The Idea of Building a Power

"Changge, I really have to thank you for everything you've done lately. Your alchemy skills are incredible. Those medicinal powders, medicinal soups, and medicines you made are all amazing. A lot of people here have been asking me to get some for them.

If you need any materials, just tell me and I'll get them for you. Whatever you need in the future, I'll help you with it. After all, we were able to open chain stores, bring beverages from the Sun Moon Empire to sell in the Douluo Continent, and even raise our employees' wages all because of you. You could say that without the medicines you made, I never would have earned this much money. Everyone is living happily now. You really are my lucky star."

The restaurant owner spoke excitedly.

He truly was delighted, because he had earned so much thanks to Xiao Changge. It was far better than what he had made before.

He was earning far more than he did from running the restaurant, and many people wanted to buy the products. The quality was excellent as well, so he did not feel as though he was cheating anyone. These medicines were genuinely valuable, not counterfeit goods. Whether medicinal powder or medicinal soup, they were worth a great deal.

It was precisely because of Xiao Changge's help that they had earned so much money. The restaurant owner felt that their previous sixty-forty split had truly shortchanged Xiao Changge.

They were living such good lives thanks to his help, yet they still received forty percent of the profits. He was simply too principled, too kind.

"It's nothing. We're all doing business together. Besides, I was able to gather so many cultivation resources because of your connections and help. I think I've profited too. With your help, I've been living very happily, and I'm also glad to have a group of kind people willing to help me."

Xiao Changge recalled Shrek Academy, Ma Xiaotao, and those Sea God Pavilion elders who had ruined his future. Could he possibly be happy about that?

Compared to them, those people from Shrek were not even as decent as ordinary commoners, nor did they have as much character as a restaurant owner.

"Changge, have you ever considered opening a dedicated pharmacy in the future? We could cooperate then, and I'd give you sales channels. I guarantee you'd make a lot of money. The medicinal powders and soups you make are all highly profitable.

They could even make more money than our restaurant. How about you stop being a security guard and stop learning to cook? From now on, you could focus entirely on making medicine."

That was what the restaurant owner had in mind as well. He wanted what was best for Xiao Changge. In his eyes, being a security guard or a chef was basically an ordinary job in this world. It could only earn a little money, enough to support oneself and barely live a better life.

But their status was low. Xiao Changge was different. Not only was he already a Soul Grandmaster, but he also possessed extensive expertise in refining medicine. That kind of ability was truly remarkable.

The restaurant owner did not want to delay his future either. After all, Xiao Changge was outstanding talent, a genius. He would certainly make a name for himself on the continent and become a renowned powerhouse.

Thus, in the restaurant owner's opinion, letting Xiao Changge continue as a chef's apprentice or security guard was a mistake.

He should establish a shop selling medicines. That way, he could earn more money while both sides continued cooperating and helping each other expand their businesses.

Moreover, Xiao Changge was cultivating now, so they could also help him obtain cultivation resources.

That way, he would profit, Xiao Changge would profit, and everyone could have a wonderful future.

"About that..." Xiao Changge was indeed somewhat interested after hearing this. If he established his own power or business, it would be more beneficial to his development. That would be a good thing.

For example, Xiao Yan.

(1) Panmen (Jia Nan Academy Inner Court)

Founding point: When Xiao Yan entered the Jia Nan Academy Inner Court, he established it together with Xun'er, Wu Hao, and Hu Jia.

Nature: An academy faction for new students to support one another, prevent oppression by older students, and accumulate Fire Energy.

Outcome: After Xiao Yan left, Wu Hao and Hu Jia maintained it. It became the number one power in the Inner Court and later supplied support to Xiao Gate.

(2) Xiao Gate (Black-Corner Region)

Founding point: After Xiao Yan emerged from seclusion and killed Han Feng, he absorbed the remnants of the Black Alliance and founded it together with his second brother, Xiao Li.

Nature: A regional power in the Black-Corner Region, backed by Jia Nan Academy and managed primarily by Xiao Li.

Later development: It was eventually absorbed into the Flame Alliance.

(3) Flame Alliance (Jia Ma Empire → Northwestern Continent)

Founding point: After destroying the Misty Cloud Sect, Xiao Yan integrated the Jia Ma imperial family, the Miter, Nalan, and Mu Clans, the Alchemist Association, the Snake-People Tribe, and Xiao Gate to establish it, appointing himself alliance leader.

Guardian: While Xiao Yan was stationed in the Central Plains, Medusa, Cai Lin, managed it on his behalf.

Status: The number one power on the Northwestern Continent, later incorporated as a whole into the Sky Mansion Alliance system.

(4) Sky Mansion Alliance (Central Plains)

Founding point: After Xiao Yan rescued Yao Lao, he formed an alliance centered on the Starfall Pavilion, bringing in the Flower Sect, Burning Flame Valley, and Pill Tower. Yao Chen served as its first alliance leader, then Xiao Yan succeeded him, returning the position to Yao Chen after the battle of the two Dou Dis.

Nature: A super alliance formed to oppose Soul Hall and the Hun Clan. Later, the Gu Clan, Lei Clan, Yan Clan, Ancient Void Dragon, and others gradually joined.

Status: Effectively the number one power in the Dou Qi Continent during its final era.

(5) Endless Fire Territory (Great Thousand World)

Founding point: After Xiao Yan became a Dou Di and ascended to the Great Thousand World, he established it around the Burning Heaven Mountain Range.

Status: During the era of The Great Ruler, it stood alongside the Martial Realm of Lin Dong and the Mu Estate as a top-tier superpower, with Xiao Yan as its territory lord.

Xiao Yan's establishment of these powers was not simply about the thrill of domination. He gradually elevated "personal revenge" into "factional warfare," and every step made up for precisely the weakness he lacked at the time. Looking at them by stage made this clearest:

Panmen (Jia Nan Academy Inner Court)—solving the issue of "survival and resources during the beginner phase."

When Xiao Yan first entered the Inner Court, he faced older students oppressing newcomers and established factions monopolizing Fire Energy, the currency used for cultivation.

Panmen allowed Xiao Yan, Xun'er, Wu Hao, Hu Jia, and the others to band together, seize Fire Energy, challenge the Strong Ranking, and protect new students from oppression.

How it helped Xiao Yan: It stabilized his foundation within the academy, allowed him to accumulate his first group of utterly loyal followers, and taught him that fighting alone was not as good as leading a group. Wu Hao and Hu Jia later supported Xiao Gate, and this was the prototype that gave him the confidence to build major powers.

Xiao Gate (Black-Corner Region)—solving the problem of "rear-area constraints and a foothold in the Black-Corner Region."

Han Feng, the Black Alliance, and Demon Flame Valley in the Black-Corner Region were all enemies. Xiao Yan needed to return to the Jia Ma Empire for revenge, but he could not leave his second brother, Xiao Li, alone to guard the Black-Corner Region.

With Xiao Li taking charge, and relying on Xiao Yan's reputation as a sixth-tier alchemist along with Jia Nan Academy's tacit approval, Xiao Gate absorbed the remnants of the Black Alliance and controlled the Black-Corner Region's resource points.

How it helped Xiao Yan: The Black-Corner Region became his own supply station, providing alchemy materials, intelligence, and a retreat route. Xiao Yan himself did not need to divide his attention to defend territory and could focus on advancing to Dou Emperor and Dou Zong.

Flame Alliance (Jia Ma Empire/Northwestern Continent)—solving the issue of "a shield for his clan and the power vacuum after the destruction of the Misty Cloud Sect."

After the Misty Cloud Sect disbanded, the Jia Ma Empire no longer had a nation-protecting power. The Xiao Clan, Miter Family, Nalan Clan, Mu Clan, Snake-People Tribe, and Alchemist Association became a scattered mess, and Soul Hall could come to seize people at any time.

The Flame Alliance bound all those powers together, with Xiao Yan as its nominal alliance leader and Cai Lin managing it.

How it helped Xiao Yan:

The Xiao Clan went from abandoned outcasts hunted by the Misty Cloud Sect to the core of the strongest power in the Northwest, ensuring the safety of its clansmen;

It blocked outside pressure from the Chu Yun Empire, Golden Goose Sect, Soul Hall, Mad Lion Sect, and others, allowing Xiao Yan to travel to the Central Plains without needing to turn back and put out fires;

Later, it provided the Sky Mansion Alliance with its foundation of northwestern troops, Heavenly Flame bloodline, and Snake-People Tribe combat power.

Sky Mansion Alliance (Central Plains)—solving the need for "the scale of a faction required for a Dou Sheng-level war."

Soul Hall captured Yao Lao and Xiao Zhan, and later the Hun Clan destroyed the Ling Clan. The Starfall Pavilion and Xiao Yan alone did not have enough Dou Shengs. They could neither save people nor fight a planar war.

He brought together the Flower Sect, Pill Tower, Burning Flame Valley, and Starfall Pavilion, Yao Lao's foundation, into an alliance. Zi Yan's Ancient Void Dragon, the Gu Clan, Lei Clan, Yan Clan, and others gradually gathered around it, with Xiao Yan serving as alliance leader.

How it helped Xiao Yan:

Resources: Pill Tower's medicinal ingredients, Burning Flame Valley's fire arts, Flower Sect's forces, and the Ancient Void Dragon Clan's aerial combat power were all connected;

Combat strength: Multiple Dou Shengs, including seven-star and eight-star Dou Shengs, could contend against deputy hall master-level experts of Soul Hall;

Plot progression: Rescuing Xiao Zhan, rescuing Yao Lao, destroying Soul Hall branches, and ultimately suppressing Hun Tiandi in the battle of the two Dou Dis all relied on the Sky Mansion Alliance as the foundation;

Personal identity: He transformed from a genius alchemist into a chess player of the continent. His Emperor Realm soul and path to becoming a Dou Di were supported by his faction.

Endless Fire Territory (Great Thousand World)—solving the issue of "a foothold on the planar level after ascension."

After the five Dis shattered the void, the Dou Qi Continent's Origin Qi dried up. The Great Thousand World became the new battlefield, and one person alone could not suppress the Foreign Evil Races.

Under the title Flame Emperor, Xiao Yan founded his sect and possessed Burning Heaven Spiritual Fire, Great Thousand World alchemy, and a retinue of Dou Di and Heavenly Sovereign experts.

How it helped Xiao Yan: It provided Xiao Yan, Cai Lin, Xun'er, Xiao Xiao, and the old members of the Dou Qi Continent with a new homeland. It stood alongside the Martial Realm of Lin Dong as a top power in the Great Thousand World, slew Devil Emperors, fought the evil races, and elevated the Flame Emperor from continental level to planar level.

Of course, Xiao Yan also turned power into a banner for his grudges.

Without Panmen and Xiao Gate, Xiao Yan would have been worn down by older students and Han Feng in the academy and the Black-Corner Region;

Without the Flame Alliance, the Xiao Clan would have long been wiped out by Soul Hall. Returning to the Jia Ma Empire after the Three-Year Agreement would have meant collecting corpses;

Without the Sky Mansion Alliance, Yao Lao and Xiao Zhan could not have been saved, and no one could have withstood the Hun Clan's hordes of Dou Shengs during the battle of the two Dou Dis;

Without the Endless Fire Territory, ascending to the Great Thousand World would have left him rootless and wandering, unable to speak of protecting two worlds.

Thus, Xiao Yan benefited greatly from establishing his powers in the story, as they were able to help him.

The examples Xiao Yan established brought him countless benefits. Naturally, they also brought him much trouble, but overall, the advantages outweighed the disadvantages.

So after hearing the restaurant owner's words, Xiao Changge began considering whether he should follow Xiao Yan's example and establish such powers.

After all, the help Xiao Yan's factions provided was tremendous, and they had indeed done some positive things. Xiao Yan was truly formidable, a hardworking genius, and the child of destiny of the Dou Qi Continent.

But if Xiao Yan had fought alone, he could never have achieved such brilliant accomplishments.

Many people had helped Xiao Yan succeed. They provided immense support for him to become the new Dou Di of the Dou Qi Continent, a Heavenly Sovereign of the Great Thousand World, and even a ruler-level powerhouse. One person's strength was limited; sometimes, one needed the strength of many people.

Just like Xiao Changge's cooperation with the restaurant owner, Xiao Changge alone could never have obtained sales channels for so many resources. He might even have been swindled out of his money.

But with the restaurant owner's help, he had accumulated initial capital and gained assistance from many connections.

In this world, when one person's strength was insufficient, one could try borrowing the strength of others to become stronger.

"Changge, I think you need to establish a power. In a place like the Douluo Continent, one person's strength is ultimately limited. I was once the same. I once believed I could challenge the entire Holy Demon Continent by myself, but I failed in the end. One person's strength is limited, and sometimes one needs the help of others.

Moreover, if you want to gather enough excellent alchemy resources in the Douluo Continent, you will need to establish a power as well. So I think it would be best for you to build one."

Electrolux's words strengthened Xiao Changge's resolve.

Since even Electrolux had said so, he needed to formulate a complete plan for developing his power. After all, even if he and Electrolux worked together and feared most people in the Douluo Continent, there was still the Holy Spirit Cult, the four great empires of Douluo, and many forces he could not afford to provoke.

He needed to develop steadily now in order to gain enough strength. He also had to be wary of Tang San from the God Realm.

Tang San would eventually usurp the fate of the Douluo Continent. Once Huo Yuhao was born and left the Duke's Estate, encountering the million-year Soul Beast, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, his fate would become tied to Tang San's line. The consequences would be even more serious then.

Honestly, the meeting between Huo Yuhao, Tang Ya, and Bei Bei had been too suspicious. Why did Tang Ya and Bei Bei happen to encounter Huo Yuhao precisely when he most needed help? They even had him learn all kinds of Tang Sect techniques and skills. It was all far too suspicious.

After all, Huo Yuhao's talent was so poor. Even though the Tang Sect had nearly been destroyed at the time, leaving only Tang Ya and Bei Bei, what use was there in taking in someone with Huo Yuhao's talent and a "ten-year Soul Ring"?

And they happened to meet at such a convenient moment. It was difficult not to suspect that perhaps Huo Yuhao had been monitored by Tang San from the very beginning.

Xiao Changge was not a good person, but he also hoped to ascend and become a god. He hoped to become powerful, to live forever together, and even to revive Electrolux.

But Tang San might not allow any of that. In Tang San's eyes, Electrolux might be a tremendous obstacle. After all, Electrolux could create a super divine artifact. With such ability, Electrolux was already one of the top figures.

If Electrolux came to the God Realm, he would only interfere with Tang San's plans.

Therefore, he had to remain cautious no matter what. Once Tang San discovered them, Niu Tian and Tai Tan alone would be enough to give them a severe headache.

Those two scum among Soul Beasts and Class-A war criminals among Soul Beasts were now Tang San's lackeys, and they controlled the Clear Sky Sect.

If those two came looking for him, or targeted him whenever they found some excuse, then he would need allies. That meant he had to establish a power.

"Changge, if you're unwilling, I won't force you. But if you need help, just tell me. You've helped me so much, and I want to help you once. So if there's anything you need, you can let me know," the restaurant owner said.