Chapter 57: The Return of the Spirit Arena
Half a month had passed in the blink of an eye since Huo Yuhao had awakened his second martial soul and successfully obtained his second soul ring. During this time, Furina had not been idle. She often immersed herself in "negotiations" with the system shop, seeking more avenues for development for this fledgling church.
One morning, Furina sat alone in a side hall of the Water God Temple. Sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow across her. Her eyes were closed in deep focus, her consciousness engaged in constant interaction with the system shop. After several draws, she had obtained a number of cultivation technique manuals. Among them, the one best suited to Huo Yuhao was undoubtedly the Ice Spirit Tome.
"The Mysterious Heaven Technique may be universal, but its upper limit is simply too low," Furina murmured softly to herself, her fingertips tapping lightly against the armrest of her chair. "Unless, like in Douluo 5, it inexplicably gains the ability to absorb bloodlines—though if that's the case, how is it any different from an evil soul master? Then again, the people on the Douluo Continent are so unguarded they might as well be fools. If this were a cultivation world, Tang San would've long since been stuffed into a Ten-Thousand-Soul Banner."
At this thought, she couldn't help but smile. Huo Yuhao's second martial soul was the overlord of the Far North, the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion—its attribute, Ultimate Ice. This Ice Spirit Tome was perfectly suited to him. An ice-attribute cultivation technique would allow his training to yield twice the results with half the effort, far surpassing the original Mysterious Heaven Technique.
Beyond the Ice Spirit Tome, Furina had also drawn the Water Breathing and Flame Breathing techniques from Demon Slayer. These two breathing styles had remarkable effects on ordinary people. If trained to mastery, even a commoner wielding a blade could hold their own against a high-ranked soul master. The pity was that without a "Hashira"-level expert to provide systematic instruction, practitioners would largely have to fumble their way forward on their own.
"With the disposition of the people on the Douluo Continent... can they even figure anything out through self-study?" Furina's brow furrowed slightly. "Especially considering that the people of this continent all seem to suffer from late-stage chronic laziness..." She let out a soft sigh, not holding out much hope.
Another prize that made her eyes light up was a high-tier Xuan-level Dou Technique—Frozen Dragon's Flight—originating from Hai Bodong of Battle Through the Heavens. This ice-attribute Dou Technique was supremely suited for Huo Yuhao and the other ice-attribute soul masters within the church. Placed within the Douluo Continent, this would absolutely qualify as a top-tier self-created soul skill.
Beyond these, the system had also provided an assortment of miscellaneous items—from pills to low-grade soul tools, a little of everything. Furina had originally intended to simply distribute them among the church's members, but on second thought, that didn't seem quite appropriate.
"Things that come too easily... people rarely learn to treasure them," she mused thoughtfully, rising to her feet and pacing slowly through the hall. "Why not establish an exchange board? Let the congregation earn points by completing tasks, and then use those points to redeem corresponding rewards."
The idea made her eyes brighten. Whether cultivation techniques, elixirs, or even soul bones—all of them could be placed on the exchange board. She could also use the system to exchange for ten-year and hundred-year soul bones to serve as rewards. In this way, she could both motivate the congregation to actively contribute to the church and avoid the unnecessary waste of resources.
No sooner said than done! Furina immediately set out to find Neuvillette to discuss the matter.
In the main hall of the Water God Temple, she laid out her full series of proposals: the Research Department, focused on studying soul tools, martial souls, and artificial soul rings and soul bones; the Intelligence Department, tasked with gathering information, guiding public opinion, and publishing newspapers; the Enforcement Department, recruiting talent and handling various missions; the Internal Affairs Department, responsible for oversight, anti-corruption, and maintaining discipline; Canaan Academy, designed to compete head-to-head with Shrek Academy; and the points-exchange system she had just conceived.
Neuvillette listened quietly, nodding in approval from time to time. As the de facto administrator of the Church of the Water God, he greatly appreciated Furina's creative and forward-thinking ideas. However, he also offered his own supplementary suggestions. "I believe we will need to establish two additional departments: a Finance Department to manage our accounts, and a Logistics Department to ensure supplies and medical support."
Furina agreed without hesitation. "Let's do as you suggest."
Neuvillette immediately set to work drafting the relevant policies and summoned the Four Protectors—the four city lords, Lei Bao, Long Ziyun, Yan Luo, and Feng Chuixue—to jointly deliberate the specific details of implementation.
Once these various matters had been properly arranged, Furina requested a private meeting with Protector Lei Bao. In the reception chamber, she shared another bold idea with her loyal protector.
"Protector Lei Bao, after much thought, I have decided to reintroduce the Spirit Arena system from ten thousand years ago back to the continent."
Lei Bao was visibly astonished. "The Spirit Arena? That system was gradually abandoned by the great empires after the Spirit Hall was destroyed ten millennia ago. There's no clear historical record of the reason why."
Furina walked to the window, gazing out at the congregation members training diligently on the distant training grounds. She spoke unhurriedly. "The Spirit Arena has its reasons for existing. For high-ranked soul masters, its utility may be limited—but for low-ranked soul masters, especially commoner soul masters, it is an absolutely vital platform. Through the Spirit Arena, they can earn money, indirectly obtain cultivation resources, and accumulate practical combat experience all at once."
She turned, her gaze steady and resolute as she fixed it upon Lei Bao. "Consider this: though the Spirit Arena system was officially abandoned, every soul master academy has its own arena. Every examination involves a practical combat match, even selecting the top-ranked student. How is that fundamentally different from a Spirit Arena? Shrek Academy's arena doesn't just require payment to use—I've even heard their assessments include having students fight against soul beasts."
The more Furina spoke, the more convinced she became of the idea's feasibility. "Reintroducing the Spirit Arena would benefit our Church of the Water God in at least three ways. First, we can generate wealth through ticket sales and wagers. Second, we can train new recruits and sharpen their combat skills. Third, we can win the support of low-ranked soul masters, further expanding our influence."
Lei Bao was thoroughly convinced. "Your Holiness is truly wise! This subordinate would never have thought of this on his own."
Furina smiled faintly, though inwardly she couldn't help a wry sigh. On the Douluo Continent—a world where "setting fire to a grain storehouse" could be hailed as a divine stratagem—so many plans that seemed perfectly ordinary in her eyes could produce unexpectedly dramatic results. Without the Tang Sect, they probably couldn't even conceive of basic siege equipment like a battering ram. If Zhuge Liang were to arrive in this world, he could likely lead an army and sweep the entire continent flat with ease.
"In that case, I place this matter entirely in your hands," Furina issued her final instructions. "First, establish a few pilot Spirit Arenas within our Church of the Water God's sphere of influence. If the results are favorable, we'll gradually expand them across the continent."
After Lei Bao departed with his orders, Furina stood alone by the window. In her mind, she was already sketching the blueprint for the Church of the Water God's future growth. Though this Pope appeared deceptively young, the heart within her held ambitions vast enough to reshape the very structure of the entire Douluo Continent.
"The road must be walked step by step. But from the look of things, at least the direction is correct," she murmured softly to herself, a confident smile curving the corner of her lips.
In the days that followed, the Church of the Water God pressed forward with urgent, meticulous reforms. The construction of the Spirit Arenas proceeded with particular speed. Within mere days, the very first pilot Spirit Arena had already been completed in the church's main city. On the day it opened, it drew vast numbers of soul masters to come and participate. The intensity of the crowds far exceeded everyone's expectations.
Furina stood on the highest observation platform of the newly completed Spirit Arena, gazing down at the fiercely contested matches unfolding below. Her heart swelled with deep satisfaction. She knew this was only the beginning. The future of the Church of the Water God—and indeed, of the entire Douluo Continent—would be utterly transformed by these changes.