Chapter 36: Going to the Teacher

Before the Earth Fleet arrived

Su Xiaoyi embarked on a journey to the western sector of Skydome Star, his heart brimming with curiosity for the unknown and anticipation for his mission. As a student of Shen Xing, he understood that what awaited him was not only the test of nature, but also a profound examination of human hearts and social responsibility.

Historically, the western regions of the supercontinent had been the destination of the blasphemers, so many people disliked venturing westward, and many policies and welfare provisions had yet to reach the residents there. Though these were merely remnants of history, they were enough for the devout people of Skydome Star to avoid the west as much as possible.

The capital of the western sector was Shazhou City. Since the high-speed rail and airports were clustered only at the borders with other sectors, anyone wishing to continue westward could only travel deeper by car. In this barren land, it seemed as though the rapid march of technology had left it behind.

Most people received information only through letters and newspapers delivered by the Shazhou City post office and news agency, and even then, western residents had to distribute them among themselves.

Upon reaching a small town on the desert’s edge, further west of Shazhou, Su Xiaoyi and the helpful driver exchanged a blessing—“May the Star Father protect you”—before parting ways.

After saying goodbye to the driver, Su Xiaoyi finally took a careful look at the scenery around the town. The desert’s edge town was called Sandstone Town, lying quietly at the boundary of an endless sea of sand—a lonely island amid a golden ocean. Once scorched by a meteorite’s impact, only a desolate expanse of sand remained.

The town was encircled by boundless dunes. Under the sunlight, the grains of sand shimmered brilliantly, and heat waves danced in the air, distorting everything they touched.

At the entrance stood an arch built of weathered stone and timber, bearing the name “Sandstone Town,” though the lettering had grown faint from years of wind and sand. On either side of the arch, several drought-resistant trees grew tenaciously, their leaves gently swaying in the hot breeze.

After stepping through the gates of Sandstone Town, Su Xiaoyi began recording local customs and searching for the busiest places in town.

Under the scorching sun, his footsteps felt especially heavy on the dusty road. Soon, his gaze settled on a modest clinic, outside of which a long line had formed. Every face in the queue bore the marks of illness and suffering.

Su Xiaoyi frowned and approached the clinic. As he drew near, all those in line noticed the ceremonial attire of the Star Dome Faith, crafted by Shen Xing himself, and silently made way for him.

Inside, he saw a handful of exhausted doctors doing their best to tend to the sick with limited resources. The sparse bottles on the medicine cabinet told the whole story.

He walked over to the elderly doctor in charge of the medicines and inquired about the situation.

“Hello, may I ask why the line is so long here?”

“Our medicines are all gone. The next supply won’t come for another month, and the local doctors are inexperienced in handling illnesses. We simply can’t treat these patients quickly enough.”

“What about those waiting for medicine? Some could be in urgent need of care.”

“The city’s medical supply is scheduled every three months because the road to the town is so difficult. Outside doctors are unwilling to come, and local ones aren’t skilled enough.”

“And we’ve never seen anything like this before, but lately, fevers have become common—probably some kind of flu. Many people just try to push through as best they can.” The old doctor sighed repeatedly, his wrinkled face etched with helplessness. After asking a few more questions, Su Xiaoyi left the clinic.

Outside, he saw a mother cradling her child, whose face was flushed with fever. The mother’s eyes were filled with anxiety and helplessness, stirring Su Xiaoyi’s heart.

Before he had mastered divine arts, he too had missed many classes as a child due to frail health, and his family had run everywhere for his sake. Fortunately, becoming the High Priest’s student had granted him divine arts, curing his weakness and frequent illnesses.

He stepped forward and gently touched the child’s forehead. “Madam, how long has your child been sick?”

“It’s been two days. No matter what we do, the fever won’t go down. There are so many people in line, and…we don’t know if we’ll even get our turn.” Tears welled in her eyes as she spoke.

Though his divine arts had strengthened him, Su Xiaoyi could not help this poor child—until, suddenly, he felt a resonance in his heart. Shen Xing’s voice echoed in his mind.

“Teacher?” Su Xiaoyi called out in surprise.

He then felt, with perfect clarity, his teacher bestowing upon him a divine art—a power that could restore an individual’s state to before their illness, involving a manipulation of time itself.

“Su Xiaoyi, use this power to heal those in need, but remember: true change must come from the root.”

“I will, Teacher!”

After grasping the use of this power, Su Xiaoyi’s hand glimmered with a faint light as he gently touched the child. The restless child soon became calm, his cries subsiding. The mother quickly felt his forehead and exclaimed in delight, “The fever’s gone! He’s better! Thank you, Priest!”

Hearing her, the crowd hurried to Su Xiaoyi’s side. He calmed the eager people and began his work, healing the more severe cases nearby first, and then tending to those waiting in line.

For days, Su Xiaoyi continued treating the townspeople, and soon his deeds spread, earning him the title “the Doctor Blessed by the Divine.” Yet, he knew that mere healing was not a lasting solution.

He began planning ways to improve local healthcare—establishing a more comprehensive medical system, training local practitioners, and promoting basic sanitation.

As a divine attendant, he quickly contacted the Western Sector’s medical department and put forward his proposals. Though the problems remained unsolved for now, medical reform for the remote west was already on the agenda, and a support team was on its way. Until then, Su Xiaoyi relied on his divine arts to heal the sick.

Through the townsfolk, he learned that deeper within the desert lay even more remote villages with poorer medical resources. After the support team arrived, he resolved to leave Sandstone Town and venture further into the desert to help those in greater need.

Some time into the journey, Shen Xing’s voice, full of approval, echoed once more in his mind:

“You have come to a deeper understanding of the Star Father’s will.”

“Now, I shall grant you a higher level of divine art.”

Su Xiaoyi bowed in gratitude, preparing to receive the enlightenment from Shen Xing’s humanoid avatar.

But suddenly, he felt a surge of immense power raging within him, violently tearing at his organs. He coughed up a mouthful of blood, his face twisted in terror.

He realized that the enlightenment had abruptly ceased midway, leaving him gravely injured. Yet his first instinct was not to heal himself, but to ensure his teacher’s safety.

“Teacher! Teacher!” Blood mingled with fragments of his organs as he cried out, but no matter how he called, there was no answer from Shen Xing.

Something had happened.

Something had happened to his teacher!

As a divine attendant of Skydome Star, Su Xiaoyi instantly grasped the gravity of the situation. With great effort, he pulled out his phone and sent messages to the other divine attendants:

[Teacher]
[Sanctuary]
[Hurry!!!!!!!!!!]

He then collapsed painfully to the ground, a sense of foreboding surging within him. Struggling, he used the divine arts Shen Xing had granted him to restore his battered body, but compared to the cosmic laws tearing him apart, it was but a drop in the ocean.

He looked toward the direction of the Central Sanctuary, a flicker of determination in his eyes.

He had just left Sandstone Town, less than a kilometer away—but in his condition, that distance seemed an impossible chasm.

He tried to stand, but the raging cosmic laws forced him to his knees in agony.

“I must… reach Teacher’s side!”

Using divine arts to heal himself, he crawled forward on his hands, inch by painful inch.