Chapter 24: Preparing for Departure
Soren had been quietly waiting. It was not until the funeral ended that he approached Vivian, gently nodding to the young priestess before thanking her, “Thank you for your help these past two days.”
“I plan to take her away.”
Vivian’s expression lit up at the sight of Soren; she reached out to hold onto one of his fingers, happily saying, “Brother.”
“You’re back.”
The young priestess’s face held a hint of sadness, as if she was still grieving for the deceased.
She glanced at Soren, her brow furrowing involuntarily. The perception of priests was quite strong, and to her, Soren had once seemed like a street thug—capable, but lacking real battle experience. However, now he appeared to her like a warrior, exuding an aura similar to that of the Temple Guards—a violent presence honed through battle. Many of the Temple Guards were veterans of the battlefield, so how could Soren have changed so quickly?
Had he experienced something during these two short days?
Soren inclined his head slightly towards Priest Fei’er in the distance, preparing to take Vivian away.
“Wait!” The young priestess reached out to stop him and quickly continued, “Vivian has talents that ordinary people don’t have!”
“She may have the potential to become a priest.”
“I think you should leave her here for now. If she can become a priest, it would be good for her future.”
“At least it would be better than…”
At this point, the young priestess fell silent, implying that it was better than following Soren around on the streets. Becoming a priest of a deity would grant her a noble identity, significantly improving her status. In her view, it was undoubtedly better than wasting time in some third-rate gang in the slums alongside Soren. She naturally didn’t know that Soren was ruthlessly killing in the slums, and Vivian wouldn’t disclose such things. To the young priestess, Soren still seemed like a pivotal figure in a gang.
No matter how skilled a thief was, they ultimately couldn’t rise to prominence!
“Hmph!”
Upon hearing the young priestess’s words, the first to speak out was not Soren, but Vivian, her expression sour. Her small face puffed up with anger as she shot a fierce glare at the priestess, protesting, “I don’t want to become a priest!”
“Being with my brother is the best!”
She absolutely would not allow anyone to look down on her brother. So what if he was a thief?
If it weren’t for Soren risking everything to steal, she wouldn’t have survived to this day.
Those insufferable, lofty faces!
Who could understand how difficult it was for a teenage boy to raise a three-year-old girl?
There had been a time when her brother worked at the docks, but no matter how hard he worked—his back covered in bruises—the money he earned was still not enough to fill their stomachs. In Vivian’s heart, her brother was the one holding up her world, so she would not allow anyone to look down on him, not even the priestess whom she had always been close to.
The little girl glared at her as if she were her enemy!
The young priestess was taken aback.
She had never seen this little girl get angry, especially not at her. She wanted to apologize, but still stubbornly believed that Soren couldn’t provide her with a better future.
A thief from the slums.
Becoming a leader of a gang wouldn’t change the fact that he still lived day to day in uncertainty.
Vivian should have a better future!
The young priestess was convinced that she was doing this for Vivian’s sake, and her expression turned a bit stubborn. She turned her head to look at Soren, as if she wanted him to realize that keeping Vivian at the temple would ensure a brighter future for her.
Unfortunately, she was disappointed.
Soren merely smiled and gently stroked Vivian’s small head, as if calming a feisty little kitten.
He chuckled as he picked up Vivian’s small body and placed her securely on his shoulder. The little girl immediately laughed and wrapped her arms around Soren’s neck, gently rubbing her forehead against his hair.
She was always so cheerful!
If nobody tried to intentionally upset her, this quiet little girl could happily keep herself busy all day long.
Cleaning the room, washing clothes, tidying up.
Although the clothes were never very clean, Soren never minded much.
“I’m sorry.”
Soren steadied the little girl’s waist with one hand; she felt light due to malnutrition. He slowly shook his head, seriousness evident in his voice, “Vivian will not become a priest.”
A priest?
The years of turmoil were about to begin.
The Lord of Dawn was one of the earliest fallen deities!
At that time, the priestess before him would lose her ability to cast divine techniques, unless her perception exceeded 20 points, allowing her to reinterpret divine techniques through her own abilities and transfer her faith to the ‘Source of Order’ to understand the world anew based on universal faith. Otherwise, in the future, she would just be an ordinary person, at most possessing slightly better combat skills than an average person.
Soren had already decided to leave.
To get away from the chaos caused by the skinning incident!
He could not allow Vivian to remain in the Temple of Dawn, becoming a priest of a deity that was soon to fall.
“Let’s go.”
Soren once again slightly bowed his head to thank her for her care and then directly left with the little girl settled on his shoulder.
After all, she meant well.
But for Soren, leaving with Vivian to find a safe place and steadily gain strength was the best choice.
The young priestess watched the two leave.
She opened her mouth to speak but ultimately said nothing, only showing a mix of disappointment and envy!
They relied on each other.
This thought popped into her mind.
Perhaps for Vivian, nothing could be more joyful than staying by Soren’s side.
The young priestess gazed at the little girl’s happy face as she left, then looked back at the cold and empty temple, murmuring, “I hope you can take good care of her!”
She sighed softly and then walked toward the main hall.
The wicked skinners had become increasingly brazen, and the three temples in Amber City had decided to join forces against them.
A major battle might be imminent!
Perhaps it would be better for her to stay by Soren’s side, as she also needed to participate in the fight.
………………
Leaving Amber City was certainly not as simple as strolling with closed eyes.
Putting aside the risk of losing direction, the accidents that could happen along the way might cost lives.
Wandering alone in the wilderness could either mean being a skilled and bold person or simply seeking d*ath!
There was no second possibility.
Soren had many preparations to make, such as finding a merchant caravan and paying to accompany them. He needed to recall past combat skills to brush up on basic sword techniques and practice until he mastered them. He had to prepare emergency medicines, ensure sufficient food, gather camping gear, and even arrange a mount for Vivian.
Danger in the wild came not only from monsters.
There were also poisonous insects, fierce beasts, robbers, and bandits. If he weren’t aware of the chaos caused by the skinning incident, he might not feel so reluctant to take Vivian on a journey!
But it was now necessary to leave, for he estimated that, at most, in half a month, the skinning incident would escalate further.
The first son of the divine would also appear before the world.
—— Lilian.
The Fearsome Demon King with strong divine power foresaw his own fall, so he left his offspring in the mortal realm and dispersed his divine power among these descendants. There had been demon gods from the hellish abyss who did the same, leaving the most primal divinity as seeds within a descendant, and planning to consume the descendant’s soul after their fall to resurrect using the divinity inherited by their offspring.
Some succeeded, while others failed!
Certain demon gods had their resurrection plans thwarted, ultimately falling completely in the mortal realm.
However, some demon gods had their resurrection plans succeed. They took birth anew on the broken bodies of their descendants, regaining their divine power!
Not by taking over.
But directly destroying their descendants to reshape their bodies with divine power to resurrect!
It was cruel.
But that was the law of the abyss!
If Soren remembered correctly, at least a dozen divine sons emerged, and these demon gods’ offspring possessed immense power.
The initial chaos was orchestrated by them.
The offspring of the Fearsome Demon King slaughtered each other and spread fear among mortals; the skinning incident was a catalyst, an ancient and evil sacrificial ritual.
In the end!
— Lilian became one of the most powerful divine sons.
Then, during the tumultuous years, she was slain by Lady Silver Moon, who descended to the mortal realm as a saint having lost her divine power!
This was not the end.
It was merely the beginning of a more chaotic era, as the gods would descend to the mortal realm in the guise of saints.
………………
