If calculated this way, the Pudu Cult truly was Monk Huikong's idle yet brilliant move—a piece that might prove useless, or might prove useful. And if it did prove useful, its value would be immense, an exceedingly rare aid even for a Heavenly Being like him.
And upon closer consideration, Monk Huikong might not have paid much at all. At most, he had contributed some of the martial force of a Heavenly Being expert, giving those who had placed their bets a little confidence.
As for the specific operations—gathering believers, dividing disciples into ranks, training martial forces, collecting money and grain, building connections, and so on—others were responsible for all of it. He was not even the Pudu Cult's Cult Master in name. This showed that while he might have contributed something to this matter, it was not much.
This was likely the influence brought by a Heavenly Being expert. Even without pouring in too much painstaking effort, with the support of Heavenly Being divine arts, he could still establish such a vast force. Its usefulness was plain to see.
As for a mere Grandmaster-realm Cult Master of the Pudu Cult wanting to bring the Pudu Cult to its current scale, it was not impossible—only far more difficult by comparison.
Returning to what Hui Kong had said earlier, so long as the Pudu Cult could establish a kingly enterprise, it could also provide him with immense assistance. With the fortune of heaven and earth and merit upon his body, this truly exceeded Meng Zhao's expectations.
After pondering for a moment, Meng Zhao said,
"Since that is the case, Master should all the more form an alliance with me. With you and me joining hands, the Meng Family taking the lead, occupying the Northern Lands and carving up the three provinces