Mingyue frowned. This meant she really had no choice when it came to her Dao partner—it had to be Alex. The thought unsettled her. She wasn't sure how to make sense of it, but for now… she needed to get to know him better.
"Well, it's good if you're alright," he said after a moment. "Do you have any other requests?" Then, as if remembering something, he added, "By the way, can you send me one of those storage rings? I've always wanted one."
"I've got a few here. I'll send them to you, along with some other stuff." As they talked, Mingyue began recounting everything that had happened with Lin Hua. From the moment she was attacked and thrown into the void crack… To finding the secret realm… To setting the perfect trap for her betrayer.
Alex listened carefully. Then, an idea formed in his mind. "You already have a secret realm now, right?" he said. "Then why not start your own Sect, Mingyue?"
Mingyue blinked. "My own Sect?" She sounded doubtful. "Even with all the resources I got here, it wouldn't be enough, Alex. The previous owner's cultivation techniques weren't suited for that either."
"That's fine." Alex's tone was confident. "Did you forget about me?" He chuckled. "Look, instead of trying to recruit so-called geniuses, focus on the common people. The ones cultivators trample over."
"Commoners?" Mingyue frowned. "But what can they do? Even a single Foundation Stage cultivator could crush them easily."
Alex smirked. "I've been learning about your world from Vesa. Even commoners can cultivate—it's just that no one bothers to train them because it takes too long to see results. But what if we don't focus on their cultivation?"
Mingyue raised an eyebrow. "…Then what do we focus on?"
Alex's grin widened. "We give them weapons."
Mingyue paused. "…Weapons?"
"A machine gun could tear through a Foundation Stage cultivator like paper," Alex said casually. "All you need are a few lower-tier cultivators with the right elements to mass-produce weapons and ammunition. I'll send you training and production methods. You just have to implement them."
Mingyue considered his words. It was possible. If she recruited commoners and provided them with food, shelter, and security, they would flock to her without hesitation. She could bind them with contracts to ensure their loyalty. This… might actually work. Before she could respond, Alex continued. "And Mingyue, you need to stop relying on your sect and family for your cultivation." His voice turned serious. "You should take over both of them and build something new. Something like an ancient family, but better—something of your own."
Mingyue narrowed her eyes. "Take over… my sect and family?" She wasn't sure how to feel about that.
Alex nodded. "Yes. Your world is full of opportunities—far bigger than mine."
Mingyue crossed her arms. "Opportunities? What do you mean by that?"
Alex leaned back. "Every sect and powerful family is obsessed with finding 'heaven-blessed geniuses'—those one-in-a-million prodigies with overwhelming talent."
Mingyue nodded. "That's because one genius can be worth a thousand ordinary cultivators."
"Exactly," Alex said. "And because of that, they completely ignore the biggest resource they have—the common people."
Mingyue frowned. "But… commoners are everywhere. Even if a city or two is destroyed, more will take their place."
Alex laughed. "Mingyue, you're so focused on cultivation that your world has barely advanced in economy or technology." His voice carried a sharp edge. "You don't even realize how much potential you're wasting. "Even cultivators need to eat before they become immortal." Alex's voice was calm, but there was an edge to it. "You also need furniture. A place to live. Who grows the wheat and rice you eat? Who cuts the logs to build your homes and sect halls?" He let the question hang in the air for a moment. "It's the commoners, Mingyue. None of your so-called cultivators want to dirty their hands doing it. Yet, you all neglect them. Treat them like they're disposable."
Mingyue stayed silent.
"But without them, can your sect survive?" Alex pressed. "Can cultivators focus on cultivation without worrying about food, shelter, or tools?" He didn't wait for her to answer. "No. They can't."
Mingyue exhaled slowly.
"Even many of your so-called 'geniuses' come from these commoners," Alex continued. "If you start chipping away at the foundation—their food, their homes, their resources—those so-called great sects will feel the impact sooner than you think." He leaned back. "I heard you plan to hide your identity before returning to your family."
Mingyue nodded.
"Then don't just hide. Live as a commoner. Mingle with them. Become one of them."
Mingyue blinked. "What?" The idea baffled her. Every cultivator saw commoners as a lower species.
Alex chuckled. "Sounds crazy, right?"
Mingyue crossed her arms. "Why would I do that?"
"You think giving them food, shelter, and a contract is enough, right?" She didn't answer, but Alex smirked. "It's not enough, Mingyue. You need to understand them—their thoughts, their struggles, their ambitions. Only then can you build something that lasts."
Mingyue furrowed her brows.
Alex continued. "Anything motivated only by fear will collapse eventually." His tone turned serious. "Don't forget, we need people who are willing to become real vampires. They can't be bound by slave contracts. If their only loyalty is out of fear, they'll never give their best. And worse—they'll betray us the moment they see a way out."
Mingyue was silent for a long moment. She was starting to see where he was going with this. He wasn't thinking short-term. He wanted the sect to be a foundation for something much bigger.
"You know about education in my world, right?" Alex asked.
"Yes," Mingyue said, though she still found it strange.
When she first learned about it, she had wondered—why did Alex's world pour so many resources into education? Alex smirked. "It's not just about skills, Mingyue." He leaned forward slightly. "The most important part of that system isn't teaching people how to read or do math. It's about instilling values. About teaching people what's 'right' and what's 'wrong.'"
Mingyue frowned. "You mean… shaping their beliefs?"
"Exactly." Alex's voice carried a knowing edge. "In my world, we train people to work under others. To keep their word. To prioritize the benefit of the group over themselves." He let out a chuckle. "Most people follow that path for half their lives before they realize—" His smirk deepened. "—that it's all bullshit."
Mingyue's expression darkened slightly.
"But in your world?" Alex continued. "We won't have that problem."
Mingyue arched a brow. "And why's that?"
"Because in our system, the people who follow the teachings… Will actually get rewarded."
Mingyue's eyes flickered. 'That was… different.' But she still had doubts. "Why would my world be any different?" she asked. "In the end, people follow their own desires, Alex. Even I know that once their basic needs are met, they'll always want more." Her tone was sharp. She had seen it before—cultivators who treated commoners well, only to be betrayed by the very people they helped.
Alex chuckled. "You're not wrong, Mingyue." His gaze turned sharp. "But that's why we'll create a system to make sure their 'desires' align with our goals."