236: newborn

Light.

Infinite, endless light.

When the black and white intertwined Blade of Judgment sank into the core of the "True Lord," and when the ancient stone slab merged into the imprisoned Origin like a weary bird returning to its nest, the entire abyss was completely filled with this light of absolute purity.

Li Dong stood right in the center of this light.

The light was not blinding; instead, it was as warm as... like what? He couldn't find the right word for a moment. It brushed over his Soul like a mother's hand, gently smoothing away all the exhaustion and scars from his battles until now. The coldness that had been entrenched deep within his consciousness, born from witnessing too much death and despair, was now being dispelled and melted away bit by bit.

Comfortable.

That was Li Dong's only thought at this moment.

He could even "see" the billions of worlds that had been swallowed by the "True Lord," leaving behind only wreckage and wails, undergoing incredible changes under the radiance of this light. The withered star cores reignited with faint sparks, the shattered continental plates slowly gathered under the pull of an invisible force, and the dried-up rivers of Law became full once again...

Everything was recovering.

This was not a reversal of time, but a "reshaping" at a higher level. It was like a painting splashed with ink; now, an invisible hand was using the purest pigments to redraw the stained areas, making them even more vivid and bright than the original.

And he, Li Dong, was the wielder of this "paintbrush."

"Hum..."

The power within his body was undergoing a heaven-shaking transformation. This was not the traditional explosive growth of cultivation, nor was it a forced elevation after devouring energy. It was more like... a resonance.

Every cell in his body and every thought in his Soul vibrated at the same frequency as this light of creation. He felt that he was no longer an isolated individual, but had transformed into an "organ," a special "node" of this newborn Universe. He could clearly "hear" the pulse of the Universe, a kind of "emotion" mixed with joy, gratitude, and a newborn's curiosity.

"So... that's how it is."

Li Dong opened his palm. The former Eternal Prison and Law Scalpel had disappeared, replaced by a mark emitting a gentle, warm light. This mark seemed alive, slowly rotating in his palm, containing the order and Law to reshape all things.

With a thought, he tried to understand this mark.

Instantly, an endless torrent of information flooded his mind.

How to construct a star, how to weave a nebula, how to set the concept of "wind" in a world, how to make "Time" flow evenly... These ultimate mysteries of the Universe, once too profound to reach, now seemed as simple and clear as one plus one equals two in his eyes.

He had become the Law itself.

Or rather, he had been granted the authority of the "Attunement" Law.

"Ha..." Li Dong couldn't help but grin; this feeling was truly wonderful. He felt that as long as he was willing, he could make the sea of light around him instantly coalesce into anything he wanted.

"How about I conjure a roast chicken?" An absurd thought popped up, and he found it funny himself. Even at this point, he was still thinking about gluttonous desires.

But just as he was immersed in this brand-new experience, a strange feeling—like a sharp, discordant note suddenly appearing in a harmonious symphony—made his perception instantly alert.

Hmm?

He extended his consciousness infinitely along the newborn pulse of the Universe, crossing world after world that was recovering, and probing toward the more distant, unknown Void Realm.

Soon, he "saw" it.

In certain corners of the Universe, some things that had been suppressed for countless years under the dark rule of the "True Lord" were beginning to stir. They were like strange fish lurking in the deep sea, beginning to probe and swim upward because the storm on the sea surface had ceased.

In other places, because the energy impact of this light of creation was too intense, it had instead given birth to some brand-new, chaotic, and formless "energy lifeforms." Like viruses, they instinctively wanted to erode this pure order that had just been born.

Li Dong frowned slightly.

"What is this..." he couldn't help but mutter, "Just cut out the biggest tumor, only to find a bunch of polyps and inflammation left in the body? Is this Universe's immune System really that terrible?"

He had thought that once the "True Lord" was resolved, everything would be over. He could just dust off his hands and go home, spend time with Lin Yue, see how that girl Li Qingxuan was governing the nation, and then go find the three Grand Elders to have tea and chat.

Now it seemed the job wasn't finished yet. As the "attending physician," he still had to be responsible for post-operative recovery and infection prevention.

"Hunter... Healer... Tuner..." Li Dong smacked his lips, "The promotion is quite fast, but I don't know if there's a salary."

The Origin of the Universe, which was connected to his mind, seemed to sense his "resentment," and a purer, warmer thought was transmitted over, as if to soothe him.

Li Dong could "understand" what it meant. It was saying: You are me. I am you. We shall protect everything together.

"Fine, fine, I give in." Li Dong helplessly spread his hands, "Who told me to be so rash back then and accept that broken ancient stone slab of yours."

Although he complained, there was no resistance in his heart.

Protection had always been his belief along the way. Before, it was protecting a city, a nation, a world. Now, the scope had just expanded to the entire Universe.

He was used to it.

Moreover, he realized that his mission had not ended. The Azure Vault, the Child of Ash, and those countless Seniors who had fallen in the resistance... their sacrifices should not just be exchanged for a fleeting dawn.

He wanted to make this light eternal.

"However, before I become this cosmic policeman..."

Li Dong closed his eyes, and the mark in his palm glowed slightly. His Divine Thought pierced through layers of space, and among the countless newborn world coordinates, he accurately found an aura that couldn't be more familiar.

That was his home.

He could feel that his own world had also gained unimaginable benefits in this Universe-level purification. Spiritual Qi, no, it should be called "power of the Origin," was feeding back into that land with unprecedented concentration. Mountains were being reshaped, rivers were surging, and even the air was filled with vitality that allowed Mortals to prolong their lives.

He could even vaguely "see" a figure standing against the wind at the top of that high tower, seemingly gazing into the distance at something.

Lin Yue.

And in the Imperial City, that increasingly deep and majestic imperial Luck. Li Qingxuan.

A strong desire to return surged in his heart.

He had been away from home for too long. It was time to go back.

He needed to go back to see for himself and confirm that everything was safe. He also needed to go back and tell them that the greatest crisis had passed, and the future would be an unprecedentedly brilliant era.

"Hey, I say..." Li Dong said to the Void Realm, as if speaking to an invisible friend, "I'm taking some leave to go home and visit my family, no problem, right? Let those little troubles jump around for a while longer; I'll deal with them all when I get back."

In response, that warm thought that permeated the entire Universe seemed to "laugh" lightly. A path constructed of pure light automatically paved itself under Li Dong's feet, leading directly to the coordinates of his home world.

"That's decent of you." Li Dong smiled.

He no longer hesitated, took a step forward, and his entire figure merged into that endless light. He did not tear through space, nor did he twist the Law; he just naturally became a part of the light, speeding toward the direction of home along the "starlight avenue" that the Origin of the Universe had paved for him.

The journey was not yet over. But this time, he was no longer a lonely hunter, but a returner laden with hope.