Chapter 283: When Laws Are Abused

The old man sealed by the card was released once more; Lin Bai's Void Refinement Realm cultivation increased by one, and his mind was flooded with many soul-controlling and soul-refining techniques from Wanhun Valley.

At the same time.

The previously bright sky was instantly covered in dark clouds, as if night had descended ahead of time.

In the sky to the northwest of Zhen City, a massive skull composed of vengeful spirits suddenly appeared.

The skull was suffused with black energy, radiating a terrifying aura;

Beside the skull, strange-looking demons danced wantonly...

Behind the giant skull, nearly a hundred cultivators flickered in and out of sight; they stood scattered, using the cover of the skull and black mist to rapidly close in on the direction of Zhen City.

Lin Bai's Moon-Chasing is known to all, and no cultivator fighting him would voluntarily stick together; those who came were at least at the Void Refinement Realm, existences capable of suppressing a region wherever they went, and they were not at all afraid of one-on-one combat.

Wanhun Valley and Tianmo Mountain sounded the horn of war.

To the southeast was a dense mass of Demon Beasts; Flying Dragons, goshawks, fierce tigers, and black bears were all present, revealing their true forms, each one massive in size, with no end in sight at a glance...

The Heavenly Sword Sect blocked the east, with sword Qi crisscrossing; the Shengji Sect was in the due west; the Weapon Refinement Sect and Danling Sect were in the southwest; the Moon Spirit Sect, Buddha Spirit Sect, and Heavenly Dao Sect were in the due north...

After the Magpie Bridge spanned out, the Poison Sect and Blood Sect turned directly toward the Capital of the Taiyi Kingdom.

The Seven Righteous Sects and the Demonic Five Sects had already made up their minds to completely force Lin Bai and his Justice Alliance into a dead end.

The ten sects tacitly surrounded Zhen City, pushing inward step by step.

The weakest sect was the Shengji Sect in the due west; after all, the ancestor leading them had defected; next was the direction of the Moon Spirit Sect, as Cen Qing Fairy was not skilled in combat, while the ancestors leading the Buddha Spirit Sect and Heavenly Dao Sect had gone off hand-in-hand to fall in love.

Therefore, their speed of advance was the slowest, leaving the main battlefield to Wanhun Valley, Tianmo Mountain, and the Beast Taming Sect, as these sects were skilled at winning through numbers, and their losses in battle could be considered negligible.

Calling it a siege, it was not actually a siege.

After all, Lin Bai possessed the Magpie Bridge and could withdraw from Zhen City at any time.

What the Seven Righteous Sects and the Demonic Five Sects wanted was a posture, an attitude that under such a grand trend, no petty person could jump around.

All along, the reason Lin Bai and his Justice Alliance had been thriving was due to the victories Lin Bai continuously accumulated and the public opinion propaganda of *Justice Weekly*.

If Lin Bai were beaten into a stray dog, the public support for the Justice Alliance would simultaneously drop to freezing point.

In the eyes of the Seven Righteous Sects and the Demonic Five Sects, ordinary commoners were used to being submissive and could not stir up much of a storm.

And what the Justice Alliance did, they could do as well: build a few shops and simultaneously publish periodicals for positive propaganda.

Before long, Lin Bai and his Justice Alliance would become the dust of history.

"The special effects are too damn good." 【Baiyin】 couldn't help but swallow a mouthful of saliva. "It's hard to imagine that I would personally experience a scene that could only appear in movies within a game. After this battle, other games won't have a way to survive."

"They already didn't have a way to survive." 【Fengzi Nan】 stared fixedly at the direction of Wanhun Valley and said, "This is the top-tier magic of the game world! Even if they moved the entire technology of the Real World over, I'm afraid they wouldn't be their match. The road for players to have their own say in the game world is still very long!"

"Pure technology definitely won't win, but don't forget, our cultivation aptitude is equally heaven-defying. When the time comes, players will possess Great Vehicle Realm cultivation, and then transplant the technology of the Real World over, combining it with the Weapon Refinement techniques in the game to beat the NPCs in the game to a pulp." 【Kugua Teng】 said, "Being Undying and Indestructible, fast leveling speed, and having no bottlenecks—that is our advantage."

"I'm just afraid that when our levels reach halfway, we'll be suppressed." 【Xiashan Hu】 said, "Shopkeeper Lin's Justice Alliance has developed fast enough, yet it still encountered the cross-level suppression of the Seven Righteous Sects and the Demonic Five Sects. If the Justice Alliance can't hold on, can the players' forces hold on?"

"How do you know Shopkeeper Lin can't hold on?" 【Deng Li Buduo】 said.

"I didn't say Shopkeeper Lin couldn't hold on; I was talking about the Justice Alliance." 【Xiashan Hu】 gestured with his chin toward the Justice Alliance Army. "One sneak attack reduced their numbers by one-tenth; can the current scale of the Justice Alliance withstand a few more sneak attacks? Joining the Justice Alliance means death; who will surrender in the future? Even if they surrender, I'm afraid they'll find a way to escape!"

【Launch a war on a larger scale (Completed); Reward: Power Doubling (Distributed)】

【The War God is victorious in every battle; win the current war; Reward: Speed Doubling】

With a ding.

A new notification sound came from Lin Bai's mind.

The moment the war began, the War God System's mission was automatically completed.

A surge of vigorous power instantly filled his body, and he felt his muscles expand significantly in an instant.

Lin Bai subconsciously clenched his fist; all his strength came from the sharing of the Card System, and the only strength that truly belonged to him was the Internal Energy rewarded by the Incomplete System.

He had never experienced the body tempering necessary for ordinary cultivators and warriors.

This time, the Power Doubling brought with it a strengthening of the body, to the extent that Lin Bai felt his Spirit and Internal Energy had merged with his body in this instant, and his whole person felt much more refreshed.

That feeling was just like adding a few weights to one side of a lopsided balance.

The Defense Array of Zhen City was activated, and the Zhenbei Army entered their respective posts at the first opportunity.

Surrounded by enemies.

The least nervous one was Ye Song; he leaned over to Lin Bai's side: "Master, who should we hit first?"

Lin Bai ignored him and instead raised his volume, looking toward the direction of the Justice Alliance Army: "Everyone, this reduction in the Justice Alliance's numbers is my fault. In the coming war, your cultivation is insufficient, and you cannot intervene; going out would only increase casualties. It would be better to stay and guard the city, cooperate with the Heavenly Descended, and broadcast the battle situation outward at all times through *Justice Weekly*. This war is the foundation of the Alliance; I swear to you all, after this battle, no one will ever dare to easily start a war against the Justice Alliance again."

"We obey the Alliance Leader's command." Everyone replied in unison.

Lin Bai turned again to the Duke of Zhen and said: "I must trouble the Duke to act according to the situation."

The Duke of Zhen looked at him and said: "The Zhenbei Army is only responsible for guarding for three hours. Once the Spirit Stones are exhausted, the Zhenbei Army will retreat via the Magpie Bridge and will not make meaningless sacrifices."

"Naturally. Perhaps it won't even take three hours." Lin Bai smiled and nodded at the Duke of Zhen, then turned to call out to Ye Song: "Ye Song, let's go."

As he spoke.

Lin Bai turned on the follow-type Yinxing Sheluoji and, taking his group of Puppets, flew toward the city wall.

"Are we hitting Wanhun Valley and Tianmo Mountain first?" Ye Song followed behind Lin Bai and asked again.

"We'll hit them all together." Lin Bai said.

While speaking, he had already used Heavenly River on all the cultivators outside.

Heavenly River took effect immediately on those in love.

Previously.

Lin Bai's battle record was too fierce, and the Fazhe Zhidao had taken root in people's hearts; many cultivators in various sects were secretly practicing the Fazhe Zhidao. After all, the Love Dao was the simplest and was the first choice for many cultivators.

Later, when Lin Bai mastered Heavenly River, those cultivators who had practiced the Love Dao were terrified of being controlled by Lin Bai and renounced love one after another.

However, unless one kills their lover instantly, how can the feelings one has invested be withdrawn just because one says so?

Yet, the Heavenly River's requirements for love are extremely broad.

The Heavenly River is scattered about in great quantities.

Around Zhen City, at least one-fifth of the Cultivators were struck, and like Ye Song, they had water rings placed upon their bodies.

Lin Bai set a bad example, using the Red Thread and Love Arrow to prove to the world that men can become Dao companions with men, and that love can also blossom between master and disciple...

Therefore, in order to comprehend the Love Dao as quickly as possible, many Cultivators were too lazy to seek love in the mortal world; they would consult with the familiar fellow disciples around them, then make do by forming Dao companionships to cultivate together.

After all, compared to strangers, it is easier for fellow disciples who have spent hundreds of years together day and night to develop feelings; not everyone has an understanding little junior sister.

With the Heavenly River circling, those whose lovers are not by their side are fine; it is just a common little water ring on their backs.

The real fear is when fellow sect members are in love.

The moment the water ring opens, it expands, pushing the two people in opposite directions.

The directions of the Danling Sect and the Beast Taming Sect are the hardest-hit areas.

The Danling Sect consists entirely of female practitioners, making them the top choice for many sects seeking Dao companions.

Female Cultivators are already easily moved by the Love Dao; even without players to tempt them, they would secretly go find people to cultivate the Love Dao with.

As the Heavenly River was sprinkled down, nearly two-thirds were fitted with water rings, and some were even pushed away from their sect's territory on the spot by the surging Heavenly River.

The female Cultivators who were cultivating the Love Dao with players were not affected much; after all, the relationship between players and female Cultivators is more like mutual exploitation, and even the system does not acknowledge their relationship as love.

Therefore.

As the Heavenly River spread out, the players who usually shouted "dear good master" were extremely embarrassed, looking at the Heavenly River opening one after another around them, and then looking at their NPC masters or senior sisters—whom they had swindled of money and affection—who had nothing on them.

The Moon Spirit Sect is actually fine, but the Beast Taming Sect side is simply a disaster; they need to breed more Demon Beasts, and even if there are no feelings between the Demon Beasts, they must be forced to develop them.

Then there is the spontaneous attraction between Demon Beasts, the feelings inevitably generated by Beast Tamers spending day and night with their own Demon Beasts, and so on and so forth.

Coupled with the fact that the people of the Beast Taming Sect did not expect the Heavenly River to be effective on Demon Beasts, they had not made any preparations beforehand.

The moment the Heavenly River struck, the massive group of Demon Beasts was almost instantly scattered by the surging Heavenly River water; one Demon Beast after another was pushed to the ends of the earth by the Heavenly River, unable to gather together even if they wanted to.

Beast Tamers who had developed feelings for their own Demon Beasts had their true feelings exposed on the spot by the Heavenly River; facing the strange looks cast by their fellow disciples, they were so ashamed and angry they wished they could commit suicide right there.

Some things can be done in private, but once brought out into the open, they are somewhat unpresentable; after all, the Beast-Ear Girl was created by Lin Bai, and the Demon Beasts of the Beast Taming Sect are mostly combat-oriented...

The Heavenly River descended chaotically.

In an instant, it disrupted the offensive rhythm of the ten major sects.

Those entangled by the Heavenly River were in a state of chaos; facing this sudden situation, the rapidly approaching giant skull also appeared sluggish for a moment, the giant mouth composed of vengeful spirits hanging open, forgetting to close for a long time.

On the city walls, the Zhenbei Army, having prepared for a bloody battle, were dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events, all of them frozen in place.

Ye Song widened his eyes, finally understanding what Lin Bai meant by "fighting together," and asked in shock: "Lin Bai, does your casting of the Heavenly River not consume your own Spiritual Power?"

"The Fazhe Zhidao exists within the heart; why would it need Spiritual Power?" Lin Bai watched the chaotic results he had caused with satisfaction, and whenever he saw two Cultivators or Demon Beasts pushed close together by the Heavenly River, he would hit them with a 'Moon Chase'.

Can one escape 'Moon Chase' by staying far away?

Don't make me laugh!

With the Heavenly River wrapped around their waists, the Cultivators performing 'Moon Chase' while carrying a curtain of water looked even more graceful.

【Resentment from Sun Peng, Huang Yao Zu, Huo Hao...; +1 +1 +1 +1...】

【Joy from He Qin, Wan Qifeng, Ma Changcheng, Xin Shang...; +1 +1 +1 +1...】

The various Emotion Values on the two emotion trees in Lin Bai's mind began to flood the screen again; these Emotion Values turned into nutrients, fueling the Spirit Fruit and Temperament Fruit, blossoming and bearing fruit—those fruits were already too numerous to count.

As expected, having many systems means there are gains in everything one does.

"Brothers entangled by the Heavenly River, under the heavens, only I can help you remove the Heavenly River. The ancestor of the Shengji Sect, Ye Song, has been fitted with the Heavenly River by me and has already surrendered to the Justice Alliance. If you want to restore your freedom and love, why not stand aside and watch the show?" Lin Bai used his decibel-doubling Skill, his voice clearly entering everyone's ears, "Otherwise, if you injure or kill me, you will have to live your whole life wearing the Heavenly River."

【Resentment from Ye Song; +1 +1 +1...】

Ye Song looked at Lin Bai and said gloomily: "Master, can you not mention me?"

"An expedient measure." Lin Bai glanced at him and smiled, "Don't be so narrow-minded."

In the direction of the Shengji Sect.

Ye Lan, with her dead-man face, lowered her head to look at the Heavenly River wrapped around her waist, then looked at Ye Song, who was standing beside Lin Bai and also wrapped in the Heavenly River; a blush inexplicably flashed across her pale, dead-man face, and she immediately snorted: "So I really did fall for it!"

"Senior Sister Ye, you and Master have both been struck by the Heavenly River; could it be that you two..." Some Disciples of the Shengji Sect let their gazes wander between the two, their eyes filled with astonishment.

"What kind of look is that? Is a senior sister not worthy of having love?" Ye Lan glared at him and said coldly, "I am going to surrender to the Justice Alliance; are you coming or not?"

"..." The Disciples of the Shengji Sect.

Ignoring Ye Song, Lin Bai continued to shout: "Brothers who haven't been struck by the Heavenly River, don't be happy too soon. The human heart is unpredictable; those brothers who have been struck by the Heavenly River might just stab you in the back..."

One sentence.

The opposing side fell into chaos once again.

Cultivators with the Heavenly River and those without it cursed Lin Bai at the same time, and then consciously split into two teams.

I have to say.

Lin Bai was right; after being separated by the Heavenly River, the mentality and interests of both sides had changed unconsciously.

Ye Song was silent; at this moment, he suddenly felt that the so-called catastrophe of the Ziwei Star was simply a joke. Without him as a guardian deity, Lin Bai could still play this group of people into collapse; this guy had only used one move, and the opposing coalition had already split into two factions, guarding against each other.

Too sinister.

The corner of the Duke of Zhen's mouth twitched uncontrollably; he subconsciously looked at Xu Longyun and suddenly understood the reason why she was so devoted to Lin Bai. Although his own daughter was intelligent, Lin Bai could already be called a monster.

"Do not fall for Lin Bai's scheme of sowing discord." At this moment, a deep voice rang out, "The Law of Love is something cultivated by people; Lin Bai can cultivate it, and others can cultivate it too. There must be a way to solve it."

"The Law exists in dependence on Lin Bai; kill Lin Bai, and the Law will be solved instantly." Another sinister voice followed closely, "If it cannot be solved, carrying the Heavenly River is no big deal. If you defect to the Justice Alliance because of this, you will surely be hunted down by us until you die. Everyone, do not ruin yourselves..."

(End of chapter)