Ten Thousand Ways To Eliminate Players

With trepidation, Long Lin and the elders of the Beast Control Sect descended from the sky, paying their respects to Lin Bai. They were formal and well-behaved.

Lin Bai ignored them, immediately ordering Xin Shang and the others to organize their respective sect's disciples and search for Not Sad among them. After a fruitless search, they didn't even find a single hair belonging to Not Sad.

It seemed reasonable. Since Not Sad bore the title of 'First Person in the Divinity Transformation Realm,' if he didn't possess some stealth skills, he probably wouldn't be worthy of the title. Moreover, most Cultivation Sects were established in high mountains and dense forests. If Not Sad fled through such terrain, even someone as perceptive as Lin Bai might not necessarily be able to find him.

Since he couldn't find him, Lin Bai didn't insist.

What was meant to be his could not escape, even if it tried.

The rewards from attacking the Beast Control Sect this time were not negligible. Originally, Lin Bai had only wanted to take down the Beast Control Sect. His goals were to find a suitable cultivation technique for the Little Fox and continue the tasks from the Pet System. However, he not only conquered the Beast Control Sect but also unexpectedly obtained the Cangming Sword Immortal, completing a task for the Card System. Furthermore, he had also picked up Sword Nineteen, a genius from the Heavenly Sword Sect, making his gains quite substantial.

When the unconscious Sword Nineteen was brought back by everyone, Lin Bai paid no mind to the threat of the fleeing Heavenly Sword Sect genius. A silver card unceremoniously turned him into a bodyguard. When he was brought out again, the pitiful Sword Nineteen had already become a dazed puppet, while Lin Bai's mind was filled with many wondrous sword techniques—some from the Cangming Sword Immortal, and some from Sword Nineteen.

The two of them followed different paths: Cangming Sword Immortal walked a devious path, his swordsmanship tricky and insidious, primarily focused on assassinations. Sword Nineteen's swordsmanship, in contrast, was grand and sweeping, with every move straightforward and dignified, adhering to an orthodox style. Both of them were in the Divinity Transformation Realm. The Cangming Sword Immortal had cultivated for hundreds of years, while Sword Nineteen was only in his early twenties. Yet, Sword Nineteen's cultivation level and mastery of swordsmanship were even slightly superior to Cangming Sword Immortal's, truly making him worthy of the title 'genius.'

The name on the card was Sword Nineteen. Lin Bai asked He Qin what this name signified. He Qin told him that the Heavenly Sword Sect accepted disciples once every ten years. After a decade, the sect would select the top thirty disciples from that cohort for intensive training. These thirty would then be ranked through a competition, which was the Heavenly Sword Sect's decennial Genius Selection Competition. During their training, the thirty selected as geniuses would abandon their original names, instead adopting 'Sword' followed by their respective rankings in the Genius Selection Competition. Only when a new batch of geniuses emerged would they be eligible to reclaim their original names...

「...」

Master Li, Cangming Sword Immortal, Sword Nineteen... With these, Lin Bai had gathered three Transcendental Boundary Masters. Sharing the cultivation level and techniques of these three, Lin Bai felt that even without using the skills rewarded by the system, he could easily sweep away anyone below the Divinity Transformation Realm.

Who was Not Sad anyway? I am the true, undisputed number one in the Divinity Transformation Realm!

「...」

"Alliance Hierarch, Not Sad and the others managed to infiltrate the Justice League Army this time due to my negligence. Please punish me," Xin Shang and the others proactively pleaded to Lin Bai. They knew the fault wasn't entirely theirs, but they still had to show the proper attitude.

"Punishments? Who would have thought that so-called righteous people would engage in such despicable acts?" Lin Bai smiled, playing along. "This is also due to our lack of experience. Later, have the Spirit Artifact Pavilion craft some Magic Artifacts that function as warning signals, perhaps like signal arrows, for the disciples going on expeditions. The Alliance Army should try to operate in sect-based units as much as possible. Upon discovering anything unusual, they should issue a warning immediately. This should prevent such incidents from happening again. My cultivation level is the highest, and I have many puppets as guards, so I'm not worried about assassination. What I fear is them resorting to desperate measures, indiscriminately slaughtering our Justice League disciples. That would be a loss far greater than any gain."

Everyone exchanged glances, their respect for him deepening.

"Thank you for your understanding, Alliance Hierarch."

"The Alliance Hierarch's benevolence is such that the fame-chasing Seven Righteous Sects and the Five Demon Sects combined are not even worthy to carry his shoes."

"We at the Spirit Artifact Pavilion will certainly hasten to produce a batch of warning Magic Artifacts. We will ensure that such sinister individuals do not infiltrate the Justice League's ranks again."

「...」

The Sect Leaders grinned, freely lavishing Lin Bai with flattering compliments.

"Members of the Alliance are equal; there's no need for such flattery." The emotions from the backstage system clearly indicated whether the Sect Leaders' praises were sincere or feigned, but Lin Bai couldn't care less about such things.

Ultimately, these individuals were merely tools for him to maintain appearances and complete tasks. As long as they remained in the Justice League and obeyed his commands, it was sufficient. As for the rest, once the Justice League grew stronger, these individuals would naturally band together for their own interests.

Lin Bai turned his attention back to the newly joined Long Lin and the others.

Long Lin quickly greeted him, "Greetings, Alliance Hierarch."

"Sect Leader Long, why did you join our Justice League without any apparent reason?" Lin Bai looked at him, smiling as he asked. "Don't try to feed me lines about being 'inspired by the Justice League' or any such nonsense. People don't act without incentive. Not Sad came to offer assistance, yet you turned him away and even betrayed him. I refuse to believe there isn't some underlying reason for all this."

Sweat poured down Long Lin's face. An involuntary smile spread across his lips, one he couldn't suppress. He rubbed his face in confusion, then, looking around at the identical smiles on everyone else's faces, he was momentarily stunned.

"No need to be surprised. When I, the Alliance Hierarch, smile, the world rejoices with me. When I am sorrowful, the world mourns in kind. This is the effect of a divine skill, Spoken Law Follows. You'll get used to it," Lin Bai explained, looking at the perplexed Long Lin as he let his own smile fade.

Long Lin regained control of his facial expressions, horror once again gripping his heart. He glanced at Sword Nineteen, then at the Cangming Sword Immortal, and finally, gritting his teeth, he said, "Reporting to the Alliance Hierarch, I was instructed by the Beast Taming Sect to feign surrender and get close to you, Alliance Hierarch, in order to steal the Dan Fang of the Transformation Pill, thereby strengthening the Beast Taming Sect. However, just now, witnessing the Alliance Hierarch's might, I had an epiphany. I realized that the one to conquer the world must be the Justice League. Therefore, I have decided to lead the Beast Control Sect in sincerely pledging our allegiance..."

"So it was about the Transformation Pill." Lin Bai shook his head, tutting. "The despicable tricks of the Seven Righteous Sects truly are endless! [Silver], do you know what to publish in the next issue of 'Justice Weekly'?"

[Silver] was enthusiastically discussing beast-eared ladies with a nearby player. Hearing Lin Bai, he was stunned. "Please enlighten me, Alliance Hierarch," he requested.

"Focus on describing the vile and contemptible actions of the Seven Righteous Sects. Cangming Sword Immortal, Not Sad, and the members of the Heavenly Sword Sect didn't dare to engage in open combat, resorting instead to cowardly ambushes. The Beast Control Sect feigned surrender to steal the Justice League's Transformation Pill. As a result, Cangming Sword Immortal and Sword Nineteen were captured alive. Not Sad, the proclaimed number one cultivator in the Divinity Transformation Realm, didn't even dare to show his face and fled in a panic. To escape, the Heavenly Sword Sect disciples didn't hesitate to abandon their injured junior brother. The Beast Control Sect, renouncing darkness for light, chose to join our Justice League, even if it meant forsaking the Transformation Pill..."

Lin Bai looked at the several players and said, "You don't even need to fabricate anything. Just report the facts. That shouldn't be too difficult, right?"

The Sect Leaders were collectively speechless. Lin Bai's words did indeed describe facts, but the actions of Cangming Sword Immortal and Not Sad were their own individual deeds! This sweeping generalization, directly smearing the reputation of all Seven Righteous Sects, isn't that going a bit too far?

However, now that they were members of the Justice League, it wasn't their place to comment. After all, what Lin Bai said was, technically, the truth, and no one could find fault with the facts themselves.

Long Lin sighed inwardly. Well, once this report is out, the Beast Control Sect will be irrevocably tied to the Justice League's ship. Any hopes of finding an excuse to return to the Beast Taming Sect in the future will likely be dashed.

"'Understood. I will notify the paparazzi to report the facts as soon as possible," [Silver] grinned. Actually, he didn't even need to pass on the message; [Immortal Realm's First Paparazzi] was watching the live broadcast. By the time Lin Bai finished speaking, they had probably already made arrangements.

"Sect Leader Long, no need to be so formal. The Justice League doesn't have that many rules. Pay war reparations when they are due, apply for patents when appropriate. Just follow the procedures, and no one will make things difficult for you." After instructing the players, Lin Bai turned back to Long Lin and said reassuringly, "Lead the way. We'll rest at the Beast Control Sect for a while, then continue our journey to invite more members to our Justice League."

「...」

[Your pet has received the appropriate cultivation technique; Reward: Positioning Ring (Already granted)]

[Raise the rank of your pet; Reward: Pet Aptitude +10]

The Beast Control Sect had invested all its skills in demon beasts. Little White Fox easily found a suitable cultivation technique there. Although she was more interested in practicing Lin Bai's Principle of Law, enhancing her own strength was currently more important. After several consecutive battles, even though Lin Bai still kept her by his side, Little White Fox had realized she had become a burden. If this continued, forget about revitalizing the Monster Race; if Lin Bai failed to protect her in a future battle and she perished, everything would be lost.

Little White Fox understood that the further she distanced herself from Lin Bai, the more she would recede from the position of being his lover. She wasn't content to be merely a decorative vase, petted by her master...

Jiang Qingqin felt the same. Although Lin Bai repeatedly spoke of practicing the Love Principle with her, she could distinctly feel a growing distance from him. At this moment, she finally realized why Lin Bai had been so reluctant when he initially accepted her! She had once believed that reaching the Golden Core Realm would allow her to be of help to Lin Bai. She never imagined Lin Bai's strength would skyrocket like her Separation of Love, level by level, until he became an existence she could only gaze up at. Their aptitudes were too far apart. What she couldn't forgive herself for, most of all, was her inability to keep pace with Lin Bai even in the cultivation of the Love Principle. Lin Bai, while cultivating so many other Principles, had still gained insights into the Separation of Love. Yet, she had comprehended nothing. This often plunged Jiang Qingqin into self-doubt, making her question if she had truly invested her all in loving Lin Bai... After much contemplation, Jiang Qingqin made a startling discovery. In this relationship, she had truly done nothing. Apart from finding Full Sail for Lin Bai, she had only been a recipient: taken as his disciple, her cultivation speed doubled, an abundance of Spirit Condensing Fruits to eat like snacks... It could be said that Jiang Qingqin was far more anxious than Little White Fox. If this continued, in this unbalanced relationship, her self-esteem would plummet further, and she couldn't even conceive of a solution. She asked her master, but her master only offered the terrible idea of offering herself to him. She was willing, but Lin Bai had to give her the chance! Moreover, what she yearned for was a love of mutual devotion, a natural coming together, not to offer herself as a tool for Lin Bai's temporary pleasure...

「...」

He Qin and the others were simultaneously plundering the Beast Control Sect's resources as war reparations and consoling its elders, telling them that everyone went through this. In the future, unless new members joined voluntarily, any sect conquered by the Justice League would have to cough up significant resources. That was the rule. After all, the Justice League needed resources to operate, and long-distance expeditions incurred expenses for personnel and supplies. The members couldn't be expected to foot the bill themselves. As for the sect's losses, they could be recouped eventually.

"Sect Leader He, we surrendered voluntarily, didn't we?" the elder managing the Spirit Library said, his voice a mixture of grievance and heartache. "Although our surrender had ulterior motives, it was indeed voluntary. Moreover, we didn't cause any losses to the Justice League. Logically, this war reparation should be waived."

"..." He Qin was silent for a moment, then asked, "Was a battle fought?"

"Fought?" replied the Spirit Library elder. "But it wasn't because we refused to join the Justice League. It was Lin, the Storekeeper, who initiated it to liberate the demon beasts. We never fought back."

"Well, that settles it then. Regardless of the reason, if you lose a battle, you pay reparations. That's the Justice League's rule." He Qin glanced at him and said meaningfully, "Elder Niu, you're already part of the Justice League; you need to look at the bigger picture. Today, your sect pays war reparations. In the future, you can recoup them from others! If you break the rules now, today's losses will become permanent losses..."

"..." The Spirit Library elder fell silent. After a moment, he nodded gravely. "Sect Leader He is right. We'll pay what's due. The rules mustn't be broken."

He Qin looked at the elder with an expression that said, 'This child is teachable.'

"What if the Justice League grows so powerful that some sects genuinely wish to surrender voluntarily?" the elder from the Incubation Hall asked worriedly.

"Rest assured, Lin, the Storekeeper, can stir up trouble even when there's none," Ma Changcheng scoffed. "Thinking of surrendering? It's not that easy! Besides, the conflict between the Seven Righteous Sects and the Justice League has escalated to an irreconcilable point. One side must fall, and there will be no shortage of battles..."

Thinking back to how Lin Bai had initially insisted on upholding justice by rescuing the Beast Control Sect's demon beasts, only to completely ignore the matter once the Beast Control Sect became a member of the Justice League, the Beast Control Sect elders nodded in profound agreement, their worries completely assuaged.

「...」

The players entering the Beast Control Sect for the first time felt as if they had arrived in paradise. They congregated either in the Incubation Hall or the Transformation Hall, discussing how to obtain their own pet beasts. What gamer could refuse their own companion or mount? In this world, demon beasts could truly transform.

The players who chose the Incubation Hall wanted a demon beast that would grow with them from a young age, allowing them to cultivate a bond. With such a bond, when it came time for the beast to transform, wouldn't they have the final say in its appearance? Those who chose the Transformation Hall, on the other hand, were confident in their own charm. They wanted to skip the bonding phase and directly obtain a mature pet, then persuade it to transform into their desired form...

In short, the players each had their own plans.

It wasn't just the players; members of the Justice League from sects like the Morning Yuan Sword Sect and the Blood Shadow Sect were also eyeing these demon beasts. The Beast Control Sect's cultivation techniques being submitted as patents meant that they only needed to pay a certain amount of Spirit Stones to acquire the methods for raising and taming demon beasts. The cultivation techniques of other sects were often incompatible, and the cost of switching techniques was too high. But the Beast Control Sect's techniques were different. A powerful demon beast meant a second life. Who would care about spending a few more Spirit Stones for an extra life?

In summary, with the arrival of the Justice League, the Beast Control Sect instantly descended into a lively chaos. After all, unlike other sects, the boost in strength offered by the Beast Control Sect's specialties was immediate and tangible.