My Core is the Boss-Chapter 154.2: Backdoor

Two hours after Qi Yuan left their residences...

His appearance had completely changed, clad in a blood-red robe. Stopping before the palace, joy flickered in his eyes. "I finally found it."

The palace ahead was quiet and desolate. At the gate, a young attendant was dozing off, head nodding. Qi Yuan swept him with a glance.

The attendant seemed to sense something in his dream and was jolted awake.

He looked at Qi Yuan, an inexplicable fear rising in his heart. "W-who are you?"

Qi Yuan answered honestly, "I am a Core Formation cultivator participating in the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle."

The fear in the attendant's heart eased somewhat. He asked slowly, "Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle? Then what are you here for?"

"I heard that the person in charge of this Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle, the great expert Feng Lan, resides here."

With a face full of disdain, the attendant said, "No. No meetings allowed. He will not see anyone."

In Cloud City, there were two Violet Palace experts. One was the Cloud Court Master and the other was Feng Lan.

From time to time, some ignorant and foolish cultivators would come seeking an audience with Feng Lan. The guard thought that Qi Yuan was one of them.

Just then, the palace doors opened, and a tall woman stepped out. She asked, "Ming Ri, what's going on?"

The attendant hurriedly said, "This man came to seek an audience with Master."

Qi Yuan looked at the tall woman, surprise flashing in his eyes. "Booger Fairy, I didn't expect to see you here. What a coincidence."

He glanced at her hand. Her fingernails were already trimmed flush, clearly not long ago.

Qi Yuan couldn't help but gasp. These prodigies really listened to advice!

After he told her that long nails with nail polish were bad for picking boogers, she immediately cut her nails and switched to using Dao techniques.

Feng Yue Fairy's expression changed drastically, rage flaring up.

Recently, aside from the top three on the Prodigy List, she was the most famous person in Cloud City. All thanks to her new nickname, Booger Fairy.

Even her sisters mocked her with it. Some time ago, one of her admirers even secretly gifted her a cultivation technique for nosepicking!

She almost died from the sheer rage. If she could, she would've beat True Lord Great Wisdom and Qi Yuan to pulp!

In the end, she didn't abuse her strength. She simply resolved that once the prodigy battle began, she would challenge Qi Yuan and teach him a lesson.

Now, some stranger was calling her Booger Fairy right to her face. How could she not be furious?

"Who are you?" she demanded, flames of anger shooting up.

If he didn't give an explanation, she would beat him senseless.

Qi Yuan calmly introduced himself, "I am the Blood-Clothed Sword God."

Feng Yue Fairy froze. "What? The Blood-Clothed Sword God?"

Fear and reverence surged in her heart.

She hadn't attended the Fish-Dragon Banquet, nor had seen him, but his strength and terror were notorious. Wasn't he the ruthless man who had single-handedly annihilated the Bright Palace. Why was he here?

Feng Yue Fairy also didn't suspect him of being an impostor. The Blood-Clothed Sword God's fearsome reputation was widespread. Moreover, many knew that he had provoked Venerable Ye Qiong. No one who valued their life dared to impersonate him.

To top it off, she tried examining the man, but she couldn't see through his cultivation at all! He had to be the real deal!

Her heart was filled with fear and sorrow. Even a big shot like the Blood-Clothed Sword God knows about my embarrassing nickname?

He was the kind of senior who could live ten thousand years without trouble. Which meant that for at least ten thousand years, she would never shake off the nickname Booger Fairy.

"Senior, please wait. I'll notify the Master immediately!"

Qi Yuan said casually, "No need. Just invite me in. It'll save time."

Feng Yue Fairy's expression shifted. In the end, she nodded.

***

Deep within the palace. Feng Lan was playing chess with the Cloud Court Master.

Feng Lan sighed, "I didn't expect that in just one month since arriving in the Cuiyun Continent, such a major event would occur."

The Cloud Court Master also seemed despondent. "Who could have imagined that the extremely powerful Bright Palace would be wiped out overnight? This Blood-Clothed Sword God is truly a killing god. I really don't know how he destroyed the Bright Palace. Could it be, as he claimed, the great sun's falling had something to do with him?"

"How could that be?" Feng Lan shook his head. "I'm sure you are aware that this world can only have one?"

The Cloud Court Master fell silent, not daring to speak further. It was taboo to speak of a venerable, especially that one.

Then, Feng Lan said with a worried expression, "Once the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle ends, I must hurry back. Staying in the Cuiyun Continent is far too dangerous. If the great calamity didn't kill me, dying here would be far too unlucky."

He was deeply afraid of the Blood-Clothed Sword God. After all, he was currently responsible for the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle, serving under three Yin Spirits.

In name, he could be considered a temporary subordinate of Venerable Ye Qiong. If the Blood-Clothed Sword God found out, based on their understanding of him, that madman would definitely chop him down.

In the Cuiyun Continent, who wasn't afraid of the Blood-Clothed Sword God? Justice eradicating evil? Ha! It was nothing more than a greater demon eradicating evil.

A hurried voice transmission came at that moment. "Master, the Blood-Clothed Sword God has arrived,"

The chess piece in Feng Lan's hand dropped with a clatter. His face turned ashen.

The Cloud Court Master was shocked. "What's wrong?"

Feng Lan was terrified, full of despair. "No, I have to run! The Blood-Clothed Sword God has come for me!"

He tried to flee, but in the end, he didn't make it out. Before he could leave, he felt a pair of terrifying eyes locking him on the spot.

Qi Yuan's lazy voice floated through the air. "Why are you so desperate to escape upon seeing me? Are you a bad person, perhaps? If you are, then I must carry out heaven's will!"

Even as a Violet Palace expert, Feng Lan's soul trembled uncontrollably. His face twisted as he stammered, "I-I-I wasn't running... I need to pee... urgently!"

"Your Feng family is really strange. One picks her nose, one needs to pee," Qi Yuan said, glancing at Feng Yue, then at Feng Lan.

Feng Lan felt awkward, a trace of doubt flashing through his heart. From the Blood-Clothed Sword God's tone, it didn't sound like he had come to kill me?

He gazed at Qi Yuan with utmost respect. "I didn't know Senior would grace us with your presence. May I ask what business you have with this humble one?"

At this point, he no longer had any bearing of a Violet Palace great expert, just a petty lackey. After all, before Yin Spirits, he felt reverence. Before the Blood-Clothed Sword God, he felt pure terror.

He is a true demon king!

"I registered for the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle some time ago," Qi Yuan said, casually pulling over a chair and sitting down.

Feng Lan froze.

The Blood-Clothed Sword God registered for the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle? A Violet Palace big shot registering for a prodigy battle? What the hell does that mean?

Qi Yuan asked gently, "Unfortunately, I've been researching cultivation techniques recently and reached a critical stage. I can't attend the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle. Can the schedule be postponed?"

Since he was asking for a favor, his tone was quite amiable.

Feng Lan said with great difficulty, utterly confused, "Senior, the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle cannot be delayed."

The Blood-Clothed Sword God's age was probably ten thousand years or more. At such an advanced age, he couldn't even enter the battlefield.

Feng Lan explained the reasons it couldn't be delayed, mainly that the secret realm's opening time was fixed and could not be altered by human means.

"In your opinion, compared to the top ten prodigies on the Eastern Lands Ranking, am I stronger or weaker?" asked Qi Yuan.

Feng Lan was dumbfounded. Does this big shot have nothing better to do?

He replied cautiously, "Naturally, you are stronger, Senior."

"See? You've admitted I'm stronger. Doesn't that mean that as long as I participate, I'm guaranteed to make the top twenty?"

"Yes." Feng Lan could only nod. He glanced at Qi Yuan and said weakly, "It's just that Senior's age is somewhat high. Only participants under two hundred years old are allowed to enter."

Qi Yuan stated firmly, "I'm very young. I'm only twen—uh, not even thirty yet."

He had originally intended to tell the truth, but then he recalled his marriage. Getting married before twenty would violate marriage law, so he inflated his age a little.

The Cloud Court Master watched everything unfold, not daring to say a word. Feng Yue Fairy stood to the side, wanting to laugh but not daring to.

Feng Lan's expression was strained. "Senior, you do look very young."

"Not look, I am." Qi Yuan corrected him, before making a demand. "So my age and strength qualifies. If I participate, if not top three, then top ten should be achievable, right? Since the outcome is the same, then the process serves no purpose. Just rank me in the top ten and be done with it."

He had to admit that going through the back door felt truly exhilarating.

Feng Lan was speechless. Are you even speaking human language?

Had it been anyone else, even a late‑stage Violet Palace cultivator, he would have already cursed them to hell and back. Yet this was the Blood-Clothed Sword God they were talking about. He truly didn't dare to retort.

Feng Lan said weakly, "This matter must be reported to the three Yin Spirit Venerables. I do not have the authority to decide."

"Then hurry and report it. Get the result quickly," Qi Yuan said at once, his voice turning cold. "If you maliciously obstruct me from obtaining a top-twenty spot, you're making an enemy of me!"

Cold sweat broke out on Feng Lan's forehead. "I'll report it immediately!"

Even if he had ten lives, he wouldn't dare become an enemy of the Blood-Clothed Sword God. The events of the Bright Palace were still vivid in his mind.

A force with ten-thousand-year inheritance—the top power of the Cuiyun Continent—destroyed just like that!