Ten Thousand Ways To Eliminate Players

Immortal World Forum.

"Did you get in?"

"No."

"Four times now, and they still haven't picked me. Damn the officials, there must be some shady business going on."

"Shady business +1"

"Sorry, everyone. Your brother is heading into the game first to wait for you all."

"Lin Bai, wait for me! I'm coming! I'll accompany you to the ends of the earth!"

"Your Lin Bai is currently running for his life; he has no time for you."

"The Seven Righteous Sects and Five Demonic Sects are now recruiting from the Novice Village. This new batch of Pioneers skips the agonizing beginner stage and goes straight to practicing advanced Cultivation Techniques. They're so much better off than the early Pioneers. I guess it won't be long before Players can access the main battlefield. Entering the game early has its advantages, and so does entering late."

"Shady business +10086"

"What's so good about it? With so many Players flooding in, competition is fierce for everyone. Unless you have some truly impressive moves, it won't be easy to make a killing in the game anymore."

"Xinlong, Jing Ke, Fengda, and those other big financial groups are all recruiting, each offering higher salaries than the last. Play in the game for a year, and you could retire. And you're saying there's no money to be made?"

"Damn capitalists! Their grubby hands have finally reached into the game. There's no pure land left in the world…"

"Sour grapes."

"A solo Player's career is over before it even begins. To do well in the game, do you really have to join a big corporation?"

"The Players in the public beta are the truly pitiful ones. By then, the big corporations will have recruited enough people. They won't even qualify to join them; they'll only be able to play the game for fun."

"What do you mean, 'play the game for fun'? Since when did you start thinking this wasn't a game?"

"I'm begging them to open the public beta! I want to go into the game and be exploited by the big corporations too!"

...

The list of the fifth batch of 200,000 Players was finally announced.

The forum was buzzing as never before, even overshadowing the topic of the showdown between the Justice League and the Seven Righteous Sects.

With the influx of capital, what was once a good game had become a game of money. To the Players who couldn't get in, the game company seemed far more detestable than Lin Bai.

...

Players were constantly discussing the latest happenings in the game. Lin Bai naturally knew about the new Players entering and that financial groups were beginning to control them. But at the moment, he had no energy to concern himself with such low-level matters.

At this point, he somewhat understood why the Seven Righteous Sects had reacted so slowly to the Players—it was highly probable they simply didn't have the capacity to deal with them.

However, the entry of two hundred thousand undying Players into the game, all organized by financial groups, was a good thing for Lin Bai. Once these individuals matured, there was a high probability they would help him draw some of the enemy's fire. The corporations were definitely entering the game to claim territory and make money; they certainly weren't recruiting people just to play cultivation games...

...

The Straight Man mission hadn't hindered Lin Bai's journey. His expedition army operated more like Genghis Khan's forces, charging full steam ahead and sustaining the war with its spoils; there really wasn't much need for rest. After plundering the resources of the Beast Control Sect, reducing its once-thriving mountain gate to ruins and leaving behind only the old, weak, sick, and disabled, the expedition army set out once more.

On the Sword Boat, guided by Lin Bai, Sword Nineteen spoke eloquently: "…Although we're all considered geniuses, the gap between us is actually quite significant. The one who escaped last time was my senior brother, Sword Ten. I am Sword Nineteen, and I can't last more than ten rounds against him. The truly frightening one is Sword One. He's about my age, but his cultivation has already entered the Hollow Realm. Swords Two through Thirty combined are no match for him even if he only used one hand…"

"Wow! Is he that incredible?" Lin Bai raised his eyebrows.

"He is the true genius. There's virtually nothing in cultivation that can stump him. He progresses by leaps and bounds daily, and he even created his own Sword Intent in his twenties. His talent is even more terrifying than that of the Heaven-Descended. Master said he possesses a Heart of Sword and is destined to become one of the Great Chariot experts…"

"My goodness. So, there's this 'Heart of Sword' business, huh? Why don't you tell everyone what a Heart of Sword is?"

"A Heart of Sword is an innate talent. It's said that when he was born, a strange phenomenon occurred: all swords within a thirty-li radius centered on him began to hum on their own, despite there being no wind…"

"That's it?"

"Isn't that enough? Throughout history, how many people have been born accompanied by such phenomena? Some time ago, when the Heaven-Sent One descended, Master mentioned that in recent years, geniuses born amidst strange phenomena are calamity bearers dispatched by the heavens. It's not just our Heavenly Sword Sect that has someone with a Heart of Sword; the Heavenly Dao Sect also has a Daozi with a natural Dao Heart. It is said that when the Daozi was born, purple qi dyed half the sky red. These people are born with great Qi Yun—the kind who stumble upon heavenly treasures just by walking down the street. It's not something you can just be envious of…"

"Yeah, right! Keep dreaming!"

...

Perhaps Sword Nineteen was frightened by Lin Bai, or perhaps the pressure on him was too great, and he urgently needed someone to confide in to alleviate the depression of becoming a puppet. Under Lin Bai's guidance, Sword Nineteen revealed many secrets of the Heavenly Sword Sect—high-level information that could not possibly be learned from people like He Qin. Although they were also Cultivation Sects, frankly, they were at the very bottom of the cultivation hierarchy. Without special circumstances, they might not even visit their main sect for decades or even centuries, so naturally, they wouldn't know about matters internal to the Seven Righteous Sects. Otherwise, when their sects were annexed by Lin Bai and they sought help from the Seven Righteous Sects, they wouldn't have felt so uncertain.

To put it more vividly, these subordinate sects were essentially distant relatives of the Seven Righteous Sects.

When Sword Nineteen spoke of the Heavenly Sword Sect's secrets, these bumpkins still listened with great relish, occasionally letting out gasps of admiration, just like Lin Bai. This greatly satisfied Sword Nineteen's vanity, leading him to the mistaken impression that Lin Bai, when not being provocative, was actually quite easy to get along with.

...

Heart of Sword, Daozi, Demon's Son, Buddha's Son... These titles indeed sounded intimidating. The concept of 'calamity bearers' was exactly like the nonsense Lin Bai had used to fool Jiang Yuru in Qian City.

According to the game's settings, these Daozis, Buddha's Sons, and whatnot are probably bosses that Players are destined to encounter during their progression!

But Lin Bai didn't take these 'protagonists of destiny' seriously. He just felt a bit regretful that when Justice Weekly introduced him, he hadn't fabricated some kind of strange phenomenon surrounding his own birth. Now, he seemed a tier lower than others right from the start.

Speaking of luck, his wasn't bad at all: he bought a restaurant and found a Spiritual World Gap; he picked up a fox, and it turned out to be a cute demon fox; he did a romantic task and got a wife for free. So far, all the enemies he had encountered were ones he could handle…

If this isn't considered strong luck, what is?

Others' Qi Yun was invisible and intangible, but he could manufacture his own. He also had merits; after annihilating the Beast Taming Sect, he could even create his own Auspicious Qi. When that time came, he would show everyone what a true Child of Destiny looked like.

To coordinate with Wild Wolf's troublemaking, Lin Bai also asked Sword Nineteen for information about the leader of the Heavenly Sword Sect's current expedition.

The Great Cheng realm expert leading the Heavenly Sword Sect was named Jing Mo. He had also been a genius in his youth and had earned the title 'Purple Scholar' during his time in the Divinity Transformation Realm—a man of both talent and looks, gentle and refined. Later, he cultivated all the way to the Great Cheng realm and was revered by the disciples within the sect as the Purple Ancestor. He had comprehended a supreme Sword Intent from the wind. His sword technique was formless and intangible; still, it was like a gentle breeze that could unknowingly mesmerize opponents and corrode their bones. In motion, it was like a storm scattering clouds, capable of forming a sword-blade tempest between heaven and earth that could destroy everything in sight—exceedingly domineering and terrifying.

Sword Ten, who had fled during the battle at the Beast Control Sect and whose reputation Lin Bai had ruined, was a direct disciple from the Purple Ancestor's lineage. This time, the Purple Ancestor was leading the team, undoubtedly intending to reclaim some face for his disciples and grand-disciples…

...

「Wash Flower Valley.」

Seeing Lin Bai's Justice League Army drawing ever closer, the group of female cultivators was at a complete loss. The Valley Master asked Luo Xue for advice: "Luo Tianjiao, Lin Bai is heading straight for us. What should we do? The Justice League has made its patent public—this is meant to drive us into a corner! If we surrender, we'll have to cultivate the Way of Love with the Justice League members. If word of this gets out, even if Lin Bai is eventually destroyed, our reputations will be ruined…" There was a hint of dissatisfaction in her tone, as if she were blaming Luo Xue for her impulsive provocation back then.

"Abandon the valley and flee." Luo Xue no longer spoke of capturing Lin Bai. She said, "Isn't Lin Bai trying to run circles around the Seven Righteous Sects? We'll run circles around him too. Let's see who can outlast whom…"

"But I've heard that wherever Lin Bai goes, all sects are destroyed," an elder said.

"He cultivates the Way of Incompleteness. Surrendered sects will be destroyed all the same." Luo Xue shot her a glare and said, "As long as our people are safe, a destroyed sect can be rebuilt. If our people join the Justice League, what's the use of guarding a ruined sect? We are no match for him. Playing cat and mouse with him and waiting for our ancestors to arrive is the best way to deal with him. We won't be the only ones doing this; all the sects around Zhen City will do the same. Lin Bai made a foolish move by making the patent rights within the alliance public to its members. In the Justice League, the only real fighting power is Lin Bai himself. His inability to be everywhere at once is his greatest weakness…"

...

「Duke Zhenguo's Mansion.」

Xu Longyun confronted Duke Zhenguo directly: "Father, I want to save Lin Bai."

Duke Zhenguo was a middle-aged man in his fifties with a long, majestic beard, exuding an air of authority without being angry. He looked at his daughter and frowned slightly. "You traveled thousands of miles back from Jiamucheng just for this?"

"Yes." Xu Longyun pursed her lips, her gaze firm.

"What kind of bewitching potion did Lin Bai use on you that makes you so devoted to helping him?" Duke Zhenguo looked at Xu Longyun and said calmly, "I had people check all the records since the founding of Taiyi Country; there's no trace of any Righteous Door. Lin Bai's Way of Rules seems more like child's play, and his conduct is more like that of an outsider than someone from our world. I had the verses in the Heavenly Remnant Collection he wrote investigated. The allusions and place names mentioned therein have never appeared in Taiyi Country, Taichu Country, or even Taihao Country. Is a man of such mysterious origins worth so much of your devotion?"

Xu Longyun was stunned for a moment, then said resolutely, "I only know that he restrains the Players and shakes the foundations of the Cultivation Sects. His actions are beneficial to the country. If he is suppressed, the royal family will have no chance to resist the oppression of the Seven Righteous Sects. Even for the sake of the kingdom's interests, we should help him."

"Is that the only reason?" Duke Zhenguo chuckled lightly. "For the sake of Taiyi Country's interests, you endured humiliation and sacrificed your reputation to be rumored in scandalous affairs with him? For some nonsensical title, you allowed a perfectly good base city to be ruined beyond recognition? And yet, the lover he publicly claims is another woman? Is my daughter, the esteemed daughter of Duke Zhenguo, so worthless that she can't even catch his eye?"

Xu Longyun's eyes instantly reddened. "I… I…"

"I've made myself so clear. Do you still want to save him?" Duke Zhenguo pressed, his tone aggressive.

"Yes, I will save him." Xu Longyun took a deep breath and said, "Father, I have already acknowledged him as my master. There's no principle in this world that says a disciple shouldn't save their master when he's in danger."

"Master?" Duke Zhenguo scoffed. "Are you aware that the Seven Righteous Sects and the Five Demonic Sects have dispatched Great Chariot experts to take his life?"

"I know," Xu Longyun said. "That's precisely why I must save him."

"You can't save him," Duke Zhenguo stated. "If he hadn't caused such a huge disturbance and had been sincere about cooperating with Taiyi Country from the beginning, even if it meant jointly promoting his Way of Cultivating Rules, I could have saved him. But he played everyone for fools. Guo Yuan, the City Lord of Qian City, was even charmed by his wicked arts and consorted with the Players. Such an arrogant madman who looks down on everyone is not worth our intervention. Xiao Yun, now that you're back, don't leave again. Great chaos is coming; the base city cannot protect you…"

"Father, I will marry no one but him." Xu Longyun looked at Duke Zhenguo and suddenly declared, "If he dies, I will follow him in death."

"…" Duke Zhenguo was stunned and subconsciously glanced at the jade lamp on the table.

"No need to look; I haven't been charmed by him." Xu Longyun gave a tragic smile. "Father, I once said I would marry a man who surpasses me in every way. For over a decade, I've met many talented young men, but none caught my eye. Only Lin Bai. After interacting with him a few times, I knew he was the one. Father, setting aside everything else, a man who can stir up the entire world in just two months—isn't he worthy of your daughter's heart? Father, you are devoted to the country; don't you want to take a gamble on Lin Bai?"

After a pause, Duke Zhenguo said, "If he is capable, the Seven Righteous Sects won't be able to do anything to him. We wouldn't need to do anything and could just reap the rewards. If he isn't capable, even if we help him, it would be futile. We will not risk the country's future for an arrogant madman and a baseless hope. The Players are a more suitable bet for us."

"If we lend him a hand in his time of crisis, then in the future, when he establishes himself in the world, we'll have a better reason to connect with him. Isn't it good to bet on both sides?" Xu Longyun argued.

Duke Zhenguo looked at Xu Longyun. After a long silence, he opened his hand, and a jade pendant appeared in his palm. "This is the Chaos Jade. It can block nine attacks from Great Chariot experts."

Then, a golden talisman appeared in his palm. "This is the Thousand Miles Talisman. In a critical moment, activating this talisman will teleport you thousands of miles away. It can be used three times. Only those with formidable personal strength and great Qi Yun can use it, as its destination is random; it could send you underground or inside a mountain…"

"Is there more?" Xu Longyun's eyes lit up.

"These two treasures should be enough to save his life," Duke Zhenguo said. "If he still can't overcome this crisis even with such treasures, then it's his fate, and he's not worth saving. Besides, doesn't he have the Righteous Door behind him? If he encounters danger and the Righteous Door still doesn't intervene, then he has even less value to Taiyi Country."

"Stingy." Xu Longyun took the two treasures, harrumphed, and turned to leave gleefully. "I'll take these to him right away."

"Wait," Duke Zhenguo called out to her.

"Is there anything else?" Xu Longyun asked.

With an expression that said 'a daughter grown is a daughter lost,' Duke Zhenguo tossed her a luminous pearl. "The Linglong Pearl. It can withstand three attacks from Great Chariot experts. If attacked, it will teleport the holder back to Duke Zhenguo's Mansion. Remember, this is for you. Don't give it to that arrogant madman. If I ever find that he's the one teleported back here, I will eliminate him within this mansion, no matter the cost."

Xu Longyun shot him a glare, put the pearl away, and smiled sweetly. "I knew you were the best, Father! I'm off."

"If you wish to marry him one day, he must sever all ties with Jiang Qingqin," Duke Zhenguo sighed. "If he cannot do that, I will not consent to you being with him."

Xu Longyun's expression suddenly darkened. "I understand, Father."

...

They ran away? Hearing the news from the Players, Lin Bai didn't know whether to laugh or cry. His Straight Man mission cultivation was at a critical juncture; he couldn't abandon it. So, he wrote on a piece of cardboard: "Continue. Ransack their homes. Use their sect gates to promote the Way of Incompleteness. I hope that when they return one day, they can appreciate my good intentions. If anyone can comprehend the Doctrine of Divination from this, it will also count towards our merits…"

"…" Everyone was speechless.

Only the Righteous Door could describe destruction in such a refreshingly unconventional way.

At this time, the Lead Comedian role had now fallen to Cangming Sword Immortal. He silently pursed his lips. While Lin Bai was writing, he seized the moment to rest and gather his thoughts; otherwise, he'd soon have nothing left to say.

What happened to becoming a puppet, sipping tea, basking in the sun, and leisurely spending the rest of my days?!

Using me to practice this bizarre Cultivation Technique?

It was all a lie!

That guy doesn't have an honest bone in his body!

However, the fact that the Cultivation of Rules is real is somewhat incredible…

...

「The next day.」

As a group of cultivators was busy transforming the deserted Wash Flower Valley according to the Way of Incompleteness, the Great Language System finally indicated the mission was complete. Lin Bai obtained the skill: Provocation.

The Great Language System issued a new mission: [You have learned to listen and use rhetoric. In employing language, empathizing with your audience allows them to more vividly and directly understand your content, giving them an immersive experience. Next, you will assume the identities of a child, a woman, and an elderly person, simulating their thought processes and speech patterns, practicing each for twenty-four hours. Reward: Mind Reading Ability (Your current thoughts will be made known to a designated target within your line of sight).]

The difficulty has increased!

Not a one-day mission, but a three-day one?

Lin Bai expressionlessly cursed the Great Language System's mother in his heart. The difference in difficulty between a one-day task and a three-day task was more than double.

And it involves role-playing too. If I mess up, will I have to start all over again? He wasn't afraid of embarrassment. But he wasn't married; how the hell would he know how children talk?! Moreover, emulating a woman? There are thousands of types of women; which one was he supposed to imitate? The Great Language System's missions were increasingly grooming him towards schizophrenia. Why couldn't he have a positive image? It was all these damn systems' fault… Also, what on earth was this 'Mind Reading Ability'? Why isn't it 'Mind Reading Technique'? The Mind Reading Technique is standard for protagonists! No, wait! 'Mind Reading Ability' isn't bad either. I can use it to act mysterious or even directly interrupt an opponent's spellcasting! This is a world of cultivation. Cultivators place great importance on mental training. If used well, 'Mind Reading Ability' could potentially cause an opponent to suffer cultivation deviation and fall into existential doubt. This mission is worth doing. Perhaps 'Mind Reading Ability' would be the trump card to break the current deadlock. Three days. After completing this mission, it would be about time to encounter those Great Cheng realm experts.

…

"Alliance Hierarch, continuing this pursuit isn't a viable solution!" Xin Shang said tactfully, looking at the sect gate that had become 'Finished Flower Valley'. "We know we're promoting the Way of Incompleteness, but to outsiders, it looks more like we're just venting our anger. Besides, being constantly in pursuit without any gains will cause morale in the Alliance to sag…"

"What do you suggest we do then?" Lin Bai smiled. As he spoke, he subconsciously used his new skill, Provocation.

Xin Shang's eyes instantly turned red. Though he wore a smile, his eyes shot out a fierce light. At that moment, he suddenly found the Lin Bai before him exceptionally detestable. Forcing him to smile, forcibly tying his sect to the Justice League—all sorts of negative thoughts about Lin Bai flooded his mind. His breathing quickened, and he subconsciously gripped the hilt of his Blood Sucking Sword. Only one voice remained in his mind: Kill him! He's defenseless against you right now! Kill him, and everyone will be eternally grateful to you…

The air suddenly fell silent. Everyone sensed the hostility erupting from Xin Shang and looked at him in bewildered astonishment. Jiang Qingqin and Little White Fox instantly flashed to Lin Bai's side. On the Sword Boat, all the Fox Demons immediately straightened up, looking warily at Xin Shang.

The moment Xin Shang's hand gripped the sword hilt, he suddenly snapped back to his senses. He looked around, and cold sweat instantly beaded on his back. Looking at Lin Bai's enigmatic smile, he took a step back and dropped to one knee with a thud. "Alliance Hierarch, this subordinate deserves ten thousand deaths! Just now, I don't know why, but I was overcome by a Heart Demon, which affected my mind and made me want to attack you. Please punish me, Alliance Hierarch…"

"Master, let me kill him!" Little White Fox furiously bared her claws, pointing them at Xin Shang's neck. "I could feel it; he genuinely wanted to kill you just now! I knew he couldn't be trusted!"

Jiang Qingqin's face was ashen, her sword also pointed at Xin Shang's neck.

"Miss Xiao Bai, Miss Jiang, I was truly overcome by a Heart Demon just now! It absolutely wasn't my intention! No matter how foolish I am, I wouldn't attack the Alliance Hierarch in front of everyone!" Xin Shang explained, his face a mask of anguish.

"Xiao Bai, Qingqin, put away your swords." Lin Bai chuckled, stopping his two furious disciples. "Sect Leader Xin, you can get up too. You weren't overcome by any Heart Demon. It was a new Divine Skill I comprehended, one that can make a designated person feel hostile towards me. My own power is limited, and I can't protect all of you. With this skill, however, I can protect you all, ensuring it doesn't reach a point where others can use your lives to threaten me…"

Xin Shang was stunned. What kind of damn Divine Skill was this? Drawing danger to oneself? Did Lin Bai get his head caught in a door to come up with a skill like this to harm himself?

"HOLY SHIT, TAUNT!"

Around them, all the Players exclaimed in unison on their private chat channels.

I'm Not an Alt Account said: "An NPC with a built-in taunt! Shopkeeper Lin even knows how to pull aggro now. If anyone tries to take him down, they won't be able to coordinate any teamwork!"

Dragon Breath said uncertainly: "Such a powerful skill… it probably can't be used on Players, right? Also, Taunt should be a Player skill. Why give it to an NPC?"