"Saint Lord, shall we cooperate with Lin Bai?" the Saint Heir suddenly asked. "Lin Bai is insatiable. Cooperating with him would be like asking a tiger for its skin," the Saint said. "Lin Bai will either ascend or die in the Heavenly Tribulation. If your Divine Skills can handle those from the heavens and suppress Lin Si Bai, it would be best for these matters to remain under our control." "The Saint is right. We've offended Lin Bai too deeply. If we turn around and ask for his help now, who knows how he'll deal with us? We mustn't try to steal a chicken only to end up losing the rice bait," Qu Chaoan of the Blood Sect glanced at the Saint Heir and said. "I would rather see more of those from the heavens than befriend Lin Bai." Lin Bai was lured into the Heavenly Tribulation by the Blood Sect, and in turn, Lin Bai annihilated all the lower-level cultivators of the Blood Sect. The two sides are now as incompatible as fire and water. If Lin Bai were to make a gesture of goodwill, they would have to suspect a conspiracy, let alone take the initiative to seek his help! "Yes, Lin Si Bai and his men have seized several sects from the Righteous Seven Sects. They probably wouldn't want to ally with Lin Bai either," Nightfall said. "We, however, can ally with the Righteous Seven Sects to jointly resist Lin Si Bai and those from the heavens. Besides, those from the heavens are not a monolithic bloc. Didn't the ones who let Daoist Master Daxuan return want to cooperate with us? We might also take this opportunity to incite internal conflict among them." "The worlds of those from the heavens lack Spiritual Energy. You are all clear about the situation after Body Snatching. Do you still want to continue with Body Snatching?" asked the Demon Master, looking at a few of the prodigies. The prodigies looked at each other, all seeing hesitation in their eyes. After a moment of silence, the Demon's Son said, "We should find a few more cultivators with powerful Divine Souls to attempt Body Snatching. If we cannot freely use their bodies to enter our world, then Body Snatching is meaningless. We would instead lose our freedom and be exploited by those from the heavens." "The Valley of Thousand Souls still has a batch of heavenly materials and earthly treasures for Soul Condensation. We can select a group of cultivators, first strengthen their Divine Souls, and then have them find some weaker individuals from the heavens to attempt Body Snatching," Lu Wei from the Valley of Thousand Souls said. "In the future, the conflict with those from the heavens might shift to a battle of Divine Soul Possession. Since we haven't cultivated Laws, our only way out is to go to the world of those from the heavens, find the game company, and destroy their world from its very foundation." The Saint surveyed the assembly. "Lin Bai's Way of Laws has long been publicized. We can have our disciples also cultivate the Way of Laws..." "Master, 500,000 of those from the heavens have descended upon this world," 'Hold Nothing Back in Happiness' said cautiously, looking at Lin Bai who was lounging in Xu Longyun's arms, lazily popping Spirit Condensing Fruit into his mouth. Ever since they found out from the forum that this place wasn't a game, but a real world, the Players of the Holy Extreme Sect who had been taken as disciples by Lin Bai immediately had different feelings about him. Previously, they were just scraping a living under tycoons. Now they are Lin Bai's disciples, and with his name backing them up, they could pretty much do whatever they wanted in this world. The combined force of ten tycoons couldn't even match up to Lin Bai. "Hmm," Lin Bai lazily hummed and continued to put Spirit Fruit into his mouth, occasionally sharing a few with his disciples by his side. He had found a bug in the Heavenly Tribulation, and after more than ten days, not a single thunderbolt had struck. Aside from feeling some pain, Lin Bai had been quite leisurely these past few days, fully aware of the events unfolding in the outside world. He learned that the Righteous Seven Sects and the Demonic Five Sects were sending people to perform Body Snatching on Players. So, he consciously began to strengthen his disciples' Divine Souls. Who knows, he might need them to perform Body Snatching in the real world to help himself! The spells of native cultivators can't be used in that world. But the new System's reward for being a good teacher was 'Bestowal.' When the time comes, he could bestow the Way of Laws upon his disciples. They would be excellent helpers after undergoing Body Snatching to cross over. Currently, his disciples' loyalty was at one hundred percent; their hearts were entirely his to command. "People from the Righteous Seven Sects and the Demonic Five Sects have performed Body Snatching on those from the heavens and entered our world. The higher-ups in our world wish to cooperate with you, Master," 'Hold Nothing Back in Happiness' continued. The tycoons suspected a connection between Lin Bai and his two Divided Gods. But as long as Lin Bai didn't mention it, they wouldn't either. Their approaching him now about this matter was to display their stance. Anyone with clear eyes could see that Lin Bai would be in charge of this world in the future. Without Lin Bai, Players would have an advantage against the native cultivators of this world. But with Lin Bai present, their advantage vanished completely. To secure greater benefits, the real world currently had no intention of initiating a War, at least not until they found a way to deal with Lin Bai. What terrified them most was that Lin Bai's Way of Laws seemed usable across worlds. If the game company didn't intervene, Lin Bai alone could trigger a catastrophe in the real world. Previously, only the people from the Righteous Seven Sects and the Demonic Five Sects hoped Lin Bai wouldn't survive the Heavenly Tribulation, while some Players wished for him to maintain his deterrent power. Now, the situation had become more serious. Nobody wanted Lin Bai to walk out of the Heavenly Tribulation alive. However, given Lin Bai's audacious feat of cleaving the Heavenly Tribulation apart with a single strike, it likely couldn't harm him anyway… "Cooperate with me? Can't they see I'm undergoing my Tribulation right now? Tell them to talk to Lin Si Bai," Lin Bai said without even batting an eyelid. "I don't even know if I can get out of this. What's the use of talking to me?" He knew negotiation was necessary, but he couldn't be the one leading the negotiations. Lin Bai was a man of principles, and for something like negotiations, he naturally wouldn't compromise his fairness. If Lin Si Bai negotiated terms that later proved unsuitable, Lin Bai could openly and justly disavow them. However, if he personally agreed to the conditions, going back on his word would damage his reputation. "'Black Sheep' also approached Lin Si Bai, saying humbly, "Alliance Hierarch, the higher-ups in our world would like to meet with you to discuss matters of cooperation between our two worlds."" "Certainly," Lin Si Bai agreed readily to the invitation. "I've also been wanting to talk to those in charge on your side for some time." After swapping bodies with Zheng Tong, and under Jin Zong's guidance, Lin Bai met a vigorous middle-aged man. Though dressed in plain clothes, his upright posture clearly indicated a military background. "Alliance Hierarch Lin, I am Cheng Xunyun, Director of the TianTang Kingdom's Department of Foreign Special Affairs. I am fully responsible for all matters concerning the game 'Immortal World.' I'm very pleased you could agree to this meeting. Please, sit down." The middle-aged man stood up, greeted Lin Bai politely, and guided him to a sofa. A staff member served Lin Bai tea and then stood aside. Several photographers were positioned in the corners of the room, documenting the entire meeting from all angles. "Hello, Director Cheng." Lin Bai nodded at Cheng Xunyun and sat down on the sofa with composure. "Alliance Hierarch Lin, what do you think of the game company?" Cheng Xunyun asked with a faint smile, taking a direct approach. "If I had to make an assessment, I'd say they're a bunch of madmen who treat everyone in the world as their playthings!" Lin Bai mused before replying. "Yes, madmen who manipulate the world as they please," Cheng Xunyun sighed. "Alliance Hierarch Lin, we've spoken with Zheng Tong and Jin Zong, and we understand your ultimate target is the game company. Is there any way we can assist you? You're also aware that the game company's appearance has had a severely negative impact on our world. People neglect production, thinking only of adventuring in the otherworld and finding pleasure in the game. To be frank, since the game's launch, the global economy has been in steady decline. Currently, in the TianTang Kingdom alone, fewer than a million people have entered the game. It's hard to imagine what our world will become if even more people enter the game in the future. When that time comes, disaster will befall not only your world but ours too; no one will be able to remain uninvolved. Therefore, we are all victims, and the game company is our common enemy." Trying to build rapport, are we? He's a master negotiator! Lin Bai, maintaining a poker face, asked, "So, Director Cheng, how do you propose to deal with the game company?" Cheng Xunyun faltered for a moment, then said with embarrassment, "Alliance Hierarch Lin, our technological level is insufficient. For a long time now, we haven't even been able to determine the game company's location. Even by pooling all our national resources, we can't crack their game pods. We don't even dare to stop people from entering the game, fearing we might anger the game company and bring disaster upon our world. Honestly, we are deeply ashamed that we have no way to deal with them. It wasn't until you, Alliance Hierarch Lin, performed Body Snatching and entered our world that we saw a sliver of hope." "So, you are also counting on me to be the savior?" Lin Bai said with a smile. "Please, Alliance Hierarch Lin, help us achieve this," Cheng Xunyun managed a humble smile. "We genuinely have no solution to this. Only your Righteous Door, which transcends the universe, is qualified to confront the game company directly. You constantly call us a catastrophe, but we were never the enemy. The game company is the source of this disaster..." Lin Bai subconsciously thought of the System's manufacturer. He shook his head. "Director, your public announcements don't paint that picture. They seem to imply you intend to forcefully invade our world and plunder our resources for your own use!" Cheng Xunyun gave a wry smile. "We were compelled to, Alliance Hierarch. It's just as you've always done: strengthen yourself to gain the right to speak. We also wish to utilize the resources of both worlds to rapidly advance our civilization, thereby gaining the qualification to preserve ourselves in the confrontation with the game company. If we did nothing, wouldn't we be even less helpful to you, Alliance Hierarch? Alliance Hierarch, the various powers on our planet are beset by severe internal strife and conflict; each nation has different ideas. We cannot control the thoughts of other nations, but we also don't want to allow other countries to become powerful enough to turn around and oppress us. This is, admittedly, a selfish motive on our part, and we ask for your understanding, Alliance Hierarch. However, we will also bring our world's technology to help your world, fostering mutual growth for both sides. Furthermore, we have informed the public in our announcements that yours is a real world. We believe the populace will surely exercise some restraint..." Damn, this guy is a master negotiator! This guy's arguments are watertight. Lin Bai sighed internally again. "It's survival of the fittest; competition breeds progress. You don't need to overly restrict them. The cultivators of the native world are too set in their ways. If they aren't beaten until it hurts, they won't understand us." Cheng Xunyun asked joyfully, "Alliance Hierarch Lin, does this mean you agree to cooperate with us?" Lin Bai looked at Cheng Xunyun. "First, have the Players help me consolidate the Cultivation World over there. Then we can discuss other matters. One must secure internal stability before dealing with external threats. The Cultivation World must have only one voice: mine." "Naturally, that's no problem," Cheng Xunyun quickly affirmed. "This is what we ought to do." "Have you also investigated Lin Wu Bai's matter thoroughly?" Lin Bai asked with a smile. Cheng Xunyun responded with a laugh, "Without your permission, Alliance Hierarch Lin, we naturally wouldn't dare disturb Miss Cai." "You can disturb her," Lin Bai stated. "Let her associate with you from now on. Regarding research on those who have undergone Body Snatching, and your policies concerning the Continent of Gods and Demons, you can discuss everything with her. I suggest you build her up into a celebrity, letting the public know of her existence. Our cultivation involves the Way of Belief; the more people who worship us, the stronger our abilities become. This will give us a greater assurance when confronting the game company in the future." The smile on Cheng Xunyun's face slowly vanished. He looked at Lin Bai, paused for a moment, then forced a smile. "Alliance Hierarch Lin, regarding the research on those who have undergone Body Snatching, we can communicate with Mister Wu Bai and report all progress. However, publicizing her information and building her into a celebrity... I'm concerned it might cause social unrest. You know how great your reputation is in the game. If we disclose Mister Wu Bai's activities, we fear we might lose control of the situation. We must consider the overall stability. We hope Mister Lin can appreciate our position..." Letting half a million people into the game world is called 'peaceful exchange,' but when I want a small benefit, suddenly you have to 'consider the overall stability'? Lin Bai chuckled softly, lifted his teacup, and took a delicate sip. "Director Cheng, I *am* being considerate of you! I have eighty thousand fans in the game world, and you can't shut down the game forums. If Lin Wu Bai calls on her fans to flood the forums with a few posts, she'll become a celebrity on her own. Entrusting her promotion to you is giving *you* the opportunity to manage the situation!" *[Resentment from Cheng Xunyun +1+1+1+1...]* Sweat beaded on Cheng Xunyun's forehead. He tried to compose himself by picking up his teacup, but he set it back down before it reached his lips. His composure had shattered. He knew Lin Bai was a force to be reckoned with in the game, a master of words. He had thought Lin Bai might be more restrained in an unfamiliar world. Throughout the negotiation, he believed he had been guiding the tempo. He hadn't expected Lin Bai to seize back the initiative with just a few sentences. At this very moment, Cheng Xunyun could finally empathize with the feelings of the Righteous Seven Sects and the Demonic Five Sects. Faced with such an unprincipled and uncontrollable individual, the urge to kill him was indeed ever-present! "Director Cheng, are you not willing?" Lin Bai frowned. "Not at all, not at all. It's just that this is a significant matter, and I cannot make the decision alone. I need to report to my superiors. I hope Alliance Hierarch Lin can give us a few days to consider," Cheng Xunyun replied, cursing inwardly while maintaining a forced smile. "Director Cheng, you know I've always been generous with my partners." Lin Bai smiled, extending his hand. In his palm lay more than ten Spirit Fruits. He placed them on the table between them and said softly, "For instance, just now, I could have used the Truth-telling Technique on you, Director Cheng. But I refrained. That, in itself, is a great display of my sincerity." *[Resentment from Cheng Xunyun +1+1+1...]* Cheng Xunyun gave an embarrassed laugh. "Alliance Hierarch Lin, you jest. I truly came with sincerity. Every word I spoke is true; there wasn't a single falsehood." ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹·𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲·𝗻𝗲𝘁 Lin Bai looked at him and chuckled. "Of course, I believe you, Director. I heard you mention discord with other nations. If Lin Wu Bai represents your government, she can also help you deter those foreign countries. It's all benefits and no drawbacks..."