Chapter 7: Conflict over Great Herbs

The days blended together as the groups ventured deeper into the forest, seeking treasures and battling divine beasts. Amuche's breakthrough to the Mmuo late stage was a significant milestone, earning her Chief Ojo's praise and recognition. However, their success was not without its challenges.

One day, a group of injured men returned to the campsite, unable to continue hunting. They had encountered a rival village's hunting party, and a dispute over a rare herb had escalated into a violent confrontation. The rival village's group had emerged victorious, stealing their storage ring and leaving them battered and bruised.

Chief Ojo called a gathering to address the incident. "We must be cautious and courteous when encountering other hunters," he advised. "If we sense malicious intentions, we should retreat and avoid conflict. Our safety is paramount."

Amuche listened intently, her mind racing with the implications. She realized that the forest was not only filled with divine beasts but also rival hunters who would stop at nothing to claim treasures.

After this the remaining groups nodded and departed into the forest to hunt again.

Amuche, Kael, and the other youth accompanied Chief Ojo deeper into the woods, their auras concealed and their senses alert for powerful divine beasts. After a long and treacherous journey, they heard a distant commotion. Curious, they approached cautiously and found themselves at the edge of a clearing. Two mighty beasts clashed in a fierce battle, their roars echoing through the forest.

A huge lion and a formidable python, both at the Mmuo Ndu late stage, exchanged blows with ferocity. Their fight was intense, each seeking dominance over the other. Chief Ojo and the three youths watched in awe, their eyes fixed on the spectacle.

As the battle raged on, a glowing plant caught Chief Ojo's attention. "Look, a rare herb!" he whispered, his eyes shining with excitement. "That's what they're fighting over. It's a Mellon Spirit Grass, a tier 2 middle-grade herb. With this herb, a cultivator can advance from the peak stage of Mmuo to early Mmuo Ndu. It's a rare opportunity indeed."

The four of them observed from a safe distance, waiting for the outcome. The lion finally gained the upper hand, striking the python with a deadly blow. But the lion itself was heavily injured, its movements slow and labored.

Chief Ojo turned to the youths. "Now's our chance. Let's attack the lion before it recovers." With a coordinated effort, they surrounded the lion and struck, their weapons and abilities working in harmony. The lion fought valiantly but ultimately succumbed to their combined strength.

As they caught their breath, Chief Ojo approached the lion's body. "Let's see if it has a monster core," he said, his hand searching the lion's chest. A moment later, he held up a glowing core. "Yes! This is a tier 2 monster core, very valuable indeed. With this core and the Mellon Spirit Grass, we have a bountiful harvest."

Next, he approached the glowing plant, his eyes shining with excitement. "This herb is the key to advancing to Mmuo Ndu. We must cherish it dearly." He plucked the herb with care, his hands trembling with joy.

Just as they were about to leave, an arrow whizzed past, narrowly missing Chief Ojo. "Who's there?" he called out, his hand on the hilt of his sword. Six figures emerged from the nearby woods, their intentions unclear.

"Looks like we have some competition," Chief Ojo said, his eyes narrowing. "Prepare yourselves, just in case." The four youths drew their weapons, ready for battle. The six strangers approached cautiously, their eyes fixed on the Mellon Spirit Grass in Chief Ojo's hand.

One of the men stepped forward, his eyes fixed greedily on the treasure. "Drop the herb and monster core, and scram! We won't bother you if you hand them over peacefully."

Chief Ojo's eyes narrowed as he gazed at the six men, his anger simmering beneath the surface. He knew they were outnumbered, six to four, and that the men had the upper hand. But he wouldn't back down, not when their hard-earned treasure was at stake. "Follow cultivators, we were the first to arrive and fought hard to obtain this treasure. Taking it from us by force is no different from theft. Where's the honor in that?"

The second man sneered, "The strong prey on the weak. That's the cultivation world's rule. You can only blame your own weakness."

Another man leered at Amuche, his eyes roaming over her body. "And yes, this girl will stay behind," he said, his voice dripping with lust. "She's too beautiful to leave behind. Her eyes sparkle like diamonds, and her skin glows like porcelain. Her full lips curve into a tantalizing smile, and her curves... oh, her curves are a temptation we can't resist."

The other men burst into laughter, their eyes gleaming with amusement. "Haha, you're such a shameless flirt, Marcus!" one of them chuckled.

Marcus grinned, unabashed. "Hey, someone's got to speak the truth. And we all agree, don't we? How many of you have seen such a beautiful lady before?" He glanced at the others, who nodded in agreement, their faces still flushed with laughter.

Amuche's face burned with anger and humiliation, her heart racing with indignation. This was going to be her first fight against actual people, unlike the beasts she had fought before, which had largely been driven by instinct. She was a bit scared, but these men's remarks had ignited a fire within her. She couldn't believe the audacity of these men, who thought they could just take what they wanted and treat her like a prize to be won.

"How dare you!" she spat, her voice low and venomous. "You think you can just look at me with such disrespect? You think you can take what's ours and treat me like a plaything?"

Her eyes locked onto Marcus, her gaze piercing and cold. "You're going to regret ever laying eyes on me," she hissed. "I'll make sure you pay for your insolence."

Chief Ojo's divine sense sent a message to Amuche, Kael, and Buju: "Two early-stage Mmuo Ndu cultivators among them. I'll take care of them. Kael and Buju will handle the two peak-stage Mmuo cultivators. Amuche, you'll deal with the remaining two late-stage Mmuo cultivators, but Kael and Buju will assist you."

Amuche's resolve hardened into steel. She was ready to unleash her fury upon these men, to show them the true meaning of power and strength. She would not be treated like a mere object, and she would make sure they knew it. With a deep breath, she steeled herself for the battle ahead, her spirit burning brighter than ever before.

Amuche's thoughts flashed to Chief Ojo through the divine sense. "Chief Ojo, I'm going to fight Marcus. I don't care that he's a peak-stage Mmuo cultivator. I won't back down."

Chief Ojo's response was immediate. "Amuche, be careful. We're outnumbered, and our priority is to force a path and retreat. Don't let your anger cloud your judgment."

Amuche's reply was firm. "My mind is made up, Chief Ojo. I'll handle Marcus"

Chief Ojo's divine sense sent a message to the others. "Remember, our goal is to force a path and retreat. Follow my lead and stay together. Amuche, be careful, but do what you must."

Amuche stepped forward, her eyes blazing with determination. "Come out and fight, Marcus," she taunted, her voice firm and confident.

Marcus sneered, underestimating her. "Wait for me to capture this exquisite flower," he said to his companions, strolling forward lazily. He stretched out his hand, forming a large palm that hurtled towards Amuche with a force that could crush a mountain.

Amuche's eyes flashed with disdain. With a mere thought, she summoned the wind to her aid, using "Wind Dash: Evasion" to evade the palm strike with ease. Marcus's eyes widened in surprise, realizing too late that he had underestimated her speed and agility.

Amuche counterattacked with her sword, unleashing "Thousand Swords Slash" that sent Marcus flying across the battlefield. As he struggled to rise, Amuche mocked him, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You call that a attack? You're as weak as a kitten!"

You only have this middling strength and actually had fancy thoughts of capturing me? You must be dreaming!"

The onlookers gasped in awe, their eyes fixed on the spectacle. Chief Ojo's expression remained calm, but his eyes gleamed with pride.

Marcus struggled to his feet, his face contorted in rage. "I feel like vomiting blood!" he bellowed, his anger and humiliation evident. "You dare to defeat me, someone below my cultivation stage?!"

He took a deep breath, his eyes blazing with fury. "Good, good, good," he nodded three times, his voice low and menacing. "You have succeeded in truly angering me, Prepare to face my rage, and I pity your beautiful face!"

With a wicked smile, Marcus summoned a massive orb of fire that hurtled towards Amuche with a force that could incinerate a city. "Light of Thousand Rage!" he shouted, his voice echoing across the battlefield.

Amuche smiled, her eyes flashing with confidence. Using "Wind Dash: Escape" once more, she dodged the light orb unscathed, reappearing behind Marcus in the blink of an eye. With a swift swing of her sword, she unleashed "Thousand Swords Slash" again, striking Marcus with a force that sent him flying again.

As Marcus struggled to rise, Amuche pummeled him with her fist art, "Fist of the Hurricane," her blows raining down like a storm. Marcus screamed and shouted in pain, his cries echoing across the battlefield. "Ahhh! My bones are breaking! My muscles are tearing! Ahhh!"

His companions rushed to his aid, but Chief Ojo and the others were ready to intervene, sparking a fierce battle royal.

The fight intensified, with each side exchanging blows and displaying their unique abilities. Amuche's sword sliced through the air, her movements swift and deadly. Marcus retaliated with waves of fire, his rage fueling his attacks. The other men joined the fray, their weapons clashing as they battled against Chief Ojo and his team. The air was filled with the sound of swords clashing, fists pounding, and the scent of sweat and smoke. The battle raged on, each side determined to emerge victorious.

Amuche's eyes gleamed with a fierce light as she activated her Eyes of Truth. She gazed at Marcus, and her eyes pierced through his flaws and weaknesses. With a disdainful smile, she spat out the words, "I'm done playing with you, stupid Marcus." With a swift and powerful strike, she dealt him a knock that sent him crashing into a nearby tree. Marcus fell unconscious, defeated and humiliated.

Amuche turned to help Kael, and together they dispatched his opponent. They then moved on to assist Buju, defeating his opponent as well. With three of their four companions defeated, the remaining two men gritted their teeth and fled in escape.

Chief Ojo breathed a deep sigh of relief as the battle came to an end. The group gathered around Amuche, their faces filled with awe and admiration for her combat strength.

They quickly returned to the temporary campsite, where they met up with the other groups. The worried faces of their companions greeted them, but Chief Ojo explained the reason for their delay in detail, making the other hunting squad members surprised at Amuche's combat strength.

After they rested, one of the group's hunting men approached Chief Ojo with an important announcement. "Chief Ojo, we've received news that a Tier Three great herb has been discovered in the deep areas of the forest. It's about to ripen, and many villagers are heading in that direction. The herb is said to be extremely valuable, capable of changing one's innate pearl. Even larger villages have heard the news and are sending powerful cultivators to claim it."

Chief Ojo listened patiently, then decided to send Kael back to the village to consult his father, a powerful cultivator in the Mmuo Ndu peak stage, who resided in a nearby city just two days' journey away. Amuche, on the other hand, decided to head back to the village to find Nedu.