Chapter 185: Luring the Tiger Away from the Mountain

THUD!

Chu Zhongyue slammed a fist into Li Ye’s shoulder.

Li Ye didn’t budge an inch.

Star Power erupted.

His clothes tore apart, revealing Li Ye’s shoulder. It was completely unharmed, the skin not even broken.

Li Ye’s physique was tough enough to go head-to-head with the Skeleton Monarch.

How could a mere Tier Nine expert from this world possibly hurt him?

Besides, Chu Zhongyue’s Main Life Star wasn’t the Lunar Star.

He could stand still and let Chu Zhongyue hit him for a whole day, and it still might not be enough to break through his defense.

The Daoist Law suppressed this world, so its inhabitants could only use Star Power to enhance their own physical strength.

But whose physical strength could possibly compare to the enhancements Demon Qi provided to the body?

What’s more, Li Ye’s physical durability wasn’t just enhanced by Demon Qi; it had also been absurdly boosted by his Derived Skills.

“…”

Staring at Li Ye’s unscathed shoulder, Chu Zhongyue glanced doubtfully at his own fist, completely bewildered. Even with the protection of his Star Power, his knuckles still throbbed with a dull ache.

Nan Shuyun and the others were dumbfounded.

“How is that possible?” Qin Xiuwen asked. “How could anyone take a full-force blow from a Tier Nine expert and come out completely unscathed?”

‘It wasn’t my full strength!’

Chu Zhongyue opened his mouth to explain, but his lips twitched twice without a sound. ‘Even if I had used my full strength, what then?’ he thought. ‘The result would have been the same.’

“The Flat Pan’s other function is fusion. Just like stir-frying or making stew, it combines different ingredients and seasonings to create a gourmet dish,” Li Ye said. “And I am that gourmet dish—pan-fried, stir-fried, and deep-fried by Xue Yang. He took the essence of everyone and meticulously crafted me. I am the crystallization of fortune. Even medically transplanted organs can be rejected. But not me. I am a perfect specimen. Without immense fortune to support me, how could I possibly have been created successfully? If there’s anyone in this world who can withstand Sun Star Power, it has to be me.”

“If Xue Yang possesses such great fortune, why were you able to escape?” Having suffered a blow to his ego, Chu Zhongyue subconsciously tried to find fault with Li Ye’s story and refute it. It seemed like the only way he could rebuild his confidence.

“Fortune is a consumable. My very birth was enough to change the destiny of the entire Federation, and it used up all the fortune Xue Yang had accumulated,” Li Ye said. “That’s also why I was able to escape. Perhaps even the heavens couldn’t stand to see Xue Yang’s evil deeds go unpunished!”

“So, you’re saying Xue Yang is at his absolute lowest point in terms of luck right now?” Nan Shuyun was now a firm believer in Li Ye’s talk of fortune.

“Correct.” Li Ye nodded. “But as long as the Flat Pan Group exists, his fortune can be reversed at any time. To defeat him, we must dismantle the Flat Pan Group from its very roots and destroy the people’s faith in it.”

“The Flat Pan Group has infiltrated every aspect of public life. Replacing it is easier said than done,” Qin Xiuwen said. “Even if you present this theory about fortune, no one will believe you.”

“True. If I were to come forward as living proof, I would certainly be captured by Xue Yang.” Li Ye nodded. “Once he gets his hands on my body, no one will be able to stop him.”

“Since Xue Yang needs fortune, why doesn’t he run for president?” Chu Zhongyue persisted, stubbornly looking for loopholes.

“Would the common people have blind faith in a president’s decrees?” Li Ye glanced at Chu Zhongyue and said, “Even the best president can’t satisfy everyone, but the Flat Pan Group can. If Xue Yang became president, would he force the entire country to use flat pans? Or maybe print flat pans on the currency? That would just make him a laughingstock…”

Chu Zhongyue was speechless, unable to utter a word.

“But what’s the use in telling us the truth?” Nan Shuyun said. “Even if we make the major corporations and the Federation suspicious of the Flat Pan Group, without evidence, we can’t shake Xue Yang’s foundation.”

“Unless you let us go back,” said Pang Baisheng. “Let us take the truth back with us.”

“Even if you went back, it wouldn’t work,” Chu Zhongyue sighed. “They would only focus on the Divine Demon Ruins on the eighteenth floor of the Ruins. They wouldn’t work together to deal with the Flat Pan Group; the cost would outweigh the benefits…”

He paused. “Besides, they wouldn’t allow Xue Yang to exist, and they certainly wouldn’t allow…”

“Wouldn’t allow me to exist, right?” Li Ye chuckled, speaking with an air of pride. “I never expected the major corporations to help me deal with the Flat Pan Group. From the very beginning, all I’ve wanted to do is lead everyone into the Ruins. Xue Yang is mine to confront alone.”

“Lead them into the Ruins?” Chu Zhongyue was stunned. “What are you planning to do?”

“If Xue Yang’s Flat Pan is about taking and fusing, then the Erhu I obtained is about giving and sharing,” Li Ye said, holding up the Erhu.

“What do you mean?” Nan Shuyun asked.

“Come on, I’ll take you to fight some Mutant Beasts. You’ll understand then.” Li Ye looked around at the group. “Who can go heal Bi Zhiheng’s injuries? He should have heard our conversation, so he won’t dare to act up again. Since I brought him out, he’s one of our companions. I’m not Xue Yang; I won’t just abandon him…”

“I’ll do it,” Nan Shuyun said. “My Life Star is Jupiter. I have a Medical Skill.”

Green Star Power enveloped Bi Zhiheng.

A moment later.

The heavily injured Bi Zhiheng got back on his feet, his gaze flickering as he avoided meeting Li Ye’s eyes.

Even though Li Ye said he wouldn’t do anything else, Bi Zhiheng felt that kick had been aimed to kill him. He was terrified now.

Although these children of influential families were all Tier Seven or Tier Eight experts, they had never truly experienced a life-or-death battle. Their power was built up by Star Beads and nutrient solutions. Even when they entered the Ruins, they were surrounded by a group of experts for protection. They were all show and no substance.

The one thing the Ruins didn’t lack was Mutant Beasts.

Soon, they encountered a herd of Tier Two Cloud Deer.

The Cloud Deer were bloodthirsty. Upon seeing the group, they immediately surrounded them.

“You guys go,” Li Ye commanded as he began to play “Shepherd’s Song” on his Erhu.

To the sound of the melodious tune, Chu Zhongyue led the charge against the Cloud Deer, with Nan Shuyun and the others providing support from the side.

But just as they engaged the Cloud Deer, they were each struck by a heavy blow from behind by Li Ye.

Attack my teammates, share the pain equally.

In the end, Li Ye had shown them mercy, not aiming for their vitals.

After all, they didn’t have the Demon Qi from a Team Emblem to help them recover, nor were they cultivators with Spiritual Power like in the second world. If he had hit them any harder, he really would have been sacrificing them to the heavens…

Even so, Chu Zhongyue and the others were severely injured. Their eyes were wide with fury, and even while surrounded by Cloud Deer, they turned to glare angrily at Li Ye.

“What are you doing?” Pang Baisheng asked furiously. “Are you trying to get us killed?”

“Didn’t your strength increase?” Li Ye asked in confusion, slaying a group of Cloud Deer with a wave of his hand. “This is a method I learned in the Divine Demon Ruins. It should be effective; it’s worked before.”

As soon as he said this, everyone froze.

“My Star Power has increased by twenty percent, and my physical strength has too,” Chu Zhongyue said in shock, sensing the changes in his body.

“Me too,” Pang Baisheng added, snapping out of his daze.

“Me too.” Nan Shuyun clenched her fist and looked at Li Ye in confusion. “What’s going on?”

“Heal them first,” Li Ye said to Nan Shuyun, pointing at the injured members of the group. “I’ll explain in a bit.”

Without the boost from the Team Emblem, the “attack my teammates” buff he received was reduced to one-third of its usual effect.

But by attacking five teammates at once, Li Ye’s strength and physical conditioning had surged to 1.5 times their previous level.

Although he didn’t know what the upper limit for Star Power was, he thoroughly enjoyed this kind of physical enhancement. It brought him a great sense of satisfaction and security.

Nan Shuyun activated her healing. Star Power jumped between the group members, healing their injuries in an instant. She stared at her hand in astonishment. “My Star Skill’s power has also increased by twenty percent.”

“The charm of music lies in sharing. The more people who share in it, the happier the creator becomes.” Li Ye gestured with the Erhu in his hand. “I think that’s the principle behind this Divine Ability.”

“But why did you have to attack us?” Qin Xiuwen asked. “What does that have to do with music?”

‘Right!’

‘It has nothing to do with it!’

‘Because this was originally a skill from the Team Emblem!’

‘Since I can’t explain it clearly, I won’t explain it at all.’

In any case, he was playing the Erhu while he hit them, so these people had already attributed their Skill Level increase to the Erhu. He could even feel a minuscule increase in his Demon Qi.

Li Ye shook his head. “I don’t know. That’s just what the user manual for the Divine Artifact says. Maybe pain is just easier to spread! It’s just like how Xue Yang uses the Flat Pan to seize fortune; it’s equally nonsensical. Unless we can truly crack the code of the Ancient Era’s civilization, we’ll never know the principle behind it.”

“Can it be used to increase our power indefinitely?” Chu Zhongyue asked.

“We can try,” Li Ye said with a smile. “We just need to find another group of Mutant Beasts.”

This time, they found a lone Desert Wolf.

The song Li Ye played was “Su Wu Herding Sheep.” He not only wanted to help the group increase their strength but also wanted to test the effects of different musical pieces.

When he played “Shepherd’s Song” earlier, the Cloud Deer’s movements had noticeably slowed down.

This time, with “Su Wu Herding Sheep,” it was unclear whether the tragic and heroic tone agitated the Desert Wolf or if its natural instinct to hunt sheep was triggered. During the song, the Desert Wolf became exceptionally ferocious, and Chu Zhongyue and the others took on a tragic, heroic expression, as if they were marching to a noble death.

If Li Ye hadn’t been quick enough to kick them away, they would have killed the Desert Wolf instantly.

The music stopped.

Their Skill Levels increased.

Nan Shuyun healed the group.

As they felt their strength increasing again, Chu Zhongyue and the others were all utterly shocked. “It really can increase our power indefinitely.”

“The Ancient Civilization was terrifying.”

“No wonder they could create so many Mutant Beasts.”

“I can’t comprehend the principles behind this at all!”

“Without such powerful Divine Abilities, how did the Ancient Civilization defeat the Mutant Beasts?”

“At this rate, it won’t be long before we catch up to Qin Tian, right?”

“Our strength keeps increasing. Maybe we’ll also be qualified to absorb Sun Star Power…”

…

The group chattered excitedly, their gazes fixed on the Erhu in Li Ye’s hand. Their eyes were filled with yearning and reverence for the Ancient Civilization.

“Now do you understand how powerful Xue Yang is?” Li Ye said, looking around at them. “I’ve only had this Erhu for a few days, and I’ve already created a miracle. Xue Yang has possessed the Flat Pan for five years.”

“Tell us what to do. We’ll listen to you,” Nan Shuyun said.

By now, they were completely convinced by Li Ye’s story.

Li Ye’s way was to share, while Xue Yang’s was to plunder. Anyone could see which side was more beneficial to them.

“Right now, people from the major corporations have gone deep into the Ruins to explore the so-called ‘base.’ We just need to gather them within the Ruins and help them increase their strength. It won’t take long for us to build a massive force.”

Li Ye continued, “As long as more and more people enter the Ruins, Xue Yang will be drawn in sooner or later. He’s also worried about the eighteenth floor of the Ruins being discovered. When that time comes, we’ll do the opposite. We’ll charge back to the Federation and destroy the Flat Pan Group’s control over the populace from the roots up. Without Xue Yang there to hold down the fort, destroying the Flat Pan Group will be easy.”

This was a blatant, open conspiracy.

Li Ye wasn’t worried that Xue Yang wouldn’t fall for it.

After all, Xue Yang knew that a new source of Demon Qi had appeared in the world. With this Demon Qi stirring up trouble in the Ruins, he would have to come and see for himself!

Lure the tiger away from its mountain.

The Ruins block all signals. By luring Xue Yang away from the Flat Pan Group and into the Ruins, Li Ye would be free to do as he pleased back in the Federation.