CHAPTER 410: GUIDING GENTLY AND KINDLY

[[...Use language to make ten opponents of your level experience cognitive disorientation (completed); reward: Illusion Domain (already granted)]

[Congratulations, your use of language has reached a divine level. The System no longer has anything to teach you. The Great Language System bestows upon you the ultimate skill—Glib Lotus (the things you describe have a certain chance of becoming reality).]

As the Mother Earth was speaking, a task completion prompt from the long-silent Great Language System suddenly popped up in Lin Bai’s mind.

Then, just like the Cooking God System, it ended abruptly.

Illusion Domain: when standing still, one can create a realistic illusion within a radius of one hundred meters that lasts for one minute.

Currently, Lin Bai’s enemies’ domains often covered radii of several hundred miles. Creating illusions within a hundred miles could still be somewhat useful. However, the Illusion Domain required him to be stationary and only worked within a hundred meters, making it utterly useless.

When he first received this task, it required him to use language to cause cognitive disorientation in ten opponents of his level. The difficulty of the task and the reward were disproportionately small, which was why Lin Bai had lacked the motivation to complete it.

Unexpectedly, due to a fortunate coincidence, this task was completed by accident!

The reward of the Illusion Domain was secondary. What shocked Lin Bai was the ultimate reward given by the Great Language System—Glib Lotus, where the things described had a chance of becoming reality.

Isn’t this just a weakened version of Spoken Law Follows?

He’d never thought that the Dao of Laws, which he had fabricated just to complete a task, would actually come true.

But what the hell does "a certain chance" mean? And the System didn’t even state the skill’s trigger conditions! If no triggering conditions are stated, it should be a passive skill like "Laugh When I See You"... If that’s the case, then it’s utterly outrageous.

Nine out of ten things he said were fabricated, and with his Qi Yun protecting him, the chance of them becoming reality should be quite high...

Such a dog-like skill! Does it want me to be cautious with my words and actions from now on?

Soon, Lin Bai abandoned his worry.

To hell with being cautious with words and actions! The game company messed up the world, not me. Why can they mess around, but I can’t?

「」

"Lin Bai, I agreed to go to the Fairy World to fight the remaining Heavenly Kings, but shouldn’t your true body come out and join us?" The Earth Goddess looked at Lin Bai’s Divided God before her and said calmly, "Otherwise, I’ll be very suspicious of your sincerity."

Behind his Dark Avatar was the Magpie Bridge.

Lin Bai’s main body stepped onto the Magpie Bridge and stood before the assembled gods, a mischievous smile in his eyes.

Fortune favors the bold. To trick this group of fighters into going to the Fairy World, I have to make a significant investment.

He possessed more and more hidden trump cards. While not necessarily one-hit kills, they ensured that even the most powerful gods couldn’t trap him.

After all, the System defaulted to the gods before him being opponents of his level. How could someone of the same level instantly kill another of the same level?

Two identical Lin Bais stood side by side.

The Lin Bai possessing the Dark Divine Seal exuded an aura of evil.

The temperament of Lin Bai’s main body, however, seemed entirely natural. Merely standing there gave people a peculiar sense of sunshine and positivity, making them feel he must be a good person.

Pine Stone City had a fixed Magpie Bridge leading to the Fairy World. Lin Bai summoned the Magpie Bridge Guard, activated the Magpie Bridge, and with a smile, extended his hand to the Earth Goddess, inviting, "Goddess Byleth, we can depart now."

Looking at his outstretched hand, the Earth Goddess smiled and shook her head. "Alliance Hierarch Lin, only four Heavenly Kings remain in the Fairy World. For all of us gods to go would be overkill. Why not just have your Dark Avatar take our strongest—the War God, Sun God, God of Holy Light, Fire God, and Wind God? Their combat experience is rich. Alliance Hierarch Lin, you can stay here and accompany me while we await the good news!"

The downside of having a known skill is that no one wants to hold hands with me anymore.

Naturally, Lin Bai knew why the Earth Goddess wanted to keep him here. She was simply afraid that after he led them over, he would cut off the Magpie Bridge, severing their return path and leaving himself as a hostage.

However, they’re still underestimating me. Shadow Following isn’t conspicuous; it looks similar to Flash and basically hasn’t been exposed. If I want to leave, who can stop me?

Lin Bai smiled, withdrew his outstretched hand, and said nonchalantly, "That’s fine. Mere four Heavenly Kings are indeed not worth the Earth Goddess personally taking action. If they find themselves losing, it won’t be too late for us to go and provide reinforcements."

The Dark Split looked at the War God and the others, stood by the Magpie Bridge, and said, "Let’s go, dear comrades. Let us journey together to this foreign world and teach those wicked Heavenly Kings a profound lesson."

The War God and the others nodded to him. They each organized their teams and formed a long line at the end of the Magpie Bridge, linking hands.

Of course, they also carefully avoided any physical contact with Lin Bai. While his words could dispel their hostility, it wasn’t enough to establish a basic level of trust between them.

Once the Expedition Army was arrayed, they bid farewell to the Earth Goddess one by one. Led by the Magpie Bridge Guard, they stepped onto the Magpie Bridge and vanished in an instant.

Watching them depart, the Earth Goddess turned her gaze to the Magpie Bridge behind Lin Bai and asked, "Alliance Hierarch Lin, people in the real world can watch their actions live through players’ live streams. I wonder if your Magpie Bridge can connect the network to our world, so we too can directly see the actions of the War God and the others?"

Her idea is quite avant-garde. Surprised, Lin Bai glanced at the Earth Goddess. He immediately thought of his newly acquired Glib Lotus skill. If I wanted to, there should be a chance to connect the network to the Continent of Gods and Demons, right?! But why would I do that? I’m already at a disadvantage with players constantly leaking information. If I let the Earth Goddess follow the War God’s movements in real time, how would I get anything done?

With a hint of apology on his face, Lin Bai shook his head. "The Magpie Bridge involves the Dao of Laws; it ignores space, but network cables don’t have this property. I’d like to connect the network, but I’m truly powerless to do so."

He stepped aside, revealing the Magpie Bridge behind him, and invited, "Byleth, there’s no need for such trouble. We can go to the real world. They have existing equipment there that can provide real-time tracking of the War God’s movements and monitor the battle between the Dream Heavenly King and the Abyss Lord. Moreover, we can also appreciate the scenery of another world."

The Earth Goddess shook her head. "No need. Letting the players commentate will achieve the same thing. With the Dream Heavenly King and the Abyss Lord battling, this world needs someone to guard it."

She’s really vigilant! Lin Bai smiled and pressed further, "Byleth, the Magpie Bridge is very convenient. It can take you anywhere in the world in an instant, even directly into the Dream Battlefield."

Byleth saw through Lin Bai’s intentions, gave him a profound glance, and changed the subject. "Alliance Hierarch Lin, you’ve been in our world for a few days now but probably haven’t had a chance to experience our local customs. Today, with many gods present, I’ll take the liberty of hosting you. Coincidentally, I also have some questions about laws that I wish to ask your guidance on."

"It is what I wished for, but I dared not ask." Lin Bai, tired of the endless probing, readily agreed.

The Earth Goddess nodded. With a wave of her hand, a magnificent, golden palace rose from the ground. Its doors were wide open, revealing rare flowers and exotic plants that emanated a unique fragrance.

On the walls of Free City, numerous natives watched in awe as the temple materialized, crying out "A miracle!" and kneeling on the ground.

"Alliance Hierarch, please." The Earth Goddess gestured with her hand.

"Goddess, after you," Lin Bai responded politely.

Under the watchful eyes of many players, the Earth Goddess gave a slight smile, and everyone vanished.

The next second, the scene before Lin Bai changed, and he found himself inside the temple.

Creation from the void, spatial transposition... Is this a warning that I can’t escape her grasp? How arrogant!

Lin Bai looked at the smiling Earth Goddess and snorted inwardly. Compared to the power of these top-tier gods, I’m still far too lacking. I need to hurry up and get my hands on the Earth Goddess’s Divine Status!

「」

The gods took their seats, host and guests arrayed.

The Forest Goddess presented luscious fruits, the Water God conjured mellow wine, and the Elf Goddess summoned flower fairies to perform songs and dances for everyone.

Outside, battles raged continuously; inside, there was song, dance, and feasting—a veritable scene of apocalyptic revelry.

The only discordant element was probably the players within the temple, who occasionally logged on and off to update everyone on the latest battle situation.

Lin Bai sipped the fine wine, looking up at the Temple of Mother Earth where Divine Power circulated, then at the smiling gods surrounding him, and chuckled inwardly.

A Hongmen Banquet! If the slightest thing goes wrong with the War God’s group, these guys will probably turn into executioners and attack me.

"Alliance Hierarch Lin, since we have some leisure, why don’t you tell us about the Dao of Laws of the Righteous Door?" The Earth Goddess toasted Lin Bai with a smile. "I heard that you first Cultivated the Heavenly Way and then switched to the Way of Love. Our world also has a Cupid. I wonder if our Cupid could follow your example and cultivate the Way of Love?"

"As long as there is love in one’s heart, one can cultivate the Way of Love," Lin Bai said, turning to the Goddess of Love, who looked like a figure stepped out of a painting. "What is the Divine Power of Cupid? Can it make strangers fall in love?"

Cupid, whose name was Alea, gave a faint smile and held up the bow and arrow in her hand. "I have the Arrow of Love. Its arrowhead is made of flowers, its fletching of persistence, and its shaft of hope. Whoever is struck by my Arrow of Love will have the raging flames of love ignited in their heart, flames that even gods cannot extinguish."

Seeing the arrow in her hand, Lin Bai grew wary. He took out his Cupid’s Bow from his storage ring. "What a coincidence, I also have a Bow of Love. However, my arrows are of two types. The Arrow of Love can make people fall in love at first sight, while the Arrow of Resistance can cause loving couples to turn against each other. It seems the laws of love in different worlds have their similarities. Perhaps Cupid truly can practice the laws of my sect."

"Alliance Hierarch Lin, if I master the laws, can I build the Magpie Bridge?" Alea’s eyes, like two twinkling gems, made it impossible for anyone to resist her.

Just as Lin Bai was about to answer, a sudden warning flashed through his mind, and he swallowed the words he was about to speak. Is this the Truth-telling Technique or Charm? Damn! I almost fell for it.

He lifted his wine cup and took a light sip, musing, It seems this banquet isn’t just to stall me. These gods have other motives. Starting with Cupid, they must be after my Magpie Bridge. Indeed, if I were in their shoes, I wouldn’t want such a powerful tool as the Magpie Bridge to be controlled by someone else either.

After pondering for a moment, Lin Bai looked at the expectant Cupid, smiled, and said, "Goddess Alea, the laws of the Righteous Door reign supreme over all the heavens. Once used, no one can resist them. Take my Phoenix Seeks Phoenix, for instance."

Saying this, he turned to the Star God nearby. "My apologies."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Star God stood up, gracefully walked over to Cupid, took a flute from his robes, and, with a stunned expression, began to play.

As he played, tiny lights flickered into existence around his body, forming a beautiful, captivating nebula.

"Phoenix Seeks Phoenix," Lin Bai explained, "compels the designated male to display his talents to the female. There is absolutely no room for refusal, even if he is a powerful god. The most domineering aspect of the Power of Laws isn’t its compulsory nature, but the fact that the male showcasing his talents is protected by the Laws. No one can harm him while he is courting. You gods are welcome to test this on him..."

When the Star God rose from his seat and involuntarily began to display his talents before Cupid, the male gods in attendance grew restless. Their faces turned unprecedentedly grim, and their gazes toward Lin Bai became hostile once more.

They knew Lin Bai possessed the Phoenix Seeks Phoenix skill, but they had never imagined that even gods would be susceptible.

The power their Divine Status granted them was formidable, but not as difficult to counter as Lin Bai’s abilities, and it would also be significantly diminished when fighting gods of the same level.

The Forest Goddess nocked an arrow and shot it at the Star God. The moment the arrow touched his body, it shattered into dust.

The Earth Goddess was visibly moved. "The Dao of Laws is truly breathtaking."

"To dispel such a powerful Law, one simply needs the person being courted to choose—either accept or reject. A response is all it takes to break it. This is the charm of the Way of Love."

With a smile, Lin Bai explained the Way of Love to the Goddess of Love. "Love is sacred and inviolable. Courtship must not be disturbed. When in love, even if separated by the Milky Way, the Magpie Bridge will connect them, allowing them to meet in an instant. During passionate love, I also have Bondage to add a little spice to the lovers’ intimacy. Even in death, couples who have truly given themselves to each other can transform into butterflies and continue their love. I wonder, can Cupid’s spells achieve this?"

Cupid Alea slowly shook her head. Looking at the bow in her hand, a trace of dejection crossed her face. Her Divine Status of love seemed like a trivial trick compared to Lin Bai’s Way. But soon, as if having made a decision, she looked at Lin Bai. "Alliance Hierarch Lin, how can I master your Way of Love? Is it as described in Justice Weekly?"

"Yes," Lin Bai nodded.

"But I don’t understand what constitutes enlightenment?" the Goddess of Love frowned and asked.

"Enlightenment itself is elusive; deliberate pursuit often leads one astray." Lin Bai shook his head, turning what should have been a pleasant banquet into his personal sermon. "Since you cannot comprehend it, then go and experience it. Personally experience the joy of love. Fall in love, marry, even have children. Even I, when I comprehended the Way of Love, experienced a profound, undying love with my wives. In fact, just a few days ago, I held a wedding ceremony with them..."

The Great Language System’s task is complete. But the Matchmaker System still has an ultimate task: to matchmake a couple, each no weaker than myself, to marry without using any props. At this Hongmen Banquet, I seem to see a chance to complete it!

Watching the Star God earnestly playing the flute before her, Cupid’s eyes grew increasingly bewildered. She murmured, "Just by experiencing it?"

"A long time ago, I said that if you want to pursue the Dao of Cultivation Law, you must cast aside all distractions and steadfastly believe that the Dao of Cultivation Law will succeed. In the Immortal World, many people try to cultivate the Way of Love but fail because their love is tainted by personal desires." Lin Bai’s voice, tinged with Sophistry, was full of magical charm. He looked gently at the Goddess of Love. "Alea, you are the Goddess of Love. You’ve witnessed so much love in the world, yet you’ve never tasted it yourself. Why not give it a try?"

"Can I?" Alea blinked and asked.

"Alea, your starting point is already much higher than others; I think you can do it. Of course, even if you don’t succeed, there’s no real loss. But if you do succeed, you might be able to master the Magpie Bridge. Then, you wouldn’t need me to travel between all worlds." Lin Bai’s eyes held encouragement. "However, when I was cultivating the Way of Love, I was still very weak, and my partners were human. You possess the Divine Status of Love; your starting point is far above that of ordinary people. To experience true love, choosing an ordinary person probably won’t work. You need someone at least your equal to resonate with. The Star God currently displaying his talents for you... he seems like a good option..."