Ten Thousand Ways To Eliminate Players

"Everyone is already aware of the latest publication from Justice Weekly. Do any of you junior brothers have a good strategy to handle it?" asked Grandmaster Yuan Qing, scanning the crowd, his gaze briefly pausing on Far Vision Eagle.

"Lin Bai's many conditions are entirely aimed at the Seven Righteous Sects. The members he has recruited are mostly the pawns we've laid out over the years. He's downright disgraceful," Yuan Hao voiced. "Lin Bai is winning hearts by connecting with the world through the Magpie Bridge. If we let him continue to grow, I fear we won't be able to stop him."

"Junior Brother Yuan Hao, we've been over this time and again; repeating it does no good," said Grandmaster Yuan Qing, casting a glance at Yuan Hao. "We exchanged compromise for stability to better deal with Lin Bai. It's inappropriate to reignite conflict. Besides, if we can't ensure we kill Lin Bai in one blow, the damage will be endless. What I want to know is how, under the current circumstances, we can curb the development of the Justice League and restrain his Taoist law without provoking him."

With that, all present were stumped.

They had always been accustomed to letting their fists do the talking, hitting whoever didn't obey and crushing whoever defied them.

The Cultivation World had enjoyed many years of peace, and inter-sect relationships were relatively simplistic. Even though these cultivators had mostly experienced the trials of the mortal world, whenever they encountered problems, they would either rely on their powerful backers or use their superior Martial Power to resolve them. A set of patterns had been established that had always served them well.

Suddenly asking them to use their brains and solve problems peacefully posed a significant challenge.

Earlier, Far Vision Eagle had proposed they oppose Lin Bai, but when push came to shove, everyone backed down, unwilling to be the one to stick their neck out.

"Senior Brother, it's impossible to curb his development without provoking Lin Bai," said the Daoist of Hai Mountain, looking up at Yuan Qing. "Initially, the balance between the Seven Righteous Sects and the Five Demon Sects was only achieved through several major God and Demon Wars. Lin Bai is an anomaly; his Taoist law is something no one can..."

Sigh! Compared to Lin Bai, these people are like a group of uncivilized apes!

Far Vision Eagle shook his head covertly, tired of their grandstanding, and said, "Sect Master, venerable ancestors, I do have a few strategies."

Strategies? More than one? Are we really that inept?

Disappointed with his junior brothers, Grandmaster Yuan Qing looked at Far Vision Eagle and said, "Please, tell us."

"Perhaps the Sect Master believes that the Justice League suddenly establishing these rules is aimed at you," said Far Vision Eagle. "But in my eyes, the rules Lin Bai has established are actually limiting himself. A situation with no rules is the hardest to deal with; once rules are in place, one can always find loopholes."

A spark of understanding flashed in Grandmaster Yuan Qing's mind, and he gestured for Far Vision Eagle to continue.

"Sect Master, you are being too cautious when it comes to Lin Bai," Far Vision Eagle said, shaking his head. "Our conjecture is not wrong: the Justice League's foundation is unstable, and Lin Bai himself needs to develop. Therefore, although he makes verbal threats, he's mainly buying time for himself.

The Justice League should be more afraid of being bogged down in the quagmire of war than we are.

The Seven Righteous Sects' compromise this time wasn't because they fear Lin Bai, but to avoid further losses and disrupt Lin Bai's rhythm. Therefore, the rules that need to be established must still be established. The Martial Power that needs to be displayed must also be displayed. Once it is stated that the Justice League's activities are confined to Taiyi Country, we must keep his reach within its borders. That's the bottom line and cannot be conceded."

The Great cheng cultivators of the Heavenly Dao Sect all nodded, agreeing with Far Vision Eagle's remarks.

Retreat once, and we'll retreat again. If we continue to retreat, we will eventually have nowhere left to go – it would be better to fight now!

Their strength was no less than the Justice League's.

Yuan Hao asked, "What about the Magpie Bridges in countries like Taichu and Taihao?"

"The Magpie Bridges within Taiyi Country are controlled by the Justice League," Far Vision Eagle responded. "Outside Taiyi Country, we can share the profits from the Magpie Bridges with the Justice League, but we must retain oversight. The Justice League can announce its rules via press conferences, and so can we. In any given territory, the rules are dictated by whoever is in charge."

"That makes sense," Daoist Leader Hong Hai agreed with a clap of his hands. "By setting the rules ourselves, we can tightly confine the Justice League within Taiyi Country."

"The Justice League profits from our Dan Fang and secret manuals by charging patent fees," continued Far Vision Eagle. "Outside Taiyi Country, we can charge distribution fees for their *Justice Weekly* and *Heavenly Review*. We can regulate all who follow the Cultivation Rules. When necessary, we can even levy a 'Cultivation Rules Tax' on them..."

The Heavenly Dao Sect members were speechless.

Yuan Qing frowned. "Isn't this going too far? Besides, wouldn't it further damage our public image?"

"How so?" Far Vision Eagle retorted. "Sect Master, surely you've experienced the power of public opinion. Through propaganda, we can inform the public about the consequences of the Cultivation Rules spreading unchecked. If everyone practices these rules, it will lead to societal collapse—farmers won't farm, workers won't work—it will mislead the nation and its people. Regulation is essential.

At the same time, we can also, like Lin Bai, bring cultivation to the common folk. For example, in the name of the Heavenly Dao Sect, we can open cultivation schools in towns, establish Pill Refineries and Artifact Refining Workshops, providing tangible benefits to the populace. We could even invite the public to visit the Heavenly Dao Sect's grounds.

This would, on one hand, help restore the Heavenly Dao Sect's reputation, and on the other, counter the Justice League's ideological erosion among the populace. Suppressing an industry doesn't necessarily require Martial Power."

"That's not right. Most commoners lack the aptitude for cultivation; teaching them would be a waste of effort," Yuan Hao said, frowning.

"For most people, Lin Bai's Cultivation Rules are equally useless, yet he gained his current widespread renown by ceaselessly promoting them," Far Vision Eagle said, looking at Yuan Hao with a smile. "Daoist Leader, not everything one does must have an immediate, practical use.

Even if the disciples recruited by the cultivation schools cannot cultivate, can't we hire martial instructors to teach them martial arts, or scholars to teach them literature? These actions can also bring a good name to the Heavenly Dao Sect. If we discover a prodigy among them, we can feature them prominently in the *Heavenly Path Journal*. We would profit greatly, and at that point, why would we worry about our reputation?"

"Excellent! With this one step, we will be ahead of the Justice League," Grandmaster Yuan Qing praised.

"So, you see, the Justice League establishing rules seems domineering, but it's actually self-sabotage," Far Vision Eagle explained. "When rules are widespread, whoever breaks them first is cast as the villain. Then, we can use public opinion to crush them.

If we take the lead in establishing rules, the other sects and the Five Demon Sects will surely follow.

When that time comes, we can then establish a new alliance, setting standards for Artifact Refining, culinary arts, Alchemy, and even environmental protection, implementing them within the areas under our control.

Through various means, we will exclude Taiyi Country. If Taiyi Country wishes to join, they must adhere to the rules we've set. That will be when we can put them in a difficult position.

Throughout history, rules have always been the most potent instruments, no less powerful than any Taoist law."

"Will this actually work?" Daoist Leader Hong Hai asked dubiously.

"Naturally, it will. Taiyi Country rose thanks to the Magpie Bridge and the Justice League," Far Vision Eagle explained. "We heaven-sent people also possess many practical machines. Composed of various precision parts, these machines are highly effective in agriculture, industry, and even manufacturing. They can significantly improve the people's livelihood and better their lives.

The Magpie Bridge merely aids transportation, whereas what we offer benefits all sectors. Once these machines are widely deployed, they will undoubtedly boost social productivity immensely and benefit the populace.

These machines involve even more small components. We will establish unified standards for these components, and their production will require our authorization. Non-standard parts simply won't fit our machinery.

We will promote these same standards outside Taiyi Country. Once these standards are unified, the people of Taiyi Country, wanting to keep pace with us, will face constant impediments. This will inevitably lead to grievances against the Justice League. Over time, Lin Bai's control over Taiyi Country will undoubtedly weaken..."

Grandmaster Yuan Qing and the others exchanged bewildered glances; the plan Far Vision Eagle described was far beyond their comprehension.

Seeing their puzzled expressions, Far Vision Eagle chuckled and changed the subject. "This involves various disciplines like economics and sociology, among others, which are well-established in our world. If the Sect Master isn't familiar with them, you can entrust the execution to us. It won't take long before Lin Bai and his Justice League crumble. We will then have the Justice League firmly in our grasp, serving our interests. When defeating a powerful individual, simply killing them is, in fact, the crudest approach."

Grandmaster Yuan Qing grew pensive.

What Far Vision Eagle proposed was very tempting, but to Yuan Qing, his words were like listening to an arcane tome.

Moreover, the heaven-sent people developed with astonishing speed. He feared that, in the end, not only the Justice League but also they themselves would be controlled...

"You can prepare a detailed explanation of all this," Grandmaster Yuan Qing said. "We will discuss it with the other sects before making a decision. Lin Bai is not one to remain idle. Once his Taoist law advances further, he won't be content with just little Taiyi Country. He might deliberately provoke incidents to expand outward. What I need right now are methods to contain him."

Far Vision Eagle hadn't expected to convince the Heavenly Dao Sect's Master with just a few words, nor did he fear their deliberations.

The Xinlong, Jing Da, and several other consortiums had already secretly agreed to first stabilize the players' positions in the game. Once established, they would then divide the spoils.

So, for now, all consortiums shared a unified strategy.

If the Sect Masters sought advice from players, the answers they received would be largely the same. Once a breakthrough was found, an era led by the players would dawn.

After all, the Seven Righteous Sects and Five Demon Sects had been scheming against each other for many years. If their views had ever aligned, Lin Bai and his Justice League would have been eliminated long ago.

Lin Bai could exploit this; similarly, so could they. And they wouldn't make the same mistake as the Seven Righteous Sects and Five Demon Sects by fighting independently.

「In the few days since entering the game,」 the players from the consortiums were racing against time to verify if technology from their world could function here. As long as they achieved one or two successes, persuading the Seven Righteous Sects and Five Demon Sects would become much easier.

It was said that national teams were participating this time, but the consortiums hadn't obtained precise information. Perhaps members of these national teams were hidden among them, wishing to avoid detection by the game company. But that was all for later.

The state was the primary entity, and consortiums had to rely on their respective nations for survival. With state backing, however covert, it would only benefit them; there was no downside. After all, the consortiums' foundations in science and technology were not as profound as those of their nations.

Moreover, what lay hidden behind this game world was unknown. All they could do was establish a foothold in this world as quickly as possible and then strive to control it.

Now, Far Vision Eagle had successfully infiltrated the upper echelons of the Heavenly Dao Sect and could influence their decisions. This position was far more advantageous than Mountain Deer's had been.

"Current methods to contain Lin Bai?" Far Vision Eagle mused for a moment, then said, "Just confront him directly. In the latest issue of *Justice Weekly*, Lin Bai issued a statement forbidding the populace from promoting his Cupid's Path and disallowing the construction of temples in his name. We should encourage the people to build temples, firmly cementing Lin Bai in the role of Cupid."

"I have considered that. However, the Divine Skills of Cupid's Path are exceptionally powerful and can be mastered instantly. Allowing Lin Bai to advance further in Cupid's Path would be disadvantageous for us," Grandmaster Yuan Qing said.

"The Divine Skills of the Way of Love aren't inherently harmful!" Far Vision Eagle said. "Rush Moon, Bind the Immortal, even the Milky Way—all have countermeasures. However, if his Heavenly Dao's Spoken Law Follows succeeds, he will dictate the very rules governing Heaven and Earth. At that point, should he wish to deal with you, it would likely take but a single sentence.

Whether it's the heaven-sent people or yourselves, you would all be fish on the chopping block, completely at his mercy, powerless to resist. Therefore, Lin Bai becoming Cupid is more advantageous for us. Especially if the rules of Heavenly Dao and Cupid's Path conflict, he might be unable to master both, eventually being surpassed by others..."

"That's extremely logical," Yuan Hao nodded.

"Sect Master, when it comes to opposing Lin Bai, our interests are aligned," Far Vision Eagle chuckled.

"If we do this so openly, won't it infuriate Lin Bai?" Grandmaster Yuan Qing asked.

"How could it? These are spontaneous actions by the populace; what have they to do with us?" Far Vision Eagle replied. "Besides, the *Justice Legion* just advocated for freedom of speech and the press. They can hardly turn around and slap themselves in the face, can they?"

"You speak with great sense, sir," Grandmaster Yuan Qing said, a look of sudden understanding dawning on him. "Apart from this, are there any other countermeasures?"

"Establish an icon for the Heavenly Dao Sect," Far Vision Eagle replied. "Lin Bai's Taoist law is linked to his renown. We can use this to launch a spokesperson for the Heavenly Dao Sect to compete with Lin Bai for worldly influence. Daozi's image is excellent; he's perfectly suited for being packaged and promoted to the public."

"How would this promotion work?" Daozi asked, opening his eyes.

"Packaging and hype," Far Vision Eagle said, looking at the handsome Daozi. "Feature him on the front page of the *Heavenly Path Journal* daily. Have him interact with spokespersons from the *Poison Gazette* and *Blood Gazette*, or show him slaying demons and monsters, or hosting ranking tournaments. Then, recruit a group to act as his Supporting Group—some to praise, some to criticize. Before long, his public persona will be established. We are equally adept at this; we can't let Lin Bai be the only one with a Supporting Group!"

Venturing into this unfamiliar territory, Grandmaster Yuan Qing frowned once more.

Daozi glanced at Far Vision Eagle, then at his master, and stood up. "Master, your disciple is willing to try. I've had some recent insights on the path of cultivation and am on the verge of breaking through to Great cheng.

However, I've made no progress regarding Taoist law. Perhaps this is related to renown, as Lin Bai mentioned.

The path of Taoist law cannot be Lin Bai's alone. Your disciple wishes to see if this path is viable for me. If I succeed, the Heavenly Dao Sect will no longer need to be wary of Lin Bai."

"You may give it a try," Grandmaster Yuan Qing said, looking at his disciple with an indulgent gaze and a gentle smile. "If you sense anything amiss, withdraw immediately."

Once you become a celebrity, withdrawing isn't so easy! Far Vision Eagle thought.

Turning Daozi into another such icon was one of his objectives. He had researched Daozi's past.

Daozi was born amidst extraordinary phenomena. Having been exposed to cultivation for just over a decade, he was already in the Hollow Realm.

His journey had been almost entirely without obstacles or bottlenecks. His cultivation progress was even smoother than that of players. It was as if he were a designated BOSS, perhaps one introduced by the game specifically to counter Lin Bai. Most importantly, Daozi was exceptionally handsome.

Players of the Beggar Gang had risen by relying on Lin Bai; perhaps they, too, could bask in Daozi's radiance...

In fact, creating some player celebrities would be more beneficial for them, since Taoist law might indeed be linked to renown.

But at this stage, Lin Bai was like a sun, dimming all others into obscurity. The Seven Righteous Sects were also wary of the players, making it too difficult to turn players into celebrities directly. They needed a more circuitous approach.