Divinity

Internal Force

Bia Xiao continued to dash to and fro within the forest. If one were to observe him at that moment, they might think he was aimlessly running in a desperate bid to save his own life. Nevertheless, Bia Xiao had been hunting in these forests for more than four years; his experience matched that of the more experienced warriors in his tribe.

"To imagine that I would encounter a day such as this—being pursued by an opposing tribe," he thought, feeling a mixture of shock and panic rising in him. With a swift motion, he tore a strip from his tattered robe and tied it around his bleeding shoulder. His eyes sparkled with a fierce intensity, a strange blend of bloodthirst and exhilaration coursing through him. The thrill of danger reignited a fire within him that he thought had long since been extinguished.

"This feeling... this feels incredible," he mused, a wild grin spreading across his muddy face. Bia Xiao veered sharply to the left, his feet pounding against the forest floor. After running for about ten minutes, he stumbled upon a muddy swamp filled with the remnants of decaying creatures. The stench of death clung to the air, thick and nauseating. Without hesitation, he plunged into the muck, coating himself from head to toe in the rancid brown ooze.

Moments later, two figures emerged from the underbrush surrounding the swamp—one from the south, the other from the north. Their eyes darted around, scanning the area for their quarry. Gue Henxe, a fierce look etched on her face, twirled her blade absentmindedly as she rushed toward the west, her gaze focused and unyielding.

"This girl sure takes this coming-of-age ceremony seriously," Gue Man chuckled, a devilish grin stretching across his lips.

The Gue tribe, not officially part of the three great tribes, was powerful in its own right. Every year, as the younger generation turned fourteen, a coming-of-age ceremony was held, often culminating in a brutal hunt or competition. This year, the stakes were higher: the goal was to bring back the head of a child or adult from one of the three great tribes. Bia Xiao's ill fate had placed him squarely in their sights, an unintended target in this twisted game.

"They have no fear of the Bia tribe," Bia Xiao realized, grimaced. Decades of hostility simmered between their clans. It was clear now that these hunters intended to exploit his vulnerability. "How intriguing that he can evade us for so long," Gue Man observed, a hint of admiration creeping into his voice. "His skills at hiding are impressive, as is his knowledge of this forest." While Gue Henxe rushed forward, Gue Man remained more measured, knowing they had six days to complete their grim task. Just as he prepared to leave the swamp, an instinctual shiver ran down his spine, compelling him to dodge.

Whoosh!

A sharp knife whizzed past his forehead, barely missing him. If he had been even a fraction of a second slower, it would have pierced his skull. At that instant, a muddy figure lunged from the swamp, crashing into Gue Man's chest. The impact sent him staggering back, his feet struggling to maintain his balance in the slippery mud. "How dare you!" Gue Man bellowed, fury igniting within him. The realization struck him hard: the prey they had hunted was right under their noses the entire time. The humiliation of being knocked down by a boy who hadn’t even practiced martial arts gnawed at his pride.

"You will die for this, kid!" Gue Man roared, pain and rage boiling in his chest.

Bia Xiao had been waiting for this very moment, his body concealed in the swamp, mud camouflaging him perfectly. He could see Gue Man’s fury as if it were a fire crackling in the air. "To come hunt me down in this forest? Even if you practice martial arts, only death awaits you," he taunted, allowing a sense of bravado to wash over him.

With a fierce strike, Bia Xiao’s knee came crashing down on Gue Man’s chest. A sickening c***k resonated through the air as Gue Man gasped, pain radiating from the impact. In order to temporarily blind Gue Man, Bia Xiao gathered some mud, threw it in his eyes, and ran away using all of his strength before Gue Man could recover.

"Ahhh!" Flames burst around Gue Man, engulfing the area in a raging inferno, and he howled, a visceral blend of pain and fury erupting from his throat. The crimson fire flared wildly, scorching everything within a five-meter radius, the heat stinging Bia Xiao’s skin as he ran.

"Die, you trash!" Gue Man roared again, his voice echoing through the trees. In his blind rage, he swung his arm wildly, sending waves of flames surging towards Bia Xiao's escape route, incinerating the underbrush in their wake. Bia Xiao felt the intense heat on his back, the hairs on his neck standing on end as he darted away. The forest ignited behind him, but he didn’t dare look back. With his years of survival in the wild, he knew how to navigate this land like the back of his hand.

"Come at me, tribal trash!" Bia Xiao’s voice echoed, taunting Gue Man, stoking the flames of his anger even further.

"Kill!" Gue Man yelled, the ferocity of his rage driving him forward. He unsheathed a long blade, the metal glinting ominously in the sunlight as he charged into the forest, flames dancing around him, scorching the earth and incinerating anything in his path.

Bia Xiao dashed towards the river south of his location. He knew the river was the safest place to be, but it was also the first place Gue Man would think of searching for him.

“Haha! The Bia tribe thinks I’m easy prey, but they’re sorely mistaken. No tribe should underestimate me. Though I haven’t practiced martial arts, the Raging Tiger Fist is more than enough to deal with you all.”

A treasure found during one of his father's intelligence-gathering missions, the Raging Tiger Fist was a secret manual that his father had passed down to him. Bia Xiao had unearthed it from beneath a boulder in an underground cave, a relic of forgotten knowledge. Its teachings focused on strengthening blood vessels, organs, flesh, skin, and bones, crafting internal energy through the practice of powerful fists and kicks. This internal force, once mastered, could elevate Bia Xiao far beyond the capabilities of an ordinary warrior in his realm. As flames continued to spread through the forest, Gue Henxe and another young man, Gue Fanlon, sensed the growing chaos.