As a few days passed, the bloody storm brought about by the Evil Soul Masters within Furina's heart, though not completely calmed, had gradually turned into a somber undercurrent.
She was no longer plagued by visceral nightmares as she was at first, yet the chill stemming from her realization had seeped even deeper into her bones.
The tragic state of the village was not just a massacre; it was a ritual that trampled humanity into the mud and extracted the value of life in the filthiest way possible.
She even felt that the 'murdering for treasures' demonic cultivators in certain cultivation novels seemed somewhat 'pure' compared to these Evil Soul Masters—at least, those demonic cultivators mostly acted for self-interest, whereas the deeds of the Evil Soul Masters were fundamentally a blasphemy against the very concept of 'existence'.
An unprecedented determination took root and sprouted in her heart.
She silently made a vow: once she achieved the realm of Titled Douluo, she would definitely seek out nine spirit rings of over one hundred thousand years for her Second Martial Soul, the [Salon Solitaire], using absolute power as her cornerstone.
At the same time, she had to let the light of the [Axis Cult] shine upon broader lands and gather talents from all directions.
When the time came, she would emulate the Holy Spirit Cult and actively incite a war, only her goal would be to root out and completely purify these tumors parasitic upon the Douluo Continent—the Evil Soul Masters.
Thinking of talent, the image of an 'Angel' involuntarily surfaced in her mind.
It was the natural nemesis of Evil Soul Masters, a sword of light piercing through the darkness.
Yu Mengdi from the Zheng Tian Academy in the original work, and Ye Guyi, who would shine brilliantly in the Sun Moon Empire's Pingfan Alliance in the future—one possessed an Angel Martial Soul, and the other a higher-ranked Holy Angel Martial Soul.
Their existence was, in itself, a form of divine punishment for Evil Soul Masters.
Even more exciting was that slaying evil could itself promote the growth of their Soul Power.
Furina couldn't help but smile; in the eyes of Evil Soul Masters, these possessors of holy Martial Souls were probably the 'Evil Soul Masters' in another sense, right?
As her thoughts reached this point, a nameless rage quietly ignited.
As a Transmigrator who knew the 'plot', she was all too clear that the reason Evil Soul Masters were able to run rampant during the douluo 2 and Douluo 3 eras could be traced back to that'Sea God' revered by all, the ancestor of the Tang Sect, and the core of the first generation of Shrek—Tang San, Lord Buddha Tang!
"Truly 'Infinite Karma'..." Furina sneered in a low voice, her tone filled with sarcasm.
It was this 'great man' who single-handedly destroyed the cage that imprisoned Evil Soul Masters and the continent's criminals—the Slaughter City.
He called it eliminating a hotbed of evil, but in reality, he opened Pandora's Box, letting the most dangerous toxins within flow into the entire world without restraint.
Immediately after, he joined forces with the Empire to completely annihilate the only organized force on the continent that continuously exterminated Evil Soul Masters—the Spirit Hall.
The Legacy of the Angel Martial Soul, which carried a holy mission, was thus nearly severed.
This series of 'heroic deeds' simply paved the way for the robust growth of Evil Soul Masters and cleared away all obstacles.
On this point, Tang San was guilty of heinous crimes!
Of course, for Evil Soul Masters to form such a massive, uncontrollable behemoth, the 'all-out assistance' of the Sun Moon Empire was also indispensable.
The Holy Spirit Cult's predecessor was very likely an Evil Soul Master organization native to the Sun Moon Empire; otherwise, why would their headquarters be deeply rooted within the Sun Moon Empire's territory?
Not to mention that the current Crown Prince, Xu Tianran, was the Personal Disciple of that woman, the Holy Spirit Cult leader Ye Xishui.
With the royal family and the continent's most evil force so deeply bound together, acting as one, it would be a huge anomaly if the Holy Spirit Cult couldn't grow and prosper.
"Internal troubles and external threats, deep-seated chronic illnesses..." Furina rubbed her brow, feeling the pressure on her shoulders grow a little heavier.
But it was precisely in the process of dissecting these dilemmas layer by layer that the future development path of the [Axis Cult] gradually became clear to her.
Currently, thanks to the full surrender of City Lord Thunder Leopard, the [Axis Cult] had already achieved overwhelming influence in Fontaine City (formerly Thunder City) and its surrounding areas.
The residents here, whether they were Spirit Masters in the city, merchants, or commoners and farmers in the countryside, had almost all become her loyal followers.
This foundation was a precious starting point, but it was merely a starting point.
A clear strategy took shape in her mind: the next step was to selectively replicate the Fontaine City model outward.
If she could persuade and absorb the rulers of surrounding cities, making them submit just like Thunder Leopard, then the doctrines and organization of the [Axis Cult] could spread unimpeded across those new lands.
This was the safest and most efficient method of expansion.
A bolder, and more tempting thought had flashed through her mind—could she cooperate directly with higher-level powers, such as a certain powerful prince, or even the imperial royal family?
By relying on 'miracles' and doctrines to exchange for their support, wouldn't she be able to instantly obtain vast resources and protection?
"No!" Furina extinguished this dangerous thought almost immediately.
The current [Axis Cult] was still too weak.
Counting at full capacity, their high-end combat power consisted of only one Spirit Emperor level individual, Thunder Leopard.
Spirit King powerhouses were few and far between, and most were Thunder Leopard's old subordinates and trusted aides.
Further down, the number of Soul Sects was also sparse, and the core strength was seriously insufficient.
The main body of the believers was still the billions of commoners without Soul Power, and the points obtained from the faith they provided could not be converted into top-tier combat power in the short term.
The potential asset in her hands, Huo Yuhao, this future child of destiny, had not yet grown up and needed time and resources to be nurtured.
And as one of her hole cards, the Third Martial Soul, [Neuvillette], was still in a dormant state, unable to mobilize its power to participate in actual combat.
This would likely require completing the key tasks subsequently issued by the System to unlock; before that, this powerful Martial Soul could only be a purely administrative staff member.
Looking at the royalty and high nobles perched at the pinnacle of power, which one of them didn't have Soul Sage level powerhouses sitting in their command?
Those old monsters were often equipped with Spirit Bones or high-grade spirit tools.
In this Douluo Continent, a world that was essentially based on strength and survival of the fittest, negotiating cooperation with these behemoths was no different from seeking a tiger's skin.
Once her true strength was exposed, the other party's first reaction would never be equal cooperation; it would more likely be annexation, control, or even... turning her, the spokesperson for the "Water God", into a chess piece or sacrifice on their path to hegemony.
"Power... in the final analysis, absolute power is still needed."
Furina walked to the window and looked at the bustling and devout believers outside the temple, her gaze gradually becoming firm and profound.
"Expansion must proceed steadily, but the improvement of one's own strength is the fundamental basis.
Before possessing enough power to deter the wicked, one must endure and accumulate."
She gently let out a breath, as if to expel all the pressure and anxiety from her body.
One must walk the path one step at a time, and eat one bite at a time.
Let's first set a small goal: while completely controlling this area, improve her own Soul Power Rank as quickly as possible, and find a way to make Huo Yuhao and the promising young Spirit Masters in the Cult accelerate their cultivation.
"Evil Soul Masters... Tang San... Holy Spirit Cult... and the various forces of this continent..."
She whispered to herself, her eyes flickering with a complex light.
"This game of chess has only just begun.
And I, am destined to be the one who overturns the board."