What's going on?

Master Li's eyes widened. Blood oozed from the corner of his mouth once again.

Looking at Pei Yanzong, whom Lin Bai had easily recalled, he felt so aggrieved he wanted to cry. After two rounds of confrontation, Lin Bai hadn't even been slightly hurt, while he himself was now severely injured. He had finally managed to snatch his lover back from Lin Bai, but before he could even touch him, he was snatched away again. Moreover, snatching Pei Yanzong back had taken a heavy toll on his mind and spirit, while Lin Bai reclaimed him so casually. It was so unfair! If he weren't so reluctant to part with Pei Yanzong, he would have fled to heal his injuries and seek revenge later! But he was truly, deeply unwilling to accept this!

Is this the explosive speed of the Incarnation Period? Lin Bai thought. Although Lin Bai had managed to snatch Pei Yanzong back, he was still shaken. If Master Li hadn't tried to save Pei Yanzong and had attacked him directly instead, Lin Bai wasn't sure he could have reacted in time. For a fleeting moment, Lin Bai even considered using the red thread to bind himself to Master Li. Agility! He needed Agility!

Though panic was a wild horse in his heart, Lin Bai's expression remained serene. He provoked, "Master Li, is this as pleasant a surprise as a groom discovering on his wedding night that his bride is a man?"

Everyone was speechless. Considering the marriage *you* arranged for him, the man wouldn't be surprised at all; it's the *woman* who'd be surprised, wouldn't she?

"Master, if you can snatch Pei Yanzong, why can't you just kill Lin Bai?" Dao Xu roared, frustrated and disappointed. The Arrow of Resistance instilled in him an instinctive loathing for Lin Bai, and his status as a Puppet made him weary of the mortal world. He had been cowed by Lin Bai's threats for a time and had behaved. Now, seeing his master capable of breaking through Lin Bai's Puppet defenses and potentially striking Lin Bai down, he suddenly saw a glimmer of hope for liberation, and his restless heart began to stir once more.

"Master is done for!" Qing Yu thought when she heard this, helplessly pressing her hand to her forehead. "Lin Bai is so petty; why can't Dao Xu understand that?"

Master Li was stunned.

Lin Bai glanced at Dao Xu, a faint, mocking smile playing on his lips.

Dao Xu flinched, then an involuntary smile spread across his face. Steeling himself, he goaded, "Master, only if Lin Bai dies can you and Pei Yanzong be together forever!"

Xin Shang and the others were speechless, each sighing. The Love Principle of an Evil Spirit... the world is becoming increasingly chaotic.

Master Li glanced at Dao Xu, then silently took a vial of Pill Medicine from his robes, poured out a single pill, and put it in his mouth.

Sigh... Lin Bai said languidly, "Dao Xu, have you ever heard of a love as stable as a triangle? Do you know what they call the bliss of having multiple beautiful partners, a life sweeter than honey?"

He focused his essence, energy, and spirit to their peak, watching Master Li warily. Then, he took out an Enlightenment Pill and pushed it into Pei Yanzong's mouth.

"No!" Dao Xu shrieked, his eyes practically bursting from their sockets. He reached out to stop Lin Bai, but because of the command compelling him to protect, he could do nothing but watch helplessly as Pei Yanzong swallowed the Enlightenment Pill.

Watching Pei Yanzong's eyes gradually brighten with clarity, Dao Xu trembled uncontrollably.

The most dreadful thing had happened. Damn it! He'd been too impulsive!

Dao Xu looked at Master Li as if gazing upon his last hope. Master, you have to come through for us! Whether we can be happy together depends entirely on what you do now!

"Dao Xu, allow me a moment to regulate my breath." Master Li, not quite understanding what had just transpired, glanced at Dao Xu, then fixed his gaze on Lin Bai. "Lin Bai," he said coldly, "today will be your death day."

Lin Bai smiled.

Master Li smiled back. Though his words were a threat, his tone had become involuntarily cheerful, making it sound almost like flirting.

"Dao Xu." Pei Yanzong's eyes shifted, his gaze first landing on Dao Xu. He smiled, his expression full of deep affection. "I'm awake. We can be together now."

"Get lost," Dao Xu replied, a smile plastered on his face while the hairs on his neck stood on end. "Talk to me in that disgusting tone again, and believe me, I'll cut you down."

"Dao Xu, watch your attitude," Master Li chided with a laugh. "Is that any way to speak to your Shiniang?" Then, his tone softened. "Little Pei, you're awake? You may not have met me before. I am Dao Xu's master."

"You?" Pei Yanzong looked suspiciously at Master Li. In that instant, his heart gave a heavy thump, as if he had encountered true love once more. He looked from Master Li to Dao Xu and back again, instinctively clutching his chest. "I... you two... Why is this happening? Why have I met both of you at the same time?"

"Scram! Go to my master," Dao Xu said, his face dark, waving Pei Yanzong away in disgust.

"Dao Xu, speak properly to your Shiniang!" Master Li said angrily.

"My dearest Li, don't blame him. He was here before you," Pei Yanzong said, proactively defending Dao Xu.

"Go to hell," Dao Xu snapped.

"Dao Xu!" Master Li exclaimed.

"It's all my fault. Please, don't fight," Pei Yanzong interjected.

"What the hell, what an absurd twist."

"Even soap operas couldn't produce a plot this melodramatic! It's utterly ridiculous."

"Why do I have to see this?"

"@Game Officials, get your NPCs under control! This is too damn cringeworthy!"

"PFFT!"

"The Love Principle is basically just powerful hypnotism, isn't it!"

"Lin Bai is confirmed as an Evil Spirit..."

"They won't even need Separation of Love. Once word of this scene gets out, any NPC thinking of provoking Lin Bai will have to think twice. Seriously, have they all been driven mad by love?!"

"I think we should go to the Alliance Hierarch and frankly state our position," Xin Shang suddenly said, out of the blue.

"Indeed," Zhao Tulong agreed, swallowing hard.

"Sect Leader Ge, if the two of us try to cultivate the Love Principle, do you think Alliance Hierarch Lin would spare us?" Shen Kuang asked Ge Feiyun with a troubled expression, lowering his voice. "In the first issue of Justice Weekly, he paired you with Pei Yanzong. What if he..."

"Say no more. I agree," Ge Feiyun said, starting abruptly and quickly assenting.

She wanted nothing more to do with Pei Yanzong. Who knew that love, when wielded as a weapon, could be so repulsive?

Lin Bai watched the farce unfolding before him, marveling once again at the power of the Matchmaker System. If not for the limited number of red threads and Love's Arrows, he would have been tempted to bind Dao Xu and Master Li together as well. That way, the three of them could form three pairs, creating a perfect closed loop, and Dao Xu wouldn't have to suffer being caught in the middle.

Just then, Pei Yanzong's memories concerning Lin Bai gradually returned. His expression changed drastically. "My dearest Li, we can discuss our affairs later! First, we must kill Lin Bai and rescue me!"

Dao Xu's eyes lit up.

Encouraged by his lover, Master Li's spirits soared. He once again channeled his energy to forcibly activate a teleportation, targeting Lin Bai. This time, however, he had no opportunity. Lin Bai's attention was almost entirely focused on him.

The instant Master Li moved, Lin Bai activated Big Devil Dismantling. His entire body instantly disintegrated into scattered fragments.

Master Li's carefully planned attack ended up hitting thin air.

Lin Bai's head, now separated, saw Master Li standing beside Pei Yanzong. It immediately launched Rush Moon at him.

Master Li, still reeling from his failed sneak attack, hadn't yet recovered when a tremendous force surged up from beneath his feet. He found himself already in the Rush Moon stance, shooting skyward. He flew, coughing up blood all the while.

The cost of Flash was too great. Even for someone at the Realm of Soul Transformation, using it repeatedly had overwhelmed his body.

"Oh, Master Li, foolish as a roe deer! I am like the toughest tardigrade—unkillable!" Lin Bai's head cackled triumphantly. "I'm not afraid to tell you, every piece of my body is like an earthworm; it can grow into a brand new me!"

"Damn, you scared the crap out of me. I thought Lin Bai was shattered!"

"+1"

"Instant explosion! Lin, the Storekeeper, has another new Skill!"

"Every piece can grow into a whole new body—that's an Evil Spirit's Cultivation Technique!"

"Next time we fight Lin, the Storekeeper, we absolutely must grind his bones to ash! Otherwise, that guy could revive at any moment."

"NPCs only have one life? Are the game officials contradicting themselves?"

"Exactly! Life is singular. You didn't completely extinguish all of Lin Bai's life, did you? You only destroyed, say, ninety percent of it."

"There's no need to defend the officials."

"There should be a cost if a completely new body can grow from a broken limb."

"Obviously! If there were no cost, we'd be facing an army of Lin Bais..."

"Lin Bai!"

"Master!"

Jiang Qingqin and Little White Fox gasped at the same time. Jiang Qingqin leaped from the Hundred Flowers Shuttle and rushed towards Lin Bai. Little White Fox poked its head out from her embrace... In that moment, both of them thought that Lin Bai had been killed.

Dao Xu was ecstatic. "Lin Bai!"

But the moment Lin Bai's voice rang out, all their tension, worry, and Dao Xu's joy instantly flipped into their opposites.

"Sure enough, he was hiding an ace," He Qin shook his head. "Blood-drop reincarnation, this is a genuine technique of the Sky Demon!"

Wan Qifeng and Ma Changcheng wore exceptionally grave expressions. Looking at the battered Master Li, a trace of relief also flickered across their faces. Thank goodness Lin Bai hadn't been so ruthless with them. Compared to Master Li's current state, the flying effect from Separation of Love didn't seem so unacceptable after all. A swift death is one thing, but to torture a Transcendental Boundary Master in both body and mind like this... it was too cruel.

The various parts of Lin Bai's body returned to their positions, and he regained his former elegance.

He tilted his head up to look at Master Li, still under the effect of Rush Moon, and said, "Pei Yanzong, why don't you recall the experiences of these past days, as if you were an infant? Think again: are you truly prepared to be my enemy? The Justice League is like a mighty, flowing river; only by riding a boat downstream can one reach the vast ocean. Your hatred and prejudice against me, however, will transform into sharp arrows aimed at your lover, leaving him covered in wounds. Can you bear that?"

As he spoke, Lin Bai pointed a finger at Dao Xu. Instantly, Dao Xu was affected by Rush Moon, soaring upwards and roaring as he chased after Master Li, "Lin Bai, you and I are irreconcilable enemies!"

"Me?" Pei Yanzong watched his two lovers soaring away under the Rush Moon effect, his heart constricting as if something precious was being torn from him.

"Convince them to stay in the Justice League, and only then can you..." Lin Bai paused mid-sentence, suddenly remembering the ongoing metaphor task. He cursed inwardly, then continued, "...only then can you, like a lion king on the savanna, freely enjoy the company of your favored consorts. The rest of your days will be as splendid as spring."

The Enlightenment Pill could awaken the minds of Card characters, but it couldn't guarantee their absolute obedience. If Lin Bai wanted to subdue Master Li, he first had to persuade Pei Yanzong.

"Although I love him, I hope to give him freedom even more," Pei Yanzong gritted his teeth.

"You speak of lovers parting ways, thinking that letting go is granting him the freedom of a bird, but is that truly the case? Love is as selfish as a cub searching for food. Your self-proclaimed act of letting go may seem noble, but it will only bring him the agony of a thousand arrows piercing his heart." Lin Bai persuaded earnestly, beginning to throw out metaphors haphazardly. He had to devote some attention to Master Li in the sky; time was pressing, leaving him no leisure to craft perfect metaphors. He said whatever came to mind, "Old Pei, do you know what love is? 'In heaven, to be as birds flying wing to wing; on earth, as trees with branches interlocked.' Imagine if you two became fish stranded out of water, moistening each other with your own spit to sustain life—even such mutual support in dire straits is a form of happiness!"

Evil Spirit! Xin Shang and the others collectively gulped.

Jiang Qingqin's face filled with yearning. I would, she murmured to herself.

"You wretched brat, die!" Master Li, burning with torrential rage, dived down from the sky, appearing like a meteorite plummeting to earth.

Sensing Master Li's terrifying might, Lin Bai casually recalled Dao Xu.

Then, he issued a command for Pei Yanzong to attack Master Li, and for Dao Xu to attack Pei Yanzong...

Who says Puppets can't fight Puppets? Let me show you what unwavering love truly means! And what a real interlocking trap looks like!

"No!" Pei Yanzong, realizing what he was about to do, cried out in panic, unable to control his own body. "Dearest Li, get out of the way! I can't control myself!"

"Pei Yanzong, go to hell." Dao Xu, utterly disgusted with Pei Yanzong, finally found an opportunity and with a sneer, unleashed his fiercest attack. A ray of sword light aimed at Pei Yanzong.

"Traitorous disciple, you dare!" Master Li had been aiming for Lin Bai, but seeing Pei Yanzong in peril, he had no choice but to abandon his attack on Lin Bai and turn towards Dao Xu.

"Master, kill me." Dao Xu revealed a relieved smile; he was fed up with this damned torture.

"Dearest Li, don't hurt Dao Xu!" Pei Yanzong cried out in panic. "If you harm him, my heart will die too!"

Master Li's attack suddenly weakened by seventy percent.

Everyone was speechless.

"My head feels dizzy," Dragon Breath swallowed.

"Lin, the Storekeeper is too ruthless, playing them like fiddles!" Mountain Tiger exclaimed. "So much for the Realm of Soul Transformation; Lin, the Storekeeper's methods are far more formidable."

"No, it's that Lin, the Storekeeper's mind works faster," Silver said. "And he's completely unscrupulous."

"In Lin, the Storekeeper's own words, he cultivates the Heavenly Dao, and beneath the Heavenly Dao, all beings are equal," I'm Not an Alt Account said softly.

"Lin Bai, I'm willing! I agree to your demands!" Watching his Blazing Sun Saber about to strike one lover, as that lover was about to harm the other, Pei Yanzong reached the depths of agony and cried out desperately.

He understood now. Love? Freedom? All illusions. If he didn't agree to Lin Bai's demands, the three of them would be plunged into endless torment, never to find release for all eternity. Lin Bai was a true Evil Spirit, a manipulator of human hearts.

Guard. Lin Bai changed the command.

Pei Yanzong and Dao Xu returned to his side, their attacks ceasing instantly. Neither had suffered significant physical harm, yet their expressions were utterly dejected.

Master Li also ceased his assault. He looked at Lin Bai in despair, swaying unsteadily. "What will it take for you to let us leave?"

He was giving up. It wasn't just because of his injuries, but also out of his love for Pei Yanzong; he couldn't bear to watch his beloved being tormented by Lin Bai like this any longer.

"Why leave? Stay by my side, and you can still be together, happy and harmonious like twin lotus flowers on a single stalk." Lin Bai let out a long breath, practically forcing everyone to share his feigned delight. "Look around you! Your disciples and grand-disciples, innocent as children, are here. Your lover, beautiful as a flower, is here. Master Li, join the Justice League. It's like coming home, wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Master Li remained silent, a smile on his face.

"Master, let's go!" Dao Xu urged, his smile steeped in despair. "Staying means even more painful torture. Lin Bai can't truly stop you. Go find more experts, eliminate Lin Bai, and come back to save Shiniang..."

"Dearest Li, stay. We can't escape," Pei Yanzong said, even more helpless. Though his smile was sweet, his voice was laced with bitterness. "If we stay, at least the torture might be less."

Master Li's face showed his inner struggle.

"Dao Xu, I have a Separation Arrow, bitter as coptis, that can sever your connection with Pei Yanzong, you know!" Lin Bai said softly, looking at Dao Xu.

Dao Xu started. "Truly?"

"No!" Pei Yanzong, seeing his dream of having both lovers slipping away, said frantically, "Lin Bai, don't! I beg you, please don't!"

"True as gold," Lin Bai said. Seeing Master Li about to yield, adding another love triangle to the mix now would just be needlessly irksome for himself.

"Master, stay. Pei Yanzong will be yours alone," Dao Xu said after a moment's deliberation, then sighed. He couldn't refuse the temptation Lin Bai offered.

"Dao-dao, you're so heartless," Pei Yanzong said, his heart turning to ash.

"Alright, I'll stay." Love is selfish, after all. Master Li had always detested Pei Yanzong's constant protectiveness over Dao Xu. Now that there was a chance for those two to be completely separated, he naturally wouldn't pass it up.