“The mountains, the forest, and the spiritual Qi energy, render beasts even more savage.”

Qai immediately reported to the council of elders the progress of the entire reserve squad.

He explained that he no longer had anything to share to the members and anything else that would make them any stronger would now depend solely on their own hard work.

Of course, the elders could read between the lines about Qai’s intention—that Qai he had no real interest in the group.

When Master Han, who was present in the meeting, came to know of it, his lips curled into a smile. He had always thought that Qai had great potential to become a top herbalist.

However the council was prepared.

“We’re actually thinking of officially making the reserve squad an official elite squad of the village. Are you not interested in becoming its leader!?”

Qai was taken aback for a moment. If it were anybody else, the offer would be truly enticing.

The council was clearly trying to make both ends meet in order to rope Qai in. Aside from officially becoming its leader, the elders also offered huge amount of compensation from the treasury.

But Qai was already dead set on his future path.

Thus, he made a counteroffer that he could still join the squad but adamantly said that he would be soon training by himself. Now that he acquired a new weapon, he wanted to make use of the time properly to master his Guandao—but he definitely did not want to officially assume the leadership.

Of course, Qai wanted to train in his the area around the waterfalls. And not only did he desire to train there on a regular basis but to stay there practically for at least a month or two. So definitely, he would have to leave the group for the meantime.

‘I need to find ways to become Gold rank Knight somehow,’ he thought.

So Qai expressed his wish to temporarily live in the nearby waterfalls before rejoining with the squad.

At the same time, he recommended Big sis Song to take the leadership of the squad with Mak as the second in command.

The elders sighed and felt there way no way they can convince Qai. They knew well that for now, they had to step back—after all, the armors that his father contributed was more than enough to give him some face.

“If that is what you wish, then so be it. However, we still haven’t rewarded you about your service to the village. If there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to tell us,” one of the elders said.

Of course, they wanted to offer him some reward to make him a bit indebted.

Qai paused for a moment and thought if there really was anything the council could offer. Then after a few breaths, his eyes brightened.

“Books,” he said. “If the council has any historical records of the village, I want to borrow and read them.”

“Ah!?”

Qai had not forgotten the questions lingering in his mind about the things he learned from Master Han’s books. Master Han’s records were just too general. So he wanted some details.

Were it not for the elders’ offer, the idea would never pop in his mind.

“Well, we do have one that tells of this place. Its an old account handed down to us through generations. How accurate the things in there are, its up to you to judge.”

Right after the elder spoke, he commissioned someone to pick up the leather parchments from the treasury. And after a time it took to burn an incense, the book was handed to Qai.

“You can return it whenever you’re done. Most of us in the council have already seen its content, so if you feel that you have unearthed something exceptional feel free to share it with us.”

Qai was surprised.

He didn’t no what kind of writings were in the parchments. If they're mere historical accounts, then what secret could it possibly contain.

“Qai, you may be young, but the people in this village are convinced that you are a one-of-a-kind gifted individual this village has ever produced. So we are entrusting you with it.”

Qai was distracted with the elders’ words. He was in a body of a 9 year old boy—an age too young to be thought as someone who could comprehend more deeply than the elders could.

Confused, he simply put the matter at the back of his mind and thanked the elder respectfully with a bow before he left.

Qai then visited the squad and told it members his decision to for two months by himself.

The members weren't surprised. They thought that only the forest can indeed push Qai to improve further as there is none in the village who could defeat him—in fact, the combination of Mak and Song did not even amount much.

At his current Silver rank, Qai is as strong as 10 adult soldiers.

Big sis Song and Mak did not say much about becoming the leaders of the squad.

What the two of them actually worried was the fact that Qai was improving too fast. And they fear that they wouldn't be able to catch up.

True to Qai’s estimation though, Mak and Song were the first to make it as Bronze rank Knights. Two more talented members followed suit but the rest remained at the peak of Iron rank.

Without any advanced technique or other form of catalyst, it would be difficult to attain higher ranks.

But that did not let the spirit of the members down since Qai explained that at times, a real life and death experience may help one to breakthrough.

Qai eventually spent two more days at home with his parents. He just felt it was proper before he leaves for secluded training.

Aware of their son’s exploits during hunts, Qai’s parents were confident that no beast in the nearby forest could rival their son.

Qai departed early in the morning with new set of armor. His father personally crafted them together with a pair of heavy metal bracers for both his legs and arms which Qai requested to enhance his training.

His mother, on the other hand, prepared him some meat rations good for at least few days.

Qai took all of them together with his Guandao and the leather parchments which he placed in a bag.

The distance between the waterfalls and the nameless was just few miles away and could be travelled within few hours with continuous walk.

When Qai arrived, it was still morning.

The first thing he thought of is making a temporary abode. So he picked the biggest tree in the area which measured about 3 meter radius with its roots already bulging from the ground. Then he dug the the spot of the bulging roots connecting to the trunk to make some kind of cave.

Qai spent almost half a day to finish everthing even with his current strength.

After lighting a fire, Qai ate some of the meat rations then started to read and just decided to start the training in the following day.

In Qai's plans, he would alternate his training among honing his new set of skills, hunting and spending time under the current of the waterfalls.

As for the reading, he would treat it as a mere pastime. In fact, he felt he could finish reading all the parchments in just two nights.

However, what Qai surprisingly discovered in the parchments was the notion that the entire lands, which the villagers knew of, was actually one huge island.

’Island!?’

Whether it was true or not remains to be proven. But as to why the elders never explained it to the villagers, Qai could only speculate.

'Perhaps there really was no other people in this place, so it is better for the villagers not to know any better.'

Qai felt terrible that his plans to see the world one day seemed to be jeopardized for good.

Even still, Qai was set to confirm it with his own eyes and still wished to travel someday.

When almost two months had gone by, Qai expectedly improved by leaps and bounds with his Guandao. However, he still failed to make a breakthrough.

Meanwhile, unknown to him, the entire village was in a deathly crisis.