The deeper I delve into the implications of my actions in the jungle where I faced Ao Jin, the more troubling it becomes.

The Injured Web.

A monstrously large jungle that I had ventured into for Sister Nuan's flower petals, to prove myself. The place that I fought with Ao Jin at, and also gained several hundreds of spirit beasts from.

I only explored what could generously be called the beginner areas.

Even with all lethal poison swamps, dangerous flying creatures, and carnivorous plants, that area was still meant for early to mid-Qi Condensation cultivators.

When I met Ao Jin, he was coming from the deeper areas. Foundation Establishment and up.

But that’s not where the tree-people aspect comes into play.

When I was taming creatures, plants, and all manner of sapient creatures, I ended up including two particular spirit beasts.

A bee type spirit beast, and a symbiotic flower plant creature. Both of which I had contracted and put my taming mark on.

The flower creature burrows their roots into the roots of a tree. The bee-type pollinates the flower creature, which then changes shape to give the bees a place to lay their eggs in the tree roots. At some point, the flower will release seeds that will search out other tree roots and repeat the cycle.

The key aspect of this cycle is the bees and the trees.

When they make their nest in the tree roots, they produce a substance that is very beneficial for the tree.

However, the vast majority of bees commonly die before they can go through this process, when searching for flowers. And at the point I had tamed them, they were nearly extinct.

But once I tamed them, they no longer needed to search out new flowers.

Since they were now connected through my taming, they now knew where the other were. Now, other tamed creatures were protecting them as well.

This breeding cycle was already unbelievably fast, but became even faster with the healing aura.

In only a few days, their numbers ballooned to an enormous amount. Even though their biomass and cost to me were comparatively tiny.

And what was the name of the tree roots that these frail and seemingly unimportant creature's cycle was based out of?

The Injured Web.

The name is from the giant tree system that is at the center of the entire jungle system. With the ‘Injured’ aspect being because the trees were dying. It would still take hundreds of years for that to happen, but this was the last sustainable way for them to survive.

… those creatures single-handedly are reversing the slow death of the jungle.

Bringing us to the tree-people, who are a like a mix between a dryad and an elf.

It seems they noticed the change and started working with the spirit beasts I left behind. Now they know it was I who started this.

I take some time to think about this. To use my abilities to consider what comes next.

I’m surprised to find that this is one situation that I should leave alone.

Huh. There doesn’t seem to be any harm in letting things continue as they are over there. Countless spirit beasts are growing quickly and breeding at an increased pace, with the cooperation with them.

Increasing the numbers that are tamed by me, and now being domesticated.

With them working together with each other and with the tree-people, this is one to sit on, until I need a large force to bring to bear.

The only thing I’ll do now is share the spirit beast variant of the Omnibus Cultivation System with my tamed creatures there. Active 1: Of course, with added requirements, I will only teach the Omnibus System to those who will be permanently tied to me through the taming or domestication process.

My taming contract fills the gaps of their agreements, which allows me to mentally impart the method over to them, while putting in agreements for if they decide to leave.

And then I back off.

If I get more involved, without genuinely needing them, I feel I might tip the balance towards an unwanted conclusion.

After all, each of them is on the outer edges of a massive jungle containing monsters of Core Formation strength and up. Sometimes it’s better to stay ‘hands off’ about these things.

With one thing down, I move my mind to the next.

By now, everyone should have left together and gotten back to the towers. I ought to see how they are handling their new methods and what I previously taught them.

I check on my favorite people first, but my heart nearly stops when I see what’s going on.

…

The towers are currently filled with numerous cultivators.

Hundreds, spanning from Qi Condensation to Core Formation.

Furthermore, there are now more than three towers.

What… who?

Looking around the area, I can see Sister Nuan point from one place to another, directing cultivators where to go.

From what I can tell, they have covered the massive gaps between the three towers with stone, turning them into underground forests in deep caves. On top, more buildings are being created, making this area into what is like a noble family’s personal sector in a major city.

… but in the middle of the core disciple areas.

One cultivator uses their abilities to create massive rock pillars as foundations into the gaping ravines that originally separated the towers, while another seems to advise them on how to do it.

Others are building enormous walls on the outskirts of the building, as some seem to place formations on them.

With this many people working on this, this is more than just expensive…

However, everything makes sense when I see two things.

Patriarch Tao Feng floats in the air, on a sword in the middle of it. Overseeing everything.

Is this what he meant by ‘allocating resources’ to her? Just considering the techniques and labor that everyone is using would have a high cost. Far above the 1 or two superior stones I’ve been receiving.

This is on the level of a small sect’s annual income!

I guess part of the cost is mitigated by the other people brought here, though.

The second thing I had noticed, is what completed the picture for me. The new building now situated closest to the path leading to the main road in this area.

A massive hospital building, complete with walls around it and an additional walled, separated area from our personal towers.

Inside it, are a variety of people. All of whom a quick check reveals are relatives or close acquaintances of the people currently working here. With various illnesses and conditions that I can heal.

Did Sister Nuan and the Patriarch barter my healing for doing this?

I’d be offended, but it’s actually a great idea.

… huh. Maybe I should do this more?

As I watch all the movements of these people at the towers, I feel myself speeding up the carts a bit more in excitement.