Chapter 122: Scheming and Intrigue

Players cannot keep secrets.

After all.

Players come from all corners of the land, and offline communication is never as fast as online.

Having entered the game for over ten days, they have initially adapted to the game's mode and no longer treat it entirely as that kind of ordinary game for leveling up and killing monsters.

Now is the time when the game is at its hottest, and any move will trigger intense discussion among them.

This relates to their future development.

To maintain their advantage, they must keep a constant eye on the news within the game.

In this game where one move affects the whole situation.

Playing solo with one's head buried is a dead end.

……

"Shopkeeper Lin, about the recruitment fair..." Gugao Laoren, Lao Mi, and several other core members of the Beggar Sect gathered before Lin Bai to ask for his opinion.

"You all just arrange it as you see fit; there is no need to consult me on every single thing," Lin Bai smiled. "I have already laid the foundation for you; the rest depends on your own efforts. If the Beggar Sect wants to develop, you core members—the Sect Leader, Deputy Sect Leader, and Nine-Bag Elders—must establish your own reputation in the Jianghu."

"This disciple recruitment fair is an opportunity to deal with both righteous and evil factions, and it is the perfect chance for you to step into the public eye." He looked around at the few who had followed him and smiled. "You did well to force Qingming Daozhang to sit down and negotiate this evening. Use your advantages to expand the Beggar Sect's influence step by step, and strive to build the Beggar Sect into the number one sect in the world."

Having resolved the Beggar Sect's crisis, the task issued by the Chief Supporting Role System changed to helping the big brother's career reach a higher level, with a reward of 10 Luck.

Therefore.

Lin Bai decided to let go.

The main force of the Beggar Sect consists of players.

He passed on the Nine Suns True Scripture and the Xianglong Shipi Zhang.

There are over sixty Beggar Sect disciples who followed him to Qian City, most of whom have learned the complete Nine Suns True Scripture, and half have almost fully learned the Xianglong Shipi Zhang.

Although players need proficiency to use the Xianglong Shipi Zhang.

Their Internal Energy grows quickly, there are many of them, and they are willing to put in the hard work to grind proficiency.

Lin Bai's hundred-plus years of Internal Energy is enough for him to suppress and beat seven disciples of the Blood Shadow Sect by himself.

Players cultivate for one day, which is equivalent to a normal person cultivating for a year; after five days, the sixty-plus Beggar Sect disciples have a combined total of over three hundred years of Internal Energy.

It is estimated that it won't take long for the proficiency of the Xianglong Shipi Zhang to be grinded up as well.

If such a faction were to push against him, he would probably have to give way.

Once the Beggar Sect disciples unite, their raw strength will be enough to give the NPCs of the major sects in Qian City a headache...

With such a main force configuration, leaving them at home to gather dust instead of letting them develop on their own is not Lin Bai's style!

If he controls their Skills and then controls their gaming experience, these guys might just turn around and bite him back.

……

Moreover.

Lin Bai also needs to find a way to improve his own strength.

Otherwise, once the players grow up, he won't be able to put on airs anymore.

From the players' words, Lin Bai knows that the Temperament Fruit has taken effect.

In the players' private chats, nearly half of them mentioned his changes.

And the fact that his negotiation with Qingming Daozhang went so smoothly is likely due to the +10 Temperament boost to personal charm playing a decisive role.

It is a pity.

The collection of Positive Emotion is too slow; only the Beggar Sect disciples are providing him with a stable source of Positive Emotion Value.

Otherwise.

If he popped ten or eight Temperament Fruits to raise his personal charm to the point where everyone loves him, he could conquer the world purely on Temperament.

As for the consortiums entering the novice village and developing aggressively, Lin Bai didn't take it to heart at all; he couldn't manage it even if he wanted to.

After all, his own energy is limited.

The world is so big and there are so many capable people; he can't be expected to shoulder everything by himself.

When NPCs need to be forced to act, they must be made to act.

This is their world.

Only by letting the players stir up this world, hurt them, and make the NPCs suffer enough, can he reap the benefits as the fisherman.

……

Currently.

Lin Bai has activated eleven systems in total; most of them are either growing on their own or being cold-shouldered by him because they are ineffective.

The only ones that can quickly help him improve his strength are the Craftsman God System and the Peerless Divine Doctor System, as well as the Wanwu Youque System which rewarded him with the Head-Splitting Technique.

But firstly, Lin Bai is not very interested in the Head-Splitting Technique, and secondly, he has fully established his reputation in Qian City, so holding a Flaw exhibition and gathering over four thousand people is not that easy.

It would be better to take advantage of the Beggar Sect's opportunity to build a reputation and focus his efforts on the Craftsman God System and the Divine Doctor System; it would be best to concoct a few more pill formulas or create a few Dharma Treasures.

After all.

In the eyes of outsiders, the Beggar Sect and he are no different.

……

Delegating the planning of the recruitment fair to Lao Mi, Lin Bai took the 【Weapon Refinement Master】 and Huayishen, along with his own disciple Deng Li Buduo, to assist him in Weapon Refinement and researching pill formulas.

The two players are professionals, and Lin Bai hopes to get some inspiration from them.

As for Deng Li Buduo, what he needs is not to go out and socialize, but to practice his cultivation and fulfill his duty as a power bank.

"Little Hua, this is the pill formula for the Rejuvenation Pill; you refine it yourself first to get familiar with it," Lin Bai wrote down the Rejuvenation Pill formula and handed it to Huayishen. "Once you can successfully refine the Rejuvenation Pill, ponder how to improve it based on the Rejuvenation Pill and strive to research a unique pill formula. I remember you are quite skilled at researching poisons; you can try to formulate a Poison Pill formula based on the Rejuvenation Pill. If you can research a new formula, I will teach you the Fire Control Technique."

Huayishen had learned Basic Alchemy from Lin Bai, but unfortunately, without pill formulas, he couldn't grind his proficiency.

Suddenly, the Shopkeeper gave him a Rejuvenation Pill formula, and he was naturally overjoyed.

Now that he had received a new task to research a new pill formula, with the reward being a fire-control technique, he was increasingly overjoyed. After contributing a wave of Positive Emotion Value to Lin Bai, he went off happily to grind the proficiency of his Rejuvenation Pill.

"Shopkeeper Lin, what about me?" the 【Weapon Refinement Master】 asked, looking at 【Huayishen】 with envy while rubbing his hands.

He had already maxed out his basic Blacksmith skills back in Jiamu City.

Back then.

He had watched Lin Bai practice blacksmithing from scratch at the Blacksmith Shop, initially thinking Lin Bai was also a half-baked amateur. He had even planned to switch sects upon reaching Qian City to join the Spirit Tool Pavilion and specialize in learning weapon refinement skills, but he couldn't bear to give up the income from the Beggar Sect.

He hadn't expected Lin Bai to actually hand him the "Basic Theory of Magical Treasures," which made him look at Lin Bai with newfound respect. It could be said that among all the players, besides 【Deng Li Buduo】, he was the second person to believe firmly in the Justice Sect.

"You have seen my Rejuvenation Arrow, and I have also passed the Basic Theory of Magical Treasures to you. Next, help me research a fire-attribute Dharma Treasure," Lin Bai said, smiling at the 【Weapon Refinement Master】. "Once you research it, I will give you a reward as well."

"Does the Rejuvenation Arrow count as a Dharma Treasure?" The 【Weapon Refinement Master】 recalled the Blood Shadow Sect's senior brother who had been dominated by the Rejuvenation Arrow, and black lines appeared on his forehead.

"It provides remote support, can heal, and can injure enemies; why wouldn't it count as a Dharma Treasure?" Lin Bai said. "Do not be constrained by the methods and ideologies of those weapon refinement sects. If you follow their path, even if you become proficient, you will never surpass them. Our Justice Sect emphasizes pioneering and innovation; maintaining fresh ideas is the only way to become a true master."

The 【Weapon Refinement Master】 looked at Lin Bai with a strange expression. After a moment, he stammered, "Shopkeeper Lin, if the Rejuvenation Arrow can count as a Dharma Treasure, I have a design for a Fire-Spitting Gun that should qualify as one."

【Deng Li Buduo】 glanced at the 【Weapon Refinement Master】 strangely but said nothing.

"Tell me about it," Lin Bai said.

"Build a sealed container, fill it with combustible oil, then design an ignition switch. Pull the switch to ignite the burning oil..." The 【Weapon Refinement Master】 looked at Lin Bai, his voice growing quieter as he spoke.

At this moment, he felt a bit guilty, feeling as if he were fooling an NPC. Shopkeeper Lin was so shrewd; he must be angry with him!

Unexpectedly.

Lin Bai's reaction was completely beyond the 【Weapon Refinement Master】's expectations. He simply snapped his fingers: "Good, we shall build this..."

Isn't that just a lighter?

If it can spit fire, why can't it count as a fire-attribute Dharma Treasure!

Who cares if it's practical or not?

The player fools him, he fools the system; he would get the task reward first and worry about the rest later.

Once he obtained the system reward, he would be a true Weapon Refinement Master. Once he had real techniques, he could then build Dharma Treasures like the Nine Dragons Departing Fire Cover or the Fire-Tipped Spear...

This works too? 【Deng Li Buduo】 was dumbfounded.

He swallowed his saliva and asked tentatively, "Master, what about me? Is there anything I can help with?"

"Practice the Dragon Subduing Palm to Great Completion; later, I will pass on new martial arts to you," Lin Bai glanced at 【Deng Li Buduo】 and instructed casually.

The 【Haoweirenshi System System System】 had been quiet all along.

However, after he passed the complete "Xianglong Shipi Zhang" to 【Deng Li Buduo】, a progress bar for the "Xianglong Shipi Zhang" suddenly appeared behind 【Deng Li Buduo】's name.

This made Lin Bai suspect that once 【Deng Li Buduo】 mastered it, the Haoweirenshi System System System would open up a second disciple slot!

Previously.

The "Nine Suns True Scripture" that Lin Bai passed to 【Deng Li Buduo】 was incomplete, and the Straight Cut was just one of twenty-two blade techniques.

It was very likely that passing on these incomplete skills made the system mistakenly believe he had not fulfilled his role as a teacher, causing it to remain stagnant, which led him to mistakenly believe that virtue was the standard for testing disciples.

Although the name "Xianglong Shipi Zhang" was incomplete, and the dragon it produced was also incomplete, it was indeed a complete Martial Art...

Supervision Immortal Bureau.

After hearing the process of the challenge to the sect.

The leaders of the five major sects fell silent.

Daoist Qingling frowned repeatedly: "Junior Brother Qingming, even you didn't probe Lin Bai?"

Daoist Qingming felt quite embarrassed and said sheepishly, "Senior Brother, you didn't see Lin Bai's spirit. Although he cannot compare to the Daoist Child of the Heavenly Dao Sect, he is not far off. I wanted to learn more about the inside story of the Justice Sect from him, and without realizing it, I forgot to probe him."

"Justice Sect, Justice Sect! I think it's clear that you have all been bewitched by that little thief," Daoist Qingling slammed the table heavily and said angrily, "If you had sparred with him in the name of an exchange, you wouldn't have come away with nothing."

"Senior Brother, I cannot see Lin Bai's cultivation," Daoist Qingming looked at his senior brother strangely and said, "Jiang Xianzi of the Hundred Flowers Valley said Lin Bai has not formed a Golden Core, but I once scanned Lin Bai with my divine sense and was completely unable to perceive his cultivation. I suspect that either he has already entered the Dao through martial arts, or his divine sense exceeds mine..."

"Entered the Dao through martial arts? His divine sense exceeds yours? Do you really take him for a Daoist Child?" Daoist Qingling said, "One can use a Magic Tool to block the probing of divine sense; why are you so pedantic..."

"Uncle-Master Qingling, why do you hold such great hostility toward Shopkeeper Lin?" Jiang Qingqin looked at Daoist Qingling in confusion, "I think the plan Shopkeeper Lin proposed is very reasonable. Shopkeeper Lin has never shown any malice toward us from start to finish. Being his enemy brings no benefits other than offending the Justice Sect. Isn't the most urgent task to find a way to introduce Heavenly Descended people to our sects?"

"..." Daoist Qingling glared at Daoist Qingming and said no more. Daoist Qingming felt even more innocent; he felt his senior brother's anger was inexplicable, as he clearly hadn't done anything wrong tonight!

"I also think Shopkeeper Lin's proposal is good," Sun Lie said leisurely, "The Heavenly Descended people of the Beggar Sect are of one mind; it is impossible to persuade them to join our sects. It would be better to use their hands to introduce more Heavenly Descended people to our sects."

"But Lin Bai proposed letting evil sects also settle in Qian City," Zhao Ang said coldly.

"What does that matter?" Sun Lie said, "Bringing evil sects into the open to monitor them is better than having them secretly intercept Heavenly Descended people on the road. Our goal is to use the Heavenly Descended people to confront the evil sects, not to compete with them on the road."

*Cough! *

The scholar who had been watching from the sidelines coughed lightly, attracting everyone's attention, and said softly: "To be honest with you all, in the past few days, sects like the Blood Shadow Sect, Canyang Sect, Xueli Sect, and Profound Underworld Sect have been in contact with the City Lord, wanting to set up recruitment points in the city just like you. It is only because the City Lord is wary of their reputation that he has suppressed it and not agreed."

"Since Shopkeeper Lin has also proposed the same suggestion, I think it is worth a try. Master Sun is right; putting conflicts in the open is better than fighting each other in the dark. If you have no objections, I will report today's matter to the City Lord."

Daoist Qingling was silent.

Tong Cha, the Main Hall Master of the Chaoyuan Sword Sect, also said nothing.

"The Spirit Tool Pavilion agrees," Wang Jintian glanced at his disciple and raised his hand to signal.

"The Medicine King Valley agrees as well, right!" Cao Ru'an smiled and said indifferently.

Jiang Qingqin tugged lightly on her master's sleeve from behind, and Jiang Yuru sighed softly: "The Hundred Flowers Valley agrees."

"Uncle-Master Qingling, I don't know why you have such great prejudice against Shopkeeper Lin," Peng Ze looked at Daoist Qingling and smiled, "But I think bringing evil sects into Qian City is a good thing. Don't forget, Lin Bai once killed and repelled seven people from the Blood Shadow Sect single-handedly. With the Blood Shadow Sect's nature of seeking revenge for the slightest grievance, once they enter the city, Shopkeeper Lin probably won't have an easy time either."

"By then, we might not even need to take action, and it will be enough to give Shopkeeper Lin a hard time. If we insist on being enemies with Shopkeeper Lin, once he is provoked and becomes determined to help Heavenly Descended people join evil sects, the loss will outweigh the gain."

"Huilong Temple agrees," Daoist Qingling snorted and said impatiently.

"Chaoyuan Sword Sect agrees," Tong Cha looked left and right and said flatly.

"Since that is the case, let us disperse for today!" The scholar sitting at the head smiled, stood up, and cupped his hands to the crowd, "I will go report this matter to the City Lord's Mansion."

"Senior Brother, what happened?" After coming out of the Supervision Immortal Bureau, Daoist Qingming asked in confusion.

"The Lingjie Fengxi in Jiamu City has been occupied by Lin Bai." Daoist Qingling's expression was exceptionally ugly, and he lowered his voice to say, "If we don't get rid of Lin Bai early, once he grows powerful, I fear the Lingjie Fengxi will never be taken back."

"..." Daoist Qingming faltered, "Junior Brother Qingfeng, he..."

"Don't mention that idiot." Daoist Qingling gave a cold snort, "With the Lingjie Fengxi occupied, if he had reported the news to Huilong Temple in time, how could it have reached such an irredeemable state?"

"Senior Brother, what should we do then?" Daoist Qingming finally realized the gravity of the situation.

"Find an opportunity to get rid of Lin Bai." Daoist Qingling said, "As for the matter of the Lingjie Fengxi, keep it hidden for as long as possible; in any case, it must not fall into the hands of outsiders."

"But Lin Bai says he is the Heavenly Mandate Person," said Daoist Qingming.

"You believe whatever he says? So what if he is the Heavenly Mandate Person?" Daoist Qingling said, "Behind us is the Heavenly Dao Sect, the head of the Seven Orthodox Sects. To the current Cultivation World, the Seven Orthodox Sects are the Heavens..."

On the other side.

The encampment of Hundred Flowers Valley.

Jiang Yuru was also questioning Jiang Qingqin: "Speak, what are you hiding from your master?"

"Master, the Righteous Sect truly exists, and it is very likely a hidden great sect," Jiang Qingqin said. "Besides Martial Dao, Lin Bai has also mastered the art of Pill Refinement, and he also knows Thunder Technique and the art of Wind Riding. When fighting the Blood Shadow Sect, this Disciple did not make a move; he used his own strength to crush seven members of the Blood Shadow Sect in an instant. And..."

She blushed and hesitated for a moment, then under Jiang Yuru's puzzled gaze, she gritted her teeth, "And, he also imparted to this Disciple a peerless divine art called Words Follow the Law."

(End of this chapter)