(Author: Hello! Two old friends return and the Tiger Army gets reinforcements from a different army than they expected. Now, they march to the valley of magical beasts at the eighth and ninth stage in the hopes of conquering the last defense before the main threat of Giant's Chain. Enjoy.)

---------Chapter 5: Valley of Magical Beasts--------------------

"General! General! I bring word from Great General Meng Ce!" a soldier said as he burst into the war council tent an hour before dawn. Lu Shu, his two lieutenants, and his two advisors were talking about how to fight the magical beast in the valley.

"Report!" Lu Shu said, leaning back on his chair at the end of a long, rectangular table.

"Great General Meng Ce authorizes your advancement into the valley. He has confirmed that there are only two paths to enter. The mountains cannot be scaled and scouts are easily ambushed if they try to fly over it on their magical beasts. Thus, he will send his forces to take care of the leader guarding the hidden exit of the valley where the Rabbit Army was annihilated. Tiger Army and Jade Sword Army will attack the valley as the rest of the army surrounds the island to prevent any type of reinforcement or Hyperion ambush," the soldier cried, kneeling on one knee as he made his report.

"When will the Jade Sword Army arrive?" Lu Shu asked.

"General, the Jade Sword Army is expected to arrive within the hour. The Great General suggests attacking at dawn so the sun rises from your backs. The enemy will be blinded as they gaze uphill. Your first engagement, the Great General said, should have less casualties while killing more of the enemy than they expected," the soldier answered.

"Good. You've worked hard. Rest," Lu Shu said as the soldier thanked him and left.

"Have the men ready to march into the valley. I want cavalry up front," Lu Shu said. "Make some room in the event the Jade Sword Army has cavalry forces of their own.

"Yes, general," Lu Gong said and left to tell his forces.

"Lieutenant General Cao Wei, I understand mages have something called enchantments," Lu Shu said, as he learned more about magic from Jiro and what they were normally capable of.

"Yes, general," Cao Wei nodded.

"Good. I understand mage apprentices can only cast temporary enchantments. I want all the cavalry soldiers covered in defensive enchantments. As for their swords, enchant them with light magic. It will add to the blinding effect of the sun as their spears and halberds might appear invisible. As they charge, cast the enchantments on the shields of the soldiers with lightning. It will serve to paralyze those they hit with their shields. After that, the priority of the mages is to assist the foot soldiers after the cavalry leave. I want the archers to cover the retreat of the cavalry. I want to lose as little forces as possible before we head to the main island," Lu Shu ordered.

"Yes, general. Cao Wei hears and obeys," Cao Wei said, surprised and impressed Lu Shu thought to such an extent.

"Jiro, can you lead the Jade Amry officers to the war council tent?" Lu Shu asked.

"Sure. I'll be back with them shortly," Jiro nodded.

As Jiro left, Lu Shu asked, "What are our chances of encountering Hyperion this far inland?"

"None. Not even the Hyperion venture onto the islands. They don't wish to weaken their own forces and that of the magical beasts as we need to conquer the islands to get to Hyperion territory," Ken said. "Magical beasts hate the Hyperion and prefer not to engage them also."

"General Han Jian greets Second Prince Lu Shu," a man over six feet tall, a scar down his neck partly covered by his black hair, cried. "I am here to assist the second prince in destroying all the magical beasts in the valley. If possible, may I suggest we attempt to capture some of them as they are very powerful magical beasts that could serve the army well?"

"If it is unconscious and no soldiers will die in the process of capture, very well," Lu Shu nodded. "How many cavalry soldiers do you have?"

"Only a thousand, Your Majesty," the general said. "Half of my Ten Thousand Man Army is comprised of foot soldiers. Two thousand consists of soldiers who do things behind the scenes, such as smiths, cooks, prostitutes to relieve sexual frustrations, and other duties the remaining two thousand are mages. My cavalry soldiers are not Practitioners but mages who specialize in close combat and utilize various enchantments on their weapons and armor. All five thousand of my soldiers are Practitioners of the eighth and ninth stage."

"Mages as cavalrymen," Lu Shu paused and said, "Good. They will ride down the hill and into the valley as the sun rises along with my own cavalry forces. As we secure the area around the hill, the mages of our armies will focus on long range spells."

"Understood," the general said. "I will take charge of the mages. I am a mage after all,"

"I thought you were a Practitioner?" Lu Shu frowned.

"I am the only mage general. I recently replaced my father two years ago, but never changed the name of the army. I wield an enchanted jade sword that never breaks, in honor of my late father," the general answered.

"Very well. I will take charge of the Practitioners and lead the cavalry charge," Lu Shu nodded, happy with the plan. In ths way, both general ordered soldiers and knew their capabilities while avoiding giving conflicting orders.

"General, you have a guest," a soldier reported.

"What guest?" Lu Shu frowned, everyone turning to the entrance of the war tent.

"Hello!" a young woman smiled as she appeared.

"Shao Ivy?" Lu Shu said, incredulous as he did not expect her here.

Lu Shu had first met Ivy when he first took over the body he now inhabited. He had also been classmates with her back at Black Lotus Academy. He noticed she was at the late tenth stage of the Spirit Shaman tier. Lu Shu was also at the late tenth stage, but her cultivation seemed to near the peak. It wouldn't be long before she challenged the bottleneck and became a beginning stage Archon Phoenix. His foundations were deeper so it took him longer to cultivate and progress.

"Hello Shu. I'm glad you remember me," Ivy smiled as she walked up to him. "I came on business from the emperor. It would be best to talk in private."

"Ivy," Ken nodded his head as the Matsuda and Shao clans had good relations.

"Nice to see you, Ken. You too, Jiro. Still hate the Li Clan?" Ivy asked.

"Except for my uncle and his son," Jiro nodded. "We'll leave you two alone as it is Yan imperial business."

"I will see you on the battlefield, Second Prince Lu Shu," General Han Jian bowed and left.

"You're certainly moving up in the world. A prince and now general," Ivy smiled as Lu Shu poured her some tea and sat down across from her.

"How have you been?" Lu Shu asked.

"Not good. I was told I was betrothed to a young man I never met and found out I was one of many candidates. I found out he was the second prince of the Yan Dynasty but he had left for war," Ivy teased, Lu Shu coughing as he drank his own tea.

"Betrothed? To me?" Lu Shu spurted.

"Am I not beautiful enough?" Ivy asked as Lu Shu looked her over. Her light brown hair was tied to a ponytail and fell to the right of her neck. She had nice porcelain skin and she was powerful. She even followed him to Giant's Chain instead of waiting in the capital with the other candidates.

"You are. Very beautiful. More than," Lu Shu smiled. He was used to killing and knew the danger, but didn't want a girl who couldn't kill if she had to. Of course, he would never admit it.

"I'd like to think so but you are very popular. Another candidate came and I didn't scare her off when I said I know you. She said you even had dinner together. She attended Golden Crow, Palace and I know you two talked a lot before." Ivy said. "I'll let you two talk."

"Huh?" Lu Shu frowned as she left. He saw a girl in a white robe with gold armor on top of her chest, arms, and legs. She was very busty but with a normal body outline, not at all skinny like Rian. Her dark brown hair was slightly wavy as it fell past her shoulders.

"Hello Second Prince Lu Shu or should I call you General Lu Shu?" the girl asked.

"Hong Rian?" Lu Shu realized after ten minutes.

"Yes. It's been a long time, Lu Shu," the girl smiled. "I am at the peak tenth stage of the Spirit Shaman cultivation tier. Not everyday I can see someone who became a true Archon using the [Titan Creator] body technique. I have some of the magical beast meat with me. You know, the meat of a Two-Headed Magma Hound magical beast."

"Seriously? Ah, you're too much. Beautiful, powerful, and you brought me food you knew I liked," Lu Shu sighed with praise. "So you were one of my marriage candidates?."

"You were cute and I thought we had a connection as we talked about spirit reactors and magical beast meat. Of course, I didn't expect my uncle to make me one of your potential fiancés. I didn't expect you to leave for an expedition to Hyperion lands so soon. I had to tell my uncle and older sister I was leaving the palace to follow you here," Rian laughed.

"Ah, sorry about that," Shu grinned as she lightly punched him on the arm.

"I've been training constantly while absorbing the planet's life force. My foundations may not be as deep as yours, but I know I'll be more powerful than my sister," she amended.

"So you thought about me and brought me meat. I guess you thought about me so much, you liked me," Shu said as she got closer while he leaned back on his chair.

"Maybe I did," Rian said as their lips nearly touched. "Is that bad?"

"Why would it be bad? You actually thought about what I liked. That earns points in my book," Shu said both closed their eyes.

"Ahem, my lord. We have a war to fight," Bakura coughed, oblivious to human romance as a wraith. As a creature born from anger, hatred, and vengeance; he was a little disturbed by the whole scene. Even Wraith, felt uncomfortable in Hao's shadow.

"Ah, right. War. I have soldiers to lead to charge into the valley," Lu Shu blurted, hastily rising and knocking back his chair. "Sorry Rian. We'll catch up. Wait outside for me, will you?"

"Okay," Rian smiled softly and lightly touched his arm as she left. She was quite happy as she knew his abrupt reaction meant he felt a connection with her for a moment. Ivy might know Lu Shu for a longer period but she also had a chance. Maybe seeing her fight might make them closer.

"She is a distraction. They both are. Should I behead them, Lord Shu?" Bakura asked.

"Nonsense. You don't understand human romance. Bah. It was getting good," Spook sighed. "Shu, this girl is a good one. She is not afraid to fight and is even stronger than you, cultivation wise. If you were an ordinary Practitioner or scion of the ancient clan, she should be stronger. For now, conquer the magical beasts on this island. You can become a man later."

"I'm not a virgin," Lu Shu began. "Only this body is, but you're right. First we slaughter the magical beasts here. I'll catch up with Rian later. Bakura, hold Hao. I don't want him running off and mindlessly feeding on the battlefield while the enemy lives."

"Yes, Lord Shu," Bakura said and carried the Holy Spirit Beast as the skeleton samurai followed its lord and master.

"General," the soldiers bowed their heads as Lu Shu stepped out his tent. He got atop his magical beast tiger and headed for the top of the hill. The cavalry made way as he rode to the front.

"Status report," Lu Shu said.

"About four hundred magical beasts at the eighth stage and sixty two at the ninth stage," Lu Gong answered.

"Good," Lu Shu said as he drew his Nether Tiger Sword, white celestial aura emanating from the blade.

"Twenty seconds until the sun rises over the hill!" a scout said.

"Good luck, my prince," General Han Jian bowed.

"We will destroy our enemy," Bakura declared, drawing both its katana and wakizashi as it rode behind him.

"Show no mercy," Ivy nodded, drawing her sword.

"I will fight beside you," Rian said, taking out a twin swords.

"Charge!" Lu Shu roared, the soldiers yelling at the top of their lungs as the ground shook under them. The magical beasts roared and prepared to intercept but closed their eyes or, turned away, as the sun rose and blinded them.

Swords and spears shined and cut through flesh as their mounts rammed through magical beasts in their path. Some soldiers were lost as some magical beasts took to the skies, clawing or crushing the soldiers as they attacked. Serpents of lightning bolted from Shu's left hand as he sliced with his right. Bakura guarded his back as some magical beasts turned to attack the cavalry from behind as they pushed their advance.

Then, Lu Gong and the foot soldiers arrived, quickly creating a shield wall as the cavalry drew back to prepare another assault. Lu Shu was hit on the shoulder, but he just snarled and behead the magical beast.

"Shields up! Cover the cavalry! Do not rush the advance! Let the mages attack the enemy as they cluster together! Send more soldiers to the right flank," Shu shouted as he used his Great Spirit Integration technique to hit the flying magical beasts with a sound wave technique. Rian and Ivy, take care of those magical beasts as they hit the ground! Foot soldiers, stay in formation! Let the enemy come to you!"

"Messenger, tell the mages to focus their attacks on the right flank. There are more magical beasts there! Archers move forward and aid the left flank!" Shu cried as he cut down several magical beasts with waves of water that could cut through steel with every swing of his sword. He held his hand into the sky and brought it down, sending thirty emerald spirit swords into the magical beasts.

"Where are the magical beasts of the ninth rank?" Shu asked.

"At the rear," Lu Gong answered as he beheaded a magical beast with two pig heads. "Oi! Shields up! Let the foot soldiers stab at whatever tries to break through the gap!"

"There it is," Shu said as he saw several fireballs soar through the sky and hit the magical beasts at the right flank, forcing them to head to the center. Some magical beasts also died under the hail of arrows at the left flank. Shu stared at Lu Gong, who blew a horn.

"Shield wall, open the center flank!" Shu roared as the cavalry sped past them.

"Advance the shield wall!" Shu roared as the cavalry returned after killing more magical beasts. "Earth Practitioners, harden the ground beneath the shield wall. Practitioners with fire and wind, target those flying magical beasts!"

"Lu Gong, lead the right flank of the soldiers into the homes of the magical beasts to the right. Rian and Ivy, lead the soldiers to the left! I will lead the central forces to the center and target those magical beasts of the ninth stage.

"Yes, Prince Shu," Rian and Ivy said as they raced away.

"Messenger, tell the cavalry to proceed to attack the enemy from afar, with an archer behind each soldier. Foot soldiers, advance!" Lu Shu roared as lightning was thrown from his hands and blew up a magical beast wolf of the eighth stage.

"Not bad. We're moving forward into range! Summoners, send aid to the foot soldiers," Han Jian ordered as the mages moved to the foot of the hill. "Don't send any more fireballs! Attack the magical beasts with lightning. Draw them to the central flank!"

"Here they come," Lu Shu muttered as the magical beasts of the ninth stage finally charged ahead. Now it was time to end it. Like any other beasts, Shu would cut off their head like any other.

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(Author: No releases next week as I have a lot of midterms to prepare for. Sorry. Releases continue on September 30 (Wednesday, pacific time) as usual. Again, real life issues in college sucks. Especially with a huge percentage over the final grade. Enjoy the chapter and thanks for reading.)