Chapter 401: Confrontation

"Kill one Justice Alliance cultivator at the Golden Core stage or below; reward: ten Peiyuan Pills."

"Kill one Justice Alliance Nascent Soul cultivator; reward: ten Lion Heart Pills."

"Kill one Justice Alliance Spirit Transformation stage cultivator; reward: ten Dragon Tiger Pills."

"Kill one Justice Alliance Void Refinement Realm cultivator; reward: one admission quota for the Basic Academy."

……

"Kill a sect leader; reward: qualification as a personal disciple of the Star Brilliance Realm."

"Kill a core disciple of Lin Bai; reward: qualification as a personal disciple of the Star Diamond Realm."

"Assassinate the editor-in-chief of 'Justice Weekly', die ten times; reward: ten Dragon Tiger Pills, one town house."

"Sabotage projects promoted by the Justice Alliance; reward: ten Dahuan Pills."

"Kill any one of Xu Longyun, Jiang Qingqin, or the little white fox; reward: qualification as a personal disciple of the Star Brilliance Realm, status as a City Lord."

"Kill Lin Bai; qualification as a personal disciple of a Heavenly King."

……

The lives of players in the Immortal World suddenly became easier.

Overnight, various towns lifted restrictions on them, allowing them to use teleportation arrays, allowing them to use silver from the Mortal World to purchase supplies within the towns, establishing dedicated living areas for them, and even lifting the ban on Celestials teaching them skills, among other things.

As long as they held the nameplate issued upon entering the Immortal World, their rights and interests in the Immortal World were no different from those of normal Celestials, and their treatment was countless times better than that of ascenders.

And not long after their treatment was improved, various towns launched public mission boards specifically targeting them.

Lin Bai and the members of his Justice Alliance were all marked with prices and became mission targets.

……

Under the mission board, a group of players chattered away, discussing the Immortal World's political decrees:

"The Justice Alliance exposed the Heavenly King's identity and transported so many players to the Immortal World, attempting to stir up chaos; the Immortal World's Nine Heavenly Kings countered immediately. The gods are fighting, but we are the ones benefiting. Beautiful."

"They should be made to compete. I have to say, the Justice Alliance lost this round."

"The Anti-Lin Bai Alliance was established just in time; if they weren't opposing Lin Bai, the situation would still be under Lin Bai's control!"

"Control my foot. Why did Lin Bai compromise with the Anti-Lin Bai Alliance? It's because he couldn't control it anymore. Otherwise, he wouldn't have shifted the battlefield to the Shenmo Dalu; this is clearly a strategic retreat and transfer."

"I have to say, players understand players better. The Heavenly King issued missions directly to us. By using missions to mobilize the players' enthusiasm, Lin Bai can't even seek stability anymore."

"The resources of the Immortal World are too precious; I'm afraid the members of the Justice Alliance will defect."

"Lin Bai spread his operations too thin; he lacks manpower. This disaster is his due!"

"If you take too big a step, you're liable to tear your crotch. Lin Bai took this tumble because he was too used to smooth sailing. Once the Justice Alliance collapses, the empire he built will collapse entirely."

"It won't collapse. Lin Bai has the Magpie Bridge; he can still hold his basic foundation."

"He can't hold it. People have already publicly revealed methods to enter and exit the Immortal World while bypassing the Magpie Bridge. It's nothing more than dying twice. The lost levels can be made up by eating one or two pills. Compared to the rewards, it's not a loss at all. The Peiyuan Pills of the Immortal World are not the same quality as the trash from the lower realms. One Peiyuan Pill down, and your level is instantly boosted to the Nascent Soul realm. And ten such Peiyuan Pills only require killing one cultivator below the Golden Core stage. Cultivators who haven't formed a Golden Core don't even know Wind Riding; at best, they're just large-sized martial artists. Cultivating in the Immortal World for a day or two is enough to take them down..."

"The cultivation techniques to take them down were provided by Lin Bai's own Justice Alliance. Thinking about it, it's truly pathetic!"

"The Immortal World is trying to cut off the roots of the Justice Alliance!"

"Below is a real world, yet because of the struggle between Lin Bai and the Immortal World, it's going to flow with blood. Thinking about it, I feel a bit reluctant to take action against them!"

"What's there to be reluctant about? The cultivators have been guarding against us from the very beginning!"

"Lin Bai would never imagine that the world he desperately wanted to save is heading toward catastrophe because of him."

"This was an unavoidable matter to begin with. Without Lin Bai, if the number of players increased, the people of the Mortal World wouldn't have gained any benefits either; the conflict between the two sides would have erupted eventually. Being targeted by the Game Company might just be their destiny..."

"Why pity them? Lin Bai has his eyes on our world too. You don't really think he sent the Magpie Bridge into our world to promote peaceful exchange between the two worlds, do you!"

……

With players involved, all sides are basically playing with their cards face up.

What kind of movement can't be hidden?

Lin Bai, who was currently plotting a godhood for his disciple, soon learned of the latest developments in the Immortal World.

The sect masters of the Seven Righteous Sects and the Demonic Five Sects, as well as the royal families of several countries, all came running to Lin Bai for help.

The Spirit Qi of the Immortal World is too dense; even players who have just entered the game can crush the bottom-tier disciples of various sects after cultivating there for a day or two.

For sects on the outskirts of Basic City, Nascent Soul cultivation is already considered top-tier combat power, and disciples below the Golden Core stage make up the majority.

The missions issued by the Immortal World even target disciples below the Golden Core stage, which means that once the offensive begins, the cultivators of the Mortal World will suffer a devastating blow.

Yet the Immortal World has imposed a blockade on them, and ordinary cultivators are even deprived of the opportunity to enter the Immortal World to cultivate.

What's pathetic is that even if they could enter the Immortal World to cultivate alongside the players, their speed wouldn't keep up with the players...

……

"Alliance Leader, the Immortal World is trying to cut off our cultivation heritage. What should we do?" Ancestor Yuan Qing asked.

"Most players are still at a low level and can't do anything to cultivators above the Void Refinement Realm for the time being, but the bottom-tier cultivators are no match for them! There is no logic in being a thief for a thousand days, only to have to guard against a thief for a thousand days," the Frost Sword Saint said with grief and indignation. "Even if all the experts of the Void Refinement Realm are sent out, they can't save everyone."

"And it's impossible to concentrate all the bottom-tier disciples in the sects; the resources simply aren't enough to sustain them," said Ye Luo of the Poison Sect.

"Even if they are concentrated together, we can't defend against them. There are Tribulation Transcendence Realm experts among the players. The Anti-Lin Bai Alliance has long provided them with methods. Once they sneak into the sects and trigger a lightning tribulation, I'm afraid everyone will be wiped out," said Lu Wei of Wanhun Valley fiercely. "If I had known this, I shouldn't have taught them the cultivation techniques in the first place."

Lin Bai glanced at Lu Wei unexpectedly.

Lu Wei suddenly remembered that it was Lin Bai who proposed attracting players with cultivation techniques and sending them into the Immortal World. His heart skipped a beat, and cold sweat broke out instantly. He accompanied it with a fawning smile and said, "Alliance Leader, I didn't mean to complain about you. Under the circumstances at the time, sending them into the Immortal World was indeed the best choice. But times have changed; who would have thought that the Heavenly King of the Immortal World would use such despicable tactics."

"Think of those predecessors who ascended; the Celestials have never treated us as human beings," Qu Chaozong of the Blood Sect said, stepping in to relieve Lu Wei. "If you want to blame someone, blame the Game Company; they are the ones who created such a batch of monsters."

"Alliance Leader, why don't we strike first!" said the Demon Lord of Tianmo Mountain. "Use the Magpie Bridge to storm into the Real World, kill all the players, cut off the supply at the source, and end it once and for all."

Cheng Xunyun's face changed instantly. He stood up abruptly and said urgently, "Alliance Leader, we cannot do that. They are also lives; they have just been used by others. Once we take action against the real-world players, it will incite public anger. Our world also has billions of people, and they are all innocent. Thanks to the Alliance Leader's efforts, the two worlds have finally managed to coexist peacefully. If hatred is triggered by slaughter, and it happens to be exploited by the Game Company, the two sides will truly be locked in a fight to the death, ultimately triggering the destruction of the world."

"Your world cannot be destroyed, but are we just meant to be exterminated?" The Saint Lord of the Shengji Sect looked at Cheng Xunyun, his gaze as cold as if he wanted to kill.

"Saint Lord, that's not what I meant." Cheng Xunyun wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and hurriedly defended himself, "I mean, if we work together, we can definitely find a more reasonable solution. After all, we are members of the Justice Alliance, and mutual aid is the purpose of the alliance. Moreover, we have been helping your world with construction; we are faithfully executing the Alliance Leader's orders!"

As he spoke.

He looked at the monarchs of the Taiyi Kingdom and the Taichu Kingdom, "Your Majesties, you have also seen the hard work of the laborers; they have been working overtime and without complaint. And among those players, there may very well be their own relatives! The missions issued by the Immortal World are not only targeting cultivators, but also our projects; they are our enemies too!"

The monarchs of Taiyi, Taichu, and other kingdoms nodded: "Holy Lord, it is indeed not yet at the point of invading the Real World and forcing the two worlds into a desperate struggle."

As monarchs of their respective kingdoms, they understood Cheng Xunyun's situation best; no monarch of any kingdom wished to push their own people into deep water and scorching fire.

For now, the Immortal World's mission was still only targeting the Justice Alliance.

Once the Holy Lord and the others invaded the Real World and angered the players, causing those players to take action against the common people, that would be the true catastrophe; the destruction of kingdoms and the annihilation of races could occur.

"Husband, they have gone too far." Xu Longyun's face was as cold as frost.

"They are players to begin with; according to player logic, it is normal for them to do even more excessive things," 【Xianxia First Paparazzo】 remarked with a sharp, hit-the-nail-on-the-head sarcasm.

This time, he was also on the bounty list, with a reward even higher than that of the sect leaders; he did not know whether to feel fortunate or sorrowful.

He had entered the game solely to build his career, his level was not high, and he did not care much about levels, but being assassinated from time to time was becoming annoying.

That meant he could not get anything done.

He was a player himself and understood the character of players better than anyone; let alone having a reward, even without one, they would be eager to stir up some trouble.

To tell the truth.

The game had been running for nearly a year, and for Lin Bai to stabilize the situation until now by his own strength was already truly remarkable.

……

Everyone discussed countermeasures in a hubbub of voices, but Lin Bai did not speak.

He naturally knew the purpose of the nine Heavenly Kings of the Immortal World; it was nothing more than wanting to force him into the Immortal World and ultimately extinguish himself, a hidden danger unfavorable to them.

In any case, they could not come to the lower realm, and there were no resources there either; to them, it was dispensable, so if it was destroyed, it was destroyed...

However.

This move was indeed ruthless enough, striking directly at his weak point; destruction was far easier than construction, and no matter how powerful he was, he could not protect the entire world alone.

Moreover, just as Cheng Xunyun had said, if he went to the Real World to kill all the players, it would be equivalent to directly inciting a war between the two worlds.

If the Game Company took advantage of this to intervene, launch a nationwide game, have billions of players enter the Xianxia World, and then create a bunch of Lucky Accounts within it, it would truly be impossible to clean up.

After thinking quietly for a moment, Lin Bai said: "Relocate all low-level Cultivators to Shenmo Dalu. Stones from other hills may serve to polish the jade of this one; let them practice some Magic from Shenmo Dalu. It might allow their realms to improve, and besides, Shenmo Dalu has no lightning tribulations, which can prevent the threat of Heavenly Tribulation."

"Brilliant!" 【Xianxia First Paparazzo】's eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands, "Taking a step back opens up a vast sky. The Alliance Leader's next battlefield is in Shenmo Dalu. Relocating all Cultivators there can also put pressure on the gods of Shenmo Dalu. Moreover, players of the Xianxia World have no way to set up Resurrection Points in Shenmo Dalu. As long as the Cultivators are relocated there and the Magpie Bridge is cut off, this catastrophe can be nipped in the bud."

"Alliance Leader, the Cultivators can be relocated, but what about the ordinary people?" The monarch of Taiyi Kingdom frowned, "Without the Cultivators, once they vent their anger on the people, the ordinary commoners will be even less able to resist them."

"There are too many commoners; we can't possibly relocate them all to Shenmo Dalu too!" said the monarch of Taichu Kingdom, "Their livelihoods are here; it is simply impossible to accomplish."

"And there are ongoing projects; if they are destroyed by them, we cannot bear the cost," the monarch of Taihao Kingdom added.

In the past, they would have been eager for Lin Bai to relocate all the Cultivators and sects.

But in the current situation, if the Cultivators left, they would be the first to bear the brunt.

Lin Bai looked at 【Xianxia First Paparazzo】 and said: "Issue a warning in the *Justice Weekly*: if any player dares to take action against ordinary commoners or basic livelihood infrastructure, they will be the enemy of all humanity. I will destroy them at the source."

"The source?" 【Xianxia First Paparazzo】 was stunned.

"Cheng Xunyun, find a few players to cooperate with me. Paparazzo, bring a video recorder and record every scene," Lin Bai instructed.

A Magpie Bridge connected into the Real World.

Under the gaze of everyone.

Lin Bai demonstrated how to easily pull a player out of an indestructible Game Capsule.

【Xianxia First Paparazzo】 was dumbfounded: "Holy crap, if this video is released, the players will definitely blow up."

"If they want to blow up, let them blow up. Otherwise, they really think I have no way to deal with them!" Lin Bai said coldly, "Scaring them is much better than ending up with a river of blood. I hope no one shows themselves to be ignorant of what is good for them."

……

The bounty order from the Immortal World had only just been issued, and the players were still eager to make preparations.

After all, to kill, one had to level up first.

But on that very day, the Magpie Bridge connected to various places, and batches of Cultivators packed up their equipment and belongings, dragging their families along as they stepped onto the Magpie Bridge and entered Shenmo Dalu.

With the Magpie Bridge, moving house was faster than anyone else's.

……

The Immortal World.

The players who received the news were dumbstruck.

"Holy crap, this reaction is too fast!"

"Moving the whole family? I didn't expect Lin Bai to have a time when he's afraid, hahahaha!"

"Do they really think that once they reach Shenmo Dalu and cut off the Magpie Bridge, we won't have a way?"

"What way is there? Shenmo Dalu doesn't have our Resurrection Points."

"The Lingjie Fengxi; the Lingjie Fengxi should be the passage connecting the Xianxia World and Shenmo Dalu. Even without Lin Bai's Magpie Bridge, the two worlds would eventually be opened up through the Lingjie Fengxi and finally achieve intersection. I think that was the Game Company's original plan."

"How do you know that?"

"I love researching history and specifically studied the records of various sects regarding the Lingjie Fengxi. Some obscure journals recorded that Cultivators got lost in the Lingjie Fengxi and returned after surviving for a few years; they recorded encountering human races with different languages. Shenmo Dalu also has records of spatial rifts. I compared the history of the two worlds and found that the opening times of the Lingjie Fengxi and the spatial rifts were very close..."

(End of chapter)