Chapter 114: She Can't Really Be Here Just to Poach Talent, Right?
"What exactly... is their background?" Du Weilun couldn't help asking.
Yan Shaozhe didn't answer immediately. Instead, he pulled out several more detailed intelligence files from beneath the stack.
"Regarding Furina, we've uncovered some deeper information." Yan Shaozhe's expression grew serious. "Have you heard of the 'Church of the Water God'?"
Du Weilun pondered for a moment, then nodded. "I have. A newly risen sect that emerged in the Star Luo Empire about a year ago. It's developed at an astonishing speed and is said to have already spread across more than half the Star Luo Empire. Their visible high-end combat strength consists of four Soul-Sage-level Protectors, but rumor has it they've mastered a special soul skill fusion technique—when the four fight together, they can hold their own against an ordinary Titled Douluo."
He paused, then continued. "This Church of the Water God has a very unique way of doing things. They absorb large numbers of commoner soul masters, even including many whose martial souls are flawed or who've been rejected by other sects. They offer free martial soul awakenings for commoners everywhere they go, providing basic assistance. They've also established an advanced soul master academy within Star Luo Empire territory called 'Canaan Academy,' with the motto 'Education for all, without distinction—become the foremost academy on the continent.' Bold words. But their methods... in many people's eyes, they seem rather idealistic, even foolish."
"The Star Luo imperial household seems to hold them in high regard. There were rumors they wanted to establish it as the state religion, but the offer was refused." At this point, Du Weilun suddenly froze, his pupils contracting sharply as realization struck. "Dean Yan, for you to suddenly bring up the Church of the Water God—could it be that Furina is...?"
Yan Shaozhe said in a grave voice, "According to the intelligence we've gathered, Furina is the founder and current Pope of the Church of the Water God. And the so-called 'Water God' that the church worships—is said to be none other than herself."
"What?!" Du Weilun let out a shocked cry and shot straight up from his chair. "That's impossible! A fourteen-year-old girl founded a sect that grew into a colossal organization in a single year? And refused the Star Luo imperial household's invitation to become the state religion? Where did she get the resources? The connections? The strength to keep her subordinates in line? Even if she had the backing of some hidden reclusive clan, this is still far too fast! Even the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect's rise back in the day wasn't this exaggerated!"
He felt his entire worldview crumbling once more. A genius girl with a heaven-defying soul ring configuration was simultaneously the Pope of a massive religious organization? The sheer absurdity of these two things existing in the same person was almost impossible to accept.
Yan Shaozhe waited for him to calm down somewhat before continuing. "I know this is hard to believe. But multiple intelligence sources have cross-referenced and verified it. It can basically be confirmed. As for the resources behind the Church of the Water God's development... according to our investigation, their primary source of wealth comes from selling various elixirs with uniquely potent effects."
"Elixirs?" Du Weilun furrowed his brow.
"Yes." Yan Shaozhe nodded. "Among them are some whose effects rival the rare treasures that only our Shrek Academy inner court disciples can exchange for. And there are even... unverified rumors that they are capable of producing 'Profound Water Pills.'"
Du Weilun drew a sharp breath. Profound Water Pills were precious elixirs that could enhance a soul master's innate talent and improve their physical constitution. The method of their creation was known only to the Black Tortoise Sect. If the Church of the Water God could truly produce them, their power of attraction would be utterly terrifying.
"There's something even more astonishing." Yan Shaozhe lowered his voice a notch. "Rumor has it that the Church of the Water God holds some kind of 'divine miracle'—or rather, some method that far surpasses the current level of healing soul skills—capable of regenerating severed limbs and restoring flesh and blood."
"Regenerating severed limbs?!" Du Weilun was truly shaken this time. In the soul master world, such an ability was practically the stuff of legend. If the Church of the Water God could truly accomplish this, then it wouldn't just attract commoners—even many high-ranked soul masters and great clans would flock to them!
"However..." Yan Shaozhe shifted his tone. "Regarding the specifics of these elixirs and the 'divine miracle,' the Church of the Water God maintains extremely tight internal secrecy. It's very difficult for outsiders to probe the truth. There may be some exaggeration, but rumors rarely arise without some basis in fact."
Du Weilun slowly sank back into his chair, digesting this vast flood of astonishing information. After a long while, he finally asked in a strained voice, "Does Elder Mu... know about all this? What exactly is his stance?"
A complicated expression surfaced on Yan Shaozhe's face. "Elder Mu not only knows, but... Furina privately gave him something."
"What thing?" Du Weilun pressed.
"What exactly it was, Elder Mu didn't specify." Yan Shaozhe shook his head. "But he told me personally that this thing has been 'very helpful' to him. It's precisely because of this that Elder Mu gave his special instructions—so long as Furina doesn't do anything that endangers the academy's foundations, or anything too excessive, like poaching a few promising students or questioning certain teaching methods... we can let her be. Elder Mu said... Shrek needs reform. And the wind of this reform may well begin with these young people."
Du Weilun fell silent. Elder Mu's word within Shrek was the highest decree. If even the old man himself had spoken thus, what could those beneath him possibly say?
"Reform..." Du Weilun chewed on the word, his heart a tangled mix of emotions. He had managed the outer court for many years and knew all too well that the academy had indeed accumulated many long-standing ills. But reform—how could it be easy? A single move could affect the entire body.
Yan Shaozhe continued. "Actually, even before Zhou Yi stirred up this mess, Elder Mu had already mentioned to me that he was very interested in some of Furina's educational ideas, as well as a certain 'soul tool that doesn't require soul power to operate' that she had brought out."
"A soul tool that doesn't require soul power?" Du Weilun's curiosity was once again thoroughly piqued. "Isn't that just a hidden weapon?"
"No. According to the description, it's something entirely new." Yan Shaozhe explained. "Its outward form resembles a short rod—it's called a 'pistol.' When you pull the trigger, it fires a metal projectile at extremely high speed with strong penetrating power, requiring no expenditure of soul power whatsoever. Even ordinary people can use it. According to the teachers who've seen the demonstration, its power and accuracy far surpass Tang Sect hidden weapons, and it's simpler to use and easier to train with."
Du Weilun felt his heart jolt. If such a thing could be mass-produced, the implications for the soul master world—even the entire continent's power structure—would be enormous! It shattered the iron law that "soul power equals strength"!
"If that Qian Duoduo fellow ever finds out about this, he'll move heaven and earth to pull Furina over to the Soul Tool Department." Yan Shaozhe gave a helpless chuckle. "This time, our Martial Soul Department has stumbled upon a treasure—and a heap of trouble along with it."
Du Weilun immediately declared, "A genius like this absolutely cannot be surrendered to the Soul Tool Department! Her martial soul talent is far more worthy of cultivation!"
"Though I feel the same way, Elder Mu's intentions are very clear." Yan Shaozhe waved a hand. "Let her choose for herself. We won't interfere, nor will we apply pressure. Let everything take its natural course."
He paused, gazing out the window at the deep, heavy night, and spoke slowly. "Director Du, over the coming period, you'll need to pay close attention to New Student Class One—especially the movements of Furina and Huo Yuhao. Don't watch them so closely that it provokes their resentment, but don't completely neglect them either. Find the right balance. As for Zhou Yi... I'll have another talk with her. If she truly can't adjust her state of mind, we may indeed have to consider replacing her. This batch of seedlings in Class One cannot be ruined by one person's personal emotions."
Du Weilun nodded with solemn gravity. "Understood, Dean Yan."
"Also," Yan Shaozhe added, "look into the specifics of her and Huo Yuhao's soul skills."
"Yes, sir."
The conversation came to an end here. Du Weilun rose and took his leave, yet the things he had heard today continued to churn and echo through his mind. A fourteen-year-old Soul-Ancestor-level Pope, a soul ring configuration that overturned all theory, the mysterious Church of the Water God, Elder Mu's focused attention, weapons that required no soul power... All of these threads intertwined, giving him the distinct premonition that beneath the calm surface of Shrek Academy, great waves were truly about to rise.
And Yan Shaozhe, left alone in his office, tapped his fingers lightly against the desk. His gaze rested on the file photo of Furina. In the photo, the white-haired girl had a bright, radiant smile, her eyes clear and limpid. She looked utterly harmless.
"Furina... Pope of the Water God... just what have you come to Shrek to do?" Yan Shaozhe murmured to himself, a deep, unfathomable light flickering through his eyes. "She can't really be here just to poach talent, right?"