One day passed in the blink of an eye.
Huo Yuhao slowly opened his eyes, a flash of light flickering through his pupils. He had successfully achieved a Breakthrough to rank 20 Soul Power. This should have been a cause for celebration, yet a look of dissatisfaction crossed his brow.
"Still... too slow." He whispered to himself, his knuckles tightening involuntarily. The marrow-cleansing effects of the three profound water pills had pushed his cultivation Aptitude to its peak; combined with the Mysterious Heaven Skill gifted by Sister Furina, his cultivation speed was like a tiger with wings. Even so, he still felt it was not enough. Had his initial Foundation not been so weak, how could he be in this position?
He took a deep breath, suppressing the impatience in his heart. Regardless, the goal had been achieved. Today was the day to accompany Sister Furina and follow Brother Tianmeng to seek his Second Martial Soul. Thinking of this, the gloom in the young man's heart was dispelled by anticipation.
He focused his mind inward, his consciousness sinking into the vast ocean of his spirit. "Brother Tianmeng," he called out, "I have reached rank 20, when do we set off?"
Deep within the spiritual ocean, the massive body of the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm twisted slightly, suppressing its surging excitement: "Good! Brother has waited a long time for this day! However, Yuhao, the place we are going is no small matter; it is the Extreme North Land, a place of bitter cold and absolute desolation on the continent. It is fraught with danger, and we must be fully prepared. You should go and inform that little girl."
It originally wanted to say that the journey was dangerous and having more people would be inconvenient. The Extreme North Land not only held the "Ice Empress" it had been longing for, but also the other two "three great kings of the far north," all of whom were at the level of Vicious Beast. In its current state, protecting Huo Yuhao alone was its limit; to be distracted by others might lead to unforeseen accidents.
However, the words died on its lips. Recalling Furina's endless array of strange and effective methods—whether it was the profound water pill that could cleanse the marrow, or the exquisite Mysterious Heaven Skill—the girl seemed to hide an endless treasure trove. Having her accompany them might not be a burden, but rather an unexpected safeguard. With her abilities, she surely had her own ways to conceal her aura and avoid the perception of those Vicious Beasts.
As its thoughts raced, the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm changed its tune: "...However, that girl is quirky and always has some strange treasures on her. With her accompanying you, even if you encounter any accidents on the way, I think she can protect you. Besides, the journey to the Extreme North Land is long; if you have her help, the trip will surely be much faster."
"Mm!" Huo Yuhao nodded heavily, and a stone in his heart finally fell. He had unreserved trust in Furina, a trust born from long-standing reliance and admiration. In his heart, the presence of Sister Furina was more reassuring than those legendary Titled Douluo.
He stood up, tidied his robes, and walked quickly toward Furina's room—the place known as the "Pope's Palace." However, it would be more accurate to call it her personal residence for leisure rather than a solemn hall for handling church affairs.
Nowadays, all the daily operations of the Axis Cult were coordinated by the rigorous and steady Mr. Neuvillette, with the four great protectors (formerly the four city lords) assisting from the side. Furina, the nominal Pope and Water God, only needed to grasp the general direction and occasionally appear before the believers to maintain the radiance of her divinity. Even so, the Axis Cult's development was thriving, and its expansion had met almost no resistance.
Arriving before the gorgeous door decorated with flowing water patterns, Huo Yuhao stopped and knocked gently.
"Sister Furina, are you there?"
"I'm here, I'm here~ The door isn't locked, just come in!" Furina's unique voice, carrying a touch of laziness and liveliness, came from inside the room.
"Okay."
Huo Yuhao pushed the door open in response. He saw Furina hunched over the desk by the window, a pen in her slender hand, writing and drawing on a huge unfolded scroll, her expression rarely focused.
"Sister Furina, what are you busy with?" Huo Yuhao asked curiously, leaning in a little closer.
Furina looked up at the sound, her azure eyes flashing with the light of future planning: "I am conceptualizing the future blueprint for the Axis Cult. I feel the previous department setup was too crude; it is time for a drastic reform."
She tapped the scroll lightly with the tip of her pen and began to list them:
"First, I plan to establish a 'Research Department.' This department cannot just study spirit tools; the people of the Douluo Continent have explored the essence of Martial Soul, Spirit Bone, and even spirit ring too superficially! I want to subdivide a few directions within this: first, to explore the evolution path of Martial Soul, and how to guide Martial Soul toward benign mutation; second, to attempt technology for artificial Spirit Bone and spirit ring."
Speaking of this, her tone became somewhat heavy: "Soul Beast are not an inexhaustible resource. If humans continue to hunt them without restraint, one day, Soul Beast will face extinction. By then, the Spirit Master system will collapse accordingly. How will humans continue to pursue individual strength and transcendence? What's more..." A trace of pity flashed in her eyes, "Soul Beast themselves are just creatures struggling to survive on this continent. They also have the right to live."
Huo Yuhao listened with bated breath, his heart shaken beyond measure. He had thought Sister Furina had been neglecting management recently and idling away, but he did not expect her to be silently conceiving such a grand and far-reaching plan. This was no longer just about helping the poor awaken their Martial Soul and change their destiny, but about the future landscape of all creatures on the entire Douluo Continent!
In the spiritual ocean, the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm was also silent for a long time before letting out a complex sigh: "This little girl... the direction of her heart is actually the balance and continuation of the entire world. This ideal is even more vast than Brother imagined."
"Besides that," Furina's tone became light again, her pen tip sweeping across the scroll, "I also plan to set up an 'Intelligence Department.' Not only to collect secret news on the movements of various forces on the continent, but also to compile major events into newspapers for public distribution. This can not only increase the extra income of the sect but also expand the influence of the Axis Cult. You must know that sometimes, guiding the direction of public opinion is often more decisive than swords."
"Then there is the 'Executive Department.' In my ideal, they should be sharp swords that eliminate evil and hunt down Evil Soul Master, the guardians maintaining peace in one area. However..." She spread her hands with a hint of helplessness, "There are few people in the sect who can fight well now, and compared to a behemoth like the Star Luo Empire, our power is still too small. So for now, they will focus on assisting with the Martial Soul Awakening work in various places."
"Next is education." Furina's eyes flashed with longing, "I am preparing to found an academy; I have already thought of the name, let's call it 'Jianan Academy.' It will be dedicated to cultivating the best Spirit Master, Soul Engineer, and various types of professional talent. I want everyone to know who the best academy on the continent is! Of course," she smiled slyly, "to truly achieve this goal and build the academy into the ideal appearance, I estimate it will take at least ten years of hard work."
Finally, her expression became serious: "The last department, I call it the 'Law Enforcement Department.' Its duty is to supervise members within the sect, clear out corruption, and ensure the purity of the Axis Cult. I must admit, when any organization expands to a certain extent, it is inevitable that pests will breed, leading to the tragedy of 'the dragon slayer becoming the evil dragon.' The Axis Cult must never repeat the same mistakes!"
Huo Yuhao stood in place, speechless for a long time. This grand conception, meticulous layout, and precautions for future hidden dangers were completely beyond his imagination. He looked at the sister before him, who was sometimes jumping and sometimes profound, his heart filled with indescribable admiration.
"Too amazing... Sister Furina." In the end, thousands of words turned into one simple exclamation.
Furina, hearing this, waved her hand casually, a smile of reminiscence curling at the corners of her lips, and her tone became a bit ethereal:
"Not at all. I am just standing on the shoulders of giants, borrowing a glimmer of wisdom from those who came before."