Ten Thousand Ways To Eliminate Players

In the Justice League's meeting hall, everyone took their respective seats.

Lin Bai sat in the Alliance Hierarch's position, looking down at Ye Song, the Elder in the Purple Robe, Xiao Yu, Zuo Lan, Cen Qing, and other Great Cheng Realm cultivators sitting in front.

He Qin, Xin Shang, Long Lin, and other veteran league members sat at the lower end. Seeing their matter-of-fact demeanor, Lin Bai did not intend to break this spontaneously formed balance.

The competent sit at the top. If he forced the Golden Core Realm cultivators to sit on the same level as those in the Great Cheng Realm, they probably wouldn't feel comfortable themselves.

Everyone wore a different expression, each lost in their own thoughts.

Facing a hundred enemies alone and defeating the stronger with the weaker—everyone was still immersed in the shock brought by the Dao of Cultivation Law. The subsequent Culinary Arts Dao, in particular, had delivered a profound spiritual shock, and its flavors still lingered tantalizingly in their memories.

The players, however, weren't concerned with such hierarchies and continued to sit amongst the Great Cheng Realm cultivators. For them, enforcing distinctions of status within the game, unless there were tangible benefits to be gained from NPCs, felt overly restrictive.

...

"The fact that all of you Great Cheng Realm cultivators have chosen to forsake the darkness and join the Justice League, coupled with Taiyi Country fighting alongside us, has greatly strengthened our alliance's power," Lin Bai began with a diplomatic statement, taking in everyone's expressions.

Then, his tone shifted, becoming somber. "It hasn't been easy for the League to reach this point! Yes, we won a significant victory. But do not forget, also on this day, nearly a thousand members of our league were heinously killed by the Righteous Seven Sects and Demon Five Sects.

This is my failure as Alliance Hierarch. They sacrificed themselves in the promotion of the Dao of Cultivation Law. The Justice League will forever remember them. I request all members present to rise and observe ten breaths of silence for the more than one thousand colleagues we have lost."

With that, Lin Bai was the first to rise, facing the direction of the culinary competition venue, standing quietly.

...

After the war, you were grilling and cooking, completely forgetting about them, weren't you? And now you're putting on this act. Besides, falling in the path of cultivation is a common occurrence. Everyone's mind has long been tempered to be as firm as a rock. Is there any point to this charade?

Complaints aside, everyone still followed Lin Bai's example, standing silently with expressions of grief.

...

A short while later, everyone resettled into their seats.

Lin Bai looked around at the assembly, saying, "For the longest time, the Righteous Seven Sects and the Demon Five Sects have monopolized the discourse in the Cultivation World, doing as they please. The Justice League has struggled to survive under their suppression, forced into a defensive posture, which has led to our current difficult situation.

Now, although we are still relatively weak, with the addition of you Great Cheng Realm cultivators and the modest advancements in my Dao of Cultivation Law, it is time for us to counterattack.

There's a saying that landing one punch can prevent a hundred in return. Only by making them hurt, by making them feel true pain, can we cultivate and spread the Dao of Cultivation Law in peace and do what we wish. Peace is achieved through fighting, not by passively defending. We cannot allow more than a thousand brave souls to have sacrificed in vain. We must seek revenge, so they may rest peacefully in the netherworld."

Struggling? You single-handedly threw the entire world into chaos in just over two months, and you call that struggling to survive? A tiny Justice League has cornered those colossal powers, and you call that a difficult situation? You feel wronged? The Righteous Seven Sects are the ones who should feel wronged! Could you be any more shameless?

He Qin and the others seemed unfazed, but after Lin Bai finished speaking, Ye Song and the other new Great Cheng Realm members could barely maintain their composure.

Moreover, Lin Bai's rhetoric about "landing one punch to avoid a hundred" clearly signaled his intention to go out and stir up trouble!

The thought of Lin Bai's bizarre Dao of Cultivation Law descending upon their own sects made several of the Great Cheng Realm cultivators instantly restless.

Yes, they had surrendered to the Justice League.

But without their sects, they would lose everything they currently possessed. Hundreds of years of attachment couldn't simply be discarded.

The Elder in the Purple Robe was the first to stand. After carefully choosing his words, he said, "Alliance Hierarch, I believe this matter requires further deliberation. A significant reason for the Justice League's substantial losses was its insufficient reserves, which allowed the Demon Five Sects to exploit our weakness.

This time, the Alliance Hierarch has already demonstrated his might; surely the Demon Five Sects and Righteous Seven Sects will now have some reservations.

At this juncture, we should focus on consolidating our gains and securing our current territory. That is the prudent path. Rashly provoking conflict could lead to us overextending ourselves and suffering further losses; I fear similar incidents might recur."

Ye Song said, "Brother in Purple Robe is correct. The various sects have operated for tens of thousands of years and possess profound foundations. Although we Great Cheng Realm cultivators have joined the Justice League, compared to the sects, we are still like ants trying to shake a great tree. Attacking now would be akin to throwing an egg against a stone. It would be better to bide our time, allowing everyone in the alliance to diligently cultivate the Dao of Cultivation Law. Once everyone has made significant progress, it will not be too late to consider further action."

Cen Qing said, "Alliance Hierarch, we are indeed in the Great Cheng Realm. However, the sects boast even more Great Cheng Realm cultivators. Within the Justice League, only the Alliance Hierarch can guarantee victory against them; we, however, cannot. If we take the initiative to attack and provoke the twelve sects, I fear the losses will be even more catastrophic. Furthermore, the sects have Crossing Tribulation experts. While they typically refrain from intervening due to certain reasons, they are beings who are one with Heaven and Earth. If pushed to the extreme, their actions would be earth-shattering. Even the Alliance Hierarch might not be able to withstand them."

Xiao Yu glanced at Lin Bai and said, "Unless the ancestor of the Righteous Door is willing to intervene and assist, I fear the Justice League's current strength is insufficient to challenge the standing of the Righteous Seven Sects and the Demon Five Sects."

...

The Elder in the Purple Robe has a loved one and wishes to avoid conflict; Ye Song is focused on the Dao of Cultivation Law; Cen Qing is afraid of dying; Xiao Yu hopes to drag the Righteous Door into this mess.

Lin Bai instantly analyzed their thoughts. He shook his head, then turned to Duke Zhenguo and asked, "Your Grace, what are your thoughts?"

"We must certainly fight," Duke Zhenguo looked at Lin Bai and said, "but it should not be a large-scale war. The Justice League is small; win or lose, it can retreat intact. However, Taiyi Country and the Justice League are now bound together. If our enemies bypass the Justice League and target Taiyi Country directly, what will become of the hundreds of millions of citizens of Taiyi Country? The Justice League's foundation lies with the common people. The Alliance Hierarch must consider this: if the Justice League's actions lead to widespread suffering among the populace, losing their support will make recovery incredibly difficult."

"Master, Father is correct," Xu Longyun said. "Even with the Magpie Bridge, we cannot protect the entire country. After all, within the alliance, only you, Master, can definitively defeat the Righteous Seven Sects and the Demon Five Sects. If you become exhausted from constantly being on the move, they will inevitably find an opportunity to strike. The most pressing task now is to find a suitable balance between war and peace. It is inadvisable to rashly initiate another war."

...

"'Here we go. It's time to decide the players' stance,' Crazy Man commented.

'Constant warfare is most advantageous for us,' Silver chimed in. 'Once peace is established and the spoils are divided, the Justice League will become a new powerhouse. That's when they'll likely turn their attention to us players. The ideal scenario is for both sides to remain locked in a perpetual, evenly matched conflict until high-level experts at the Mahayana Realm and above begin to fall, creating a power vacuum. Only then will we have our chance to intervene.'

'Exactly,' Bitter Melon Vine added. 'Ostensibly, it's a battle between the Righteous Seven Sects and the Justice League. But from the beginning, it has primarily consisted of minor skirmishes. More accurately, it's Lin Bai single-handedly fighting the vanguards dispatched by the Righteous Seven Sects and the Demon Five Sects. All the other players are merely spectating, which is abnormal. During the great God and Demon War, it was expert versus expert, novice versus novice, with every inch of land fiercely contested. Every cultivator found their role on the battlefield—that was a true era of war. The current situation is far from adequate.'

'War is never a one-man affair,' I'm Not an Alt Account opined. 'Lin, the Shopkeeper, has been shouldering everything himself. He hasn't yet learned to be a commander, to strategically deploy forces. Right now, the Justice League is more like a roving Knight Group, fighting wherever they go without any fixed territory. Unless Lin, the Shopkeeper, recognizes this, the Justice League will never grow to rival the Righteous Seven Sects. He is, after all, still young.'

'Has it occurred to any of you,' Wilderness Wolf suddenly interjected, 'that Lin, the Shopkeeper, might never have intended to become the ruler of the world? Perhaps his sole aim is to cultivate the Heavenly Dao? He could be deliberately creating hardships to temper himself. Consider his journey of growth: there were several instances where he could have laid low and developed slowly, but he himself shattered the peace each time. Perhaps Lin, the Shopkeeper, doesn't actually desire peace in the world.'

The other players fell silent for a moment, then murmurs of agreement spread: 'That does make sense.'

'I noticed it back in Qian City. Lin, the Shopkeeper, is a trouble magnet. While others try to downplay major issues and resolve minor ones quietly, he seems to create trouble even when there is none…'"

...

The players' opinions didn't need to be considered.

To outsiders, they appeared quiet, but in Lin Bai's perception, their mouths never ceased moving; all their information and thoughts were transparent to him.

Lin Bai surveyed the assembly. He sighed and said, "I know that recuperating and building strength is the correct course of action, but you've all misunderstood. The Righteous Seven Sects and Demon Five Sects are accustomed to their tyrannical ways; they will not grant me such an opportunity!

They have mobilized their full forces now. For what purpose? Isn't it precisely to crush the Justice League in its infancy, while we are still vulnerable?

Those people are too accustomed to their arrogance. They won't halt their invasion merely because I've captured a few Mahayana experts. Doing so would damage their prestige.

The renowned Righteous Seven Sects and Demon Five Sects have already set out. If word spread that they were intimidated into retreating by a minor entity like the Justice League, how would the world view them? If I were in their position, I would stop at nothing to crush the Justice League."

"..." Ye Song and the others frowned. They had to admit, Lin Bai's reasoning was sound.

The Righteous Seven Sects might have let matters rest if they hadn't already mobilized. But now, with players spread throughout the world, making every event common knowledge, retreating in disgrace would require immense courage.

The saying "riding a tiger is easy, but dismounting is hard" perfectly described the current predicament of the sects.

"The Justice League is indeed weak. But being small has its advantages. We don't have as many burdens, and we don't need to be weighed down by concerns for reputation," Lin Bai chuckled, then continued, "Those who are barefooted do not fear those wearing shoes. Our territory is barren; what benefit is there in defending it? We'd still be left with nothing, wouldn't we?

Instead, why not leverage the Magpie Bridge, sally forth with all our strength, and while they are away from their strongholds, execute a 'home-swapping' strategy? If we must defend, let's defend a prosperous sect. Wouldn't that provide a much stronger foundation for our future development?"

HISS!

Everyone gasped, drawing a sharp breath.

The Elder in the Purple Robe interjected, "Alliance Hierarch, even if this plan to raid their home bases succeeds, we don't have the strength to hold onto them!"

"If we can't hold it, we won't," Lin Bai declared. "We gather all the valuables and then use the Magpie Bridge to flee. Next time, we'll pick a different home to raid. We'll continue until they're too terrified to leave their strongholds. That is when true stability will be achieved. And if they dare send out small contingents, we will annihilate every last one of them.

Enemy advances, we retreat; enemy camps, we harass; enemy tires, we attack; enemy retreats, we pursue. By adhering to these tactics, even if I am the only true fighting force in the Justice League, we can eventually wear down the colossal entities that are the Righteous Seven Sects and the Demon Five Sects. What do you think of my strategy?"

The few Great Cheng Realm experts exchanged glances, beads of cold sweat forming on their foreheads. According to Lin Bai's plan, it was indeed possible for him, by his own power, to drag down the Righteous Seven Sects and the Demon Five Sects.

...

"Damn, Lin, the Storekeeper's tactics are formidable! He's at the level of a grand strategist!"

"A master of military strategy! Who was it that just said Lin, the Storekeeper, doesn't know how to command troops? He's elevated the art of war to a whole new level!"

"Putting myself in the shoes of a Sect Master from the Righteous Seven Sects, I'd be utterly frustrated by him. I can't think of any effective countermeasures."

"The Magpie Bridge offers too much mobility; it's as if it were custom-made for Lin, the Storekeeper's tactics."

"I'm convinced."

"There are no secrets among players. Once the details of today's meeting get out, the Righteous Seven Sects are in for a major headache. Let's see how they react!"

...

"Lin Bai, your tactics are indeed impressive," Duke Zhenguo frowned, "but what about Taiyi Country? The Justice League can indeed advance and retreat with ease, but Taiyi Country is stationary. If they decide to vent their frustrations on Taiyi Country, how should we respond? The Justice League faced dire straits, and Taiyi Country stood by you, enduring immense pressure. Surely you wouldn't burn the bridge after crossing it?"

"Your Grace, please rest assured," Lin Bai said with a smile. "I, Lin Bai, am not an ungrateful person. Furthermore, with Xu Longyun here, it's impossible for me to disregard the safety of Taiyi Country. Even if we were to attack the Righteous Seven Sects, it would only be after the Magpie Bridge network is fully established. With the Magpie Bridge in place, I guarantee that no one will be able to harm Taiyi Country."

As he spoke, Lin Bai discreetly used his Sophistry skill to transmit a message to Duke Zhenguo: "Your Grace, please don't undermine my efforts. If we don't project an image of being pushed to a desperate, all-or-nothing stance, how can we intimidate the Righteous Seven Sects and Demon Five Sects into retreating? Only by unnerving them and making them wary of the potential consequences can Taiyi Country achieve true security and completely break free from the control of the Righteous Seven Sects…"

Duke Zhenguo's smile froze. He looked deeply at Lin Bai and said, "Very well. Taiyi Country will take this gamble with my prospective son-in-law. When my prospective son-in-law attacks the Righteous Seven Sects, all major towns in Taiyi Country will be placed on high alert. The Northern Army will remain with the Justice League, ready for deployment by Alliance Hierarch son-in-law at any time…"

Prospective son-in-law? Does he intend to bind our fates together, using my name for Taiyi Country's protection?

Lin Bai raised an eyebrow. Glancing back, he saw Xu Longyun's blushing face and nodded. "That is excellent. My esteemed father-in-law truly understands the greater good."

At his words, Xu Longyun's face turned an even deeper shade of red.

Jiang Qingqin's expression, however, flickered slightly.

Ye Song and the others exchanged glances and sighed in unison. With Lin Bai stirring things up like this, turbulent times were surely ahead!

"Since there are no further objections, it's settled then!" Lin Bai slapped the armrest of his chair. He turned to the players and instructed, "Wilderness Wolf, there's no need to conceal the contents of today's meeting. Polish the details and publish them in the Justice Weekly. Furthermore, demand war reparations from the Righteous Seven Sects and the Demon Five Sects. Tell them to hand over the prime culprits who instigated this war: the ancestor Chi Lian and Song Yaoqing. They have insulted our Justice League; how could we possibly allow them to escape unscathed?"