Dual Cultivation God Returns Chapter 1048: Demands of a greater ambition

~9 minute read · 2,132 words
Previously on Dual Cultivation God Returns...
A wedding proposal from the Tuyin Dynasty threatens Princess Wei Zhenhui's relationship with Chen Hui. Wu Long plans to travel to the Wei Dynasty to help Chen Hui. Meanwhile, Song Lingfei reveals a new bloodline ability allowing for the creation of permanent spatial nodes, which significantly changes travel possibilities between Boundless Worlds and will aid their expansion.
"Hmm, perhaps this turn of events will necessitate a revision of our grander plans and organizational framework. As it stands, Eternal Duality Valley is simply too diminutive an organization to wield influence across multiple Boundless Worlds," Nie Xiwang remarked to Wu Long. His observation captured the attention of not only Wu Long but also Shen Min, Feng Yi, Liang Yuhan, Sui Luxiao, Cao Xiang, Cao Mei, Luo Mingyu, Hua Ziyan, and Wei Lan. "However, we cannot drastically increase our numbers in a brief span without compromising overall security and control, thus elevating internal risks," Shen Min argued, adopting a staunch stance against rapid member expansion. The reality was that her Veiled Sentinels were already struggling to keep pace with the influx of Symbol Arts Masters, Artifact Refiner Masters, and more. After all, it took considerable time for them to infiltrate every echelon of the Valley and maintain oversight following each substantial, rather than gradual, expansion. Furthermore, not even they were entirely uncorruptible, though their loyalty was undeniable, having been chosen from the victims of Lust Cultivation rescued by Wu Long and her. She harbored a degree of apprehension regarding the impending integration of Crimson Arrow Manor into the War God Palace, as it would require a slow, deliberate infusion of her Veiled Sentinels into their ranks. "It is certainly not the ideal scenario, but our current manpower cannot support such extensive reach, even from a purely military standpoint, let alone other departments," Feng Yi sighed. "Merely holding the Desolate Fortress consumes nearly the entirety of the War God Palace's strength, even with the extensive use of Stink Pills to keep the masses at bay and periodic temporary lockdowns of the entire Fortress to allow soldiers respite due to insufficient shifts to combat fatigue. On the flip side, it serves as an excellent training ground, enabling us to recruit a significant number annually without diminishing troop quality." Her expression turned conflicted as she added, "Though I do understand Sister Shen Min's concerns. It is undesirable to invite potential risks; we conduct rigorous screenings during our current recruitment processes, and we are exclusively recruiting from within the city of the Dream Realm, making it essentially an internal recruitment. Not to mention, the recruitment speed you speak of, Sister Xiwang, operates on an entirely different magnitude." "Greater aspirations demand broader influence, and broader influence necessitates an expansion of personnel; unfortunately, that is a principle I see no way around," Nie Xiwang stated, articulating a truth neither of the two beauties could easily refute. Although Hua Ziyan's Twin Essence Palace currently maintained a lower profile, she understood this would not remain the case indefinitely, compelling her to consider the broader ramifications. Wei Lan found herself in agreement with Shen Min. Her perspective on internal Sect affairs was heavily colored by the unfortunate history of her former Sect. Consequently, contrary to her naturally gentle, kind, and empathetic demeanor, she tended to align with Shen Min on issues of internal governance and security. Liang Yuhan, Sui Luxiao, Cao Xiang, and Cao Mei, representing the leadership of the Valley's most active divisions, acknowledged that their current organizations were far from adequate in scale to undertake the ambitious endeavor presented by Song Lingfei's newfound ability. This sentiment also extended to Luo Mingyu's Divine Enlightenment Palace, which served as the bedrock of the Sect's cultivation advancement as the primary center for Dao Cultivators. After all, the collective vision they held previously, including Wu Long, was that of a nomadic Sect, shifting its base of operations perhaps leaving minor outposts in its wake, but with the core of the Sect continuously progressing alongside them through the Boundless Worlds. They had ample time to scale their organization as they would almost invariably transport their entire membership and absorb new recruits along their journey, thereby growing as they advanced. However, the current situation dictated that the territories they traversed were not merely places to be left behind but locations where they would establish a permanent presence, necessitating personnel for management and an overall increase in organizational scale. "Hmm, perhaps we must devise an entirely new organizational structure," Wu Long proposed, a thoughtful expression on his face as he stroked his chin, recognizing the validity of both perspectives. "I concur that it is prudent to maintain the core of our Sect with enhanced security and a more streamlined composition. This concern extends beyond mere Sect security; more critically, it pertains to Baihu’s Dream Realm. It is, after all, her Origin World, and I would prefer not to grant access to individuals I do not fully trust." As he spoke, Fen Baihu's cheeks flushed slightly.

He then stated, "However, it's undeniable that our current force isn't sufficient to oversee numerous Boundless Worlds. This suggests we should consider expansion. The existing framework of the Eternal Duality Valley would remain the central hub, functioning similarly but now managing a larger, subordinate structure."

"Much like the Inner and Outer Courts of a Cultivation Sect?", Wei Lan, having served as a Grand Elder in a prominent Sect before, immediately grasped the organizational concept.

"Precisely!", Wu Long's eyes gleamed. "We can designate our current Sect as the Inner Valley and commence recruitment for an Outer Valley from external sources."

"I understand; that structure is certainly viable," Nie Xiwang agreed. "You propose absorbing entire local Sects and organizations to form our Outer Valley, serving as regional bases for specific continents or even broader territories. They wouldn't gain access to Sister Baihu's Dream Realm, nor would they need to. They'd remain localized to their continents, operating as before but technically integrated into our grander design, receiving benefits and acting in accordance with our directives."

Building on this idea, Luo Mingyu added, "They might not even realize that Soaring Feather Trading Company is an integral part of the Valley, viewing it merely as a separate cooperating entity..."

"Or perhaps, they wouldn't need any insight into the Inner Valley's internal workings – akin to the relationship between a Branch Sect and its Main Sect," Nie Xiwang, reignited by Luo Mingyu's suggestion, saw their minds synchronize as the two Dao Cultivators envisioned the new structure.

Luo Mingyu nodded enthusiastically, "They might be aware that, similar to the Outer Valley, the Inner Valley comprises various Palaces. However, there's no functional need for them to comprehend the Inner Valley's specific structure or operations – they'll only receive information on a strictly need-to-know basis!"

Nie Xiwang concurred, "Since they lack access to our most confidential secrets, our concern over maintaining stringent control diminishes. A breach of an Outer Valley Palace, Hall, or Temple would yield limited intelligence for adversaries, revealing only details pertinent to that specific subsidiary."

"Under such circumstances, our Inner Valley, situated within this Dream Realm, can not only continue its development trajectory as initially planned with a more manageable growth rate but also initiate a gradual screening and recruitment process through the Outer Valley," Feng Yi stated, his excitement growing. The War God Palace operated with a mindset akin to the Feng Family's Army—continuous recruitment of new soldiers each season. "Should exceptional talent emerge in a local Outer Valley Palace, we could commence a vetting process and then recruit them into our Inner Valley. Alternatively, if they surpass the Outer Valley Palace's capabilities but aren't yet ready for the Inner Valley, we could relocate them to another Outer Valley Palace in a higher world until they mature for the Inner Valley."

"And this applies not only to combat prowess but also to talent for any of the Inner Valley Palaces," Liang Yuhan affirmed, anticipating that her Thousand Eyes Palace could establish a dependable and well-regulated recruitment channel.

"This addresses most of my concerns as well. We can bring individuals we've vetted over years and can largely trust into the core structure, while the periphery demands less of our immediate attention," Shen Min stated, feeling both relief and anticipation. "Furthermore, this could serve as an excellent proving ground for training my Veiled Sentinels, once I have a larger recruitment pool, allowing me to assess their performance within the Outer Valley."

"If that's the case, the Soaring Feather Trading Company could adopt a similar structure to manage its core operations, mirroring the size of the Inner Valley. It could then oversee smaller, local Trading Companies, much like the Thousand Treasures Hall manages the Silverleaf Trade Hall and others," Sui Luxiao immediately grasped the advantages of this system. Fen Baihu’s Dream Realm would undoubtedly be a pivotal asset for the Trading Company, enabling seamless goods transportation across Boundless Worlds without any delays. The primary concern, however, revolved around granting new members access to such sensitive information. By entrusting internal logistics solely to trusted members of the Soaring Feather Trading Company and Cao Xiang’s Liugwei Transport Company, while assigning local Trading Companies the role of direct sales without revealing logistical or production details, they could effectively mitigate risks. This approach would also provide a structured environment for training and vetting new personnel within these proxy companies.

"Considering we have the Desolate Fortress linked to the Oak Fortress on this Continent, and access to the Battle God’s Cradle which we will also control – all situated on the Soft Meadow Continent – this would logically become the site for our first Outer Valley Palace or Hall, wouldn't it? We'd need to secure the World Stone unless we decide to integrate one of the three major Sects currently vying for it into our Outer Valley," Cao Mei inquired of Wu Long.

"Indeed, that is correct. Although we are technically allied with the Ember Palm Pavilion, navigating their internal politics presents a significant challenge, making them less than ideal candidates," Wu Long acknowledged with a nod. The Three Pillars Sect immediately came to his mind as the most suitable option, being already well-developed and possessing existing relationships with them, not to mention their ongoing investments.

He resolved to discuss the matter further with Jin-… with Steel Hand at a later time, seeing no compelling reason to object, as such a development would also prove beneficial for the Three Pillars Sect.

While this serious discussion unfolded on one side of the table, Cai Yin engaged in a more lighthearted conversation with Song Lingfei, Gong Cui, Gong Liwei, Wu Mengqi, and Bi Rui on the other. Their chat, punctuated by occasional giggles, focused on strategies for effectively infiltrating the female noble society of the Wei Dynasty.

Just as the atmosphere around the more serious discussion began to settle, Cai Yin seized an opportune moment to interject...

"Speaking of which, Wu Long, I was wondering if it would be permissible to introduce the Cyclic Burning Cauldron technique, used for purifying impurities, to the female noble circles of the Wei Dynasty? I believe that alone could make me incredibly popular – they might be inclined to share all sorts of gossip and secrets with me," Cai Yin proposed with a smile, earning approving glances from the elegant women surrounding her, all of whom immediately recognized the brilliance of her idea.

"Hmm? Of course, wasn’t it already freely shared throughout our Eternal Duality Valley? When Mingyu sought permission to teach it to the women in our Sect, I informed everyone that it wasn't a significant matter. It’s not exactly a secret technique, nor is it particularly efficient to begin wi-" Wu Long responded, raising his eyebrows in confusion, his mind still somewhat preoccupied with the weightier subject of the Sect's overall expansion.

However, this offhand remark, delivered with such a dismissive tone regarding the technique, elicited peculiar looks from all the ladies, while Ye Ling simply shook her head with a sigh.

"Ah, perhaps we should recount the tale of WHEN Wu Long finally introduced this technique to us? And no, it wasn't when he first encountered us," Luo Mingyu turned to address those who had joined the Dao Family after this 'heavenly' technique was bestowed upon the ladies.

For the newcomers, it was a given that the Dao Sisters would impart this technique to them practically immediately, recognizing it as an absolute necessity, regardless of whether they had already become part of the Dao Family. Consequently, they all assumed it had always been this way.

Wu Long's expression faltered as the realization dawned upon him – the profound importance of the Cyclic Burning Cauldron technique for his ladies, and indeed for female cultivators in general. Yet, as it was already late, he could only scratch his head somewhat awkwardly, offering a wry smile as Luo Mingyu began her story, "So, we were sitting in an inn within the Wood Spirit Empire..."