Chapter 2: Mission
Just as An Bufan was reeling from the sheer scale of the Hun Realm, a dark silhouette approached at breakneck speed. It seemed to arrive before him in the blink of an eye.
As the figure drew near, An Bufan realized it wasn't just a shadow, but a handsome man dressed in black robes.
Accompanying his arrival was a wave of intense heat that filled the space between the realm and its inhabitants. An Bufan felt the scorching temperature wash over him.
"Clan Head, you have finally emerged from seclusion," the black-robed man said with a smile.
Before An Bufan could reply, the man studied him closely and continued, "It seems you gained much from this seclusion! You have even reached the peak of the nine-star Dou Saint realm."
"As long as you obtain the Emperor Pill left behind by Ancient God Tuo She, your breakthrough to the Dou God realm will be imminent!"
The man looked at An Bufan expectantly. At that moment, the man's name flashed through An Bufan's mind: Void.
That was the man's name. He was also the second-ranked Heavenly Flame—the Void Swallowing Flame.
An Bufan laughed and replied, "It was merely a fluke, nothing more." He then added, "Have you also emerged from seclusion?"
In the memories inherited from Hun Tiandi, the Void Swallowing Flame was a cultivation fanatic who was rarely seen. Even the strongest clan elders found it difficult to get an audience with him.
It was unexpected. An Bufan had just stepped out to "reveal his secrets," yet he immediately encountered the elusive Void Swallowing Flame. What a coincidence.
"Sensing your aura, I decided to come out," the Void Swallowing Flame said with a smile.
To think Hun Tiandi's seclusion had pushed him to the peak of the nine-star Dou Saint realm was truly terrifying. If the Dou Qi Continent were not lacking Origin Qi, Hun Tiandi would surely have broken through to become a Dou God already.
It seems I need to work harder, otherwise our partnership will become unbalanced, the Void Swallowing Flame thought. Being weaker than him is not a good idea.
"Oh! I see," An Bufan nodded slightly, feigning understanding.
However, according to the memories he inherited, the Void Swallowing Flame was not someone who smiled often. Why was he smiling so happily now?
Could he have seen through my disguise? An Bufan wondered, but he immediately dismissed the thought.
The Void Swallowing Flame was powerful, but he was not a Dou God. How could he possibly see through the soul? Even a genuine Dou God might not be able to tell the difference.
After all, he was Hun Tiandi, and Hun Tiandi was him. They were indistinguishable. No one would realize that the original soul was gone.
"Void, I have only just reached the peak of the nine-star Dou Saint realm. I need to stabilize my foundation, so I will take my leave now," An Bufan said, mimicking Hun Tiandi's mannerisms.
Without waiting for the Void Swallowing Flame to speak, he turned and headed back to the cave he had just emerged from.
The Void Swallowing Flame frowned as he watched An Bufan's departing figure, muttering to himself, "Why does Hun Tiandi seem a little strange today?"
He couldn't quite put his finger on it; it just felt weird.
Unable to explain the feeling, the Void Swallowing Flame stopped overthinking. His mind refocused on Hun Tiandi's rise to the peak. Before this seclusion, Hun Tiandi was only at the late stage of the nine-star Dou Saint realm.
Unexpectedly, he had now reached the peak. If the Void Swallowing Flame didn't put in more effort, their partnership might become fragile.
He didn't feel safe with such a power gap. Therefore, he decided he also needed to enter seclusion to improve his strength. The next second, he vanished from the spot.
Inside the cave.
An Bufan let out a long sigh of relief, his tense nerves finally relaxing.
He was merely curious about his surroundings; he never expected to run into the legendary Void Swallowing Flame. It had truly startled him. Although he was now Hun Tiandi physically, mentally he was still An Bufan.
Deep down, he was still an ordinary person.
"It seems I need to stay in this cave for a while to accept the reality of my transmigration. I must fully embrace the identity of Hun Tiandi."
"I am who I am. At this moment, I am not just An Bufan, but the ultimate villain of Battle Through the Heavens—Hun Tiandi."
"I need to get used to it. I need to accept this identity," An Bufan murmured.
He was trying to convince himself to accept this new life so that such tense situations wouldn't happen again.
"Extraordinary! How can one live an ordinary life with the name An Bufan? Therefore, you are the best." This was how he silently encouraged himself, referencing the meaning of his name.
Ding!
Just as An Bufan was comforting himself, a mechanical sound echoed in his mind.
"Task credited! Claim now?"
"Hmm? A task?" An Bufan murmured instinctively. This voice belonged to none other than the System.
"Claim now? Answer yes or no," the System's robotic voice rang out again.
An Bufan hesitated for a moment before slowly saying, "Yes."
"Task accepted successfully."
Mission One: Reach the Dou God realm and fulfill Hun Tiandi's wish.
Mission Two: Eliminate the protagonist. (If the protagonist is not eliminated, the host will suffer the same fate as the original Hun Tiandi: suppressed and forever trapped in this world.)
Mission Three: Unify the entire Dou Qi Continent and become the sole overlord.
"Upon completion, the Big Boss System will be upgraded to a two-star System."
"What happens if I fail the missions?" An Bufan suddenly thought of something and asked.
"If not completed, the System will be destroyed along with the host."
"Please do not question the System. You are welcome to test if the System dares to lead you to destruction."
An Bufan (Hun Tiandi): "..."