My Monster-Derived Skills Are the True Power
Chapter 24: Making the Game More Exciting

What the hell is going on?

Zhong Wenhao and Zhu Zhirou instinctively turned their heads, just in time to see Li Ye running past them, arms raised in excitement. He slapped hands with Shi Xiang as Gongsun Jie chased behind him like a shadow, always just a step too late.

The other players, who had been standing idly, also began high-fiving in celebration.

“Senior Brother, do we really need to get involved?” Zhu Zhirou’s mouth twitched as she watched the scene, her confusion evident as she glanced at Zhong Wenhao.

“Let’s wait and see,” Zhong Wenhao replied, just as bewildered. At this point, he had no idea what was happening. To him, Li Ye and his group looked like a bunch of lunatics.

---

The spectators in the stands were equally confused.

Many had read the soccer rules and understood that the match was about scoring goals. But why was Li Ye so insistent on scoring when he had already knocked Gongsun Jie down twice? Wouldn’t a straightforward duel with Gongsun Jie be more honorable?

“Bohan, what are Li Ye and his people doing? Why does this look like a farce?” asked Wei Mingze, the prefect, as he turned to his assistant for an explanation.

“My lord, I can’t make sense of it either,” replied the assistant, a middle-aged man with a goatee. His hand paused mid-stroke of his beard, his brow furrowed deeply. “It seems like Li Ye is toying with Gongsun Jie. I can’t fathom his motives…”

“My lord,” interjected the adjutant, his tone grave. “That man Li Ye might be on the verge of becoming a Grandmaster. We should report his existence to the emperor immediately. The emergence of a new Grandmaster could disrupt the entire balance of power.”

“Are you certain?” Wei Mingze’s pupils contracted in shock.

“Gongsun Jie is a Half-step Grandmaster, yet he’s being toyed with in such a confined space. Only a Grandmaster could achieve that,” the adjutant said with a wry smile. “Although a true Grandmaster’s aura can manifest externally to overwhelm armies, Li Ye doesn’t seem to be quite there. However, judging by his techniques, he’s likely only one step away.”

“A Grandmaster in his twenties… Zhiyao, such claims are not to be made lightly,” Wei Mingze said, his voice trembling.

“Just watch, my lord,” the adjutant replied, shaking his head bitterly. “I’d wager there’s an eighty to ninety percent chance this ‘farce’ is actually a Grandmaster’s declaration of power.”

---

After the celebrations, Li Ye finally engaged Gongsun Jie in a proper duel.

Using techniques from the Dragon Emperor Technique, Li Ye fought Gongsun Jie to a standstill—or rather, to the extent of his strength without the aid of his demonic energy. If he infused his demonic energy into his attacks, he could have easily ended the fight. For now, he was simply testing the limits of his raw martial prowess.

So far, his internal energy reserves seemed decent.

Their clash of fists and feet stirred up dust and debris on the field, creating a visually stunning spectacle. It was far more engaging than the previous game of cat and mouse with the soccer ball.

The commentary had stopped, but the cheers from the stands echoed louder than ever. This was the kind of fight the audience had been waiting for.

---

As Gongsun Jie exchanged blows with Li Ye, his frustration slowly subsided, replaced by focus.

Although Li Ye’s skills were formidable, they seemed only on par with his own. Earlier, he had simply been caught off guard by Li Ye’s bizarre tactics.

So what if he’s young and has powerful internal energy? Gongsun Jie consoled himself. I’m an experienced fighter. In a real duel, who knows who’ll come out on top?

Seeing Gongsun Jie and Li Ye locked in combat, Zhong Wenhao’s eyes lit up. “Junior Sister, while they’re distracted, let’s move in and take out Shi Xiang!”

“Understood,” Zhu Zhirou replied without hesitation.

The pair charged at Shi Xiang with their swords drawn, engaging him in a fierce battle.

Li Ye fought Gongsun Jie one-on-one, while Zhong Wenhao and Zhu Zhirou double-teamed Shi Xiang. Punches, kicks, and flashes of swords filled the field as the match finally reached a thrilling climax, with cheers ringing out from the stands.

But this wasn’t what Li Ye wanted.

He wasn’t here to dominate with martial strength—he was here to promote soccer and develop his derived skills. Conquering the world through brute force held no appeal to him.

---

“Master Gongsun, would you like to know my secret?” Li Ye asked casually as he exchanged blows with Gongsun Jie.

“I’d rather kill you,” Gongsun Jie snarled through gritted teeth.

“Actually, what Cao Bin said is true—I’m from a higher civilization,” Li Ye said with a smirk.

“Bulls—”

Before Gongsun Jie could finish his retort, the words caught in his throat.

In an instant, Li Ye’s speed doubled. His fingers lightly tapped Gongsun Jie’s temple, chest, and abdomen in rapid succession—gentle, fleeting touches that carried no internal energy. They felt no different from the mock sparring taps he would give his disciples.

He’s not even using his full strength.

The realization struck Gongsun Jie like a lightning bolt. His pupils shrank, his expression filled with terror.

This… this is a Grandmaster!

A horrifying thought surged into his mind. At such a young age, could Li Ye have surpassed the realm of Grandmasters? Even when Gongsun Jie had fought Huai Yi, a true Grandmaster, Huai Yi hadn’t demonstrated such effortless dominance.

Gongsun Jie’s mind spiraled into chaos. His fighting spirit evaporated, leaving him mechanically trading blows with Li Ye, unable to muster a shred of resistance.

“Master Gongsun, this is spiritual energy,” Li Ye explained, smiling as he flicked a strand of Gongsun Jie’s hair with a burst of finger wind. “It can accelerate the cultivation of internal energy or combine with it to create extraordinary effects.”

“You…” Gongsun Jie staggered back, retreating from the fight. His face was pale as he stared at Li Ye, words failing him.

“Take a look at Shi Xiang,” Li Ye said, pointing to Zhong Wenhao and Zhu Zhirou locked in combat with Shi Xiang. “Ten days ago, Shi Xiang’s skills were comparable to theirs. Now he can easily overpower them.”

“Rare treasures can achieve the same results,” Gongsun Jie argued weakly.

“Why would Master Gongsun deceive himself? Shi Xiang is Huai Yi’s disciple—do you think he’s foolish enough to let me dupe him into tarnishing his reputation?” Li Ye’s tone turned pitying. “Do you think I went through all this trouble just to toy with you? Believe it or not, even without soccer, I could slap you into submission endlessly. And if you tried to run, I’d still catch you—that would be toying with you.”

“You…” Gongsun Jie’s fists clenched as he glared at Li Ye.

“Don’t look at me like that—I really could,” Li Ye said with a grin. “It’s the law of the jungle. You’re weaker than me. If I wanted to torment you, it’d be perfectly natural. Sure, you could avoid this humiliation by taking your own life. But would you? After traveling all the way to Wolf Valley, getting slapped twice, and then killing yourself in a fit of rage, you’d die without peace, wouldn’t you?”

The thought crossed Gongsun Jie’s mind—ending his life to escape the shame. But Li Ye’s taunts snuffed out any such intentions.

His face flushed red with anger as he pointed at Li Ye, his beard trembling. “You… There’s a limit to insults! If you dare humiliate me further, not even death will stop me from haunting you!”

Li Ye laughed. “You think I’d fear a ghost when I don’t fear you alive? Master Gongsun, have you ever considered forming a team to play an official match against us?”

“…What?” Gongsun Jie was momentarily taken aback.

“I’m not here to humiliate you,” Li Ye said, shaking his head. “You’re not worth the effort. Spiritual energy cultivation requires the power of belief. Soccer and tournaments like the Galactic Federation Planet Cup are just ways to spread influence and build that belief.

“Think of the league format as a path for martial artists to transform their internal energy into spiritual energy. If you want to call it a conspiracy, then yes, it’s a conspiracy to unite everyone in this endeavor.”

Gongsun Jie frowned deeply. “Why should I trust you?”

“Master Gongsun, you’ve already lost most of your dignity today. What do you have to lose by trying?” Li Ye grinned. “If it works, no one will care about the slaps. If it fails… well, you can always fake it.

“Get others involved—let them take the slaps and kicks too. Then no one will laugh at you anymore. Doesn’t that make sense?” Li Ye gave Gongsun Jie a sideways glance. “Unless, of course, you’re so noble that you’d sacrifice your own reputation to take down a villain like me?”