As Cheng Mo's consciousness was just calming down from the shock of the Lightning Release Armor and Chakra, and he was about to carefully experience this newly acquired power, the myriad realms compass in his mind once again stirred.
This time, it was no longer a skill infusion, but a more wondrous transformation.
He "saw" that the vast space-time energy swirling around the compass was not entirely used to upgrade the compass itself or to store travel energy.
A small portion of this excess energy was being refined, compressed, and purified by the compass's core in a way that was difficult to comprehend, ultimately condensing into a more solid, more restrained, crystal-like energy body shimmering with strange starlight.
These tiny "crystals" were like fragments of stars with a life of their own, suspended around the ethereal image of the compass, slowly rotating and emitting a more fundamental aura that transcended ordinary energy.
At the same time, a concise and clear information interface unfolded in his consciousness:
"Space-Time Currency System Unlocked"
"Current Balance: 405 space-time coins"
Space-time currency?
Cheng Mo was slightly stunned and immediately focused his mind to read the detailed explanation that followed.
"Acquisition Methods:"
"Primary: Obtained by significantly interfering with the fate trajectories of key figures in other worlds and altering the outcomes of major event nodes (reversing tragedies, preventing disasters, facilitating crucial positive turning points). The deeper the interference and the wider the scope of influence, the more generous the reward." (Note: Your alteration of Kuwajima Jigorō's fated death, and the potential positive impact on the fates of multiple Pillars and important supporting characters, has earned you a large amount of initial currency.)
"Secondary: Completing specific space-time missions issued by the compass, exploring unknown world regions, discovering and acquiring rare world origin items, etc."
"Functions and Uses: (Operations must be performed in a safe environment or during travel intervals)"
"1. Myriad Realms Treasury Lottery"
"Basic Lottery": 100 space-time coins / draw. The prize pool includes white to blue quality items, skill fragments, basic knowledge, etc., from across the myriad realms.
(Higher-level prize pools: Intermediate, Advanced, Epic, Legendary, Mythical are not yet unlocked. Unlock conditions and costs are unknown.)
"Guaranteed Mechanism": If a blue quality item or above is not obtained in 9 consecutive Basic Lottery draws, the 10th draw is guaranteed to yield a blue quality item or an item of a specified type with a higher compatibility with the host's current abilities.
Lottery? Cheng Mo's eyes narrowed.
This was indeed a way to quickly acquire resources and abilities, but judging by the description, the Basic Lottery prize pool didn't seem to have many good things, and there was uncertainty, making it feel a bit like gambling.
100 space-time coins per draw?
Cheng Mo glanced at his balance of 405, which was just enough for 4 draws, but not enough to trigger the guaranteed mechanism.
He temporarily suppressed the urge to try and continued reading.
"2. Adjust Time Flow Ratio"
"Current Fixed Ratio": Main World : Demon Slayer World ≈ 1 : 30
"Operation": Pay Space-Time Currency to make minor adjustments to this ratio.
"Increase Ratio" (making time flow relatively faster in the Demon Slayer World): For example, paying 50 space-time coins can increase the ratio to 1 : 35 (duration: one travel cycle). Paying 120 space-time coins can increase it to 1 : 40... The maximum increase and cost increase sharply with a larger ratio.
"Decrease Ratio" (making time flow relatively faster in the Main World, reducing the impact of prolonged stay): The cost is much higher than increasing the ratio. For example, paying 100 coins can temporarily reduce the ratio to 1 : 25 (duration: one travel cycle). Precise control incurs a higher cost.
Upon seeing this function, Cheng Mo's heart suddenly leaped.
Strategic significance!
This was the true strategic significance!
This function... was too powerful... If he could increase the ratio, for example, to 1:100, then for every hundred days he spent in the Demon Slayer World, only one day would pass in reality!
This meant he would have ample time to cultivate Breathing Techniques, to strategize, to acquire resources, without worrying about his sister's condition worsening in the real world or missing critical treatments!
Of course, this would require a massive amount of space-time coins to support.
"3. Extend Stay Duration"
"Basic Stay Duration": 90 natural days (Demon Slayer World time)
"Operation: Pay Space-Time Currency to extend the maximum single stay. For example, paying 100 coins can extend it to 120 days. Paying 200 coins can extend it to 150 days..."
This function complemented the time flow ratio adjustment.
If he paid currency to both increase the flow ratio and extend the stay duration, the time he could spend in the Demon Slayer World would become extremely abundant.
Just as he was making plans with surging emotions, the compass once again sent a notification:
"Next Forced Travel Time: In 9 natural days."
"Target Plane: demon slayer (Time flow synchronization: Main World 1 day ≈ Demon Slayer World 30 days)"
"Hint: Approximately 9 months (demon slayer time) will have passed in the Demon Slayer World since your departure during the next travel. Adding your previous 3-month stay, the current time point is roughly the beginning of the original plot."
9 months? Beginning of the plot?
Cheng Mo's heart skipped a beat.
Tanjirou's family being killed, Nezuko turning into a demon, Urokodaki Sakonji beginning to train Tanjirou, the Mount Natagumo incident... a series of key events rapidly pieced together in his mind like fragments.
The time flow and node were so precisely aligned... "This is no coincidence," Cheng Mo's eyes sharpened, and a feeling of being pushed by an invisible hand arose, "The compass is guiding me, or even forcing me, to intervene in the main storyline."
It first provided the mechanism for obtaining huge rewards by changing fate, and then offered the "time currency" function that would allow him to have enough time advantage to change fate.
Now, it had even directly set the next travel time point at the critical starting point of the plot.
All the clues connected, pointing to a clear direction: to let him, this variable, stir up the fate of the Demon Slayer World and gain greater benefits from it.
Cheng Mo took a deep breath, suppressing the tumultuous thoughts in his heart.
The real-world problems were still unresolved; Liu Yu was still waiting for him.
The turmoil of the Demon Slayer World required him to first deal with the mundane matters of reality and be more adequately prepared before facing it.
But he knew that the next time he stepped into that world, he would no longer be a mere passerby or merchant.
"9 days of real time. I must make full use of these 9 days to handle the gold, settle things at home, and familiarize myself as much as possible with the Lightning Release Armor and Chakra."
"Then, I will go to that world again. This time, the goal will no longer be merely self-preservation and trade..."
Thinking this, Cheng Mo found his suitcase in the corner of the room.
With a thought, the ancient and heavy wooden box appeared out of thin air, making a dull "thud" sound.
Cheng Mo interrupted him, squatted down, and unfastened the latches of the box.
Immediately, a dazzling golden light almost overflowed, and the neatly arranged large gold ingots, illuminated by the light from the window, were blinding.
He took out the large gold ingots, placed them in the suitcase, secured them with the binding ropes inside the case, and after confirming the stability of the case, he dragged it out the door.
Arriving downstairs in the residential area, he took out his phone to call a taxi, setting the destination as Liu Yu's residence in the city center.