My Monster-Derived Skills Are the True Power
Chapter 13: Li Ye's Plans for the Future

On the second day of his journey through this world, Li Ye had already gained a devoted following—or rather, he had established a faction of his own.

This didn’t fill him with pride; instead, it made him wary. The ease with which he achieved self-sufficiency here didn’t match the notoriously high mortality rate of Temporal Walkers.

There was no way all the luck had been reserved for him alone.

He still had a hidden adversary—a mysterious demon of unknown species—and an array of enigmatic people from this alternate world.

After all, human nature was complex. Just because the people in front of him were easy to manipulate didn’t mean everyone in this world would be. He hadn’t yet encountered Innate Experts or Grandmasters.

Thus, he resolved to proceed cautiously in everything he did. Better safe than sorry.

---

At dawn, the group relocated to Crane Peak Mountain, the closest site to Pine Ridge and the domain of Fan Jie.

Crane Peak Mountain was less of a sect and more of a family-run enterprise.

The most powerful figures were Fan Jie and his wife, Yuan Ling. They had a dozen disciples under them, three of whom were their biological children, one an adopted son, and the rest recruits.

Yuan Ling already knew what her husband had been up to.

When Fan Jie returned to Crane Peak Mountain with a large group of injured people, her face turned pale with fright.

Shi Xiang was the disciple of Grandmaster Huai Yi. Even in a world where swordsmen licked blood off their blades, openly exposing themselves like this was practically courting death.

Fan Jie pulled her aside to give her a rough explanation of the events from the previous day. He also demonstrated the results of his training with the Dragon Emperor Technique.

Yuan Ling’s apprehension transformed into excitement. Any trace of anger vanished as she cheerfully went off to prepare food for everyone.

Great fortune comes with great risk.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have attempted to seize the Dragon Emperor Technique. Now that fate had aligned and they had latched onto the leg of a “deity,” how could they not be satisfied? Even at the cost of their lives, it was worth it.

---

Li Ye, however, didn’t care about the thoughts of the household members. He casually assigned them to logistical duties. He was a man of plans and goals, and his objective had always been singular: survive one year.

Survival depended on increasing his strength, which meant mastering the use of his demon artifact and developing derived skills.

Everything else, including the Temporal Walker’s missions, was secondary. He already had the Dragon Emperor Technique. As long as he returned alive, the trip would not be in vain.

---

When Yuan Ling finished cooking, everyone else feasted. Li Ye, however, didn’t take a single bite.

Demonic energy was a peculiar form of energy that pushed him into a fasting state. Most Temporal Walkers carrying demon artifacts and infused with demonic energy didn’t need food, reducing the risk of poisoning.

Not eating or sleeping, yet remaining full of energy, only solidified Li Ye’s divine persona in their eyes.

---

After the meal, Li Ye divided the group into two teams for a match.

Everyone threw themselves into the game with enthusiasm, desperate to catch Li Ye’s attention with their performance.

The competition was fierce, with participants pulling out all the stops. The match was intense and entertaining to watch.

But Li Ye’s interest waned.

He realized that internal team matches didn’t increase his demonic energy. The Dragon Emperor Technique progressed rapidly only because of the energy within him, and his cultivation speed was directly proportional to the amount of demonic energy he possessed.

Without an increase in demonic energy, his cultivation would slow down.

With the other demon hanging over his head like the Sword of Damocles, Li Ye couldn’t be satisfied with his current pace. He wished he could become a Grandmaster in three days and conquer the world in ten.

After two days of experimenting, he had begun to understand some uses for the football club's team badge.

Unlike other demon artifacts, which granted immediate power to their user, the badge was unique. It could grant demonic energy to others, enhancing their abilities.

This seemed to be the intended function of a team-oriented demon artifact.

Through the match, Li Ye confirmed his suspicion. Touching the ball with one’s hands caused a mandatory penalty—stiffening the body—which could be exploited.

Using hands to touch the ball triggered a foul, but underhanded tricks during the match didn’t. The rules of the artifact were indeed intriguing.

---

After the match, Li Ye announced the formation of the Fun Seekers Club’s second team.

With that, his demonic energy surged again, and the second team members were also infused with the badge’s energy.

Excitement filled the air as the crowd erupted in cheers.

Previously, Li Ye’s spiritual energy could only cover ten people. Overnight, it had extended to over twenty. This marked clear progress in his strength recovery.

Seeing Li Ye recover so quickly inspired confidence in everyone.

The group wasn’t foolish. Li Ye’s arrogance meant he would inevitably face Innate Experts and Grandmasters. His rapid recovery improved their collective safety.

After forming the second team, the increase in demonic energy convinced Li Ye he was on the right track. Perhaps creating a league to expand his influence was the key to unlocking the artifact’s derived skill.

Li Ye was decisive. Without hesitation, he called a meeting.

---

“A second team, and you’re grinning like fools. Have you never seen anything exciting in your lives?” Li Ye sneered at the jubilant crowd.

“Li Ye, we’re not celebrating the second team. We’re celebrating your strength returning!” Liu Guangsheng replied with a sheepish grin.

“Spiritual energy covering twenty people isn’t much of a recovery,” Li Ye said, shaking his head. “Haven’t you noticed? Internal matches don’t boost spiritual energy. It’s tied to belief. Only by expanding our influence will my strength return faster, and your spiritual energy grow.”

“Li Ye, what’s your plan? Just tell us,” Shi Xiang said solemnly.

The others, having tasted the benefits, were eager.

The Dragon Emperor Technique required high aptitude, but all members with bodies altered by demonic energy had successfully begun training in it, and at a decent pace.

“We’ll spread our name far and wide,” Li Ye declared, waving his hand. “The first and second teams will split into two groups. Use Crane Peak Mountain as a base, and challenge every sect around us under the guise of friendly competition.”

The group froze in shock.

“Li Ye, can we act separately?” Fan Jie asked.

“Of course,” Li Ye replied. “I can’t babysit you all the time.”

Fan Jie hesitated, then clarified with an embarrassed smile, “I mean, if we’re apart from you, will the spiritual energy disappear?”

“It won’t. In fact, as your influence grows, it will increase,” Li Ye explained. “If you can make a name for yourselves, your spiritual energy will grow even faster.”

Yu Fei’s eyes lit up. “Li Ye, does that mean fame in the martial world?”

“It’s the fame you gain through matches,” Li Ye corrected. “Your spiritual energy comes from the club. Everything you do must be tied to the matches. Whether it’s the number of goals scored, ingenious techniques spreading widely, or brutal takedowns, they all contribute.

“For example, Liu Guangsheng, if you manage to break ten legs with the same tackle, you might earn the nickname ‘Legbreaker Demon.’ Or Shi Xiang, if you consistently hit opponents’ faces with the ball, you could become the ‘Face Striker.’

“These specific titles will help your spiritual energy cultivation.”

“Li Ye, do titles always need ‘Demon’ in them?” Liu Guangsheng asked.

“Of course not. I just think ‘Demon’ sounds more imposing,” Li Ye chuckled. “If you have other ideas, feel free to develop them.

“However, relying solely on matches to spread your reputation is slow. You can intervene by hiring storytellers to spread your deeds in tea houses or enlisting martial artists to circulate your exploits. Fame will spread much faster that way.”

Yu Fei smacked his lips. “Cultivating spiritual energy really is unconventional.”

“Just like how gods vie for incense, cultivating spiritual energy is about influence,” Li Ye said with a laugh. “My strength stems from my title ‘Rainmaker’ and my sixth-place ranking on the wanted list.”