Ning Zheng had said a great deal to Lu Yi, and it had indeed given him a wake-up call.
Until then, he had been confident in Mahoutokoro's uniqueness and how hard it was to replace. He had believed that as long as he possessed that technology, funding and resources would flow without end.
And with those in hand, the organization's strength would soar, vaulting it into the ranks of the continent's top powers.
But the former decline of the Tang Sect and the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect was still plain to see. Even Shrek Academy and the Spirit Pagoda, in the original course of events ten thousand years later, had suffered devastating blows at the height of their power for different reasons.
The reasons differed, but the underlying logic was the same.
Human greed would cause an organization to ossify from within, breeding corruption and factional strife. Outwardly, it would keep swallowing up others until it became a threat to every other power.
Those hostile powers might endure in silence for a time because of the gap in strength, but the problem would not disappear. It would keep building until the pressure reached a breaking point, then explode.
When that happened, however strong the organization was, it could not make an enemy of the entire world.
At that thought, Lu Yi began reconsidering the short-term plans he had made for the future.
Soon, an idea took shape. "Uncle Ning, has Tian told you anything about Soul Spirits?"
"Soul Spirits?"
Ning Zheng looked thoughtful. He carefully recalled his brief meetings with his daughter over the past few years and the letters they had exchanged.
But thinking it over, he realized his precious daughter had not said anything heartfelt to him in ages. He had also sent far more letters than