The Beggar Gang had separated the accommodations for Xin Shang and the others. However, the Evil Sect Leaders were utterly petrified by Lin Bai. After leaving the Beggar Gang, they stuck together, doing everything as a group.

Lin Bai couldn't find an opportunity.

Actually, using the Players to lure the tiger away from the mountain wasn't impossible, but it would have seemed too deliberate. Those fellows were currently on edge, so any slight disturbance could potentially collapse the Justice League he had painstakingly created.

"These guys are too much. We're allies now; shouldn't we build some trust between us?" grumbled Lin Bai.

"..." Dao Xu was speechless.

Daojing and Dao Kong both felt their cheeks burn. They really didn't know how Lin Bai could so brazenly say such things. Didn't he understand what shame was?

Daojing advised, "Sect Leader, let's just drop it for now. A little delay won't hurt, and we've only just managed to find some peace. Countless eyes are watching our Righteous Door; it's not wise to stir up more trouble."

Dao Kong agreed, "Why not calm down and cultivate the Spoken Law Follows?"

Lin Bai was too much of a troublemaker, to the point that these Taoists were somewhat afraid. Unlike the people from the Evil Five Sects, everyone in the Return to Dragon View had been so thoroughly ravaged by Lin Bai that they were practically bound to him. They worried that Lin Bai would mess things up, then simply walk away, leaving them to clean up the mess!

Lin Bai reviewed the mission in his mind, quickly found a breakthrough, and said with a smile, "Yes, I've been too hasty. After all, just half a day ago, they were our enemies. We should give them some room to adjust. But if we just wait, the estrangement will always be there. Let's take the initiative and do something!"

"Do what?" Daojing's heart shuddered.

"I also know a bit about forging. Let's go help them upgrade their weapons!" Lin Bai said enthusiastically. "Raising the Level of their weapons and Magic Treasures by a grade might just save their lives in battle."

He hadn't done a mission from the God of Craftsmen System in a long time. The current mission was 'Road to Fame': get ten thousand people to acknowledge his Artifact Refining skills.

Having Lin Bai personally design a set of Magic Treasures might be somewhat difficult. However, with the Blacksmith Six-Piece Set, raising the Level of Magic Treasures was as easy as flipping his hand for him.

"Artifact Refining?" Dao Kong was rather baffled, completely unable to follow Lin Bai's train of thought. Cultivating Spoken Law Follows was somewhat normal, but at this juncture, what on earth was this about helping people with Artifact Refining?

"Do you know why, despite the Righteous Door having countless capable individuals and extraordinary talents over so many years, the ancestors specifically entrusted the great responsibility of propagating the Law to me?" Lin Bai glanced at Dao Kong and asked.

Who asked you whether you knew Artifact Refining? What I don't understand is why you want to *do* Artifact Refining! Can't we be normal for once?

Dao Kong had a bellyful of retorts he wanted to spew, but when the words reached his lips, he didn't know what to say!

"Because I'm an all-rounder. I learn whatever I study; there's nothing that can stump me," Lin Bai said proudly, as if he hadn't seen Dao Kong's contorted expression. "Notify the warriors of the Righteous Door participating in this expedition to come and enjoy this perk too. We can't favor some over others; we must never shortchange our own people."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Daojing, tell the Beggar Gang to get the publicity going. Say that the Justice League's Artifact Refining Master, Lin Bai, will voluntarily upgrade everyone's weapon quality. It's free, but each person only gets one chance. If a weapon is destroyed during the upgrade, I, Lin, will compensate for it. We're not doing this for any other reason than to foster goodwill and have them genuinely praise my Artifact Refining skills."

Daojing and Dao Kong exchanged a look, both seeing the helplessness in the other's eyes. Can't he ever just settle down? Is this Artifact Refining? He's challenging their bottom line!

However, they didn't really object. Compared to Lin Bai's other methods, Artifact Refining was relatively mild. At the very least, the decision to participate or not was up to the other parties...

...

The Disciples of the Beggar Gang moved swiftly. Outsiders might not have known, but the Players knew that Lin, the Storekeeper, was very skilled at Artifact Refining. Moreover, it was free this time; it would be foolish not to take advantage of it.

In no time at all, signs and banners were erected in the square outside the Evil Five Sects' encampment.

"Exclusively Supported by Red Sun Soap Powder"

"Justice League Launches 'Bringing Cultivation to the Masses, I Do Practical Work for the People' Voluntary Artifact Refining Event"

"Justice League Alliance Hierarch, Artifact Refining Master Lin Bai, Personally Wields the Hammer"

"Grandmaster Service, First-Class Technique"

...

No matter whether Lin Bai charged for his services or not, the Beggar Gang's advertisements ran without a hitch.

They had long ago established a dedicated advertising department specifically to handle the various projects and activities Lin Bai would impulsively organize from time to time.

...

Watching the Beggar Gang Disciples run their publicity campaign within the encampment, the few Evil Sect Leaders felt increasingly exasperated.

"Voluntary Artifact Refining? What is Lin Bai trying to pull now?" Xin Shang stared at the tattered banners in the square, utterly disheartened.

"Let him fool around!" Shen Kuang said. "The more merrily he hops, the more miserably he'll die. The four of us will maintain our offensive and defensive alliance; we just won't give him an opening."

"What about our Disciples?" Ge Feiyun asked.

"Have them take some scrap metal over to 'support' our Alliance Hierarch," Zhao Tulong sneered. "That can be considered showing him some respect."

"Right. We can't give him an excuse to fly into a rage," Shen Kuang nodded, lingering fear in his heart. "I can't fathom his thoughts. Whatever he does, it terrifies me!"

"Could he be cultivating some kind of Law again?" Ge Feiyun asked hesitantly.

"Law, my ass! According to him, a Law is fundamental to the workings of heaven and earth. How could it be cultivated in such a childish way?" Zhao Tulong snorted. "He might fool others, but he can't fool me, old Zhao."

"Then how do you explain his Cultivation level?" Ge Feiyun countered. "Since he appeared, his Cultivation has advanced step by step. If it's not a Law, how could he cultivate so quickly?"

"Among the myriad of living beings, there are always one or two favored children of heaven, blessed with Cultivation speeds we can only dream of," Zhao Tulong said. "Don't get hung up on that. For now, let's just play along. Finding a chance to get away from Lin Bai is the correct path..."

Just as they were speaking, they saw a Beggar Gang Disciple walking towards them, and the four Sect Leaders stopped their conversation.

The Beggar Gang Disciple smiled at them, raised the camera in his hand, aimed the lens at them, and said, "Please, continue!"

Before the Sect Leaders could react, Immortal Realm's First Papparazzi had already pressed the camera's shutter button.

SNAP! The flash went off.

The Sect Leaders were horrified. They rushed towards Immortal Realm's First Papparazzi with the speed of a thunderclap too sudden to cover one's ears, four hands simultaneously clamping down on his vital spots.

"Villain, what are you doing?" Zhao Tulong's face was furious, his voice faintly laced with panic. They had been terrified by Lin Bai and had long since become like birds startled by the mere twang of a bowstring.

Xin Ming and the others also had ashen faces. Unsure of what was happening, they didn't dare act rashly. What if this was a trap set by Lin Bai?

"Sect Leaders, please don't panic!" Immortal Realm's First Papparazzi reflexively raised the camera in his hands and hastily explained, "I was just taking a photo of you. It's harmless!"

"What is a 'photo'?" Xin Ming asked, his face dark.

"It means recording your past likenesses in the form of an image." Immortal Realm's First Papparazzi gave an awkward smile, pulled up the photo he had just taken, and showed it to them. "Look, it's like this. A moment ago, I saw you all standing there, looking so imposing and spirited, I just couldn't resist..."

"Soul-stealing?!" Ge Feiyun stared at himself on the screen, panicked and flustered, his eyes immediately turning red. "Villain! And you still claim you mean us no harm!"

"Did Lin Bai send you?" Xin Ming snatched the camera, his gaze icy.

"Don't, don't break it!" Immortal Realm's First Papparazzi hadn't expected such a melodramatic incident to befall him. Seeing the camera in Xin Ming's hand, liable to be crushed at any moment, his face contorted with distress. "It's not soul-stealing! This is just an ordinary camera, it does the same thing as a painter! If you scroll forward, there are photos of Lin Bai too! Yes, yes, just slide your finger back and forth. Gently, don't use force! This thing is very expensive; if it breaks, Lin, the Storekeeper, won't forgive me..."

Xin Ming subconsciously swiped the screen.

Sure enough, scenes from the voluntary Artifact Refining event outside began to appear on the screen one after another: images of the site being set up, the crowd of onlookers, Beggar Gang Disciples, and even Lin Bai and the Taoists from the Return to Dragon View...

This was rather awkward!

Xin Ming calmly withdrew the hand he had pressed against Immortal Realm's First Papparazzi and returned the camera, saying, "Apologies. It was our mistake; we were unfamiliar with such a Magic Treasure. Please don't take it to heart."

Zhao Tulong and the others also withdrew their hands.

Immortal Realm's First Papparazzi looked at the Sect Leaders with pity, sighed, and said, "If Lin, the Storekeeper, really wanted to cause trouble for you, he wouldn't send a weakling like me!" Seeing the embarrassed Evil Sect Leaders, he decided to help Lin Bai save some face and said insincerely, "Sect Leaders, you don't need to be so wary of Lin, the Storekeeper. He's always quite good to his own people."

Shen Kuang sneered and asked icily, "And for what purpose might Lin, the Storekeeper, have sent you here?"

"To conduct an interview." Immortal Realm's First Papparazzi puffed out his chest. "Sect Leaders, I am the newly appointed editor-in-chief of Justice Weekly—the Crownless King. Lin, the Storekeeper, previously mentioned making a special issue for the Justice League, and in doing so, clearing your names. This time, I've come specifically to understand the situation from you, Sect Leaders."

Before entering the game, he'd never imagined he would start a media enterprise within it. He had only thought of reporting news to gain some popularity. Who knew he'd end up landing the editor-in-chief position, a meteoric rise? Being called 'Paparazzi' now would damage his image, so he'd adopted the alias 'Crownless King' to maintain appearances.

"Clearing our names?" Shen Kuang's face abruptly darkened. "Are you sure there will be no more fabrications?"

"Sect Leader Shen, Justice Weekly aims for worldwide distribution in the future. To earn the public's trust, it must be based on facts, so naturally, there will be no more fabrications." Immortal Realm's First Papparazzi smiled. "During the first issue, I was still imprisoned by you. A group of unprofessional people tarnished your reputations, Sect Leaders. I will make a special clarification in this issue to help restore your images."

"How will you conduct the interview?" Xin Ming asked cautiously.

"I'll ask some questions, and you just answer truthfully," Immortal Realm's First Papparazzi said. "If there are questions you're unwilling to answer, you can skip them. I won't force you.

"You don't need to have any misgivings; this is a good thing. You Sect Leaders are intelligent; you must be able to see the influence of Justice Weekly. The Players are immortal; even if Lin, the Storekeeper, falls one day, Justice Weekly will continue to be published. The rules of the world have changed; we can no longer look at things with an outdated perspective. Resorting to violence is ultimately a crude approach. Public opinion can kill without a blade, every word striking to the heart. Wielded well, it's comparable to a Divine Artifact.

"We are already ahead of everyone else. In the future, as Justice Weekly's circulation grows, your fame will rise with it like the tide. This will not only benefit your personal prestige but might also allow you to leverage the situation to change the image of the Evil Five Sects among the common people and officials, breaking through the millennia-long smear campaign waged by the Seven Righteous Sects. Even if Lin, the Storekeeper, perishes, you'll have a defense when facing condemnation from the Five Demonic Sects. So, why not do it?"

His words truly resonated with them, as they had personally experienced the pain of being slandered.

"You keep mentioning that Lin, the Storekeeper, might fall. Aren't you afraid that he will find out and reprimand you?" Ge Feiyun asked with a furrowed brow.

"A media professional's code is to pursue and report the truth. We do not invert black and white, nor do we yield to power. We maintain neutrality, remain impartial, and do not quote out of context. We must ensure the accuracy of every report."

There seemed to be a light shining in Immortal Realm's First Papparazzi's eyes. "I am responsible only for the truth and for Justice Weekly, not for Lin, the Storekeeper. That he will fall is, in essence, a fact; there's nothing that cannot be said. The first issue was a chaotic mess created by a bunch of people. But rest assured, from the moment I became editor-in-chief, all such chaos will cease to exist. I guarantee this on my reputation.

"Sect Leaders, if you have no further questions, why don't we begin the interview? Justice Weekly needs to be published before the expedition sets out, to maintain the topic's freshness and buzz. We need to hurry."

"Alright!"

The Evil Sect Leaders looked at each other and nodded blankly. After Cultivating for hundreds of years, they suddenly felt as if they couldn't keep up with the times.

Everything Lin Bai and the Players did was beyond their expectations.

Perhaps Lin Bai was right; rigidly adhering to old conventions would only lead to being phased out by the era. It was high time for a change.

Maybe this business about Laws was actually real...

...

"Everyone, before you go to Master Lin, please register here first, then go over there to queue up. Master Lin has limited energy, so each person can only have one item upgraded or crafted. Please consider carefully. Swords, kitchen knives, sickles, hoes—all are acceptable. If it's made by Master Lin, it's bound to be a quality product! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

At the site of the voluntary Artifact Refining, a Beggar Gang Disciple was maintaining order with a simple megaphone, "Whether you're a Cultivator or an ordinary citizen, no one is to disrupt the order! 'Voluntary' means it's free of charge. If it breaks, we compensate. But if it's a success, you must genuinely praise Master Lin..."

...

Watching the Beggar Gang Disciples eagerly sign up and excitedly run off with their swords and other weapons to Lin Bai for upgrades, the Cultivators, however, remained on the sidelines, watching with expressions of impatience and disdain.

"To take Cultivation to such a state... he's really one of a kind. The Seven Righteous Sects spent tens of thousands of years drawing a line between immortals and mortals, and now Sect Leader Lin has torn it all down single-handedly." A Taoist from the Return to Dragon View shook his head and sighed. "I wonder where Lin, the Storekeeper, will ultimately lead us. I suddenly don't feel optimistic about the future of the Righteous Door."

"Sheer grandstanding!" A Disciple from the Blood Separation Sect watched Lin Bai with grief and indignation. How could we have been defeated by such a person? Heaven is blind!

Heating, hammering, quenching... All accomplished in one smooth sequence.

The kitchen knife's grade increased by one.

With the bonus from the Blacksmith Five-Piece Set and Lin Bai's Qi Yun, as long as he wished, the weapon's advancement could achieve a one hundred percent success rate.

Lin Bai skillfully carved a notch on the spine of the kitchen knife and, with flamboyant strokes, engraved his exclusive insignia—the character representing "White," his namesake. He then casually swung the kitchen knife at a nearby Iron Ingot.

SWISH! The Iron Ingot was easily sliced in two.

Lin Bai, smiling, handed the successfully upgraded kitchen knife to the Beggar Gang Disciple before him. "Success!"

"Lin, the Storekeeper, you truly live up to your name as an Artifact Refining Master! If your skills are second, no one in the world would dare claim to be first." The Beggar Gang Disciple took the kitchen knife, praised Lin Bai enthusiastically, and in doing so, also provided him with a wave of positive emotional energy.

The onlooking commoners cheered. One by one, they rushed home as if on wings to fetch their kitchen knives or ran to weapon shops to buy armaments. They didn't understand Magic Artifacts, but they understood slicing iron as if it were mud. Who wouldn't want a treasured heirloom blade, especially when the service was free and only required a few pleasant words?

"Just a coincidence," the onlooking Cultivators sneered.

But as the second and third weapons were successfully forged one after another, and especially when even Qing Yu's Hidden Dragon Sword had its quality successfully upgraded by Lin Bai, everyone could no longer remain still. With a great clamor, they all rushed to form a long queue in front of Lin Bai's stall...