman’s line without a hitch.”

Qi Yuan couldn’t help but sigh. “Just hurry up.”

Chen Kangbao nodded vigorously, hauling the bodies toward the pond with newfound enthusiasm.

“Once you’re done, go to bed,” Qi Yuan instructed. “I’ll turn in soon, too. I still need sleep to recover my strength.”

Even as a former cultivator, Qi Yuan enjoyed the simple pleasure of a good night’s sleep. Now, in this mundane world, rest was even more essential.

By midday, the madhouse was in chaos.

Lin Qinghe, the head constable, stood with his saber at his waist and a stern expression on his face. He stared down at the two corpses, his sharp eyes scanning for details.

Nearby, the old fisherman clutched Zhou Xiao’s body with a triumphant grin. “Look at this catch! Have you ever seen a fish this big?”

His excitement drew the ire of the constables, who exchanged exasperated looks.

“Head Constable, this guy’s been parading Zhou Xiao’s body around since morning, calling it the catch of the year,” explained Zhou Hu, a young officer. “He’s clearly lost it. He spends all his time fishing here anyway. We won’t get anything useful out of him.”

Lin Qinghe nodded in agreement. Mentally unwell individuals often muddied investigations with wild claims or misdirections.

Crouching beside the corpses, Lin Qinghe carefully examined Zhou Xiao and the black-and-white dog.

“Zhou Xiao died from a precise side-handed strike to the throat,” Lin Qinghe muttered. “The force used was about 200 pounds.”

He paused, his brow furrowing.

“But how does someone with such mediocre strength manage to kill a beast like this with a knife?”

The constable’s gaze lingered on the hulking dog, its throat slashed cleanly open.

Theories swirled in his mind.

“Did a Beastmaster hold the beast down while the killer delivered the final blow?”

“But why involve someone else?”

“And why wouldn’t the Beastmaster kill the creature themselves?”

The situation didn’t make sense.

The more Lin Qinghe scrutinized the evidence, the more perplexed he became.

“Have there been any unusual events at the madhouse recently?” Lin Qinghe asked one of the attendants.

The man hesitated, averting his eyes. “No… no, sir.”

Before Lin Qinghe could press further, a junior officer approached, whispering in his ear, “Head Constable, we found half a woman’s body in Zhou Xiao’s courtyard. She’s one of the widows sent here recently. Her injuries suggest she was mauled to death by the beast.”

Lin Qinghe’s eyes darkened, his jaw tightening with anger.

With a swift motion, he stomped on Zhou Xiao’s lifeless body.

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