Thunder Leopard acted with astonishing speed. As if terrified that Furina might change her mind, he returned in less than an hour. This time, his entourage was much smaller, consisting only of an inconspicuous carriage and a few personal guards. He personally helped a young man down from the carriage.
The young man looked to be about seventeen or eighteen years old, his facial features faintly resembling Thunder Leopard's. At an age that should have been brimming with heroic spirit, his face was now pale, his eyes hollow, and an empty left sleeve hung silently. His entire being exuded a sense of desolation and dead silence, as if his spirit had been drained away.
This was Lei Ke, once the talented young City Lord of Thunder City. Now, he was like a puppet with its strings cut, allowing his father to support him, indifferent to everything around him.
The crowd in the courtyard of the Axis Cult had not yet fully dispersed; they all held their breath as they watched this scene.
Furina didn't waste words and immediately had a quiet room cleared. The treatment process was unexpectedly... unremarkable. There were no dazzling lights, no earth-shattering Soul Power fluctuations. Furina simply summoned that golden, uniquely styled "golden doughnut vanilla cake" again and had Lei Ke eat it.
Lei Ke did so mechanically, his eyes still numb, seemingly holding no hope for this so-called "treatment."
However, a miracle quietly unfolded before everyone's eyes.
A soft golden light slowly overflowed from within his body, as if the hibernating earth had welcomed the spring breeze.
His empty left shoulder began to itch and heat up. The faint "crackling" sound of bone growth was clearly audible, and flesh was rapidly reshaped and extended as if woven by invisible hands... Within just a few minutes, a complete, fresh arm with skin still showing a newborn flush had actually grown out!
At the same time, a vigorous vitality dispelled the paleness from his face. Those dead, hollow eyes were like an ancient well into which a stone had been tossed, suddenly erupting with violent ripples! Shock, disbelief, ecstasy, bewilderment... various emotions finally transformed into hot tears that surged from his eyes.
"My hand... my hand..." Lei Ke trembled, cautiously lifting his new arm. He opened and closed his fingers, feeling the incredibly real sensation and strength. He abruptly looked up at his father, his voice choked with emotion yet filled with vitality for the first time in three years, "Father! My arm... it's back!"
Thunder Leopard, this iron-blooded Spirit Emperor powerhouse, also had tears in his eyes. He was too moved to speak, only heavily patting his son's shoulder and repeating over and over: "Good! Good! It's good that it's back!"
Outside the quiet room, people watching through the cracks in the door let out uncontrollable gasps and cries of surprise. Although they were somewhat prepared, witnessing this miracle-like scene with their own eyes still brought unparalleled shock. The followers of the Axis Cult were even more overwhelmed with emotion, whispering prayers one after another, their faith in the Water God becoming firmer than ever before.
When Thunder Leopard led his son out of the quiet room again, the state of the father and son was completely different. Although Lei Ke was still a bit weak, his back was straight and a light had reignited in his eyes. Thunder Leopard looked as if a thousand-pound burden had been lifted, his entire person radiant.
He strode up to Furina. This time, it was no longer a plea, but with immense respect and gratitude, he bowed deeply to the ground: "Your Excellency the Pope, I will never forget your grace of rebirth! From this day forward, everyone in the Thunder City Lord's Mansion will follow the Axis Cult's lead! All matters in the city shall be at the Pope's command; the City Lord's Mansion will fully assist and clear all obstacles!"
He was sincere. Furina had not only saved his son but had also given his Family new hope. This kindness, combined with the unfathomable ability she had displayed, was enough to make him submit completely.
Over the next few days, Thunder Leopard proved his promise with actions. He brought not empty words, but tangible help.
Officials from the City Lord's Mansion began to actively coordinate with the Axis Cult, helping to handle various tedious land deeds and permit procedures with startling speed. The tax collectors and guards who used to deliberately block the Axis Cult's supplies from entering the city now practically gave them a green light the moment they saw the cult's emblem. Several small families in the city who originally had some complaints about the Axis Cult quickly received "friendly" reminders and warnings from the City Lord's Mansion, immediately becoming silent.
With the full support of the powerful local powerhouse that was the City Lord's Mansion, the development of the Axis Cult seemed to have grown wings. Neuvillette's workload was drastically reduced; many things that previously required a great deal of energy to navigate could now often be easily resolved by a single official from the City Lord's Mansion. He could finally carve out more time to focus on the internal institutional construction and personnel management of the Sect, rather than dealing with external troubles all day.
Thunder Leopard even excitedly approached Furina with an even more startling idea: "Your Excellency the Pope! You have granted my Lei Family a new lease on life! Mere administrative assistance is not worth mentioning! I am willing to petition the Star Luo Empire to rename our Thunder City to 'Water God City'! This will manifest the glory of the Water God! Rest assured, the Empire won't care about the name of this border town. I still have some connections in the Imperial Capital; with a little grease, it will definitely succeed!"
Furina was drinking tea at the time and almost spat it out. Changing the city's name? That move was a bit too flashy, wasn't it? Although it sounded cool, "Water God City"... wasn't that name a bit too high-profile and blunt? It was practically writing "I am a target" on her forehead.
She hurriedly set down her teacup and waved her hand: "Wait, wait, wait! City Lord Lei, I appreciate the sentiment. But about the name change... 'Water God City' is a bit too ostentatious. A tall tree catches the wind; we still need to develop steadily for now."
Her eyes darted around as a familiar and dear name surfaced in her mind—a piece of nostalgia from deep within her heart. She smiled, her tone carrying a hint of unquestionable casualness: "If you really want to change it, don't call it Water God City. Hmm... let's call it 'Fontaine,' Fontaine City. It sounds more low-key and has a nice Concept to it."
"Fontaine City?" Thunder Leopard was stunned for a moment. He carefully savored the name; although he didn't understand its meaning, since the Pope liked it, it must have profound significance! He immediately followed her lead: "Good! It shall be as Your Excellency the Pope says! Fontaine City! I will go and arrange the reporting matters immediately!"
Just after the name change storm passed, Thunder Leopard came again with his son, Lei Ke. This time, his goal was even clearer.
"Your Excellency the Pope," Thunder Leopard said sincerely, pushing his still somewhat reserved son forward, "My son Lei Ke has received your great grace and gained a new life. His life was given by you, and his future path should naturally be guided by you. Lei Ke's Aptitude is decent, and he is a steady and willing learner. I wonder... if he could have the honor of becoming your disciple and listening to your teachings?"
Lei Ke also looked at Furina nervously, his eyes filled with expectation and awe. Being able to take such a miraculous existence as a master was an immense Opportunity.
Furina looked at the father and son, feeling a bit amused and helpless. Taking a disciple? Her own Cultivation mostly relied on the System's direct empowerment; how could she teach others? Should she teach him how to use Soul Power to knead better-tasting cakes? Moreover, she had to keep an eye on Huo Yuhao, her "main account"; how could she have the spare energy to guide a "side account"?
She weighed her words and showed a gentle but slightly apologetic smile: "City Lord Lei, Lei Ke, I understand your intentions. However, my Axis Cult is not a traditional Sect; we believe in teaching without discrimination and benefiting all living beings.
"As the Pope, I need to oversee the overall situation, and I'm afraid it would be difficult for me to focus on taking a disciple. Besides, everyone's path is different. Having gone through this ordeal, Lei Ke's Heart-Nature must have matured. Why not let him explore a path to power that suits him better in the future? If there are any doubts in his Cultivation, he can come to discuss them anytime. As for the matter of apprenticeship, let's not mention it for now."
She said this tactfully, but the meaning was clear. A flash of obvious disappointment crossed Thunder Leopard's eyes, but he didn't dare to push. He hurriedly said: "I was being presumptuous. Your Excellency the Pope is farsighted; what you say is absolutely right! Ke'er, why aren't you thanking Her Excellency for her guidance!"
Although Lei Ke was also a bit disappointed, he still bowed respectfully: "Thank you for your teachings, Your Excellency the Pope."
Furina nodded, feeling relieved in her heart.
Seeing the hard-to-conceal disappointment in Lei Ke's eyes, she suddenly felt that mere verbal comfort was a bit dry. Her eyes rolled, and as if by magic, she produced a small, exquisite jade bottle from somewhere. The bottle was warm to the touch and faintly exuded a refreshing medicinal fragrance.
"Here, take this." She casually handed the jade bottle to Lei Ke, her tone as relaxed as if she were handing over a piece of candy. "Although I cannot take you as a disciple, a meeting gift is still necessary. This Medicinal Pill should be of some help in stabilizing your current Realm and strengthening your Foundation."
Lei Ke instinctively took the jade bottle with both hands; it was slightly warm. Before he could take a closer look, his father, Thunder Leopard, beside him, let out a startled cry:
"This... this is a soul ascension pill?!"
Thunder Leopard's voice was filled with unbelievable shock. As a Spirit Emperor, his experience was naturally extraordinary; he recognized at a glance that the quality of this jade bottle and that unique medicinal fragrance were definitely not ordinary! A soul ascension pill! This was a top-grade Medicinal Pill that could directly increase a Spirit Master's Soul Power Rank with almost no side effects! Outside, any single one would be enough to trigger a frantic struggle among powers of all sizes. They were usually only seen at top-tier auctions, each one worth a fortune, and even with money, one might not be able to buy it! He never expected that Furina would actually take one out so nonchalantly and give it to his son as a "meeting gift"!
He suddenly snapped back to his senses and quickly pulled the still-dazed Lei Ke, his tone urgent and respectful: "Ke'er! Quickly, kneel and thank the Pope for her heavenly grace!"
Lei Ke was startled by his father's reaction. Although he didn't fully understand exactly how precious this "soul ascension pill" was, he could guess from his father's near-loss of composure. His heart warmed, and his knees bent to kneel.
"Hey, hey, hey! No need for that!" Furina hurriedly made a lifting motion with her hand. A gentle Soul Power supported Lei Ke, preventing him from actually kneeling. "Our Axis Cult doesn't care for these empty formalities. Just take it."
She looked at the excited father and son with a smile, as if she had given away a common candy rather than a treasure that could drive countless Spirit Masters mad. Her tone was casual, yet carried a reassuring certainty: "Since you've joined the Axis Cult, you're one of our own. I've always been generous to my own people. Medicinal Pills and resources won't be lacking in the future. As long as you work loyally for the Sect and Cultivate well, forget about soul ascension pills..."
She paused deliberately, winked, and lowered her voice with a mysterious air, as if sharing a little secret: "...even rare things like Spirit Bones, our cult might just be able to find a way to get them~"
"Spirit Bone?!" Thunder Leopard sucked in a breath of cold air, his eyes widening like copper bells. He felt his heart skip a beat. A soul ascension pill was scary enough, but this Pope actually dared to say she could "find a way to get" Spirit Bones? Just how deep was the Foundation of this Axis Cult?! His gaze toward Furina, besides the previous respect and gratitude, now held an extra layer of indescribable awe and fervor.
Furina looked at their shocked, almost petrified expressions and smiled with satisfaction. She then returned to her slightly lazy demeanor, gently waving her hand, her tone relaxed yet pointed: "However, some small matters are best kept among ourselves~ No need to go around announcing it. Our Axis Cult, you know, low-key—low-key is the way to go, understand?"
"Understood! Understood! Rest assured, Lord Pope! What happened today came from your mouth and entered the ears of us father and son; not a word will be leaked!" Thunder Leopard immediately patted his chest in guarantee, his attitude even more solemn than before. He was now absolutely certain that joining the Axis Cult was the most correct and lucky decision he had made in his life! This wasn't just clinging to a powerful thigh; this was clinging to an unfathomable gold mountain plus a super treasury!
Lei Ke also tightly gripped the warm jade bottle as if it were the most precious treasure in the world. He nodded heavily, his voice trembling slightly with excitement: "Lei Ke understands! Thank you for the generous gift, Lord Pope! In this life, I will certainly do my utmost to serve the Axis Cult!"
"Alright, alright, as long as you understand. Go back and Cultivate well; try to digest the effects of the pill as soon as possible." Furina smilingly sent off the Lei father and son, who were full of gratitude and kept looking back with every step.
Watching their figures disappear at the courtyard gate, Furina stretched, her mood exceptionally bright. Giving a blow (refusing the apprenticeship) and then a sweet date (giving a precious pill)—this combination of moves seemed to work well. It maintained a sense of mystery and distance while firmly tying the City Lord's Mansion to her chariot with tangible benefits.
She paced to the window, looking at the bustling crowd on the street outside. With the full submission and support of the local powerhouse that was the City Lord's Mansion, many previously thorny problems were now easily resolved. The burden on Neuvillette's shoulders would be much lighter, and she could focus more on "feeding" and "nurturing" Huo Yuhao, that seed of infinite potential.
"Fontaine City..." she whispered the familiar and dear name, a sly and expectant curve hooking the corner of her mouth. "Doesn't sound bad at all. Next, it's time to think about how to make good use of our new 'little brother' city lord's resources to make our Axis Cult... oh no, my, Lady Furina's Fontaine City, even more 'prosperous'!"