Chapter 20: Fontaine City
Lei Bao moved with astonishing speed. As if terrified Furina might change her mind, he was back in less than a shichen. This time, the procession was far more modest—just an unassuming carriage and a few personal guards. He personally helped a young man down from the carriage.
The young man was about seventeen or eighteen. In his features, one could still faintly trace the resemblance to Lei Bao, and he should have been at an age brimming with vigor and spirit. Yet his face was pale, his eyes hollow. His left sleeve hung empty and lifeless. He radiated the despondent, deadened aura of someone whose very essence had been drained away.
This was Lei Ke—once the fairly talented young master of Thunderclap City. Now, he was like a marionette with its strings cut, allowing his father to guide him along, utterly indifferent to everything around him.
The crowd in the Water God Church's courtyard had yet to fully disperse, and every person now watched this scene with bated breath.
Furina wasted no words. She had a quiet room cleared out at once. The treatment itself was... surprisingly uneventful. No dazzling radiance, no earth-shaking fluctuations of soul power. Furina simply summoned that golden, distinctively shaped "Golden Doughnut Vanilla Cake" once more and had Lei Ke eat it.
Lei Ke complied mechanically, his eyes still numb, as if he held not a shred of hope for this so-called "treatment."
And yet, the miracle unfolded quietly before everyone's eyes.
A soft golden glow slowly suffused from within his body, as if the wintering earth had welcomed the spring breeze. At his empty left shoulder, an itching, warming sensation began, and the faint crackling of growing bone was clearly audible. Flesh and blood rapidly reconstructed, extending, as if woven by invisible hands... Within just a few minutes, a complete, living arm—the skin still flushed with the pink of new life—had impressively grown into place!
At the same time, a surge of vitality swept away the pallor on his face. In those dead, hollow eyes, it was as if a stone had been cast into an ancient well—violent ripples suddenly churned! Shock, disbelief, wild joy, bewilderment... all these emotions ultimately melted into scalding tears that poured from his eyes.
"Hand... my hand..." Lei Ke trembled, carefully lifting his newborn arm. The fingers spread wide, then clenched tightly, feeling that incomparably real sensation, that genuine strength. He abruptly raised his head toward his father, his voice choked with sobs, yet brimming with the first spark of life he'd shown in three years. "Father! My hand... it's back!"
Lei Bao, that iron-blooded Soul Emperor, now had fierce tears glistening in his own eyes. Too moved to speak, he could only heavily pat his son's shoulder again and again, repeating, "Good! Good! It's back. That's all that matters!"
Outside the quiet room, those who had glimpsed this through the cracks in the door let out uncontrollable gasps and cries of astonishment. Even though they had been mentally prepared, witnessing this miraculous scene with their own eyes delivered a shock beyond compare. The believers of the Water God Church were so overcome with emotion they could barely contain themselves, murmuring prayers, their faith in the Water God solidifying into something more unshakable than ever before.
When Lei Bao once again emerged from the quiet room with his son, the state of father and son was entirely different. Lei Ke was still somewhat weak, but his back stood straight, and light had rekindled in his eyes. As for Lei Bao, he looked as if a burden of a thousand jin had been lifted from his shoulders. His whole being radiated a restored vitality.
He strode before Furina. This time, it was no longer a plea—it was a bow of the deepest reverence and gratitude. "Your Holiness, for this grace of remaking, Lei Bao shall never forget as long as he lives! From this day forward, all of Thunderclap City Lord's Manor, high and low, shall follow the Water God Church's lead! All matters within the city—whatever Your Holiness decrees—the City Lord's Manor shall assist with full strength and clear away every obstacle!"
He meant it with all his heart. Furina had not only saved his son, but had given his entire family new hope. This debt of gratitude, and the unfathomable power she had displayed, were more than enough to earn his complete and utter allegiance.
Over the following days, Lei Bao proved his promises with action. What he brought were not empty words, but tangible, substantial aid.
Officials from the City Lord's Manor began proactively coordinating with the Water God Church, assisting with all manner of tedious land deeds and permits at astonishing speed. The tax officers and guards who had once deliberately obstructed the church's supplies entering the city—now, at the mere sight of the Water God Church's insignia, practically threw open every gate and waved them through. A few minor families in the city who had previously voiced murmurs of discontent against the church soon received "friendly" reminders and warnings from the City Lord's Manor, and fell utterly silent at once.
With the formidable support of the City Lord's Manor—this entrenched local power—the Water God Church's development practically sprouted wings. Neuvillette's workload plummeted. Many matters that once required enormous energy to navigate now needed only a single official from the City Lord's Manor to step in and resolve with ease. He could finally allocate more time to focus on the church's internal structure and personnel management, rather than dealing with external troubles day in and day out.
Lei Bao even enthusiastically sought out Furina with an even more astonishing proposal. "Your Holiness! Your grace to my Lei family is nothing less than a second life! Trifling administrative assistance is hardly enough to express my gratitude! I wish to petition the Star Luo Empire to have our Thunderclap City renamed 'Water God City'—to manifest the Water God's glory for all to see! You needn't worry. The Empire pays little heed to the names of these remote border towns. I still have connections in the imperial capital. A little maneuvering, and it will surely be done!"
Furina was in the middle of drinking tea and nearly spat it out. Rename the city? Wasn't this move a bit too absurd? Satisfying as it sounded, "Water God City"... wasn't that name just a little too high-profile, too blatant? It was practically writing "I'm a target" across their foreheads.
She hastily set her teacup down and waved her hands. "Wait, wait, wait! Lord Lei, I appreciate the sentiment. But as for renaming... 'Water God City' is far too ostentatious. A tall tree catches the wind—we need steady, stable growth for now."
Her eyes rolled slyly, and a familiar, beloved name surfaced in her heart, carrying a hint of homesickness. She smiled, and her tone took on a casual yet non-negotiable lightness. "If you truly wish to change it—don't call it Water God City. Hmm... call it 'Fontaine.' Fontaine City. It sounds more understated. Has a nice charm to it too."
"Fontaine City?" Lei Bao paused, tasting the name carefully. Though he didn't understand its meaning, if the Pope favored it, then it surely carried profound significance! He immediately followed her lead. "Excellent! As Your Holiness decrees! Fontaine City it is! I shall set about submitting the request at once!"
No sooner had the renaming matter settled than Lei Bao returned—this time with his son Lei Ke in tow. His objective was even clearer now.
"Your Holiness," Lei Bao's face was earnest as he nudged his still somewhat awkward son forward, "my foolish son Lei Ke owes you his life, his rebirth. The life he has now was given by you, and the road ahead ought to be guided by you. Lei Ke's talent is acceptable, and he is steady and willing to learn. I wonder... I wonder if he might be fortunate enough to be accepted as your disciple and receive your teachings?"
Lei Ke, too, looked at Furina nervously, his eyes brimming with hope and awe. To become the disciple of an existence capable of such divine feats—this would be a monumental blessing.
Furina looked at the father and son before her and felt somewhere between amused and exasperated. Take a disciple? Her own cultivation relied mainly on system infusions. How was she supposed to teach anyone else? Teach him how to use soul power to knead out even tastier cakes? On top of that, she had to keep her eye on Huo Yuhao, her "main account." Where was she supposed to find the energy to manage an "alt"?
She measured her words carefully before offering a gentle yet faintly apologetic smile. "Lord Lei, Lei Ke—I understand your intentions. However, the Church of the Water God is not a traditional sect. Our principle is to provide education to all without discrimination, to extend grace to all living beings."
"As Pope, I must oversee the whole. I'm afraid I would struggle to devote myself fully to taking on a personal disciple. Besides, every person's path is different. Lei Ke, having endured such tribulation, has surely grown in character. Why not let him forge his own road to becoming strong—one that suits him best? If he has questions in his cultivation, he is welcome to seek discussion at any time. As for formal discipleship... let us set that aside for now."
Her words were tactful, but the meaning was clear. A flicker of obvious disappointment crossed Lei Bao's eyes, but he dared not press the matter. He hurriedly replied, "I was too forward. Your Holiness's far-sighted wisdom is absolute. Ke'er, thank Her Holiness for her guidance at once!"
Though Lei Ke was also somewhat crestfallen, he still bowed with respect. "Thank you, Your Holiness, for your instruction."
Furina nodded, exhaling inwardly in relief.
But seeing the poorly-concealed disappointment in Lei Ke's eyes, she felt that mere verbal consolation was a little lacking. Her eyes darted about, and as if performing a conjuring trick, she produced a small, exquisitely crafted jade vial from who-knew-where. The vial was warm and smooth to the touch, faintly exuding a refreshing medicinal fragrance that soothed the heart.
"Here. This is for you." She casually handed the jade vial to Lei Ke, her tone as relaxed as if she were offering a piece of candy. "Though I can't accept you as a disciple, a welcoming gift is still in order. This pill should help stabilize your current level and solidify your foundation."
Lei Ke instinctively accepted the vial with both hands. It was faintly warm to the touch. Before he could even examine it closely, his father beside him had already let out a shocked cry.
"This... this is a Soul Ascension Pill?!"
Lei Bao's voice was thick with incredulous shock. As a Soul Emperor, his worldly knowledge was considerable. He recognized the quality of the jade vial and the unique medicinal fragrance at a single glance—this was no ordinary item! A Soul Ascension Pill! This was a supreme-grade pill capable of directly raising a soul master's soul power rank, with virtually no side effects! Put on the open market, any single one was enough to drive the great powers into a frenzy. Such pills were usually only seen at the most exclusive auctions—each one worth a fortune, often beyond the reach of even those with money! He had never imagined that Furina would produce one so casually, even as a mere "welcoming gift" for his son!
He jolted back to his senses and urgently tugged at the still-dazed Lei Ke, his voice filled with urgency and reverence. "Ke'er! Kneel at once and thank Her Holiness for this heavenly grace!"
Lei Ke was startled by his father's reaction. Though he didn't fully grasp just how precious this "Soul Ascension Pill" truly was, the fact that his father was nearly beside himself with emotion told him enough. A warmth flooded his heart, and he began to bend his knees to kneel.
"Hey, hey! None of that!" Furina raised a hand, and a gentle current of soul power held Lei Ke up, preventing him from truly kneeling. "We don't go in for empty ceremony in the Water God Church. Just take it."
She beamed at the overjoyed father and son as if she'd handed out nothing more than an ordinary candy rather than a treasure that could drive countless soul masters mad. Her tone was casual, yet carried a reassuring certainty. "Now that you've joined the Water God Church, we're family. And I, for one, am always generous with family. Pills, resources—there'll be no shortage in the future. So long as you serve the church faithfully and train diligently, well—never mind a Soul Ascension Pill..."
She paused deliberately, blinked, and lowered her voice with a hint of mystery, as if sharing a little secret. "...even rare things like soul bones—our church might just be able to... find a way to acquire them~"
"Soul bones?!" Lei Bao sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes bulging wider than bronze bells, feeling his heart skip a beat. A Soul Ascension Pill was staggering enough—and now Her Holiness was casually mentioning soul bones as something they could "find a way" to get?! Just how deep did the foundations of this Water God Church run?! The look he gave Furina now held, beyond the previous reverence and gratitude, an added layer of indescribable awe and feverish zeal.
Furina watched their near-petrified expressions with satisfaction, then resumed her slightly languid air, waving her hand with an easy yet pointed tone. "But you know~ some little things are best kept among family~ No need to go spreading it around outside. Our Water God Church—mm—low-key. Low-key is the way to go. Understand?"
"Understood! Understood! Your Holiness, fret not! What was spoken today—from your lips to the ears of us father and son—not a sliver shall leak beyond!" Lei Bao thumped his chest in assurance, his manner even more solemn than before. In this moment, he was utterly convinced: throwing in his lot with the Water God Church was the most correct, most fortunate decision he had ever made in his life. This wasn't just clinging to a powerful thigh—this was latching onto an unfathomably deep mountain of gold and a super treasure vault!
Lei Ke clutched the warm jade vial as if gripping the most precious object in the world, nodding heavily, his voice slightly trembling with emotion. "Lei Ke understands! Thank you, Your Holiness, for your boundless generosity! I shall devote every fiber of my being to serving the Water God Church for the rest of my life!"
"Alright, alright. Good that you understand. Now go back and train well. Absorb that pill's effects as soon as possible." Furina smilingly sent off the Lei father and son, who departed amidst endless thanks, turning back three times with each step.
Watching their silhouettes disappear beyond the courtyard gate, Furina stretched with a yawn, her mood particularly sunny. A stick (refusing discipleship) followed by a sweet date (gifting a precious pill)—this combination seemed to have worked beautifully. She'd maintained her mystique and appropriate distance while binding the City Lord's Manor firmly to her chariot with concrete benefits.
She strolled to the window, gazing out at the bustling crowds on the street beyond. With the City Lord's Manor—this entrenched local power—fully pledged to her cause and lending its full support, so many thorny problems that had once plagued them had melted away. The burden on Neuvillette's shoulders would lighten considerably, and she herself could focus even more on "feeding" and "cultivating" that seed of limitless potential, Huo Yuhao.
"Fontaine City..." She murmured the familiar, beloved name, a sly, expectant curve lifting the corner of her lips. "Has a nice ring to it. Now then... time to start thinking about how to best make use of our new City Lord 'little brother's' resources. Let's build our Church of the Water God... ah, no—let's build my Fontaine City—into something ever more thriving and glorious!"