Chapter 90: A Patron Knocking at the Door
The night deepened, and the dormitory district of Shrek Academy lay steeped in silence. Furina sat cross-legged on her bed, faint blue ripples of soul power swirling around her. Across from her, Xiao Xiao was also deeply immersed in cultivation. A subtle resonance of soul power hummed gently between the two.
Just at this moment of absolute stillness, a voice as crisp and clear as a silver bell suddenly rang out within the depths of Furina's spiritual sea.
"Are you there? Are you there? Little Furina?"
The sudden voice made Furina jolt, nearly breaking her out of her meditative state. She quickly recognized it as the Water God's voice. A ripple of confusion stirred in her heart—according to the original arrangement, her first divine trial still needed at least another year or so to complete. Why would the Water God suddenly seek her out at a time like this?
Steadying herself, Furina responded with respectful deference within her spiritual sea. "I'm here, Senior Water God. May I ask what matter brings you to me?"
"I have some good news to tell you..." The Water God's voice carried a note of buoyant excitement.
Before she could finish, Furina couldn't help interjecting. "By the normal order of things, good news is often followed by bad. Please don't tell me it's the same this time."
"Not at all." The Water God's laughter was like a clear spring flowing over stones. "Only good news. Though to be honest—whether this news is truly good or bad for you will depend on your own judgment."
Furina's heart sank abruptly. The last, most dreaded speculation surfaced in her mind. "Don't tell me... a certain Lord Sea God has taken a liking to me?"
This was the situation she least wished to see. Once that God King had his eyes on her, all her careful arrangements and plans could be thrown into disarray. She might even find herself step by step entangled in the meticulously crafted snares he was so adept at weaving.
"That's not it," the Water God denied at once. "The Sea God has indeed taken notice of your existence, but he has no intention of snatching you away from me."
"Then what exactly is the matter?" Furina's confusion deepened.
"It's the God of Destruction!"
Furina's eyes flew wide in alarm. "The God of Destruction?! He's taken a liking to me? Don't tell me he wants to give me his Destruction God Divine Trial? But how could I possibly withstand his Destruction divine seat?!" Aside from the inheritance of a divine seat, she truly couldn't fathom what other reason this ancient God King would have to pay her any attention.
The Water God was thoroughly amused by her reaction. "You're overthinking it. The God of Destruction's divine seat is utterly incompatible with your attributes. What's more, you've already accepted my divine trial. Unless you were to give up the Water God's divine seat right now, the clash of two divine forces would be far beyond what you could endure—unless, of course, that divine body you're building through faith power is already fully formed."
Seeing that Furina still wore a face of utter bewilderment, the Water God decided to state her purpose directly. "To put it simply—though the God of Destruction does not intend to pass his own divine seat to you, he hopes his wife—the Goddess of Life, one of the five great God Kings of the Divine Realm—might pass her divine seat on to you."
She paused to give Furina a moment to absorb this, then continued her explanation. "The nature of the Goddess of Life's divine seat is gentle and accepting. Even though you've already accepted my divine trial, there will be no conflict. What's more, the God of Destruction greatly admires both you and your Church of the Water God's frequent acts of charity and good deeds. Add to that your Cake martial soul, which leans toward support and healing—all these qualities align very well with the requirements of the Goddess of Life's divine seat."
"So he's come to ask what you think," the Water God concluded. "If you agree, I'll respond to him at once. If you refuse, I will convey that as well."
Only then did the full truth dawn on Furina. "So it's the Goddess of Life's divine seat... The God of Destruction's proposal truly is unexpected."
"To be perfectly honest, this is an opportunity that comes once in a millennium—if ever," the Water God's voice turned serious. "The Goddess of Life is not only a God-King-level existence, but she also possesses a super-divine artifact. If you become her inheritor, you will stand as one of the highest-ranking deities in the entire Divine Realm. At the same time, you would become only the second deity after the Sea God to hold dual divine seats. Even I can't help but envy you."
The Water God drove the point home. "You only need to tell me your decision. The God of Destruction has made it clear he will not force anything."
"I accept! Of course I accept!" Furina answered without the slightest hesitation. "Just as you said—this brings me nothing but benefits, and no loss whatsoever."
In the depths of her heart, there was an even deeper consideration: once she obtained the Goddess of Life's divine trial, it meant she would have the support of the God of Destruction. With this God King as her patron, she could carry out her plans with greater peace of mind, without needing to constantly fear the interference of that "Tang Buddha." If Tang San ever tried to harm her, the God of Destruction would certainly not stand idly by.
"What a decisive and courageous choice!" the Water God praised. "But I must warn you—the Goddess of Life's divine trial won't be as simple as mine. With dual divine seats, the difficulty of inheritance will increase dramatically. You must prepare yourself mentally. I will do everything in my power to help you, but in the end, it will still depend on you alone."
"I understand," Furina replied with solemn gravity. Then, she made a bold request. "Also—could I trouble Senior Water God to pass a message to the God of Destruction on my behalf? I hope to have the opportunity to speak with him briefly, to deepen our mutual understanding."
The Water God seemed somewhat hesitant. "That won't be easy. But I'll do my best to make it happen. After all, the God of Destruction isn't nearly as difficult to deal with as the rumors make him out to be. Whether he'll respond, though, I can't say for certain. At any rate—junior, give it your all!"
"Thank you, Senior Water God," Furina offered her sincere gratitude.
"Don't mention it, don't mention it! A trifling matter. I'll be off now. Wait for my good news."
"Mm. I leave everything in your hands, Senior Water God."
As the Water God's divine consciousness slowly receded, Furina opened her eyes once more and found that the sky beyond the window had already begun to pale with the first light of dawn. This night's conversation, brief as it had been, might very well alter the entire trajectory of her future.
Across from her, Xiao Xiao was still deep in cultivation, utterly unaware of everything that had just transpired. Furina gazed at this innocent, adorable roommate of hers, her heart a swirl of tangled emotions. The road she was about to walk was destined to be anything but ordinary.
The faint glow of dawn filtered through the window lattice, gilding Furina's face with a soft, golden edge. A light of unwavering resolve blazed in her eyes. Since fate had granted her such an opportunity, she would seize it with both hands and never let go.
On this ordinary, unremarkable morning, the trajectory of Furina's life had shifted once more. The road ahead might be fraught with challenges, but she was ready. The inheritance of dual divine seats. A God-King-level patron. These were the crucial chips that would allow her to stand firm in this world.
"The Goddess of Life's divine seat..." She murmured softly to herself, a confident, knowing smile curving at the corner of her lips. "It seems this game is getting more and more interesting by the moment."
At last, the sun fully crested the horizon, and a new day formally began. And for Furina—a brand-new chapter was quietly, inexorably unfurling.