Chapter 257
“Why hasn’t there been any movement from Mu Qing after all this time?”
On a plain in Mu Pa Pa star, several ancient trees stood close together, idly chatting.
Though they could take on human forms, as they aged, they increasingly preferred to stay in their original forms. Once rooted in the soil, they could remain still for hundreds of years, no longer as keen to wander as in their younger days.
“He received a blessing from the Earth Spirit; it must take time to absorb,” a female voice chimed in.
After her words, the trees fell silent. A sour undertone seemed to spread among the towering old trees.
“Really now, Yuncheng is just too biased!”
“Exactly, too biased!”
How could he bring only Mu Qing back to their ancestral planet? As the clan leader, shouldn’t he treat everyone equally?
“If he doesn’t put in a good word for us with the Earth Spirit, I… I won’t forgive him!”
“Yes, we won’t forgive him!”
The ancient trees muttered amongst themselves in dissatisfaction.
Since hearing about their ancestral planet and the Earth Spirit, they had been chattier than in the past several hundred or even thousand years combined.
While the trees understood that Mu Qing had stumbled upon the ancestral planet by sheer chance, the fact that he had spoken to the Earth Spirit and even received his blessing was enough to make them grumble with envy.
“So slow… When is Yuncheng finally coming back?”
After their daily round of critiques, the ancient trees shifted to waiting expectantly.
And all of these conversations…
Were heard word for word by Mu Yuncheng, who was connected to their telepathic “group chat.” Ever since being added, he hadn’t had a moment of peace.
What began as reverent awe had devolved into a state of numb resignation. Mu Yuncheng was now unflinching, no matter how chatty the elders got.
Over time, he had come to realize that the dignified, sage-like ancestors he once revered were, in reality… rather gossipy.
Expressionless, he listened to their chatter while gazing at the looming Mu Pa Pa Star ahead. A thought struck him—he would give them a surprise.
So, as the ancient trees embarked on another round of critiques against Mu Qing—
In their field of vision, a spaceship bearing the wood clan’s totems appeared from the horizon, descending slowly to land on the plain.
At first, the ancient trees didn’t react much.
After all, Mu Pa Pa Star was home to the wood clan, and it wasn’t unusual to see ships bearing their totems. Mu Yuncheng’s wife often visited to check on them.
Until—
They saw the spaceship’s hatch open. One by one, children with animal ears and tails burst out, cheering loudly. Then, amidst the crowd, a slender, cool figure stepped into view.
“Honored Ancestors, we’re back.”
Mu Yuncheng’s voice resonated through their telepathic link. “The Earth Spirit says there’s no need for you to bloom…”
However, his words were clearly a little late.
“Don’t bloom…” Their hearts were already blooming with joy—how could they possibly resist the urge to physically bloom?
To offer one last “tribute” to the Earth Spirit at the end of their lives would be the ultimate fulfillment, a glorious way to end their existence without regrets.
Thus, when the Earth Spirit’s figure came into their view, the ancient trees quieted for a brief moment. But then, atop their nearly bare branches, fresh green buds began to sprout at an astonishing speed. And then…
There was no “then.”
Su Ci raised a hand lightly, halting their self-destructive actions and putting an end to the premature “floral tribute.”
Unlike the tiny sprouting garlic spirit, the ancient trees could clearly feel the Earth Spirit’s power coursing through them—so warm, so close…
The old trees trembled with excitement.
Though the Earth Spirit had forbidden them from blooming and bearing fruit, He was watching over them!
His power was directly touching their very beings!
For a moment, the rest of the wood clan’s grand spirits who had yet to arrive could only hear the frantic shouts and cries of excitement emanating through the telepathic link.
Su Ci and A-Yan strolled leisurely beneath the towering ancient trees.
Unlike the aging and wilting Mu Qing, these old trees were still brimming with vitality. They could easily live for a few more centuries. There was no need for them to recklessly deplete their life force for any kind of offering.
As the two approached, the towering trees began to tremble, their immense forms slowly shrinking. Finally…
They transformed into four youths, appearing about twelve or thirteen years old.
Knowing that the Earth Spirit had rejected Mu Qing’s kneeling, the four immediately clasped their hands before Su Ci in salute and spoke in unison:
“Earth Spirit above, please accept our obeisance.”
Then, they bowed deeply in unison.
Watching this scene, Mu Yuncheng was utterly stunned—he could grasp the logic, but why were these revered ancestors appearing as teenagers?
Su Ci, on the other hand, remained unperturbed. In his eyes, these wood spirits were merely juniors. Whether they looked old or young, it didn’t change their standing in his view.
“What are your names?” Su Ci asked.
“Responding to the Earth Spirit, this humble girl is Mu Ya,” said the sole girl among the four wood spirits.
“This boy is Mu Changchun.”
“This boy is Mu Xi.”
“This boy is Mu Yan.”
The three male spirits introduced themselves one by one.
Su Ci nodded, his gaze lingering on the last boy. Curious, he asked, “Your name is Mu Yan? Yan as in ‘flame’?”
“Yes,” the boy replied with a guileless smile. “I’m a heat-loving plant, so the elders gave me this name.”
Watching Mu Yan’s earnest and innocent demeanor, Mu Yuncheng averted his gaze, lest he be unable to suppress the urge to mentally retort.
The name “Mu Yan” wasn’t given simply because he was a heat-loving plant… Back when Mu Qing had first boasted about his achievements via the telepathic link, this particular ancestor had been so enraged that he literally uprooted himself from the ground—his fiery temper was infamous.
Yet here they were now, these ancestors who had lived tens of thousands of years, taking on youthful forms and presenting their most obedient selves before the Earth Spirit…
Mu Yuncheng realized he might have still underestimated what the Earth Spirit truly meant to the wood clan.
Su Ci quickly grasped the situation of the four wood spirits and wasted no time. He said directly, “Once I finish setting up the teleportation array, you will follow me back to Earth Star.”
The wood spirits had not expected the Earth Spirit to bring this up proactively, and their joy was boundless. With tears in their eyes, they bowed deeply to Su Ci once more, their voices filled with heartfelt gratitude.
Su Ci waved them off and took out the teleportation array disc he had prepared in advance.
To connect Earth Star and Mu Pa Pa Star, two intermediary teleportation relay points had been set up. Only by linking these relay points could the two planets maintain a seamless connection.
After Su Ci set up the first teleportation array disc, he handed the remaining discs to Mu Yuncheng.
The array discs were identical and could be placed at suitable locations across Mu Pa Pa Star to facilitate local teleportation. They also served as backups to prevent disruptions in communication between the two planets in case of damage to the primary setup.
While Su Ci and A-Yan busied themselves with setting up the array, Mu Ya and the other wood spirits watched from the side, their eyes sparkling as they stared intently at Su Ci.
As for A-Yan…
Though they sensed a familiar energy emanating from him, it didn’t compare to the innate bond and love plants shared with the Earth. Consequently, they remained unaware that A-Yan was the embodiment of Heaven’s Dao.
“Hello!”
A cheerful voice suddenly greeted them. Turning their heads, the wood spirits saw the beast-eared children who had first descended from the spaceship. The children were now curiously examining them.
To be honest, the wood spirits’ decision to transform into youthful forms had been inspired by these very children.
If the Earth Spirit had chosen to live among children at the nursery, perhaps He had a fondness for such appearances. After some discussion, they collectively decided to adopt younger forms.
And judging by the current reactions, their reasoning had been spot on!
“Hello!” Mu Ya responded with a warm smile, casually pulling out a handful of candy.
“Wow! Thank you, big sister!”
Upon seeing the candy, Lang Ze’s eyes lit up like stars, and his words became as sweet as honey.
The other children quickly joined in, also calling her “big sister.” Although they were aware that Mu Ya was a transformed tree, their simple minds didn’t grasp that spirits could freely alter their appearances.
Even Mu Bao was fooled by the elder spirits’ youthful forms.
Seeing Mu Ya successfully win over the children, Mu Changchun and the others quickly joined in.
Having lived for tens of thousands of years, these wood spirits had amassed plenty of treasures. In fact, their very bodies were veritable treasure troves.
As a result, Lang Ze and the others, fresh off their arrival at Mu Pa Pa Star, found themselves showered with gifts.
Mu Yan, not to be outdone, handed each child a leaf. “If you ever encounter difficulties while traveling through the stars, simply show this leaf, and you will receive help!”
Although the Wood Tribe’s population was minuscule compared to the Beast Blood families, they had the advantage of incredibly long lifespans.
This meant that across the stars, whether it was ordinary humans or Beast Blood clans, almost every family had, at some point, benefited from the Wood Tribe’s generosity. Many owed them favors in one way or another.
The significance of Mu Yan’s leaf was apparent.
However, the cubs couldn’t yet grasp its importance. They simply accepted the gift from their new “friend” with care and gratitude, then eagerly took out their own small treasures to reciprocate.
This exchange quickly warmed relations between them.
The cubs pulled the Wood Spirits into conversation, asking about fun places on Mu Pa Pa Star. For many of them, it was their first time leaving Earth Star, and everything here was brimming with novelty.
The old Wood Spirits, however, had no idea about the local attractions. All their thoughts were focused on returning to their ancestral land; playing tour guides was the last thing on their minds.
Still, these cubs were brought here by the Earth Spirit. Out of respect and affection, the Wood Spirits didn’t want to disappoint them.
Mu Ya promptly called over Mu Yuncheng, assigning him the task of showing the cubs around.
At that moment, Su Ci had just handed the teleportation array discs to Mu Yuncheng. Hearing Mu Ya’s request, he said, “You take the children.”
“Su Su, aren’t you coming?” Lu Jiao asked.
“I’m taking Mu Ya and the others back to Earth Star,” Su Ci replied.
The cubs exchanged glances. Finally, Lang Ze spoke up, “Then we’ll go back too. Once you’re free, Su Su, we can come back here to play!”
Hearing this, the other children nodded in agreement.
Although they were excited about exploring a new environment, they also felt a bit uneasy being away from home for the first time. Naturally, they clung to the adults they trusted the most.
And Su Ci was undeniably the one they trusted the most.
Looking at their eager, expectant gazes, Su Ci’s heart softened. He raised a hand and gave Lang Ze’s furry ears a firm rub.
“Alright, then let’s go back.” He retracted his hand and walked toward the teleportation array.
The cubs cheered and escorted the Wood Spirits to the array, even urging A-Yan to hurry.
“Brother A-Yan, come on, you’re so slow!”
Watching the lively scene and the once-cold, aloof young man surrounded by the children’s laughter, A-Yan’s lips curved into a warm smile.
“Coming.”
He responded softly and flashed over to Su Ci’s side, stepping onto the array with him.
On this day, the Wood Spirits finally returned to their ancestral homeland after tens of thousands of years of separation.
The planetary teleportation array was set up on the plains beneath Mu Qing’s ancient tree.
At this time, the area around Base 24 was in the midst of a harsh winter. Snow blanketed the plains, covering the tree’s branches with a thick, icy layer.
Though the plain appeared desolate, the moment Mu Ya, Mu Changqing, and the others stepped off the teleportation array and felt the firm ground beneath their feet, tears filled their eyes.
This was their mother planet, their homeland.
They had returned.
After tens of thousands of years, they could once again embrace their ancestral home. What a blessing it was!
Overcome with emotion, they could no longer maintain their human forms. Transforming into towering trees, they extended their roots deep into the land that had once nurtured them.
After tens of thousands of years of separation, the ancient trees finally returned to their homeland…
Even the cubs, who lacked plant bloodlines, seemed to sense the deep emotions of the wood spirits at this moment. They unconsciously felt a tightness in their chests and noses.
Yet, they couldn’t quite identify the emotion.
Lu Jiao tugged at A-Yan’s sleeve and whispered, “Brother A-Yan, what’s happening to Sister Mu Ya and the others?”
A-Yan patted his head and said, “Nothing’s wrong. They’ve just—finally come home.”
Hearing this, the cubs immediately understood.
They stole glances at Su Ci. When Su Ci looked back, they quickly averted their eyes, but as they gazed at the emotional trees, a spark of understanding and admiration gleamed in their innocent eyes.
The wood spirits temporarily settled on the plains, rooting themselves deeply into the land as though unwilling to move. Su Ci didn’t interfere for the time being.
While transplanting the wood spirits from Mu Pa Pa Star to Earth Star would require manpower, winter was not the best season for such an undertaking. This task could wait.
However, this didn’t mean all efforts were paused.
With the successful connection of Mu Pa Pa Star and Earth Star, more wood spirits began traveling to Earth Star through the teleportation arrays. Under Mu Yuncheng’s leadership, these botanical masters commenced work on Earth Star.
In addition to conducting environmental surveys and drafting restoration plans, they began studying the purifying spirit grass.
Although the purifying spirit grass was resilient, it didn’t thrive in every environment. Could its ability to convert negative energy be transferred to other plants?
Various projects were progressing in an orderly fashion, and the wood spirits could work with peace of mind knowing their children were permitted to live on Earth Star. Moreover, the clan leader’s son, Mu Bao, was teaching the children the Spiritual Plant Cultivation Method.
This cultivation method had been proven to effectively help the wood spirits control their bloodline powers. In other words—they no longer had to worry about their children turning into immobile plants!
There was no news more exciting than this.
The wood spirits living on Mu Pa Pa Star began preparing to relocate. If Base 24 were ready for permanent residence, they would have already moved in eagerly.
Fortunately, Mu Yuncheng had selected a site for their future homes. Construction of housing and essential facilities was underway, and when everything was complete, it would mark the full return of the wood spirits to their ancestral planet!
Meanwhile, Su Ci and the cubs took some time to explore Mu Pa Pa Star under Mu Yuncheng’s guidance.
Mu Pa Pa Star, with its pleasant climate, was in the midst of spring and summer in the northern hemisphere. Thanks to the diligent care of the wood spirits, the planet was vibrant and verdant, filled with thriving greenery. It was a stark contrast to the desolation of Earth Star.
Aside from the livable environment, Mu Pa Pa Star boasted far richer resources and entertainment facilities than Earth Star. The cubs, experiencing an amusement park for the first time, were utterly amazed.
Even Ran Lie, who usually maintained a cool and aloof demeanor and rarely participated in group activities, ended up losing himself in the fun of the amusement park.
However, when the designated time came, the cubs dutifully left the rides and gathered at the agreed-upon meeting spot to prepare for their return journey.
Mu Yuncheng noticed the children’s lingering excitement and suggested, “Why not stay on Mu Pa Pa Star a little longer? It’s cold on Earth Star now, and it’s not suitable for outdoor activities.”
To his surprise, the children resolutely declined.
Even Lang Ze, who had been the most engrossed in the activities, showed an unexpectedly firm attitude.
Mu Yuncheng was puzzled. “Why? Weren’t you all having so much fun just now?”
He understood the backgrounds of these children. Having grown up in the nursery under impoverished conditions with limited resources, he assumed they’d be captivated by the dazzling experiences of the outside world and would want to stay longer.
“Yes! It was so much fun!” Lang Ze nodded vigorously. But then he added, “But Mommy Yan Ya and Wen Wen are waiting for us to come back.”
And so were 4583 and 4586…
And Mr. Black Bear and Miss Snow Fox…
Besides, whatever is here, Earth Star will have someday too. Lang Ze was confident about that.
Even if it didn’t, it wouldn’t matter.
Because… Earth Star was their home. No matter how amazing another planet was, it could never replace Earth Star.
“I’m so hungry! What do you guys think Mommy Yan Ya will cook for us tonight?” Lang Ze clutched his loudly rumbling stomach, then took out a pack of cookies. He started sharing them with his friends while chatting about dinner.
“Definitely eight-treasure porridge!” Little Li Hua chimed in first.
The soft, sweet eight-treasure porridge was her absolute favorite!
Then Qian Qian’s voice joined the conversation. “Mama told Papa to bring back some lamb this time. She said she’s going to make lamb stew for us.”
“Is lamb stew good?”
The cubs who had never tried it perked up their ears.
“It’s so delicious!” Qian Qian confirmed enthusiastically. “The lamb is soft and tender—it practically melts in your mouth. And when you eat it, your whole body feels warm and cozy!”
Hearing this, the little wolf cub suddenly found his cookie much less appetizing. He leaned against the window, staring out and repeatedly asking when the spaceship would arrive. His impatience left Mu Yuncheng both amused and exasperated.
Watching the children so eager to return, he suddenly felt the spaceship was moving a bit too slowly as well.
In the vast universe, only their mother planet could give them such a profound sense of belonging…
