With his left forearm sitting on his hip, his right foot sliding forward just above the ground, and his ki and spear acting as one. Raja Kint thrust forth with his limbo spear art.

As Vasil Shizen slash took the woman’s attention. She suddenly felt horror as her eyes darted to see Raja Kint’s technique. At this moment she felt utter dread in her heart.

The slash came down and at this moment she grabbed her whip with both hands. Looking to completely stop the slash attack. But she had completely underestimated the slash’s strength. She couldn’t stop the momentum and a slash went down the midsection of her body and Vasil Shizen roared. “Fourth slash!”

Right after the slash the spear pierced through her midsection. Causing the woman to let out a shrill scream in pain. She looked at Vasil Shizen as her strength waned.

The fourth slash was a vertical slash from left to right. And as it landed her body was split in two at the waist.

Raja Kint watched this and finally sighed in relief as he exhaustedly fell to his knees. Vasil Shizen's eyes darted to the lion and saw the destruction that was caused. Trees were toppled and people were groaning. Yet, multiple of his troops were still contending with the lion and bloody spots were on its body. The lion returned his gaze as it roared and began to run off in a different direction.

Vasil Shizen sighed as he knelt down to Raja Kint’s side. “You weren’t half bad there.”

“Neither were you, that fourth slash was strong enough to contend with any eighth outer ki wasn’t it?”

“Yeah. I’m looking to make it even stronger. Maybe one day I’ll be unrivaled in these forests just like the Chieftain.”

Elsewhere, Michalis Shizen and his opponent had just separated from a clash when they heard a shrill scream. The two glanced at each other and ran back. On the way, they saw the lion running off into the distance with bloody spots on it.

“It seems that I may have a total loss today,” said the man.

Michalis Shizen responds, “You fought well.”

After a few moments, they arrived at the battlefield and saw the woman split into two. With a semi-circle of flesh missing in both parts of her body. The man sighed as he looked at a boy and Vasil Shizen. He then turned toward his troops as he said, “Today is a loss, retreat with your lives still intact.”

Michalis Shizen said, “Kill all.”

The two then turned toward each other. Both were bloody but it was clear the man had fatal injuries. As the two clashed the man was overpowered and killed after a few minutes. Michalis Shizen let out a sigh. To think these lands would descend into war again.

After a while, the troops returned and reported that all enemies had been killed. The shape they were in wasn’t pretty. Everyone had serious injuries except for Raja Kint, Michalis Shizen and Vasil Shizen. But Raja Kint was completely exhausted and couldn’t stay awake. Vasil Shizen and Michalis Shizen both had surface wounds across their bodies with ragged breaths.

Michalis Shizen looked at his troops and said, “I doubt they had any more to spare than this amount. From what I heard this was the route they were banking on to succeed.”

“It would’ve succeeded if it wasn’t for this guy.” Said Vasil Shizen as he pointed at Raja Kint.

Michalis Shizen nodded his head and told everyone to quickly apply medicinal rub to their wounds and take a pill. With a rest period, everyone relaxed.

Bane Shizen said, “I hope that lion doesn’t go toward the tribe.”

“Hah, if it does it’ll only meet its end.” replied Tobias Shizen.

They all chuckled as they knew the Chief had never actually left the tribe. He was still there at peak strength. No matter what man or beast arrived from within this forest, all would have to lower their heads around the Chief.

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Raja Kint’s eyelids fluttered under the night sky. In the next moment, his eyes opened and he groaned while looking around. He noticed that everyone was present and not in the best of conditions. He walked next to a tree and sat against it. He had a feeling and looked around to find a snake staring at him while near a dead body. Getting tired of the staring contest Raja Kint became angry. Sensing danger the snake hurriedly slithered away. We’ll need to move soon. The intense battle from earlier may have scared stronger beasts in the area. But now it’s been a while and the smell of blood would’ve drifted far.

He decided to focus on cultivation now. When he went to move his ki he realized that he was severely depleted causing him to frown. Of course, I only take in ki when I consciously focus on it. It won’t be subconscious until the limbo realm. Although, because of my tenth inner ki, absorbing ki is easier than ever. Too bad I have to absorb more than others because of this nature ki. But the flip side is that it lets me compete with a late-stage earthly outer ki cultivator. But for my only move to be a move that exhausts me so heavily is horrible. And that’s something that won’t change until I reach the limbo realm.

After some hours the sun began peeking over the horizon. Raja Kint heard the men shuffling and groaning as they woke up. As usual, they made some food, except this time they made a larger amount to help their injuries. Michalis Shizen told them that there wasn’t much left to patrol and then they could turn around.

As they traveled the rest of this distance the lion actually went to their tribe.

The Chief has been in the same spot since everyone set out. His ear twitched and soon after a lion came into view beyond the turtle array. When the Chieftain saw the lion he noticed the bloody marks on it. He quickly came to a few possible conclusions.

He crossed gazes with the lion and the lion immediately became docile. Lowering its head with terror in its eyes. The Chieftain walked toward the lion, exiting the array and placed his palm on its head. The lion swung its paw only for it to do nothing to the Chieftain. Instead, the Chieftain’s palm sunk into the lion’s head smoothly killing it.

After the Chieftain killed it he noticed there was a small trace of earth law on the paw the lion hit him with. Ah, so they encountered this beast. The Chieftain returned to his spot just as before.

Elsewhere in the forest, the white-haired man was cursing inside of a tent. There were some other people present, everyone in the late outer ki realm.

“How do they have so many traps laid out? And when did they become proficient in arrays to this degree? We can’t even risk sleep because we become trapped in these arrays, unable to move. While they can enter and exit at will.”

The only other peak outer ki realm responded, “Clearly they’re receiving outside help. But to use arrays like this is truly infuriating. Not to mention they’ve caused beasts to ransack us. Pointing to them dropping some type of beast attractant within our camp. This war is going horribly.” His eyes shifted to the white-haired man viciously. “I only agreed because you said you had something for their Chieftain. But instead, it seems he had something for us damn it.”

The white-haired man returned the gaze, “Hmph, I’d like to see the Chieftain survive under my hand. Worst comes to worst he’s a true cultivator, I’ll lure him out.”

Back to the troop, Raja Kint was smiling as they were at the endpoint and could return to the village to regroup.

Michalis Shizen said, “We need to move quickly so you guys can get proper treatment. Otherwise, you’ll die out here.” At this moment besides the commander, Vasil Shizen, Raja Kint. Everyone else had a critical injury that they were suppressing. In agreement with the commander, they quickly set off for the tribe.

After a day in a half of traveling back, the troop finally returned to the tribe after four days. The troop was quickly rushed for immediate medical attention. Raja Kint lay on the bed and soon heard a commotion.

“The main group is back!”

“They looked in high spirits so things must be going well so far.”

“This’ll teach those tribes to bully us.”

Raja Kint heard the medics' happiness and wondered what would happen now. After all, they weren’t the only troop to return. They were the last to arrive but all the other troops met formidable opponents as well. He heard the news that two troops were annihilated. One member from each made it back and died with their last breath confirming the mission a success.

While the other troops were heavily injured similar to theirs. Their groups didn’t have Michalis Shizen or Vasil Shizen, the two prominent figures of their generation in one team like theirs.

They also learned that the lion had arrived at the tribe only to die. Later in the day, the medics allowed Raja Kint to leave and after some time, was called to a meeting with the commanders.

Entering the tent, the atmosphere was solemn with only six commanders of the original eight attending.

The Chieftain looked over everyone present. “It’s time for part two of the plan to begin.”