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

Qi Yuan walked slowly through the Shen Guang Sect, with a vegetable knife in tow. Along the way, he occasionally heard laughter and some sweet talk. Such a harmonious cultivation world.

He looked at the sky and said, "It's time to return to the peak." The time was still early, and he could open the game jade slip to play a game.

By the time he returned to Qise Peak, it was already late at night. On the peak, the white jade palace was illuminated by a half moon. The cold moonlight fell through the night, revealing a graceful silhouette that disappeared after a glance at Qi Yuan.

Qi Yuan looked away and glanced at Jiang Lingsu's thatched hut, murmuring to himself, "If there were these immobilizing talismans on Earth, houses wouldn't collapse during earthquakes."

After sighing, he led the vegetable knife back to his small courtyard. The yard was empty, waiting only for Qi Yuan's footsteps. He untied the rope from the vegetable knife handle and said, "No need to tie you up at home, just don't wreck the place, and no one will hit you."

Qi Yuan stroked the small nicks on the knife and began to enter the game jade slip world. However, as he entered the game, Qi Yuan was stunned.

"She's online?"

When he first obtained the game jade slip, Qi Yuan treated it as a gaming console. (Note: The protagonist has an unusual mindset, behaves erratically, and is neurotic.) At that time, the game map was not unlocked.

Qi Yuan inexplicably added a friend and entered the friend list. This was the only friend he made when he was sick. Since becoming ill, he lived alone without anyone to talk to. The in-game friend became his companion.

Qi Yuan also treated her as a fellow gamer. They often chatted about various topics, mostly Qi Yuan listening to her. However, her conversation was odd, occasionally mentioning terms like "imperial guards" and "prime minister." Qi Yuan guessed she might be a wealthy heiress who hadn't fully taken over the family business.

They talked a lot, and Qi Yuan once suggested, "Let's team up in the game." Unfortunately, after the game map refreshed, his friend list disappeared, and he never saw her again, let alone teamed up.

Now, seeing her in the friend list, he thought for a moment and sent a message: "Are you there?"

Now that he had traveled to the cultivation world, she might not be around.

...

Mist filled the air, and the ink painting on the screen seemed stained, appearing with elongated patterns.

"Leave."

A cold and majestic voice commanded, and the palace maidens all bowed their heads and left. Once the maids were gone, the Empress of the Nangan Kingdom, Jin Li, allowed her weariness to show on her beautiful face.

Ten years ago, the demon clan invaded. Her father died in battle, and she became the Empress of the Nangan Kingdom at the age of seven. The vast empire was entirely on her shoulders.

Demon clan invasions, enemy nations coveting, treacherous ministers. She struggled for ten years. Now, she barely maintained the empire's balance, but the pressure on her shoulders grew heavier. One mistake could lead to her death.

Recently, Prime Minister Sima Ting had almost openly colluded with the Northern Khanate, worsening her situation. Three days ago, her most trusted Aunt Qin, a king-level expert, was ambushed by a group of black-clad assassins and severely injured. Although the assassins' origin was well-hidden, everyone in the court knew who sent them.

Knowing the enemy but being powerless was a terrible feeling. Standing by the screen, Jin Li untied the white jade belt, letting her clothes fall, revealing flawless skin like perfect jade. Although young, her figure was striking, with a delicate waist forming a sharp contrast.

She entered the bath, her delicate shoulders floating on the water, the milky water making her skin seem even more like white jade. The Empress closed her eyes, and the fatigue gradually faded from her body.

At that moment, a red light flashed on the table. Jin Li's eyes showed a hint of surprise.

"Qi Yuan?"

On the table was the Linglong Yuxi, a pair of legendary artifacts that allowed communication between the holders. Once famous, they lost value as long-distance communication treasures became common, and they were stored in the royal treasury.

A year ago, Jin Li found the Linglong Yuxi and took it, meeting an interesting person named Qi Yuan through it. He spoke whimsically, often in ways she didn't understand. Since they didn't know each other and were far apart, she felt free to confide in him. As an Empress, she couldn't show weakness.

However, half a year ago, Qi Yuan suddenly stopped communicating, leaving her anxious. Seeing him online now, she felt relieved and quickly replied, "I'm here."

After sending the message, Jin Li thought for a moment and asked, "Where have you been all this time?"

"I was going to invite you to fight monsters together, but then the game map changed, and I couldn't contact anyone."

"That must have been a dangerous place, right?" Jin Li asked.

In her view, Qi Yuan was a free-spirited monster hunter. His terms like "fighting monsters" and "game map" referred to hunting beasts.

Qi Yuan shrugged, "We players are the Fourth Calamity. What's dangerous? Those monsters are just our experience packs."

Jin Li felt reassured by his familiar tone and response. Every time they talked, even if Qi Yuan's words were odd, she felt a sense of peace.

"I fought monsters alone for half a year. Want to team up? Male-female pairing, work less tiring. With the two of us, we'd reach level 100 in no time."

Jin Li replied, "I have things to handle at home and can't leave."

"So busy you don't even have time to game. Sigh, you wealthy folks work so hard. What about us poor folks?" Qi Yuan's message made Jin Li smile.

"Why don't you come help me fight monsters? I just switched maps, and there are plenty here. I need your help, Miss Jin."

Seeing his light tone, Jin Li knew he wasn't in danger. She smiled, "I'm not available now."

"What are you doing? Working late?"

"I'm..." Jin Li hesitated before sending, "bathing."

Qi Yuan paused. "Should we meet after your bath?"

Jin Li smiled wryly, "I can't make it."

But she thought of something and asked, "Where are you?"

"I was in Xuanyuan Forbidden Area, now heading to Yiguan Forbidden Area," Qi Yuan answered truthfully. He was in the game's teleportation array, preparing to go to the next map.

"Xuanyuan Forbidden Area? Yiguan Forbidden Area?" Jin Li was stunned. Those were among the four forbidden areas, where even king-level experts could die, and emperor-level experts might fall. Xuanyuan Forbidden Area was inaccessible even to emperor-level experts.