My Core is the Boss

Qi Yuan peered deeper into the Ancestral Land. The ground wasn't soil at all, but multicolored metal alloys stretching as far as the eye could see. Some of these metals were familiar to Qi Yuan. To low-level cultivators, they would be precious materials. To True Gods, they were little more than baubles.

Metal fragments littered the landscape. They were shattered constructs, broken remnants of some ancient creation. In the distance, a colossal, metallic foot jutted skyward, its eighteen toes strikingly clear. Each toenail was painted in bright, garish colors, and adorned with strange animal patterns Qi Yuan had never seen before.

Staring at the massive foot, the younger twin said softly, "Legend says that our ancestors came from beyond this realm. The entire Ancestral Land was once a single divine artifact. Through it, our ancestors arrived in the Mortal Heart World. The artifact shattered upon descent, leaving behind many treasures."

At the mention of treasures, the True Gods felt their hearts stir.

The realm was famous for its bizarre yet powerful artifacts. Last time, Old Snake had found a rare immortal liquid here. After drinking it, he opened two divine apertures in one go. There were also items that could expand divine spiritual energy reserves or strengthen a cultivator’s foundation. Hence, it was no wonder ancient gods kept coming despite the danger.

"This place may be full of treasures, but it also conceals terrifying danger. A single careless step, and you'll die without even realizing how," the older twin said coolly, her voice sharp and restrained.

Then, she added gravely, "All kinds of puppet gods roam within. They have no fixed form—some may be a drop of liquid, some a stone, others a wisp of mist. Yet every one of them is powerful. The weakest are First Step True Gods, while the strongest are on par with Great Venerables. If you accidentally wander into their territory, you are done for. Moreover, they don’t stay in one place. They drift through the realm, moving and sleeping at random. That’s why past experience is useless. A dormant puppet god could be hiding in any location."

Following that, she gestured toward the enormous metal foot ahead of them. "That metal foot may very well be housing one right now. Touch it, and the puppet god will awaken."

At the mention of puppet gods, the True Gods present all grew solemn, fear flickering across their faces.

"So where are the treasures?" Qi Yuan asked calmly.

The younger twin couldn't help but reply, "The deeper you go, the more numerous and precious the treasures become. But the danger increases just as sharply. By our reckoning, the Ancestral Land has seven floors. Those at First Step usually remain in the first floor. Second Step cultivators can reach the second floor, and so on. In the first floor, a First Step True God has about a fifty-fifty chance of surviving whatever they encounter. It's still manageable, but once you enter the second floor, you may run out of luck."

She paused, then eyed Qi Yuan suspiciously. "Don't tell me you don't know any of this. You didn't even bring a map?"