The Arrival of Xue Fuxiao (Part One and Two)

The scent of incense shot skyward, coiling overhead and lingering for a long time.

Fang Che made his way there.

He had originally intended to go straight to the Southeast Headquarters, but halfway there, he caught the scent of incense and suddenly felt a stirring in his heart.

So he changed direction at the last moment and came to the Heroic Spirit Shrine.

First, he respectfully offered several sticks of incense to Old Man Shen.

"Divine Teacher, the child you worried about and watched over has grown up. Rest assured!"

Fang Che silently murmured to himself.

Now that he stood before Old Man Shen's Spirit Tablet, memories of the past turned through his mind one by one, page after page.

It was like a book, its pages turning until they reached the one where Old Man Shen died.

The final chapter.

He could not help drawing a long breath. Then he raised his head and stared at the ten words, "Spirit Tablet of Continental Hero Shen Zhixuan." Through the swirling incense smoke, he vaguely saw Old Man Shen's deeply wrinkled face smiling at him.

Fang Che stood there for a long while, unwilling to leave.

The rising smoke still seemed to wrap around his entire body like Old Man Shen's gaze, making him feel as if he were still that child who needed protection, like a little bird sheltered beneath the old man's wings.

The faint sound of footsteps came from nearby.

A woman in blue, accompanied by two children of about ten, came to offer incense.

After offering incense at the Heroic Spirit Shrine, the mother and her two children quickly found the Spirit Tablets they needed to worship. She seemed to have come many times; she already knew the locations by heart.

A fresh stick of incense was