“Where are the two other fools?” Jak-Wing muttered. He was referring to Fu-Ling and Joa-Wong. Jak-Wing was alarmed, somehow Ryu was able to dispatch Wae-Dinlan so easily. However, it must be because he has a much better skill. One can make up for cultivation differences by a whole domain if they grasp a much stronger martial art skill.

Without a warning, Jak-Wing charged forward but he chose not to engage in close combat. An apparition of a snake appeared behind him and spat out a stream of acid like Qi. The green liquidly Qi even had smoke coming out of it. Jak-Wing was a poison user! This was how he ruled over the bandits with an iron fist, if anyone dared to cross him then they would suffer an excruciating death.

Ryu frowned. Was this guy trying to hurt his own subordinates? If Ryu dodged then the acid-like Qi will fall on the bystanders below. Ryu waved his hand and a huge gust of wind formed between the two and twisted into a vortex. The acid that was approaching Ryu got sucked upwards. It did not stop there, huge dark clouds formed above them and thunder roared through the sky.

Jak-Wing was terrified, how can one control the weather? Producing elements through Qi was one thing but that’s nothing compared to the might of nature. Multiple streaks of lightning came down after the first sound of thunder, Jak-Wing only had time to retreat a few meters before he got struck by one. With a defensive layer of Qi from King Domain, he was able to continue flying but his speed is greatly slowed.

Ryu slowly gave chase. Somehow the lightning were not appearing where Ryu flew. Jak-Wing looked backwards to see the distance between him and Ryu. There was nearly a kilometer between them which gave him a sense of relief. However, before he could turn his head back Ryu was somehow right beside him. Before Jak-Wing could react, Ryu tapped his body seventeen times. Each point was corresponding to a Qi channel!

“Ah.” The leader of the bandits yelled in horror as he tried to release a poison skill. However, nothing happened. It took him a few seconds to realize that his Qi was gone.

“You… you are a Sage? How is it possible?” Jak-Wing whimpered as he felt his Qi neutralized. As the leader of the bandits, he has lived the longest and knows the most secrets. Jak-Wing had spent a big portion of his wealth to investigate the mystery of Qi nullification around the temple. After much research, he found out that an ancient profession that only a rare selected few could learn called Sage Arts practices the way of voiding all Qi.

Actually Qi nullification is using a concept of equally opposing force to cancel each other out. The practitioner had to spend an equal amount of Qi to nullify a direct attack. However, Ryu could also spend a lot less and just interrupt it. For someone like Ryu who can see where the Qi flows, this was an easy task. Instead of releasing an equal amount of Qi, he simply disrupted and clogged the flow of the Qi.

“You’ve done a lot of wicked deeds but I’ll let you live as long as you promise to serve the Han-So tribe for the rest of your life, lead an honest life that’s devoted to doing good deeds from now and never mention a thing about me. Alternatively you can give up your cultivation now and never mention a word about me.” Ryu said to him plainly. Ryu didn’t mention more alternatives but Jak-Wing guessed that it would be death.

“I agree, I agree. I’ll serve the Han-So tribe!” Jak-Wing pleaded. Ryu turned around without paying more attention to him. The moment Jak-Wing saw Ryu walking away, he took a potion out of his storage ring. It was a very deadly poison that could kill a King Domain beast.

Suddenly Jak-Wing gasped as he felt something abnormal with his Qi reservoir, it seemed to be leaking out like a faucet. Tears formed in his eyes, it’s been many centuries since this hardened vicious man had cried. His Qi that was accumulated and refined for thousands of years was gone. Ryu sighed as he sensed Jak-Wing break off their agreement.

A telepathic message containing the same conditions was sent to all the defeated bandits. They could either serve the Han-So tribe for the rest of their lives or give up their cultivation and lead an honest life as a mortal. In both scenarios, they can’t reveal a thing about Ryu.

Some chose to be free, some chose to serve and some thought it was a joke. They soon realized how serious this agreement was. Those who agreed to be mortals lost their cultivations instantly. Those who chose to serve started grouping up, they could feel a restrictive force inside their Qi reservoir.

Ryu instructed Fu-Ling and Joa-Wong to take the villagers that they have captured over the years and return them. They are also going to split the wealth that the bandits had accumulated as a compensation to the victims.

This only left around fifteen people surprisingly that had entered the trials and failed. They were all ancestors of the Han-So tribe. Questioning the small group, Ryu realized that a group of regular shaman warriors deflected from the last Great War due to their fear of dying and escaped to the Heaven Continent. By luck they chanced upon this temple and started their own tribe to protect it. The founders of the tribe are long dead but they instructed their descendants to not enter the temple. However, some couldn’t help but crave the treasures that could be inside the temple and entered it.

Ryu instructed them to follow him since the temple is now gone. He’ll lead them to where the tribe is now. The group of bandits that pledged to serve the tribe also followed.

Inside the gorge where the Han-So tribe resided, little Mia-Shu is persuading a really stubborn swordsman to stay in bed. This swordsman had identified himself as Rui Miyamoto. Three days ago he had exhausted every ounce of Qi he had in a life or death move that killed a bandit vice-captain. Ryu then threw him towards Mia-Shu who was riding a flying beast to save them.

“No, I have to leave now. The Five-Colored Lightning fruit… The guy who stayed behind to save me…” Rui muttered weakly as he tried to stand up.

Mia-Shu changed the subject and asked, “Hey you… aren’t you a girl?”

“It’s not really a secret… aren’t you a girl too?” Rui said as she raised an eyebrow.

“That’s so weird, how are you so strong? My grandpa always said girls are weaker than boys.” Mia-Shu asked.

“In the world of cultivation, gender doesn’t matter. What’s weird is that you are a girl too. Are you sure you are not a boy?” Rui said as she looked at Mia-Shu up and down.

“Hey! I am a girl. If not, how can I tell that you like Ryu?” Mia-Shu said with a humph. Obviously she was offended.

“That’s… not true. I just admire his courage. Shut up.” Rui said defensively.

“Well that’s good then because I think I like him. Besides I don’t think he’ll like you anyways. You are so mean.” Mia-Shu replied.

“I’m mean? Well at least I don’t have boy hair you tomboy.” Rui said as she tugged a bit of Mia-Shu’s short hair to make sure it’s real. Mia-Shu did look like a tomboy, her hair was short and she dressed in rags that only a boy would wear.

“Hey! I am only ten years old. At least I’m not flat chested like you. When I’m older, I’ll definitely have a prettier body.” Mia-Shu said defensively as she grabbed for Rui’s chest to cope a feel on its size. It’s at that moment the door opened.

“What are you girls doing?” Elder En-Wei yelled out. Rui had a handful of Mia-Shu’s hair while the latter had a hand on the former’s breast. Ryu walked in from behind En-Wei and looked at them with a surprised and amused look.

“I…” Both girls were speechless. They were embarrassed to the max, showing this shameful side in front of their crush was more devastating than a physical blow.

“You guys are girls?” Ryu asked with a surprised look. He had no idea and only found out just now after En-Wei announced it.

“You… get out!” Mia-Shu shouted. It was evident that she was mad.

“You beast!” Rui added, her expression was exactly like Mia-Shu’s. En-Wei gave a chuckle as soon as she saw Ryu dug himself a grave with these girls. Instantly the two girls formed a bond against Ryu who walked all over their feelings for him and their pride as girls.

“I just wanted to check up on you guys before I left. Mia-Shu I have fulfilled my promise and the bandits are disbanded. I heard from your grandpa and grandma that you are the rightful heir to the tribe so from now on, three hundred of the bandits will only answer to your call. As for you, I have taken the Five-Colored Lightning fruit but here’s a rank 7 spiritual pill that you can have.” Ryu said politely and left. Where he stood was an apple sized medicine that shined with a blue light, it was from Alexis’s possessions.

The two girls didn’t know what to do. It took them a few minutes to make themselves presentable to leave the room. However, they realized that Ryu was nowhere to be found. There was a huge commotion outside regarding the return of the tribe’s ancestors that failed the trials. There’s also a huge arsenal of weapons and armor in the center of the gorge. This was Alexis’s collection that he used to stir up chaos in a small region. After hearing the story, they were surprised that Ryu had single handedly taken down the Vanishing Bandits. It was only after a few hours of searching did they find out that Ryu had left.

Ryu was currently on a random path towards the Lin Province. Na’Vi and the others had suggested to him that rushing his cultivation was not always a thing. He needs more life experience and time to polish his skills. If he did not have the skills to back up the cultivation then he’ll be at a huge disadvantage. Although Ryu learned a tremendous wealth of shaman arts, Na’Vi actually recommended Ryu to learn arts from the Heaven Continent to avoid drawing suspicion from the Sky Continent. Shaman arts are pretty unique and easily to recognize.

During his training, he actually couldn’t beat Na’Vi even once when he lowered his cultivation to Ryu’s level. Ryu had four reservoirs too! Giving him a tremendous advantage in regards to Qi quatity.The prince was a prodigy for a reason, if Ryu met a real expert that’s on the same level as him or a few levels above then there’s a chance he’ll perish. That’s because even though he learns skills at a frightening speed due to the tomes, he hasn’t really mastered them perfectly yet.

Also in this world, one could be considered an “immortal” if they have gone through their first Rebirth at level 100. These people can crush Ryu with a single thought. Not only that, the stronger continents had at least hundreds of these beings. Heaven Continent must have a few as well.

Then there’s also finding weapons with essences suitable for Ryu, only Emperor Level items and above have essences. Shamans use instruments and staffs which Ryu learned how to use but he would prefer a sword or spear instead. The more one uses a weapon with an essence and get attuned to it, it might even level up with you. If the weapon is much higher leveled, it’ll be harder to access its powers. Alexis’s only has one weapon with an essence and it’s a huge black scythe that Ryu would not like to use. Regardless, it’ll increase your battle prowess for sure since Emperor Level items usually have special effects or skills associated with it.

Then there’s the mysteries regarding him. When the High Priest inspected Ryu closely over the months, she suspected that Ryu isn’t thirteen. They did an age-bone test and found out that Ryu was in fact twenty one! His grandpa must have just assumed Ryu was around the age of five when he received him when he was actually fifteen. Na’Vi’s theory is that according to Ryu’s visions of his potential mother getting attacked and his frail physical body when he was young, he might have been in a coma of some sort that stunted his growth. When he received the first Infinity Tome, his body was healed and aged faster to catch up to his actual age. As for the blood stone, no one could make heads or tails out of it.

As Ryu’s mind was deep in his thoughts, the Judgment Tome that was dancing around with the other two tomes unexpectedly spat out the Voice Crystal. Obviously his grandpa was attempting to contact him.

“Ryu? Where are you? We’ve been trying to contact you for the past few days.” Seo-Yon, Ryu’s previous teacher and now his step-grandmother, asked quickly.

“Sorry, I was occupied. Teacher Lee, is something wrong? Is my grandpa ok?” Ryu replied, his heart clenched. Did something bad happened during my time in the trials and training with Na’Vi’s group?

“He’s okay Ryu but I’m not sure if you have heard the news… a few culprits are wanted for attempting to assassinate a high official at the capital of the Lin Empire. One of them is Sheng’s brother! Your grandpa is out trying to get more information from around town. You don’t need to come back here.” Seo-Yon said quickly, then in a low voice she whispered, “Ryu… I don’t know if I should be telling you this, your grandpa doesn’t want to worry you but… there is someone around town looking for you.”

“Don’t worry about it, I’ll look into this matter.” Ryu replied with a reassuring voice.

“Ryu it takes two months of flying just to reach the capital from our town.” Seo-Yon reminded him.

“Teacher Lee don’t worry, I’ll be in touch.” Ryu reassured once again and hung up quickly as he sensed danger. He held his breath and assimilated with the nature around him. Shamans are able to draw powers from nature and ask for help. They can also blend in with nature to avoid detection. He didn’t use Sage Arts to nullify his Qi because he can’t completely hide it, the most he can do is lower his Qi to half his current cultivation.

“Definitely someone with higher cultivation than me. I wonder what that expert is doing.” Ryu whispered to himself as he felt an aura scan passed him. After waiting an hour to wait out the danger, Ryu’s figure brimmed with golden flash and two lights shot out of it.