Chapter 21: Cultivation Technique
City Lord Lei Bao leading the entire City Lord's Mansion to defect to the Water God Cult had an effect akin to installing a rocket booster on a carriage that was already running at breakneck speed.
The development speed of the Water God Cult—or rather, the soon-to-be-renamed "Fontaine"—leaped to a whole new level in an instant.
In the past, when the Water God Cult handled affairs, although they had a management Genius like Neuvillette at the helm, their Foundation was shallow. They often had to gauge the expressions of other factions in the city and had to maneuver around difficulties. Now, however, the City Lord's Mansion had become "one of our own," and it felt like playing a game with an official cheat code enabled.
Approving land? The City Lord waved his hand and directly allocated a piece of vacant wasteland in the West District to the Water God Cult, under the guise of "supporting the development of religious and cultural causes." Handling paperwork? The officials of the City Lord's Mansion moved faster than anyone, stamping and signing in one go. The efficiency was so high that Neuvillette actually had a few rare days of leisure, finally finding time to refine the internal management regulations of the sect down to the level of a "weekly volunteer cleaning area distribution schedule for believers."
Recruiting help? Previously, the Water God Cult had to beg for people, but now, all kinds of talents were breaking down the door to get in. Even a few quick-witted Spirit Masters in the City Lord's Mansion guard were secretly asking if the Water God Cult was still accepting people.
The atmosphere of the entire city changed completely. The voices that had previously been skeptical of the Water God Cult, or those who had secretly caused trouble, had now completely vanished.
The guards patrolling the streets would flash friendly smiles from afar whenever they saw someone wearing the Water God Cult insignia. The merchants in the city had also learned their lesson; when supplying the Water God Cult, not only were the prices fair, but the quality was exceptionally superior. For a time, "Fontaine" (as everyone had grown accustomed to calling it) presented a strangely harmonious and prosperous scene, as if everyone had become an unofficial believer of the Water God Cult.
This religious fervor sweeping through the city, along with the official allegiance of the City Lord's Mansion, brought the most direct benefit to Furina: her System points began to skyrocket, the speed making her heart bloom with joy.
Meanwhile, far away at the center of power in the Star Luo Empire, Emperor Xu Jiawei did indeed see that official document from the border city of Thunder City—oh no, the application to rename it to "Fontaine"—amidst the mountain of memorials one day.
Xu Jiawei picked up the memorial and glanced at it without even twitching an eyebrow. A small border city changing its name? Such trivial matters could not catch his attention at all.
The memorial only stated that it was to highlight local characteristics and pray for favorable weather. Regarding the Water God Cult, Lei Bao didn't dare mention a single word; he knew what could be said and what could not.
Xu Jiawei casually picked up his jade seal, dipped it in the inkpad, and stamped a "Granted" with a thud, tossing the memorial aside. His thoughts had already flown to the tense border situation with the Sun Moon Empire or the internal power balance of the royal family. The name of a small border city could not stir the slightest ripple in his heart.
How could he have imagined that behind this seemingly insignificant name change, a new force was quietly rising, and that the name "Fontaine" would one day write such a heavy, colorful stroke in the history books of the Douluo Continent... Of course, that is a story for another time.
Shifting our gaze back to the thriving Water God Cult headquarters in Fontaine.
Furina looked at the skyrocketing points on the System panel and rolled on her bed in delight. It felt so good to have money (points)! Before, she had to be stingy, and her heart would ache even when buying some Medicinal Pill. Now, she could finally afford to be generous!
She crossed her legs and clicked on the "Random Cultivation Technique Blind Box" section of the system mall, which had been grayed out and only recently lit up because she had enough points. This thing was a huge gamble and quite expensive, but the Cultivation Technique it yielded were said to come from various higher worlds, with guaranteed quality, though the content was completely random.
"Always relying on System mission rewards to level up feels like cheating; it doesn't feel secure at all." Furina rubbed her hands together, staring at the blind box icon emitting a mysterious glow. "Take a gamble, turn a bicycle into a motorcycle! What if I open a divine Secret Manual that suits me?"
She steeled her heart and paid the huge amount of points. The light screen shone brightly, flashing a few times like a card-drawing animation, and finally settled on a few ancient scrolls that suddenly appeared in her hands.
[Congratulations to the Host for obtaining Random Cultivation Technique x4]
"Mysterious Heavenly Skill (Unabridged Version)": From the world of a certain expert surnamed Tang, containing the complete Legacy of the Mysterious Heavenly Skill Internal Energy cultivation method, Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, Mysterious Jade Hand, Purple Demon Eye, and Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon. It is upright and balanced, with huge potential. "Water God Art (Incomplete Manual)": From a certain Supreme Divine Realm, seemingly fated with the Host's title. It is a supreme method for manipulating all waters and comprehending the Law of Water. It is currently an introductory Incomplete Manual; follow-up parts require Opportunity to complete or must be redeemed with points. "Taiyi Spirit Refining Art": From a certain Major Thousand Worlds, specializing in cultivating mental force and condensing the divine soul. At the highest Realm, the divine soul can leave the body and divide into thousands. "Burning Technique" (Evolvable): From a certain Dou Qi Continent, a strange Cultivation Technique that can continuously evolve its grade by devouring Strange Fire. It has infinite potential, but the cultivation process is extremely dangerous and requires a Fire-attribute Physique or someone with great perseverance to attempt.
Furina stared at these four scrolls, her eyes wide, her mood like a rollercoaster.
"Mysterious Heavenly Skill! And it's the unabridged version!" She picked up the first scroll, her hands shaking with excitement.
This was the "good stuff," Buddha Tang's signature skill. Although it was a Cultivation Technique from a Wuxia worldview, in the Fantasy basement of the Douluo Continent, it was a treasure.
Mainly, it might be because the people of Douluo are too lazy; tens of thousands of years have passed, and they haven't even researched a single Cultivation Technique.
No wonder the development speed is only like this every ten thousand years.
Speaking of Tang San.
This Buddha Tang, Tang San, really knows how to play. He clearly became a god, even a God King, yet the Cultivation Technique he left for his descendants was still an incomplete version. Is he really that afraid that teaching the apprentice will starve the master? One can only say, as expected of Tang San.
"Forget it, why think so much."
Furina stopped thinking about Buddha Tang; thinking about it was annoying.
She picked up the "Water God Art" Incomplete Manual. The scroll felt cool to the touch, and there seemed to be water-like patterns slowly flowing on it.
"Water God Art? It's a perfect match for my identity as the Pope of the Water God Cult!" She felt a sense of familiarity coming from the scroll and was overjoyed. "Although it's an Incomplete Manual, it sounds very powerful. Manipulating all waters! Will I be able to summon tsunamis at will in the future? Hmm, I'll practice this one first!"
Then there was the "Taiyi Spirit Refining Art." "Specializing in mental force? This is good! It's perfect for Huo Yuhao; maybe he'll use less effort when casting Soul Skill in the future, and his perception range will be wider."
Huo Yuhao's Martial Spirit is the Body Martial Soul Spirit Eye; his mental force is ridiculously strong, so there's no mistake in giving him this to learn.
Finally, there was the "Burning Technique." "Uh... Burning Technique..." Furina picked up this Cultivation Technique that emitted a faint heat, her expression a bit strange. "Being evolvable is nice, but it requires absorbing Strange Fire. Although Strange Fire can be redeemed with System points, I have a Water attribute! I can't practice this."
"Should I give it to Ma Xiaotao? Forget it, forget it. I don't like that woman's personality at all, and she's still at Shrek." She curled her lips and tossed the "Burning Technique" aside. "I'll just keep it at the bottom of the box for now; maybe it can be used to trade with someone with a Fire attribute in the future?"
Organizing her thoughts, Furina decided to focus on the "Water God Art" Incomplete Manual as her main practice, and practice the "Taiyi Spirit Refining Art" as a secondary one to train her mental force. As for the "Mysterious Heavenly Skill"... it could be used by the people of the Water God Cult. Trash is trash, but it has strong versatility, and it's a good way to mock Tang San.
Who knows, maybe in the future, it could be used to lure Tang Ya and her Tang Sect over. I wonder what Tang San would think if he saw it? I wonder if he would disregard his status and face to come down and mess with me... I hope the God of Destruction, the only decent god in the Divine Realm, can discover it.
She couldn't wait to unfold the "Water God Art" Incomplete Manual. It was still automatically translated by the System; the profound incantations and cultivation routes poured into her consciousness like a trickling stream.
She tried to guide the spirit power in her body according to the Cultivation Technique. At first, it was a bit sluggish, but soon, she felt that the ubiquitous Water elements in the surrounding air seemed to become friendly. Tiny, almost imperceptible blue light spots slowly merged into her spirit power, giving her spirit power a hint of cool and moist essence.
"It's working!" Furina was overjoyed. Although the progress was slow, this feeling of being able to clearly feel her own strength growing bit by bit and resonating with the surrounding elements was much more fulfilling than simply relying on the System's empowerment.
After practicing the "Water God Art" for a while, she decided to take a break and think about the future.
"Hmm... looks like I need to make a cultivation plan for the future." Furina rubbed her chin. "Process church affairs in the morning, practice the 'Water God Art' and 'Taiyi Spirit Refining Art' in the afternoon, distribute the 'Mysterious Heavenly Skill' to everyone in the Water God Cult to learn tomorrow, and give the 'Taiyi Spirit Refining Art' to Huo Yuhao. Perfect! As for the Burning Technique..."
She stuffed the "Burning Technique" and other Cultivation Techniques into her storage ring, setting them aside for now, waiting for someone fated.
She walked to the window and looked at the budding Fontaine under the setting sun, feeling ambitious.
"With my own Cultivation Technique, my own territory, my own followers, and a future star..." She took a deep breath, feeling that the future was bright. "Once my divine skill reaches Major Achievement, and with Huo Yuhao growing up, won't we be able to walk sideways across this Douluo Continent?"
Of course, provided that... I don't provoke those true old monsters, especially Buddha Tang.
But for now, let's just enjoy this nouveau riche... oh no, this steady development!