N-A-A Chapter 75, Part 1: Only a Bear with Culture and Refinement
Chapter 75, Part 1: Only a Bear with Culture and Refinement
Xiong Jun reveres strength, and the law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak, is ingrained in his very being.
In his naive understanding, power meant being able to tear apart all obstacles and conquer all territories.
As a child, he heard the legend of the "Beast God" in the core area from his mother—that powerful being tore apart the throat of the Dark God Demon Tiger King, liberating the Star Dou Great Forest from the shadow of bloodshed.
However, the Dark God Demon Tiger clan has also interbred with other lion and tiger clans, and their offspring carry their bloodline. This is why the Bear King will hunt down other powerful lion and tiger clan members who may possess this bloodline in the future.
From that time on, his yearning for the power of the "Beast God" became the driving force for him to become stronger.
He cultivated frantically, becoming the strongest in his clan and breaking through 100,000 years of cultivation. Then, with a pilgrimage-like feeling, he challenged the legendary Beast God Di Tian.
He lost, which was only natural. But at the time, he was not convinced.
He couldn't understand why Di Tian, who possessed such great power, would willingly be like those old bears in his clan, spending his days guarding the shores of the Lake of Life, as if waiting for something.
Shouldn't the strong use their power to seize more?
In the long years that followed, he challenged himself again and again, only to be defeated time and time again, and his inner confusion and resentment grew day by day.
It wasn't until Di Tian brought the human girl Huo Yutong back to the core area and he was defeated by the Dragon God's claws again that he truly realized the insurmountable gap between them—he himself had never even been qualified to make Di Tian use his full strength.
The real transformation began when Di Tian sent Bi Ji and Zi Ji to accompany Huo Yutong to the human world to study.
When forced to confront those convoluted human writings and knowledge, Xiong Jun felt utterly overwhelmed.
But unbeknownst to him, something began to sprout in his mind, which was accustomed to thinking with claws.
At this moment, standing before this group led by the 100,000-year-old soul beast "Ironclad Rhinoceros King" who refused to cooperate with the beast population census, Xiong Jun felt something "click" in his mind, connecting with something.
In the past, he would have already unleashed his dark gold claws, showing his opponent the meaning of "survival of the fittest" in the most direct way.
But this time, he didn't.
After this period of "cultural immersion", Xiong Jun has become a cultured and refined bear!
Reckless action? That's too outdated and doesn't suit his current temperament.
He suddenly remembered a word that Zi Ji often used when telling stories: "comprehensive understanding"!
Yes, that's it! He remembered the story of a human legion commander that Zi Ji had told him: In order to take a city without causing casualties, the legion commander had all the soul masters in the army possess their martial souls and display their soul rings at the foot of the city. Then they played music and danced. Three days later, the city lord was "moved" and surrendered.
Xiong Jun's huge bear eyes lit up instantly!
He felt the story was full of profound wisdom and was very relevant to the current situation.
"Fellow tribesmen!" the Bear King roared, raising his massive paw. "The time has come to show our 'sincerity'! Follow me, jump! Sing!"
And so, to the stunned gaze of the Ironclad Rhinoceros King and his people, a group of Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bears, led by Bear King and as large as small mountains, began to clumsily but diligently twist their massive bodies.
While they performed their chaotic and earth-shaking "dance," they chanted in unison with Xiong Jun's deafeningly loud, hoarse voice: "A gentleman is not a vessel! A gentleman is not a vessel! A vessel! A vessel!"
This incredibly impactful scene, this soul-stirring "song," subjected the armored rhinoceros tribe, known for its defense and composure, to an unprecedented spiritual baptism.
The heavy armor of the Ironclad Rhinoceros King seemed to tremble with the sound waves, and he and his people stared blankly, as if their souls had left their bodies.
Not long after, the Armored Rhinoceros King, with a look of utter despair, walked up to Bear King, his voice hoarse and weak: "...Stop singing, stop dancing...We'll join...the census, we'll agree to anything..."
Xiong Jun stopped what he was doing with satisfaction, patted his belly, and felt an unprecedented sense of accomplishment.
Look! This is the power of wisdom! This is the power of "culture"!
Without shedding blood, a powerful clan was won over with heartfelt submission.
The satisfaction of subduing the enemy without fighting seems... a little more wonderful than simply beating the other side down.
On his way back to the core area, Xiong Jun couldn't help but relive the scene from just now.
For the first time, he realized with such clarity that "thinking" might actually be somewhat useful.
It is not a weak escape, but another form of "power".
This power, unlike his dark gold claws which directly tear flesh apart, is more effective at... dismantling the opponent's will.
"Could it be that Di Tian was unwilling to wage war in the past because he was thinking about something more powerful?" A thought suddenly entered Xiong Jun's mind.
He recalled the series of actions Di Tian took after bringing Huo Yutong back: learning human knowledge, organizing soul bones, conducting a census of beasts... In his past view, these things were simply a waste of time.
But now, he vaguely felt that what Di Tian was plotting might be far more ambitious than conquering a territory or eliminating an opponent.
It was something he couldn't fully understand yet, but he could sense its weight and its connection to the future of the entire tribe.
"Perhaps... true strength is not just about sharp claws." Xiong Jun rubbed his indestructible dark gold claws with one of his paws, reflecting on his own power for the first time beyond instinct.
"Being able to defeat an opponent is impressive; but being able to make thousands of soul beasts willingly follow you, and even lead the entire clan to a better future... that seems to be a different kind of 'strength'."
He recalled how, after learning "segmented thinking," the Crimson King's three heads worked seamlessly together, greatly increasing his efficiency; he recalled how the Demon King used those incomprehensible paintings and principles to help plant-type soul beasts awaken their intelligence; he recalled how Bi Ji buried herself in the alchemy room, determined to refine the Enlightenment Pill; and he even recalled the shining look in Zi Ji's eyes when she explained human military theories.
They are all working hard for the future of the Star Dou Great Forest in their own ways, not just relying on brute force.
"My old bear's strength can be used to tear enemies apart, but perhaps... it can also be used to open up new territories and protect the weaker members of my tribe?" This thought startled him, yet he also felt a strange sense of exhilaration.
He no longer regarded Di Tian merely as a military target to be surpassed, but began to vaguely grasp the responsibility and vision embodied in the words "Beast God".
When Xiong Jun's mountain-like figure reappeared on the shore of the Lake of Life, he looked at Di Tian, who stood on the shore, his aura merging with the entire starry sky. His gaze held less of his arrogance and more of a respect that even he himself was unaware of.
He still revered strength, but he began to understand that strength comes in many forms.
Xiong Jun decided that from now on, he would not only work hard to improve the power of his claws, but also use his brain from time to time.
After all, he's a dark gold dinosaur claw bear with ambitions, aspiring to be a culture bear!