Chapter 208
“Have you… found the homeworld?”
Hearing the ancient tree’s question, Mu Yuncheng’s expression darkened slightly. Lowering his head in shame and regret, he replied, “Ancestor, I’m sorry. We’re still searching.”
If Cen Liang were here, he would immediately recognize Mu Yuncheng as the person he had mentioned to Zhuang Shisong and the others—a being with plant blood who could communicate with vegetation.
Such individuals were extremely rare in the galaxy, and most of them came from the Mu clan, known for their connection to plants.
Mu Yuncheng was the new head of the Mu clan, and the massive tree before him was none other than—
The clan’s ancient ancestor, Mu Qing.
Strictly speaking, Mu Qing was a tree demon, having lived for tens of thousands of years. About a few decades ago, sensing that his life was nearing its end, he returned to Mu Pa Pa Star and transformed into a tree, rooting himself here.
Over tens of thousands of years, Mu Qing had traveled to countless planets. Among them, Mu Pa Pa Star was the closest match to the environment of the long-lost homeworld.
But he knew it was not the same.
Despite the passage of so much time, and his memories of many things fading, the homeworld remained vivid in his mind.
When he left the homeworld aboard a human spaceship, he had just taken human form. Naïve and unaware, he followed his kin onto the ship, never imagining that once he left, he would never return.
He was not the only demon to leave the homeworld back then.
In fact, the survival and eventual flourishing of interstellar humans during the harsh early days of space exploration were closely tied to the beast blood—and even plant bloodlines—they carried.
These bloodlines all originated from demons.
Humans were intelligent and resilient but physically fragile, making survival in the early days of interstellar exploration nearly impossible.
In contrast, demons were born with considerable strength but required an extraordinarily long time to mature. For example, Mu Qing had been in a state of ignorance for nearly a hundred years after leaving the homeworld. It wasn’t until hundreds of years later that he fully matured.
Thus, the union of humans and demons became the solution for the continuation of both species.
From this union emerged the beast-blood warriors.
History proved that beast-blood warriors became a formidable weapon in the fight against interstellar monsters, serving both humans and demons alike.
Of course, this process wasn’t without conflict. The two races experienced bloody and intense struggles before eventually reaching the balance they had today.
Pure-blood humans were now nearly extinct in the galaxy. Humans with beast blood—or demon blood—lived longer and were physically stronger than their pure-blooded counterparts, and over time, pure-blood humans were naturally phased out.
Additionally, when the power of demon blood awakened in interstellar humans, atavistic traits sometimes emerged, causing them to fully transform into beasts—becoming true demons once again.
However, after fully transforming, most individuals lost their rationality and became wild creatures driven by instinct. While demon blood persisted, the name demon faded into history, replaced by the term beast-blood humans, as humans intentionally erased the demon legacy.
Having lived for tens of thousands of years, Mu Qing had witnessed it all.
Unlike humans, demons like Mu Qing—first-generation great demons who achieved their transformations through personal cultivation—had a weak sense of racial identity, especially plant-based demons.
Thus, Mu Qing held no ambition to revive the demon race. Out of personal sentiment, he simply continued to protect the Mu clan in silence.
Whether they identified as human or demon mattered little to him. Over the millennia, even the longest-lived great demons he had known had passed away.
Soon, his time would come too.
Mu Qing’s only remaining wish was to return to the homeworld before his time ran out—to fall like a leaf to its roots.
But the galaxy was vast, far too vast. They had traveled so far from their origins, and after tens of thousands of years, finding the homeworld seemed like an impossible dream.
The ancient tree stood silently in the valley. Though it said nothing more, Mu Yuncheng could deeply feel its disappointment—a disappointment so profound it carried a sense of despair.
Mu Yuncheng tried to console it. “Ancestor, we won’t give up. Please don’t be too disheartened.”
In truth, Mu Yuncheng didn’t hold much hope of finding the homeworld.
After all, the reason the humans and demons had fled together was that life on that planet had become unsustainable. Given the passage of so much time, perhaps the planet had already been destroyed—that would explain why it couldn’t be found.
Even if it were discovered, it was likely no longer suitable for habitation. Judging by the ancestor’s current state, staying on Mu Pa Pa Star was probably a better option.
Of course, Mu Yuncheng didn’t dare voice these thoughts.
Mu Qing had already faced disappointment many times. Another wouldn’t make much difference. After a moment of silence, the tree finally spoke again:
“So, why have you come to see me?”
Mu Yuncheng hesitated before deciding to tell the truth. “It’s about Xiaobao.”
Xiaobao was Mu Yuncheng’s six-year-old son.
Speaking of his child, Mu Yuncheng’s gaze shifted to a corner of the valley, where several saplings stood.
When Mu Yuncheng looked their way, the saplings’ leaves swayed as if greeting him. The rustling sound of their movement resembled children’s laughter.
Mu Yuncheng’s expression grew complex. His eyes curved slightly, as though trying to form a smile, but the sorrow in his gaze was unmistakable.
Yes, those saplings were the children of the Mu clan.
In the galaxy, humans with plant blood were rare. One reason was that the success rate of offspring between plant demons and humans was inherently low. The other reason was—
The atavism rate among the Mu clan was alarmingly high.
Unlike humans and beast-blooded individuals, plants lacked deep familial bonds. Reproduction was a biological instinct, and parent-child connections were almost nonexistent.
As a result, when children of the Mu clan awakened their bloodline powers, even their closest relatives could rarely help suppress or guide their transformation.
It wasn’t entirely impossible, but it was far from sufficient.
Once fully transformed into plants, it became nearly impossible for them to regain intelligence. Although Mu Qing had once said that with dedicated cultivation, there might be a chance to transform back, the likelihood was incredibly slim.
This was due to not only innate talent but also environmental factors.
The galaxy lacked spiritual energy, making cultivation impossible for demons. Without it, they couldn’t progress beyond a state of ignorance.
For tens of thousands of years, no Mu clan member who had transformed into a plant had ever returned to human form.
As the new head of the clan, Mu Yuncheng knew this history all too well. Among those rows of trees were his own sister and brother…
But now, they had become trees, unable to speak or interact with him.
And now, it was happening to his child.
The sorrow in Mu Yuncheng’s eyes was heart-wrenching, and Mu Qing could feel his anguish.
The ancient tree let out a soft sigh and extended a vine. Just as it had done when Mu Yuncheng was a child, it gently patted his head.
Faced with the silent comfort of the old tree, Mu Yuncheng nearly broke into tears. Perhaps in front of this ancestor, he could always remain a child.
He took a deep breath and forced himself to remain composed as he said, “Xiaobao’s condition has worsened.”
He had always prayed that his child would be an ordinary human, but a year ago, Mu Bao awakened the bloodline powers of the Mu clan.
The Mu clan was known for their gentle temperament. Even in a berserk state, they wouldn’t harm others but would instead transform into a tree and take root.
At first, after going berserk, they could revert to human form. However, with each episode, plant-like characteristics would remain on their bodies.
In just one year, Mu Bao’s legs had completely transformed into wood, making it impossible for him to walk. Recently, the woodification had progressed further, spreading toward his waist.
If this continued, he would likely become one of the small trees in the valley—which would be the best possible outcome.
If the woodification process stopped halfway, it could endanger his life. There had been such cases in the past.
Mu Yuncheng had been fortunate to pass through his bloodline awakening safely, and thanks to his exceptional talent, he was chosen as the clan leader at a young age. But his child clearly wasn’t as lucky.
Neither he nor his wife could accept this outcome.
Hearing Mu Yuncheng’s words, Mu Qing could only offer silent sympathy. This was a trial all demons had to face. If they could return to the homeworld, there might be a solution, but for now…
“Becoming a tree isn’t the worst fate,” Mu Qing said softly.
If Mu Bao’s life were at risk, Mu Qing, as a tree demon, could assist him in transforming fully into a tree, ensuring his survival—this was how most of the saplings in the valley had come to be.
Mu Yuncheng understood what his ancestor meant, but he wanted to make one last effort. Clenching his teeth, he said, “I want to take Xiaobao on a journey.”
“Child, where do you intend to take him?”
“To Prison Star.”
Mu Yuncheng replied, “I’ve heard that there’s an exceptional caretaker at the nursery on Prison Star who can help beast-blooded cubs safely navigate their berserk periods. I want to seek his help.”
Mu Yuncheng had noticed reports about the caretaker after surveillance footage from the nursery was released. At first, he didn’t think much of it, but as more information came in, he began to take it seriously. Eventually, he decided he couldn’t let this opportunity pass.
Mu Qing remained silent for a long time before asking, “So, are you here to say goodbye?”
Mu Yuncheng shook his head. His gaze rested on the ancient tree before him, filled with conflict and hesitation. In the end, his love for his child won out.
Clenching his fists, he voiced his request directly. “I hope, Ancestor, that you will accompany us! If the caretaker cannot help Xiaobao, I ask you to fully transform him into a tree!”
Mu Yuncheng’s eyes were red as he looked at the ancient tree with a mix of desperation and hope.
If Xiaobao couldn’t make it to Prison Star, his ancestor could intervene along the way.
The ancient tree stood silently in the valley. Just as Mu Yuncheng thought his request had been denied, the valley echoed with the old, weathered voice once more.
“Alright.”
In an instant, tears streamed down Mu Yuncheng’s face.
