Ten Thousand Ways To Eliminate Players

In the Mysterious View, Master Yuan Qing asked Far Vision Eagle, "Sir, the Justice League's latest moves have just been announced. What do you make of this?"

Each step of Far Vision Eagle's strategy had been remarkably effective, and Master Yuan Qing had developed an almost blind faith in him.

The systemic knowledge from another world, revealed by the Descenders, had inspired many cultivators from the Righteous Seven Sects and the Demonic Five Sects. Currently, the relationship between the two factions was in a honeymoon phase.

Of course, Master Yuan Qing was still wary of the players, but that didn't prevent him from using them to deal with Lin Bai.

"A normal reaction," Far Vision Eagle said calmly. "Lin Bai has a dominant personality and likes to take the initiative. In just a few days, the Justice League's sphere of activity has been compressed to within Taiyi Country. He naturally feels uncomfortable and wants to show us his claws; this is to be expected. If he had swallowed this indignity silently, then we would indeed need to consider if we'd misstepped somewhere!

"Lin Bai even concocted an excuse—helping Taichu and Taihao establish their Magpie Bridges—to pursue and arrest Elder Chi Lian and Song Yaoqing. This clearly shows his outward bluster but inner reluctance to actually start a war.

"After all, he once attacked the Beast Control Sect, which had already surrendered, under the pretext of rescuing demon beasts. This alone proves he isn't someone who abides by reason.

"As the saying goes, 'He who is barefoot is not afraid of him who wears shoes.' Back then, Lin Bai had nothing, so he had nothing to lose and acted without scruples. Now, Lin Bai has interests to weigh and people he cares for, so naturally, he wouldn't dare act so wantonly anymore.

"According to the theory of Laws Lin Bai espouses, he should have already lost the detached heart required for cultivating the Heavenly Path, the heart that views all creation impartially.

"If we continue with our strategy, one day Lin Bai and his Justice League will inevitably end up like Taiyi Country, Taichu Country, and the others—reluctantly controlled by us. How easy do you think it is to fight the entire world single-handedly?"

"To be precise, he's up against two worlds," Master Yuan Qing chuckled. "However, the Ninth Patriarchs of the Righteous Door are skilled in the Doctrine of Divination. They intend to use the calamity of this chaotic era, brought by the Descenders, to help Lin Bai achieve the Heavenly Dao. Yet, Lin Bai himself has made significant strides in the Doctrine of Laws. Even if he fails to cultivate the Heavenly Dao and instead achieves Cupid's Path, I fear we might not be able to handle him."

"Sect Master, if the Doctrine of Divination were truly infallible, why would anyone struggle? We might as well all resign ourselves to fate," Far Vision Eagle countered. "Lin Bai was cultivating the Heavenly Dao, yet he's straying further and further down Cupid's Path. Doesn't that prove this so-called 'destiny' is full of variables? We managed to push him from the Heavenly Dao to Cupid's Path; we can just as easily push him from Cupid's Path to the Way of Cooking, or any other path for that matter... Sect Master, it's better to master one path than to dabble in many. Comprehending all Laws might seem powerful, but in the long run, it's not necessarily a good thing."

"Sir, you are truly a man of great wisdom. I am deeply impressed," Master Yuan Qing said, clapping his hands in admiration. "How should we respond to Lin Bai's impending move?"

"Employ flexibility," Far Vision Eagle advised. "Lin Bai has refined many Bound Immortal Ropes; he's clearly looking to stir up trouble. Humor him, and don't give him an opening. If he pushes too hard, we can allocate some resources to placate him temporarily.

"As for Elder Chi Lian and Song Yaoqing, finding two Great Cheng Realm cultivators across this vast continent is no easy task. I doubt the Poison Sect and the Blood Sect are foolish enough to let those two parade right under Lin Bai's nose!"

"Truly, 'every bane has its antidote'," Master Yuan Qing remarked, looking at Far Vision Eagle with admiration. "Relying on his Doctrine of Laws, Lin Bai is like a hedgehog; the Righteous Seven Sects can't find a way to touch him. Yet, when faced with the Descenders, his methods are constrained. No wonder Lin Bai has always said the Descenders are a calamity of this age!"

Hearing Master Yuan Qing's instigation, Far Vision Eagle merely smiled. "Sect Master, Lin Bai is leaving Taiyi Country, and his 100,000-strong Northern Army certainly can't accompany him. This presents a prime opportunity to infiltrate Taiyi Country.

"Lin Bai is still young and impetuous, too eager to make his mark. He lacks the patience to steadily consolidate Taiyi Country into his true domain. Even if we manage to suppress him, by relying on the Power of Laws, he could at least secure a foothold for the Righteous Door on the continent. But to charge out recklessly now? He not only puts himself in peril but also risks his home base being infiltrated until it's riddled with holes. Truly unwise!"

Master Yuan Qing's eyes lit up. "Sir, do you have a plan to capture Lin Bai?"

Far Vision Eagle chuckled and countered, "Sect Master, are you confident you can handle his Doctrine of Laws?"

Master Yuan Qing gave an embarrassed laugh and said no more.

Far Vision Eagle shook his head. "Sect Master, you mustn't make the same shortsighted mistake as Lin Bai!"

Even if an opportunity to take down Lin Bai arose, he wouldn't suggest it.

As long as the Righteous Seven Sects and the Justice League remained deadlocked, the players could profit from the situation. If Lin Bai were to die, these sects would likely turn their attention to the players next.

Against the overwhelming might of the sects—where strength trumps all tactics—the players' levels are far too low. Unlike Lin Bai, they don't have the irrefutable support of any Laws. Once targeted, finding another Lin Bai to create such prime growth opportunities would be impossible.

Besides, assuming this truly is a game world, Lin Bai's mission of establishing teleportation gates isn't complete. The game administrators wouldn't let him die yet, so why undertake such a thankless task?

Currently, news from the Righteous Seven Sects and the Demonic Five Sects is being aggressively suppressed by several large consortiums targeting the Beggar Gang. However, if someone from the Righteous Seven Sects or Demonic Five Sects genuinely intended to plot against Lin Bai, he might even have to arrange for someone to warn Lin Bai!

...

Lin Bai's intention to leave Taiyi Country was a clear sign he was looking for trouble. Duke Zhenguo hurried over to dissuade him. "My dear son-in-law, don't be impulsive! Within Taiyi Country, with the city's protective formations and the support of The Northern Army, we are in an invincible position, even if the Righteous Seven Sects try to cause trouble for you. But if you leave Taiyi Country, you'll lose that territorial advantage. Without The Northern Army accompanying you, should they try to harm you, we'll be too far away to help; even if we wanted to, we couldn't reach you in time."

Although the Justice League's influence was currently confined to Taiyi Country, the overall situation was improving for the nation.

With the aid of the Magpie Bridge and the Descenders, if Taiyi Country could recuperate for a few years, its strength would undoubtedly rank among the top nations.

But all of this was built upon Lin Bai. If anything happened to him, Taiyi Country wouldn't just revert to its former state; its situation could become even more dire.

So much depended on this single connection; Taiyi Country's future was entirely tied to Lin Bai. Naturally, the Taiyi imperial family didn't want any harm to befall him.

"Why not recuperate for a few years?" Duke Zhenguo urged. "Wait until Taiyi Country is stronger and your mastery of the Doctrine of Laws has advanced. Wouldn't it be better to expand outward then? At that time, Taiyi Country could also lend you significant support."

"Yes, Master, why place yourself in such peril?" Ye Song chimed in, trying to persuade him.

He had only just begun to grasp the rudiments of the Doctrine of Laws and naturally didn't want to follow Lin Bai on dangerous campaigns.

Having joined the Righteous Door, the Holy Extreme Sect would no longer tolerate him. Elder Chi Lian and Song Yaoqing's escape was a pretense, but if Lin Bai met with disaster, he and Ye Lan would become true fugitives.

Moreover, Ye Song still hadn't figured out who exactly Emperor Zidewei was.

Over the past few days, he had frequently interacted with Great Cheng Realm and Hollow Realm experts from various sects, but none of them seemed like the reincarnation of Emperor Zidewei. The prospect of ascending to the Fairy World filled him with anxiety, and clinging to Lin Bai as his main backer felt like his only option.

In contrast to the locals, the players of the Beggar Gang were ecstatic. If Lin, the Storekeeper, didn't make a move soon, they felt they'd be crushed by the large consortiums.

Crispy Rice, despite his somewhat unclear relationship with Guo Yuan, had relocated from Qian City to Zhen City now that the Magpie Bridge was active and such a major event was unfolding. As the Beggar Gang Leader, he declared, "Alliance Hierarch, the brothers of the Beggar Gang are deeply wronged! Elder Chi Lian and Song Yaoqing went on a killing spree in Qian City, forcing us to stay offline for days! The entire world knows the Beggar Gang is your designated Righteous Gang. Yet, the Poison Sect and the Blood Sect have oppressed us for so long, offered no compensation, and haven't even disciplined the perpetrators! They clearly have no respect for you, Alliance Hierarch!"

Immortal Realm's First Papparazzi chimed in, "Elder Chi Lian also stole our valuable color printer and digital cameras, and shows no sign of returning them! Our editorial department simply cannot stomach this insult! At the very least, they must return the color printer! They also made off with our press passes."

Wild Wolf added, "Our partners for Justice Weekly and Heavenly Review have all been taken out! This effectively silences our outreach to the wider world! If we don't retaliate fiercely, who in this world will still respect the Justice League? We won't even be able to propagate the Doctrine of Laws!"

Crispy Rice exclaimed, "And that damnable Brave Alone! He's one of the chief culprits too! We can't let him off the hook!"

The players were seething with righteous indignation, eager to charge out and uphold the might of the Justice League.

Duke Zhenguo's face was as black as soot. He kept glancing meaningfully at Xu Longyun, hoping she would try to dissuade Lin Bai.

Xu Longyun looked at her father. "Father, there's no need for further persuasion. If the Righteous Seven Sects and the Demonic Five Sects had abided by the treaty we signed, both sides would naturally keep to their own affairs.

"But their actions clearly demonstrate their utter disregard for the Justice League. If this continues, they will likely be the ones to initiate a war. They've been relentlessly provoking our bottom line simply because we didn't hit them hard enough last time! Besides, we're going out this time to establish the Magpie Bridge. The Magpie Bridge network within Taiyi Country is, after all, a small-scale endeavor. Only by connecting the entire continent can the Justice League truly use it to gain significant influence."

Duke Zhenguo frowned. "But if Lin Bai encounters danger..."

"Father, since its inception, the Justice League has weathered constant storms," Xu Longyun cut him off, her voice firm with conviction. "Even now, this is merely a facade of stability. We must act when action is called for! If we don't establish our dominance now, then one day, when they've thoroughly deciphered the Laws, we'll have lost our chance completely."

"Xiao Yun, Taiyi Country..." Duke Zhenguo began.

Xu Longyun sneered. "Has Taiyi Country ever truly treated the Justice League as an ally? For millennia, Taiyi Country has amassed vast resources. Yet, when the Justice League needed to refine the Bound Immortal Rope, we had to rely on contributions from our own members. While enjoying all the benefits of the Magpie Bridge, did Taiyi Country ever offer a helping hand? Are we supposed to beg Taiyi Country for resources? With the reparations from the Righteous Seven Sects and the Demonic Five Sects still pending, the Justice League must naturally secure its own means. We won't just sit by with Taiyi Country and wait for our demise!"

Duke Zhenguo was momentarily stunned. He looked at Lin Bai sheepishly, tongue-tied. He had considered using Taiyi Country's resources to support Lin Bai. However, the sovereign and ministers at court believed that proactively offering resources to the Justice League would somehow diminish Taiyi Country's standing. They also feared fostering another power akin to the Righteous Seven Sects and had thus procrastinated on a decision. He hadn't expected this delay would ultimately provoke Lin Bai.

Observing the tense exchange between father and daughter, an enigmatic smile played in Lin Bai's eyes.

Ever since Xu Longyun had taken charge of the Justice League's affairs, his own mind had been entirely preoccupied with establishing the Magpie Bridge and with Artifact Refining; he hadn't given much thought to resources.

However, seeing Xu Longyun clash with her own father over this issue, it was clear the Justice League's resource shortage must have reached a critical point. Otherwise, she wouldn't have so readily agreed the moment she heard he planned to go out and stir things up.

「Just then.」

A new task notification flashed within Lin Bai's mind from the Super Sect Leader System: [The enemy's dismissive attitude is an affront to your dignity as Sect Leader. Reclaim what is rightfully yours, demonstrate your power to the world, and restore the honor of the Righteous Door's Sect Leader! Reward: 500 Merit Points.]

Whoa! Right on cue! Lin Bai thought. It seems these systems really can't bear to see me settle down for even a moment!

It made sense, though. He'd only had a few days of peace, and already the Righteous Seven Sects and the players had managed to confine his influence to within Taiyi Country. If he continued to lie low, his burgeoning Media Empire would likely crumble.

Furthermore, the War God System's 'Win Every Battle' mission, along with tasks from the Extreme Kill-Back System and the Super Villain System, had all stalled. His own strength had barely improved...

Indeed, it was time to go out and propagate the Doctrine of Laws.

"Xiao Yun, don't make things difficult for Duke Zhenguo," Lin Bai said, glancing between the Duke and Xu Longyun and shaking his head. "Taiyi Country is our partner, not our enemy; they have no obligation to provide us with resources. Besides, they have the governance of an entire nation to manage. It's understandable if they can't attend to every need of the Justice League. Our current difficulties weren't caused by Taiyi Country, so let's not turn on our own and become a laughingstock for outsiders."

Duke Zhenguo visibly relaxed, shooting a glare at Xu Longyun before turning to Lin Bai with an appeasing smile. "My son-in-law is indeed reasonable. However, since we are partners, mutual support is essential. I shall return at once and petition His Majesty to allocate some urgently needed resources from the national treasury for the League."

"Father-in-law, are you underestimating me?" Lin Bai countered with a smile. "Since the Justice League's founding, when have we ever relied on our allies to provide for our essential resources?

"I'm going out to help them establish their Magpie Bridges, and it's not pro bono work; contracts have been signed.

"Besides, constantly pressing for war reparations through the Descenders does make us seem insincere. Master Yuan Qing himself previously requested our assistance in setting up Magpie Bridges for the Righteous Seven Sects. Since they're too preoccupied to handle the reparations, it's only fitting that we go and collect what's ours directly."

"Is there truly no room for de-escalation?" Duke Zhenguo asked with a heavy heart.

"The rules established by the Justice League are for self-protection. In contrast, the rules imposed by the Righteous Seven Sects and the Demonic Five Sects are designed to restrict us. This causes immense suffering for those outside who aspire to join our League but cannot. These are all matters we need to address with them. The Righteous Seven Sects can impose limits on the Justice League, but they have no right to restrict others!" Lin Bai sighed softly, his gaze drifting to the distance as a wistful look crossed his face. "Moreover, my cultivation of the Doctrine of Laws has stagnated. It might be related to losing that constant pressure of teetering on the brink of life and death. I need to find that pressure again..."

Ye Song was visibly shaken, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Xiao Yu, Cen Qing, Zuo Lan, and the others appeared to have an epiphany.

The players were already buzzing with excitement, chattering away in their private channels about how to leverage this situation to break the consortiums' blockade against the Beggar Gang...