Chapter 51: Identity

Just as the continent of Douluo is inhabited not only by humans but also by soul beasts, the venomous legacy of the Abundance's chaos is borne not just by mankind, but silently endured by soul beasts as well—perhaps even to a far greater extent.

Abominations are notoriously difficult to kill, so humans lure them into the Star Great Forest. Humans refine elixirs but dare not consume them themselves, using soul beasts as test subjects instead, leaving behind a chaotic mess to vanish in a flash when things go awry.

A vast multitude of mindless abominations roam the forest, slaughtering every living creature they encounter and causing the deaths of countless soul beasts. Were it not for the intervention of numerous fierce beasts and even the Sovereign of Soul Beasts themselves to suppress them, the Star Great Forest would likely struggle to maintain even a superficial peace.

The occurrence of these events has further deepened the hatred of soul beasts toward humans, reaching a point of nearly uncontrollable tension.

As the chieftain of his own clan, the Crimson King naturally harbors an extreme hostility toward humans and equally detests those creatures intimately tied to the Abominations of Abundance, lumping them all together as abominations regardless of the specifics.

Had it not been for the orders of his lord, the Crimson King would have lunged forward and torn Chun limb from limb the very moment he set eyes upon him!

The Crimson King said in a deep voice, "Abomination, come with me."

"Tsk."

Chun curled his lips and sighed, "Sigh, this really shouldn't be something I have to handle."

Yet who told him to venture out alone?

Hearing his words, the Crimson King instantly grew vigilant, baring its teeth and glaring at him with ferocious eyes.

It roared up toward the sky, "Roar!"

"Abomination, what do you think you're doing!"

"Really now, although I do have some connection to them, you calling me an abomination with every breath is genuinely infuriating, you big puppy!"

A weapon resembling a combination of a bamboo staff and an octagonal Han sword materialized in Chun's hand. He pointed it at the Crimson King with a carefree smile and suddenly chanted aloud—

"Withered bones give birth to desolate weeds, ruins transform into mulberry fields!"

As the words fell, the surrounding scene shifted into a battlefield where white bones lay exposed across a wasteland, the murderous aura of weapons piercing the skies. In the blink of an eye, the battlefield transformed into a golden wheat field, brimming with vitality!

The Crimson King could not even perceive what had transpired in the interim; it only felt as though its body had been hollowed out in the blink of an eye.

Huh? Why has this ghostly thing grown so large?

No! It was the one that had shrunk!

The Crimson King widened its eyes, looking down at its own short limbs in utter bewilderment.

Chun cheerfully stepped forward, squatted down, flicked its head with his index finger, and giggled, "Hehe, as expected, little puppies are the cutest after all."

"Human! Do not be too presumptuous!"

The Crimson King roared in fury, yet it was horrified to find that it could no longer speak properly, its supposed roar turning into two adorable little sounds.

"Woof woof!"

Witnessing this scene, Chun could not help but clutch his stomach and burst into loud laughter.

At that moment, a slender and ethereal figure appeared nearby. He stared in absolute disbelief at the tiny crimson puppy on the ground, utterly unable to fathom how the Crimson King, the eighth-ranked fierce beast of the continent, could have been reduced to such a state.

Chun kicked the puppy-sized Crimson King over with one foot, turned around, and laughed heartily as he looked at the newcomer.

Upon seeing that smile, the Myriad Beast King shuddered, his expression stiffening as he said, "My lord, the Sovereign requests your presence."

Chun curled his lips in sheer boredom. "Tsk, why didn't you call me an abomination? Otherwise, I could have openly turned you into a little sapling... Ah no, turned you into a seed and planted you in the dirt to grow all over again."

As expected, there was a trap hidden in those words!

The Myriad Beast King silently praised his own cleverness. Just as he thought his mission was proceeding smoothly, Chun flopped down onto the ground and declared with utter disdain, "She tells me to go, so I go? Do I have no pride?"

The Myriad Beast King, never expecting such a development from a senior expert, broke out in a cold sweat on his forehead. "This... the Sovereign finds it somewhat inconvenient."

"What inconvenience! That just screams insincerity!" Chun argued unreasonably.

The moment his words trailed off, a vast and overwhelming will descended.

A cold, detached voice echoed in his ears.

"I have come in person. Is that sincere enough?"

Though she did not physically occupy the current space, a figure with silver hair and silver eyes materialized before him, gazing expressionlessly at Chun.

"An outsider... I suppose that is what you may be called. Tell me, what is your purpose in coming to my territory?"

"Purpose?"

Tilting his head, Chun smiled. "Can I say I simply came for a spring outing, to make some friends, and by the way, look at some small animals?"

"Forget it, forget it. If I tell the truth, you certainly won't believe me, so I must phrase it like this—ahem!" Chun cleared his throat, and a wicked smile crept onto his face.

"My purpose here is none other than to incite the soul beasts' hatred toward humanity, to let the flames of war burn across the entire continent, and to plunge all living beings into despair!"

"Ultimately, to awaken that slumbering deity and reshape this old world!"

Amidst his passionate and stirring speech, Chun felt that he currently fit the archetype of a villain in a drama quite well.

Chun smiled, "How is that? Do you like these lines?"

"..."

The Myriad Beast King and the Sovereign of Soul Beasts fell into silence, seemingly deeply engrossed in those lines and unable to extricate themselves, save for the Crimson King, which continued to whine and wag its tail on the side.

After a long while, the Sovereign of Soul Beasts drew a deep breath and asked in a deep voice, "Then what about you? Who are you?"

"Do not tell me you are the avatar of that Outer God. I know very well that you are not."

The moment this question was posed, the scene instantly plunged into an eerie stillness. The smile on Chun's face, which had hitherto remained lively and carefree, gradually faded.

Yet it reappeared a moment later, entirely devoid of any warmth.

He smiled as he replied, "Who am I? Well, that is a very important question. After all, you still do not even know my name. Allow me to give a brief self-introduction, then."

"I am Chun, and also Chun. I am He, yet not He, and I can also be He. I am the discarded part of Him, the shadow of His past, His Daoist path. My identities are manifold. If I must give you one you can actually comprehend, then I am..."

"——Heaven."

The moment that single word dropped, all emotion vanished from Chun's body. A lonely, unfathomable aura emanated from within him, and a pair of indifferent eyes that looked down upon everything opened within everyone's spiritual realms, their majestic heavenly might pressing down upon them so heavily they could barely breathe.

Fortunately, this heavenly might vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Chun shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and said, "However, that was my identity in the past. The plane's will has since changed hands, and moreover, I have no desire to change back. Now that I have finally acquired human will and emotions, I intend to thoroughly experience life!"

"I am going to choreograph a drama, personally raise the curtain, and I am still looking for actors. I think you are a very suitable fit. Will you join, Silver Dragon King?"

Chun extended his hand toward Gu Yuena, the Silver Dragon King, with an expression of utmost sincerity, as if he genuinely cared whether she would join or not.

Gu Yuena fell silent once more before speaking, "Not interested."

"Ah! I knew it would be like this."

Chun sighed, turned around, and waved his hand. "Since you aren't interested, don't waste my time. There are still people waiting for me to return."

"Wait, I still have things to say."

In response to her slightly urgent tone, Chun let out a cold, disgruntled snort. "Hmph, you aren't interested, and I'm not interested either. Let's each return to our own homes and look for our own mothers."

At that very moment, the storm clouds that had been brewing for a long time across the horizon erupted, and a blinding white bolt of lightning descended from the sky!