Magpie Bridge?
Xu Longyun was startled, lifting her head to look at the bridge made of magpies behind Lin Bai. The poem "Magpie Bridge Immortal" that Lin Bai had published in her name suddenly flashed through her mind.
Using the Divine Skills I've perceived?
In an instant, Xu Longyun's annoyance turned into joy. Her heartbeat quickened, but she pretended to stay calm. "Master, is this a new Divine Skill you've perceived?"
"Yes, this is the Magpie Bridge. For those in love, even if they're parted by the ends of the earth, they can be together in an instant." Lin Bai looked at Xu Longyun and said gently, "In the future, I will no longer have to worry about any danger befalling you."
Xu Longyun's face turned slightly red. "You mean you won't worry about us running into danger!"
Although she said so, her heart was brimming with joy.
Previously, Lin Bai had designated Jiang Qingqin as his lover.
Now, Lin Bai had linked the Magpie Bridge to her in front of everyone and explained its purpose; it was no different than confessing his feelings for her.
From now on, she could openly consider herself Lin Bai's lover. Could there be anything more joyous than this in the world?
"It's roughly the same." Lin Bai laughed innocently, taking Xu Longyun's hand. The two stepped onto the Magpie Bridge together and, in the blink of an eye, they were on the other side of it.
Looking back, the Magpie Bridge was still there.
In other words, as long as he didn't cancel it voluntarily, he and Xu Longyun could use this channel dedicated to them without any restrictions.
Interesting!
Xu Longyun glanced at her hand that was being held by Lin Bai, her heart pounded, but she didn't remind Lin Bai. Instead, she looked at the Magpie Bridge and asked, "Master, how far can the Magpie Bridge reach?"
"Infinitely far."
Lin Bai turned and looked at Jiang Qingqin, who was several dozen meters away from him. With a thought, he sent out another Magpie Bridge.
The two Magpie Bridges, one long and one short, appeared especially magnificent.
Jiang Qingqin walked over to them along the small Magpie Bridge. She glanced at the hands they were holding and quickly averted her gaze, pretending as if she hadn't seen them.
A Magpie Bridge could be linked between Lin Bai and Xu Longyun.
The affection between the two had become an irrefutable fact. Why should she interfere? Instead of stirring up everyone's discontent, she chose to be accommodating.
In this emotional contest with Lin Bai, she did not hold the upper hand. But asking her to back off was absolutely impossible.
While Jiang Qingqin was in a daze, Lin Bai's head suddenly flew out, circling the Magpie Bridge and then abruptly flew back onto Lin Bai's neck.
Upon seeing this, Jiang Qingqin quietly sighed. Indeed, in Lin Bai's heart, the romantically beautiful Magpie Bridge was only for combative purposes. She didn't understand how Lin Bai, who was wavering in his feelings, could consecutively comprehend the Divine Skills of the Great Path of Love. The heavens were too unjust.
"Qingqin, change your position and stand a little farther away." Lin Bai, indifferent to the minor thoughts of the two women beside him, immersed himself in testing the Magpie Bridge.
"Okay."
Jiang Qingqin acknowledged and flew off in a different direction. Then, another Magpie Bridge was erected under her feet, and the previously short Magpie Bridge had disappeared.
"Only one Magpie Bridge is allowed to exist between two people in love," Lin Bai muttered, looking at the disappearing Magpie Bridge. He held Xu Longyun's hand and stepped onto the Magpie Bridge that belonged to Jiang Qingqin.
The next moment, Lin Bai and Xu Longyun stood in front of Jiang Qingqin.
Xu Longyun and Jiang Qingqin stared at each other.
"Master, this is your and my Magpie Bridge, why can Xiao Yun also come here? She is not my lover," Jiang Qingqin frowned slightly and complained. "I couldn't even get on your and her Magpie Bridge just now…"
"Because I held her hand. Holding hands means we're a family," Lin Bai said, lifting their joined hands with a smile.
If the Magpie Bridge only allowed two people in love to pass through it, its function would be far less. But if it could bring others, it would be much more useful.
That made sense. The Magpie Bridge is derived from the story of the Cowherd and the Weaving Girl. When they meet on the seventh day of the seventh month, the reunion of a family is mentioned. It couldn't be that the Cowherd only cared about having a good time with the Weaving Girl and neglected their two children, right?
"..." Jiang Qingqin silently shot Xu Longyun a resentful glance.
"Can many people also cross it?" Xu Longyun, whose realm was much higher than Jiang Qingqin's, asked this as she looked at the Magpie Bridge, which stretched over ten miles.
"In theory, yes," Lin Bai said. "What's not forbidden is therefore allowed. The Magpie Bridge allows lovers to meet; there is no prohibition against bringing someone else along when they meet."
"So, as long as there's a Magpie Bridge, the Justice League can reach any corner of the world at will?" Xu Longyun's breath quickened slightly.
"Yes, on the premise that a pair of lovers must be separated in two different places beforehand," Lin Bai said. He liked this about Xu Longyun: when considering an issue, she could always set aside romantic feelings.
Compared with Jiang Qingqin, Xu Longyun was more like the legendary leading lady, the kind who could shine on her own once put into action.
With some hesitation, Xu Longyun looked at Lin Bai and asked, "Does it have to be someone who loves you?"
"A Magpie Bridge can be built between any pair of lovers in the world." Lin Bai looked at the two anxious women and laughed. "But for now, I am the only one who can control the Magpie Bridge."
Xu Longyun and Jiang Qingqin simultaneously let out a sigh of relief. They knew Lin Bai's character: stubborn and would stop at nothing. If he decided to build Magpie Bridges using himself as a conduit, he could really find thousands of women.
Ordinary people might have the will, but not necessarily the capability. But Lin Bai did. He didn't need to look far; his very own Supporting Group alone had as many as eight thousand people, all madly infatuated with Lin Bai. If Lin Bai were to cultivate the Way of Love with them, even a hint would be more than enough, let alone the fact he still had the Arrow of Love... Even if Lin Bai only used them to build the bridges, they wouldn't be able to stand it!
Xu Longyun glanced at Jiang Qingqin and said, "Since a Magpie Bridge can be built between two people in love, we can select lovers from within the Justice League. Then, let them separate and secretly go to various cities to quickly build Magpie Bridges. This way, the Justice League can be used as a surprise force to consolidate our current territory. I can contact my father and use the Magpie Bridge to reach an agreement with Taiyi Country, so that the Justice League can quickly spread its roots in Taiyi Country…"
She decisively changed the subject, elaborating on the uses of the Magpie Bridge from other angles, indirectly discouraging Lin Bai from finding more women for himself.
"However, negotiations with Taiyi Country will have to wait, at least until the issue of the twelve Great Cheng experts is resolved. Additionally, the Justice League needs to have its own high-end combat capabilities." Xu Longyun glanced at Lin Bai and said, "The appearance of the Magpie Bridge is enough to change the current war situation. Without enough strength, carelessly planting Magpie Bridges everywhere will likely truly anger the True Seven Sects and the Demon Five Sects, provoking their fierce counterattack.
Even countries like Taichu and Taihao might regard the Justice League as an enemy. No one would allow a threat that could lead to an invasion at any time. In that case, even if the Magpie Bridge allowed the Justice League to reach all over the world, it would be difficult for us to move. Master, to break the Magpie Bridge, one would just need to kill the person on the other side, right?"
"Yes," Lin Bai nodded. "Without the lovers, the Magpie Bridge would lose its reason for existence."
"So, when the True Seven Sects and Demon Five Sects are determined to deal with you, Jiang Qingqin and I will be their first targets." Xu Longyun looked at Lin Bai and said, "The emergence of the Magpie Bridge actually puts both of us in danger."
"I'm not afraid," Jiang Qingqin said.
"I know you're not afraid." Xu Longyun glanced at her and said, "But such a death would be meaningless."
"..." Jiang Qingqin was stumped, suppressed once again. How frustrating!
Lin Bai fell silent. Xu Longyun was right. If Magpie Bridges were planted everywhere, the True Seven Sects and the Demon Five Sects would certainly strive to suppress him with all their might.
The Justice League had been gradually changing the world. They sensed the crisis but couldn't feel the direct pain yet. However, the appearance of the Magpie Bridge could shake their reign in a short time. Unfortunately, Lin Bai's current personal strength was not enough to suppress the world.
In addition, he only had three of the red lines left that he depended on to change the world.
The Skills awarded by the Matchmaker System were getting stronger, but the real killer moves were becoming fewer.
But he really couldn't keep a low profile.
Not to mention, the next mission of the Matchmaker System would be difficult for him to accomplish alone, but it would be much easier if he could use the Magpie Bridge...
「Cooking Contest.」
Ye Song had effortlessly collected enough Deficiency Coins.
As a master in the Great Cheng realm, known as the Master of Metamorphosis, it was easy for him to mimic forms during transformation. However, to achieve a true likeness required him to observe closely the myriad behaviors of all beings. Consequently, Ye Song had deeply experienced all kinds of fields. With his pure talent and high level of comprehension, he excelled at everything he learned, thus naturally giving an impeccable performance as a chef.
When a judge passed by, Ye Song would subtly apply a Charm Technique. This made even ordinary dishes appear irresistibly tempting. Naturally, he was never short of customers for his food.
For the preliminary rounds, Ye Song didn't intend to shine too much. After calculating the number of judges and chefs and the Deficiency Coins he possessed that would be sufficient to surpass the others, he packed up his cooking tools. He then idly roamed amongst the other chefs, assessing their identities.
In a short amount of time, he had identified several disciples from different Cultivation Sects, from both the True Seven Sects and the Demon Five Sects.
It seemed that there were quite a few people who had the same idea as him.
They were destined not to make it to the final rounds. Ye Song decided that after the competition ended, he would ensure they lost their qualifications to compete. With the Justice League to take the blame, no one would suspect him even if he made underhanded moves...
Ye Song secretly placed a few demonic energy markings before he planned to close up shop and venture to other areas of the competition to scout out more competitors and mark them. As he lifted his head, he caught sight of the sudden appearance of the Magpie Bridge.
There was no spiritual energy, and no sign at all.
Just like the Milky Way.
It was Lin Bai's new Divine Skill.
Ye Song quickly came to his own conclusion.
Then, he saw Lin Bai swiftly appear in front of Xu Longyun and heard his introduction of the Magpie Bridge—that lovers parted by worlds could reach one another instantly.
Afterwards, the moment Lin Bai pulled Xu Longyun by the hand and stepped onto the Magpie Bridge, they vanished before his eyes. Ye Song's complexion changed in an instant.
He hadn't been able to see how Lin Bai and Xu Longyun had disappeared.
Even cultivators in the Mahayana Realm would probably find it hard to catch up with such speed.
The fact that those chosen by heaven could not tread the Magpie Bridge filled Ye Song's heart with a heavy feeling. If, as Lin Bai said, the Magpie Bridge could allow travel across thousands of miles instantaneously, then no one in the world would be able to stop Lin Bai...
The Way of Laws was terrifyingly powerful.
Lin Bai's speed of comprehending Divine Skills was also too fast. Ye Song had to consider the Holy Extreme Sect's future relationship with the Justice League. If Lin Bai continued to grow, the annihilation of the Holy Extreme Sect would likely be imminent.
"Law can only be confronted by Law. This speed of comprehension is terrifying," the Purple-clothed Elder thought, also having seen the Magpie Bridge appear in the sky. He contemplated for a moment. "I need to quickly ascertain the true meaning of the Cultivation of Rules from Lin Bai and begin the Cultivation of Rules as soon as possible. But how can I approach Lin Bai?"
Looking at the cooking contest venue connected by the Magpie Bridge to the headquarters of the Justice League, the Purple-clothed Elder made up his mind. He decided to take the opportunity to approach Lin Bai by going to observe the cooking contest.
He was ready to take a gamble.
Lin Bai had personally invited the guests for the cooking contest. He didn't believe Lin Bai would dare to do something so outrageous as to harm him on the day of the contest.
If Lin Bai truly intended to harm him, he would accept it.
The cultivation of Spoken Law Follows is too difficult. The Law of Love seems to suit him better. Trying to find a true love by himself is as difficult as ascending to heaven, so seeking help from Lin Bai would be like taking a shortcut.
After all, Lin Bai had once said that the Arrow of Love was not for combat against enemies, but an aid from the Righteous Door to help him comprehend the Law of Love. He wouldn't mind even if it made him a laughingstock like Zhou Zhu and Forget.
If he could comprehend the Love Principle, making some sacrifices would be worth it. If he became Cupid, the negative effects Lin Bai had inflicted upon him should disappear.
In the future, the world will certainly belong to the Law.
Upon thinking of this, the Purple-clothed Elder got up and headed out of the city. Since he had decided to come, he would appear openly and honorably. Suddenly appearing on the sly would demean his stature.
"Congratulations to the Alliance Hierarch on comprehending a new Divine Skill."
Inside the Justice League's conference hall, He Qin and others congratulated Lin Bai in unison. The more powerful Lin Bai was, the happier they were.
"There's nothing to be happy about. As I advance on the Love Principle, I become further away from the Heavenly Dao." Lin Bai looked around at everyone, melancholy in his voice. "If I continue on this path, I'm afraid I might wind up becoming Cupid, not the Heavenly Dao."
Everyone was silent, truly not knowing how to respond to such words. Is being Cupid so bad? They wished to comprehend it but couldn't even get a grasp!
Xu Longyun lowered her head. She wished for nothing more than for Lin Bai to become Cupid instead of the Heavenly Dao. As Cupid, at least they could still be together. Achieving the Heavenly Dao would mean Lin Bai would have to leave her forever.
Suddenly, Wan Qifeng stood up, laughed, and said, "The Alliance Hierarch is just joking. With your qualifications, you can choose to cultivate the Way of the Heavenly Dao or the Love Principle. Since ancient times, no one has ever successfully cultivated the Way of Laws. The idea that only one divine spirit can emerge from one Law is merely a conjecture by the ancestors of the Righteous Door. Perhaps one person could master several Laws at the same time? In my opinion, the Alliance Hierarch is fortunate to cultivate several Laws simultaneously; it's best to have all Laws under your control…"
"What Sect Leader Wan said is right! The Way of Laws was researched by the Righteous Door, so why should it be promoted further to the world?"
"The core Cultivation Techniques of the True Seven Sects weren't widely publicized either! In my opinion, the Righteous Door is just too generous. Otherwise, if the Alliance Hierarch focused solely on his own cultivation and then amazed the world by becoming the Heavenly Dao in the future, who would know about the Law being passed down through the ages?"
"I agree that the Alliance Hierarch should simultaneously cultivate all the Laws."
"So do I."
"Me too."
Wan Qifeng's speech ignited everyone's enthusiasm, and the conference hall became lively in an instant.
Lin Bai raised his hand to quiet them. Once everyone had settled down, he smiled faintly and said, "I can understand everyone's thoughts; naturally, you feel it's better if the Justice League is stronger. But the cultivation of Laws requires the absence of personal desires. I know everyone means well, but I cannot do that. The Laws should still be spread if that is what's meant to happen.
Who will control the Laws in the end will depend entirely on their individual Fate Method. If I do end up becoming Cupid, then that is my destiny. I gathered everyone today to brainstorm ideas on how to best utilize my new Divine Skill. The Magpie Bridge can connect lovers from thousands of miles apart. However, I believe using this Divine Skill solely for lovers to meet is somewhat wasteful. Applying it for the benefit of the people is in line with the consistent purpose of our Righteous Door."