Chapter 125: A Solution

Le Kai looked at the crowd, who were gazing at him with eager anticipation, and said with a touch of helplessness, "I have my own path to follow. Even if you choose to follow me, I won't be able to provide you with much help."

The Gun God replied solemnly, "Your affairs are our affairs. We will never be a burden to you."

Le Kai continued, "Very well. My life is destined to be spent in constant struggle. If you are afraid of death or harbor any hesitations, do not force yourselves. While the path of cultivation values innate talent, diligence can compensate for mediocrity. Perseverance and mental fortitude are equally important. You need not only a heart that strives for strength but also the spirit to endure hardship and push your limits. How about this: within these next two months, if any of you can break through to the next realm, I will agree to let you follow me. If anyone fails to do so, that is not my responsibility."

Upon hearing this, everyone’s expression shifted dramatically. Improving by a full level in just two months sounds simple, but in reality, it is incredibly difficult. This was especially true for Wu Nitian and several members of the Blue Shark Team who had been stuck at the Great Perfection stage for a long time; they groaned in frustration. Wu Meitian, who for special reasons dared not break through, felt her face flush with embarrassment.

Should she advance any further, she would reach the Martial Artist realm, and if her issue remained unresolved by then…

Lambo looked at Le Kai with eyes full of intense enthusiasm and a wide grin, nearly giving a thumbs-up to praise his boss for being a true friend.

Le Kai stumbled slightly. This kid’s mind was truly wicked. Well, perhaps it was time to help him realize his dream. Actually, Wu Meitian was quite a catch; he wondered what Uncle Lanska’s expression would be if he found out. It would surely be quite a sight.

As Le Kai imagined Lanska’s frantic reaction, he couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"The Boss is truly ruthless!" The team members were completely uncertain about breaking through in two months; wasn't this essentially a direct elimination? Yet, they were extremely unwilling to give up.

Wu Nitian smiled bitterly and pleaded, "Boss Le Kai, you know that the gap between Great Perfection and the Martial Artist realm is a watershed. Some people can’t break through even in years, let alone two months. I know you have plenty of tricks up your sleeve. Since you said this, you must have a way, right? Please, help me!"

Knowing Le Kai’s personality well, Wu Nitian put on a pathetic look and begged.

Although Le Kai knew the guy was acting, he couldn't help but feel a bit soft-hearted. In fact, this was the exact result he had intended to create. As expected, the other members stuck at the bottleneck began to beg shamelessly or shower him with flattery, losing all sense of dignity. In front of Le Kai, the "Little Demon King," everyone seemed remarkably unrestrained. Even the big guy was looking at Le Kai with a cute expression, and as strong as Le Kai was, he eventually gave in. He quickly called out, "Are you all certain you want me to intervene and help you?"

Everyone nodded in unison.

Le Kai suddenly smiled. "I do have a way to ensure each of you breaks through within two months. However, there is no such thing as luck in this world. If you want to break through, you must follow my arrangements without regret. If anyone cannot handle it halfway, they are free to leave. What I need are true heroes, not cowards."

Although these words sent a chill down their spines, the thought of both breaking through and fulfilling their wish to stay by Le Kai’s side made them all joyous, and they nodded together.

Le Kai sighed helplessly. "You forced me into this, so don't blame me later. For now, clean this place up. There must be no evidence left that the Bloodfiend Mercenary Group was ever here, including the space shuttle—it must be completely destroyed; leave nothing behind."

After instructing everyone to clear the battlefield, they collected the corpses of the mutated beasts and buried them together. By the time everything was sorted out, it was already evening.

King was still in a deep sleep. It was unclear exactly how many "Violence Pills" the guy had consumed; his aftereffects were ten times worse than Le Kai’s.

Thanks to the efforts of the Gun God and the Blue Shark team members, the entire ten-kilometer radius had been thoroughly overturned, burying all traces deep within the earth. Since this location had been exposed, Le Kai naturally wouldn't let them stay here any longer. After having Xianxian completely mask the signals on the shuttle so it could no longer be detected by any equipment, Le Kai waved his hand, and the group entered the perimeter of the dormant volcano.

Because Lan Wu had flown a shuttle back on the first day, the dozen people were now crammed into the remaining small shuttle, appearing quite crowded.

They parked the shuttle in a highly secluded mountain hollow and, after camouflaging it well, followed Le Kai into the cavern.

Le Kai had been gone for the better part of the day, and Li Yan had been on pins and needles, feeling as though every minute was an eternity. Seeing Le Kai, she ran over in excitement, her concern evident in her expression. Seeing Li Yan felt like meeting a long-lost relative; while she was still hesitating, Le Kai hugged her without a second thought, leaving Lambo and the others standing behind with their eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.

Li Yan’s face flushed red, and she quickly pulled away, asking concernedly, "Le Kai, what are you doing? Everyone is watching!"

Li Yan’s heart was racing. In her life, aside from being held by her grandfather and father during infancy, this was her first time hugging a man. Especially since she had been taught aristocratic etiquette from a young age, hugging in public made her feel exceptionally embarrassed, and her face burned with a blush that was quite endearing.

Le Kai shot a threatening look at the group. "What did you see?"

"Nothing, we didn't see anything at all," the group answered in perfect, practiced unison.

Li Yan’s face turned even redder, and she glared at Le Kai with a coquettish pout. "Did you learn these bad habits from Lambo? Stay away from him in the future."

Lambo nearly collapsed upon hearing this. What kind of situation was this? He had actually learned his own flirting techniques from the boss, yet now he was being told not to be corrupted by himself; it was simply unjust. However, upon catching Le Kai’s smiling gaze, he shivered and dared not argue. For the next two months, he was, after all, meat on the boss’s chopping block.

Although they were all cultivators, breathing the fire-poison in the air outside for long periods was detrimental to their health, so Le Kai arranged for them to stay in the stone houses on the side. These stone houses were left behind by his master, the Alchemy Fanatic. Entering them felt like stepping into another world—the air was fresh, instantly refreshing everyone and making them feel invigorated.

Lambo was shouting and cheering in excitement.

Le Kai chuckled coldly, "Enjoy yourself now, kid. I hope you can still laugh after tomorrow."

The shuttle was equipped with various daily necessities, so there was no need to worry about accommodation. These men had spent years drifting, and they were long accustomed to this simple, direct lifestyle. Before long, they had set up several simple tents. The stone house was quite spacious, so the ten or so tents didn't feel crowded.

Seeing that everyone was settled, Le Kai nodded slightly and walked slowly back to the central stone house.

Wu Meitian watched Le Kai’s retreating back, hesitated for a long while, and finally bit her lip, summoned her courage, and pushed open the stone door under the slightly curious gazes of the others.

Once inside, she felt the unusual spiritual energy fluctuations in the room. The rich, fresh air made her feel comfortable all over, but her gaze didn't fall on Le Kai. Instead, she stared in astonishment at the only tent in the room, a blush rising on her face, and she shot Le Kai a coquettish, indignant glare.

Le Kai understood Wu Meitian’s thoughts at a glance, especially when she softly spat out a few barely audible words: "What a little pervert, acting like a playboy at such a young age."

Le Kai looked at Wu Meitian with frustration. He really didn't have any bad intentions! Although he wasn't old, many people in the empire married at this age, and as a man who had made progress in cultivation, Le Kai was fully developed; it wasn't surprising he was misunderstood. Le Kai didn't plan to explain. Instead, he feigned a lecherous look and said to her, "I wonder what Miss Wu needs? Could it be that you don't like Lambo and have turned your affection to me instead? If so, I am truly flattered."

Wu Meitian’s face turned red, and she said indignantly, "Even if you are the boss, don't think about hitting on me. This lady is pure and clean; I’m not that kind of person. Lambo is a hundred times better than you."

Le Kai asked in surprise, "Didn't you state repeatedly that even if you liked a dog, you wouldn't like Lambo?"

Wu Meitian giggled, "You're right, but there are no puppies here!"

Le Kai said with feigned disappointment, "It seems you were just toying with Lambo. But I advise you, if you really don't like him, don't provoke him."

Wu Meitian was losing her composure and snapped, "Who I like is my own business; it's not for a boss like you to worry about. I... I just want to know, what about my illness? You wouldn't really want me to become like that after I break through, would you?" At this point, her delicate face was red to the point of turning purple; after all, she was still a maiden.

Le Kai looked stunned. "Isn't that good? Not only does your power grow rapidly, but it could also be considered a service to society..."

"Shut up! If you say another word, even if you are the boss, I will fight you!" Wu Meitian gritted her teeth, clawing the air as if she were about to pounce on him.

Le Kai said helplessly, "Fine, since you don't want to, let's pretend I didn't say anything. There is only one path left now; it depends on how you choose."

After saying this, he intentionally moved closer to Wu Meitian and adopted an intoxicated expression. "This path is more harmonious: find a man who also practices the corresponding technique and remain loyal to him. This way, not only is there no fear of corruption, but it also complements each other, making cultivation twice as effective with half the effort."

Upon hearing this, Wu Meitian was stunned. She stared blankly at Le Kai, her cherry lips slightly parted, and it took her a long while to recover. She said, "Is there no other way but this?"

Le Kai nodded. "This is absolutely the only way. The technique you practice is a lost dual-cultivation method that requires a man and woman to practice together. In ancient times, dual-cultivation sects were once extremely prosperous; their disciples walked the world in pairs and were incredibly powerful. It’s just that these sects have declined, and the techniques have almost vanished. Few know of them, let alone practice them." Seeing her stunned expression, he continued, "To this day, besides you, I doubt you could find a second person on the entire Azure Planet practicing this. As far as I know, there is only one man on this entire planet who also practices this technique. He is absolutely your only choice. Now, it depends on what you are going to do."

Looking at the smiling Le Kai, Wu Meitian’s face grew redder and redder, and a strange light flickered in her eyes.