Chapter 80: Teammates Are For Backstabbing

Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Teammates Are For Backstabbing

"Do you know how many years I was locked up in the Demon Suppression Tower?" the watch asked faintly.

"How many years?"

Li Ye asked back.

’Knowing the exact duration of its imprisonment would be an important clue. It could help him understand the origin of the Demon Suppression Tower.’

"I don’t know," the watch said. "But I know how many seconds are in a day. Even turning back time by a hundred years would require a massive amount of Demon Qi."

’Ugh!’

’I’ve run into a demon that can do math. Tricking it is going to be tough!’

’But the moment you start seriously discussing this possibility with me, you’ve already lost!’

Li Ye sneered inwardly but remained outwardly calm. "I know. But don’t forget, it only took us one month to reduce the cooldown from an hour to ten minutes."

"And a month isn’t a short time?" the watch retorted.

"Old Timer, have you heard of exponential growth?" Li Ye asked.

"Exponential what?" the watch asked.

"On the first day, you get one grain of rice. On the second, you get two. On the third, four. And so on. After one month, how many grains of rice do you think you’ll have?" Li Ye asked.

"Not that many, I’d imagine," the watch said.

’It knows a little math, but not much.’ Li Ye smiled and gave the answer. "536,870,912 grains."

"How could there be so many?" the watch asked, astonished.

"On day thirty-one, that number becomes 1,073,741,824..." Li Ye said. "That’s exponential growth. After that, the amount doubles with each passing day..."

"What does any of this have to do with me?" the watch interrupted.

"I’m just trying to show you the terrifying power of exponential growth. The Wenda Alliance started with only eight people. If each of those eight recruits two more, that’s another sixteen members. If those sixteen each recruit two more, that’s another thirty-two. See how it’s just like the exponential curve we were talking about?"

Li Ye smiled. "Old Timer, that’s where your Demon Qi comes from. You think its growth is slow now because we’re still in the early stages. In the future, when the Wenda Alliance sweeps across the globe, the increase in your Demon Qi will be massive."

"..."

The watch fell silent, clearly stunned.

"Of course, the population of a single planet is finite. Even if we utilized everyone, there’s a limit. But what about a few more planets?" Li Ye said. "Old Timer, the Wenda Alliance’s model is replicable. So, that ’massive’ amount of Demon Qi you need to turn back time? It’s not a problem. After all, numbers don’t lie."

"So... the master of the Demon Suppression Tower could really be me?" After that long spiel, the watch was starting to sound confused.

"Whether you are or not depends entirely on you," Li Ye said. "Old Timer, if you stay in this world, the master of the Demon Suppression Tower will never be you. But if you take that step forward, strive to grow stronger, and master the Path of Time step by step, then you might very well be able to change the past from the future."

"The God of Time?" the watch murmured, seemingly lost in a reverie about its future.

"The Demon Suppression Tower suppresses countless streams of Demon Qi. You were once an existence on par with it, so why can’t you become a Time God? An Emperor who reincarnates and cultivates anew is still an Emperor when he ascends." Li Ye said, "Old Timer, I’ve always believed that some things are just meant to be.

"It’s like how I accidentally awakened my Space-Time Talent, and you escaped the Demon Suppression Tower and ended up in a wristwatch. It seems like a coincidence, but isn’t it more like destiny? Why did you choose a watch? Maybe, in your subconscious, you knew it was the best choice..."

"But what if I go back, only to be suppressed by the Demon Suppression Tower all over again?" The watch was completely hooked, having forgotten all about its initial stubborn refusal to return to Earth.

"Fortune favors the bold," Li Ye said. "Old Timer, even the Team Emblem, which isn’t as smart as you, dared to go back. And it wasn’t discovered after it returned. Are you telling me you’re not even its equal?"

"So, the demonic being you’re working with is the Team Emblem?" the watch asked, keenly seizing on the key detail.

"Correct." Li Ye nodded, selling out the Team Emblem without a moment’s hesitation. "I’ve developed a plan for it as well, though it’s not as potent as yours. Still, its growth won’t be slow. When the opportunity arises in the future, you can simply devour it..."

"So, if you encounter a more suitable demonic being, you’ll sell me out too, right?" the watch stated.

"Old Timer, as the almighty God of Time, are you afraid of a challenge? The strong aren’t born from waiting around; they’re forged in battle. Besides, if you can master time, there won’t *be* any demonic beings more powerful than you." Li Ye shook his head. "This exponential model for Demon Qi growth isn’t suitable for just any creature."

A moment of silence passed.

The watch said, "Fine. You’ve convinced me. We’ll cooperate. I won’t try to possess you again."

"The brave know no fear." Li Ye smiled. "Old Timer, rest assured, you won’t get the short end of the stick working with me. Even if you don’t end up returning to the past, by absorbing a massive amount of Demon Qi through the Wenda Alliance model, you’ll still become a supreme expert. You’ll be able to break free from the Demon Suppression Tower’s control whenever you wish..."

"You don’t need to remind me," the watch huffed disdainfully. "Don’t worry. I said I’d cooperate, and I will."

’Heh.’

’Pathetic.’

Li Ye scoffed inwardly.

At that moment, he had found his own way to combat the corruption of demonic beings.

’By tailoring a future for each demonic being, they’ll naturally start running toward it. A demon chasing the sun won’t stay cooped up in my little body.’

...

Over the next two days, the Demon Qi continued to grow.

Li Ye successfully refined all the Inner Strength in his body, pushing his cultivation to the eighth level of Qi Refining.

Why wasn’t it the seventh level of Qi Refining, as his First Senior Brother had predicted?

It was because the Demon Qi provided an extra boost to his cultivation. With so many "salespeople" out there hustling, Li Ye’s cultivation speed naturally skyrocketed.

Now that all his Inner Strength was converted into Spiritual Qi, Li Ye’s next consideration was how to "pummel" his teammates.

Without the Team Emblem’s help, the effect of pummeling his teammates had dropped from a full doubling of his Attributes to just a one-third increase.

Still, even a one-third boost was faster than cultivating through meditation...

What he needed now was an enemy to face alongside his teammates. No matter how hard he pummeled them in routine spars, his Skill Level wouldn’t increase...

...

Taking a deep breath, Li Ye knocked on the door of Xu Jingxing’s Alchemy Room.

The Alchemy Room was filled with classical charm. Xu Jingxing sat cross-legged before a bronze Alchemy Furnace, his hands weaving to send streams of Spiritual Qi to control the flames beneath the Pill Furnace.

Unfamiliar medicinal herbs floated in the air, ready to be added to the Alchemy Furnace at a moment’s notice.

"Qi, what brings you here?"

Xu Jingxing was at a critical point in his Alchemy and asked without turning his head.

Li Ye glanced around Xu Jingxing’s residence. The shelves were lined with bottles and jars of Elixir Pills and all sorts of herbs. A refreshing medicinal aroma perpetually lingered in the air.

’Theoretically...’

’Elixir Pills could also help a person rapidly increase their cultivation...’

’But this wasn’t the time to be thinking about Elixir Pills.’

THUD!

Li Ye dropped to his knees, holding the documents on the Wenda Alliance high above his head. "Master, I have come to confess my wrongdoing. I may have caused a disaster. Please, punish me."

"You’ve only been on Changding Peak for a few days. What sort of disaster could you have caused?" Xu Jingxing chuckled, dismissing his concerns. "I am very busy. If it’s something important, have your First Senior Brother handle it..."

"Master, First Senior Brother is involved, as are Fourth Senior Brother, Sixth Junior Brother, Senior Brother Yin Feihuai from Evergreen Peak, and Senior Sister Mu Xue from Changle Peak..." A stream of names poured from Li Ye’s mouth.

BOOM!

A soft explosion echoed.

The smell of something scorching filled the air.

Xu Jingxing frowned in annoyance. With a wave of his hand, he cast a Dust Extinguishing Technique to clear the scorched smell from the air before turning his head. "What have you done?"

"Please, Master, don’t punish First Senior Brother. If you must punish someone, punish me. I just never expected things to get so out of hand." Li Ye kept his head bowed, still holding up the Wenda Alliance’s logbook. "For the past few days, I’ve been turning it over and over in my mind. I can’t even quiet my heart to cultivate. I was so panicked that I had to come find you, Master."

Xu Jingxing frowned. With a beckoning gesture, the Wenda Alliance’s booklet flew into his hand. "What is this?"

"It’s the Wenda Alliance’s member list and rules of conduct," Li Ye said timidly. In front of Xu Jingxing, he was still the honest child from the Otherworld.

"The Wenda Alliance?"

Xu Jingxing flipped open the booklet. The first things he saw were the Wenda Alliance’s code of conduct and its initiation oath.

As his master read, Li Ye explained in detail how the Wenda Alliance had been established.

Of course, in his telling of the story, First Senior Brother was the leader, while he was just an innocent child who happened to provide the initial idea.

The symbol of the Wenda Alliance was a watch. If this blew up, even if First Senior Brother was the "legal representative," he would be the one to take the brunt of the fallout. ’Better to get myself clear of this before someone discovers the truth and comes looking for me.’

As the ancient saying goes, a wise man doesn’t stand beneath a crumbling wall.

Xu Jingxing’s eyes grew wider and wider. "...Absurd!"

"Master, I was just being fanciful. I only wanted to form the Wenda Alliance to do some good for this world. I never imagined it would grow so quickly, or that it would turn out so different from the one in my own world," Li Ye said, trembling. "I was afraid that if it continued, it would bring disaster upon the Cyan Sun Sect, so I mustered my courage and came to you."

"Qi, you did the right thing. It’s your First Senior Brother who has gotten too audacious." Xu Jingxing stared at the shocking list of names in the booklet, his brow furrowed and his face as black as soot. "Sigh... you’ve all truly stirred up a massive disaster this time. Come. Follow me to the Main Peak. This is beyond my authority to handle..."

"Master, the Cyan Sun Sect won’t be in trouble, will it?" Li Ye asked, full of feigned terror.

"..." Xu Jingxing grunted. Just as he was about to speak, his gaze suddenly locked onto Li Ye. "Eighth-level Qi Refining?"

Before he had even finished speaking.

He flashed to Li Ye’s side and clamped a hand on his wrist. A wisp of Spiritual Qi flowed from his fingertips, completing a full circuit of Li Ye’s meridians in an instant.

"A solid foundation, no signs of interference from external forces, and the Cultivation Route is definitely our sect’s technique." Xu Jingxing looked as if he’d seen a ghost. "Qi, how did you do this? Your Inner Strength was substantial. It should have taken you at least three years to refine it completely. How did you manage it in less than a month...?"

’When Xu Jingxing flashed over to grab his wrist just now, Li Ye couldn’t even react. His speed actually surpassed that of the Black Dragon, the final boss from my last world.’

’So this is the power of a Divinity Transformation Realm expert?’

’It’s terrifying.’

’Even with the watch, I doubt I could escape an attack from him.’

’Just as I thought. I’m still far too weak.’

Li Ye sighed inwardly and said, "Master, First Senior Brother also said it would take me three years. But after I refined some of my Inner Strength, the process suddenly started getting faster and faster. Before I knew it, all of my Inner Strength had been converted into Spiritual Qi.

"Master, maybe it’s because I’m from the Otherworld. My constitution might be different from yours!"

"Eighth-level Qi Refining in less than a month!" Xu Jingxing stared intently at Li Ye, muttering to himself, "I’ve really seen it all now!"

He glanced again at the Wenda Alliance booklet in his hand and suddenly sighed.

In the next moment.

A powerful force tugged at Li Ye’s arm. The scenery before him blurred as Xu Jingxing dragged him along, shooting like a meteor straight toward the Main Peak.