Chapter 445: Return
"Um… Brother Lu…"
"Brother Lu?"
Within the gentle call echoing in his ears, there lingered a profound sense of perplexity.
Having regained his consciousness, Lu Heng realized that the slumbering miniature dragon perched on his shoulder had vanished.
In place of it emerged Dragon Emperor Xiu Ya, who had restored her human form and stood by his side.
The woman gazed at Lu Heng with a bewildered expression, and worriedly inquired, "Brother Lu, have you discovered something? Why were you lost in thought for such a long time…"
Lu Heng looked at her with astonishment and said, "When did Your Majesty awaken?"
Dragon Emperor sighed and said, "Just after awakening and arriving here, I was summoned by the jade token. And yet, I found Brother Lu lost in thought, gazing at this place… Is something troubling you, Brother Lu?"
In the gaze of Dragon Emperor Xiu Ya, there was a mixture of concern and worry.
After all, Lu Heng's strange behavior just now, with his vacant stare at the planet before him and his ever-changing facial expression, was far from what one would expect from an accomplished cultivator.
And in the face of Dragon Emperor's concerned gaze, Lu Heng fell into silence for a moment, then sighed and said, "I must confess, Your Majesty, that I have a profound connection to this place. It could even be considered my homeland, and perhaps my loved ones are still there."
Lu Heng's words, though spoken with a hint of reservation, still candidly revealed his connection to the planet before him.
After all, with Dragon Emperor by his side, it was certain that the scene of Lu Heng reuniting with his loved ones would come to pass.
This cannot be concealed any longer, so it is better to confess at this point.
After Lu Heng finished speaking, the Dragon Emperor, astounded, responded, "Brother Lu's kin…"
The Dragon Emperor gazed upon the colossal celestial body silently spinning before her, and then turned her attention to Lu Heng. Her countenance revealed confusion as she spoke, "Brother Lu, it seems that there are no sentient beings surviving on this planet… The creatures that roam here are merely ordinary savage beasts, thriving on blood and fur. Could it be that your loved ones are concealed within a realm of utmost secrecy?"
"However, there is no trace of spiritual energy fluctuations in this place, nor does it resemble the presence of a hidden celestial realm…"
On Dragon Emperor's face, there was an expression filled with concern.
Since entering this terrifying Starry Sky Tomb, she had noticed that Lu Heng's reactions were somewhat unusual.
However, the previous anomalies were not very apparent, so she didn't pay too much attention. But ever since arriving at this planet, Lu Heng's various peculiar reactions have completely baffled Dragon Emperor.
First, his facial expression kept changing incessantly, as if bewitched by something, and now he is even speaking nonsensical words…
Dragon Emperor nervously reached out and grasped Lu Heng's hand, saying, "Brother Lu, is your spiritual consciousness still clear?"
Dragon Emperor was filled with anxiety, while Lu Heng, on the other hand, was even more astounded.
He looked at the Dragon Emperor in astonishment, listening to his words, and instinctively gazed at the Earth before him.
The familiar planet, the familiar land, but the creatures on the land…
With a flicker of thought, Lu Heng's divine consciousness instantly swept across the surface of the entire planet.
With his divine consciousness, the vast planet unfolded before Lu Heng without the slightest trace of concealment.
And indeed, as the Dragon Emperor stated, there were no sentient beings on this planet.
Yes, there were only a group of ordinary beasts, relying on devouring flesh and blood, engaged in mutual slaughter within the food chain.
Humanity, cities, civilizations, streets, neon lights, networks, barbecues, art… and so on, all the elements that Lu Heng once familiarized himself with, are no longer present on this planet.
The familiar Eurasian plate, the unexplored African plate, the isolated American plate, and the perpetually frozen Antarctic plate… the five continents, the four oceans, the places where sunlight reaches and darkness falls, every inch of land that can be searched on this planet, Lu Heng could not find the slightest trace of human presence.
In the place where his memory held the location of the coastal city he once lived in, now exists a dense coconut grove. Within the grove, peculiar monkeys leap about, unfamiliar massive birds soar through the sky, and the beach is washed by clean pebbles devoid of any traces of human waste.
The sea, which was originally murky and discolored, now appears clean and transparent, sparkling like shimmering gemstones, with no trace of any contamination from human activities.
This is…
"Is it an illusion…"
Lu Heng murmured as he gazed at such a scene, his entire being filled with bewilderment.
His hometown, the city where he lived freely, his familiar parents, relatives, and even the hospital… All of these, everything, vanished on the surface of the planet.
When he was in the Celestial Desolation Realm, he had imagined countless times the scene of returning to Earth.
Having envisioned countless times returning to Earth, he contemplated how to treat his elderly parents, friends, and acquaintances, deliberating on whether to interfere with their lives.
However, no matter how fanciful the daydreams, Lu Heng had never envisioned the actual scene he would face upon returning to Earth.
Desolate, desolate, untouched by human traces… were it not for the multitude of features on this planet that he knew all too well. The Mount Everest, towering on the Eurasian plate, with snowflakes swirling in the air, the elongated Japanese islands hanging alone beyond the sea, like a sleek sword, and the Bering Strait separating the junction of the Asian and American plates… If not for these familiar geographical features being identical to those in his memory, he would almost suspect that he had embarked upon a false and whimsical dream!
The Earth he lived in, the Earth he was familiar with, the Earth he yearned to return to… How did it transform into its current state!
In the chilling expanse of outer space, the figure of Lu Heng vanished in an instant.
His body was instantly transported to the seaside city where he had grown up… back to its original place.
Standing amidst the lush coconut grove, gazing bewilderedly at the dense surrounding primeval forest, Lu Heng's consciousness frantically scanned the ground below.
However, as his consciousness delved deep into the core of the planet, amidst the surging and molten magma, he found no trace of humanity whatsoever.
The once flourishing city in this bay, which had once captivated half of the oriental gaze, now left not even a single brick or tile in its wake.
Within the profound geological levels beneath the Earth's surface, Lu Heng even came across fossils of ancient creatures such as dinosaurs and trilobites, yet never once encountered a human skeletal fossil.
Even the non-biodegradable waste, constructed by humanity and claimed to be capable of polluting nature for millions of years, was never seen by Lu Heng.
These pristine geological levels, as well as the surface of the Earth, seemingly bear no trace of human existence. Even if Lu Heng were to upend the entire geological stratum, he would not be able to find, simply cannot find, any evidence.
By his side, Dragon Emperor Xiu Ya wore a concerned expression on her face.
Witnessing Lu Heng's frantic exploration finally come to an end, the woman finally seized an opportunity to speak.
"Brother Lu, if you have any concerns, you may confide in Xiu Ya," the Dragon Emperor expressed with concern. "Perhaps Xiu Ya could help you brainstorm a solution? Two heads are better than one… At the very least, after sharing your thoughts with Xiu Ya, the burden in your heart will surely lighten significantly!"
Dragon Emperor was filled with worry and anxiety, wishing she could bear the distress and sorrow on behalf of Lu Heng.
Lu Heng, on the other hand, looked at her silently. After a moment of silence, he shook his head slowly and said, "Your Majesty, I appreciate your kindness, but I have concerns in my heart that I must attend to."
As the voice fell, a flash of light burst forth, causing Lu Heng's figure to vanish from its original position, only to reappear at the other end of the planet.
