158: Returning with a full load

The wind and sand were still blowing. Shen Xiaochuan stood at the edge of the wasteland, the yellow sand under his feet swirling chaotically in the wind.

He looked back at the altar in the distance; the stone pillars stood alone.

The Evil Sheep Priest didn't move, leaning against a stone pillar, his breathing a bit better than before.

"Are you really not coming with me?" Shen Xiaochuan asked.

The old man shook his head. "With this body of mine, I wouldn't survive three days if I left here."

Shen Xiaochuan didn't speak again. He knew that some people didn't leave not because they didn't want to, but because they couldn't. Just like himself—he could clearly hide, but every time he turned around, he would see the eyes of those people.

He looked down at his hands. Black lines were still moving in his palms; that was the power left behind by Aminos. His combat power was 2430, very stable. The heat flow inside his body was no longer chaotic, moving to the rhythm of the faith points, as if it had developed a breath.

"Can you still hold up?" the Evil Sheep Priest suddenly asked.

"I'm okay." Shen Xiaochuan flexed his wrists, his joints cracking. "It's just that my bones feel a bit heavy, like they've been filled with iron."

"Your body hasn't adapted yet." The old man coughed twice. "Don't rush to use your full strength; let the power mature on its own first."

Shen Xiaochuan nodded. He knew this was correct. No matter how strong the power was, he had to be able to control it himself.

The old man slowly raised his hand and took a cloth bundle from his chest. The cloth was grey-black, its edges frayed. He opened it layer by layer to reveal five dark red beads; their surfaces had black veins that pulsed slightly, like blood vessels.

"These are for you," he said.

Shen Xiaochuan frowned. "What are these?"

The old man's voice was low. "These are Evil Spirit Fire Orbs, perfect grade. The power of each explosion is equivalent to about half a small nuclear bomb. They were left behind from when we used to Seal demons, and I never could bring myself to use them."

Shen Xiaochuan didn't reach out. "Giving me something this powerful—aren't you afraid I'll use it for evil?"

The old man smiled, his teeth slightly yellow. "I am. But I can tell you're not that kind of person. If you wanted to rule and dominate, you would have acted long ago. You returned to protect something, not to seize anything."

Shen Xiaochuan was silent for a few seconds before reaching out to take them.

The beads were very hot and somewhat restless. He immediately opened the Faith Mall and placed them into his exclusive storage grid. The System chimed, indicating the storage was complete.

He glanced at his faith points balance—it had increased by another point. +1 per second, very stable.

"Thank you," he said.

"Don't thank me," the old man waved his hand. "You're the one who should be thanked. You brought the sword back and cleared this path. People in the future won't have to walk toward a dead end alone anymore."

Shen Xiaochuan didn't speak, only nodded.

The two stood there, neither speaking again. The wind blew, carrying sand that hit their faces—it stung a little, but it felt very real.

After a while, Shen Xiaochuan turned and walked forward.

His feet crunched on the sandy ground. He didn't look back, but he could feel that gaze following him until it disappeared as he walked further away.

He walked for about ten minutes, and the power within him became smoother and smoother. This new power was like freshly forged iron, still a bit hot, but he was already able to grasp it firmly.

He activated the Divine Kingdom Shared Vision, and the status of his three thousand Believers immediately appeared in his mind.

Their total combat power was 352 points, no one was injured, and the procession was orderly, heading toward Skydome City. They walked slowly but steadily, as if they knew someone was watching.

The System prompt sounded.

[Five-Day Summary Report Generated]

Shen Xiaochuan chose to view it.

First item: Skydome City has added 127,321 new residents, of which 8.3% are Awakened, all of whom have been registered.

Second item: Two new Level 3 markets and five residential areas have been built; the library and skill training area are completed, with 12,345 skill books.

Third item: Average daily incense revenue increased by 47.6%, with a net increase of 864,219 faith points per day.

Fourth item: During this period, there were two perfect grade Black Bear Spirit beast tide encounters, both of which were blocked by Qiao Yao using a barrier, with no casualties.

Seeing this, Shen Xiaochuan's brow relaxed.

He remembered that before he left, Qiao Yao said she wanted to reinforce the defensive line. At the time, he hadn't paid much attention to it, not expecting that she had actually upgraded the barrier to a level capable of blocking perfect grade monsters. "This woman, she really has ability..." he murmured, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

He decided that the first thing he would do upon returning was to thank Qiao Yao in person. It wasn't just politeness; he genuinely felt that with her guarding their home, he could risk his life outside with peace of mind.

The procession continued to move. The closer they got to Skydome City, the more familiar the terrain became. The wasteland slowly turned into green land, and the air became humid. The border barrier appeared before his eyes, like a pale blue wall, stretching between heaven and earth.

Shen Xiaochuan raised his hand and cast a beam of light.

The barrier shook and split open a passage.

He led the procession through.

As soon as they landed, people surrounded them. Some brought water, some carried dry rations, and children held small flags woven from grass, with "Welcome Home" written on them in crooked handwriting.

Shen Xiaochuan took a bowl of water and drank a mouthful; it was warm and slightly sweet.

"How have you all been doing?" he asked a middle-aged man.

"Great!" the man said loudly. "There's work in the city, the kids can go to school, and just the other day I even received a housing voucher!"

Shen Xiaochuan nodded. He knew about these things, but hearing it from someone personally felt different.

The procession headed toward the main city, and people kept joining the welcoming crowd along the way. No one was shouting slogans, no one was dancing; they just stood there, watching and smiling.

He understood that these people weren't here for him. What they wanted was just the word "safety."

After walking for over an hour, the Main Hall appeared. Tall pillars, wide steps, and two stone tigers crouched in front of the door, motionless.

Shen Xiaochuan walked at the very front, his pace slowing down.

He stepped onto the first step and felt his body relax bit by bit. It wasn't exhaustion; it was his heart settling down.

The Main Hall doors were open, and it was bright inside.

He walked in, his footsteps echoing in the hall.

"You've returned."

The voice came from the side.

Lilia was standing by a corridor pillar, wearing a light grey dress and holding files in her arms. She wasn't wearing makeup, but her eyes were bright, as if she had been waiting for a long time.

Shen Xiaochuan stopped. "Yeah, I'm back."

He looked around. The Main Hall was the same as when he left—clean and quiet, and the smoke in the incense burner burned evenly. The map on the wall had been updated with a few more markings, clearly drawn while he was away.

"I've heard about everything in the city," he said.

Lilia walked over and placed the files on the table. "Lord Qiao Yao guarded the city very steadily. Both of those beast tides were blocked by the barrier, so you didn't have to worry."

Shen Xiaochuan nodded. "She's always reliable."

"And you?" Lilia asked softly. "Are you injured?"

"No." He touched the copper gear pendant on his cuff. "On the contrary, I'm a bit stronger than when I left."

Lilia breathed a sigh of relief, the corners of her mouth finally lifting completely. "That's good. Everyone has been waiting for your return."

Shen Xiaochuan smiled but didn't say much more.

He walked to the main seat but didn't sit down, standing against the back of the chair for a moment. He tapped his fingers gently on the armrest, one tap after another, in the same rhythm as the growth of his faith points.

"What are the plans for next?" Lilia asked.

"Rest and reorganize first," he said. "Everyone on rotation rest, and distribute the supplies. We'll hold a meeting tomorrow."

"Understood." Lilia noted it down. "Do you need me to prepare bathwater?"

"Yes, hot water is fine."

"Shall I have food sent up as well?"

"Whatever is fine, as long as there are steamed buns."

Lilia nodded and turned to leave.

"Wait." Shen Xiaochuan called out to her.

She turned back.

"You've worked hard during this time."

Lilia paused for a moment, then shook her head. "This is what I should do."

After she finished speaking, she left, her footsteps light.

Shen Xiaochuan stood where he was, listening to her footsteps fade away. The Main Hall was quiet again.

He closed his eyes and felt the power flowing within him. 2430 points of combat power, five perfect grade Evil Spirit Fire Orbs, three thousand Believers, and a secure city.

None of it came without effort.

He also knew that the truly useful part of these things wasn't how strong they were, but that they could allow the people around him to live with more peace of mind.

He opened his eyes and walked to the window.

Outside, the sky hadn't yet darkened; the sunset shone on the plaza, where a group of children were chasing a kite. The kite was made of paper and didn't fly very high, but they were running happily.

Shen Xiaochuan watched for a while, the corners of his mouth twitching.

He turned and returned to the main seat, finally sitting down.

The chair was steady and could support his weight.

He placed his hands on the armrests; his fingertips were a bit cold.

At this moment, he knew he had truly returned.