Divinity

underground Cave

"I'll collect your body downstream, kid."

Gue Fenlong’s voice was cold and unwavering as he emerged from behind a towering tree, stepping calmly towards the riverbank. The flames that crackled violently around him seemed to be of no concern, as if they belonged to another world, one he wasn’t a part of. His steps were sure, his presence dominating the chaos, like he was strolling through his backyard, not a battlefield. With the strength of eight fully-opened meridians and his famed ability to fight above his level, Gue Fenlong had little fear. He knew only those who had reached the 10th meridian or the True Master Realm could hope to contend with him. His calm was not arrogance; it was earned confidence, built on the foundation of countless victories in the martial world.

"Damnit, Gue Fenlong got to him first. Now we won’t be able to do anything to the kid. This is so frustrating!" Gue Henxe spat, her voice heavy with bitterness. The frustration was etched across her face. Even Gue Man, standing next to her, felt the bitter sting of defeat. Both had been beaten, humiliated beyond words by the boy, Bia Xiao, but now their vengeance had been stolen. The one responsible for their disgrace had fallen at the hands of Gue Fenlong, a figure far beyond their reach. Worse, Fenlong held a high status within the Gue tribe, his grandfather being the grand-elder. He was the tribe's next rising star, and even they had to bow in his presence, whether they liked it or not.

At only seventeen, this was Fenlong’s first coming-of-age ceremony. He had skipped the previous one, choosing instead to focus on closed-door cultivation under the guidance of his grandfather for several years. His cultivation bore fruit, and now he was someone even the elders revered. Time passed quickly. Several elders of the Bia tribe raced into the forest, wielding techniques to extinguish the spreading fire. Bia Suyu, the patriarch of the tribe, was among them, his face a mask of growing anger. His keen senses picked up on something alarming: fire, elemental energy, and traces of spiritual force. This wasn’t the work of a mere accident. No, this was intentional.

“Anyone found within the forest without proper cause, regardless of their background, I want their heads!”

Bia Suyu's voice thundered, his fury reaching new heights. The forest wasn’t just a resource for his people—it was their lifeblood, supplying food, wood for homes, and more. Its destruction would be a crippling blow, and regrowth would take a decade at least. A decade ago, they could not afford it.

Meanwhile, Bia Xiao’s body was being battered and tossed beneath the wild currents of the river. The water was relentless, its currents strong enough to dislodge boulders, let alone a person. His body hit the rocks beneath the surface repeatedly, his strength failing him as blood flowed from his many wounds. Yet through the pain and disorientation, he clung to consciousness. Something strange pulsed within him, a nameless energy circulating through his meridians, seemingly independent of his will. He felt every cycle, every turn of this energy, as if it were a living thing. Despite being at death's door, his mind was clear enough to recognize this odd sensation. He hadn’t trained in any mysterious arts, only in the Raging Tiger Art his father had given him. And the Raging Tiger Art was nothing extraordinary, or was it?

As the river carried him further, this energy surged wildly. His body seemed to react, bending and twisting with the current, avoiding some rocks, though not all. He was still brutally pummeled, and the constant collisions left him broken, bleeding, and near unconsciousness. His body was finally pulled under, lodged between two massive rocks. Darkness swallowed him whole.

After what seemed like an eternity, Bia Xiao began to hear the faint, rhythmic sound of water droplets. He tried to open his eyes but failed. His body was too weak, too battered. Yet, despite his inability to move, he could still feel the strange energy coursing through him, twisting his emotions and igniting a strange sense of defiance deep within. He wanted to roar, to scream into the heavens.

"What’s happening to me?"

His thoughts drifted back to the Raging Tiger Art. Could this strange energy be connected to it? But how? He hadn’t meditated or practiced any breathing techniques to activate such power. Bia Xiao lay motionless beside an underground river. His body had stopped bleeding, though his shoulder was still broken, and his chest injuries were severe. But despite the terrible condition, his body was healing, albeit slowly. For three days, he lay there in that state of semi-consciousness, and only after this period did he finally manage to sit up, though the pain was excruciating.

His surroundings were dim and mysterious. He was in a cave, the only light coming from deeper within, a faint blue glow. The strange warmth of the light drew him in, a primal need pulling him toward it. His very blood seemed to hum in response.

Two Days Earlier

Bia Suyu had been working tirelessly to extinguish the forest fire. On the second day, he encountered Gue Fenlong near the river. Fenlong, with barely a glance, fled at incredible speed, igniting more flames in his wake as a diversion. However, Bia Suyu was a Master Realm expert, and Fenlong barely escaped with his life. Had the patriarch not been preoccupied with controlling the fire, Fenlong might not have lived to see another day.

Bia Suyu’s rage knew no bounds. The forest had been half-destroyed, and the devastation weighed heavily on him. As for Gue Henxe and Gue Man, they had managed to escape only after clashing with some of the weaker elders of the Bia tribe. Their survival, despite their earlier humiliation, was a testament to their combat experience. Yet the disgrace of being bested by a mere boy, Bia Xiao, hung over them like a dark cloud. Days later, Bia Xiao finally rose to his feet, his body trembling from the pain. He looked around, taking in the vast underground cave. The blue light that had intrigued him earlier was still there, emanating from deeper within the cave. The warmth it gave off filled him with comfort, as though it was meant for him and him alone.

"How long have I been down here?"

He wasn’t sure. The only thing he knew for certain was that he needed to reach that light. Slowly, painfully, he made his way toward it, and as he did, something miraculous began to happen. His wounds started to heal faster, his body mending itself with every step he took closer to the light source. His broken bones began to knit, and the deep gashes across his body sealed themselves with a speed that defied reason.

"What is going on? I haven’t even reached the meridian opening stage. How can this be happening?"

The nameless energy within him surged again, growing stronger as he drew nearer to the light. But with the growing power came an unbearable heat. The cave’s temperature rose dramatically, and even the underground river was diverted, unable to flow towards the intense heat of the blue glow.

Six days passed, and Bia Xiao came to the realization that he hadn’t eaten. Yet, despite the hunger he should have felt, his body seemed content, sustained by something other than food. He knew that only those who had made it to the sixth meridian could survive on spiritual energy, and that he had not yet reached the first stage of the meridian opening.