Gods, Believers

As long as you prayed with devotion, Yaoshi would not reject you.

They would grant you immortality.

This was common knowledge among many factions in the Honkai: Star Rail Universe.

And at this moment, Ning Yao faced a group of devout mortals yearning for life.

Though he was not the Abundance Aeon, as a divine Abundance tree and a "person" who walked the Path of Abundance, Ning Yao likewise could not ignore the prayers of mortals.

Especially prayers such as these, prayers to fulfill the Path he walked.

"Senior Ning Yao, you..."

At his side, Iron Dragon pulled his still-dazed younger sister into his arms. He looked at the villagers, then at Ning Yao.

He wanted to speak up for the villagers and beg him.

But he also knew that Senior Ning Yao saving his sister was already an immense kindness.

He had no right to greedily keep asking Ning Yao for more. After all, this matter had never had anything to do with Ning Yao from beginning to end.

Having witnessed this scene akin to a miracle, the villagers had all fallen prostrate on the ground.

Some held their severely injured family members, some clutched their own wounds, while others dragged their mangled limbs behind them. All of them knelt there, weeping, wailing, and begging Ning Yao.

"Senior..."

Iron Dragon's voice trembled. He wanted to say something, but it felt as though a bone were lodged in his throat.

"There's no need to say more."

Ning Yao interrupted the trembling Iron Dragon and gently shook his head.

In an instant, Iron Dragon wilted completely. He closed his eyes in anguish, his heart turning to ashes.

Yet the next second, a strange power enveloped him.

"This is..."

Iron Dragon opened his eyes in shock and looked up at Ning Yao.

Behind Ning Yao, a towering emerald tree with luxuriant branches and leaves had appeared.

It was his martial soul, only this time, no soul rings were attached to it.

The giant tree merely stood there, yet its abundant vitality had already begun to dull the villagers' pain. Quite a few of their wounds even began to heal slowly.

"A miracle—it's a miracle!"

"Great god, please save our village!"

Voices rose one after another. This time, without exception, everyone knelt before Ning Yao, their pleas echoing without end.

At that moment, Ning Yao was their only lifeline in their eyes, a figure like a savior.

And faced with all this, Ning Yao simply stood there and watched in silence.

Until he raised his hand, turning his fingertips upward.

A green leaf slowly drifted down from the giant tree behind him and landed on Ning Yao's fingertip.

"The Medicine King's mercy embraces all, Jianmu brings forth life; with a single devoted heart, the sowers ascend to paradise together."

"At this moment, I invite you all to embark upon immortality with me."

As his words fell, the leaf touched the ground and transformed into a seed. It pierced through the concrete and entered the deeper soil beneath.

The next moment, a sapling broke through the earth. It was tiny, clearly a miniature version of Ning Yao.

Yet this tiny sapling radiated an endless light of life.

Wherever its radiance shone, the wounds of every villager kneeling in prayer began to heal at a visible speed.

Whether they were severely injured and unconscious or missing arms and legs.

Some villagers cried out during the process, but not from fear.

Because they discovered that new flesh was growing from their severed limbs. In only a few short seconds, entirely new limbs had grown out, even stronger and more powerful than before.

After their brief shock, these people became even more fervent in their faith. They knelt on the ground, continuously praising Ning Yao.

In less than a minute, aside from the dead, every injury and ailment on everyone's body had been completely healed.

Even the chronic illnesses some villagers had long suffered from were entirely cured beneath the radiance.

The villagers revered Ning Yao as a god, endlessly worshipping, thanking, and praising him.

Ning Yao heard it all, but merely smiled and shook his head.

He had no desire to become any sort of god. He was only practicing his Abundance.

Still, the faith of these people was undeniably sincere.

He felt his power increase by a tiny sliver. Though it was as insignificant as a grain of sand, the increase was real.

He knew this was the power of faith from the several hundred people before him.

"I am not a god. You may call me the Abundance Douluo."

With that, Ning Yao turned his head, gave the already-stunned Iron Dragon a look, then turned and vanished from where he stood.

Meanwhile, in the God Realm.

God of Life:?

While speaking with Destruction, she suddenly felt her divine authority tremble, as if it had encountered some great terror.

After rejoining the caravan owner, Ning Yao found that they had already prepared everything and were simply waiting for his command on where to go.

"Senior Ning Yao, look..."

The caravan owner rubbed his hands together and smiled as he hovered beside Ning Yao, waiting for instructions.

"Wait a little. I believe Iron Dragon will handle it."

Ning Yao glanced at him and nodded lightly.

He did not quite know what to make of that form of address.

It had indeed changed. It was no longer "senior," but "Senior Ning Yao."

As for what he had said earlier, they had clearly understood it but chosen not to act on it.

Still, Ning Yao did not bother correcting them again. He knew that making them call him by his full name all the time would be true torture for them.

They had not waited long at the village entrance before Iron Dragon came jogging out.

"Senior Ning Yao, everyone, let's head in."

"Everything has been arranged. We'll rest here for the night."

"Tomorrow..."

Iron Dragon looked toward Ning Yao.

Ning Yao nodded lightly.

"If nothing comes up, we'll continue on our way tomorrow."

"Yes, yes, we'll follow Senior Ning Yao's arrangements. We'll continue our journey tomorrow!"

The caravan owner hurriedly echoed him, and everyone else nodded repeatedly.

Soon, following Iron Dragon, the group entered the village.

The villagers had gathered together to welcome them. Their attitude was excellent, especially toward Ning Yao, whom they treated with outright reverence.

Iron Dragon had probably said something to them, since they were no longer behaving quite so frantically.

But anyone could see the fervor in the villagers' eyes when they looked at Ning Yao.

This left the caravan members who had not followed them earlier somewhat confused.

But unless Ning Yao chose to speak of his own affairs, they did not dare ask.

Since it was already evening, they were soon led to the dinner table.

Because the village had just been attacked by the Wolf Raiders and many things had been damaged, the villagers had taken longer to prepare.

Yet the meal was still lavish, and several villagers remained waiting at their side the entire time.

Even when the caravan owner, feeling a little embarrassed, tried to take out the gold soul coins they had agreed earlier to pay for lodging, the villagers refused them.

"What exactly happened here?"

They were all completely baffled.

As for the only two who knew what had happened, Ning Yao was someone they did not dare question, while Iron Dragon was busy eating with his head down, acting as though nothing outside concerned him.