Chapter 271: More Lovers, More Paths

Zhen City is bustling with activity, as chefs from all over are participating in the first round of the preliminary competition.

The culinary competition venue is divided into four zones—East, South, West, and North—and is decorated quite luxuriously.

Players have provided the contestants with a wide variety of ingredients, the contestants brought their own tools, and the judges are commoners from all walks of life in Zhen City as well as high-level members of the Justice Alliance; the rules are fair and simple.

Players minted a currency exclusive to the culinary competition—Que Coins—distributing ten to each judge, to be used to purchase dishes made by the contestants.

Within the allotted time, the one who ultimately obtains the most Que Coins wins.

In short, this is a competition format where fairness and luck coexist; it is not the case that whoever makes a dish first sells it well, or whoever makes the tastiest food sells it well, as it also evaluates the aesthetic appeal of the dishes, salesmanship, and even the cook's appearance...

In addition to judges, the culinary competition also set up spectator seating.

Spectators buy tickets to enter the venue, where they can watch the chefs stir-frying and place bets on which chef will advance... Wherever the Justice Alliance goes, bringing joy to the local commoners has become an ironclad rule.

For the commoners of the Xianxia World, as long as there is excitement to watch, they do not care at all whether Lin Bai is confronting a Mahayana up in the sky or holding a flashy culinary competition in the city...

Only the live-stream viewers in front of their screens have had their tastes spoiled; accustomed to the grand scenes of Lin Bai causing trouble, they are not interested at all in a culinary competition participated in by ordinary commoners—watching a group of ordinary people tossing pans is not as good as watching a food movie!

Therefore.

Even though the Justice Alliance players exhausted their efforts to make the event luxurious, exquisite, and exciting, the number of viewers in front of the screens remained sparse.

It is foreseeable that the advertisers who invested in the culinary competition are destined to lose their shirts...

The sparse number of viewers, such as 【Silver】, made the high-level members of the Beggar Sect increasingly anxious.

It turns out that without Lin Bai, they do not have the ability to monetize traffic, or rather, they have no traffic to begin with.

With the entry of financial groups and more players, the game's plot is constantly changing, and the game's operational model is also quietly undergoing changes.

Xin Shang, He Qin, and others gathered to discuss how to use their existing advantages to improve their own strength; they became bold and focused their attention on patent rights, wanting to use the cultivation techniques and secret manuals of other sects to improve themselves.

They began to frequently interact with the Heavenly Descended, learning the thoughts and concepts of the players, and trying to understand the operational models of "Justice Weekly" and "Heavenly Dao Review"...

The players' words gave them a reminder.

The enemies of the Justice Alliance are extremely powerful; if they do not improve, they will surely become a burden to Lin Bai or cannon fodder in the end, so they must demonstrate their own value.

More people spent their efforts on the Dao; regular cultivation improves too slowly, and only the Dao can rapidly elevate their strength.

The most popular Daos are the Incomplete Dao and the Love Dao.

Nowadays, in the Justice Alliance camp, one can see cultivators everywhere holding an incomplete object, contemplating and observing it with their hearts;

Cultivators from the Spirit Tool Pavilion and Lianbao Pavilion are consciously introducing the concept of "flaw" into the Dharma Treasures and implements they forge, searching for the intersection of flaw and beauty, attempting to attain the Dao from it;

The female cultivators of Hundred Flowers Valley and Illusion Valley are the most popular.

People from other sects all want to find a female cultivator to practice the Love Dao together; mature-minded cultivators are far more favored by female cultivators than players. The female cultivators are not stupid; players are flighty by nature and only use them, making it impossible to truly develop feelings of love, but the cultivators from within the Alliance will exhaust everything to pay for them for the sake of the Love Dao.

Even if they do not attain the Law of Love from it in the end, the material gains and the pampering they receive from the men pursuing them are enough.

The most critical point is that there are few female cultivators and many male cultivators; even an ordinary female cultivator from Hundred Flowers Valley can now form a Dao companion bond with a cultivator whose cultivation level far exceeds her own, which would have been impossible in the past.

In short.

The emergence of the Love Dao has increased the happiness of every female cultivator by countless times.

Although Alliance Leader Lin likes to forcibly pair up old men to promote the Love Dao, most normal people still prefer men and women to be together; Lin Bai's own Dao companion is not a man either!

Lin Bai used his "words follow the law" to create the Heavenly River ability; everyone who practices the Love Dao will be controlled by the Heavenly River.

This drawback is enough to dispel the thoughts of outsiders practicing the Love Dao.

But people in the Alliance will not have this concern.

In any case, Shopkeeper Lin's Heavenly River will not be used on his own people; their practice of the Love Dao can also be seen as a "letter of intent" submitted to the Alliance Leader, and the Heavenly River can even be used to verify whether they are truly in love with each other?

In short.

The current Justice Alliance is vibrant, and everyone is contributing to the Alliance in their own way.

【Love must experience tribulations; set tests for the CP created for you and make their story widely spread (Completed); Reward: Magpie Bridge (Distributed)】

【The reputation of Yuelao; you have created many CPs, but your own fame is not apparent. Create more CPs, promote your own reputation, make the world believe in love, and spontaneously believe you are the Love God; Reward: Rope Binding (Appropriate small activities between lovers can increase affection; this is a technique of love binding, and the Love God has the responsibility to spread this skill)】

The new issue of "Justice Weekly" was published, letting more commoners know about what happened outside Zhen City; while shocked by the power of the Love Dao, the love story of Zhou Zu and Wu Wang spread along with it.

With the Yuelao System's task completed, Lin Bai gained the skill Magpie Bridge, and at the same time, the Yuelao System also gave a new task—to make a name for himself.

The new task left Lin Bai in deep thought.

All along, he has publicly declared his goal is to become the Heavenly Dao, but the Yuelao System's new task is for him to become the Love God.

The two conflict.

The new task aligns with the Love Dao he promotes, but he cannot become both the Heavenly Dao and the Love God, right?

If he cultivates both the Love Dao and the Heavenly Dao, it could potentially cause the Law of Love he has been promoting to collapse.

After all, it was he who said that the Law of Love can only correspond to one person...

However, Rope Binding really looks very tempting!

In Lin Bai's understanding, there seems to be only one kind of Rope Binding related to love; it is truly powerful, and it has a very strong visual impact...

Given the overbearing nature of the system rewards, Lin Bai feels that Rope Binding can be used as a restriction on the battlefield, and the deterrent power must be quite sufficient.

After all.

The damage output of the Heavenly River seems insufficient.

His battle with Zhou Zu has already been publicized, but the Super Villain System's task did not prompt completion, proving his deterrent power is not yet great enough.

Lin Bai does not think of himself as a villain, but the reward for a Near-Death Counter-Kill is also very tempting...

If Rope Binding is used on the battlefield, it should be enough to shock the world and let him get the Super Villain System's reward.

Moreover.

Rope Binding can also be combined with the Chef God System; all along, isn't it because the Chef God System's knife skills and techniques cannot trap prey that they cannot be deployed on the battlefield?

With Rope Binding in place, he could slice his enemy to pieces with his knife skills without any trouble...

This mission is worth doing.

Xu Longyun is presiding over the cooking competition.

Xiaobai the fox is managing her demon kingdom, seizing every opportunity to cultivate; the battle between Lin Bai and Zhou Zu greatly stimulated her, making her realize that if she does not improve herself, she will grow further and further away from her master.

After all, she cannot even fly on her own...

Only Jiang Qingqin is relatively free; once the matters regarding the support group were properly arranged, she did not need to keep watch by his side at all times.

While Lin Bai was considering how to perfectly reconcile the Love Dao and the Heavenly Dao, Jiang Qingqin snuck in front of him, and after entering, she even reached back to close the door.

Lin Bai looked at Jiang Qingqin's strange behavior and asked, "Is something the matter?"

Jiang Qingqin came before Lin Bai, blinked her eyes, and gathered her courage to ask, "Master, you said that the inheritance of civilization lies in reproduction; is that true?"

Lin Bai raised an eyebrow and said strangely, "Yes."

"For a long time, I have not had the slightest insight into the Love Dao." Jiang Qingqin looked at Lin Bai and said bashfully, "Master, I want to try the Dao of reproduction with you to see if it can help me realize the Dharma ability of the Love Dao? I don't want to just watch from the sidelines in every battle; I want to fight alongside you..."

After she finished speaking, her face flushed bright red.

After all, it was too embarrassing for her to be the one to propose such a thing; Lin Bai should have been the one to take the initiative!

Again?

Lin Bai looked at Jiang Qingqin, torn between laughter and tears: "Qingqin, let's talk about this after we resolve the current predicament of the Justice Alliance and things have settled down! I cannot be distracted, and it is best if you are not distracted either; if you want to fight alongside me, you had better work hard on your cultivation and improve your own level."

He casually grabbed a few Spirit Fruits and handed them over, "The Dao of the master can increase your cultivation speed by fifty percent; eat more Concentration Fruits to strengthen your Spirit Soul, and your cultivation speed will be even faster. Once the cooking competition is over, I will find a way to capture a Mahayana from the Danling Sect to refine pills specifically for us and help you all improve your cultivation..."

Jiang Qingqin's gaze dimmed at a speed visible to the naked eye; she bit her lip lightly and asked, unwilling to give up, "Master, I want to try the Heavenly River?"

"Hmm?" Lin Bai hesitated.

Although the system certified that he and Jiang Qingqin were a CP, he knew clearly that he did not have much affection for Jiang Qingqin, perhaps even less than the affection he had for Xu Longyun.

"The Heavenly River can separate people who love each other; I want to determine whether love truly exists between me and Master? Do I still have the possibility of achieving the Love Dao?" Jiang Qingqin looked at Lin Bai, her eyes gradually turning red, and her voice grew lower, "The Nine Ancestors told me that love is sacrifice and tolerance, and told me not to fight for love. But I cannot do that at all; I cannot even determine whether you truly love me? Master, give me some confidence, or let me give up, will you?"

Sigh!

What a sin!

Lin Bai reached out to touch Jiang Qingqin's face, nodded, and with a wave of his hand, used the Heavenly River Skill on her.

So be it.

His CP with Jiang Qingqin was certified by the system; he hoped the system would not slap him in the face. If the Heavenly River was truly useless, it would be better to let Jiang Qingqin give up...

A river appeared out of thin air.

In an instant.

Lin Bai was pushed away by the Heavenly River.

Jiang Qingqin's eyes lit up in an instant; she looked at Lin Bai and took a step forward in excitement.

The water of the Heavenly River surged again, continuing to push Lin Bai backward.

In a short while, the river water had covered the entire room.

As expected.

The system did not slap him in the face. Lin Bai let out a soft breath, canceled the Heavenly River, and looked helplessly at the beaming Jiang Qingqin: "Are you satisfied now?"

"Satisfied." The Heavenly River could push Lin Bai away, and Jiang Qingqin came back to life; she nodded joyfully, "Master, from now on, whatever you say goes; I will never act on my own or interfere with any of your decisions again. I will do as the Nine Ancestors said and strive not to fight for love."

"Yes." Lin Bai nodded, but he was thinking about something else in his heart.

He and Xu Longyun were also a system-certified CP, which meant that the Heavenly River could also separate him and Xu Longyun. If the Heavenly River Skill could take effect on him, then the Magpie Bridge must also be able to take effect.

He looked at Jiang Qingqin and said, "Qingqin, go out for a moment."

"Where to?" Jiang Qingqin asked.

"Anywhere, just get further away from me," Lin Bai said, "I have realized some new abilities and need to verify them."

"Abilities of the Love Dao?" Jiang Qingqin's eyes grew even brighter.

"Yes." Lin Bai nodded.

"Okay." Jiang Qingqin turned around without hesitation and flew out the door.

The speed of a Golden Core Cultivator was already very slow in Lin Bai's eyes.

But in a moment, Jiang Qingqin had still flown more than three miles away; she stood in the air, looking at Lin Bai from afar.

Lin Bai nodded at her and activated the Magpie Bridge Skill.

In an instant.

Countless magpies flapped their wings, forming a bridge between the two of them, spanning more than three miles; it was spectacular.

The appearance of the Magpie Bridge immediately attracted the gazes of countless people.

Lin Bai stepped onto the Magpie Bridge and was just about to walk along it, but in the next instant, he had already arrived in front of Jiang Qingqin.

Jiang Qingqin had also arrived at the middle of the Magpie Bridge at this time.

The two stood on the Magpie Bridge, facing each other, like a perfect couple.

Jiang Qingqin looked at Lin Bai opposite her, then looked at the dancing magpies under her feet, her face full of surprise: "Master, what ability is this? I barely made a move, and I arrived at the middle of the bridge; it is too magical."

"Magpie Bridge. Once you step onto the Magpie Bridge, people who love each other can rush toward each other no matter how far apart they are." Lin Bai leaned down to catch the nimble magpies under his feet, but he grabbed nothing; those dancing magpies were not solid, but more like illusions. Though, come to think of it, how could real magpies support two living people?

"Only people who love each other can rush toward each other?" Jiang Qingqin's eyes rippled, and she felt as if she were melting; although the ability was not realized by her, she had received too many surprises today.

"Yes." Lin Bai nodded with a smile. He looked under the bridge; some players were tentatively trying to walk onto the Magpie Bridge, but no matter what they tried, they could not step onto it.

He had an ability for escaping!

Compared to Xu Longyun's Thousand Mile Talisman, the Magpie Bridge was faster.

The only useless part was the setting of "people who love each other"; the limitations were too great.

"Qingqin, stand steady; I am going to retract the Magpie Bridge." While speaking to Jiang Qingqin, Lin Bai looked toward the direction of the cooking competition and suddenly asked, "The Nine Ancestors told you that love requires tolerance, right?"

"Mm." Jiang Qingqin nodded, not understanding why.

"I need to verify whether the Magpie Bridge can connect to Xu Longyun's side; please don't mind," Lin Bai said. "You have also seen the function of the Magpie Bridge; during battle, the Magpie Bridge can be used to save one's life."

Does having more lovers mean having more paths?

Jiang Qingqin was stunned, but remembering the Heavenly River from just a moment ago, she nodded helplessly, while simultaneously persuading herself in her heart to be tolerant; she had to be tolerant—perhaps the Magpie Bridge couldn't connect to Xu Longyun at all?

But the next moment.

Jiang Qingqin was disappointed.

A new Magpie Bridge appeared beneath Lin Bai's feet, spanning more than ten miles and plunging straight into the venue of the Culinary Arts Competition; the long Magpie Bridge was even larger than the one she had just been standing on.

There really was an illicit affair between them; Jiang Qingqin's gaze instantly turned sorrowful, and she sighed to herself—the Nine Ancestors had probably seen it long ago, which was why they told her to be tolerant!

She tentatively stepped onto the Magpie Bridge leading to Xu Longyun, but her foot passed through the phantom image of the magpies; she had no qualification to step onto the bridge between Lin Bai and Xu Longyun.

……

The moment the first Magpie Bridge appeared, Xu Longyun saw it; looking at Lin Bai and Jiang Qingqin standing on the Magpie Bridge, her heart felt sour and quite unpleasant.

The Magpie Bridge that suddenly appeared before her made Xu Longyun freeze; before she could react, Lin Bai had already arrived in front of her, yet she still didn't give Lin Bai a good look—first being lovey-dovey with Jiang Qingqin on the bridge, and now thinking of her, what did he take her for?

How would the world view her?

……

Sure enough, if one side doesn't move.

The two people would not meet in the middle of the bridge.

A divine Skill for fleeing and traveling!

Having verified the function of the Magpie Bridge, Lin Bai was wild with joy in his heart; however, he also saw Xu Longyun's gloomy face, so he smiled slightly and transmitted his voice: "Xiaoyun, 'Tender as water, the tryst a dream, how can one bear to look back at the path of the Magpie Bridge? If the two hearts are constant, why must they be together day and night?' Do you remember this poem? The Magpie Bridge is the divine ability I comprehended from it..."

(End of this chapter)