Liu Xing pulled himself from the water, his pants clinging to his skin, and he pushed through the lush bushes, their leaves rustling softly, and stumbled into a small clearing. In the middle of the clearing, two boys, each around seven or eight years old, caught his attention. One boy sat on the chest of the other, his weight pinning the smaller child to the ground. The boy on top wore a yellow sleeveless shirt with black trim, his golden hair gleaming in the sunlight. He laughed joyfully as he punched the boy beneath him, as if it was the most entertaining activity in the world.

The boy on the ground covered his face with his small hands, but his efforts were futile. His cheeks and forehead were red and swollen, and a dark bruise was forming along his jaw. It looked as if he had been punched hard enough to fall, then pummeled mercilessly by the golden-haired boy. Seeing this, Liu Xing pressed his lips together. He knew all too well how it felt to be helplessly beaten like that.

"What are you doing?" Liu Xing called out.

The golden-haired boy stopped punching and turned to face Liu Xing. His eyes flashed with annoyance, but he remained perched on the other boy's chest.

"Who are you? How dare you interrupt me?" the boy demanded, his chin tilted up.

"I'm Liu Xing, and I dare because you're doing something I hate," Liu Xing replied.

The boy snorted. "What? I'm only tapping his face." His voice dripped with sarcasm. "More importantly, do you know who I am? I'm Xia Hongyi, the young master of the Xia clan. Shouldn't you kneel and kiss my feet for disturbing my fun?"

"Why would I do that? Even if it would make me immortal, I wouldn't kiss your feet," Liu Xing said, his gaze drifting to the boy still on the ground. The child's hands trembled as he covered his face, and tears glistened at the corners of his eyes. "You should stand up and let him go."

"Why?" Xia Hongyi narrowed his eyes. "Who are you to order me around? I'll sit wherever I want, put my fist wherever I wish, and I'll put my feet wherever I want." He stood up and raised his right foot, clearly intending to stomp on the other boy's face. As the foot descended, Liu Xing realized the young bully was serious.

In a flash, Liu Xing moved. He arrived beside Xia Hongyi and kicked the descending foot, making it land on the ground near the other boy's ear with a dull thud.

Xia Hongyi turned to Liu Xing, his eyes blazing with fury. "Are you deaf?" he shouted. "I said I'm Xia Hongyi, the young master of the Xia clan!"

"So what? What right do you have to stomp on this kid?" Liu Xing pointed at the boy who was now trying to get up, but Xia Hongyi quickly stomped on his left hand, pinning him down.

"Of course I have the right! I'm a cultivator, while he's merely a mortal!"

"Is that so?" Liu Xing swept at the bully's feet, sending him tumbling.

As Xia Hongyi landed on his backside, his eyes widened in disbelief. The other boy scrambled to his feet, shot a grateful look at Liu Xing, and darted into the bushes. Xia Hongyi glared at the retreating boy before turning his fierce gaze on Liu Xing.

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Liu Xing quickly assessed the situation. From what he'd heard in the city, he knew of the Xia clan's existence. This boy was probably telling the truth about being a young master, given that he was indeed a cultivator, albeit only at the first stage of the Lock Opening realm.

"You're courting death!" Xia Hongyi shouted, lunging at Liu Xing with his small fist.

Liu Xing didn't bother to dodge. The fist connected with his belly, but the impact was weak.

"You need to hone your qi sense more. I'm a cultivator too."

Xia Hongyi jumped back and looked up and down at Liu Xing, trying to figure him out. Seeing him, Liu Xing was reminded of the bullies from his sect. Most of the bullies were mean, and this boy seemed to be no different. But Liu Xing wondered if there was more to it. Maybe this boy wasn't just being cruel for no reason. Liu Xing wanted to know why a kid would act like this.

"Why were you bullying that kid? Did he do something wrong to you?" Liu Xing asked, adjusting his stance. Before acquiring his gun, he had been skilled in martial arts, favoring palm strikes until he learned the Lightning Palm Technique.

Xia Hongyi lunged again, aiming for Liu Xing's belly. Liu Xing easily deflected the fist to the side. Taking advantage of the boy's surprise, he swept Xia Hongyi's feet out from under him once more. The young bully scrambled to his feet, creating distance between them. His eyes glared at him, but Liu Xing could see a hint of fear in his expression.

"I'll ask you again, did that boy do something to you?"

Xia Hongyi snorted. "His existence is wrong. I'm Xia Hongyi, the future patriarch of the Xia clan. He's Xia Weiyuan, a worthless orphan adopted by my clan and given our surname. He has no talent for martial arts or cultivation. Should I leave such trash alone?"

Xia Hongyi attacked again, feinting a punch to Liu Xing's belly before attempting to sweep his legs. Liu Xing allowed the feets to connected, but his legs remained firmly planted.

"You're strong. Stronger than me. But you'll die with my next attack!" Xia Hongyi declared, jumping back.

The young bully began gathering qi in his fist, the energy moving sluggishly. In a real fight, Liu Xing wouldn't have allowed him to complete the preparation, but he decided to let the boy try. Liu Xing could see that Xia Hongyi's arrogance likely stemmed from his high status in the clan and getting everything he wanted. When he mentioned that Xia Weiyuan's only crime was existing and being adopted, Liu Xing suspected the true motivation behind the bullying. Jealousy was often enough to drive cruel actions.

While he couldn't fully understand Xia Hongyi's heart, Liu Xing knew the pain of craving a father's attention only to see it wasted on another child. There was a reason why William had ended up in a place like Indonesia, of all places in the world, and that reason was his father.

"Do your parents pay special attention to Xia Weiyun?"

At those words, Xia Hongyi faltered for a moment. He quickly gritted his teeth, anger flaring in his eyes, and the sluggish qi in his fist moved a bit faster. Liu Xing knew his words had struck a nerve.

"Tiger Fist!" Xia Hongyi shouted, leaping at Liu Xing. A faint golden tiger image shrouded his fist.

Seeing this attack, Liu Xing realized it was far stronger than what a first-stage Lock Opening cultivator should be capable of. He concluded that either the fist technique was above Base Grade or it was enhanced by a bloodline.

Liu Xing channeled his qi into his fist and executed a normal punch. Their fists collided, golden light spreading through the clearing and a gust of wind rippling outward. For a fraction of a second, their attacks seemed equal, but soon Xia Hongyi's power dwindled until there was nothing left. Their fists remained connected, like two people sharing a fist bump.

"My name is Liu Xing, and I will give you a piece of wisdom. What you did before is a waste of time. If you want your parents' attention, bullying Xia Weiyuan is the last thing you should do. Your parents pay special attention to him, and if they find out that you've been bullying Xia Weiyuan, your relationship with them will only get worse. Instead of hurting others, focus on yourself. Become stronger, smarter, and wiser. Try to win your parents' hearts by being the best version of yourself."