Chapter 37: The Vanishing Stars
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Time rewinds to an earlier moment.
At this time, Shen Xing’s human avatar was carefully reviewing the documents in his hands, which recorded some newly conceived and already established scientific theories.
Within the Star Pavilion, an elderly man was silently sweeping the floor, the broom gliding over the ground with a faint, rhythmic swish.
Shen Xing set the documents aside, his gaze shifting to the elderly man at his chores.
“Priest Xie, the Star Pavilion is already spotless. There’s no need to keep cleaning.”
“The power of divine arts knows no bounds. The Star Pavilion is immaculate by its very nature. Why go to such lengths?” There was a trace of sentiment in Shen Xing’s eyes.
Xie Huizhi, who had once held high office within the Celestial Church, was now white-haired and aged, yet he maintained a passion for life and a steadfast devotion to his work.
Shen Xing looked helplessly at the man who, by all rights, should be nearly his own “contemporary.”
Since the day he released Wen Jing, Shen Xing had often relied on Xie Huizhi to handle various affairs. Every task was executed with meticulous precision—impossible to find fault with.
After Xie Huizhi reached retirement age, Shen Xing had refrained from troubling him further. Yet, from then on, this octogenarian had silently swept every corner of the temple each day.
“High Priest, you flatter me.”
Xie Huizhi paused, turning around. The lines on his face bore the marks of the years, but his eyes remained clear.
“Sweeping the Star Pavilion is more than a habit for me; it is a form of cultivation.”
Shen Xing rose and walked over to Xie Huizhi’s side, speaking softly, “I understand, Priest Xie.”
“Your faith in the Star Father has always earned my respect. But you are no longer young. You should enjoy your twilight years and need not labor so.”
Xie Huizhi smiled gently, waving his hand, “High Priest, are you trying to send me away?”
“Though I am old, my body is still strong.”
“Besides… I watched the Star Pavilion rise, stone by stone, day by day. I am attached to every tile, every brick.”
Shen Xing sighed, knowing well Xie Huizhi’s temperament. After all, the old man had been by his side for forty years.
He patted Xie Huizhi’s shoulder lightly. “If that’s the case, then carry on.”
Shen Xing said nothing more. He walked quietly to the main entrance of the Star Pavilion and stood there, his back to Xie Huizhi. “Priest Xie, if you wish, I can restore your youth.”
Xie Huizhi’s sweeping paused, then resumed its steady rhythm.
His voice was hoarse, but he faced the temptation of youth with unexpected calm. “High Priest, I appreciate your kindness, but each wrinkle, each gray hair, is a testament to my years—a witness to my faith in the Star Father.”
Only then did Shen Xing turn, gazing deeply at Xie Huizhi.
For this elder who had quietly devoted his life by his side, Shen Xing felt a measure of reverence.
“Priest Xie, your dedication and devotion to the Star Father are a model for all believers.”
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Shen Xing’s voice carried warmth. He respected Xie Huizhi’s choice and understood the old man’s reverence for the passage of time.
Xie Huizhi chuckled softly and continued his sweeping, as if this were the most important task in the world.
“High Priest, you overpraise me. I am only doing what I believe is right.”
“And to still be able, at my age, to contribute to the Star Father’s sanctuary is a great honor.”
Shen Xing nodded. He knew that Xie Huizhi’s heart was already one with the Star Pavilion; every stone and tile held his feelings and memories.
“If that is your wish, I will respect it,” Shen Xing said quietly, his eyes full of deep respect. “But if you ever have any need, tell me at once.”
“High Priest, thank you for your concern.”
“I will continue to watch over the Star Pavilion, until the day I can no longer walk.”
As Xie Huizhi finished speaking, Shen Xing suddenly trembled, then collapsed backward without warning.
Xie Huizhi was momentarily stunned, and his broom fell to the floor.
Utterly shocked, he hastened toward Shen Xing, his aged steps hurried and unsteady.
“High Priest!” His voice was laced with anxiety and disbelief.
Shen Xing lay motionless, eyes shut, his face pale as death.
Kneeling at Shen Xing’s side, Xie Huizhi’s hands trembled as he checked for breath and pulse.
He found none. Shen Xing’s breathing had stopped, his pulse was absent—as if…
“Quick! Someone, quickly! Call for help! Notify the Institute of Life!”
Xie Huizhi shouted toward the doorway, his voice quivering with grief and fear.
Priests outside heard the commotion and rushed in. Seeing Shen Xing on the ground, they too were stunned.
“Hurry, inform the Institute of Life at once!”
The priests were frantic. They all knew that Shen Xing was not only the high priest of the Celestial Church, but the spiritual pillar of the whole Skydome Star.
Shen Xing’s sudden collapse would send shockwaves through the church and the entire world.
Xie Huizhi gently adjusted Shen Xing’s head, cradling him in his arms.
He stared intently at Shen Xing, silently praying in his heart.
Before long, the medical team from the Institute of Life arrived in haste. Their faces grew grave as they assessed the situation.
“Priest Xie, please step aside. Allow us to examine the High Priest.”
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Hearing the words of the Institute’s director, Xie Huizhi slowly stood up and moved aside.
Yet his eyes remained fixed on Shen Xing, his heart heavy with worry.
The medical team quickly set to work, deploying the most advanced equipment for a thorough examination.
The priests waited nervously nearby.
Watching the flurry of activity, Xie Huizhi longed to help, but there was nothing for him to do.
He wanted desperately to know what had happened to Shen Xing, but he knew nothing of medicine.
All he could do was stand there, tears welling in his eyes.
Now, he was nothing but a helpless old man.
Facing this unforeseen calamity, a man who had always approached every task with flawless precision now found himself powerless—unable to do anything at all.
“High Priest, it’s my fault… I didn’t look after you well enough…”
Xie Huizhi’s murmur echoed through the Star Pavilion, his face etched with remorse and helplessness, his heart wracked with anxiety and dread.
Minute by minute, time crawled by. The air in the Star Pavilion seemed frozen, everyone waiting for the medical team’s verdict.
At last, after a tense examination, the director of the Institute of Life stood up, a look of sorrow on his face.
“Fellow priests… the High Priest…”
His words shattered the silence. Every eye turned to him, faces taut with hope and fear.
“What about the High Priest? Speak up!”
“Why do you hesitate at a time like this? Can you afford to delay?”
Under the barrage of questions, the director only spoke the words none wished to hear:
“The High Priest… has returned to the Star Father’s side.”
In that moment, the air in the Star Pavilion seemed to congeal. The director’s pronouncement struck everyone present like a thunderbolt.
Xie Huizhi stood in the corner, silent and motionless.
Only the single tear at the corner of his eye finally gave way
and dropped onto the spotless floor.