Divinity

Minute Subtility

Flames began to blaze within the nameless forest, wildfires igniting with ferocity as the elders of the Bia tribe rushed toward the inferno at their fastest speed. "Elder Bia Suyu, what happened? Who started this fire?" called a voice from behind, breaking through the crackling of the flames. Bia Suyu, an elder of considerable stature, narrowed his eyes against the smoke and heat. His cousin, Bou Jin, shouted from a few paces back, his features plain but betraying an urgency that belied his otherwise normal appearance. He had only been elevated to elder status due to Bia Suyu's influence.

"I'm not too sure myself, but we will get to the bottom of this sooner or later. I saw that Xiao boy heading into the forest. If he’s the one who did this, you just wait," Bia Suyu replied, determination etched on his face. With a powerful leap, Bia Suyu soared into the air, his arms spread wide as the very elements of fire began to dance around him. As a martial artist in the True Master realm, he had long since formed his dantian, allowing spirit power to surge through him. The flames closest to him bent and twisted, bending to his will, but the absorption process was slow—time was not on their side.

"Elder cousin, I'll give you a helping hand!" Bou Jin called out, his voice steady as he reached towards the west side. Flames began to surge toward him, his ten meridians igniting in an instant. Fueled by a shared resolve to put out the wildfire before it destroyed their home, the other tribe members raced in with water tanks from the nearby river. On the Loa Plain, the cultivation realms began with the opening of meridians, ten mysterious pathways scattered throughout the body. While many assumed these meridians resided in standard locations, practitioners often found their placements varied based on their martial arts or Dao-seeking methods.

For the Bia tribe, who specialized in the flame arts, the initial focus was on the meridians leading directly to the hands—two critical pathways for manipulating fire. Many tribe members, despite their understanding of these foundational meridians, struggled to access them, often dying with unfulfilled potential. This struggle birthed the saying, "With great talent comes great achievements." Even amidst the elemental abundance of the region, not everyone could sense its wonders and embark on the journey of the great Dao. Most were left stagnant, never progressing beyond the third level of the meridian opening, while others reached further but faced increasingly insurmountable challenges. Yet, for those who persevered, long life and immense power awaited.

As the Bia tribe worked tirelessly to douse the encroaching flames, Bia Xiao sprinted towards the river that cut through the forest and bordered their territory.

"What type of energy is this?" he wondered, his heart racing with each beat, as an unfamiliar energy surged through his veins, igniting a wild joy within him.

"Is this spiritual energy? No, that can’t be right. I’ve never trained in the tribe's martial arts, so how can I sense this energy?" Without realizing it, Bia Xiao's speed increased, the wild energy amplifying his movements. "I can run faster now!" he exclaimed, amazed at his newfound dexterity. Despite the sharp pain from his injured shoulder—where a dagger had once sliced him—he felt an exhilaration he had never known.

Suddenly, a chill crept over him. "Someone’s coming." He froze, an instinctive alarm ringing through his mind. It was a sensation he had never experienced before, a sixth sense attuned to the ever-shifting energies of the earth and sky.

Woosh!

Bia Xiao instinctively leaned back, narrowly avoiding a dagger that whizzed past him with lethal precision, its blade glinting dangerously as it sliced the air. A small cut appeared on his nose, a bead of blood trickling down. "s**t!"

He dashed backward, cold sweat trickling down his spine. How had he dodged that dagger? He hadn’t even seen it coming. The realization hit him: he was in grave danger. “Damn it, I’m going to die!” Bia Xiao cursed under his breath, instinctively dropping low, camouflaging himself among the mud and leaves that clung to his body. The earth around him provided a protective layer, a tactic he had perfected during countless hunts in the wild.

Yet, as the heat from the wildfires grew closer, he could hear the menacing growl of Gue Man echoing through the forest.

"This mad dog is going to be a problem. And it seems I’m not the only one being hunted. For a lowly commoner like me, why are they going to these lengths? I understand Gue Man's vendetta, but the others should know better."

Bia Xiao lay flat against the ground, his gaze focused ahead. Suddenly, a figure emerged—a young girl landed gracefully not far from him, her presence commanding. In her hand, she wielded a short blade wreathed in flames, the flickering flames revealing her formidable connection to the spiritual energy of the forest.

"How can this kid be so strange?" Gue Henxe mused aloud, her frosty eyes scanning the area. "He sensed my dagger and evaded it at the last second. Was it pure luck?"

Gue Henxe stepped closer to Bia Xiao's hiding place, her voice laced with a chilling certainty. "You can't escape my sensing ability. I know you're hiding over there. Come out, or I'll come in and chop you into pieces." Bia Xiao's heart sank at her words. He had planned to remain hidden, but something compelled him to reveal himself. With a deep breath, he stood and stepped into the open.

"Just a commoner, not even an expert at the first stage of the meridian opening, yet you can sense danger at this level. Truly, a little freak if you ask me," Gue Henxe remarked, crossing her arms. "Not even those from my tribe at the fifth meridian opening can evade my throwing dagger technique. But you, with nothing but a commoner’s instinct, managed to do it. Is this what they call minute subtlety?"

A hint of admiration crossed her features, contrasting sharply with the threat she posed. "Not even some of the old guys from my tribe can do this subtlety!"