At that moment, the Spatial Mage clearly realized for the first time that he was fundamentally different from the natives of Xia Wang. These natives were the oldest inhabitants and, naturally, the earliest magicians and knights. Every one of them was immensely powerful and possessed abundant resources.
The natives were undeniably strong, yet they were also incredibly warm and hospitable. It was precisely their exceptional inclusivity that allowed Xia Wang City to gather so many people.
However, the Spatial Mage now understood that his differences with the natives went beyond strength; they were also spiritual. The faith of Xia Wang’s natives in their tribal deity was etched into their very souls. While they could tolerate others not believing in their deity, they would never allow anyone to harm it.
As the Spatial Mage spiraled into confusion and panic, the plump little mouse waved its chubby paw at him and said, “Thank you for the massage.”
The Spatial Mage: “…”
Though he felt dumbfounded, those words seemed to ease the cold hostility in the eyes of the surrounding natives. At that moment, the Spatial Mage realized the mouse was trying to convey, in a lighthearted way, that it hadn’t been harmed. This realization left the mage with mixed emotions.
Just then, shouts of surprise came from both the city wall and the ground below. The Spatial Mage turned his head and saw an astonishing scene.
Below the city wall, the area that had just been enveloped in dazzling white light underwent incredible changes. Under the white light, the rampaging magical beasts were either severely injured and fell to the ground or regained their sanity and fled the scene.
In stark contrast to the casualties among the beasts, the humans within the white light experienced remarkable transformations. Those gravely injured saw their conditions stabilize instantly; those with lighter injuries fully recovered, and the unscathed gained a buff-like enhancement, with their strength, speed, and magical power greatly increased.
In the area enveloped by the white light, humans overwhelmingly dominated the battle. Those blessed by the holy light emanated a faint white glow, resembling conspicuous stars. After finishing off this section of the battlefield, they eagerly rushed to the next. Meanwhile, those preparing to rest retreated into the city. As they looked up from below, they could no longer see the fluffy figure of the mouse, but everyone knew that the white light had been its doing.
“Divine One!”
From somewhere below, someone called out.
“Divine One!”
“Divine One!”
The cries grew into a unified chorus, an expression of admiration, gratitude, and trust.
Shu Bao observed the battlefield for a moment, stroking its fluffy chin, and concluded, “It seems the effect is quite good. The energy conversion of the Mechanoids is impressive.”
This batch of mechanical devices was designed to steal energy from enemies and convert it into energy for allies. This energy could repair damage and enhance physical abilities, making it one of the core combat methods of the Mechanoids.
It was similar to what Shu Bao had witnessed in the Mechanoids’ ruins: the energy pillar wielded by the mechanical giant converted anything it touched into energy for its own use.
Such was the technology of the Mechanoids—their most powerful attack wasn’t destruction but converting their enemies’ resources into their own for their benefit.
As soon as the cooldown for the mechanical device in Shu Bao’s hands ended, he instructed the high priest and others to launch their attacks freely. Quickly, beams of white light streaked across the battlefield like falling stars. Wherever the white light landed, victory followed.
People even discovered that being enveloped by the white light not only granted them a temporary buff but also brought permanent improvements to their physiques. This transformative effect delighted them even more. After all, who wouldn’t want to become stronger?
Looking at the patches of white light blooming below, the Spatial Mage lowered his head in shame. How could he ever have thought that the deity worshiped by Xia Wang’s natives was worthless?
Ever since the deity’s return, rumors had swept through the city. He had prided himself on being among the “rational” thinkers, confident in his strength and dismissive of the need to believe in a deity. Yet reality had given him a harsh slap.
His blind arrogance had led him to commit such a foolish act. If the deity had truly been harmed by his actions, how could he face himself now? He looked up again, searching for the companions who once shared his self-proclaimed cleverness, but their figures were nowhere to be found.
As the Spatial Mage sank deeper into despair, a small beam of white light suddenly struck him. He looked up just in time to see the miniature mechanical device being withdrawn by the deity.
Shu Bao waved his paw. “Your payment for the massage. Go fight now.”
The feeling of being abandoned by everyone melted away in an instant, and the Spatial Mage’s eyes grew misty. He finally understood why the natives of Xia Wang revered a mouse as their deity. It was the gentlest deity he had ever seen!
Feeling the surge of strength coursing through his body, the Spatial Mage said nothing more but charged into the battlefield with newfound vigor.
Watching the mage fight as if his life depended on it, Shu Bao couldn’t help but sigh, “What a good person. Excellent massage skills, and just as exceptional in battle.”
The people of Xia Wang: “…”
Since their deity didn’t seem to hold a grudge, the natives naturally let the matter go as well. However, some individuals, thinking themselves clever, believed that having offended the mouse, their only options were to rebel to the end or leave entirely.
Shu Bao didn’t concern himself with those who chose not to walk the righteous path. Back when the tribe was small, it had been difficult enough to align the thoughts of just a few hundred people, let alone the tens of thousands now.
Amid the chaos of the battlefield, hearts and minds clashed, tangled in suspicion and conflict.
About two hours later, the large-scale beast tide had subsided. The modified Mechanoid weapons had demonstrated their remarkable impact on the battlefield, especially in such chaotic, close-combat scenarios.
The remaining time was spent cleaning up the scattered magical beasts and tidying the battlefield. Just as most people were preparing to leave and rest, a chilling dragon roar echoed from the distant darkness.
The pitch-black night revealed no trace of the dragon, making the roar even more terrifying. Unlike the calls of Yinzi they were accustomed to, this sound was more majestic and resonant—a dragon king whose very roar proclaimed its supreme status!
Even worse, the sound carried an aggressive and oppressive aura, clearly intentional. The dragon’s roar sent a wave of dread through the crowd, leaving nearly everyone frozen in place. Some were so overwhelmed that they crouched to the ground.
Yinzi, who had been helping move magical beast corpses, immediately lifted his head. Sensing the rapidly approaching pressure, he flapped his wings and flew to the city wall, shielding Shu Bao beneath them.
Yinzi stared warily into the distant darkness, where a massive figure seemed to be closing in.
The high priest quickly issued a retreat signal. The glowing magical message gave those outside the city the courage to move. They scrambled to return to the city, slamming the gates shut and preparing for the worst.
In all the previous beast sieges, a magical dragon had never appeared. Even magical beasts with a faint trace of dragon blood were formidable foes that required caution. Now, with a true magical dragon appearing, the people were gripped by a mix of fear, tension, curiosity, and excitement.
Shu Bao patted Yinzi’s wings, soothing him. “Don’t worry.” For so many years, no magical dragons had appeared near Xia Wang City. This sudden arrival was likely related to what Lan Qing had mentioned before—the Dragon Clan.
Back when they lost their dragon egg, it had been a last resort. Their intentions in coming here now were still unclear. After all, every magical dragon was an immensely powerful existence. Even initiating communication required a foundation of equal strength. Shu Bao had never seen anyone discuss equality with an ant.
Soon, more dragon roars echoed from the distant darkness. Each roar seemed to be a demonstration, pressing down on the hearts of everyone in Xia Wang City with an almost physical weight.
The silhouettes of the magical dragons had yet to appear, but the people of Xia Wang City were already struggling under the pressure. Assessing the situation around him, Shu Bao retrieved a tiny wand from his storage ring. With a wave of the wand, familiar white light began to swirl around it and was promptly channeled into the city’s magical barrier.
In an instant, the oppressive dragon roars seemed to fade into the distance. The residents of the city felt as though they could finally breathe freely. Following the threads of light connecting to the barrier, they looked up and were stunned to discover that the one blocking the dragons’ overwhelming aura was none other than that little mouse! Or rather, their deity of Xia Wang City!
Earlier, the strange mechanical incident had already begun to change people’s perceptions of this so-called deity, but no one had truly expected it to be capable of protecting the city. Yet now, there it was—a fluffy mouse standing atop the city wall, wielding a wand no larger than a matchstick, shielding them all from the dragons’ crushing aura.
The scene was somewhat comical, yet more than anything, it was awe-inspiring. It wasn’t just any mouse—perhaps not even a magical dragon like Yinzi—who could so effortlessly withstand such an all-encompassing oppression.
Before long, faint outlines of the magical dragons began to emerge from the darkness. Their colossal forms blotted out the sky—or what would have been the sky if the chaotic world had a sun. The pitch-black surroundings only made their immense size and terrifying presence even more pronounced.
Even Yinzi, a fellow dragon, grew increasingly wary. Raising his head, he let out a warning roar of his own while spreading his wings protectively over Shu Bao. He could sense it clearly now: these approaching dragons shared the same origin as himself. Their unmistakable targets were not only him but also Shu Bao, his caretaker.
One after another, the horrifying magical dragons emerged from the darkness. Their massive figures, as clear as death itself, advanced rapidly. Each dragon, with wings spanning hundreds of meters, made humans appear as insignificant as ants in comparison.
The magical dragons circled above Xia Wang City, their massive wings stirring the air. They seemed to have noticed Shu Bao’s suppression of their aura and, upon identifying their target, intensified the pressure even further. Some dragons even brushed past the barrier to unleash bursts of dragon breath.
The city’s inhabitants cried out in alarm, unsure of what to do. Helplessly, their eyes turned toward Shu Bao.
Shu Bao, too, had realized the dragons’ intent. They were probing its strength as a caretaker to gauge Yinzi’s growth over the years and determine the fate of not only Shu Bao but the entire city. Such was the nature of dragons—dominant, powerful, and fiercely protective of their kin.
