Innocent?

Watching Lin Bai's back, Dumbelldore was plunged into gloomy thoughts as he recalled all the physical and mental trials he had endured since following Lin Bai in Jiamu City. He glanced at Jiang Qingqin and muttered to himself, She must be blinded by naivety!

However, Dumbelldore couldn't express this out loud. After all, this was a love story between NPCs. Jiang Qingqin, looking a bit naive, would naturally have misjudged Lin Bai. Moreover, to Dumbelldore, their romance seemed to have come out of nowhere. It seemed like Jiang Qingqin fell for Lin Bai the instant she laid eyes on him at Jiamu City's City Lord Mansion. There was no transition, no build-up – the game's plot design wasn't intelligent in the slightest...

"Alright, I'll be your promoter for the Way of Incompleteness," Jiang Qingqin smiled sweetly, agreeing straightforwardly. "What are we going to do next?"

"Find a quiet place for Xiao Bai to transform," Lin Bai brushed his hand against the little fox in his arms, disregarding Dumbelldore's fluctuating emotion values behind him.

In the game, players' emotions are manifested very directly. At critical moments, he only needed to check their emotions to see if they had betrayed him. Analyzing their thoughts constantly would be exhausting.

Transform?

The little white fox's ears perked up instantly. "Master, did you just say I'm going to transform?"

"Yes," said Lin Bai.

"But my cultivation level isn't high enough yet," the little white fox said, confused.

"I have a Transformation Pill," Lin Bai replied with a smile.

"A Transformation Pill?" Jiang Qingqin and the little white fox exclaimed in unison, their voices filled with shock.

"What's wrong?" Lin Bai asked, feeling a bit curious.

"A genuine Transformation Pill?" Jiang Qingqin's voice trembled a little. "The kind that can induce transformation regardless of cultivation level?"

"Exactly!" Lin Bai answered. "Is there a problem?"

"Of course, there's a problem! The Beast Taming Sect has been studying the Transformation Pill since its establishment, but they've never succeeded. How do you have one?" Jiang Qingqin whispered after scrutinizing their surroundings. "The Beast Taming Sect has a whole set of methods for nurturing and taming demon beasts, but no shortcut for their transformation. They've always used medicinal pills to enhance the demon beasts' cultivation level, waiting until the beasts naturally develop the ability to transform. If they knew you had a pill that could allow demon beasts to transform directly, you would be in big trouble."

Lin Bai's brows furrowed slightly. "Would they dare to rob me?"

"It's highly likely!" Jiang Qingqin said. "Once transformed, a demon beast's meridians become similar to a human's, allowing them to cultivate using human techniques, and their strength will skyrocket. It's common knowledge that the sooner one practices a cultivation technique, the better. The Beast Taming Sect has always been ranked last among the Seven Righteous Sects due to the limitations imposed by their beasts' inability to transform. Even their subordinate sect branches are inferior to those of the other sects. If they got their hands on your Transformation Pill, they could instantly reverse their current predicament. Do you think they would pass up this opportunity?"

"Master, I really don't like the Beast Taming Sect!" the little white fox said with disgust. "They're always capturing my fellow Monster Race members; they're the greatest enemy of our people. Please don't give them the Transformation Pill. If they obtained it, it would surely bring disaster to the Monster Race..."

Is the Transformation Pill that valuable?

Shopkeeper Lin has the exclusive patent!

Dumbelldore's breath grew ragged as he imagined the marvelous scene of every Beggar Gang disciple possessing a transformed demon beast. With a transformed beast assisting them, wouldn't the Beggar Gang's combat abilities double?!

"Rest assured, I won't give it to them," Lin Bai said with a smile, comforting the little white fox. "Besides, I don't know how to concoct Transformation Pills. If they really want the pill recipe, let them try to rob the Righteous Door. If they can actually find the sect, I'll even thank them for it!"

"Lin Bai, no matter what, it's best not to reveal anything about the Transformation Pill," Jiang Qingqin warned. "We already have enough trouble as it is. If we provoke the Beast Taming Sect as well, I fear we won't be able to handle it."

"I know." Lin Bai looked at Dumbelldore. "Little Deng, don't mention the Transformation Pill for now."

Jiang Qingqin's warning was just that—a warning. I didn't take it too seriously. With players around, no secret can be kept for long. When you have too many debts, you stop worrying; when you have too many lice, you stop itching. Trouble that's meant to come will eventually arrive; it's impossible to hide from it. The only thing I can do is continue to improve my strength and, incidentally, enrich the background of the Righteous Door. Until I truly grow into a peerless expert...

"I understand, Master," Dumbelldore nodded. I'm so glad I turned off the live stream just now. Lin Bai has too many valuable things; streaming while with him could bring disaster upon the Beggar Gang at any moment. But I don't dare tell Lin Bai directly that I'm live streaming and that countless people are watching him. That would definitely infuriate Lin Bai! I need to discuss this with Crispy Rice and the others. We should reduce Shopkeeper Lin's screen time.

「Beggar Gang Branch」

Lin Bai learned from the little white fox that demon beasts do not face any Heavenly Tribulation during their transformation. All they need is to find a secluded place or to transform under the protection of elders from their own kind. The transformation period is the weakest moment in a demon beast's life. If they encounter enemies at this time, they have no power to resist and can only be slaughtered. This is the Transformation Catastrophe for demon beasts—it can be easy to overcome, but a single unexpected incident can mean death...

However, with Lin Bai's protection, the little white fox felt very much at ease. After all, Lin Bai was even stronger than her mother. Inside Qian City, there's no safer place than by Master's side.

After understanding Lin Bai's requirements for her transformation, the little fox unhesitatingly consumed the Transformation Pill, retreated into a room, and quietly awaited her rebirth.

Lin Bai and Jiang Qingqin stood guard while the little white fox underwent her transformation.

Jiang Qingqin looked at Lin Bai and asked curiously, "Why would you let the little fox keep her ears and tail? That won't be good for her survival in the future. The purpose of a demon beast's transformation is to blend into the human world. If she keeps her fox ears and tail, what's the difference from not transforming at all?"

"Because it's adorable!" Lin Bai glanced at Jiang Qingqin and said, "When she's with me, Xiao Bai doesn't need to deliberately try to please others. What does it matter if she looks human or not? Believe it or not, a little white fox keeping her fox ears will lead a new trend in demon beast transformations..."

Jiang Qingqin contemplated for a moment, looking at Lin Bai with a complicated expression. "Lin Bai, you haven't fallen for Xiao Bai, have you?"

"She's my pet. Why would I have kept her for so long if I didn't like her?" Lin Bai replied.

"I wasn't referring to that kind of liking." Jiang Qingqin lowered her head, not daring to look at Lin Bai, and stammered, "I... I've heard that some people... they like to... with animals..."

"..." Lin Bai froze, the muscles around his eyes twitching a few times. "What nonsense are you spouting? I'm not as depraved as you think. Xiao Bai and I have a normal master-pet relationship..."

Jiang Qingqin's ears twitched slightly as she said plaintively, "Lin Bai, your heart is beating faster than before..."

"..." Lin Bai paused, recalling some classic "green tea" lines, then said with a stoic expression, "Jiang Qingqin, this isn't amusing. If you start interfering in my life now, perhaps we aren't compatible. It would be better to separate early, before we invest too much emotionally..."

"Lin Bai, that's not what I meant," Jiang Qingqin quickly defended. "I... I was just..."

Her words trailed off.

An excited voice came from the room. Then, a white shadow burst through the door, leaped up, and landed on Lin Bai. "Master, I've successfully transformed!"

A soft, tiny body nestled against Lin Bai's chin, a faint, sweet fragrance tickling his nose. Lin Bai looked down and saw a head of snow-white long hair. It was a little girl, at most four feet tall, with a swaying fox tail.

[Despondency from Jiang Qingqin: +1+1+1]

[Joy from Xiao Bai: +1+1+1]

[Excitement from Dumbelldore: +1+1+1]

[Mission: Transform Your Pet (Completed). Reward: Transformation Pill x1 (Issued)]

[Mission: Increase Your Pet's Combat Power. Reward: Enlightenment Pill x10, Transformation Pill x1]

Lin Bai was surprised to find he could now sense the little white fox's emotions after her transformation. This was an unexpected delight.

Lin Bai gently pulled the little white fox from his embrace and said, "Let me see what you look like now that you've transformed."

The excited little white fox took a step back, revealing her full appearance to Lin Bai: large eyes, a small, delicate face, fair skin, a head of snow-white hair from which two ears poked out, and a white dress that reached just past her knees. Beneath it were small, bare feet. Her snow-white fox tail emerged from behind the illusory dress, wagging back and forth. Standing in the sunlight, she looked like an exquisite doll.

Lin Bai was momentarily stunned.

Dumbelldore and the Master Craftsman, who had just walked out of the Refiner's Workshop, were equally astounded. Both were stunned for a moment. Then, CLANG! The Master Craftsman's hammer fell to the ground, startling everyone in the courtyard.

"Do I look pretty, Master?" Xiao Bai twirled around, then instinctively tried to rub against Lin Bai and climb onto his shoulder.

Lin Bai gently pulled her aside, coughed, and said, "Now that you're in human form, don't cling to me like that. You need to act like a person."

"Ah!" The little white fox pouted. With a blink, she swiftly reverted to her fox form, leaped into Lin Bai's arms, and said triumphantly, "Then I'll just stay in my usual form most of the time!"

Lin Bai stroked her head, took out a Belly Filling Pill, and brought it to her mouth. "Alright," he said with a smile. "You can transform back into human form when it's time to practice your cultivation techniques."

Lin Bai found it more natural to interact with her when she was a fox. Whenever she transformed into the beast-eared lady, he always felt distracted. The fox form was indeed better.

"Lin Bai, I misjudged you. I didn't realize Xiao Bai was still a child," Jiang Qingqin apologized awkwardly.

You didn't misjudge him at all! Beast ears, white hair, loli—he's got all three! No one knows how to play this game better than him! He's not a good person! I must keep a close eye on him... My Xiao Bai absolutely cannot be corrupted by him! Damn those game planners! What kind of background did they even give Lin Bai? How does he know everything...?

Dumbelldore raged internally, wishing he could snatch the languid little white fox from Lin Bai's arms. Hu Xiaobai is the Beggar Gang's sacred guardian beast! She shouldn't become an NPC's personal pet! She should be mine—no, she should be everyone's game goddess!

Lin Bai sensed the intense emotions radiating from Dumbelldore and the Master Craftsman. A glance at their expressions told him why. Indeed, no matter the world, men's aesthetic tastes are universal. With Xiao Bai and the Transformation Pill, the Beggar Gang's loyalty is secured!

Lin Bai generously forgave Jiang Qingqin. After her transformation, the little white fox was absolutely adorable, perfectly aligning with his aesthetic preferences. However, he believed nothing would happen between him and a little fox. In this challenging world, having a cute companion fighting by his side was more than enough.

After transforming, the little white fox was eager to practice the Spoken Law Follows technique or promote the Way of Incompleteness. She also wanted to master the Principle of the Great Tao to become Lin Bai's most capable assistant. But Lin Bai firmly rejected those ideas. Jiang Qingqin can use those deceptive cultivation techniques to fool others, but they aren't suitable for our own people to practice.

Thus, lacking a more suitable cultivation technique for her, he had her practice the Nine-Days True Scripture to temporarily increase her strength. He planned to let her switch to a more appropriate technique when one became available in the future.

The cultivation techniques provided by the Everything Has Shortcomings System could no longer keep pace with his development. As his enemies' levels increased, Lin Bai's current methods for defeating them relied entirely on the Palm Thunder ability from the Great Language System.

Speaking of the Great Language System, the current ongoing task was the Lie Mission. Lin Bai had initially thought this would be an easy mission for quick rewards. However, days passed without any notification of its completion. He couldn't help but suspect that he either wasn't telling enough lies each day or had inadvertently spoken a truth, thereby interrupting the mission's progress. Lin Bai decided that once the recruitment fair was over and the various factions had calmed down, he would dedicate an entire day solely to completing the Lie Mission.

Palm Thunder is too good! What if subsequent missions offer even more advanced techniques? During this recruitment fair, I offended one Righteous faction and five villainous ones. It's safe to say my enemies are now everywhere. I can't afford to miss any opportunity to improve my abilities.

Unbeknownst to him, as evening approached, the recruitment fair was nearing its end. Core members of the Beggar Gang returned one by one, and soon the entire Beggar Gang Branch was bustling with activity.

Jiang Qingqin, dissatisfied with her master's actions, had no desire to return to the Hundred Flower Valley. Nevertheless, Lin Bai sent her back to gather intelligence on their activities. After all, those righteous sects had also recruited players, and Lin Bai needed to know their subsequent arrangements for these players.

「Later」

Lonely Old Man, Crispy Rice, Crazy Man, and other core members of the Beggar Gang gathered around Lin Bai, reporting the day's events. Lonely Old Man began, "Shopkeeper Lin, one hundred disciples will remain in Jiamucheng to maintain the main hall and be ready to welcome new arrivals at any time. The remaining new arrivals from Jiamucheng, one thousand two hundred in total, have all come to Qian City. Including the new arrivals who joined the Beggar Gang from other base cities, our disciple count has now reached two thousand eight hundred."

As they spoke, their eyes couldn't help but drift to the little white fox cradled in Lin Bai's arms. Clearly, they already knew about the little white fox's transformed appearance; no one could resist an adorable beast-eared lady.

"Mm," Lin Bai nodded. "Anything else?"

"We've assigned fifty undercover disciples each to sects like the Hundred Flower Valley and the Morning Yuan Sword Sect to gather intelligence and learn their skills," Lonely Old Man continued, his gaze shifting from the little white fox back to Lin Bai, his expression serious. "Also, before you left the recruitment fair, a few of our brothers were captured by Taoists from the Return to Dragon View. From what we've heard, it seems the Return to Dragon View intends to move against you..."