The news of Zhou Zhu and Chan Master Wu Wang spread, causing all Expedition Armies to halt. This outcome surprised everyone. Currently, the Expedition Armies from different sects were not far from Zhen City, yet no one dared to push forward. The emergence of the Law of Love had changed their understanding of battle, leaving everyone clueless about how to handle it.
The teams from the Tool Refining Sect and the Pill and Spirit Sect had joined together. The Great Cheng expert from the Tool Refining Sect was Zuo Lan. His favorite Magic Artifact was the Thousand Mechanism Umbrella; it is said that this artifact can transform into any battle form and unleash Wind Fire Thunder Lightning. Until now, no one had figured out the full extent of the Thousand Mechanism Umbrella's capabilities. Zuo Lan was mild-mannered, and most of his opponents survived their encounters with him. But among those who had battled Zuo Lan, none had been able to explain their defeat. Almost every explanation was that once enveloped by the Thousand Mechanism Umbrella, they were defeated in a bewildered manner.
Leading the Pill and Spirit Sect was Gu Yi, the son of an Elder of the Enforcement Hall in the Pill and Spirit Sect. While traveling in the Divinity Transformation Realm, he accidentally obtained a Treasure Gourd that could unleash Samadhi True Fire. Since then, his Alchemy skills rapidly advanced. By the time he reached the Great Cheng Realm, he already had proficient control over the Samadhi True Fire. His battle prowess surged, making him a strong contender for the next Sect Leader of the Pill and Spirit Sect.
This campaign against Lin Bai was, for Gu Yi, a means to increase his leverage in becoming the next Sect Leader. After all, Lin Bai's patent law might not affect other sects, but it would sever the roots of the Pill and Spirit Sect. If Lin Bai successfully promoted it, the sect's very existence would be under threat. Compared to the Heavenly Dao Sect, the Pill and Spirit Sect had a stronger desire to eliminate Lin Bai promptly.
The Tool Refining Sect was the other party whose interests were harmed by the patent law. Having a common interest, the Great Cheng experts from the Pill and Spirit Sect and Tool Refining Sect naturally joined forces.
However, no sooner had they joined forces than they heard about Zhou Zhu's defeat. After hearing the Player's account, both Gu Yi and Zuo Lan fell into silence.
"Brother Gu, do you have the confidence to break his Law of Love?" Zuo Lan asked.
"Zhou Zhu is in Zhen City, Chan Master Wu Wang thousands of miles away, yet Lin Bai, with a mere thought, bound them in matrimony. The strange thing is, the two parties involved were utterly oblivious when they fell under his spell. Not only that, they fell so deeply in love that they would willingly give their lives for each other," Gu Yi frowned, looking at Zuo Lan, and said, "These Divine Skills are unheard of, let alone learning how to break them."
"Before Zhou Zhu was ensnared, he was well on his way to defeating Lin Bai," Zuo Lan said. "Lin Bai's cultivation is, at most, at the Divinity Transformation Realm. If we bypass his Power of Laws and attack his cultivation, we might stand a chance. Lin Bai's Power of Laws must have limitations; otherwise, he could arbitrarily match the sect masters of the Heavenly Dao Sect and the Holy Extreme Sect and throw the Cultivation World into chaos. Why would he let things escalate to this point if he could act freely?"
"Brother Zuo has a point. The Righteous Door's Ancestor Nine only appeared around Lin Bai, which means there are restrictions in terms of distance or frequency. The restrictions regarding the Righteous Door's Divine Rule must lie within these two factors," Gu Yi agreed, nodding. He then sighed, "However, the cases of Zhou Zhu and Chan Master Wu Wang are right before us. Who would dare make a move now? Everyone is afraid of following in Zhou Zhu's footsteps! Now that their scandal has exploded, the Heavenly Dao Sect and the Buddha Spirit Sect will certainly not tolerate them…"
He looked at Zuo Lan and smiled bitterly. "I only ever wanted to be friends with you, Brother Zuo. I never imagined becoming Daoist companions with you! Ai! How can such a peculiar law exist in this world?"
Zuo Lan looked intently at Gu Yi and said, "Brother Gu, if Lin Bai truly is at the Divinity Transformation Realm, our teams have numerous Disciples at the Hollow Realm. Should we let them test him first? Lin Bai might be able to kill a Hollow Realm Disciple despite being of a lower realm, but it's unprecedented for one to kill dozens, or even hundreds, of Disciples from a higher realm. Looking at Lin Bai's battle record since he emerged, he isn't a bloodthirsty man; he always tries to recruit everyone. Perhaps we can exploit this weakness of his…"
The Players beside them were "Nightmare" and "Fight Without Madness." They were part of the fourth batch to enter the game. Initially, they joined a small sect and envied the Beggar Gang Disciples, quietly cultivating their Levels and waiting for their chance to shine. Thanks to Lin Bai, they skyrocketed into one of the Righteous Seven Sects. Although they mostly served as messengers, associating with top experts boosted their Levels like a rocket, and their mindset had drastically changed since they first started the game.
Moreover, after joining the Righteous Seven Sects, both "Nightmare" and "Fight Without Madness" chose to affiliate with financial groups, using their positions to gain maximum value.
Presently, "Nightmare" from the Pill and Spirit Sect was part of the Rich Reach Group, while "Fight Without Madness" from the Tool Refining Sect was affiliated with the Capital Science Group. Both Players were tasked with delaying the conflict between the Righteous Seven Sects and Lin Bai as much as possible to buy time for their respective groups' development.
As Gu Yi and Zuo Lan were discussing, the two Players had been privately conversing for quite a while. Upon hearing that they planned to mobilize Hollow Realm Disciples against Lin Bai, they finally couldn't stay silent any longer.
"Fight Without Madness" spoke up, "Master, I don't think it's a good idea to send our Hollow Realm Senior Uncles to fight Lin Bai."
"Why?" Zuo Lan asked.
"Firstly, Zhou Zhu of the Heavenly Dao Sect and Chan Master Wu Wang of the Buddha Spirit Sect have been bewitched by Lin Bai," "Fight Without Madness" said. "Especially Chan Master Wu Wang; he is single-mindedly pursuing his desire to become a woman, and Lin Bai happened to promise him this. Therefore, there's a seventy percent chance he will side with Lin Bai. Zhou Zhu would follow his every cue, and the two of them would very likely act together…"
"Will they turn against us?" Zuo Lan furrowed his brows.
"Master, as you said earlier, the Heavenly Dao Sect and the Buddha Spirit Sect can no longer accommodate them. Their only refuge is the Justice League now," "Fight Without Madness" said. "Master, you wouldn't understand since you've never been in love, but couples in the throes of passion tend to make foolish decisions. Chan Master Wu Wang and Zhou Zhu are in exactly this state; otherwise, Chan Master Wu Wang wouldn't have admitted he was a woman just because of a few words from Lin Bai."
"Right! With two Great Cheng Realm experts on their side, sending Hollow Realm cultivators would be courting death. Lin Bai might not even need to make a move," "Nightmare" added.
"What are your suggestions?" Gu Yi asked.
"Wait," "Nightmare" said. "Presently, Chan Master Wu Wang is being tested by Lin Bai. Once the test is completed, as long as the Heavenly Dao Sect and the Buddha Spirit Sect don't excessively pressure them, it's highly probable they won't stay in the Justice League. The Justice League is in turmoil and isn't suitable for a relationship. Plus, Lin Bai possesses the Milky Way, which constrains them. Given their Great Cheng Realm mindset, they most likely wouldn't want to live under the thumb of someone as unpredictable as Lin Bai."
"Wait for them to leave before making a move?" Zuo Lan suggested.
"Master, the best plan is actually not to make a move temporarily," "Fight Without Madness" said. "Facts have proven that Lin Bai and the Righteous Door behind him possibly possess the foundation of a civilization. 'Know thyself and know thy enemy, and you will win a hundred battles.' To us, Lin Bai is an unknown quantity. He knows our methods, whereas we don't know his. How could we possibly win such a battle? Moving against him will only help him expand the Justice League's influence. It would be better to put this on the back burner for a while, calm down, conduct research specifically targeting Lin Bai, and then act only when we are fully confident."
"Nightmare" said, "Master, Lin Bai's genetic theory and subconscious theory also exist in our world. Among the new misfits, there are many experts. Their research in this field is not much inferior to that of the Righteous Door's elders. The Sex-change Method Lin Bai promised Chan Master Wu Wang has already been perfected in our world; the Love Principle isn't needed at all. Our experts can help Chan Master Wu Wang become a woman immediately. With this as a condition, we might be able to win a Great Cheng expert for our sect."
"You can turn a man into a woman?" Gu Yi was startled.
"Naturally. There are many successful cases in our world," "Nightmare" smiled and said. "Master, at this stage, it's not advisable to provoke Lin Bai. It's a better strategy to calm down and let the technologies of both worlds slowly integrate."
"Fight Without Madness" said, "Those in the Great Cheng Realm do not fear Lin Bai's Separation of Love, but those in the Hollow Realm probably can't destroy Lin Bai's personal Puppet in an instant. In our world, there's a weapon called an active defense system, which automatically initiates defense and counterattacks the moment danger approaches. If we equip those in the Hollow Realm, or even the Divinity Transformation Realm, with such a Magic Treasure, they could likewise break the Separation of Love."
Zuo Lan glanced at him and said coolly, "The Tool Refining Sect also has defensive Magic Treasures that automatically protect the body when attacked."
"Fight Without Madness" continued, "Master, the theories of the Tool Refining Sect are indeed precise and miraculous. However, Magic Artifacts require Cultivators to operate skillfully, whereas in our world, many large-scale destructive weapons can be controlled and used by ordinary people. One type of weapon, known as a Missile, can hit targets thousands of miles away. You previously speculated that Lin Bai's Power of Laws has distance limitations. But what if we launched an attack on him from outside his Law's effective range? By then, he probably wouldn't even know how he died…"
Zuo Lan looked at "Fight Without Madness" and asked, "Are there really such Magic Artifacts?"
"Fight Without Madness" nodded. "Yes, Master. You were only impressed by our quick... cough... cultivation rate, but you overlooked the fact that we too possess wisdom and the backing of an entire civilization. The civilization behind us is the true weapon. Once we find a way to integrate the civilizations of our two worlds, no matter how mighty the Laws are, they won't matter."
"Nightmare" added, "Actually, Lin Bai hasn't realized this point either. What he's currently using still adheres to the Righteous Door's methods."
Zuo Lan said, "Lin Bai has more misfits under his command, and there isn't much secrecy among you misfits…"
"Fight Without Madness" chuckled. "Just as a sect has elites and ordinary Disciples, there aren't many elites among the misfits under Lin Bai's command. The Justice League's newly formed Supporting Group mostly consists of women who aren't skilled in weapon manufacturing. Comparatively, we have a big advantage."
After such a lengthy discussion focused on artifact refining, Gu Yi was somewhat dissatisfied. He frowned at his disciple and asked, "Regarding the Path of Artifact Refining you mentioned, what different insights do misfits have concerning the Path of Alchemy? Is it just about turning men into women?"
Nightmare was prepared. "Master," he said, "Alchemy also holds great potential in our world. We've even developed a whole discipline for it called Chemistry, which studies fundamental substances. The gene study Lin Bai mentioned is a branch of Chemistry. Within Chemistry, the study of certain weapons has led to biological weapons, including bacterial, viral, toxin-based, and fungal types, among many others. Once a biological weapon is developed, it can harm people invisibly from thousands of miles away, far more effectively than any Poison Pill. Without the appropriate countermeasures, it's impossible to neutralize. Used effectively, it could even destroy the world."
Gu Yi and Zuo Lan looked at each other, then both fell silent.
A moment passed. Gu Yi waved his hand towards the two Players. "You two leave first. Allow us some time to discuss. Inform us immediately of any movements from Lin Bai's side."
The two Players saluted them and exited, sending private messages to each other as they left.
"Nightmare" typed, "Bro, did we go too far and scare them?"
"Fight Without Madness" replied, "If we didn't make it sound serious, how could we get their attention? Who cares? It's all part of the Group's strategy. We're just small fry; getting paid to muddle through is enough for us."
"Nightmare" mused, "Since the Groups got involved, I really can't predict where this game is heading! If things continue like this, we could genuinely see Missiles versus Flying Swords."
"Fight Without Madness" responded, "Lin Bai was the first to introduce technology into this world. Ancestor Nine has even explored as far as the Starry Sky. It wouldn't be surprising at all if they create Missiles. Lin Bai's Power of Laws might not be able to handle modern warfare…"
"Nightmare" agreed, "The people of the Righteous Seven Sects wouldn't be able to handle it either. If we're given enough time to bring modern technology over, it would be the end of the NPCs in this world."
After the two Players left, Gu Yi said worriedly, "Brother Zuo, the Sect Master was right to worry. If those misfits get out of control, the catastrophe they could trigger might be no less than that caused by the Righteous Door!"
Zuo Lan said, "Indeed. They have exceptional talents, are immortal, and have an entire civilization backing them. If we let them develop, I fear there will be no place left for us in this world."
Gu Yi sighed. "First Lin Bai, now the misfits. When did the world become so fraught with disaster?"
Zuo Lan asked, "What do you think of the misfits' proposal, Brother Gu? You'll have to deal with these matters sooner or later if you want to compete for the leadership of the Pill and Spirit Sect…"
Gu Yi forced a smile and shook his head. "Brother Zuo, please don't tease me. I now only regret that I lack the capability to lead the Righteous Seven Sects. If I could unite the power of the Seven Sects, I would eradicate both Lin Bai and the misfits completely, restoring a bright and orderly world, and we'd no longer need to worry about these sordid affairs. For now, the best method is to use one to subdue the other—utilize the misfits to counter the Justice League."
Zuo Lan said, "Brother Gu is right. What the Righteous Seven Sects and the Demon Five Sects lack now is a qualified leader who can unite all the factions. Regarding the Righteous Door and the misfits, the Sects' reactions were too hasty, lacking a proper strategy. The seven factions fought separately, which is why Lin Bai and the misfits have been leading them by the nose. Perhaps, calming down and waiting is indeed a sound strategy."