Chapter 73 — The Cost of a God
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Before Dawn
YiChen opened his eyes to darkness beyond the window.
The sky hadn’t begun to pale.
For the first time in days, he had slept deeply—
no nightmares, no jolting awake,
no Faithstream tearing through his thoughts.
Even Shadowfang lay still beside his pillow,
coiled like a pool of silent, breathing night.
There was a mission today.
The Blackpine Forest campsite needed to be reclaimed;
the supplies they left behind were now critical to the city’s defense net.
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Before Departure
At breakfast, ChengYu listlessly stirred his rice,
drawing circles in slow, defeated loops.
YiChen raised a brow.
“Blackpine Forest isn’t a field trip.”
“But I already learned the first form of the Starfall Sword Intent!”
ChengYu flailed his small arms dramatically—
A spark of sword-light flickered at his fingertips…
…and sputtered out.
YiChen reached over and ruffled his hair, gentle but immovable.
“Next time.”
ChengYu’s lip quivered.
He was seconds from a tantrum.
Before it detonated, YiChen pulled something from his pocket.
A trembling pink Spirit-Light rabbit—
curled into itself, shaking violently from Shadowfang’s residual aura.
“It’s afraid of Shadowfang,” YiChen said, placing it carefully into ChengYu’s arms.
“You look after it. I’ll be back before dark.”
ChengYu hugged the rabbit tight.
“…You better keep your word.”
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On the Road
Two gray tactical trucks sped through the empty morning highway.
Inside one, Logan slapped the bandage on his arm and grinned.
“This? Just a scratch. I’m not sitting out again.”
Xu Wei said nothing—checking his Spirit-Energy rifle with quiet precision—
but the slight upward twitch at his mouth betrayed him.
Inside YiChen’s Consciousness Sea, he asked:
“That girl’s Spirit Force. You said it carried origin aura… what does that mean?”
Shixi blinked, head tilting dreamily.
“YiChen… everything begins from the origin~”
No further explanation.
Origin Breath…
No wonder she burned corruption like it was ash.
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Return Mission
Seven special-ops officers accompanied the team.
Most had never entered Spirit-saturated Blackpine Forest.
The moment they crossed the boundary, hardened men stared—awed—
at glowing vines, translucent mushrooms,
Spirit Beasts drifting like quiet constellations through the fog.
The campsite’s barrier remained untouched.
Supplies undisturbed.
Extraction proceeded fast—
? Spirit herbs collected
? Crystals packed
? Research logs secured
Within two hours, every soldier carried a twelve-kilogram pack.
On the return hike, even the ever-alert Han Yue finally exhaled.
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“That was way too easy. Not a single hostile beast.”
YiChen didn’t answer.
Something had been coiling in his chest since dawn—
a pressure winding through his meridians.
He’d ignored it at first.
But it grew.
Heavier.
Tighter.
Layer after layer—
BOOM.
A surge of faith power detonated inside him—
ripping through his meridians like molten glass.
He staggered.
Han Yue wheeled around instantly.
To his perception, YiChen’s Spirit Force was unraveling into chaos.
“Captain—are you alright?”
YiChen’s jaw tightened, veins standing out at his temple.
“I’m fine.”
He forced himself upright—voice iron-hard.
“Return to the city.”
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Inside the Truck
YiChen gripped the seat rail so hard his knuckles whitened.
In his Consciousness Sea—
Faith power poured in as if a dam had been shattered,
violent, unending.
Shixi darted frantically along his Spirit Meridians,
patching ruptures as fast as they tore open.
“AHHH—! Why is there suddenly so much?!”
Shixi shrieked, nine tails whipping like distressed flags.
“Shadowfang! Don’t just float there—help!”
Above the sea of surging light, Shadowfang’s long obsidian body coiled—
silent, regal, star-mist pulsing through the etched scales of a wingless dragon.
A low, cold chuckle resonated.
“He refused to listen.”
Shadowfang’s eyes glowed—a molten, ancient gold.
“This sovereign warned him—
he should have kept the girl by his side.”
His voice sharpened—cruel, amused.
“Now let him endure it.
Pain is the only teacher he obeys.”
“You wicked shadow! What good is scolding him now?!”
Shixi howled, tails flailing as it tried to reinforce another ruptured meridian.
———
Distress Signal
The moment the truck reentered signal range,
YiChen’s trembling fingers fumbled for his phone.
Every meridian in his body felt as if it were being peeled open,
but he still managed to type out one message—
“Leo. How’s the girl we rescued yesterday?”
The reply came almost instantly:
“She had a fever this morning. Improved by afternoon.
Still resting. Expected to recover tomorrow.
The Academy arranged proper medical care—
Don’t worry.”
YiChen’s jaw clenched until the bones creaked.
Cold sweat slid down his temples.
As expected…
Elena’s purification ability—
her Spirit-Force composition—
mattered far more than he had realized.
And now, with her gone from his proximity,
the Faithstream backlash was tearing him apart.
For the moment, there was only one thing he could do—
drag himself home
and survive the “poison” on his own.
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Leo’s Suspicion
Back at City Hall, Leo stared at the glowing message on-screen, brows knitting.
Something’s wrong.
YiChen never asked about unrelated personnel.
He certainly never texted to check on someone’s wellbeing.
Leo exhaled slowly.
Then pressed the comm unit.
“Retrieve all Radiance Preparatory Academy records on Elena Lin.”
His tone held no curiosity—
only calculation.
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Evening · Returning Home
The transport truck slowed to a stop outside the residential complex.
YiChen stepped down—
He barely landed on his feet.
His face was bloodless.
Every breath trembled.
Cold sweat dripped from his jaw to the pavement.
The team fell silent.
Their captain was always like this—
no matter the wound, no matter the agony—
he bore everything alone.
Logan rubbed the dashboard.
“Let’s go. His family will take care of him.”
Ryan frowned, uneasy.
“He was fine this morning… what happened?”
No one answered.
The truck pulled away.
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Family Concern
The door hadn’t even fully opened before ChengYu barreled forward—
And froze when he hugged YiChen.
“…Brother? Did you get hurt? You’re shaking.”
Zhang Han rushed from the kitchen.
She reached for YiChen’s hand—
—and recoiled at how ice-cold he was.
“Xiao Chen, you’re freezing! What happened?”
Mark pressed a palm to YiChen’s forehead, scowling.
“Aches? Joints? Fever?”
Their voices blurred—
as though filtered through water.
YiChen forced a faint, practiced smile.
“Fine. Blackpine Forest was windy.
Didn’t dress warmly enough.”
He waved them off gently.
“I just need a bath.”
Zhang Han nodded slowly, worry softening her expression.
“I’ll draw the—”
“No.”
The word shot out too fast. Too sharp.
YiChen caught himself.
“…I’ll handle it.”
He forced a calmer tone.
“What did you cook tonight? I’m hungry.”
“I’ll run the bath for Brother!” ChengYu said brightly.
“No—!”
YiChen’s voice cracked again.
Quickly, he ruffled ChengYu’s hair to mask the panic.
“Help Mom set the table instead, alright?”
Only after soothing them all
did he retreat into the bathroom
and lock the door.
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Purging the Poison
YiChen turned the shower on full blast—
the roar drowning out the sound of his own pulse.
He sliced the Lao Gong point on his left palm.
Dark, tar-thick Faith energy spilled out—
like corrupted blood pulled straight from the bone.
But inside him, his Spirit Meridians writhed,
jagged divine fragments ripping him open from the inside.
“—ghh!”
He bit down on a towel.
Cold sweat soaked through his clothes.
His vision flickered, dimming around the edges.
The Pact Mark at his nape throbbed faintly.
In his Consciousness Sea—
Shadowfang’s voice struck like thunder:
“If this happens again, this sovereign will not save you.
Take her with you.”
A surge of cool, star-dusted Spirit Force wrapped through his meridians—
Shadowfang absorbing part of the violent backlash,
though whether from irritation or reluctant mercy
even YiChen couldn’t tell.
The pain loosened—
just enough.
YiChen slumped against the tub, limbs shaking uncontrollably.
Every breath scraped his lungs raw.
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Dinner Call
“Brother? Are you okay? Dinner’s ready.”
ChengYu’s soft voice carried through the door.
YiChen inhaled slowly.
Forced his breath to steady.
“…Coming.”
He shut off the water.
Bracing both hands on the sink,
he met his reflection.
Pale.
Drained.
Unsteady.
Something inside him shuddered.
He closed his eyes.
Exhaustion burrowed deep into his bones,
heavy and cold.
Then—
Quietly.
Flatly.
“…Looks like I’ll have to move out.”
