"Master, what are you thinking about?" Sensing that Lin Bai had stopped stroking her head, Little Fox looked up, puzzled.

"I'm considering when to go to Jiamucheng to bring your mother and your brothers and sisters over." Lin Bai smiled. Players are an ungrateful bunch. They hold the bowl I provide yet are always plotting to smash my pot. I have to find some truly loyal followers for myself.

Cards were too few, after all.

Characters sealed by Cards, if they did not regain consciousness, would just be mindless puppets.

If they regained consciousness, there was a risk that they might oppose me. They might be commanded to fight, but getting them to genuinely aid me in my plans is as difficult as ascending to Heaven.

While the System is powerful, it cannot allow me to clone myself.

The members of the Justice League harbor deep misunderstandings towards me. I don't know when they will understand my well-intentioned motives.

Therefore, the Fox Clan, with which my intimacy is ever-increasing, has become the best choice.

"Great! When are we going?" Little Fox became excited immediately.

Transformation Pill, Spirit Condensing Fruit…

She had the utmost trust in Lin Bai. She would love to bring all her clan members to Lin Bai's side so they could enjoy the benefits he provided together!

It's just as Master said: when one person attains the Tao, even their chickens and dogs ascend to Heaven!

"When we set out for war, we will pass Jiamucheng. We can bring your mother and the others along then," Lin Bai said, smiling as he patted Little Fox on the head. He asked softly, "Xiao Bai, your mother is a Three-Tailed Fox. She must know higher-ranked Six-Tailed and Nine-Tailed Fox Demons, right?"

Little Fox shook her head dejectedly, saying, "Master, I'm still young, and Mother usually doesn't share the affairs of the Monster Race with me. You can ask her about it when you meet her."

「That night.」

The Players of the Beggar Gang were bustling about. Some were performing Alchemy, some were engaged in Artifact Refining, some were writing articles in-game, while others were liaising for advertisements offline.

Everyone had a role and earned their keep, making it the most fulfilling night in the game for them.

「City Lord's Mansion.」

The clinking of glasses and cheerful laughter continued until sunrise.

Zhao Wenshi, who handled all matters in the City Lord's Mansion, wore a stern look all night long.

He even came up with an excuse to drive all the Players cultivating in the News Pavilion out of the City Lord's Mansion...

Lin Bai also kept himself occupied. He had members of the Beggar Gang pay to gather all the chefs in Qian City. He spent the night in a cooking competition with them, successfully mastered all eight major styles of cuisine, and became the most famous chef in Qian City.

Of course, having mastered the eight major styles of cuisine, Lin Bai had become a true chef, skilled in all types of cooking; there was hardly any dish that could baffle him now.

「When morning arrived,」

Amidst the admiring accolades of numerous chefs in Qian City, the Cooking God System finally launched a new task: [You have become an outstanding chef, but making common dishes may limit your vision. On the road to higher Levels, you must take on the challenge of using rare ingredients. Collect ten kinds of rare ingredients. Reward: The food you cook will glow.]

Seeing the new task reward, Lin Bai was utterly disappointed.

Out of the four Systems that had appeared initially, the other three had already played a tremendous role. Yet the Cooking God System, so far, had only offered rewards related to cooking.

After mastering the eight major styles of cuisine, Lin Bai had expected the System to award him something different!

But… what in the world is glowing food?

Is it helpful in battle?

Glowing food is still food. It can't be used as a flash bomb. Taking a step back, even if it could, is he supposed to cook a dish for his enemies on the battlefield?

Conquer an enemy's heart by first conquering their stomach?

What a joke!

Perhaps it's time to give up on the Cooking God System!

Lin Bai sighed silently. It seems that appearing early doesn't necessarily mean it's a powerful System…

「The next day.」

After a night of hard work by the indefatigable Players, the second issue of "Justice Weekly" appeared on the streets of Qian City on time, quickly causing a scramble among the people.

The great battle outside Qian City, voluntary Artifact Refining, the frequent appearance of aloof Cultivators in Qian City, the Qian City Cup, and gossip from the Cultivation World—all these had sparked an unprecedented interest in the Cultivation World among the common people.

The people dared not go to the strongholds of the Evil Sects to observe the lives of Cultivators, so "Justice Weekly" had become their only window into the Cultivation World.

The new edition of "Justice Weekly" did not disappoint them.

Starting with Lin Bai establishing the Justice League, the weekly issue unraveled the age-old disputes about the alignment of good and evil in the Cultivation World. It thoroughly showed them what the Cultivation World truly was. The issue detailed how the Seven Great Righteous Sects selfishly severed ties between the Cultivation World and the populace, hindering societal progress. Finally, it introduced the Justice League's new doctrine: "Cultivation and people's livelihood should be combined, and Taoist law should serve the people's livelihood."

"So this is what the Cultivation World is like."

"Winners become kings and losers are vilified, just like in the mortal realm. I thought Immortals were aloof, unaffected by worldly desires!"

"Unaffected by earthly desires might be acceptable, but did you see what it said in the text? Cultivators enjoy more precious resources but have never contributed to the populace. They've even drawn a large number of talented individuals from civilians for Cultivation. Those talents could have served the country in official capacities or in war, making great contributions! But by pursuing Cultivation, besides enriching themselves, they bring no benefits to us. The Justice League is right. Cultivators are nothing more than a group of high and mighty, selfish vampires. Disgusting!"

"The Justice League is more down-to-earth. Sect Leader Lin, who performs Artifact Refining for the people, is a true man of action!"

"The Justice League also plans to set up Pill Refineries among civilians to drastically reduce the price of Pill Medicines. This will allow common people to taste Immortal Pills, just like Cultivators. Using Immortal Pills to treat wounds and diseases would no longer be the exclusive privilege of lofty Cultivators. If they succeed, it will truly be a great benefit to the people!"

"This idea appeals to me more: making Cultivators who engage in Artifact Refining stop researching weapons of war and instead focus on Magic Treasures for building roads and bridges…"

"The Justice League also plans to open a Cultivation Academy! Let Cultivation no longer be the privilege of a few, so that ordinary people can also experience the joy of cultivating. Even if they can't achieve flying to the sky and escaping into the ground, they can still build up a strong physique and stay healthy…"

"Imagine falling ill and buying an Immortal Pill at a pharmacy; not having to ride in carriages when you go out, but instead riding a Cultivator's Magic Artifact, flying thousands of miles in a blink… What do you think? Will the world really become as the Justice League describes it one day? Just thinking about it makes it seem so beautiful!"

"It's probably going to be tough. We may not know how strong the Seven Great Righteous Sects are, but they certainly won't sit idly by and watch the Justice League rise. After all, everything the Justice League is doing is damaging their interests. Sect Leader Lin is basically staging a rebellion."

"But the Justice League has public sentiment on its side! Taiyi Country should support it, right? Hasn't the City Lord also joined the Justice League?"

"Better not to hold such high hopes. The Justice League is too weak compared to the Seven Great Righteous Sects. This isn't something that can be achieved simply with passion."

"Storekeeper Lin's dream is noble, but we ordinary people can't contribute much in this kind of war!"

"Did you read to the end before jumping to conclusions so lightly?"

"What's at the end?"

"Laws! Sect Leader Lin of the Justice League is promoting the cultivation of Laws. It's said that everyone can cultivate these Laws. Once successful, you can become a god instantaneously. According to the methods described, even ordinary people can practice it. Perhaps this is where Sect Leader Lin's confidence lies…"

After the sound of rustling pages:

"Damn, what's this?!"

"Two people genuinely in love might comprehend the Great Path? That can't be true, can it?!"

"Throughout history, there have been so many moving love legends; why have we never heard of anyone becoming enlightened from them…"

"It doesn't seem like a lie. Look at this Way of Incompleteness. Do you remember the Incomplete Exhibition held by the Beggar Gang? And all the items that came from them—none of them were intact. Look at the cover of Justice Weekly; even the 'Justice' character is missing a stroke. Why would they do that if it didn't have a special meaning? It's said the whole of Jiamucheng has already turned into the Broken City…"

"Yeah! They are Heaven-sent Individuals, after all!"

"Maybe this is just how the Laws are practiced. Don't assume the Love Principle is so easy to cultivate; look at the examples given later. Daoist Qingyu and Lady Hua Xi, one righteous and one evil, met by chance during a trial and fell in love at first sight. But they suffered due to their opposing identities and couldn't be together. He was even willing to give up his position as the acting head of Return to Dragon View for Lady Hua Xi, offering himself to become Sect Leader Lin's puppet protector. What kind of spirit is that? Could you do it if it were you?"

"And this one, Pei Yanzong of the Waning Sun Gate. To comprehend the Love Principle, knowing his lover was deceiving him, he still went willingly to his death. What kind of sentiment does that express?"

"I can understand the others, but they were both men!"

"That is the most commendable part. Look at the summary at the end of the periodical: 'Ask the world, what is love, that it compels people to pledge their lives to each other?' May I ask all of you present here, who would be willing to defy societal taboos and give up everything—freedom, life, and even their future—for an intangible Love Principle?"

"…" The chattering crowd suddenly fell silent.

"Most people can't do it. So, these special examples Sect Leader Lin provided are not for you to emulate, but to deter most people from wasting their lives on such meaningless pursuits."

"But what about the City Lord and the Beggar Gang Leader then?"

"A powerful alliance, perhaps! The City Lord's resolve is firm. He probably already learned the method of cultivating the Love Principle from Sect Leader Lin. He must be exploring it…"

"It still feels a little disgusting. I can't do it."

"But isn't there the example of Sect Leader Lin and Fairy Jiang? Why do you always focus on the unconventional ones?"

"I…"

"I thought Cultivation was hard enough, but Laws are even harder. It's like thousands of soldiers and horses trying to cross a single-log bridge—harder than passing the damn imperial exams for the top scholar position. It seems being an ordinary person is best after all. I hope one day we can enjoy the world promised by the Justice League!"

Discussions about "Justice Weekly" could be heard everywhere, on every street and alley.

Scholars, commoners, merchants, the nobility…

Everyone was expressing their own views, pondering future developments, and seeing if they could profit from the situation.

It couldn't be helped. The bombshell the Justice League had dropped was too big, especially at this critical juncture of the Heaven-sent Individuals' descent. The natives of the Immortal World had to consider their own future.

Although the recent turmoil had not directly affected them yet, everyone knew that the world was different from before.

The Justice League seemed to have pointed them in a new direction.

"I knew Lin Bai was untrustworthy! To hell with his 'objectivity'! He's done nothing but embellish and twist the facts." Xin Shang, reading the latest issue of "Justice Weekly," was visibly furious. "Since when did we agree with Lin Bai's ideology and voluntarily join the Justice League? Or sever ties with the Magic Five Sects? He's just trying to cut off our retreat!"

"Sect Leader Xin, complaining about this is pointless," Ge Feiyun said. "'Justice Weekly' is Lin Bai's publication. It would be strange if he didn't try to cut off our retreat."

"This time, it's actually not too bad. He's helped us remove the label of Evil Spirits and reframed the conflict as one of ideological difference," Shen Kuang said. "With a few more issues of 'Justice Weekly,' we might be completely whitewashed in the eyes of the common people."

"What's the use of being whitewashed? If word of this gets out, neither the Magic Five Sects nor the Seven Great Righteous Sects will spare us!" Xin Shang roared, his eyes bloodshot. "Lin Bai has single-handedly thrown the world into chaos. Isn't he afraid of choking on his own ambition?"

"To be honest, if Lin Bai were acting cautiously, I would genuinely worry about the Justice League's longevity. But since he's making such big moves, I actually feel more confident," Zhao Tulong said, looking at the "Justice Weekly" in his hand, and suddenly chuckled. "It's all interconnected. While Lin Bai is cutting off our retreat, he isn't leaving himself any escape routes either!"

"Do you mean…" Xin Shang looked up at Zhao Tulong, his eyes unconsciously widening.

"The Righteous Door very likely truly exists," Zhao Tulong nodded. "Lin Bai is the one they pushed forward. Taking advantage of the Heaven-sent Individuals' arrival, they intend to progressively disrupt the world's order, ultimately snatching victory from chaos and settling the outcome in one fell swoop."

"Then what about the Laws?" Ge Feiyun asked.

"Eight or nine times out of ten, they're meant to deceive the world. Even dealing with the Heaven-sent Individuals is just an excuse. How could a group of reclusive people possess such noble sentiments? If they were truly that noble, Lin Bai wouldn't employ such nefarious methods," Zhao Tulong stated affirmatively. "The Righteous Door simply wants to seize this opportunity to carve out a share from the existing order."

"What should we do?" Ge Feiyun asked.

"From the moment we met Lin Bai, we lost our way out," Zhao Tulong said with a bitter laugh. "We either believe in him completely, get passively pushed along by him, or end up like Pei Yanzong, turned into his Puppet. I believe Lin Bai is capable of doing that…"

The group fell into Silence.

After a moment, Xin Shang said dejectedly, "Sect Leader Zhao, how can you be so sure that Lin Bai won't turn us into Puppets?"

"We can only gamble," Zhao Tulong replied. "Gamble that Lin Bai needs subordinates; Puppets are, after all, not as convenient as living people. Don't forget Dao Xu; after Lin Bai restored his sanity, he was constantly opposing and undermining him. Let's take a gamble. If we succeed, I imagine the Righteous Door won't treat us unfairly!"

"He's mad! Lin Bai must be mad! How dare he try to whitewash the Magic Gate?" As a Player, Tang Lanling was among the first to know the contents of "Justice Weekly." She was incredibly frustrated. "Taoist law is righteous when used righteously, and evil when used for evil. What kind of nonsense is he spouting? What exactly is he trying to do? Is he trying to incite a new war between the righteous and evil factions?"

"Valley Master, should we still proceed with the original plan?" Jiang Yuru asked. They had delayed for a night and gathered some of the Golden Core Monks from the Hundred Flower Valley, planning to go Undercover in the Justice League. Who knew that just as they were about to set off, this "Justice Weekly" issue would surface.

Behind her, Jiang Qingqin's face was flushed. Her mind was preoccupied with the Love Principle. She hadn't expected Lin Bai to publish their story as an example of the Love Principle. This was enough to prove that Lin Bai's love for her was genuine. It was wonderful!

"Proceed with the original plan," Tang Lanling said, a glint of struggle flashing in her eyes. "This issue of 'Justice Weekly' can be seen as Sect Leader Lin's declaration of war on the Cultivation World. Knowing his personality, he won't just sit back and wait to be attacked. He will definitely try to expand crazily before the Seven Great Righteous Sects can react. We need to go and slow him down."

"Crispy Rice, how effective is the Staff of Love? How come you spent the whole night in the City Lord's Mansion?" Seeing Crispy Rice return, Players like Lonely Old Man quickly gathered around.

"Absolutely fantastic." Crispy Rice subconsciously touched her lips, looked around at everyone, and smiled. "From now on, the City Lord can be considered one of us."

Looking at Crispy Rice's slightly disheveled clothes and her smile that was both sweet and shy, Lonely Old Man frowned. "Why didn't you livestream? What did you and the City Lord talk about that took a whole night?"

"Exactly! You didn't even log out last night," Sticky Rice said, looking at Crispy Rice with a hint of resentment. "I sent you so many messages, but you didn't reply to a single one. I went to the City Lord's Mansion to find you, but they wouldn't let me in…"

Crispy Rice looked at Sticky Rice, an inexplicable trace of panic flashing in her eyes. "It was nothing much, just drinking and chatting with the City Lord, cultivating our bond. The City Lord is under the effect of the Staff of Love and is completely infatuated with me. It's just like Daoist Dao Xu was with Lin Bai outside Return to Dragon View. I can even mobilize the City Guard Army through the City Lord to directly besiege Lin Bai, and he wouldn't hesitate…"