Guo Yuan and the sect leaders left one after another.
Only the Beggar Gang's officers and a few stewards of the Righteousness Sect remained in the reception hall.
"All right, everyone left is one of our own. You can speak freely now; there's no need to worry about appearances." Lin Bai looked around the hall and put away Cupid's Bow.
Daoxu, [Lao Mi], and the others froze. So that performance earlier had been him worrying about appearances?
"Don't look at me like that." Lin Bai smiled at them. "I'm not stupid. I know who's close to us and who isn't. Our core will always be the Righteousness Sect and the Beggar Gang. Forcing them to join the Righteousness Sect would have caused too many problems, which is why I established this temporary Righteous Alliance. But ultimately, the alliance exists to further our development. Some of what I said earlier might have sounded harsh. Don't take it to heart. I've poured more effort into you than anyone else, so don't worry that I'll suppress or restrict you."
"..." [Lao Mi] paused, then privately messaged [Lone Elder], "Do you believe him?"
[Lone Elder] replied, "Does it matter? Aren't you getting a little too immersed? We're just playing a game. Play along."
And so.
All the players spoke at once. "Thank you for trusting us, Shopkeeper Lin."
Lin Bai smiled and continued, "You all know that I cultivate Words Become Law to become the Heavenly Dao. But the path to becoming the Heavenly Dao is filled with hardships and trials. That's why I need powerful sects to protect me. The Seven Righteous Sects and Five Demon Sects have controlled the cultivation world for years. They won't stand by and watch me rise. You are my only chance.
"The Ninth Patriarch of the Righteousness