"Hahaha, Return to Dragon View is in a dreadful state."

"Lin 'Petty' Bai, you sure know how to piss people off."

"If he doesn't piss off Return to Dragon View, he wouldn't be able to recruit anyone. Lin, the Storekeeper, turned a Golden Core Real Person into a card. Only a fool would join."

"It's the same with the Blood Shadow Sect; Lin, the Storekeeper, fought against seven of them. No matter how sensational the advertisements, I fear it won't attract any players."

"Why can't NPCs understand this? To attract players, you have to have a remarkable record of achievement!"

"Why have a recruitment fair? Bring all the players together and have a martial arts contest instead."

"A martial arts contest? It's always the NPCs who set up job-change quests for players. This game is flipping the tables; it's creepily realistic."

"NPCs don't realize that players have a Live Broadcasting System. Their every movement has long been observed by heavenly people. You need an unbeatable aura to attract players."

"Yeah, had they learned the consequences that Lin, the Storekeeper, created, Lan Nuotian from the Blood Shadow Sect wouldn't be gifting presents. He would just kill Lin, the Storekeeper, outright."

"If NPCs understood that players periodically broadcast their lives, they would target players first. Nobody wants to be made a monkey, including Lin, the Storekeeper."

"Poor Lin, the Storekeeper. He thought he had mastered everything, but he ended up being the monkey."

"Depends on how you interpret it. I think excessive realism in the game is bad. One misstep can lead to a global catastrophe, a possible game crash."

"Compared to others, it's Lin, the Storekeeper, who's most like an NPC. He acts as a catalyst for the integration of players and natives."

"Integration, my ass! Without him, everyone would develop in an orderly manner. Where there is him, there is chaos. He's here to mess things up; I still don't understand the purpose of his design."

"To make money for the game company."

"+1"

"+1"

"Speaking of, when will the accounts for the fifth batch of Pioneers be issued? The gap this time is a little long. Does anyone have any inside scoop?"

"Same question, same anticipation."

"Last time they released 100,000 accounts at once. They probably need to wait for the game world to digest it a bit. Otherwise, NPCs might not be able to cope."

...

Greg, standing behind Lady Hua Xi, glanced at the members of his alliance—Golden Lion and Live under the Crotch. He was feeling a tad nervous.

The Beggar Gang's recruitment site was far too crude...

But then again, the recruitment for Beggar Gang disciples was actually completed at Jiamucheng. Having a monopoly over a basic city, Lin Bai certainly didn't need to offend other sects for this...

But with Return to Dragon View and the Blood Shadow Sect involved, his plan should succeed, right?

After all, Lin Bai was just an NPC. He didn't know the immense impact his earlier showboating had on the players. The cooler he acted then, the more serious the consequences would be now!

Did he think that making the Beggar Gang's brand look cheap would suffice?

Impossible!

He fundamentally didn't understand the players' mentality of fawning over the popular and trampling on the unpopular...

Greg looked at Lin Bai idly wandering around and quietly clenched his fists. The money was already spent; success or failure hinged on this. As long as he could take down Lin Bai and post the detailed plan and video footage on the forums, he would still be a gaming legend.

Moreover, a gaming legend who changed the course of the game...

...

"Will Lord Greg's plan succeed?" Little Cat Don't Eat Fish, connected with Zhuge Chasing Wind nearby, asked in a private chat.

"Whether it does or not, we all gain. Who cares!" Zhuge Chasing Wind responded with an indifferent expression.

"You're not just going to go through the motions with Lord Greg's plan, are you?" Little Cat Don't Eat Fish asked.

"No, I'll execute Lord Greg's plan seriously." Zhuge Chasing Wind scoffed, glancing at the hot air balloon floating outside the venue, his eyes filled with unconcealed jealousy. He bit out, "The people of the Beggar Gang are too rich. Such an organization shouldn't exist."

Little Cat Don't Eat Fish nodded in agreement.

...

Lin Bai walked through the middle of the venue, occasionally nodding and greeting familiar faces. At this moment, in his mind, he was rapidly processing a slew of messy information—the income of positive Emotion Values, the income of negative Emotion Values, the players' conversations, various tasks issued by the System...

At this moment, Lin Bai was like a super-fast operating computer, simultaneously processing a multitude of information. Moreover, everything was handled in an orderly fashion, without any sign of system collapse.

He couldn't help but suspect this was due to the changes in his Physical Constitution brought about by the Spirit Fruit and the Peerless Divine Doctor System...

Had this occurred when he had just transmigrated, the chaotic noises around him and the constant pop-ups in his mind would have overwhelmed him.

In his current state, even if the System were removed and he returned to Earth, he could still be a minor superman.

...

「By mid-morning.」

A sudden tumult could be heard outside the venue.

The players from Fiore City arrived first.

The City Guard Army and the disciples of the Beggar Gang, who were maintaining order, let them in one after another.

"They're here, get ready," numerous voices rang out simultaneously, both from various sects and players with ulterior motives.

...

"Wow, so extravagant! The Beggar Gang really lives up to its reputation as the richest sect. Damn, I'm so envious."

"So, this is what the real Lin, the Storekeeper, looks like! The Little White Fox is so cute!"

"Lin Bai is so handsome."

"Such a pity that Lin, the Storekeeper, isn't saying sweet things anymore; otherwise, I'd definitely go and try."

"Which sect are you joining?"

"Isn't it obvious? Of course, the Beggar Gang! Following Lin, the Storekeeper, I won't lose out."

"Forget the 'Lin Bai must die' stuff; let's grab the benefits first. Given my abilities, becoming an elder in the Beggar Gang should be no problem!"

"No one can stop me from going to Hundred Flower Valley. I'm going to date an NPC and have a fairy sister wake me up!"

"The Morning Yuan Sword Sect's slogan is totally badass. I sure as hell want to become a Sword Immortal..."

...

Most players were busy with private chats and paid little attention to other NPCs.

But the moment hundreds of people surged into the venue, Lin Bai felt as if he had suddenly been thrust into a bustling marketplace, a cacophony of voices flooding his mind.

His face turned a shade paler. He couldn't process all the information.

Lin Bai quickly plucked two Spirit Fruits from the Spirit Fruit Tree and stuffed them into his mouth. His mind cleared, and he felt much better.

At this point, Lin Bai truly began to admire Professor X. One could never comprehend the sheer magnitude of his mental strength without experiencing it firsthand. After all, he could control the entire human population on Earth!

It seemed necessary to continue consuming Spirit Fruits.

Perhaps in the future, he too could become like Professor X, directly interfering with others' thoughts and controlling their actions using brainwaves.

The Little White Fox sensed something was off with Lin Bai and gave him an odd look. She raised her head, nuzzling his chin, "Master, are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" Lin Bai smiled and stroked her head. Just as he was about to speak, suddenly, a group of more than twenty people broke from the crowd, rushed to the center of the venue, quickly took their positions, and arranged themselves into the shape of a flower.

They raised their hands high, channeled their Inner Strength, and shouted in unison, "For crops to bloom like flowers, good fertilizer is the power! Flower Lidan Compound Fertilizer, number one in sales for four consecutive years! The good fertilizer you can always trust..."

This sudden event brought momentary silence to the noisy venue.

The NPCs from various sects had been buzzing with excitement, eagerly anticipating the arrival of the heavenly people to sign up.

But in that instant, everyone simultaneously turned their attention towards the fertilizer team.

Lin Bai was stunned.

Well, it seems not only the Beggar Gang accepted advertisements. The way battles are fought in the Immortal World is truly about to change!

The game is filled with advertisements.

This will definitely drive away many players!

...

「Hundred Flower Valley.」

Jiang Qingqin was dumbfounded, looking awkwardly at the fertilizer-selling team and murmuring, "When I looked at the Beggar Gang, it didn't feel particularly out of place. Why do these guys seem so jarring?"

Jiang Yuru scowled. "Later, if this group comes to Hundred Flower Valley to register, turn them away at the gate."

...

「Blood Shadow Sect.」

Qian Jinzu's pupils suddenly contracted as unpleasant memories flooded his mind. He moved closer to Lan Nuotian and whispered, "Master, if that group comes to the Blood Shadow Sect later, can we... not accept them?"

Lan Nuotian ignored him. Instead, he turned to look at Golden Lion and asked with a frown, "Little Gold, when you mentioned changing the sect's uniforms, was this what you had in mind?"

"Mm," Golden Lion nodded hesitantly, a wave of melancholy washing over him for some reason. Why could others make money from advertisements, while his own fate was so bitter?

Lan Nuotian pondered for a moment. "Little Gold, fetch a brush. I've decided to add a line to our promotional slogan: those who join the Blood Shadow Sect will be permitted to advertise during sect activities."

"..." Qian Jinzu.

"..." Golden Lion.

...

「Medicine King Valley.」

The corner of Cao Ruan's eye twitched involuntarily. "Peng Ze, I thought only the Beggar Gang members were unruly. I didn't expect these heavenly people to be so outrageous. Alchemy requires tranquility. Won't this group of heavenly people destroy Medicine King Valley?"

Peng Ze swallowed. "Destroyed or not, we still have to recruit them. Their talent is too good. At worst, we can just isolate them from the other disciples in the sect!"

Cao Ruan looked towards Lin Bai. "I think I understand now why the Righteous Door pushed Lin Bai out to establish the Beggar Gang in the secular world. He's just too much of a commotion..."

Peng Ze paused. "Perhaps we should go back and request permission to follow Lin Bai's example?"

Cao Ruan's eyes sparkled, "You mean establishing a branch valley in the secular world like the Beggar Gang?"

Peng Ze said, "It just means a bit more trouble for us. Anyway, since the heavenly people are so talented, they can practice Alchemy anywhere..."

...

"Damn, competitors are here!" Lonely Old Man straightened up as he looked at the fertilizer group in the middle of the field. With a stunned expression, he exclaimed, "Crispy Rice, we overlooked a business opportunity..."

"What opportunity?" Crispy Rice asked.

"An Advertisement Alliance," Lonely Old Man replied. "Next time the Beggar Gang launches a big project, we should negotiate terms with everyone trying to ride our coattails and take a cut from them. We've put on such a big show; letting them benefit for free is too much of a loss."

"Exactly." Crispy Rice nodded emphatically. "Lin, the Storekeeper, is planning to host the Sky Remnant Culture Festival in Jiamucheng. We can use that next time. It's time for the Beggar Gang to establish a marketing department and an advertising department. I'll go tell the disciples at the recruitment office to keep an eye out for elites in advertising..."

...

Greg's face was as somber as still water. He gritted his teeth and grumbled, "The game is completely ruined now."

No Wine Today chuckled bitterly, "Exactly. Even killing Lin Bai couldn't revert the situation. We can't just go killing everyone who advertises, right?"

Dingus Explosion piped in, "We can't just quit the game! This game is so fun, it just started, and quitting over advertisements would be a huge loss."

"Disgusting." Hummingbird muttered and spat on the ground in frustration.

Greg's mouth twitched. He glanced at his underlings beside him, his gaze wandering and his face flushing.

He couldn't just tell the followers behind him that, to recoup his losses, he had also accepted an advertisement, could he?

At this moment, Greg even considered breaking the contract and not running the ad. But the thought of the breach of contract penalty made him want to cry. He was truly caught between a rock and a hard place!

After contemplating for a moment, Greg took a deep breath and said, "Guys, I have to confess something to you. I also accepted an advertisement..."

"..." Everyone.

"Boss, you?" Hummingbird exclaimed in shock, his eyes wide.

"I had no choice." Greg looked pained. "Lin Bai let the players participate in the planning, and those damn dogs saw a chance for profit and immediately turned on me, forgetting all loyalty. I had no choice but to give them 30,000 each. To recoup my losses... I... I accepted an advertisement... I was wrong... If you look down on me for this, I'll cancel the ad, even if I have to pay the penalty..."

No Wine Today looked over at Greg placidly, "Boss, you should have told me earlier."

"..." Greg was stunned.

"Advertisers contacted me a while ago," No Wine Today said with a bitter smile. "I, like an idiot, refused for the sake of my dream! Guys, cover for me. I'm logging off to contact the advertiser, see if I can still get that deal..."

"Hurry up. When you're back, I'm next," Dingus Explosion said. "Even the boss broke his principles; we can't just sit back and watch others make money!"

"..." Greg.

"..." Hummingbird turned to Greg, shaking his head. "Lord Greg, has the dragon slayer finally become the dragon? Don't you feel any guilt about trying to kill Lin Bai?"

Greg looked dejectedly towards Lin Bai. "Hummingbird, you should go find an ad too. The game environment is already like this; we should earn what we can. Killing Lin Bai will bring us traffic; we still have to do it. If you can't find an advertiser in time, help me with my ad, and I'll give you half the sponsorship fee..."

...

[Resentment from Greg; +1+1+1+1]

[Pleasure from Hummingbird; +1+1+1]

Lin Bai knew Greg was plotting something, so he had been spending most of his time lingering near the Mysterious Darkness Cult. Then, upon overhearing Greg's hypocritical conversation, he almost burst out laughing. So much for dragon slayers! You guys are corrupt from top to bottom. With what are you going to fight me?

At this point, more than ten girls rushed over to Lin Bai.

A girl named "Lin Bai Support Group Leader" stepped out from the crowd, her eyes filled with anticipation. "Lin, the Storekeeper, I am one of your fans. Could you sign an autograph for me?"

Saying that, she handed him a charcoal pencil and a beautifully crafted Lin Bai chibi plushie. "You can sign your name on the plushie..."

The Little White Fox was wary of the girls, but its attention was soon drawn to the plushie. Its eyes lit up, "Master, I want a plushie too."

"Do you like it? We have even cuter Q-versions we can give you." The Lin Bai Support Group Leader's eyes brightened as she quickly pulled out two small plushies from her pocket—one of Lin Bai and another of the Little White Fox. "Little White, this one's for you too!"

Lin Bai looked around at the support group, each member holding a plushie, and reaped the positive Emotion Values they provided.

All the unhappiness Greg had caused him vanished in an instant.

See? Just as I thought!

How could everyone in the game be hostile to him?

There are still people who like him, aren't there?

He cheerfully took the charcoal pencil and signed "Lin Yue" on the plushie.

The character "Bai" was intentionally written with a missing stroke, turning it into "Yue." Every little bit counts—even the Inner Strength from fans had to be earned...

However, the Lin Bai Support Group Leader apparently didn't mind this small flaw. As she took back the plushie, she let out a joyful cry, hugging it tightly to her chest.

Seeing this, the other fans gathered around. Before any of them spoke.

DING!

A new system appeared in Lin Bai's mind:

"Super Idol System: The power of an idol is endless. Being pursued, admired... a successful idol can enrich the spiritual world of his followers, inspire them to advance, allowing them to develop faster. Similarly, your followers can also encourage you to become better. This is a two-way power. Go forth and accumulate followers, and ascend to the pinnacle of superstars!"

[Obtained Your First Fan; Reward: Faith 1]

[Obtained Your First Fan (Completed); Reward: Faith 1 (Issued)]

[Fan Count Exceeds 10; Reward: Faith 10]

...