Lackluster

With Zhou Kai's signal, every abled body went to execute the plan.

Kai would stand near the barrier to concentrate the banshee horde and then the relatively strong villagers would backstab the banshees.

Very simple.

Not even 30 minutes passed and the 63 of weak banshees are dealt with. The last weak Banshee was restrained with a special rope used to restrain Beasts.

Off to the side, the Wu twins also managed to finish their business. This was just the first wave, it would naturally be easy to manage.

"That was not even enough to excite me!" Wu Chun commented with confidence but he was clearly a bit huffing for air.

"I'm just grateful that this wave was manageable." Wu Chen said.

Just as they were finishing up, Ren Huang and Ren Zhong brought the restrained Banshee to Zhou Kai.

Thud.

"Essssence." The Banshee spoke like a snake with an eerie tone. It looks directly at Zhou Kai's crotch area. Straight at the family jewels.

This made Zhou Kai shudder but he did not show any fear. For the other older men however, this was met with extreme disdain.

"G-Good job everyone! Return to your stations! Zhou Mei, please come with me. I'll try fighting this Mortal realm lvl 5 Banshee." Zhou Kai was slightly scared of fighting the demon spawn but he was also excited for some reason.

"Yes, Chief."

The villagers listened to the Chief's order and went to their own stations. The winter is still not over and every hour can be deadly dangerous for everyone. They just got a taste of the trouble and no one was willing to try their luck.

***Iron Beast Village Plaza***

Zhou Kai was standing in his Zhou stance while the Banshee was being prepared to be unleashed by Zhou Mei and Ning.

"Now!"

With the signal, Zhou Mei released the ropes on the banshee and it immediately went for Kai's balls. Fortunately, Kai was well over 10 meters away and had time to react to the outrageous acceleration of his enemy.

"Essssence! Rahhh!" It shouted in a high pitched tone that sent chills to 21 year old males like Kai.

"N-No you don't!" Kai almost froze on the spot due to the instinctive fear of a man having his future culled but he steeled himself to take action.

Kai steadied his stance to brace for any attack. Sure enough a stabbing motion of the claws came from his left side.

To defend, Kai simply performed the 2nd form Greedy Bulwark to greet the claws and this somehow completely stopped the attack. All the claw-like nails of the Banshee broke on impact like a glass hitting something rigid and hard.

Clink

'So brittle?' Kai was expecting to get his palm stabbed or at least be pricked by the sharp nails but he just felt like 10 flies rammed his palm.

'Mei's held back punch hurt more?' Kai was at a loss for words. 'As expected of me!'

Just as he was having these narcissistic thoughts, he was snapped back to reality by another attack coming from the Banshee. Since its right hand had no sharp claws no more, it instinctively cleaved using the other hand but it also met the same fate.

Clink

The claws were shattered again, with no effective weapons to use anymore, the rest of the fight was a walk in the park, Kai just used it to hone his skills and absorb more Qi from its attacks. A few minutes later, the Banshee was twitching on the ground helplessly due to lack of energy and Qi.

"Hmph. That's what you get for offending someone you shouldn't have." With those final words, killed the Banshee mercilessly with a full powered palm strike to the head and heart. 'Ha! I've always wanted to say that to an enemy!'

Kai used to say that line to chickens that he butchered when his father was still alive. He was basically a chicken bully.

Zhou Kai was half expecting to receive some applause for a job well done but he realized that only Mei and Ning were there and he knew better not to expect praises from both of them. "Sigh. Let's just go home."

'I don't even get a reply. Sigh…' Kai just sighed in defeat.

With that, the first wave of Banshees was completely annihilated without any mishaps. Kai would go home and refine the Qi he absorbed from the Banshee he fought.

***Zhou residence***

Zhou Mei was cleaning around the house but her thoughts were on an entirely different thing. She was recalling what she just witnessed from the last fight of her master.

'Banshee nails shattered by palm flesh? I knew that Master's body was tough, I have hit him numerous times, ut his palm must be even harder than the rest of his body. Is he practicing a body tempering Technique? But then he does not have a dantian. There's just more questions now. Haha!'

While wiping the floor she suddenly thought of another miracle that Kai performed.

'Come to think of it, now that I have analyzed the fight, he seemed to absorb even the Demonic Qi that the Banshee used in the attack! Greedy Bulwark is what he shouts when he uses it against my stabs. First was my Ice, Ning's Metal and then the Demonic Qi…'

Zhou Mei's surprise was valid because there were no known records of these things ever happening in the known history of the empire. Mei was no native villager here, She was an outcast from a well known group of people that had access to knowledge about the history.

'Everything about master surprises me. ' Mei thought as she made a rare genuine smile on her face.

"Acchoo! Cold!" Kai's shenanigans snapped her back to her usual self.

***Kai's room***

"That was really weird. I know that it was weaker than me in cultivation level but I did not expect it to be that weak and frail." Kai was still thinking about his previous fight.

"Lackluster!"

"Maybe I'm just really strong? No! I can't let arrogance get the best of me!"

Kai gained some confidence in fighting due to his win against the low ranking banshee but he somewhat knew that he was still very weak. This is naturally the case because he was one of the witnesses of the fight his father and his retainers had with the Queen Banshee 2 years ago. That fight made the northern cliff steeper. The Queen Banshee was so strong that his father sacrificed his life just to kill it.

"Sigh. I really need to get stronger. Let's set small goals for now, how about the True Qi realm?"

Kai kept on mumbling by himself as he planned his next moves to gain more strength. This was to feel safer in this forsaken village.

This was his train of thought when he suddenly felt a tug on his soul.

"Hmm? Ash, what is it?" Kai knew that Ash the Qilin foal was asking for something. After some seconds of focusing Kai deduced that Ash was asking for some spirit herbs to eat.

"B-But there's none left for us, I already gave you every herb and I did not even eat one of them." Kai was flustered. He was like a father to Ash. And as a father figure, how could he not be uneasy when his child asked for food and he can't give it?

Thankfully, Ash was smarter than Kai was. As a divine beast, this was a given. Ash understood Kai's frustration and as a sensible child, he was willing to lessen his father's burden.

Ash simply stood up from his resting position and calmly went out of the room then the residence. Kai understood that Ash was telling it was all cool and dandy so he did not stop his familiar.

Everything was good.

This was not the case for the 1st retainer Mei and villager Ning as they witnessed, for the first time in their life, a living divine beast. Although they did not recognize what exactly Ash is, they thought that it was no ordinary beast. Their thoughts just screamed ' Divine.' Mei and Ning were the ones other than Kai inside his residence.

Mei originally knew that Kai was with a familiar that he took care of inside his room but she did not think it was something like Ash.

Ash' appearance was a foal's but with small violet deer like antlers on its head. His fur was reddish brown like cured wood and a dark green mane and tail with a mossy appearance. His eyes were pure black.

'What kind of familiar is that beautiful?' They thought.

While Ning and Mei were mesmerized, Kai and Ash continued outside. This is the first time Kai let his familiar outside.

'I hope he won't be cold.' Zhou Kai thought.

Just as they got out, Ash suddenly whiffed the air as if a man smelling a freshly cooked bread. Kai was relieved to see Ash getting comfortable with the outside world.

After that, Ash immediately took a few steps and then, well then he stood like a statue looking southward.

Zhou Kai was perplexed at first but Ash was a smart foal so he informed his master that towards the south is the Trial Forest. A dangerous forest.

Like a light bulb lighting, Kai understood his familiar's plan.

"Ha! You want to go there?" Kai was worried but after some thought, he decided.

"Hmm, no risk no gain I guess. There should be plenty of spirit herbs in the deeper parts of the forest…"

'Since he's technically a beast, Banshees would not hunt him. Trial Forest might have some 2 star beasts lurking about but Ash is a Divine beast. Furthermore, isn't he a horse? He could just run if trouble comes his way…' Kai thought.

Ash felt that Kai just insulted his entire race but he just let it slide. With that thought, Kai decided.

"Alright, General Ash! I Zhou Kai, your benevolent master, allows you to satisfy your needs in the Trial Forest. Alone. Go and cultivate there." Kai said and added with a hushed voice. "Cultivate for the both of us."

Zhou Kai stated. Fortunately, no one was around except for Ning and Mei. Everyone else was busy with their tasks and on their stations.

Ash knew that Kai gave the go signal so as if to confirm, Ash the Divine Qilin nodded and took off with vigor!

The 1 meter tall young foal ran faster than Zhou Kai can. Dust and pebbles hit Kai's face.

"Huh. He must have been really hungry."