CHAPTER 98: 098 WIND RISES AND CLOUDS MOVE

Blood Shadow Sect.

Golden Lion knocked on the door of his newly acknowledged master, the Blood Butcher, Lan Nuotian.

Lan Nuotian was meditating cross-legged.

As Golden Lion entered, Lan Nuotian lifted his eyelids slightly. "Disciple, have you come to see me regarding any questions about the Cultivation Techniques?"

"Master, there is no problem with the Cultivation Technique." Golden Lion looked at his master, who was enveloped in a bloody aura, and tentatively asked, "Master, I want to donate one hundred thousand taels of Silver to standardize the Blood Shadow Sect’s attire. What do you think? I see that our brothers are wearing all sorts of clothes, and it doesn’t reflect the prestige of our Blood Shadow Sect!"

"Disciple, there’s no need to focus on such trivial matters." Lan Nuotian frowned slightly. "The Blood Shadow Sect is already viewed as unorthodox by the secular world. It’s easier for disciples to move about in ordinary clothes when they venture into the pugilistic world. If we standardized their attire, they would likely face obstacles everywhere. Besides, if you have one hundred thousand taels, why not buy some Magic Artifacts and Pill Medicine for yourself? Only with sufficient strength can you dominate the world."

Golden Lion was speechless. His expression turned sheepish, and the joy he’d felt upon joining the Blood Shadow Sect instantly vanished. He couldn’t even get them to standardize their attire, let alone put up an advertising sign for the sect. Compared to Lin, the Storekeeper of Righteous Door, my own master is too rigid. In this era of a market economy, he’s unwilling to make even the slightest change. How could Players possibly want to join? SIGH!

Lan Nuotian let out a faint sigh. I’ve really joined the wrong sect! Golden Lion thought, his spirits sinking further.

"Disciple, don’t sigh." Seeing his disciple’s dejection, Lan Nuotian tried to comfort him. "You are one of the Descended, born with all your meridians naturally clear, so there are no impediments to practicing our sect’s techniques. After cultivating diligently for some time, those so-called chosen ones of the righteous path will undoubtedly be trampled beneath your feet. Once you venture into the pugilistic world and understand the true nature of those renowned righteous sects, you will realize how carefree and liberating it is to be a member of the Blood Shadow Sect..."

Amidst a barrage of dissatisfied comments like, "Blood Shadow Sect’s NPCs aren’t smart," "Nowhere near as good as Shopkeeper Lin," "This is like watching a traditional martial arts drama," "Leaving, leaving! It’s more interesting to watch Shopkeeper Lin," and "Betray them, Old Jin! There’s no future sticking with the Blood Shadow Sect," the number of viewers in the live streaming room dwindled. Golden Lion’s face darkened, and he felt increasingly bleak about his future. "Understood, Master," he mumbled.

"Go back and cultivate!" Lan Nuotian glanced at Golden Lion and said, "Disciple, while secular gold and silver are of little benefit to us cultivators, you possess one hundred thousand taels of Silver. Try not to mention this to your fellow disciples within the sect, to prevent them from harboring thoughts of robbery and murder. Although your cultivation speed is fast, you’ve only recently joined the sect. If you were to fall victim to a scheme, even I might not be able to save you in time..."

In the rolling barrage of comments, a highlighted message caught Golden Lion’s attention, and his eyes suddenly lit up: "Train hard, find a way to gain influence in the Blood Shadow Sect, and when there are more Players, lead the Blood Shadow Sect to challenge the Beggar Gang. At that time, our company can give you a sponsorship. - Jin Meili Daily Chemicals."

Even if I can’t ride Shopkeeper Lin’s coattails now, that doesn’t mean I can’t in the future! If I can represent the Blood Shadow Sect and defeat the Beggar Gang, my fame will surely surpass Shopkeeper Lin’s, and endorsement deals will pour in! Even in various sports competitions, it’s the stronger teams that command higher advertising endorsement fees! The same is true in the game; ultimately, Level is what speaks loudest... You all can enjoy your moment of glory for now!

Thinking this, Golden Lion felt as if he had found his purpose in life again, and his spirits soared. "Master, rest assured, I will work hard on my cultivation."

「...」

A similar scene also occurred in the Waning Sun Gate and on the stream barrages of various high-level Players. The merchants weren’t stupid; since they were advertising, they would naturally choose the most cost-effective targets.

Currently, the most effective way to promote the game was through Players’ live broadcast windows. Without popularity, how could these other Players or sects compete with the Beggar Gang? The Beggar Gang was so incredibly popular that advertisers couldn’t even manage to team up with newly joined, level-one members of the gang because those new recruits were instantly overwhelmed with offers or group invitations.

As a last resort, the merchants had to invest in these promising, albeit less popular, Players.

Of course, the merchants hoped that these chosen Players could immediately create a stir in the game. However, not everyone was like Lin Bai, who had a System to rely on. With most Players at generally low Levels, they couldn’t even make a ripple.

That day, on the Immortal World forum, the demand for the game company to open up public testing reached an unprecedented peak.

「On the same day.」

Perhaps responding to the public outcry, Immortal World issued a fourth batch of Pioneer accounts, numbering as many as one hundred thousand. The selection method remained a random draw from the pool of applicants.

Major corporations and enterprises were spurred into action, simultaneously posting announcements on their official websites. Companies established gaming departments. They announced that if an employee was selected by Immortal World, they should report it to the company in advance, and their remuneration could be negotiated.

Meanwhile, many large companies and businesses also began recruiting Players who owned game accounts from the general public, offering attractive salaries.

「...」

Among all Players, the members of the Beggar Gang in Jiamucheng were the happiest.

They were swamped with advertising offers. For a whole day, no one had time to level up. They were constantly logging on and off, negotiating with advertisers, comparing offers, and discussing terms. Intense arguments and comparisons were made as they tried to select the most suitable advertisers.

In this matter, every member of the Beggar Gang was equal; it didn’t matter if one was the Gang Leader or an elder. After all, which advertiser they chose would ultimately be determined by the money offered. Moreover, the final decision would be made by Lin Bai, and they wanted to present Lin, the Storekeeper, with the best possible options.

This was the Beggar Gang’s first major deal, and it concerned everyone’s future income. They had to show the advertisers results and couldn’t afford to be too hasty.

No one had expected that playing a game would give them an unexpected opportunity to reach the peak of their lives. The Beggar Gang had traditionally begged for money from others. Now, however, it was others who were practically shoving money into their hands, even fearing they might refuse. How could this be happening?

Crispy Rice was almost ecstatic. Lin, the Storekeeper, was right; I really do have the fortune of a dragon among men, a diamond in the rough...

Behind Lin Bai’s back, the members of the Beggar Gang made a decision: they would protect Lin Bai, their cash cow, at all costs and ensure he became the first unkillable boss in Immortal World. Furthermore, in the future, only the best of the best would be selected to join the Beggar Gang. They would never allow anyone with ulterior motives to infiltrate the gang and potentially harm Lin, the Storekeeper...

「...」

Lin Bai was unaware that his single decision had sparked a massive upheaval in another world, completely changing the course of Immortal World.

At this moment, he was in the Alchemy Room studying new Pill Medicine. He was about to travel to Qian City and felt his current abilities were inadequate. He urgently needed Detoxification Pills, healing pills, and pills to recover Inner Strength.

The easiest to create was a healing pill. After all, the System had provided the formula for the Righteous Revival Pill. He restrained himself from adding random ingredients and focused on the refining process. Despite the high wastage rate due to his Basic Pill Refinement Technique, he eventually succeeded in producing two successful batches of pills.

Combined with the External Rejuvenation Pills he had formulated, he now had a full set of medicinal pills for both internal and external use.

The side effects of ingesting an External Rejuvenation Pill internally had been tested on the Little White Fox. He saw that it made the fox’s legs weak and wobbly when it walked.

Lin Bai decided then and there never to mention the External Rejuvenation Pill to Xu Longyun. As for the food Xu Longyun sent over, he resolved not to take a single bite until he had successfully developed a Detoxification Pill.

He thought of the Little Fox, which had suffered so much torment for telling him a single lie. Even though it had almost collapsed from diarrhea, its eyes still held a fawning look when it gazed at him. Who knew if that woman, Xu Longyun, would be petty enough to seek revenge on me? She is, after all, a Commandery Princess. One only has one life to live, so one must be extremely cautious...

Luckily, with his Skill to Identify Food Ingredients and his growing experience in Alchemy, Lin Bai could finally make decent meals for himself, so he wouldn’t starve.

It was just that his time was quite tight at the moment, so he needed to devote all his attention to Alchemy. Otherwise, he could have taken some time to complete tasks for the Cooking God System. That wouldn’t have been a bad idea; at the very least, it would have been more satisfying for his stomach...