Lin Bai's few words plugged all the loopholes.

Regardless of the perspective, the method of Cultivating Rules seemed utterly absurd. It was one thing to try it with a skeptical attitude. Who would truly believe in their heart that this was the genuine path to cultivating the Rules? What if they were being tricked? Even if Lin Bai now pointed out the problems to them, would they really believe him?

Ge Feiyun's expression was grim. "Why didn't you explain this point in the *Justice Weekly*?"

"The Cultivation of Rules follows nature. Those willing to believe will naturally cultivate; those unwilling will not," Lin Bai said, glancing at her. "Moreover, the Cultivation of Rules is different from the current paths of cultivation. In the struggle to the end, only one person can truly master a Rule, which is exceptionally cruel. If thousands were to cultivate it and all achieved nothing, they would still blame me. Rather than that, why not let everyone rely on their own affinity? If they succeed, it's due to their own cultivation. If they fail and give up early, no significant loss is incurred. Since that's the case, why should I have said anything?"

"But you claim the Righteous Door's responsibility is to promote the Way of Rules, yet you also speak of relying on affinity. Isn't that a contradiction?" Ge Feiyun pressed.

"I have been promoting it. And I lead by example," Lin Bai stated. "If, after seeing my actions, my achievements, and my battle records, you still don't believe the Way of Rules is real, it sufficiently proves that such a person has no affinity with it. To prove the existence of the Rules, I will continue to fight until the day I become the Heavenly Dao itself. You can all wait and see..." He paused for a moment.

Lin Bai looked at Ge Feiyun and smiled. "Sect Leader Ge, you're trying every conceivable way to find flaws in the Rules, precisely to prove that the Cultivation of Rules is false, aren't you?"

Everyone was stunned. Ge Feiyun was rendered speechless.

Lin Bai continued, "With such a mindset, the Way of Rules is indeed false for you. When the day comes that you begin to try every conceivable way to uphold the Way of Rules, to seek evidence for its existence, then you will naturally comprehend Divine Skills from the Rules."

Ge Feiyun, after a moment of stunned silence, suddenly looked up at Lin Bai. The others appeared contemplative.

"Sect Leader Ge, how about you experience Separation of Love firsthand and feel the Power of Rules? What do you say?" Lin Bai smiled faintly and used the Skill—Rush Moon—on Ge Feiyun.

Before Ge Feiyun could react, an immense force surged from beneath her feet. She found herself in the same flying posture as Cu Wushuang, soaring into the sky.

Xin Shang watched Ge Feiyun abruptly fly upwards, the corner of his eye twitching inexplicably. He was startled to realize that the posture Separation of Love used to send people into the sky was identical: one hand forward, one hand back, fully displaying their figure... It was one thing for a woman to strike such a pose. If a man flew up so coquettishly and was seen by others, how could he possibly continue to live?

GULP. Zhao Tulong, a burly man, swallowed hard. Apparently, he had also considered this issue, as fine beads of sweat instantly broke out on his forehead.

Is this truly the Way of Rules? he wondered. Surely, it couldn't be some Martial Arts technique spread by an Evil Spirit in the name of the Rules!

"Would any of you like to experience it as well?" Lin Bai asked, looking at Zhao Tulong and the others.

Xin Shang and the rest showed expressions of horror and shook their heads simultaneously. Glancing at the ascending Ge Feiyun, Xin Shang said with a flicker in his eyes, "We appreciate the Alliance Hierarch's kind offer. Now that we know the key to comprehending the Love Principle, we can endeavor to grasp it ourselves."

Lin Bai shook his head in disappointment, looking up at the sky. "Only through personal experience can one truly appreciate the irresistible nature of the Power of Rules, dispel doubts about the Rules, and genuinely embark on the path of their cultivation. Ultimately, even if one cannot become a God of Rules, comprehending one or two Divine Skills will benefit one's own cultivation. To be overly cautious and timid is truly a pity."

As he spoke, Lin Bai looked at Cu Wushuang and asked, "Senior Sister Cu, you were the first to experience a Divine Skill. How did Separation of Love feel?"

Cu Wushuang shuddered, freezing on the spot. The feeling of helplessness from being controlled by Rush Moon surged back into her heart. That's right! Others might not know, but her understanding of the Power of Rules was the deepest!

Sensing Cu Wushuang's emotional shift from the background, Lin Bai smiled at her. "Congratulations, Senior Sister Cu. You are one step ahead of the others."

"Thank you for your enlightenment, Alliance Hierarch." Cu Wushuang looked at Lin Bai and performed a sincere disciple's bow. "I will discard all distracting thoughts and focus on cultivating the Way of Rules. When the time comes, I humbly request your unreserved guidance, Alliance Hierarch."

"Naturally," Lin Bai replied. "My pursuit is the Heavenly Dao, which abhors selfishness above all. Therefore, if you have any doubts, feel free to ask me; I will conceal nothing. If you choose to cultivate the Love Principle or the Way of Incompleteness, that is fine. But if you wish to follow my path and cultivate the Heavenly Dao of Spoken Law Follows, you too must discard selfishness."

"Yes." Cu Wushuang paused for a moment, then said, "I know I cannot achieve true selflessness, so I will not contend with the Alliance Hierarch for the Heavenly Dao. I will choose a path that suits me between the Way of Incompleteness and the Love Principle, and dedicate myself to its cultivation..."

While they were speaking, Ge Feiyun descended from the sky, her face dark. After landing, she suppressed the urge to strike Lin Bai and shot him a fierce glare.

Lin Bai merely chuckled, unfazed. "Sect Leader Ge, since the other Sect Leaders are unwilling to experience Separation of Love, why don't you share your sensations with them?"

Xin Shang and the others looked at Ge Feiyun with anticipation.

Ge Feiyun hesitated for a moment before speaking, "During the ascent, I had no control over my body. The more I circulated my energy to resist, the faster I rose. I ascended for more than ten miles before I could come down. Apart from that, my body suffered no other injuries..."

So, the fluctuating speed was due to her attempts to resist with her cultivation energy! Lin Bai noted this characteristic and explained, "The Love Principle is the gentlest. Even if struck by Cupid's Arrow, one would bear no scars; Separation of Love naturally causes no injury. However, do not assume the Law of Love is useless. When facing an enemy, during their 'separation' process, they cannot resist. At that moment, we can deliver a fatal blow. Moreover, this is only the first Divine Skill I have comprehended. As my feelings for Qing Qin deepen in the future, I might comprehend even more powerful Divine Skills..."

Jiang Qingqin glanced shyly at Lin Bai, her face blushing, and said nothing.

Qing Yu and Flower Stream looked at each other deeply, their resolve to cultivate the Love Principle strengthening. Lin Bai was able to comprehend Divine Skills while simultaneously cultivating several Principles of the Great Tao. Since he and Flower Stream loved each other, there was no reason they should be much slower than him. Their lack of progress was probably because their love wasn't deep enough yet...

Ge Feiyun was rendered speechless by Lin Bai's arguments and had been sent skyward once again. She had painstakingly cultivated for hundreds of years to reach the Nascent Soul realm, only to be arbitrarily controlled by a young man barely in his twenties. Suddenly, her mind opened up.

After pondering for a moment, Ge Feiyun asked, "Alliance Hierarch, if I wish to cultivate the Love Principle, how should I proceed?"

Lin Bai glanced at Jiang Qingqin with tenderness in his eyes, then turned back to Ge Feiyun. "Firstly, you need a lover, and then you must love him wholeheartedly. When you think of him, you will feel an irrepressible joy. When you see him with someone else, you will feel an involuntary jealousy. When you are willing to meticulously groom and adorn yourself for him, overlook his flaws, and tolerate his mistakes—that is when you have taken the initial step into the Love Principle."

Jiang Qingqin's heart pounded. She peeked at Lin Bai. Yes, it all matched! It turned out that, unknowingly, she had already taken the first step into the Love Principle!

Dao Xu subconsciously glanced at Ge Feiyun. Xin Shang and the others, however, turned their gazes towards the cultivators from Hundred Flower Valley. It was well known that the female cultivators of Hundred Flower Valley were, due to their Cultivation Techniques, the most pleasing to the eye and had always been the top choice for cultivation partners in the Cultivation World. Choosing one of them to cultivate the Love Principle with wouldn't be a bad idea.

However, Xin Shang and the others also knew they were still sceptical about the Rules. According to Lin Bai, comprehending Divine Skills would likely be difficult for them with such an attitude. Unless Lin Bai could provide further, more substantial proof of the Power of Rules, they might only gradually come to believe in the existence of the Rules. But as this thought emerged, the Sect Leaders were once again taken aback. All along, Lin Bai had been saying this, and he had been doing exactly this!

In that brief moment, Xin Shang and the others, who had been half-sceptical about the Rules, suddenly found their belief strengthened to about seventy or eighty percent. None of them realized they had already been roped into Lin Bai's circular reasoning.

Apart from completing System tasks, Lin Bai spent most of his time refining the settings for the Righteous Door and the Rules. Perfecting the Righteous Door would make enemies hesitate before acting against him and would also instill hope in the Players. Establishing rules was a crucial step for him to control the narrative and unite people. The Justice League had been forcibly established by him; its members felt no sense of belonging, perhaps even resentment. Coercion and bribery might temporarily hold the members together, but as their numbers grew, it would inevitably lead to collapse. The presence of Players also meant he couldn't afford to slowly cultivate his own faction.

However, by establishing the cultivation system for the Rules, everyone who cultivated them would be forcibly bound to his great ship of Rules, forming a cohesive group that would consciously protect their collective interests. Effective long-term governance must be preceded by sound theory. This was the most sophisticated art of command. By doing this, Lin Bai wouldn't need to deliberately maintain interpersonal relationships; he only needed to manage himself well, complete System tasks, and constantly give the league members hope.

Of course, as time went on, if no one comprehended Divine Skills from the Way of Rules, they would eventually begin to doubt him. But by then, the league should be powerful enough, offering more benefits that they couldn't afford to lose. After all, joining the Justice League meant betraying the Seven Righteous Sects and the Five Demonic Sects! Moreover, by that time, his personal strength should be sufficient to suppress all opposition. The Rules and such would no longer be as important.

The only potential point of collapse in all his plans was if the Seven Righteous Sects and the Five Demonic Sects suddenly dispatched a peerless master even he couldn't handle. However, Lin Bai couldn't worry about that much; he had already done exceedingly well. He had to extract all of the System's potential in a short amount of time. If that still wasn't enough, it would mean the entity behind the System was weaker than the game company. If it truly came to that, he would just have to accept his misfortune. Who asked him to be merely a pawn for now?

"Alliance Hierarch, what should one pay attention to when cultivating the Way of Incompleteness?"

"Casually render items around you incomplete, then from that, comprehend the profound meaning that the Heavenly Dao is flawed and the Great Path is impermanent."

"Can you be more specific?"

"All things have flaws; peak prosperity leads to decline. The Heavenly Dao itself is flawed; perfection inevitably leads to destruction..."

"You previously asked Jiang Qingqin to become your disciple, saying you wished to comprehend the Teacher's Principle. What is the Teacher's Principle?"

"The Teacher's Principle is the Dao of inheritance. Without teachers, there is no civilization. This is not an innate Dao, but an acquired one. Teaching more disciples allows one to comprehend deeper truths in the process. The Teacher's Principle is something I use to assist my Cultivation of Rules. You all have disciples yourselves and should have some understanding of it; your insights in this area ought to be far deeper than mine. There's no need to ask me..."

"Does this mean that, in the end, the Law of Love and the Way of Incompleteness are inferior to the Heavenly Dao of Spoken Law Follows?"

"Each has its strengths and weaknesses. The Nine Patriarchs of the Righteous Door once said that if one achieves the Heavenly Dao, they will merge with the Dao itself, eventually becoming devoid of thought and emotion, safeguarding the normal operation of the world's rules. If I were to achieve the Dao, there would be no Lin Bai in the world, only the Heavenly Dao. Other Gods of Rules, however, master only a single Rule yet retain their own consciousness. It depends on which path you wish to choose!"

"Lin... Master, I don't want you to become the Heavenly Dao. If you become the Heavenly Dao, what will happen to me?"

"Qing Qin, if you love me, you should aid my cultivation, not obstruct my Dao heart. The catastrophe caused by the Descenders is a collision between two worlds. I don't know if their world has a Heavenly Dao, but only if I become the Heavenly Dao is there a possibility of truly averting this calamity and protecting this world..."

「Jiamucheng Bound」

As Lin Bai led the members of the Justice League, advancing in a great, imposing procession towards Jiamucheng.

「Qian City.」

The Players in the editorial department of *Justice Weekly* were working overtime, rushing to produce the third issue. As it was a special feature on Lin Bai, the content wasn't particularly difficult. After all, Lin Bai had grown up under the Players' watchful eyes. They were all familiar with his deeds; even if they forgot something, a quick search on the forums would yield a plethora of information. Not only his personal history but even the sweet nothings he uttered while practicing Spoken Law Follows were preserved—truly, incredibly detailed. Many outside who couldn't get into the game had even created a dedicated online forum thread for Lin Bai, specifically to analyze his actions and thoughts. The more the editors compiled Lin Bai's biography, the more they felt that the *Immortal World* should be renamed *Immortal Biography of Lin Bai*. Up to this point, almost all storylines revolved around Lin Bai and the Righteous Door behind him. If anyone claimed he wasn't a plot-critical NPC, not even a ghost would believe it.

As Lin Bai embarked on his campaign and displayed his new Skill—Separation of Love—the advertising department of the Beggar Gang became incredibly busy once again, inundated with waves of advertisement deals. Every advertiser hoped their ad would appear on the battlefield when Lin Bai attacked a Sect's headquarters. After all, other Players were progressing too slowly. Expecting them to go around destroying Sects would take until goodness knows when. For this reason, the advertisers, their wealthy patrons, were not hesitant to engage in fierce bidding wars.

Meanwhile, Players from the Morning Yuan Sword Sect, Medicine King Valley, and Spirit Artifact Pavilion also received advertisements arranged by the Beggar Gang. A battlefield involves two sides; having only one side display ads was too wasteful of resources. When the Players were in Qian City, they had formed an Advertisement Alliance, with mutual benefits flowing between them. It wasn't strange for everyone to run ads together.

The Beggar Gang gave these sect Players a basic requirement: they absolutely had to find ways to stir up the fighting spirit within their respective Sects. They must not, under any circumstances, surrender upon seeing Lin Bai. Otherwise, the spectacle would be greatly diminished, which would reduce the investment appetite of their wealthy patrons, ultimately leading to a decrease in everyone's income.

Thus, the Players responsible for relaying Lin Bai's intentions naturally distorted his message. Lin Bai's offer of a choice, his preference for subduing enemies without fighting—all of this was twisted. The new narrative was that Lin Bai, having heard of their schemes against the Justice League, was utterly furious and determined to make a harsh example of them to assert the inviolable dignity of the Justice League. They painted Lin Bai as treacherous, likely to first feign an offer of surrender, then stab them in the back and turn them into Puppets—and other such rhetoric designed to drive them into a corner.

For a time, the Morning Yuan Sword Sect, Medicine King Valley, and Spirit Artifact Pavilion were thrown into turmoil, their members in a state of panic and disarray. After all, Lin Bai now commanded the complete Five Evil Sects. On their side, Hundred Flower Valley couldn't provide assistance, and Return to Dragon View had already defected to Lin Bai. With their strength waning and Lin Bai's growing, their chances of victory were far too slim. They didn't know if their pleas for help from the Seven Righteous Sects would arrive in time, yet they were unwilling to easily abandon their Sects' foundations, built over thousands of years...

After much deliberation, the three Sects made a decision: they would consolidate their forces and fight to the bitter end, holding out until reinforcements arrived!