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With the conclusion of the Title Banquet, the upper echelons of the Tian Dou Empire and other factions that received the news were thrown into a whirlpool of intrigue.
The concept of an "Alliance" as a faction was unprecedented on the Douluo Continent. However, the major powers instinctively grasped the operational logic behind it—and its inherent flaws.
Since anyone could join, it meant that all factions could embed their spies within the alliance.
For sects centered around martial soul inheritance, this would be catastrophic. These infiltrators could rise to the highest levels and steal the sect's most precious secrets—where would they even go to complain?
Hadn't some master, after failing in his romantic pursuits, been shamefully exiled from one of the top three sects? How laughable.
(Yu Xiaogang: Just say my ID while you're at it!)
Though the top three sects couldn't compare to the Spirit Hall, they were still among the continent's premier forces. Such cowardice was far from normal.
The root of this outcome wasn't solely due to pressure from the Spirit Hall. More importantly, Yu Xiaogang's publication of the "Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls" had exposed not only his own sect's secrets but also those of the Spirit Hall.
Stealing classified information from two organizations—though not their most critical secrets—would have normally resulted in death for anyone else. But because he was the son of Yu Yuan Zhen, a Super Douluo, Yu Xiaogang was merely exiled instead of killed.
Thus, after the Medical Alliance opened its doors to recruits, a flood of talented soul masters began joining. Though none were Title Douluos, the overall size of the Medical Alliance quickly rivaled that of the top three sects, compensating for its lack of grassroots members.
This phenomenon was mainly due to the loose recruitment conditions of the Medical Alliance, which didn't bind its members as tightly as traditional sects did. This appealed greatly to civilian soul masters who cherished freedom.
Of course, the majority of the truly exceptional recruits were undoubtedly spies planted by various factions.
After all, without sufficient strength, one wouldn't qualify to rise to the upper echelons—a tacit rule among all soul master sects on the Douluo Continent.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Ye Wen ramped up the cultivation of medicinal herbs at the grassroots level, preparing to expand the pharmacy business across all territories of the Tian Dou Empire.
Previously, due to limited resources, efforts had been concentrated in major cities. Now, with the inclusion of smaller towns and cities, the future order volume of the Medical Alliance skyrocketed.
Moreover, as one of the two forces in the Tian Dou Empire with two Title Douluos stationed, Ye Wen no longer needed to kowtow to others or offer excessive profits. He boldly increased the profit margin from three-thousandths to seven-thousandths.
Such immense wealth naturally drew envy, but with two Title Douluos overseeing the alliance, along with Ye Wen recruiting a large number of Soul Sages and Soul Emperors, minor factions didn't dare make a move against the Medical Alliance.
Thus, the balance of power on the Douluo Continent—once defined by "One Hall, Two Empires, Three Sects"—was fundamentally rewritten. The Medical Alliance emerged as the seventh major force outside of these six.
From this point onward, Ye Wen's status began to soar.
Anyone with even a modicum of insight could confidently predict that, as both the grandson-in-law and disciple of Dugu Bo, as well as the grandson-in-law of Lion Emperor Douluo Chen Gang, Ye Wen was destined to become the next leader of the Medical Alliance.
As Ye Wen gradually published his insights on medicine and healing theories, countless commoners would come to revere him as the founding father of medical arts.
Unfortunately, Ye Wen's current cultivation level was insufficient to condense a divine position through the nascent faith power that was beginning to emerge.
Though Ye Wen couldn't harness this faith power, he noticed his cultivation speed accelerating, as if receiving some form of blessing.
This puzzled him for a time, but since it was beneficial, he didn't dwell on it.
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As Ye Wen broke through to level 35, Xiao Wu arrived.
Having just refined the treatment plan for Dugu Bo, Ye Wen stepped out of his room only to have a fragrant figure crash into his arms.
With Ye Wen's heightened alertness, any ordinary person approaching him would have been met with a counterattack. But the moment this figure approached, Ye Wen briefly froze before calmly waiting for her actions.
The soft, delicate body in his arms pressed against his chest, and Xiao Wu buried herself deeper, inhaling his familiar and comforting scent. Finally, she mumbled in a muffled voice:
"Wen Ge, I've missed you so much."
Ye Wen smiled faintly, gently stroking Xiao Wu's slender waist, savoring the warmth of the moment.
"I've missed you too, Xiao Wu.
I'm sorry for leaving you alone for so long. But don't worry anymore—I've gathered enough strength to protect you now."
Though Xiao Wu was somewhat airheaded, she understood why Ye Wen had left her behind and come to Tian Dou Imperial City alone.
She then guiltily recalled how Huo Yu'er and Huo Rui, who had initially stayed with her, abruptly rushed to Tian Dou Imperial City after receiving some news.
Reflecting on it, she realized that during her carefree days of eating, playing, and relaxing, a bit of thought would have made it clear what kind of situation could prompt a Soul Douluo to bring along her seemingly "weak" granddaughter on such a long journey to Tian Dou Imperial City.
It wasn't about hunting soul rings—it could only mean that Huo Yu'er, who loved Ye Wen as much as she did, had sensed danger and rushed over without hesitation.
The more she thought about it, the guiltier she felt. Ye Wen had treated her so well, yet she hadn't given him a second thought.
For the first time since transforming into human form, Xiao Wu finally stopped being carefree and placed someone firmly in her heart.
"I'm sorry, Brother Wen… I was so foolish. I didn't realize you were in danger. You didn't have to do all this for me," Xiao Wu choked out.
Seeing the growing number of curious gazes outside the courtyard, Ye Wen let out a wry smile. Then, with a swift motion, he scooped Xiao Wu up by her thighs.
"Ah!" Xiao Wu gasped in surprise.
As Ye Wen closed the door behind them, Xiao Wu's face flushed red. Though she hadn't thought much of being alone with him before, her heart now raced uncontrollably.
But contrary to Xiao Wu's slightly impure expectations, there was no soft bed awaiting them. After entering the room, Ye Wen gently set her down and softly said:
"Silly girl, aren't we family? Since we're family, there's no need for apologies. Everything I've done for you is voluntary."
Xiao Wu, still dazed, felt her eyes brim with tears.
She clung to Ye Wen's arm even tighter, as if trying to merge herself with him.
"Brother, thank you."
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