Chapter 12: Generous at Someone Else’s Expense

Chapter 12: Chapter 12: Generous at Someone Else’s Expense

Cai Jun and Xu Peng both felt dazed as the club members lifted them to their feet.

’What’s going on?’

’How did we just turn from foes to friends for no reason?’

’And what the hell is this about being a forward? Has Hall Master Shi been bewitched by an Evil Demon?’

This feeling of unreality peaked when they heard the fantastical stories of higher civilizations, space jumps, Interstellar Thieves, and Spiritual Power even greater than that of Immortals.

Xu Peng even secretly pinched his thigh. The sharp pain told him this was no dream—it was all real...

’This is insane!’

...

Unlike the bewildered Xu Peng and Cai Jun, Shi Xiang, who had enjoyed tangible benefits, completely believed the story Yu Fei told.

It was the only explanation that made all the absurdities of the night seem perfectly logical.

It takes a hundred days to recover from a serious bone injury. Not even the best medicine could have healed his fractured ankle instantly. But if it was the work of an Immortal, that would explain it. 𝘧𝓇ℯℴ𝓂

Shi Xiang had originally planned to feign compliance with Li Ye, then find an opportunity to kill him in a counter-attack or escape.

Now, he had changed his mind. An encounter with an Immortal was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Li Ye was far more important than his own master.

First finding the Dragon Emperor Spell, then meeting an Immortal—at this moment, Shi Xiang even felt like he was the legendary Son of Destiny. His next step would surely be getting taken to the Celestial Court—no, to an even higher civilization by the Immortal whose Magical Power was now restored!

’So what if Li Ye is a Star Thief?’

’Most people call the Red Flame Sect a Demon Sect, too.’

After arriving at the cave, Shi Xiang became even more certain of his opinion.

The cave was a complete mess.

The scene was ironclad proof. They had no reason to go to such lengths just to put on an act for him...

The people who had stayed behind in the cave felt even more desolate after learning what had happened outside. If even the chosen ones could be pushed aside by outsiders, their own chances of ever getting ahead were even slimmer.

...

It was already past midnight, but Li Ye was still full of energy. This was the effect of Demon Qi. Most Demon Hunters who possessed a demon artifact were bursting with vigor and rarely needed sleep.

"Shi Xiang, give me the Dragon Emperor Spell to look at." Li Ye looked at Shi Xiang and demanded it with complete confidence. "I want to understand how far your civilization has evolved. It might help with my injuries."

Shi Xiang didn’t hesitate for a moment, pulling out the Dragon Emperor Spell and handing it to Li Ye.

He had tasted the benefits of Spiritual Power and wanted even more from Li Ye. He no longer cared about a single Secret Manual.

Except for the members of the soccer team, the rest of the people stared eagerly at the Dragon Emperor Spell. Many of them swallowed hard, their throats bobbing.

But they also knew that with the Dragon Emperor Spell in Li Ye’s hands, it was likely lost to them forever. They could only look away helplessly, sighing to themselves. ’What a mess this is!’

...

During his training at the Demon Hunting Bureau, Li Ye had used a demon artifact to learn Inner Power.

He was no stranger to it.

Now that the Demon Qi had greatly enhanced his body, he even had a photographic memory.

In fact, every Time Traveler had a photographic memory. Otherwise, with such a high rate of items being lost during temporal transit, it would be impossible for Time Travelers to bring back vast amounts of civilizational resources.

The Dragon Emperor Spell wasn’t very long. Li Ye skimmed through it once and committed its contents to memory.

Then, he tossed the Dragon Emperor Spell to Liu Guangsheng and said, "Everyone pass it around and have a look. See if it helps with your own martial arts."

Xu Peng and the others’ eyes went wide. They couldn’t help but exclaim, "Hall Master?"

Shi Xiang glanced back at them and said coolly, "Lord Li’s decision is my decision. If Lord Li hadn’t shown us mercy, would we even still be alive? The Dragon Emperor Spell should have been Lord Li’s to begin with. How he chooses to dispose of it is none of our business!"

Liu Guangsheng fumbled to catch the Dragon Emperor Spell, completely overwhelmed. "Lord Li, we can look at it too?"

"Of course." Li Ye glanced at him. "In higher civilizations, all knowledge is public. Anyone can read and study it. That’s the only way for a civilization to advance.

Conversely, the more backward a civilization is, the more it restricts the spread of knowledge. It’s not just for you; anyone in this cave can read it. As I said, we’re not just going to seize the Dragon Emperor Spell, we’re also going after the Celestial Dao Alliance and the Red Flame Sect.

In the future, any Secret Manual we seize will be shared publicly for everyone to cultivate.

Besides, if you don’t cultivate more advanced Secret Manuals, when we face future enemies, are you just going to rely on me to Charge into battle alone?"

’Knowledge in higher civilizations is actually public?’

’Now that’s what you call vision!’

Liu Guangsheng was filled with awe and respect. He said his thanks, opened the Dragon Emperor Spell, and began to study it intently. ’Lord Li is right. We have to grow stronger, or we’ll be left behind.’

Upon hearing this, those who had already decided to betray Li Ye looked at each other, their once-firm resolve suddenly wavering.

’Cultivating a Martial Arts Secret Manual requires aptitude and talent, but staying here means we can view them for free. That’s got to be way better than going to another Sect, groveling and begging everyone you meet just to get your hands on one or two manuals!’

...

Taking in everyone’s expressions,

Li Ye secretly shook his head. ’It’s not like it’s mine, anyway. And I’m only staying in this world for a year. Rather than let this thing rot in my hands, I might as well use it to win people over. It solidifies my persona and strengthens my guards.’

’Killing several birds with one stone. Why not?’

’As for what happens after I leave, that’s not my damn problem...’

...

Ignoring the crowd passing around the Dragon Emperor Spell, Li Ye began cultivating the Mental Method within it on his own.

Enjoying the resources of another world ahead of time was a perk for every Time Traveler.

With the help of Demon Qi, his cultivation was twice as effective with half the effort. In contrast, Demon Hunters stationed on Earth were under the constant supervision of the Demon Hunting Bureau and weren’t qualified to possess a demon artifact at all times...

The Dragon Emperor Spell contained an Inner Power Heart Method, a Body Technique, a Fist Technique, and a set of Swordsmanship. The Body Technique, Swordsmanship, and Fist Technique could be used simply by coordinating them with their special Cultivation Routes. For someone like Li Ye, who had a photographic memory and agile movements, it was extremely simple. He could basically use them without much practice.

He could even use his Demon Qi to power these moves if he wanted, which would be far more powerful than using Inner Strength.

...

Demon Qi relied on a demon artifact for its existence. After turning the artifact back in, most of the Demon Qi remaining in the body would dissipate. But it was a different story if one had awakened a Derived Skill.

A Derived Skill would allow a Demon Hunter to forcibly retain a portion of their Demon Qi to power it.

Therefore, every Demon Hunter and Time Traveler alike wanted to possess their own unique Derived Skill.

That was something truly their own.

Of course, any Inner Strength, Magical Power, Magic Power, and so on that was cultivated using Demon Qi would also be permanently retained. Thus, self-cultivation was a required course for every Demon Hunter.

...

With the aid of Demon Qi, Li Ye’s cultivation speed was incredibly fast.

In just a short while, a warm current of Inner Strength had already gathered in his Dantian.

The Attributes of Demon Qi were far superior to those of Inner Strength.

Guided by the Demon Qi, this Inner Strength coursed rapidly through his meridians, growing stronger with every passing moment.

Li Ye circulated it for a few Circulations, and his Dantian was already bulging, filled with a surging torrent of Inner Strength. He took out his dagger and, following the method described in the Dragon Emperor Spell, tentatively tried to channel his Inner Strength into it.

The Demon Qi augmented his Inner Strength as it flooded into the dagger.

SHING!

The dagger let out a melodious dragon’s cry, and a foot-long, shimmering white light emerged from its tip, wavering unsteadily...

...

Shi Xiang, who had been watching Li Ye the whole time, couldn’t help but stare wide-eyed, a shocked cry escaping his lips: "Sword Qi!"

Li Ye swung the blade at a nearby rock.

The beam of sword light flashed, and the rock split in two with a crack, the cut surface as smooth as a mirror.

GULP!

The sound of swallowing filled the air. Yu Fei stammered, "An Innate Master!"

The people in the cave stared at Li Ye as if they had seen a ghost. ’He’s only had the Dragon Emperor Scripture for, what, an hour? How has he already cultivated such profound Inner Strength?’

Taking in everyone’s expressions, Li Ye felt a surge of pride, but on the surface, he just frowned and sighed, "The energy-gathering methods of this primitive civilization are truly too backward."

The surroundings fell deathly silent, but the gazes fixed on Li Ye were now filled with fervent worship.

At that moment, they no longer had any doubt about Li Ye’s identity.

Only an Immortal could instantly master such a profound Cultivation Technique and successfully cultivate it just moments after receiving it.