A wry smile curved Chen Xu's lips. The ape leader's massive form barreled forward, and the crude stone hurled through the air whistled ominously as it neared his face. Instantly, inner energy surged through Chen Xu's limbs, erupting from his legs and core like a coiled thunderbolt. The moment had come.
A shadow black as night flickered across the sand. Chen Xu moved with the predatory grace of a diving eagle, his body carrying the unstoppable force of a wildfire. With a sudden sidestep, he positioned himself squarely before the ape leader.
In his right hand, six bamboo spears melded into a single, devastating instrument of destruction. His left hand pressed in alignment, forming a lethal union of strength and precision. With a motion reminiscent of an axe splitting a mountain, the spears erupted forward in a storm of wood and wind, emitting a shrill, piercing scream, as though the damned spirits of some netherworld had been unleashed.
Thud!
The massive stone smashed into the sand, displacing pebbles and pulverizing them under its weight—but Chen Xu was nowhere to be seen.
The ape leader, charging like a rampaging tank, froze mid-stride. A shadow streaked across his vision, cutting the wind with a sharp whistle, and slammed into his face. He had barely time to raise a hand for defense when pain shot through his arm with a violence that threatened to snap bone and sinew. His muscles faltered, his arm drooped, and a howl of agony tore from his throat.
Before he could recover, Chen Xu struck again. A whirlwind of side-kicks, a clawed hand strike, followed by the iron-like punches of Xingyi, struck like a tempest upon the hapless ape leader. Each motion, amplified by the inner energy coursing through him, melded Chen Xu's premodern martial training into flawless execution.
He paused briefly, planting his feet in a firm horse stance. His fists traced a circular arc, gathering momentum, before condensing into the opening form of the Shaolin Five Elements Fist. With palms pressed together, he unleashed the accumulated force, the energy exploding outward through sinew, muscle, and spirit.
The ape leader, flung by the impact as if the weight of his massive body had been halved, spun like a leaf caught in a storm. Rotating through a dizzying three-sixty-degree arc, he crashed into the sand with a resounding thud. Sand flew in every direction, and even though it softened the impact, the sheer force left him groaning, nearly vomiting the remnants of his last meal.
His previously raised arm—the one meant to shield his face—hung uselessly at his side, numb as though paralyzed. Every part of his body that had felt Chen Xu's blows now burned with a fiery pain, searing like molten iron. The ape leader screamed in torment, fully unversed in restraint.
Chen Xu inhaled deeply. Damn, the expenditure of inner energy is severe. Just this flurry drained a fifth of my reserves. Without inner energy, my strength now equals only two ape leaders combined!
And these are just ordinary apes. How fierce must the beasts be…
Fortunately, the fear he had instilled in these apes prevented chaos. Had they scattered, even Chen Xu's formidable power could not have stopped them.
Recovering his stance, Chen Xu lifted six thick bamboo spears in his right hand and coldly surveyed the rolling, pain-wracked ape leader before him. Though motionless, the aura he radiated was enough to halt the advance of the other apes. Behind him, the remaining apes erupted in a chorus of shouts and brandished their spears, instinctively understanding the lesson: crush the fallen before it rises.
The courage they had mustered evaporated at the sight of their leader sprawled in the sand. In their eyes, Chen Xu was no mere ape—his prowess rivaled even the killer crocodiles lurking in the river. Helplessness etched into every trembling face, they huddled together, watching their leader's suffering and the spear-wielding figure of Chen Xu in fearful awe.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Time seemed to stretch, yet in reality, only a handful of heartbeats had passed. The stones hurled by the other apes landed, accurate yet entirely missing their mark. Chen Xu, feeling the explosive power coiled in his body, flicked his bamboo spears with casual precision. He beckoned Ape One forward and instructed him in sharp, simple words: "Tell them to join us immediately, or let this big one be an example."
Ape One, long accustomed to Chen Xu's commands, immediately understood. He stepped forward, speaking in flawless ape language, addressing the trapped and desperate apes.
The effect was immediate. Eyes wide with fear, they lowered their weapons, spitting contempt and awe in equal measure. Chen Xu let out a satisfied hum—indeed, language was the ultimate tool for unifying the world.
With Chen Xu's martial dominance and Ape One's rapid account of his deeds, even these chronically starving apes surrendered swiftly, their pride broken.
Moments later, Chen Xu restored the ape leader, whose arm had swollen like a wild boar's leg, alleviating his pain through the focused circulation of inner energy. His authority was cemented. The respect of the newly joined apes was absolute—he was indisputably their leader.
Chen Xu's intent had been practical. He had wanted to save the leader from injury, both to test the effects of his inner energy and to observe the ape's reaction. Yet the outcome exceeded expectation.
Not only had he gained control over this group, but in the process, he acquired the second golden crystal. Holding it, Chen Xu mused with amusement at the ape leader's submissive reverence. If I hadn't healed him, might he have secretly hidden this crystal?
Though tempted to absorb its power immediately, the deepening dusk reminded him that the Stone Age was not a human-dominated era. Nightfall brought predators, and even Chen Xu's strength could not defy the wild. The wise course was to wait.
He hung the crystal around his neck beside the first spent one and queried the ape leader about his tribe. Surprisingly cooperative, the leader answered, though lacking any numerical or geographical sense, leaving Chen Xu partly perplexed. It seems the invention of numbers is overdue…
Turning his attention to the nightfall pressing in, Chen Xu prioritized moving today's spoils and absorbing the crystal's energy. Other concerns would have to wait.
Directing the apes to gather the remaining flesh torn by the tyrant sabertooth, Chen Xu led the ten newly allied warriors to join the original fourteen members of his tribe. For the first time, the Fire God led a hunt, and he returned triumphant, the spoils of the day secured.