The ape chief flexed his massive arms, hunched low, fangs gleaming in the dim light. With a thunderous roar, he lunged at Chen Xu.
The ground trembled beneath him. Each swing unleashed the raw strength of a Stone Age predator, wind howling like a hurricane. His charge was a pendulum of sheer force, capable of smashing anything in its path—even a small tree would splinter under it.
"Just what I needed."
Chen Xu's voice was calm. He stepped back only a fraction, forming his arms into a bell-like arc, channeling inner qi like a monk striking a temple bell. Muscles coiled, energy surged, and he met the chief's charge head-on.
With his qi fully awakened and physical strength at its peak, Chen Xu's long-practiced techniques resurfaced, refined beyond his past life's limits. Back then, without inner qi as a foundation, he had only been half-trained. Now, every move carried weight, precision, and explosive power.
The ape chief's lunge, though ferocious, was no match. Chen Xu saw through every flaw—this was the raw, instinct-driven attack of a beast. Even in his former life, such a frontal charge would have posed little threat. Now, he far surpassed it.
A subtle step aside, a flicker of movement—and the chief's deadly swing missed entirely.
Chen Xu followed through without hesitation. His fists shot forward like twin meteors, striking the ape chief squarely on the back before he could react.
"Bang!"
The deafening impact rattled the cave. The chief's massive body flew like a leaf in a storm, tumbling across the ground helplessly.
This was no ordinary strike. It was the Golden Bell Horizontal Strike from the Eagle Claw Technique, imbued with the poise of a soaring eagle and the focused intent of a monk.
The inner qi amplified his force beyond imagination. The ape chief, over two hundred pounds of muscle and fury, rolled across the floor, completely incapacitated. Pain coursed through him, yet he could not rise. He wailed, a futile attempt to distract from the agony.
Blood stained the ground. One strike, empowered by Chen Xu's qi, had left the chief spewing blood, utterly defeated. His ape physiology prevented fatal damage, but a human would have been shattered, ribs crushed, chest caved in.
Even Chen Xu blinked, stunned. A simple move, enhanced with inner qi, had become devastating.
Feeling the power still humming in his fists, Chen Xu inhaled deeply. He understood now: this qi—this inner energy—was the foundation of his life in this world.
The ape chief's cries faded. Around him, the tribe's eyes glowed with awe. In that instant, Chen Xu became the leader. Authority was his, the right to guide, protect, and hunt granted by strength alone.
The injured chief struggled to rise, movements jerky and awkward. His breath came in harsh gasps. The other apes hesitated, unsure whether to assist.
Chen Xu raised a hand, commanding calm. Using the imperfect ape-like language he had learned, he instructed the tribe to lift their fallen leader.
Relief swept through them. Carefully, they obeyed. They saw not just strength but mercy—a rare trait among Stone Age leaders. Chen Xu allowed the old chief to live, a calculated act that would cement respect and loyalty.
To the tribe, their new leader embodied every trait of an apex chief: powerful, enigmatic, yet merciful.
Supported by female apes, the old chief finally steadied himself. He straightened, eyes narrowing at Chen Xu. Then, in a surprising display of reverence, he reached behind his chest, fingers brushing through thick hair.
Chen Xu's brow arched. The gesture was almost sacred, like a priest in a cathedral offering devotion. Awe prickled his spine.
The ape chief's hand jerked sharply, a crisp metallic snap echoing through the cave. In his grasp was a chain—a true piece of metal.
From beneath his dense chest hair, he revealed a golden object swinging from the chain. Sunlight struck it, and the ape chief's face glowed like molten gold, transforming him into a divine golden monkey. The crude Stone Age world fell away; only this sacred radiance remained.
Chen Xu's mind reeled. Heart pounding, he felt as if time and space had collapsed. The golden object hung before him, mesmerizing. For a moment, civilization itself returned in memory—the world of movies, luxurious shops, dreams long deferred.
The astonishment was overwhelming. Even the shock of transmigration paled in comparison. Was this real? Or a hyper-realistic illusion?
Yet the cool, steady flow of qi reassured him. It was real. Tangible. Happening here, now.
Chen Xu swallowed hard, steadying himself. Wiping his eyes, he recognized it—so familiar from countless films, a luxury once only dreamt of. And now, impossibly, it was before him.