Chapter 276: The Storm is Coming

The Zhenguo Duke gradually calmed down. He looked at Lin Bai, seemingly re-evaluating the young man before him: "What percentage of certainty do you have of winning this war?"

"One hundred percent." Lin Bai blurted out without thinking.

"What tactics will you use?" the Zhenguo Duke pressed.

"I have come to promote the Law, so naturally, I will use the Law to face the enemy." Lin Bai looked at the Zhenguo Duke with an expression that seemed to ask, how did you even become the Zhenguo Duke?

The Zhenguo Duke's Negative Emotion had not stopped, so he simply let it be; he felt that as long as Xu Longyun was with him, the Zhenguo Duke would likely never have a good impression of him.

Is this the husband you chose?

The Zhenguo Duke glanced at Xu Longyun, shook his head inwardly, and suppressed his inner rage, saying: "Lin Bai, if the Law is all like marriage or the Heavenly River, only disgusting people without hurting them, I fear it will be of no use this time. To establish authority, one must kill. The reason the Seven Righteous Sects and the Demonic Five Sects dominate the Cultivation World is because they have survived several Great Wars of Gods and Demons, carving out their reputations through mountains of corpses and rivers of blood. To date, how many people has your Justice Alliance killed? Those who join the Justice Alliance are safe and sound; they suffer no losses, and the methods used against you will only become increasingly insane and unscrupulous..."

"Duke, I am more adept at winning people over with virtue," Lin Bai said with a faint smile.

"Do not smile." The Zhenguo Duke smiled while glaring at Lin Bai in annoyance, painfully performing a display of facial expressions before him.

Watching her dignified old father forced to make faces, Xu Longyun burst into a giggle.

The Zhenguo Duke glared at her and said: "Lin Bai, the Heavenly Dao Journal is already writing articles using your Law. Have you ever thought about what the world will eventually become if the Law you currently possess spreads throughout it? You keep claiming it is for the Heavenly Dao, but in the eyes of the wise, your Law is the way of demons. Tell me, how can the Taiyi Kingdom assist you?"

"Duke, in your heart, is the Law Cultivation harder to accept than the art of killing?" Lin Bai sighed inexplicably and changed the subject. "The reason I was so impatient to use the Magpie Bridge for the world was to reverse the world's impression of Law Cultivation."

"Duke, this world is sick. As civilization develops forward, the majority should benefit. Yet, in today's civilization, it is the minority of cultivators who benefit; they seek longevity and seize the resources of heaven and earth for themselves. What benefit is there to the people?"

"To put it bluntly, today's cultivators are the parasites of heaven and earth. The path of cultivation could have benefited the nation and the people; the people and civilization could complement each other, fully capable of developing upward together and rapidly pushing the progress of civilization..."

As he spoke.

Lin Bai looked at the bamboo in the Zhenguo Duke's study, pointed a finger, and cast the "Spring Breeze and Rain Art" rewarded by the Farming System. A breeze blew past, and tiny raindrops appeared out of thin air, covering the bamboo. Under the eyes of the three, the small bamboo stretched its branches and leaves, growing a size larger in the blink of an eye.

Xu Longyun's eyes widened involuntarily.

The Zhenguo Duke looked at the bamboo that had grown in an instant and frowned slightly.

"The Spring Breeze and Rain Art, a technique of the Justice Sect, can accelerate the growth of crops," Lin Bai said. "If this method is used in agriculture, there will be no more starving people in the world. This is a spell researched by my master for the purpose of blessing the world. Duke, does the current Cultivation World have such spells for the sake of the people and the commoners?"

"..." The Zhenguo Duke was silent.

"All cultivators have taken the wrong path." The topic was successfully diverted. Lin Bai looked at the Zhenguo Duke and struck while the iron was hot. "Duke, your path is also wrong. As long as you sincerely contribute to the majority, you will surely gain the support of the majority; you will not succeed just because of some baseless smears."

"I charge to the front in everything. The Justice Alliance has so many people now, and to this day, not one has betrayed me. Distance tests a horse's strength, and time reveals a person's heart. I only concern myself with doing my own work; as for who is right and who is wrong, I will leave that to time to prove."

Do you really think I don't know your methods?

Could they survive if they left the Justice Alliance?

The Zhenguo Duke did not feel at all that the topic had been led astray by Lin Bai without him noticing; he looked at Lin Bai with annoyance.

What "time proves everything"—you were the one who built the Magpie Bridge into my mansion, right! And you were the one who said you would throw the world into chaos if you failed, right!

However.

At this moment, the Zhenguo Duke's opinion of Lin Bai had actually changed. Throughout history, those who achieve great things are all thick-skinned and black-hearted; this little fox Lin Bai clearly already possessed these traits.

Turning his head, he saw the way Xu Longyun was staring at Lin Bai without blinking, and the Zhenguo Duke felt another pang of heartache: "Let's not mention the matter of borrowing troops for now. You and Xiaoyun's affair—you must give me a count! A County Princess of the dignified Zhenguo Duke Mansion cannot always stay by your side without a name or status!"

Xu Longyun's eyes brightened slightly, and for the first time, she began to look at her father properly.

"The Magpie Bridge is the status," Lin Bai said, looking at Xu Longyun tenderly. "The whole world knows that I wrote the 'Magpie Bridge Fairy' for the County Princess, and now, I have comprehended the divine ability of the Magpie Bridge through the 'Magpie Bridge Fairy'. In the future, as the Magpie Bridge is set up in various places, whenever someone steps onto the Magpie Bridge, they will be reminded of the love story between me and Xu Longyun. Duke, is this kind of status that will be remembered for ages enough to match the identity of a County Princess?"

"Enough, it is enough!" Before the Zhenguo Duke could speak, Xu Longyun was already nodding busily, her eyes shimmering as she looked at Lin Bai, her heart already completely filled by him.

A love story set by "Magpie Bridge Fairy" and then connected to the world by the Magpie Bridge, to be passed down through the ages—could there be anything more romantic in the world? Compared to her, Jiang Qingqin was nothing!

"Of course, if the Duke is still not satisfied, once Lin Bai has pacified the world and truly stands firm, I shall marry the County Princess under the gaze of all." Lin Bai smiled slightly at Xu Longyun and turned back to the Zhenguo Duke with a firm gaze.

Hearing this, Xu Longyun blushed, and her whole being felt like it was melting.

Sigh!

The Zhenguo Duke sighed silently. With things having reached this point, what more could he say? Watching his daughter snuggled against Lin Bai like a little bird, he was ultimately somewhat resentful and couldn't help but try to obstruct him: "Lin Bai, have you ever thought about what will happen to my daughter one day if you truly attain the Heavenly Dao?"

"Who can say for sure about the future?" Lin Bai looked at Xu Longyun and said wistfully, "Duke, my goal is indeed the Heavenly Dao. But as my cultivation of the Law deepens, my understanding of the Way of Love has already surpassed 'speaking the law into existence'. At this rate, I fear the possibility of me becoming the Love God is far greater than becoming the Heavenly Dao. Currently, I am searching for a way for the Heavenly Dao and the Way of Love to coexist. Therefore, Duke, do not force these minor details. In short, you must believe that I will absolutely not treat the County Princess poorly."

The Yuelao System mission required him to become famous through the Way of Love.

Lin Bai had to find a way to reverse his image of being obsessed with the Heavenly Dao.

Cooperating with the Zhenguo Duke to promote the Magpie Bridge was a great opportunity to reverse his image.

Lin Bai believed that the Zhenguo Duke would rather he become the Love God and fly away with Xu Longyun than become the high and mighty Heavenly Dao, leaving Xu Longyun heartbroken.

Therefore, he gave the Zhenguo Duke a clever hint.

To Lin Bai, whether it was the Heavenly Dao or the Love God, it was all fake; in the end, the system was more important, so he would use whichever was advantageous.

"Duke, do you have any other questions?" Lin Bai asked. "The Justice Alliance is in imminent danger; I cannot stay at the Zhenguo Duke Mansion for too long."

"You knew that exposing the Magpie Bridge would drag the Justice Alliance into the Abyss, so why didn't you lay out your plans in secret, but instead insisted on exposing the Magpie Bridge prematurely?" The Zhenguo Duke pondered for a moment and asked. "Was it just to coerce the Taiyi Kingdom into tying the Taiyi Kingdom and the Justice Alliance to the same boat?"

"The promotion of the Law cannot be delayed. Generally speaking, I choose the most direct and effective method, rather than the safest one," Lin Bai said. "Duke, my time is calculated in days. When I slow down and think about being safe, the Seven Righteous Sects and the Demonic Five Sects become even safer..."

Closing his eyes to think for a moment, the Zhenguo Duke opened them again and looked at Lin Bai: "The mobilization order for the Zhenbei Army must pass through His Majesty. I will persuade His Majesty. Even if I persuade His Majesty, it will still take two days for the Zhenbei Army to assemble. These two days, you will have to hold on by yourself..."

"No problem," Lin Bai said. "Two days is already very fast."

"Father, are there any other Dharma Treasures at home? Give them to Brother Lin for self-defense!" Xu Longyun said.

"Once the Zhenbei Army is dispatched, it means the Taiyi Kingdom and the Seven Righteous Sects have officially torn off their masks. One move affects the whole situation; all the monarchs and ministers of the Taiyi Kingdom will have to struggle for this falling out with the Seven Righteous Sects. Once this step is taken, there is no turning back. By then, your father and your brothers will likely have to enter the battlefield as well. All the supplies of the Zhenguo Duke Mansion will be prioritized for the soldiers in the army; there will be no surplus to provide to the Justice Alliance."

The Zhenguo Duke glanced at his daughter who was siding with outsiders and pointed to a box of Concentration Fruit, saying, "The Justice Sect is wealthy and powerful; I imagine they do not need the treasures of the Zhenguo Duke."

"Xiaoyun, with the Hunyuan Jade and the Thousand Mile Talisman, I am already content. Do not make things difficult for the Zhenguo Duke anymore." Lin Bai smiled, stopped Xu Longyun who was still trying to argue for him, and bowed to the Zhenguo Duke. "Since that is the case, Lin will wait for the good news from the Zhenguo Duke in Zhen City. After returning to Zhen City, I will seek out more lovers within the Justice Alliance and set up a few more Magpie Bridges between Zhen City and the capital. At that time, the Zhenbei Army and supplies can be quickly transported to Zhen City. The Duke can also contact the direction of Zhen City at any time through the lovers; if there are new changes, both sides can communicate and contact each other at any time..."

Having persuaded the Zhenguo Duke, Lin Bai immediately returned to Zhen City via the Magpie Bridge, while Xu Longyun was kept behind by the Zhenguo Duke.

Returning to Zhen City.

Lin Bai announced to the members of the alliance the news of the initial cooperation reached with the Taiyi Kingdom. After further stabilizing the morale of the army, he began to search for true couples among the lovers they had selected through the Heavenly River.

All along.

It was Lin Bai who had been promoting that the cultivation requirements for the Great Way of Love were high. In fact, the Yuelao System did not have high requirements for lovers. There were many marriages in the world; how could it require every pair to have love stronger than gold? As long as there was love between the two, the Heavenly River would be triggered easily.

Except for the natives who were paired with players, most of the temporarily matched Daoist couples in the Justice Alliance actually passed the test of the Heavenly River.

This greatly boosted the confidence of the Justice Alliance members in cultivating the Love Dao.

Before being tested by the Heavenly River, everyone was anxious; being eliminated by the Heavenly River meant that one was not loyal enough in love, and if that spread, it would be fine for women, but for men, if they wanted to find a Dao companion again and cultivate the Love Dao, they would likely have no chance left.

Fortunately, the Heavenly River was reliable enough to fulfill the wishes of most people.

In this test of love, the Heavenly Descended became pieces of trash; failing the Heavenly River time and again broke up all the fake couples, and no more natives were willing to form a CP with them.

Players who had once joined Illusion Valley and Hundred Flowers Valley, aiming to live off women, cried out in injustice and protested indignantly, swearing their loyalty to love to their former lovers, but no one cared about their thoughts at all; with a great war imminent, players who could not be put to use were just dead weight in the eyes of the natives...

After making a fuss for a while and seeing that it had no effect, the players soon returned to calm; they also knew that their love was utilitarian, so it was perfectly normal that they did not pass.

If they had actually passed, they would have had even more reason to worry.

If they were hung on the forums later, they would likely become the target of Zhaofeng from all players.

In the game, one could fall in love with a player, but one certainly couldn't fall in love with an NPC!

But the convenience of the Magpie Bridge still kept the players from giving up.

Watching the Magpie Bridges built by the natives, connecting from Zhen City to the capital, the players were envious beyond measure, and one by one they cast their gazes toward the Lin Bai Support Group, thinking of pairing up within it, attempting to activate the function of the Magpie Bridge through Lin Bai.

Possessing a teleportation bridge of one's own meant one could live a carefree life in the game without having to top up money.

After all, the game had all five senses, and enjoying oneself in the game was even more comfortable than outside!

While the Justice Alliance was busy.

The Duke Protecting the State encountered obstacles on his side. For ten thousand years, the Seven Righteous Sects and the Demonic Five Sects had held great prestige, and not everyone was willing to go to war head-on with the Seven Righteous Sects.

The imperial court was arguing incessantly; some believed this was a once-in-a-millennium opportunity, some believed it was a sign of the nation's destruction, and some even proposed the idea of driving away the Justice Alliance first...

But one by one, the lovers confirmed by the Heavenly River arrived in Zhen City through the Magpie Bridges initially hypothesized by Lin Bai and Xu Longyun.

And then.

Lin Bai acted first and reported later; as the Magpie Bridges connected Zhen City and the capital like rainbows, the voices of protest gradually faded into silence.

After all.

Except for Lin Bai, no one could cancel the Magpie Bridges.

With the strength accumulated by the Taiyi Kingdom over many years, they could easily kill the Bridge Guardians teleported over from the Justice Alliance.

But doing so would be tantamount to going to war with the Justice Alliance before the Seven Righteous Sects did.

The County Princess of the Duke Protecting the State's household was Lin Bai's lover, and the Duke Protecting the State held absolute power in the Taiyi Kingdom; if they went to war with the Justice Alliance and forced the Duke Protecting the State to defect, the nation would perish even faster.

Therefore, the voices of protest gradually disappeared, and all the ministers of the Taiyi Kingdom were forced to begin discussing the specific details of cooperating with the Justice Alliance...

Of course, Lin Bai did not give them a chance to go back on their word; that very day, he published the news of the Justice Alliance and the Taiyi Kingdom joining forces to promote the Magpie Bridges in *Justice Weekly*.

However.

After this article was released, it did not cause much of a stir.

Whether it was the common people or nations like Taichu and Taihao, they still kept their eyes focused on the conflict between the Justice Alliance and the Seven Righteous Sects.

Everyone knew that the appearance of the Magpie Bridges was enough to change the world, but the prerequisite for changing the world was that Lin Bai could survive; otherwise, everything was an illusion.

The conflict came too suddenly, catching everyone off guard, to the point where they didn't even have a countermeasure.

As of now, the only thing everyone could do was watch and wait; once Lin Bai and the Seven Righteous Sects had an initial result, they would make their decisions...

(End of this chapter)