Dawn Organization

Elder Chen's hand, which had been stroking his beard, paused slightly. Dugu Bo straightened his back.

Tang Yuan also stood up straight from the pillar.

"Dawn is not a sect, but an organization."

"Secondly," Jiang Lin held up two fingers, "the current core members are everyone present, plus Dugu Yan. We will not expand for the time being, but we need to absorb external forces. There are two factions that must be brought under our control—the Blacksmith Association and the Fire Leopard Sect, where Elder Chen originated."

He looked at Tang Yuan: "Uncle Tang, you are most familiar with the Blacksmith Association. To mass-produce hidden weapons like the Godly Zhuge Crossbow and the Buddha Wrath Tang Lotus, relying on you alone is far from enough. The Blacksmith Association possesses the best blacksmiths and the most complete metal supply chain in the entire Heaven Dou Empire. Bring over their Lou Family and the core of the association, and let them be responsible for the forging of hidden weapons."

Tang Yuan replied with a single, concise word: "Understood."

Jiang Lin turned to Elder Chen again:

"Elder Chen, you will take the lead with the Fire Leopard Sect. With your martial soul and soul power, I imagine it shouldn't be difficult to seize that sect master's seat. Select a group of disciples from the Fire Leopard Sect who have a talent for alchemy to serve as the alchemical foundation for the Dawn organization."

Elder Chen nodded, but before he could speak, Dugu Bo interrupted.

"Young Master, when it comes to alchemy, the Fire Leopard Sect alone may not be enough."

Dugu Bo stroked his gray-green beard, a flash of shrewdness crossing his emerald eyes. "It is true that the disciples of the Fire Leopard Sect are skilled in controlling fire, but in the craft of alchemy, heat control and medicinal properties are like two legs—if you lack one, you won't get far. If we are talking about the understanding of medicinal herbs and the mastery of their properties, there is a family in Heaven Dou City more professional than the Fire Leopard Sect—the Ye Family."

"The Ye Family?" Jiang Lin raised an eyebrow.

"A medical family in Heaven Dou City, passed down for several generations. The current head of the family is a woman named Ye Zhilan, and her medical skills are second to none in Heaven Dou City. The Ye Family has a clean reputation; they do not participate in sect disputes and do not take sides with any faction. They are well-regarded in Heaven Dou City. The most crucial point," Dugu Bo paused, emphasizing his tone, "is that the Ye Family specializes in pharmacology and extraction. They have a ready-made reserve of talent for the processing of medicinal materials, analysis of medicinal properties, and the control of heat required for alchemy. If the Ye Family joins, combined with the fire control techniques of the Fire Leopard Sect, the success rate of the Soul Refining Pill could at least double."

Jiang Lin did not answer immediately.

He leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest of the grand armchair. He had an impression of the Ye Family from the original story—the family that inherited the Nine Heart Begonia martial soul. Each generation had only one successor, and Ye Lingling was the Nine Heart Begonia soul master of this generation. The Nine Heart Begonia was the strongest healing-type martial soul on the Douluo Continent, but the Ye Family had almost zero combat power, which was why they never participated in any conflicts. To win over such a family, one could not use threats; one could only use benefits.

"The Ye Family can be approached, but we must not be hasty."

Jiang Lin looked at Dugu Bo. "You have extensive connections in Heaven Dou City, so you should be the one to sound them out first. Emphasize two points: first, we can offer cooperation initially and see how they choose later; second, we possess pill formulas and medicinal resources that the Ye Family could never access elsewhere. Cooperation is mutually beneficial. We can discuss specific conditions once they show interest. Of course, when necessary, we can also flex our muscles."

In truth, the one Jiang Lin most wanted to recruit was the Breaking Clan. After all, although the Nine Heart Begonia family also used medicine, their numbers were far too small. However, the Breaking Clan was far away in the Star Luo Empire, so that would have to wait for the future.

"Understood," Dugu Bo replied crisply.

"One more thing."

Jiang Lin looked around at everyone, re-summarizing the overall deployment.

"The lines for the Blacksmith Association and the Fire Leopard Sect will be pushed forward separately. Uncle Tang is responsible for the Blacksmith Association, Elder Chen for the Fire Leopard Sect, and Dugu Bo for the Ye Family. At this stage, we will lay the groundwork, and once all three lines show progress, we will integrate them. Furthermore, no one is allowed to slack off on their cultivation—the foundation of the Dawn organization is not connections or resources; it is strength. Without strength, recruiting more people is useless."

The three of them nodded in unison.

The gloom that usually hung over Dugu Bo's face was now completely replaced by solemnity. Elder Chen stroked his beard, lost in thought, and Tang Yuan remained silent, though his gaze was more focused than usual.

No one said anything unnecessary, but the atmosphere in the main hall had changed—it was no longer the loose, fragmented state of fighting on their own, but rather a machine that had finally engaged its first gear.

After the meeting ended, Elder Chen did not stay long.

He had already lingered in the residence for too long; the matter regarding the Fire Leopard Sect required him to make the trip personally.

Before leaving, he fished a small brocade pouch from his waist and placed it into the hands of Jiang Lin.

The pouch was no larger than a palm, its silver-gray satin surface embroidered with a ring of dark gold spirit patterns. It felt warm to the touch and vibrated slightly, as if something living were inside.

Spirit Beast Bag, a little trinket Jiang Lin had bought after coming into some money.

Inside was that rabbit belonging to Xiao Wu.

Although Xiao Wu was in human form, killing her now would still yield a spirit ring and spirit bone.

Therefore, by definition, she was not human.

Within the Spirit Beast Bag, Xiao Wu would maintain basic vitality, sparing him the time and effort of watching over her for fear she might suddenly die.

Jiang Lin took the Spirit Beast Bag and probed it with his soul power.

The bag contained its own small space, where a Soft Bone Rabbit was curled up in a corner, sleeping soundly, its soft grayish-brown fur rising and falling with each breath.

He withdrew his soul power, carefully tied the Spirit Beast Bag to his waist, and looked up at Elder Chen.

"Thank you for your hard work, Elder Chen. Travel safely."

"When has this old man ever made a mistake in his affairs?"

Elder Chen chuckled while stroking his beard, then turned and pushed open the courtyard gate. His aged figure quickly vanished into the mottled shadows of the locust trees.

Inside the Academic Affairs Office, the three committee members remained silent for a long time.

"He said 'Soul Ancestor', but he didn't mention a single word about his exact level."

Bai Baoshan closed the roster. "Age, martial soul, master—he didn't disclose a single thing."

Meng Shenji leaned back in his chair and said, enunciating each word: "Most students at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy are between sixteen and twenty years old.

A Soul Ancestor of this age is something that can be counted on one hand throughout the academy's history; every one of them is a top-tier genius cultivated with exhaustive resources.

Yet, this Jiang Lin is not a student of the academy."

The room fell silent for a few moments.

"A Title Douluo as an attendant, a teenage Soul Ancestor, and a recommendation letter from Prince Xue Xing."

Meng Shenji stood up. "These three things combined are no longer for the three of us to decide. I will go to see His Highness the Crown Prince, and you two will go to see His Majesty.

This matter must be reported immediately."