Remember My Radiance

Hu'erlun was momentarily at a loss for how to answer.

Within his worldview, the concept of "deity" did not even exist yet. What he called the "Embodiment of Natural Power" was merely a vague abstraction, a reverent term for nature he had heard from the Witch Grandmother.

Now, a personified deity, radiant with light and possessing a human-like form, had suddenly answered his call and appeared before him. Hu'erlun could barely string words together.

The shining deity in the sky seemed somewhat displeased, frowning as he said, "What? Was it not you who summoned me? Mortal, toying with the divine comes at a price. Now, answer me: why did you call for my descent? Offer me your sincerity and reverence."

Hu'erlun's mouth hung open, his entire body trembling, just like the first time he saw lightning split a great tree, a terror that struck the very depths of his soul.

With shaking hands, he quickly slapped himself several times to force his spasming jaw back into working order.

Hu'erlun knelt on both knees, raised his hands high, his face full of shock and awe, and said, "Great Embodiment of Nature, I am Hu'erlun! The companions of my tribe are all your devout followers! Every time we have a bountiful hunt, we offer part of the spoils to you with fire! But my tribe, my family, my friends—they were just slaughtered by brutal butchers! I beg you, avenge them! Please! I am willing to offer you everything, including my life!"

Human nature, since ancient times, has been this complicated.

Every human fears death, a fear etched into their genes.

But if you give them a reason to "die meaningfully," they will still charge forward without hesitation, willing to burn their lives for it.

It could only be said that in Hu'erlun's heart, the threshold for a meaningful death was perhaps set a bit high.

He had watched his tribesmen being slaughtered while he himself happened to be able to avoid the disaster. He was afraid, retreated into a beast trap, and could only watch with hatred and venom as his people were butchered.

Grief and fury drove him to want to rush out and kill those thugs with his own hands.

But his fear of death simultaneously told him that charging out would only mean dying in vain, adding to the casualties.

In the end, the latter won out. He wept tears of blood in agony but still chose to live on in shame.

But now, a deity had answered his call and descended.

If he could trade his own life for the complete annihilation of the murderers, Hu'erlun was willing to offer himself as a sacrifice!

This satisfied his psychological expectation of a meaningful death!

Such was the complexity of it.

People fear death, yet they also do not fear it.

The deity in the sky looked down upon this insignificant and pitiful mortal and said with compassion, "Regrettably, as a deity, I am unwilling to slaughter humans. Even if the people of the barbarian tribes are villains in your eyes, in this world, which tribe has never committed evil deeds?"

Hu'erlun's face was filled with piety, tinged with a trace of sorrow, as he said, "Deity, is that your title? Then, O Deity, I beg you to tell this insignificant one how I might inflict the same revenge upon those thugs! I implore you, I beseech you, you must give me this answer, and Hu'erlun will praise you forever!"

The deity's sigh came, striking straight into Hu'erlun's heart. He said, "I am unwilling to impose cruel punishment upon the human race, but I am also unwilling to see this world forever filled with slaughter and plunder. Perhaps, if this continent were unified, your entire race might avoid the blood and tears that play out every day. Since that is the case, Hu'erlun, tell me, what power do you wish to obtain? I can grant it to you. But in exchange, you must also complete a task. I will watch over you throughout your brief life, to see if you uphold the mission I have given you."

Hu'erlun wept with joy and said, "As long as I can do it, even my life, I am willing to offer to the deity. Power—yes, I need power—to avenge my tribe and to spread your glory and majesty to other clans!"

The first thing that came to Hu'erlun's mind was the Ancient Fierce Beasts, their mighty bodies capable of toppling cities and fortresses, beyond human strength.

He raised his hands high and cried, "I beg the deity to grant me the strongest power in this world, so that I alone can exact bloody revenge upon the barbarian thugs!"

The majestic deity nodded gently and drew the Silver Light Sword from his back, a blade that proclaimed authority and supremacy.

The deity lightly placed the sword on Hu'erlun's forehead and said, "Then I grant you absolute power and the strongest physique!"

In an instant, the deity withdrew the sword and returned it to his back.

On the ground, Hu'erlun's eyes blazed with silver light, growing more intense until streams of radiance burst from his seven orifices.

Gradually, the light faded. When Hu'erlun came to his senses, he was already prostrate on the ground.

He slowly straightened his body, and his bones crackled like popping beans. His muscles became swollen and tough, his skin impervious to blades, his reaction speed rivaling that of true beasts.

Power.

It felt as if his body contained an inexhaustible wellspring of power!

Hu'erlun lay prostrate, kowtowing sincerely, and said, "Deity, thank you for your grace. Hu'erlun will remember it forever!"

The majestic deity, however, remained as aloof and stern as ever, saying, "Rise. What you wanted, I have given you. But do not forget: what a deity can give, it can also easily take away. Hu'erlun, from now on, you will become a divine apostle. Spread my glory to all that your eyes can see and your authority can reach. Let all people and things praise my name! This is my condition. Remember this day. I will watch over you forever from the distant heavens."

Hu'erlun said sincerely, "I swear to take the deity as my totem and spread your radiance across the Canghuang Continent until my life is spent. Deity, please tell this humble Hu'erlun how to address you. Your name shall shine like the stars and the sun, forever flickering across this continent!"

The majestic deity said with authority, "I am the embodiment of power and defense. You may call me the God of War, Pantheon! Hu'erlun, do not disappoint me. Among the entire human race, I have chosen you alone. The price of deceiving a god is one that someone as insignificant as you cannot bear."

Hu'erlun committed this name to memory, kowtowing as he said, "You will be Hu'erlun's one and only, and the world's one and only..."

"Go, then. I am watching."

An ethereal voice came, and the endless radiance dissipated, leaving the night as dark and deep as ink.

Hu'erlun lifted his head, seeing only the lonely starry sky, with no trace of the deity's form.

But that majestic, supreme, and inviolable image was forever etched into Hu'erlun's body and soul.