The calm before the storm

Time Skip

…

"Are you a woman?! Get up and keep fighting!"

"Have you been lazing around since the moment you were born?!"

"So what if you break your bones? What?! He broke your testicles?!"

In the academy training grounds, dozens of veteran Gu Masters trained the students in what could be considered barbaric methods or in other words a beating.

Smack!

Pow!

Crack!

Chomp!

Swoosh!

Punches, kicks, elbows, bites, and even Gu Worm attacks rained down on dozens of one on one sparrings.

The instructors each took 2 students and taught them during combat class. After giving the students their daily beating they made them fight each other over and over again while advising from time to time.

"Don't think too much!"

"There are no rules in a fight but there are among tribesmen. Don't target the eyes!"

"Whoever strikes first has the advantage!"

"Don't freeze when you get hit, return the punch!"

"Don't strike your tribesmen on the ground, save it for the enemy!"

The matches finished quickly and ended with students covered in blood, bruises, and sweat but they were quickly healed by the instructors using Gu Worms and their primeval essence was recovered with primeval stones provided by the academy.

As for their exhaustion, it was quickly washed away by the daily reward of 2 primeval stones for whoever won the sparring as for the losers they were encouraged to train harder.

'This training is good but it is too expensive just how much is the tribe spending?' Xue Xing thought as she sat on the ground catching her breath.

'From what I know this tribe is medium sized in terms of gu masters but has the resources of a large sized one thanks to the caves it also allows the tribe to preserve most of its strength during the ten year blizzard. The only reason this tribe doesn't become a large tribe is due to the absurd amount of assassinations' Xue Xing was a bit baffled every time she thought about it along with being a bit paranoid.

'Oh, nice punch.' Xue Xing's train of thought was interrupted as she quietly learned by observing the most promising student of recent times every day she was more certain he was an otherworldly demon.

In the middle of the training grounds, Lin Lu sat quietly with an amazed expression, despite witnessing the same thing several times: the sparring between Long Dong and the head of the combat instructors.

The head combat instructor Long Wang a bald rank 2 elderly Gu master with a thick white beard and swollen body that reminded Xue Xing of master roshi, attacked like a violent storm raining physical attacks at Long Dong who elegantly dodged as gracefully as a light breeze and ruthlessly counter attacked like a furious hurricane when the instructor revealed a flaw.

"Haha Long Dong, you should cultivate Strength Path instead of Fire Path!" Long Wang complimented with a laugh impressed by Long Dong's combat talent.

In response, Long Dong fired a fire wave at his face instinctively Long Wang blocked with his arms that turned to stone in an instant.

"To be a sweating monkey that can't even attack from far away? No, thank you." Long Dong taunted with a mocking laugh on the outside inside his heart was conflicted.

'To think I would end up remembering my useless close combat training so quickly.'

"Long Dong as your elder it is my duty to correct your flaws, your arrogance will be the first I'll correct!" Long Wang's face reddened while he thought it was a shame he was restricted to only defensive Gu worms by the academy elder.

Seeing the annoyed expression of someone currently stronger than him was one of the few small joys Long Dong could use to comfort himself.

'This world hasn't developed death magic at all. Necromancy the foundation of death magic is limited to a small branch of enslavement path and transformation path zombie gu worms. The only thing that is even close is Soul Path but it was suppressed by Paradise Earth Immortal Venerable and practicing it openly is seen as taboo while the tribe's soul path inheritance is greedily safeguarded by the tribe leader.' Long Dong inwardly sighed he was starting to sweat and get tired while Long Wang relentlessly charged forward like a mad bull.

'Qi Path would be ideal. Transformation path is my second ideal option but currently Fire Path is the best option I have at hand.' Long Dong felt it was a shame the path that resembles magic and its versatility the most is Qi Path he had the inheritance of Primordial Origin Immortal Venerable but it was simply too outdated almost all materials were extinct and although he was making progress in modifying the gu recipes he wanted it was going slower than expected.

'Should I ask Old Xue for help? No, it is too risky. People will start asking questions.' Long Dong felt it was a shame he didn't spend much time studying alchemy in his previous life.

"I've got you now!"

Long Wang triumphantly roared just as he was about to connect his punch. Long Dong quickly ducked, punched Long Wang's ribs with his right arm, redirected the incoming punch with the left, and mercilessly struck that same left arm forward, hitting Long Wang's throat which barely flinched.

The fight continued for a long time. Long Dong was fast and dodged every attack but he couldn't deal effective damage to Long Wang's tank-like body and in the end, he grew tired.

Just as Long Wang was going to deliver a blow to the ribs Long Dong raised his hands admitting defeat.

"You son of a- I'm gonna have to increase your reward." Long Wang stopped immediately feeling it was a missed opportunity to humble Long Dong but the rules were the rules and Long Wang planned to follow them.

'Such moves.' Xue Xing, staring like a pervert, couldn't wait to try them once no one was looking.

"You've had enough rest, let's continue." A rough voice interrupted Xue Xing's thoughts; she didn't have to turn around to know who she was.

Xue Xing had to look up to meet the eyes of the towering figure filled with bulging muscles. If it weren't for her round and ample chest, Xue Xing would have confused her for a man.

The instructor Wang Qing pointed towards Xue Xing's opponent, a short and cute girl that had slightly muscular arms.

'Kong Jin Ping. B grade talent. As far as I know, she is a virgin.' Xue Xing inwardly thought she had already deduced the recipe of man-beast life burial Gu Jin Ping was one of many potential candidates.

Xue Xing didn't need it if she wasn't stopped due to politics. She was confident of successfully breaking through to rank 3 but she planned to give it to Xue Rong.

'The tribe treats Xue Rong well but as long as he is not a rank 3 Gu master he is just an asset of the tribe. Rank 3 Gu masters are almost the same but they get more rights and political power no one except the tribe leader gets to tell them what to do.' Xue Xing dismissed those thoughts and got in position.

"Begin." Wang Qing shouted.

…

There was nothing worth mentioning except that Gu worms were not used not because they lacked proper ones but because it would be unfair due to Xue Xing's arsenal that was entirely made of rank 2 Gu worms and some rank 1 beast strength Gu worms she had yet to fully use.

"Good job both of you. Your growth is decent but you need to…" Wang Qing gave advice while they recovered and prepared to fight again.

'Sigh what is Xue Rong thinking?' underneath her impartial attitude Wang Qing favored and worried about Xue Xing in part because she had been her guard since Xue Xing was a little child and in part because Xue Rong paid her a hefty amount to look after her.

'Reaching rank 2 peak stage within a week after awakening her aperture, and being pampered with so many Gu worms that even the average rank 2 Gu Master doesn't have guarantees he-.'

"Ahhhhh! My arm! My arm!"

A painful cry resounded through the training grounds gathering everyone's attention to the source of the sound.

Sprawled on the ground a student covered in tears, blood, and snot held his severed arm trying to stop the bleeding that rained like a downpour while the one responsible froze in place.

"Why didn't you intervene!?" One of the instructors quickly went and tended to the wounds of the student while yelling at the instructor responsible for that duo.

"It happened too f-" his explanation was cut off mid sentence.

"I don't care about your excuse, we need to take him to the medical hall and fast or he might lose his arm!"

As soon as it happened the student was taken away making the atmosphere silent for a moment.

"What are you all standing for? Get back on training!" The head instructor yelled causing the students to follow his orders.

"2 months since the students awakened their apertures. Gu Master combat starts in their sixth month. The war must be close and worse than I expected if the tribe even lent each student a Gu worm from the Beast Strength series." Long Wang muttered before turning his gaze towards his 2 students with A grade aptitude. 'No matter what happens these 2 must remain alive at all costs.'

Just as Long Wang was about to continue, one of his Gu worms, provided by the tribe, received a message from the academy elder.

"A beast tide? About 20,000? By this time, most beasts shouldn't be near the entrance, much less in this quantity. Something is wrong."

Long Wang quickly raised his voice and declared "Combat training ends early! The tribe is under attack. Head to the assembly hall immediately!"

"What!"

"The tribe is under attack?!"

"My family! I'm the only Gu Master in my family. I must protect them!"

"Who is attacking us?!"

"I must go, my father is the law enforcement elder. I'm safer there than here!"

A myriad of questions and differing emotions resounded through the training grounds.

Some wanted to leave but were stopped by the instructors. The students didn't resist and followed their orders even if they didn't want to. They simply weren't strong enough to resist.

'I wonder if this is caused by that god or heaven's will?' Xue Xing inwardly thought as she stuck close to Wang Qing and mentally prepared herself for any confrontation.

'What was that? Did that shadow just twitch?' Xue Xing's thoughts were disrupted when she caught something from the corner of her eyes.

'A dark path assassin?' Xue Xing acted as if she hadn't seen anything and continued on her way but suddenly told Wang Qing in a low voice what she saw in the midst of a trivial conversation.

'Is that bastard back? Did he flee from the heroes assembly?' Wang Qing secretly informed Long Wang with a Gu worm and coordinated their usual formation.

'The Dark Viper… is he alone? Did that demon grow bolder after assassinating the previous A grade talent?' Long Wang thought as he moved his eyes from side to side keeping an eye on the shadows.

"Even if he is a rank 3 Gu Master there is nothing to fear. The academy elder is here and with dozens of rank 2 Gu Masters he is only courting death." One of the instructors confidently responded through a Gu worm.

"Just keep an eye out. Those who survived the heroes assembly come back stronger or crippled he might be the former if he dared enter the center of the tribe." Long Wang replied to that message.

1980 words