Even Fallen Leaves Return to Their Roots

As Lu Yuan was still turning things over in his mind, he suddenly sensed a dense wave of Aberration energy directly ahead.

He looked up. The two Aberrant King nests were still there in the distance, teeming with Aberrant Beasts. Despite having just witnessed the deaths of four Laws Rank powerhouses, the beasts didn't flee — they roared and charged straight toward him.

A cold glint surfaced in Lu Yuan's eyes. Law Force surged.

Light Laws and Dark Laws coiled together into a black-and-white vortex that instantly swallowed both Aberrant nests and every beast within range whole.

Moments later, the vortex dissolved. Nothing remained but churning Chaos energy. Every beast, every nest — gone without a trace.

Lu Yuan exhaled slowly and flew toward the Mechanical Fortress.

On the Mechanical Fortress, Kro and the other War Gods had been watching Lu Yuan's battle in the Chaos Sea from the very beginning, not once tearing their eyes away.

After seeing Lu Yuan single-handedly suppress four Laws Rank Aberrant Beasts, every War God present felt a mixture of shock and elation.

The shock came from realizing just how far Laws Rank power could extend — that a single cultivator could so effortlessly crush four Laws Rank creatures at once.

The elation came from knowing that the stronger Lu Yuan was, the safer their universe would be. Even against Aberrant Beasts, they now had the means to fight back.

Had Lu Yuan been any weaker, this attack alone would have been enough to plunge their universe into total annihilation.

When the last of the four Laws Rank creatures fell, the tension bled out of the group all at once, and relieved smiles spread across their faces.

"Just as expected of Brother Lu Yuan," Yingu said. "He handled that one Laws Rank beast last time without breaking a sweat — and now he's taken out four just as easily."

"And thank the heavens for that. If even Brother Lu Yuan couldn't handle four Laws Rank Aberrant Beasts, who among any of us could have stopped them?"

The others nodded in agreement.

Even together, they hadn't been able to stand up to a single Laws Rank creature. Against something of that caliber, all they could do was rely on Lu Yuan.

The atmosphere dipped into quiet. Kro sighed and said, "It's a pity. I've used a Heart of Laws myself, yet I've never managed to comprehend a single Law. If I could reach Laws Rank, at least I could lend Yuan a hand."

The others gave small, solemn nods of their own.

At that moment, Lu Yuan's figure appeared before them without warning.

He caught the sighs on their faces and raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing at all." Mados waved it off with a laugh, then turned to Lu Yuan with a sincere look. "But Brother Lu Yuan — thank you again. You've saved us once more."

"Indeed." Yingu stepped forward with a deep nod. "I speak for every living being of the Beast Race when I say this: if not for you, none of us would have survived today, and the entire universe would have been destroyed."

Lu Yuan smiled. "You're too kind. This universe is my home — of course I'm going to protect it."

But his expression sobered as he continued.

"Still, it's too early to relax. Among those Laws Rank creatures just now, one of them may have been an avatar of the Mother of Aberration. She herself will likely arrive before long."

"What?!"

The group reacted with sharp alarm.

"The Mother of Aberration — she's the apex of the Aberrant Beast Mother Nest?"

"Yes. And compared to her, even the four Laws Rank creatures from this battle — to say nothing of the one before — are likely far, far below her level."

Kro's eyes found Lu Yuan's, carrying a thread of cautious hope. "Then, Yuan — are you a match for the Mother of Aberration?"

The same question lived in the expressions of Mados and the others standing beside him.

Lu Yuan was quiet for a moment. Then he slowly shook his head.

"Not at the moment. The Mother of Aberration is likely considerably stronger than I am."

The silence that followed was heavy. Despair crept into every pair of eyes around him.

Lu Yuan was the strongest being their universe had produced — he had already killed five Laws Rank Aberrant Beasts. If even he wasn't a match for the Mother of Aberration, then didn't that mean their universe was truly beyond saving?

None of them could find words.

Lu Yuan looked around at the silence, then spoke with a quiet smile.

"Not yet doesn't mean not ever. You're all seniors who have defended the cosmic frontier for hundreds of millions of years. We haven't reached the final moment. How can you give up hope so quickly?"

The words cut through the gloom. Mados and the others jolted, exchanged glances, and watched the despair in each other's eyes slowly give way to something steadier.

Bingling smiled. "You're right. Our strength may fall short of Brother Lu Yuan's, but the years we've lived far exceed his. Aberrant Beasts have invaded before, and we never once retreated. Why should we despair so quickly this time?"

Kro nodded, a fierce grin splitting his face. "Exactly. Even if we're going to die, we should at least go down swinging."

"You'll be the main force against the Mother of Aberration," Mados said to Lu Yuan, his tone measured. "But whatever support you need from us — just say the word. We won't hesitate."

Yingu's brow furrowed. "But, Brother Lu Yuan — you just said the Mother of Aberration could arrive soon. She's stronger than those four Laws Rank beasts, so she's probably faster too. Those four showed up not long after the previous Laws Rank beast died. This time, the window will be even shorter. What can any of us actually accomplish in that kind of time?"

The question sucked the energy back out of the room. The mood turned grave.

They were willing to fight. But with so little time — what fighting chance did they actually have?

The silence stretched until Kro looked at Lu Yuan.

"Brother Lu Yuan, War Gods like us can only endure Chaos Space for so long. But you're different — you're Laws Rank, and a formidable one at that. If it truly comes to the point where there's no other option... take some of the strongest warriors from our four races and leave. With your strength, you could find a new universe somewhere out in the Chaos Sea and build a new beginning there."

Yingu nodded slowly. "As long as the seeds of our four races survive, there will still be a future."

"With your talent, Brother Lu Yuan, I believe that given enough time, you'll surpass the Mother of Aberration one day." Mados's voice carried quiet conviction. "When that day comes — avenge us."

Lu Yuan blinked. He stared at them for a long moment, then asked, "If that's your plan — you won't come yourselves?"

The group exchanged a look. Then, as one, they shook their heads.

Kro swept his gaze across the vast stars spread out behind him. Something rare and soft flickered through his eyes — and then he let out a booming laugh.

"No. This universe is our home. We've lived here longer than most can fathom, and we've given just as long to protecting her. When the end comes, I want to face it at her side." The laughter faded into something quieter. "We've had long enough. Let this chance go to those with potential still ahead of them."

"I have fought against Aberrant Beasts for my entire life." Bingling's voice was flat and even, as though discussing a stranger's fate. "Dying in battle at the end isn't such a bad way to go."

Mados shook his head with a rueful tilt of his lips. "I'm no longer young. I have no desire to leave everything behind. Leave it to the young."

Lu Yuan fell quiet.

Something shifted in his chest. These War God seniors had stood at the universe's frontier since the Aberrant invasion began, holding up the sky for every living being inside. And now, even facing the end, they still wanted to give that chance to the generation that came after — still intended to stay and guard the universe that had raised them.

He thought it through.

With his current strength, drawing on both Spatial Laws and Stellar Laws, he could fashion a small universe within himself — large enough to carry a significant number of the universe's inhabitants to safety. The Chaos Sea was boundless. If he chose to hide, finding him would be a hopeless task for the Mother of Aberration.

By Kro's logic, this was a viable plan.

But his gaze lingered on them.

Even if he managed to bring some beings away, many others would be left behind. And these seniors — who had given everything to guard this frontier — were willing to remain and die. Unless there was absolutely no other choice, Lu Yuan didn't want to make that call.

He had come from another world. Yet the universe's Cosmic Origin had merged with him; his strength was, in a very real sense, the universe's gift to him. This universe was his home — not just his. It was Li Qinghe's home. Yeye's home. Anastasia's home. He didn't want to abandon it.

*Even fallen leaves return to their roots — how much more so for a person?*

If the roots were gone, drifting through the Chaos Sea would be nothing but loneliness without end.

His thoughts crystallized. He turned to look at the murky, haze-shrouded expanse of the Chaos Sea, something flickering in his gaze.

After a moment of silence, he said quietly, "There may be another way."

Kro and the others looked up sharply.

"What way?"

Every pair of eyes fixed on him with hope — the same instinct that makes every living creature want to survive. They had chosen home over life, but that didn't mean they wouldn't prefer to have both.

A slow smile crossed Lu Yuan's face.

"Since we'd be fleeing either way — why not take our home with us?"

"...Huh?"

A beat of stunned silence. Then confused, uncomprehending stares.

"Take... take our home with us?" Yingu's eyes went wide. "What does that even mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like," Lu Yuan said. "We take the universe with us, leave the Chaos Sea entirely, and disappear from the Mother of Aberration's reach."

They stared at him. None of them had imagined that this was the solution Lu Yuan had come up with. The looks on their faces hovered somewhere between astonishment and complete bewilderment.

"Is that even *possible*?!" Mados said, barely containing his disbelief.

Lu Yuan's smile didn't waver. His expression was certain. "For anyone else — even another Laws Rank cultivator — probably not. But I can."

His confidence worked on them. The doubt flickering in their expressions faded. Lu Yuan had worked miracle after miracle on his journey, and every one of them had witnessed it firsthand.

Perhaps this time, too, he would find a way.

No — they *needed* him to find a way. Because if Lu Yuan could truly take the entire universe with him and flee, there was no better outcome imaginable for any of them.

Seeing their eyes on him, Lu Yuan smiled and let his Spirit Power begin to rise.

He reached inward, communing with the Cosmic Origin that had merged with him. His consciousness expanded outward — further and further — until it encompassed the full breadth of the universe.

Fused with Cosmic Origin and backed by his immense cultivation, he could now temporarily merge his own existence with the universe itself.

And something else: within his expanded perception, the spatial threads running through the Chaos Sea finally emerged — faint, shimmering, but traceable.

*Mastering Spatial Laws is a different thing entirely from merely using them.*

He found that he could navigate through the Chaos Sea using Spatial Laws — that even this most stubbornly anchored of spaces had patterns he could read and follow.

Spirit Power surged. A force of terrifying magnitude wrapped itself around the entirety of the universe.

Across every region, in every corner, vast numbers of living beings felt it — an immense, inexplicable power pressing in from all directions.

Gene Warriors and ordinary, unawakened people alike raised their eyes to the sky, unease and wonder mixing on their faces. The force made them feel an almost instinctive urge to kneel.

But quickly, each of them realized it wasn't threatening them. The surprise ebbed. Life went on.

The War Gods stationed at the universe's frontier, however, were a different matter entirely.

They watched as a layer of shimmering, iridescent light flowed across the gaps in the Cosmic Boundary — sealing them, one by one, until the entire universe was enclosed within.

Then they saw it: beyond the Cosmic Boundary, the murky amber-hued Chaos Sea was changing. It fractured. Streaming light bled through the breaks, transforming the endless murk into something that looked less like Chaos and more like shattered space in motion.

*Spatial Transfer.*

The War Gods at the Mechanical Fortress had the clearest view — but every War God and Gene Warrior guarding every other gap along the Cosmic Boundary wore the same expression. Wide-eyed. Breathless. Barely able to process what they were seeing.

At one of the gaps in the Human Race's territory, Nuxing was on guard duty.

Without warning, a colossal wave of power rolled over him. His eyes snapped wide.

"That aura — it's Yuan?! What the hell?! How is something this terrifying even *possible*?!"

The shock hadn't finished settling when a powerful barrier materialized across the gap — and beyond it, the outside world transformed. Nuxing stared, jaw slack.

"What?! What's happening?! What is that out there?! What did Yuan *do*?!"

He stood there, completely at a loss.

He wasn't alone. Every Gene Warrior around him looked just as lost.

Every War God along the frontier was shaken to the core. They had guarded this boundary for hundreds of millions of years, and not one of them had ever witnessed anything like this.

It was simply too extraordinary to believe.