Returning Home

"... The days of old will soon return, and all gods shall make their comeback... When that time comes, the 'Temple of Divinity' will reappear on Earth... Just wait patiently."

After finishing the last bit of their conversation, Xi Gu temporarily disconnected his "link" with Yang Luo.

Although he could still sense every move and the life state of the other person, once the "link" was severed, he could no longer hear the other's "heart's voice" nor communicate with them.

Thinking back to what he had just said, Xi Gu pondered for a moment.

"The Temple of Divinity... the Elixir of Divinity... and terms like 'days of old' and 'the gods', were these settings I came up with on the fly a bit too 'chuunibyou'?" A hint of embarrassment emerged.

But Xi Gu chuckled.

"Forget it... If it's 'chuunibyou', then so be it. The myths and legends from history are much more 'chuunibyou' than mine, yet there are still so many worshippers."

"Besides, the initiative always lies with me. If I want, I can continually create countless superhumans... Power is the essence; explanations are always secondary. I can add new settings or patch up the current ones later on!"

He shrugged, feeling entirely at ease.

But at that moment, a faint sound echoed between heaven and earth. From thousands of meters above, imperceptible to the naked eye, a black dot shot towards him at a speed comparable to a jet airliner.

From a distance, the black dot grew larger, revealing the silhouette of a black hawk.

— It was Black Moon!

Just as its wings fluttered, stopping several meters in front of Xi Gu, the airstream from its rapid dive transformed into a gale, whistling through the wilderness—

"Whoosh!"

Wind blew abruptly, centered around Xi Gu, and within a diameter of dozens of meters, grass and dirt flew about, creating a roaring sound.

Grey Shadow, which had been lying lazily beside Xi Gu, stood up in annoyance, its fur pushed backward by the wind, and it bared its teeth unhappily at Black Moon.

Black Moon responded with a dismissive lift of its head, tucking its wings, and landed its claws onto Xi Gu's shoulders, emanating an air of superiority.

Grey Shadow grew more dissatisfied, its back arching as if gathering strength.

Black Moon, although appearing disdainful, subtly raised its wings, with razor-sharp feathers standing on end, reflecting a cold, dark gleam.

The tension was palpable, and it seemed a great battle between the hawk and the dog was imminent.

At this crucial moment, Xi Gu waved his hand.

"Enough, both of you, calm down."

Grey Shadow immediately relaxed, letting out a couple of grumbles, as if saying "It was Black Moon who provoked me first", and then lay down next to Xi Gu, nuzzling his leg.

Although Black Moon still held its head high in a haughty demeanor, its feathers were retracted.

"This time, Black Moon, you did a great job. You scouted the sky for days, helping me find a suitable test subject, pushing my plan forward."

The once mysterious and aloof 'Master of the Temple of Divinity', now stood on an open field, smiling at the divine beast messenger of Temple of Divinity.

Although the 'Divine Beast' appeared proud, after hearing Xi Gu's praise, its "heart's voice" conveyed its joy: "I will definitely complete the master's task perfectly. I'm not like that stupid dog."

As it spoke, it cast a sideways glance at Grey Shadow.

Although Grey Shadow couldn't hear its "heart's voice", it could guess what Black Moon was implying. It let out a huff and nuzzled Xi Gu's leg even more, making a pitiful whimper.

"Can't the two of you act with a bit more dignity and self-respect?" Xi Gu said with a wry smile.

He patted Grey Shadow's head.

"There, there, don't be so aggrieved. You'll have plenty of chances to shine in the future... Grey Shadow the divine beast messenger of Temple of Divinity!"

...

Meanwhile, Yang Luo, unaware of the conversation taking place in the wilderness, was heading towards his rented apartment in Qing Xia City after disconnecting from the Master of the Temple of Divinity.

Saying he was 'walking' wasn't quite accurate. With a slight effort, he could float dozens of meters in a blink. At full speed, he could cover a distance of over a hundred meters in a flash.

Fortunately, the 'Elixir of Divinity' not only elevated his life's essence but also granted him precise control and an incredibly heightened sense of awareness. Thus, Yang Luo wasn't caught up in the embarrassment of becoming an overnight internet sensation.

Like a soaring dragon, Yang Luo swiftly traversed the mountains and forests. Upon entering the city, he slowed down, appearing like a ragged traveler. While he still attracted some attention, he wasn't about to become an urban legend.

Walking on the streets, Yang Luo deeply pondered the words of the 'Master of the Temple of Divinity'.

"... The days of old will soon return, and all gods shall make their comeback..."

This sentence weighed on his heart like a massive stone.

He was naturally unaware that this was merely a whim of someone who, out of their own peculiar taste, wanted to add more flair to the upcoming age of the supernatural.

To Yang Luo, the power within him and the voice in his mind were undeniable evidence. The stronger he became, the more he understood the grandeur behind that voice. He believed every word Xi Gu said, without reservation.

— Because there was no reason to doubt.

And if he believed everything, even just this single statement, the implications alone made him think deeply about the profound and mysterious nature of the world.

"Sigh...

"...'Days of old', 'The gods'... Just hearing these terms, I can feel they represent incredibly secretive and powerful beings. The beings named 'gods', once they appear, will surely bring unprecedented shock to this world... Perhaps the very moment they emerge, the entire world's rules will be reshuffled...

"...Thankfully, I've already received the legacy of the 'Temple of Divinity'. Even though it's just my intuition, I feel that the Temple Master is likely an entity comparable to a deity... It's always good to be under the protection of a powerful figure. At least in the future, if the gods do return, I should still have a place in the drastically changed world...

"...But since there are 'gods', there might be entities similar to the Temple Master, right? Perhaps others might also get opportunities like mine, becoming 'disciples' or 'believers' of other deities...

"...There's still too little information. All these are just speculations."

Taking a deep breath, Yang Luo looked up.

The door to his rented house was right in front of him. Without realizing it, he had already returned home.

Upon opening the door, the familiar arrangement greeted him. It hadn't even been a full day since he left, but returning felt like crossing into another lifetime.

— On the table lay both his suicide note and his cellphone. Glancing at the words on the note, Yang Luo subconsciously touched his chest, feeling the immense insignificance of his past self.

"Humans are so fragile..."

He picked up his phone and unlocked it, relieved to see the scheduled message to his parents had not yet been sent. He immediately canceled it. Clasping the suicide note in his hands, with a simple rub, it turned to ash.

The gray paper fragments fluttered down, resembling snowflakes.

The scattered papers seemed to represent Yang Luo's past life.

"...It's all in the past."

At that moment, he felt this profoundly.

"I've been given a second chance... a chance beyond anyone's imagination. This time, I won't waste it. I must ensure a happy life for both my parents and myself."

With these thoughts, a deep longing rose in his heart. Having come back from the brink, the desire to see his family again surged within him.

Yang Luo picked up his phone and called his parents.

"Hey, Dad, Mom... No, nothing, just missing you...

"I'll be home in a few days... What? Still living in the village? Not accustomed to the county's house? Sigh, after working hard all your lives, it's time to rest, no need to farm anymore...

"Alright... I'll come to see you soon..."

Putting down the phone, a warm smile lingered on Yang Luo's lips.

Yet, at the same time, his eyes sharpened.

"In a few days, I'll return... But before that, there's a score I need to settle.

"...Be it Shengyi, or the team leader and Huang Cheng, I can fully understand their actions — it's all to cut costs and increase economic benefits... If that's the case, surely they would understand my actions in return, right?"