The team members cheered excitedly, as if they could already envision the bright future of the Starry Alliance dominating the world. Lin Li proudly brandished the book in his hand and said, "Brothers, let's head back right now and thoroughly study this Cultivation Manual. When the time comes, we'll let those fellows know that offending our Starry Alliance is the most foolish decision they'll ever make in their lives!" With that, he led the team away from this mysterious space with high spirits and buoyant strides.
Back at the base, Lin Li couldn't wait to plunge headfirst into the grand enterprise of secluded cultivation of the Astral Sacred Scripture. This Cultivation Manual was utterly bizarre and as profound as a cosmic black hole; an ordinary person would get a dizzy head just glancing at it. But who was Lin Li? With the System as his super-powered cheat code, coupled with his willpower harder than steel, hmph—no matter how difficult the Cultivation Manual was, it had to obediently submit to him.
Well, guess what? Just as Lin Li was blissfully deep in seclusion, the interior of the Starry Alliance erupted like a boiling pot! Some new members popped up from nowhere, acting as if they had been bitten by bedbugs, and actually got bought off by the Dark Star organization. They were single-mindedly plotting to stir up trouble within the Alliance and, by the way, swipe the treasures that Lin Li and the others had painstakingly retrieved from the ruins.
Late one night, with no moon and the wind howling, it was the "prime time" for mischief. Moving like thieves, these traitors sneaked around and, taking advantage of the guards dozing off, slipped into the treasure storage room like a bunch of rats. But the moment they reached out, they were caught red-handed by the patrolling team members, just like mice spotted by a cat.
"Oh, you ungrateful traitors! Brother Lin treated you with absolute sincerity, and this is how you repay him?" The patrol guards shouted angrily, jumping up and down.
As for the traitors, instead of blushing, they wore punchable sneers and said sarcastically, "Hmph, in this world of the jungle law, what loyalty or whatever is all bullshit! Following the Starry Alliance means living a plain, drab life with zero prospects. But the Dark Star organization is completely different—the benefits they offer are so generous, it's like mountains of gold waving at us. What the hell do you know?"
This shouting match made a huge racket, loud as thunder, and directly woke up Lin Li from his seclusion. Lin Li flew into a towering rage; like a launched cannonball, he ended his cultivation and rushed over. The moment he saw the scene in the storage room, Lin Li's eyes turned red with anger. Like a lit firecracker, he roared, "You lot of ungrateful backstabbers, today I'll make sure you learn what kind of end awaits those who offend me, Lin Li!" As he spoke, the Astral Power within him surged forward toward the traitors like a flood with a mighty roar.
The moment Lin Li appeared, the traitors felt a jolt in their hearts and grew somewhat intimidated. Yet, relying on their numbers, they still wanted to put up a dying struggle. The traitor leader yelled at the top of his lungs, "What is there to be afraid of? Let's all go together and take him down, and the treasures will be ours!"
Hearing this, Lin Li let out a disdainful sneer, the sound like a demon whispering in one's ear: "Just a bunch of small fries like you want to fight me? Pure daydreaming!" Finished speaking, his figure darted like a ghost into the thick of the traitors with a whoosh. Unleashing the Astral Sacred Scripture, he unleashed Astral Power that swept toward the traitors like a ferocious tsunami with a boom. The traitors were sent flying instantly by this immense force like flimsy pieces of paper, crashing down in total disarray and scattering their teeth across the ground.
"Speak! Who on earth ordered you to do this? Don't force me to use violence, or you'll regret it!" Lin Li glared fiercely at the traitor leader, his eyes filled with a thick threat.
Frightened out of his wits, the traitor leader's legs turned to jelly as he stammered, "It's... it's people from the Dark Star organization. They gave us a lot of money to steal the treasures and disrupt the Alliance along the way."
Lin Li let out a cold snort, his face full of scorn: "Just for a few stinking coins, you betrayed your brothers. You are utterly shameless!" With a wave of his hand, he had the traitors dragged away like dead dogs.
Following this incident, the Starry Alliance underwent a drastic overhaul, thoroughly clearing out these internal hidden dangers. The Alliance became even more united and cohesive than before.
Yet, just a few days of peace had passed when a mysterious visitor suddenly arrived at the base. Wrapped from head to toe in a black robe like a ghost, his face was completely invisible. He simply stated in a voice so low it sounded like it came from hell, "I want to see Lin Li."
Upon hearing this, the guard instantly grew alert. Like a guard dog protecting its master, he demanded loudly, "Who are you? What business do you have with Brother Lin? If you don't make it clear, don't even think about passing!"
The Black-robed Man wasted no words. A flash of light appeared in his hand, revealing a token. The moment the guard saw the token, his complexion changed in a flash as if he had seen a ghost. Without a word, he turned tail and ran to report to Lin Li. Upon receiving the news, Lin Li felt filled with suspicion—who on earth was this mysterious Black-robed Man? And what was the origin of this token? Pondering as he walked, Lin Li swaggered toward the meeting spot, muttering under his breath, "Hmph, whatever kind of monster or demon you are, since you dare to come to my turf, don't expect to leave on your feet!"
Arriving at the location, Lin Li looked the Black-robed Man up and down and spoke arrogantly, "Which nobody are you, holding some crappy token and wanting to see me? Spit it out!" The Black-robed Man kept his composure and said unhurriedly, "Alliance Leader Lin, I have come here bearing a major deal—a deal that can allow your Starry Alliance to dominate the world." Lin Li curled his lip in disdain: "Dominate the world? I've heard that line too many times. Stop trying to bluff me here; show me what tricks you actually have, or don't blame me for being impolite!"
The Black-robed Man raised his head slightly. Although his face remained hidden, his gaze felt piercing. "Alliance Leader Lin, I have heard that you are cultivating the Astral Sacred Scripture, but if this Cultivation Manual is practiced without guidance, suffering a deviation in cultivation is merely a matter of time. And I happen to know the crucial secrets." Lin Li felt a tightness in his chest, yet maintained a tough exterior on the surface: "Stop trying to alarm people here with scare tactics. I have the System to assist me, so why would I fear a cultivation deviation? You can pack away your swindler's tricks!"
The Black-robed Man chuckled lightly, the sound appearing exceptionally eerie in the quiet space. "The System? That is mere child's play. True experts rely on the comprehension of rules. What I can provide is something the System can never give you." Doubts began to stir in Lin Li's mind; this Black-robed Man truly seemed to possess some capability, yet he couldn't be trusted blindly. Thus, he played a sly hand: "Fine, you claim you can help me, so show me a couple of tricks first to let me see, otherwise how can you prove you aren't just boasting?"
The Black-robed Man didn't get annoyed. Raising his hand with a wave, the surrounding space twisted instantly, and the Astral Power seemed to be drawn by some formidable force, beginning to converge and swirl. Lin Li stared wide-eyed, inwardly marveling—this method was indeed extraordinary. Seeing this, the Black-robed Man said slowly, "Alliance Leader Lin, this is merely testing the waters. If you cooperate with me, your future achievements will be limitless." Lin Li rubbed his chin, a cunning smile forming on his face: "Cooperation isn't out of the question, but you must first explain your background and purpose clearly, otherwise I wouldn't dare meddle blindly with someone of unknown origin."
The Black-robed Man fell silent for a moment, weighing the pros and cons, before finally speaking slowly after a long while: "I hail from an ancient secluded family that shares an irreconcilable blood feud with the Dark Star organization. Hearing that you and the Dark Star organization are sworn enemies, I wish to join forces with you to fight them together." Lin Li sneered inwardly; the reason sounded high-sounding, but who knew if it was true. Still, since the Black-robed Man had some genuine skill, he might as well make use of him. Putting on a hearty demeanor, he said, "Fine, seeing as you have some skill, I'll agree to this cooperation halfway. But if you dare pull any tricks, I, Lin Li, won't let you off!" The Black-robed Man nodded: "Rest assured, Alliance Leader Lin, during the period of cooperation, I shall naturally abide by the agreement."
Thus, Lin Li and the mysterious Black-robed Man reached a temporary cooperation. Yet Lin Li knew clearly that the waters behind this ran deep, and the slightest carelessness could lead to utter ruin. But who was he? With the System backing him, how could he easily retreat? Next, while remaining on guard against the Black-robed Man, he pondered how to leverage this cooperation to make the Starry Alliance even more powerful, while also awaiting the next move of the Dark Star organization, preparing to give them a head-on blow...