Chapter 319: 319 Who is whose thick leg?
Although Lin Bai told everyone that they could ask for food, drink, and items from the outside world through the Players, nobody acted on it.
With the Heavenly Tribulation looming overhead, it was only natural to spend all their time cultivating. Who had the leisure for eating, drinking, and having fun?
But Lin Bai held no such reservations. His Disciples’ cultivation was enough to ensure his steady progress.
He didn’t mind sparing a bit of time for his own practice. After all, the improvement of his personal strength was more focused on the System tasks.
Xu Longyun took over Lin Bai’s role in maintaining order, and Lin Bai made new requests to the outside world through the Players.
He wanted Yan Qing to take the lead in selecting chefs from Taiyi Country, Taichu Country, Taihao Country, Taishi Country, and others. First, they were to host a cooking contest in each country. Then, at the last minute, he would cook a dish remotely for the contest and have himself designated as the champion.
Then, he required the elite chefs selected from these countries to come to the space outside the Tribulation Cloud and host a world-scale cooking contest. Furthermore, he intended to be the champion...
Otherwise, he would take the Tribulation Cloud and go to the various countries himself, gathering the chefs and hosting the cooking contest.
The Cooking God System required Lin Bai to hold a national-level cooking contest. However, based on the System’s task dissemination pattern, Lin Bai had already arranged for a world-level cooking contest.
Anyway, he didn’t need to lift a finger. Even if his predictions were wrong, he wouldn’t suffer much loss.
「...」
Once the news was released, the Cultivation World was infuriated.
Taiyi Country enjoyed the benefits Lin Bai brought. Their only concern was that if Lin Bai perished, the Seven Righteous Sects would settle accounts with them afterward. Otherwise, they were indifferent.
Countries like Taichu and Taihao, from their kings down to their ministers, had not reaped any benefits from Lin Bai. Yet, they had to endure troubles caused by someone in the midst of a Heavenly Tribulation. Their negative emotions kept piling up...
Everyone knew that Lin Bai was cultivating the Way of Cooking. However, no one dared to firmly refuse him. Even the covert tactics previously suggested by the Players—to feign agreement while secretly causing trouble—were unworkable.
After all, Lin Bai only needed to give orders; it was they who had to do the work.
If Lin Bai became dissatisfied and came at them with the Tribulation Cloud, no one wanted to bear such consequences.
Any Sect that disagreed would have to be persuaded by these countries. They were in charge of transporting chefs and arranging venues—they had to do all the dirty and strenuous jobs. It was as if Lin Bai had already become the supreme leader of the Cultivation World, the most powerful person alive.
It was frustrating, more frustrating than when Lin Bai was wandering out there...
They really felt damned. Couldn’t he just quietly wait for death?
So, despite their complaints, they still had to do what needed to be done.
That very day, the Cultivators of the Seven Righteous Sects and the Five Demon Sects began to take action.
Originally, these tasks could have been delegated to the Players, who would certainly have done them quickly and well. However, the Players’ Levels were low, and the scope this time was too broad. For places unreachable by the Magpie Bridge, the Players’ speed was clearly insufficient.
Lin Bai had a time limit for this so-called cooking contest. If they waited until the Players were ready, Lin Bai would have already arrived with the Tribulation Cloud...
At this moment, the Cultivation World consoled themselves with the thought that this would be Lin Bai’s last shenanigan. He could only cause trouble for three months at most, and then everyone could relax.
Since he was facing his demise, and was a prominent figure, satisfying a few of his requests didn’t seem to matter much...
「...」
Qing Yun was sheltering everyone in the sky.
After gathering all thirty-six Disciples, the Little White Fox began to teach them the profound meaning of morality.
Following that, Tuohai and others, at Lin Bai’s request, offered tea to their master, then to their eldest senior sister, second senior sister, and so on. They amiably helped lower-level Cultivators solve difficulties in their cultivation.
They forcefully demonstrated fraternal piety, neighborly friendliness, respect for elders, humility, prudence, and proactive effort...
The group’s virtue value rapidly increased.
The highest Spiritual Power Feedback even surpassed that of Dumbelldore, who had been specially trained in virtue.
When this group of Disciples, whose virtue values had been forcibly increased, began to cultivate, the unending Spiritual Power Feedback from the Way of the Master steadily increased Lin Bai’s cultivation...
「...」
The Heavenly Tribulation lasted a day and a night before it subsided.
The heavy Tribulation Cloud still covered everyone, lightning streaking through it, accompanied by deafening thunder, as if accumulating energy for a second wave.
Qing Yun descended from the sky. The first wave of the Heavenly Tribulation hadn’t caused her any harm. She studied Lin Bai closely and suddenly asked, "Who exactly are you?"
"Call me Master." Lin Bai’s hand flashed, and a large handful of Spirit Fruits appeared in his palm.
Qing Yun instinctively stretched her hand to snatch them.
Lin Bai didn’t even bother to dodge, allowing her to grab the fruits.
Qing Yun was about to stuff the fruits into her mouth.
Lin Bai said in a deep voice, "Fruits snatched can only be eaten once."
Qing Yun’s movement suddenly stopped.
She held the fruits, her face showing hesitation. Her previous stubbornness had been gradually worn away with each call of ’Master’ and the advancements the two types of fruit had brought her.
She looked at Lin Bai and handed back the Spirit Fruits in her hand. "Master, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snatched them."
After saying this, Qing Yun’s face inexplicably reddened.
Calling him Master during the Heavenly Tribulation felt completely different from calling him Master face-to-face.
Although she had spent most of her time in deep sleep, she had also gained experience in the world.
Even counting from when she gained Spirit Intelligence, she had lived for tens of thousands of years. Now, she had to call a young man in his twenties ’Master’ just for a bite to eat. It was so humiliating.
Lin Bai didn’t take the fruits. Instead, he looked at her and said, "Qing Yun, you saw the lesson on virtue value just now. Distribute the Spirit Condensing Fruits in your hand to your fellow Disciples."
Qing Yun paused, her eyebrows knitting. She was willing to call Lin Bai ’Master’ for the sake of strength, and Lin Bai’s own power was an enigma she couldn’t fathom.
But those fellow Sect members she had protected—were they even worthy?
Seeing Qing Yun hesitate, Lin Bai stood beside her. "Qing Yun," he said, "the cultivation of the Way of the Master is entirely focused on educating the Disciples. The better the Disciples are taught, the more my cultivation will advance. The more benefits you all receive, the higher our chances of surviving the Heavenly Tribulation will be..."
Qing Yun looked at the people cultivating and said, "But this is just self-deception. Their so-called virtues are fake, merely an act. Moreover, the Disciples you’ve taken on mostly have their own Cultivation Techniques; you haven’t actually taught them anything. All of them, including me, are merely awed by your power. We were coerced and enticed into acknowledging you as Master. None of us are sincere."
Of course, I know it’s fake, but the System recognizes it!
Lin Bai chuckled. "I know it’s fake. But throughout history, all Disciples and Masters go through a process of moving from unfamiliarity to closeness."
He continued, "If a bad person can pretend to be good for a lifetime, then they are, in effect, a good person."
"The same goes for virtue. Although it seems fake and forced now, in my presence, all Disciples must feign virtue because they can gain benefits from it. Over time, what is fake can become real. This is the essence of the Way of the Master—a process of subtly influencing others."
"That’s sophistry," Qing Yun sneered contemptuously.
"Call me Master, or you get no more fruits." Lin Bai turned to Qing Yun, another large handful of Spirit Fruits appearing in his hand.
Is he training Disciples? Or pets!
Qing Yun fumed. She wanted to be defiant, but then she thought about the benefits the fruits brought her. Sighing silently, she reluctantly yielded, "Master."
「...」
On the livestream screen, barrages of comments flew by.
"Even though I know Lin Bai is forcing his logic, I have to say, his attainments in managing and calculating people’s hearts have reached a peak."
"Watching them put on airs, bow to each other, and serve tea used to be amusing. But after hearing Lin Bai explain the reasoning behind it, I felt strangely annoyed. It reminded me of my frustrating days as an office drone."
"Damn, I’m actually learning life philosophies from a game character. That’s insane!"
"It’s not just philosophy; there’s psychology, management, political science, economics, even literature and miscellaneous studies! Maybe the game company’s real purpose isn’t for us to play the game, but for us to witness, through Lin Bai, the fundamental operating principles of this world? To see how dark the real world is?"
"Such profound intentions!"
"Thank you, game company. Thank you, Lin Bai."
"Seeing Lin Bai having more and more fun under the Heavenly Tribulation, I suddenly feel this Tribulation won’t stop him at all. When he emerges from it, the Seven Righteous Sects and Five Demon Sects are in for even tougher times."
"The Players will have it even tougher! So much for ’evil never prevails over good.’ Lin Bai is the ancestor of all supervillains! If a villain like him truly existed, all those self-proclaimed champions of justice wouldn’t stand a chance..."
"+1!"
"The commenter above is wrong. Lin Bai has never seen himself as a villain. His stated goals have always been to eliminate calamities, spread the Laws, overthrow the Seven Righteous Sects’ exploitation of the world, and ultimately cultivate the Heavenly Dao to restore order and clarity to the world. From his perspective, he’s got the hero template."
"A villain who thinks he’s a hero is even scarier..."
"When the game started, I thought the Players were the villains. After Lin Bai appeared, I thought the Seven Righteous Sects and Five Demon Sects were the villains. Later, Lin Bai slowly became the villain. So, in this world, who is actually on the righteous side now?"
"Whoever lives to the end is the righteous one. It’s always been this way!"
「...」
Lin Bai’s efforts were not in vain.
Qing Yun woke the cultivating crowd. After she distributed the Spirit Fruits, everyone thanked her with awe and trepidation.
The Spiritual Power Feedback from Qing Yun increased from one percent to three percent.
Lin Bai beamed. A one percent feedback had already pushed his cultivation to the Golden Core realm. Now, with three percent...
He swallowed softly and urged, "Qing Yun, the Heavenly Tribulation has paused. Why not seize this time to recover your cultivation and prepare for the next one?"
Qing Yun glanced at Lin Bai. "Master," she said, "the first wave of the Heavenly Tribulation wasn’t very powerful. With the replenishment from the Spirit Condensing Fruits, my cultivation was barely depleted, so I don’t need to recover. However, I do have some questions for you, Master, if you would be so kind as to enlighten your Disciple?"
"If you have questions, we can talk during the Tribulation. I hear it lasts for eighty-one days. Focusing on improving your cultivation is the right approach," Lin Bai said.
"Master, these doubts weigh heavily on my heart. If they are not clarified, I cannot calm my mind to cultivate," Qing Yun said, looking at Lin Bai with unwavering determination.
"Fine, ask away," Lin Bai relented with a sigh.
"Master, who exactly are you?" Qing Yun asked. "I have existed in this world for tens of thousands of years. I have never heard of the cultivation method for the Way of the Master, nor the Phoenix Seeking Mating Formation you constructed. These do not seem like Divine Skills of this world. Forgive your Disciple’s impudence, but the power of these Divine Skills far exceeds what a Master of your age should be able to command..."
Not far away, Peach Ancestor quietly perked up his ears.
The Players’ livestream cameras focused on Lin Bai and Qing Yun.
"These are not Divine Skills, but rather the Way of Laws..." Lin Bai looked at Qing Yun and briefly explained his system of Laws.
His theory of Laws was becoming increasingly refined, so answering these questions required almost no thought.
"The Way of Laws?" Qing Yun frowned. "As my cultivation deepens, I am gradually able to touch the fundamental principles of the world’s operation. The Way of Laws should not be like this!"
Nearby, Elder Tuohai’s ears also twitched slightly.
A series of comments scrolled across the Players’ livestream screens:
"The truth is about to be revealed."
"I’ve said all along it couldn’t be Laws."
"Laws are time, space, the elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, the art of creation! How could they be those deviant, unorthodox things?"
"Lin Bai is clearly using the Divine Skills of the Righteous Door to deceive the world..."
「...」
Damn it! The impostor has met the real deal! This time, I’ve stumbled upon a true expert!
Lin Bai’s heart skipped a beat, but his expression remained unchanged. He asked, "Qing Yun, what are the Laws you’ve touched upon like?"
"Master, I haven’t truly touched upon a Law yet, but I can vaguely perceive the Rule of Wood." Lin Bai’s ’taming’ was quite successful; Qing Yun now addressed him as ’Master’ smoothly and naturally. "Especially after you provided me with the Spirit Condensing Fruit and Derivative Fruit from the Divine Wood, my understanding of the Rule of Wood seems to have become clearer. The Rule of Wood signifies powerful restorative and regenerative capabilities. I feel that the ultimate expression of the Rule of Wood is the path to longevity, or perhaps the path of creation..."
Recovery? Regeneration? Am I about to get a Puppet that has grasped the Rule of Wood?
Lin Bai’s heart surged with excitement. He looked at Qing Yun and said, "Indeed, the Rule of Wood is a type of Law, suitable for plant spirits like you, but not for humans."
"The Three Thousand Laws are all different. The Way of Laws I have mastered is a method of Law Cultivation, conceived by my sect’s predecessors after observing the Three Thousand Worlds. No one had ever succeeded in cultivating it before, so some strange Divine Skills are to be expected."
"You haven’t truly comprehended the Rule of Wood yet, so perhaps you don’t understand that Laws possess a characteristic called ’uniqueness’."
"My Laws may have various flaws, but as long as they conform to the principles of Laws, they are inviolable and irresistible."
"Take the Way of the Master, for example. Becoming my Disciple speeds up your cultivation by fifty percent, regardless of whether you are at the Golden Core realm or undergoing Tribulation. This principle does not change."
"Or consider Phoenix Seeks Phoenix; even the Heavenly Tribulation cannot interfere with the process of courtship. This is the true profundity of the Way of Laws. Only by understanding this can you truly comprehend the Way of Laws. Otherwise, even if you sense the restorative and regenerative power of the Rule of Wood, you will not be able to genuinely grasp the Way of Laws, let alone master it."
Qing Yun appeared pensive, as if in a state of enlightenment. After a long while, she looked at Lin Bai again. "Thank you for your guidance, Master. Your Disciple understands."
What do you understand? I don’t even get it myself yet!
Lin Bai smiled mysteriously. "If you understand, then go and cultivate. Otherwise, what good is knowing the profundities if you cannot survive the Heavenly Tribulation? It will all be for naught."
Qing Yun hesitated for a moment, then said, "Master, may I see the Two Divine Woods? I feel that communing with them would be more beneficial for my cultivation."
How can I show you something that’s in my mind?
Lin Bai shook his head. "You cannot see them. They are at the Righteous Door. After we pass the Heavenly Tribulation, I can take you to the Righteous Door to have a look."
Qing Yun said, "But after eating the fruits, I can vaguely sense that the Two Divine Woods are on your person..."
On my person?
Lin Bai paused, looking at Qing Yun as his Mind Reading Ability activated.
In Qing Yun’s mind, the Supreme Elder appeared again. With a wave of his hand, the stars shifted and constellations realigned.
Two Trees, rooted in the cosmos and encircled by revolving planets, materialized before Qing Yun. One was an enlarged Spirit Fruit Tree, the other an enlarged Temperament Fruit Tree. Laden with fruit, their branches wreathed in starlight, they appeared incredibly majestic.
The Supreme Elder said, "Ignorant Child, these are the Two Divine Woods. Having seen them, set your mind at ease and face your Tribulation. I see great potential in you. One day, you too shall be like these Two Divine Woods, traversing the universe and looking down upon myriad worlds."
Then, the vision disappeared.
Qing Yun jolted, startled from the vision. The shock on her face lingered as she murmured, "So, this is Divine Wood?"
"What Divine Wood?" Lin Bai asked, feigning ignorance.
"Master, who is the elder riding the green ox?" Qing Yun asked urgently, not answering Lin Bai’s question.
"That is the First Ancestor of our Righteous Door, the Supreme Elder. After leaving the Sect the ’Tao Te Ching’, he vanished into the Vast World, never to be seen again," Lin Bai explained. He paused, then asked in surprise, "You saw him?"
"Yes, the venerable elder has guided me twice now," Qing Yun replied, nodding, her gaze somewhat distant. Looking at Lin Bai, her eyes gradually firmed with resolve. "Under his guidance, I have seen the true forms of the Two Divine Woods. Master, rest assured, I will do everything in my power to pass this Heavenly Tribulation..."
Nearby, Ye Song, who was cultivating, suddenly opened his eyes. His heart pounded furiously. The elder riding the green ox... the Supreme Elder... the First Ancestor of the Righteous Door...
So, the reincarnation of Emperor Zidewei truly is Lin Bai!
The mystery is solved! This time, I’ve really struck gold!