Under Lin Bai's guidance, the remaining four sects got rolling. The tortured players finally tasted the joy of playing the game without having to spend money, their affection for Lin Bai unspeakable. If a popularity survey were held, Lin Bai would undoubtedly be the most popular NPC. Players enjoyed developing underappreciated roles in the game and promoting them. They believed that the game developers wouldn't create a role without any reason; if the role wasn't powerful, it must be that they hadn't found the right way to play it. They didn't mind trying their luck with underappreciated roles. After all, registration was free earlier, and now they could even earn some pocket money—why not do it?

Long lines formed once again in front of each of the four major sects' recruiting booths. The decision-makers of each sect breathed a simultaneous sigh of relief. Nobody, be it an NPC or a player, mentioned killing Lin Bai anymore. However, the queue in front of the Beggar Gang booth was still the longest. Lin Bai's charisma was unmatchable, and his solitary fight against the five Golden Cores was too impressive. Tong Cha and the others had no reason to object. At first, Lin Bai even sacrificed the interests of the Beggar Gang for their sake! It was entirely their fault that they ruined the fair environment...

「...」

Players such as Greg, Golden Lion, and Live under the Crotch, who died at the hands of Lin Bai, squatted at the resurrection point with gloomy expressions, not daring to go out.

"What will we do, Great Greg?" Golden Lion asked, his face pale. He was the first to join the Blood Shadow Sect and had a promising future. However, he had ruined it and felt extremely frustrated.

Live under the Crotch shared the same feeling. They knew they couldn't blame Greg; after all, nobody had expected Lin Bai to be that powerful. But someone had to take the blame now...

Little Cat Don't Eat Fish and Zhuge Chasing Wind also cast doubtful looks at Greg. The Evil Sect was swept clean by Lin Bai, which was equivalent to cutting off their future prospects. Even though they knew the Evil Sect would seek revenge, what would they do in the meantime? Wait at the resurrection point or offline? Others were seizing every minute to learn new Skills. Were they going to waste these precious moments? They couldn't practice their Skills at the resurrection point. Moreover, there was another possibility: what if the Evil Sect was defeated again by Lin Bai? Lin Bai was vengeful, and the number of disciples under him in the Beggar Gang was increasing. If they dared to show up in Qian City, they would probably be killed back to Level Zero, which would be no different from deleting their accounts and restarting! Furthermore, the advertisers were likely to hold them responsible. The advertising effects were too poor. After shouting the slogan once, there had been no follow-up. Nobody would be satisfied with that.

In short, Greg's plan, full of loopholes, resulted in their complete defeat. Unlike the Lonely Old Man, the players who besieged Lin Bai at that time were only a bunch of lone players who had clean backgrounds despite offending Lin Bai. But they were equivalent to the sect's abandoned disciples and couldn't even find a reason to switch to the Beggar Gang. Even if they swallowed their pride and leaned on the Beggar Gang, the Lonely Old Man and others would probably not accept them. After all, what they had done before was aimed at cutting off the Beggar Gang's very roots. To cut off someone's livelihood is as grave an offense as killing their parents.

"Do you have any good ideas?" Greg lifted his head and looked around at the people. His voice hadn't changed much, but his fatigue was evident.

"Great Greg, I think I'll quit the game for a while," No Wine Today said, looking at Greg, his face somewhat pale. "You might not have felt anything when Lin Bai's Anvil smashed you to death. But you were smashed to death right in front of my eyes. Whenever I close my eyes, I can't help but see that scene. I think I need to see a psychotherapist."

"Me too," Dingus Explosion said. "I've died before, but I don't know why, this time's visual impact was too great. Even if I enter the game in the future, I probably won't choose a battle class. I might prefer a leisurely life in the game."

Greg paused for a moment, then asked, "Have you made up your minds?"

The two looked at each other and nodded in unison.

No Wine Today sighed. "Maybe our mental fortitude is a bit low! Plus, we don't have any direction right now. It's quite interesting to watch the live broadcasts outside."

"Alright!" Greg glanced at them. "I owe you this time. Whenever you want to come back to the game, you're always welcome!"

Only after No Wine Today and Dingus Explosion logged off did Greg look at the few remaining people. "Let's delete our accounts and start over!"

"Great Greg, are you serious?" Little Cat Don't Eat Fish was stunned.

"We know too little about Lin Bai," Greg nodded and looked at everyone. "With the Beggar Gang dominating, joining any sect now wouldn't give us a chance to develop. It's better to delete our accounts and start fresh. We can change our identities and join the Beggar Gang. Lin Bai has made such a huge mess; in no time, the world will be in chaos. At that time, choosing a sect that suits us will be much better than waiting to die right now.

"So, this is my plan. Whether you listen or not is up to you. You didn't lose any money. Whether you hate me or not, I owe you nothing. I have a clear conscience. Let's say goodbye for now, and we may never meet again."

「Outside the recruitment venue.」

Two men in Taoist robes were hiding under the shade of trees, looking at each other in shock, not speaking for a long time.

"Senior Brother Clear Water, we were too arrogant. Dragon Breath was right. Return to Dragon View should have sent everyone in order to kill Lin Bai," said the slightly younger Taoist, glancing in the direction of the recruitment venue with trepidation, his voice trembling slightly.

The two Taoists were the reinforcements brought by Dragon Breath and Daoist Priest Qingfeng. They arrived in Qian City along with the players from Yimucheng. They had expected to join Qing Ling in making a consolidated effort to kill Lin Bai and restore the reputation of Return to Dragon View. Who would have thought they would inadvertently witness Lin Bai's raw power and his Lightning Storm killing five cultivators from the Evil Sect? The two were instantly frightened; they didn't even dare to enter the recruitment venue's gate.

"You're right. Senior Brother Qing Ling is most likely in great danger too," Clear Water Taoist Chief said, swallowing. "Entering now is simply seeking death. Let's return and explain the situation to our master. Lin Bai has wiped out the five major Evil Sects; his cultivation must be close to the Nascent Soul realm. All those lightning strikes—no amount of Golden Cores would stand a chance. Only our master could possibly defeat him."

"So we're leaving?" Clear Forest Taoist Chief tentatively asked.

"Let's go," Clear Water Taoist Chief promptly decided. "While Lin Bai is still inside the venue, let's capture a few of those 'people who came from the sky' to take back. At least this wouldn't be a wasted trip."

「...」

The players from Jiamucheng and Dinghuo City arrived one after another. Jiamucheng was Lin Bai's old base. The players there had joined the Beggar Gang long ago. This time, with the roads opened up, they came to Qian City to join up with Crispy Rice and take the opportunity to learn Advanced Skills from Lin Bai. When the players from Jiamucheng arrived, Crispy Rice's Beggar Gang further expanded in influence. Lin Bai once again lucked into a boost of Luck Value, as well as even more positive Emotion Value. The news of Lin Bai's mighty power at the recruitment event had already spread among the players.

「...」

However, by this time, Lin Bai had already left the venue with Little White Fox and Jiang Qingqin.

From an outsider's perspective, the players were quiet, rarely talking unless necessary. But in Lin Bai's eyes, the thousands of players gathered at the recruitment event were so noisy in their private chats that his head felt like it was about to explode. It's better to leave early for some peace and quiet, he thought. Lin Bai believed that even if he wasn't present, Tong Cha and the others wouldn't dare to cause any trouble.

「...」

Lin Bai walked side by side with Jiang Qingqin, carrying Little White Fox, with Dumbelldore following behind to attend to them. Occasionally, lifestyle players who didn't want to join the recruitment event would run over to greet Lin Bai. Lin Bai responded with a smile to each one. He would occasionally buy a toy or two from roadside stalls, tear off an ear, mar the paint, imbue them with Inner Strength for a day, and then give them to Jiang Qingqin as gifts. He did this tirelessly.

Before long, Jiang Qingqin was holding a pile of damaged toys. Her bad mood had vanished when Lin Bai started giving her gifts. Even though the gifts Lin Bai gave her were all broken in some way, she didn't mind. She happily snuggled up to Lin Bai and said, "That's enough, really, I can't take any more."

"Jiang Qingqin, would you like to be my promoter for the Way of Incompleteness?" Lin Bai casually bought another porcelain plate, flicked a small notch into it with his finger, handed the plate to Jiang Qingqin, and asked with a smile.

"Of course," Jiang Qingqin agreed without hesitation, then asked, "Promoter of what?"

"Promoter for the Way of Incompleteness," Lin Bai repeated.

"What does that involve?" Jiang Qingqin asked.

"Just like me, help everyone you meet accept incompleteness, get used to incompleteness, and create incompleteness," Lin Bai explained, pointing to the pile of damaged items in her arms.

"Is there any meaning to this?" Jiang Qingqin hesitated, then suddenly realized. "This... this... isn't this also a form of training?"

"Correct," Lin Bai snapped his fingers, looked back at Dumbelldore, and said, "The Heavenly Dao has fifty aspects; the Great Divination utilizes forty-nine, leaving one elusive. The Heavenly Dao itself is inherently incomplete. That elusive 'one' is a glimmer of life. Attaining enlightenment from incompleteness allows one to glimpse a hint of heavenly secrets. This is a Cultivation Technique no weaker than Spoken Law Follows."

"..." Dumbelldore paused, hastily shut down the live broadcast. This master just hands out Cultivation Techniques without any warning? he thought, feeling both moved and irritated.

Jiang Qingqin was also stunned. "So, you promoted the Way of Incompleteness in Jiamucheng, and you even released the Heavenly Remnant Collection. The method you used to get people's names... is that a heavenly secret technique you comprehended through the Way of Incompleteness?"

The lies I've told are all connecting! I'm just that clever, Lin Bai thought.

Lin Bai nodded with a smile. "Indeed. What I have understood are just minor aspects. The ninth ancestor of the Heavenly Secret Gate, when he sundered the heavens and the earth, comprehended the Way of Incompleteness to its grand completion. He was the true sage who could foresee five hundred years into the future and know five hundred years into the past. No one had any secrets from him."

"That's amazing," Jiang Qingqin said, astounded. Now, she believed whatever Lin Bai said. After all, Lin Bai had displayed sufficiently powerful strength, and everything he had said and done could be accounted for. She looked at Lin Bai admiringly and asked, "Did that old ancestor ever read your destiny?"

"The ninth ancestor already shattered the void and departed; I don't know where he went," Lin Bai said, a longing look on his face. "But before he left, he prophesied everything about the 'people from heaven' and even revealed the method to break Spoken Law Follows. After the ninth ancestor, no other ancestor in the Righteous Door could achieve grand completion in the Way of Incompleteness. However, unlike Spoken Law Follows, the Way of Incompleteness is a compulsory Cultivation Technique for every disciple in the Righteous Door."

"Reaching minor accomplishment is also quite good!" Jiang Qingqin said. "Knowing everyone's names in advance is already very impressive. But the cultivation methods of your Righteous Door are so strange!"

Little White Fox, nestled in Lin Bai's arms, nodded in agreement. More than strange, it's outrageous! Even the Monster Race doesn't have such absurd cultivation methods. Yet these cultivation methods are all real. This is like absurdity itself opening the door for more absurdity; it has reached the pinnacle of ridiculousness!

It's not just Jiang Qingqin who's been brainwashed by me, is it? Lin Bai thought.

"There are even stranger things you don't know about!" Lin Bai chuckled. "How can the cultivation method for a Principle of the Great Tao be the same as ordinary cultivation?"

"Principle of the Great Tao?" Jiang Qingqin looked at Lin Bai and asked, "Is this why you're so formidable at such a young age?"

"I guess so!" Lin Bai laughed awkwardly. "Actually, before I left my sect, I didn't know people outside were so weak. They're always so cautious, afraid of attracting disaster!"

"The trouble you've caused this time isn't small," Jiang Qingqin said worriedly. "Lin Bai, tell me honestly, what is your current cultivation realm? Have you reached Nascent Soul?"

"I don't think so!" Lin Bai shook his head. "What I'm cultivating is different from yours. The realm divisions are quite vague."

"Vague?" Jiang Qingqin frowned. "I don't quite understand what you mean. Even if it's not the same as the outside world, doesn't your sect have its own standard for judgment?"

Lin Bai thought for a moment. "No. We call cultivation 'Realizing the Dao.' The process of Realizing the Dao doesn't have a predictable growth path. Today, I might not even be able to defeat someone in the Qi Refinement Realm, but if I achieve a breakthrough in Realizing the Dao, perhaps tomorrow I could directly fight a Nascent Soul. It's uncertain…"

[Received from Jiang Qingqin, Xiao Bai's Joy; +1+1+1]

"Lin Bai, since I became the Promoter of Incompleteness, does that mean I'm also starting to understand the Way of Incompleteness?" Jiang Qingqin asked hopefully.

Compared to Lin Bai's Righteous Door, my Hundred Flower Valley feels like trash. No, not just Hundred Flower Valley; the seven orthodox sects aren't even worthy of polishing the Righteous Door's shoes! Others are just practicing techniques, while the Righteous Door is always talking about Realizing the Dao... she thought.

"Yes," Lin Bai nodded affirmatively.

The Everything Has Shortcomings System is clearly expanding its influence step by step. I've decided to get ahead of the System again and promote the concept of incompleteness. In the future, completing tasks will be effortless and natural, Lin Bai mused. Realizing the Dao is clearly a good pretext. Through Dumbelldore, letting the players also 'Realize the Dao' and spread incompleteness everywhere will be even faster.

Jiang Qingqin was immediately excited. "Lin Bai, you've already revealed two Dao-realizing divine techniques. Aren't you afraid that others will learn them and use them against you or your sect?"

"They'd need the ability to do so," Lin Bai sneered dismissively. "Since I dared to spread the method of Realizing the Dao, I'm not afraid of others learning it. Furthermore, even if they did learn it, wouldn't they want to go to the Righteous Door to understand more methods of Realizing the Dao? Jiang Qingqin, your worry is entirely unnecessary. Your perspective is too narrow..."

Principle of the Great Tao? Without System rewards, if you guys can really cultivate a Principle of the Great Tao, I'll acknowledge you as Ouyang Feng...

"Oh," Jiang Qingqin responded meekly, then argued softly, "Lin Bai, I just don't want you to suffer any losses. You cultivate the Principle of the Great Tao, but your understanding of human nature isn't as good as mine, is it? Take this recruitment fair, for example. You treated everyone wholeheartedly, but how did they treat you? If it weren't for your strength, you might have been schemed against. One must always be wary of others!"

Huh?! Lin Bai was stunned. He looked at Jiang Qingqin curiously. She actually said I'm naive? I can't believe she discovered such a deeply hidden, noble quality of mine! I'm so moved!

"Mm, I will," Lin Bai nodded earnestly. "Qingqin, don't worry. I definitely won't let such a thing happen again."