Raja Kint asks, “How do you cultivate?”
The tall boy replies, “We cultivate with the earth.”
Raja Kint raises an eyebrow. Then he holds out his right hand and ki visibly appears.
The brown-eyed girl says, “Your ki is mixed with the heavens and the earth. Our ki only has the earth. Heaven has forsaken us for our ancestors.”
“Forsaken?”
“The story goes that our ancestor was a peerless man many years ago. So peerless that he went against the heavens. In the end, despite suppressing all below heaven he couldn’t overcome heaven itself and was perished from history. Because of his actions, we as his descendants must now pay the price. Waiting for the day when heaven becomes merciful enough to relieve us of our curse.”
Raja Kint went wide-eyed whispering, “Heaven defier.”
The shorter boy narrows his eyes at Raja Kint but says nothing.
The tall boy says, “We should begin to head back now. It’ll take us at least a day of travel.”
The others nodded their heads and began moving.
As Raja Kint followed he couldn’t help but marvel at his idea for the inner ki realm stage ten. Ever since he left the academy he’s been testing his body and he simply becomes elated every time. With the way, he is now. Without his spear, he can beat an outer ki realm fourth stage. And once he completes his tenth stage. His body should be even stronger than all body refiners below the limbo realm. Not only is his technique truly powerful but there’s also the specialness of his ki. As he’s been nourishing his muscles he’s realized that his ki is strengthening him beyond belief. Although, he's unsure whether his nature ki is playing a role.
As Raja Kint speeds through the forest with the four kids he watches how they move with ease. They can move through this forest so smoothly because they’ve grown up here. I should learn as much as I can. I don’t have any movement technique manuals. So basic movement is extremely important.
Most of the day goes by and they set up camp under the moon. Raja Kint yawns and decides to rest for the night. Even though he doesn’t need to sleep as much because of cultivation. He hasn’t reached the point where sleep is unnecessary.
The night quietly passes as orange covers the skies. The five set out for the last leg of their journey. For this travel to their tribe, Raja Kint watched how these kids evaded the beasts in the forest. He’s also watched a few mistakes along the way that almost got them caught.
Soon enough Raja Kint sees a clearing far away.
“That’s where our tribe is.” says the black-eyed girl.
“Whatever you do stay close to me. You won’t have the kindest welcome as things have gotten hectic lately.” says the tall boy.
“Hectic?”
“You know of the war with the Fenix Sect?”
“Yeah.”
“It seems that war was the last straw of peace. We’re preparing for any potential wars. Many places are under attack changing the landscape for us weaker cultivators.”
The shorter boy adds, “It seems the world has been peaceful for too long. I just hope we can survive the upcoming storm.”
Raja Kint thinks back to his mother telling him of a new era. It seems the era is arriving far faster than I thought.
The kids arrive at the clearing and run to the tribe entrance. Two men comparable to the mid-outer ki realm stand guard and look at the kids. As the kids get nearer the men lower their spears and roar, “Stop outsider!”
Raja Kint sticks close to the tall boy and the group stops before the men.
The tall boy says, “This boy has saved all our lives in the forest and in return, he only wants a plant.”
The left guard tells the right guard. “Go get the leaders.”
The right guard quickly sprints away. The black-eyed girl turns to Raja Kint with a wry smile. Raja Kint smiles back knowing that she only has good intentions. After a few minutes, the right guard appears with five men behind him. Four comparable to the late outer ki realm. And one older man comparable to the peak outer ki realm.
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Raja Kint couldn’t help but wonder if he would break through soon. The danger level this man gave him was the greatest he’d ever felt beneath the limbo realm.
The peak outer ki realm man says, “What plant do you want?”
Raja Kint cups his hands toward the man before speaking. “Three-Leaf Earth Plant.”
“Hmph as if such a valuable plant will be given so easily. In such times as now, I wonder if you’re a fool or spy. Throw him in the cage. We’ll deal with him later.”
The tall boy quickly says, “Chieftain he saved all four of our lives in the forest and only requests a plant in return.”
One of the late-stage men replies, “If he hadn’t saved your lives we would kill him where he stands.”
The tall boy and both girls stand in front of Raja Kint. The shorter boy mumbles to himself before speaking.
“Chieftain do you plan on killing him?”
“It’s not ruled out.”
“I think you should think it over. He could be of help to us.”
The chieftain raises an eyebrow waiting for a response.
The shorter boy sighs as he walks in front of Raja Kint. Seeing this Raja Kint feels warm inside. He sighs and moves the kids aside.
“Show the way.”
The Chieftain narrows his eyes at Raja Kint’s response.
“Also, may I have a cultivation manual?”
The Chieftain harrumphs before telling someone to get a manual. The brown-eyed girl pulls one out and hands it to him. Raja Kint thanks her as he’s escorted to his cage. Soon he arrives at a small building made from nature’s materials. The two late outer ki realms escort him inside. Meeting a man behind a wooden desk.
“Such a young boy and so strong as well. How did such a seedling find our tribe?”
Raja Kint eeks out half a word before one of the men tells him to be silent.
“Just assign him a cell, we’ll deal with him when we can.”
The man behind the desk pulls out a key-shaped piece of wood and opens a cell made of superbly dense bamboo. Raja Kint could feel how much ki was held in the bamboo shocking him. It would take a limbo realm to break this bamboo.
Once inside he lays on his cot made from wood and leaves.
The two men leave shortly after, leaving Raja Kint alone with the man behind the desk.
“I have to say kid I’ve never seen someone so talented. You’re already at the earthly ki realm.”
Raja Kint confusedly mumbles, “Earthly ki realm?”
“Oh, that’s right, you all not cursed by the heavens call it outer ki realm.” The man sighs, “If only we could make something equivalent to your limbo realm then we wouldn’t be stuck in this forest.”
Raja Kint thinks about the Chieftain and responds. “It seems like your Chieftain will make a breakthrough soon. Won’t he enter something equivalent to the limbo realm?”
“It would be nice, wouldn’t it? How can we when we aren’t blessed by the heavens? The funny thing is if there’s anyone to do it, it's him. He’s the greatest mind I’ve witnessed across the tribes.”
Raja Kint ponders for a moment before realizing the issue.
Breaking through to the limbo realm needs both the earth and heavens to nourish you into a higher lifeform being. With a body stronger than any demon beast below the limbo realm. And a lifespan increase to 500 years old. But when you don’t have the heavens how does one reach the limbo realm? Suddenly Raja Kint realized something else. They’ve cultivated without the heavens up to the peak below the limbo realm. Doesn’t that prove they don’t need the heavens?
Raja Kint could only shake his head lightly. After all these tribes have been battling this dilemma for generations. While he just came along with initial deductions.
He opened the cultivation manual to hear footsteps. He looked up to see the brown-eyed girl entering the building. The man behind the desk looked at her and closed his eyes.
“I’m so sorry this happened to you. I wanted you to just grab your plant but instead, you’re locked up here because of me.” Her eyes started becoming watery after her last words.
Raja Kint smiled, “I knew there was a chance things could go awry. Honestly, this isn’t a worst-case scenario for me. All I do is cultivate anyhow so this doesn’t change my life.”
“Now you’re trying to cheer me up when you’re the one behind bars. I’ll be sure to bring you good food every day instead of the yucky stuff here.” She got up and left the building.
Raja Kint opened the cultivation manual again and read through it. Earth ki was stored in their bodies similar to the inner ki realm. For them, the realm is called earthly sense. Then there’s the second realm called the earthly ki realm. Where they can use the earthly ki outside of their bodies. Raja Kint furrowed his brows. That Chieftain was clearly stronger than an average peak outer ki realm. And he doesn’t even have the earth and heaven ki but only earth ki. So how was something like that even possible?
It seems secrets run through this tribe. I don’t believe that this tribe has taken this curse lying over. Especially if the current Chieftain is such a bright mind. His foundations are probably more than enough to reach limbo realm. Except he doesn’t have a path forward anymore… or does he?