The Tiny and Humble Mortal

Without hesitation, Tang Chuan immediately connected to the Divine Transformation Device and immersed his consciousness into Cangmang Star, deep within the Origin Universe.

The Time Force Field was still in effect, and the biological development of Cangmang Star continued at a rate of millions of times faster.

With the support of a trace of Diluted Divine Power, Tang Chuan once again entered a semi-omnipotent state and began observing this planet.

Now, under Tang Chuan's settings, Cangmang Star had rapidly completed the formation of intelligent life.

Single-celled organisms, multicellular organisms, marine life, land life, mammals... humans.

In a short span of time, on a continent called Canghuang within Cangmang Star, staged evolution had been completed. Intelligent beings had taken their initial form, forming tribal communities and giving birth to several simple languages unique to their tribes.

However, Tang Chuan did not immediately stop the acceleration of the Time Force Field. Instead, he silently observed from a God's Perspective.

Only after about an hour or two did Tang Chuan halt the Time Force Field. The distorted, rapidly developing scenes slowed down, returning to a pace observable by the human eye.

At this moment, many large human tribes had populations nearing ten thousand. They had already established their own class systems and could build simple stone houses.

Some tribes had even developed their own cultural totems and learned to preserve fire, using it to drive away wild beasts, illuminate the darkness of the ancient wilderness, and... for simple cooking.

Those cultural totems almost all stemmed from early humanity's reverence for natural power.

Some were simple lightning symbols carved into stone slabs.

Others were rough flame patterns, used to express gratitude to fire for driving away beasts and darkness.

Still others depicted powerful ferocious beasts from the Canghuang Continent, born from humanity's innate awe of strength.

Indeed, the Canghuang Continent was home to many ferocious beasts. These species reproduced slowly but possessed strength far exceeding that of Earth's wild animals.

Based on the Classic of Mountains and Seas, they came in various shapes, ferocious and massive, nearly dominating this ancient era.

If not for humanity's rapid reproduction, the small number of those beasts, and humans learning to use tools, fire, and build simple walls, they would have long been slaughtered clean by those beasts.

Of course, this was also an inevitable outcome.

After all, with a "deity" like Tang Chuan existing, he wouldn't let humanity simply go extinct.

Early humans, after forming large tribes and tasting the sweetness of power, quickly revealed their ambition to conquer territory.

Their goal was to compete for resources and land, declaring their sovereignty over this continent.

At this moment, what unfolded before Tang Chuan's eyes was a large tribe's slaughter and plunder of a smaller tribe.

They controlled tamed canine beasts, held high torches, and wielded wooden clubs and stone tools as they charged into a small tribe of a few hundred people.

They killed any male they saw.

They also killed females, sparing only a few that caught the eyes of the large tribe's warriors, taking them captive back to the tribe.

The humans of this era were incredibly physically robust, each one a future all-around athlete. They had thick, sturdy bones, imposing physiques, and stood nearly 1.9 meters tall.

They possessed the strength of a thousand jin, and the agility and reflexes of wild beasts.

The large tribe, clearly seasoned in battle, had even organized several simple formations. With their absolute numerical advantage, they quickly looted the small tribe clean.

The tribal warriors returned laden with spoils. One burly warrior, gripping a sharp stone tool, had the top of his weapon pierced through a male human, who was still bleeding and wailing in agony.

This was the chief of the "Eagle Tribe," who had dared to challenge the authority of their "Savage Tribe" and compete with them for resources. Now, this was the price of their defiance.

The victors laughed heartily, chiseling their tribe's totem into the land surrounding the Eagle Tribe, declaring their arrival and their conquest.

Then, they set a fire directly in the ruins of the Eagle Tribe.

The flames blazed into the sky, igniting the pitch-black night. The Eagle Tribe Chief's agonized screams echoed across the desolate wilderness, revealing an undeniable savagery and bloodlust.

The victors left satisfied, taking their captives with them.

All that remained was a pile of ruins still burning in the fire.

No one saw that, not far from the tribe, beneath a well-hidden animal trap covered with turf, a gaze filled with hatred, anger, and venom stared like a hawk at the departing Savage Tribe, laughing loudly.

Tears soaked his beast-hide clothes. Hatred drove him into an indescribable frenzy, yet under the Savage Tribe's ferocity and strength, he felt more insignificant than ever before.

He was the hope of the Eagle Tribe, the sole surviving spark, carrying the last will of his people.

He should have lived and died with his tribe, but he had cowered. While checking the animal trap he had set during the day, the Savage Tribe launched their massive invasion. All he could do was hide beneath the turf trap, tears streaming down his face, his body trembling with hatred, as he watched the brutal scene of his clansmen being exterminated.

Only after the Savage Tribe had gone far, and even the faint glow of their torches was no longer visible, did this youth named Hu'erlun dare to crawl out of the animal trap.

He came to the edge of his tribe's ruins, knelt on the ground, and stared at the totem left by the Savage Tribe. With trembling hands, he grabbed handfuls of dirt and sand and mechanically smeared them over his face, a mix of blood and tears.

The tribe is destroyed. Where do I go from here?

Not as fierce as an eagle, not having shed his blood to protect his tribe, the loss of faith plunged the ten-something-year-old Hu'erlun into deep self-blame and grief.

"If, as the Witch Grandmother said, there truly is an Embodiment of Natural Power, please forgive my cowardice and insignificance.

Oh, Embodiment of Natural Power, if you saw this scene, why were you unmoved? Our tribe prayed devoutly to you with every sunrise and sunset, and offered sacrifices to you with every successful hunt...

Do you... truly exist? Did you see? The Savage Tribe has brought blood and tears to your believers!!"

Whoosh~

As these words fell, Hu'erlun suddenly saw endless white light burst forth from the heavens, instantly filling the wilderness.

Hu'erlun stared blankly upward, seeing within the endless white light a figure emerge—a majestic, towering, supreme being, holding a golden-armored shield and bearing a silver-glowing sword on its back... the Embodiment of Natural Power?

For a moment, Hu'erlun's mind went blank.

All of this surpassed his imagination, shattering the worldview of a primitive human, like the first ancient ancestor who witnessed a thunderbolt split the sky or saw fire burn all things.

With just one glance, he was plunged into deep fear and reverence.

"Insignificant and lowly mortal, is it you who calls to me?"