Xu Tianming's Plans

The results quickly reached all parties: Hearth House really was an orphanage.

Most of the children it took in came from impoverished areas and varied in age. Among them, most had no soul power; the few who did had low innate levels, and their martial souls were useless ones.

That Titled Douluo's daily routine consisted of caring for the children, teaching them to read, and occasionally going out to buy ingredients herself.

The results left many important figures silent.

A Titled Douluo had come to Mingdu to run an orphanage?

What was this?

Retiring to live out her old age?

Or some peculiar hobby of the strong?

The powerful of this world all had their own preferences. Some liked secluded cultivation, some liked traveling everywhere, some liked taking disciples, and some liked adopting orphans.

Though Jingliu's purpose surprised them, as long as she did not infringe upon their interests, they chose to ignore it. They only needed to instruct their subordinates not to provoke Hearth House.

As for whether Jingliu was a spy sent by some other faction, heh. A Titled Douluo had come alone to Mingdu and openly started an orphanage—no matter how one looked at it, she did not resemble a spy. Which faction would dare send a Titled Douluo to infiltrate Mingdu alone?

Were they not afraid of sending a meat bun to beat a dog, never to return?

The next day.

Jing Hongchen, master of the Hall of Virtue, personally came to Hearth House. He did not bring a large entourage, only a few attendants, arriving in a low-profile soul tool car that stopped outside the orphanage.

Jingliu personally came out to receive him. The two entered Hearth House's reception room together. No one knew what exactly they discussed; the reception room's doors remained shut for half an hour.

About half an hour later, Jing Hongchen left Hearth House, his expression unchanged. Before getting into his car, however, he turned back to look at the children in the courtyard.

That afternoon.

Official Sun Moon Empire news reported that Hearth House had officially become an orphanage recognized by the Empire.

The Empire would grant it legal adoption qualifications, provide subsidies for basic living supplies, and permit Hearth House to adopt eligible orphans within the Empire.

As soon as the news spread, all of Mingdu became abuzz.

Many nobles and merchants came to visit. Some brought soul tools, some brought food, while others brought medicinal herbs, clothing, and daily necessities.

Others directly sent stored-value cards with enormous balances. Their purpose was simple: they wanted to get acquainted with a Titled Douluo. Even a few words exchanged, even merely having her remember their names, would be enough to benefit them endlessly.

As for what Jing Hongchen and Jingliu had discussed, Xu Tianming knew perfectly well. It was nothing more than probing Jingliu's origins and intentions. Once Jing Hongchen learned that Jingliu truly only wanted to open an orphanage and adopt orphans, he relaxed.

He had sensed the threat of death from Jingliu, which told him that her strength was far beyond that of an ordinary Titled Douluo. At the very least, she was a Super Douluo.

Thus, it was best to avoid conflict. Jing Hongchen even took the initiative to invite Jingliu to become an imperial consecrated, but Jingliu refused.

However, Jingliu had also promised Jing Hongchen that she would not act recklessly in Mingdu and would abide by the Sun Moon Empire's laws—provided no one provoked Hearth House.

As for the gifts sent by those merchants and nobles, Jingliu asked Xu Tianming how to deal with them. He told her directly.

"Accept all of them."

"Keep whatever the nobles and merchants send if it is useful. Sell whatever isn't for money."

"There's no need to worry about owing them favors."

Jingliu looked at him and guessed his intentions. In a deep voice, she asked, "How large do you intend to develop Hearth House?"

Xu Tianming smiled. "Of course, across all four great empires."

"The four great empires?"

"Yes."

Xu Tianming's tone was calm.

"The Fools need talent, but not every child is suited for the battlefield."

"Some people are born unsuited for combat. Some are unwilling to kill. Others merely want to live ordinary lives."

"Hearth House cannot support them forever."

"So we need to arrange their futures in advance."

Jingliu fell silent for a moment.

"You want nobles and merchants to take in these children?"

"Not take them in."

Xu Tianming corrected her.

"Give them jobs."

"Some children can study accounting and management. Some can learn farming, forging, medicine, and soul tool maintenance. Having no soul power does not mean they have no value; they simply need suitable positions."

"We took them in, so we must see things through from beginning to end."

"We do not require everyone to become strong, nor do we require everyone to join the Fools."

"But at the very least, we must give them a path they can continue down."

Jingliu nodded.

"I understand."

"Hearth House will continue expanding."

"Mhm."

Xu Tianming leaned back in his chair, lightly tapping his fingers against the table.

"In the future, the Fools will be responsible for eliminating Rift Realms, while Hearth House will be responsible for taking in those orphans."

"Some will go to the front lines."

"Some will remain in the rear."

"Some will wield swords."

"Some will wield carving knives."

"Some will protect cities, while others will keep those cities running."

He had no intention of training everyone into warriors. The Fools needed swords, but they also needed food, intelligence, medical care, management, and research.

An organization truly capable of spanning the continent could not consist solely of people wielding swords and killing enemies.

Jingliu looked at the six-year-old child before her. Xu Tianming's ambitions were vast—so vast that he had already begun laying plans for a future decades away. Yet those ambitions did not exclude ordinary people.

"What about the Holy Spirit Cult?"

Jingliu asked.

"They won't send anyone else."

"Several cult members died. They don't intend to pursue the matter?"

"They don't want to make things bigger right now."

Xu Tianming sneered.

"The Sun Moon Empire will not allow the Holy Spirit Cult to wage war against a Titled Douluo in Mingdu."

"The losses would not be Hearth House's, but Mingdu's entire city's."

The Holy Spirit Cult, still in its period of concealment, would not risk everything against Jingliu for a few cult members. As for the dead, they had never counted for much to the Holy Spirit Cult.

Those evil soul masters had never valued the lives of their cult members in the first place. If they died, they died.

Moreover, through their recklessness, they had brought a Titled Douluo upon the Holy Spirit Cult. Even if Jingliu had not killed them, they would have been severely punished by the upper ranks upon returning to the cult.

Although the Holy Spirit Cult had many Titled Douluo, including two Limit Douluo standing at the pinnacle of the continent, and did not fear a single Titled Douluo, not fearing one did not mean they enjoyed offending one without cause.

Offending a Titled Douluo merely for a little girl with a Ghost Martial Soul was simply not worth the cost. Of course, most importantly, the Holy Spirit Cult did not yet want to be too high-profile.