Lin Bai dispersed the tribulation cloud with a single slash? This scene stunned everyone! Qing Yun had done something similar before, but that was when the Heavenly Tribulation had just formed and its power was still weak. Now, the Heavenly Tribulation had persisted for over fifty days, and no one knew how many times stronger it had become. A single bolt of lightning could cleave Qingmu in two... How did Lin Bai disperse the tribulation cloud with a single slash? Even if he shared Qing Yun's strength, he was merely on par with Qing Yun. Yet, the power displayed by this slash was something even Qing Yun couldn't achieve, right? What was this? Concealing his strength? Was there any point to it? If you possessed such power, you should have revealed it sooner! Had you shown such strength earlier, everyone would have to be insane to oppose you! All along, the image Lin Bai presented was one of laughter and jest, using various peculiar laws and principles to confound others. No one took his actual strength seriously, only focusing on countering his techniques. They never considered him a true threat... But Lin Bai's world-shocking slash shattered everyone's illusions. This slash, notably, was delivered when he was critically injured and on the verge of death. If he were unharmed, how formidable would he be? Where on earth did the Righteous Door find such a prodigy? The thunder ceased, and the wind died down! Within a hundred-mile radius, only the alluring melodies from the cultivators performing in the Phoenix Seeks Phoenix event remained; everyone else was utterly dumbfounded. After a long moment, a bullet comment slowly scrolled across the Players' live screens: "Okay, this is definitely a real world. No game could design such an unbalanced monster!" "An unsolvable existence!" "From now on, to survive in this world, we can only live by kowtowing to Lin Bai." "Technological weapons? The combination of cultivation and technology? It's all useless against Lin Bai. You never know what trump cards he's hiding." "No wonder Lin Bai said he wanted to become the Heavenly Dao; he's practically the heavens' favorite son!" "So terrifying! No wonder the Righteous Door's ancestor never appeared to help Lin Bai. It turns out it wasn't necessary at all..." "Do you think it could be a final burst of life? What if Lin Bai died after exhausting all his strength with that attack?" "Wishful thinking! The Heavenly Tribulation might have pursued him if it could, but now it's been dispersed. Who's left to kill him?!" Qing Yun was the first to catch Lin Bai. Xu Longyun, Jiang Qingqin, Ye Song, Tuohai, and the others disregarded their own cultivation and rushed to Lin Bai's side at their top speed. Lin Bai's slash had not only shocked outsiders but had also astounded them. That strike was simply beyond human capability. At this moment, no one harbored any resentment for being forcibly made Lin Bai's Disciples. To be chosen by Lin Bai as a Disciple and to cultivate in the Righteous Door was their utmost honor. Xu Longyun gazed at the unconscious Lin Bai, her voice choked with grief. Tuohai, Nan Rong, and the others immediately took out their healing Pill Medicines, attempting to feed them to Lin Bai… Lin Bai did not take their Pill Medicines. Qing Yun's Spiritual Power was wood-aspected, and wood governed life, making it optimal for healing. Besides, he possessed the tenfold recovery of the War God System and Wen Ba's Sky Demon Spell. In the brief interval between Qing Yun catching him and their landing, his gruesome external injuries had already healed. However, the internal injuries inflicted by the lightning were severe and wouldn't mend quickly. Moreover, Lin Bai couldn't possibly seal himself into a Card… "Master, you're awake?" "Master, are you alright?" Thıs text ıs hosted at 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡✶𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚✶𝙣𝙚𝙩 "Master, I have Sacred Medicine for healing here…" Everyone voiced their concern for Lin Bai. "No need." Lin Bai pushed away the Pill Medicines offered to him, rose from Qing Yun's embrace, and looked up at the tribulation cloud he had dispersed. It was already showing signs of re-forming. But it clearly wouldn't coalesce completely for a while. "Master, please heal first! Otherwise, when the Heavenly Tribulation re-forms, I fear I won't be able to withstand it," Qing Yun said, her attitude exceptionally humble. "No need. This is quite good." Lin Bai looked at Qing Yun, shook his head, and smiled. The smile tugged at his wounds, causing him to grimace involuntarily. "Quite good?" Qing Yun was taken aback. For a moment, she thought the heavenly lightning had addled Lin Bai's brain. "Yes, quite good," Lin Bai affirmed, looking at Qing Yun. "Qing Yun, be measured in your actions. When the Heavenly Tribulation gathers again, injure me severely once more!" "..." Qing Yun was speechless. "Master, you..." Everyone was stunned; no one had expected Lin Bai to make such a bizarre request. "Just do as I say. Be careful, don't actually kill me." Although Qing Yun was his Puppet and he could halt her assault at a critical moment, Lin Bai still cautioned her. Super Villain System: Near-death Counterattack: When on the brink of death, you can unleash ten times your potential. This was a reward the Super Villain System had provided some time ago. Lin Bai, always cautious, had avoided putting himself in harm's way, thinking he would never use this Skill. Unexpectedly, the lightning strike had allowed him to activate it. He shared the strength of three Great Cheng cultivators, one Crossing Tribulation Realm cultivator, and all of Boss Qingyun's power. When ten times his potential erupted, it was roughly equivalent to ten Qing Yuns attacking simultaneously. A single Qing Yun already surpassed the limits this world could endure, let alone ten. It would be stranger if he *didn't* disperse the tribulation cloud. Apart from the severe injuries, there were no side effects. Since the tribulation cloud could be dealt with so easily, why bother racking my brains over unnecessary complications? I wonder why no new systems have appeared? It turns out my own abilities are already sufficient to deal with the current situation. If ten times the potential is already this terrifying, then after completing the Cooking God System's new task and gaining thirty times the defensive power, perhaps no one will be able to break my defense! It seems I've unknowingly become invincible in this world! 「About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the tribulation cloud re-formed.」 Watching the tribulation cloud take shape again, a Great Cheng cultivator from the Heavenly Dao Sect said with bloodshot eyes, "Lin Bai definitely can't recover in such a short time. He shouldn't be able to withstand it this time, right?" It had to be said, Lin Bai was truly the bane of the Cultivation World. Even while undergoing his tribulation, he could terrify the onlookers. "The Way of Law indeed has its merits. Even if Lin Bai perishes this time, it cannot halt the rise of the Law," a sword cultivator from the Heavenly Sword Sect said wistfully. "So terrifying." "Fortunately, with the Way of Law, ultimately only one person can achieve godhood. If everyone could comprehend and use the Law, this world would probably be destroyed," a Great Cheng cultivator from the Tool Refining Sect sighed. Before his words faded, everyone's eyes suddenly bulged. They clearly saw that the moment the Heavenly Tribulation formed, Boss Qingyun, instead of confronting it, suddenly struck out, attacking Lin Bai. The severely injured Lin Bai spat out blood once more. Before they could comprehend the reason, they witnessed that terrifying blade energy again. The tribulation cloud was dispersed once more... Everyone gasped, falling silent. At this moment, the cultivators were filled with a maelstrom of emotions, their minds racing with all sorts of curses... Why can it still be ? "If I'm not mistaken, Lin Bai is using a Cultivation Technique that erupts at critical moments, right?" a Great Cheng cultivator from the Valley of Thousand Souls said blankly. "Brother Li Dao, Lin Bai turned Wen Ba of Sky Demon Mountain into a Puppet. Your Sky Demon Mountain excels in this art…" "Sky Demon Mountain's Cultivation Techniques are hardly so tyrannical! In a critical moment, achieving two or three times one's potential is already considered the mark of a prodigy. Moreover, using such techniques incurs severe damage; a slight misstep could destroy one's foundation. How could anyone use it repeatedly and casually like Lin Bai?" the Great Cheng cultivator from Sky Demon Mountain roared, his face flushed and his beard and hair trembling, unclear if from jealousy or envy. "For Lin Bai to unleash his power so wantonly is simply against all reason; it's utterly profligate!" "It seems that if we want to kill Lin Bai in the future, it must be a swift, decisive strike," a Great Cheng cultivator from the Poison Sect mused. "Or force him to use his ultimate move, then we can deliver the killing blow." As these words were spoken, the surrounding cultivators instinctively distanced themselves from him as if he were a bringer of calamity. Even now, still thinking of killing Lin Bai? He must have had his brain kicked by a donkey! The Way of Law is already unsolvable, and just when you think you've nearly killed him, he unleashes another super-powered burst… Shouldn't such a monster be enshrined and revered? Why provoke him at all?! Seeing the Supporting Group of Descended Ones at the edge of the tribulation cloud, all the cultivators resolved that even if Lin Bai used Phoenix Seeks Phoenix on them, they would absolutely not interfere with anyone from that group. They even hoped some clueless individuals would try to intervene, so they could, in turn, help Lin Bai and curry favor with him… 「On top of Qingmu, the many Disciples also discerned the principle behind Lin Bai's tactic.」 But at this point, they only felt reverence for Lin Bai; what other thoughts could they have? Could they possibly try to land a finishing blow on Lin Bai amidst the Heavenly Tribulation? In all the world, is there a Master who cherishes his Disciples more than this? Is there a safer way to transcend a tribulation? Lin Bai truly is, as he said, always at the forefront! As long as he can protect us through this Heavenly Tribulation, forget acknowledging Lin Bai as Master; we'd acknowledge him as our ancestor without complaint… 「The following period devolved into garbage time.」 Whenever the tribulation cloud formed, Qing Yun would act first, striking her own Master. Then, Lin Bai would make his move, blasting apart the Heavenly Tribulation! For the next ten-odd days, even the sound of thunder was no longer heard. The largest-scale Heavenly Tribulation in history had become the most anticlimactic… The only one truly toiling was likely Lin Bai, trapped in a relentless cycle of severe injury, recovery, re-injury, and re-recovery. Looking at the weakened Lin Bai, Xu Longyun was heartbroken to the point of tears. Their dashing and spirited Lin Lang, when had he ever endured such suffering! Everything Lin Bai did was for their sake! Lin Bai was indeed in pain; the experience of being near death was far from pleasant. But it had to be said, people have pain thresholds. Constant exposure to suffering eventually leads to habituation… [Task Completed: Do an astonishing deed in the world. Reward: Loyalty (You can see the loyalty level of your subordinates.)] [Task Completed: Your enemy wholeheartedly admires you. Reward: Fortune and Virtue +200 (Granted.)] [New Task: Convert 10,000 people who hate you. Reward: Fortune and Virtue +3,000.] [New Task: Make your name stop a child's crying. Reward: Under Pressure (The ability to withstand pain stacks indefinitely, with no upper limit.)] After the news of Lin Bai cleaving the Heavenly Tribulation with his blade, propagated by the Justice Weekly, spread, both the Super Villain System and the System of making good contracts sent out notifications. Two tasks were completed, and two new ones were assigned. Fortune and Virtue, like Merits and Qi Yun, are naturally better in greater quantities. Even if I don't know their specific functions, it's good for auspiciousness… But seeing subordinates' loyalty? That's rather pointless. Lin Bai only needs tools; he doesn't care if they are loyal to him. Moreover, he feels his Personal Charm is sufficient to convert any subordinate harboring hostility. Just like now, he sacrifices himself to save others. As far as the eye can see, apart from the Players, every non-Player character's loyalty is at one hundred percent. Isn't this proof of his invincible charisma? As for the Players, those undying fellows don't have a normal mentality. Each one is insufferably arrogant, believing themselves peerless. Those guys are probably more interested in seeing NPC loyalty than he is! Two new tasks. One is to earn Fortune and Virtue by converting enemies; the other is to spread his fearsome reputation far and wide. Superficially, the two tasks conflict, but in Lin Bai's view, they are quite harmonious. Who says converting enemies can't also make one's name stop a child's crying? Once he escapes this damned Heavenly Tribulation and becomes the true number one in the world, he can be a good guy if he wants, or a bad guy if he wants… 「The Demon's Son, Saint Heir, and other young prodigies who had comprehended new Divine Skills gathered together, looking as mournful as if they had lost their parents.」 Upon closer inspection, one could almost see the anxiety, grievance, unwillingness, and profound helplessness in their eyes… The Saint Heir asked, "Brother Mo Dao, how many levels of your Devil Body have you comprehended?" The Demon's Son glanced at him. "It's complete. Brother Saint Dao, you must be about there too, right?" The Saint Heir nodded helplessly. "These heaven-sent Divine Skills are tailor-made for us, so cultivation is naturally swift. But when I think of Lin Bai's audacity in cleaving a Heavenly Tribulation meant for tens of thousands, I feel so insignificant I daren't even look up to him!" The Blood Child lamented to the heavens, "Are we destined to live forever in his shadow?" After a moment of contemplation, the Poison Child said, "If he ascends, the Mortal World will still be ours. No one will be our match." The Soul Child replied, "Even if Lin Bai ascends, Lin Si Bai remains…" The Blood Child said, "Lin Si Bai, having possessed a Descended One, is immortal and has all meridians open. If he is allowed to mature, he might be even more difficult to deal with than Lin Bai." The Poison Child gave a bitter smile. "Brother Saint Dao, let's not even talk about Lin Si Bai in the Mortal World. With our aptitude, we are destined to ascend. In the future, in the Fairy World, we will still have to face Lin Bai. That would be an endless Nightmare!" The thought of this possibility plunged everyone into even deeper despair than before. The Demon's Son said faintly, "The Sect Masters are already discussing joining the Justice League. If you stop thinking about dealing with Lin Bai, it's not so unbearable." "To feel defeated before even clashing… it's truly infuriating!" The Saint Heir threw a punch in anger; the phantom of his fist flew out, silently pulverizing a giant tree. "My fellow Dao Brothers, what in the world are we?" After a long pause, the Blood Child said, "Fellow Dao Brothers, there might be a way to elevate our strength further. Then, perhaps, we could stand on equal footing with Lin Bai." "What way?" everyone asked in unison. "Follow Lin Bai's example: perform Body Snatching on a Descended One," the Blood Child said, his eyelids drooping. "Our Divine Skills, whether for resurrection or self-recovery, are potent, but ultimately, we do not possess immortal bodies. If we can successfully perform Body Snatching on a Descended One, augmented by our heaven-sent Divine Skills, surely even Lin Bai wouldn't be able to do anything to us?" He paused, then said resolutely, "One must be pushed to the brink of death to find new life." Everyone's expression changed drastically. After a long while, the Saint Heir finally said, "That might not be a bad idea. Lin Bai, when pushed to a dead end, used Soul Split to secure a path for himself. We've never truly experienced hardship; perhaps we should push ourselves. We don't necessarily have to face death. The success of Body Snatching depends on the solidity of one's Divine Soul. Rumor has it that we are reincarnations of great powers, our Divine Souls inherently condensed. Others might face crises during Body Snatching, but for us, it should be almost a certainty. These days, those Descended Ones have been cultivating diligently; some have already reached the Hollow Realm. We wouldn't need to worry about our cultivation regressing if we possessed them…" The Blood Child said, "We should quickly go and discuss this with our Sect Leaders. They too must be unwilling to join that wretched Justice League." The Soul Child responded, "Let's find some Cultivators with no hope of ascension to perform Body Snatching on Players first, to scout the path for us."