Chapter 3: Wandering the Continent
Time flew by, and half a month later, An Bufan emerged from his secluded cave, completely transformed. At this point, he was no longer just An Bufan; his name was Hun Tiandi.
An Bufan had fully merged with Hun Tiandi's memories. At this moment, An Bufan was Hun Tiandi, and Hun Tiandi was An Bufan.
"I, Hun Tiandi, will surely become the supreme existence of this continent." An Bufan stood in the void, gazing down at the vast Soul Realm, and murmured to himself.
With his mind made up, An Bufan vanished from his spot in a flash. When he reappeared, he was already inside the main hall of the clan.
"Clan Chief!"
The guards of the Hun Clan discovered him as soon as he materialized in the hall. Upon realizing that the person who had entered was none other than their elusive Clan Chief, the guards immediately knelt and clasped their hands in respectful greeting.
In the minds of the Hun Clan members, Hun Tiandi spent most of the year in seclusion. He rarely appeared before his people, let alone in the council hall.
"Rise." Hun Tiandi stood with his hands behind his back, exuding an aura of imperial dominance.
"Yes!" The guards quickly stood up and retreated from the main hall.
An Bufan sat down on the throne at the highest position and sent out a message with a wave of his palm.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
The sound of energy cutting through the air rang out as the messages left the main hall, speeding toward various locations within the Soul Realm.
Moments later, figures began to arrive.
"Clan Chief!"
The first to arrive at the main hall were the Hun Clan's Four Demon Saints, who all bowed and clasped their hands in greeting to An Bufan.
The Four Demon Saints were all at the level of Seven-Star Dou Saints and were among the strongest experts in the Hun Clan.
"Mm. Please take a seat." An Bufan, with his eyes closed, nodded slightly.
"Yes!"
The Four Demon Saints—Hun Tu, Hun Sha, Hun Jing, and Hun Yan—exchanged glances, seeing the doubt in each other's eyes. The Clan Chief only summoned everyone to this hall when there was something of grave importance to discuss.
They couldn't remember how many years it had been since they last gathered here. Now that the Clan Chief was seated on the throne and all four of them had arrived, the rest of the upper echelon must be on their way as well.
In the eyes of the Four Demon Saints, something significant was about to happen.
"Clan Chief."
Another Hun Clan expert arrived, bowing and greeting An Bufan. This person was Hun Xuzi, a Seven-Star Dou Saint and the clan's supreme alchemist.
"Please take a seat," An Bufan instructed, keeping his eyes tightly shut.
"Yes!" Hun Xuzi bowed slightly and moved to an empty seat in the hall.
"Clan Chief!"
...
More and more people entered the main hall, looking at the assembled experts and Hun Tiandi sitting high upon the throne. Everyone was puzzled. Did the Clan Chief have important instructions to give?
"Clan Chief!"
Just as the crowd was speculating, three elderly men entered the main hall and bowed slightly to Hun Tiandi. These three men were none other than the three supreme elders of the Hun Clan: Hun Shengtian, Hun Yao, and Hun Yuantian.
As the three elders finished their greetings, An Bufan finally opened his eyes.
"Please take your seats, the three of you."
"Yes!"
Without hesitation, the three elders sat down in the remaining empty seats, wondering what major move the Clan Chief was planning. The fact that so many high-ranking clansmen had been gathered suggested a massive undertaking.
"Since everyone is here, I'll get to the point," An Bufan announced. "I intend to leave the Soul Realm and wander the continent. Does anyone have any objections?"
An Bufan went straight to the point, avoiding any unnecessary pleasantries.
Boom!
As An Bufan finished speaking, the hearts of the gathered clansmen were filled with shock. They were dumbfounded, as if they had heard a world-shattering secret.
Each person was deeply shaken, and words could not express the turmoil in their minds. However, no matter how shocked one was, reality eventually set in.
Hun Shengtian, one of the Hun Clan's veterans, was the first to react. "Clan Chief, you mustn't! Please reconsider!"
"Clan Chief, no! Think twice!"
"Clan Chief, please reconsider!"
Once Hun Shengtian spoke, the rest of the Hun Clan members snapped out of their daze and cried out in desperate pleading.
What a joke! If the Clan Chief went off to wander the continent, who would oversee the massive Hun Clan? If the Clan Chief wasn't in the Soul Realm, it would be as if the organization had lost its backbone.
The Hun Clan had two core pillars. One was the Clan Chief, Hun Tiandi. The second was the Nihility Devouring Flame. Both were indispensable.
How could they agree to the Clan Chief wandering the continent like a vagrant cultivator? They absolutely could not accept this.
"What is wrong with me wanting to travel the continent?" An Bufan asked calmly.
After spending the last half-month fusing with Hun Tiandi's memories, An Bufan was now a perfect "Hun Tiandi." Being calm and composed in the face of adversity came naturally to him. Moreover, he had already anticipated their obstruction.
"Clan Chief, you are the head of the clan. If you leave the Soul Realm, what will happen to the realm? So please, Clan Chief, think it over!" Hun Yuantian, another of the supreme elders, pleaded.
"The Hun Clan and the Soul Realm are formidable because of you all," An Bufan countered.
"My Hun Clan has hundreds of Dou Saints, thousands of Dou Venerates, and countless vassal sects. You ask me what the Hun Clan should do? What the Soul Realm should do?"
"Aren't you people the foundation of my Hun Clan? With you all here, what could possibly happen to the clan?"
"I am merely going to wander the continent for a while; it is not as if I am never returning. Do I really need to think twice?" An Bufan stared at Hun Yuantian.
Every word he spoke revealed an imperial domineering spirit and unwavering determination.
Before Hun Yuantian could respond, An Bufan continued, "When has my decision ever been changed?"
"During my absence, the affairs of the Hun Clan and the Soul Realm will be decided by you three elders!" An Bufan's deep gaze fell upon Hun Yuantian, Hun Shengtian, and Hun Yao.
Then, his gaze shifted to the Four Demon Saints. "Hun Tu, Hun Sha, Hun Jing, Hun Yan—the four of you shall travel the continent with me."
"Clan Chief, but..."
"My mind is made up," An Bufan interrupted, his voice ringing out with finality. "There is no need for further discussion."