Lex had all the resources he needed and wanted from the island, along with a ship that could take him to the nearest continent.
He had everything he wanted, but still couldn't leave until he found a worthy individual that he could leave leading the island.
Lex was planning on getting them to form connections with the continent that he had just left from and take over all the nearby islands, forming a network of islands that were all safe havens, allied and rapidly developing.
Although he had control over all the powerful bandits on the island that numbered in the tens of thousands after forcing them all to bind their bodies, souls and loyalty to his totem, there were still thousands of other bandits out there.
Lex instructed all his bandits to find a plot of land that they could manage and monitor and make sure that they create a safe area for those living there.
He also made it important for them to look for any young talents and send them towards the nearest tribe, where Lex had instructed them to set up training centres for young individuals on the island and also schools.
Education was something that the island barely provided and many were unable to even read and write, so Lex wanted to make a change to that.
However, fixing the issues of an entire island in such a small amount of time was impossible.
Despite it being called an island, it was extremely large and there was too much land for Lex's bandits to cover and make sure was safe for those living there, which could also be considered a good thing for Lex.
Lex formed clones and spread them all around the areas of the island that were still dangerous for people, and instructed them to search for any individuals that were fighting back or showed great character, righteousness, and tenacity.
It wasn't long before he found exactly what he was searching for.
In a small village that was previously overseen by one of the large bandit tribes, there were a few stray bandits that weren't powerful enough in the eyes of Lex to be needed to be bound to the totem.
They had fled the bandit tribe and the small group of bandits wanted to start gathering their own power and establish their own territory.
Their rowdy, luxury and relaxed lifestyle had been destroyed by Lex after he took over and they would either submit and become righteous individuals, or would be killed.
For that, they hated Lex and wanted to kill him, while they also wanted to bring back a time and create a place where they could live as kings once again.
Where those that weren't one of them or powerful cultivators would be treated as slaves and at their beck and call.
To start their evil and unrealistic plans, they started at the small village that they came across.
It was quite far from the territories of all the area that Lex had taken over and centralised, so they set it as their first target to take over.
They were planning on raiding it and capturing all the women and children to use as slaves and hostages in order to get the men of the village to work for them.
It was how the bandits had previously operated with most people and was what many other bandits were doing around the entire island.
Those towards the centre of the island saw Lex as their saviour and ruler after getting rid of the cruel bandits that were ruling over them.
However, those that were yet to be saved or helped by everything that he was putting into action hated him.
Everything he did to help the island had merely caused those small villages destruction, pain and suffering as the stray bandits set them as their targets.
The group of bandits was made up of 8 Heaven Mortal Cultivators and they detested Lex, along with all the bandits that served under him as they were prohibiting them from living as they pleased.
"This village is now under our control and anyone that wants to resist should do so now. "
They made that announcement in the village centre and began introducing on every single house and taking all the valuables, along with taking any woman that was to their liking.
No one could resist and those that attempted to do so were easily struck down by the cruel bandits who didn't care about anyone or anything other than their own survival and pleasure.
As they went around the small village, they came across a run-down church-like structure that was actually acting as an orphanage and within it was an old lady and all the children that she was looking after.
She didn't have anything valuable, but the orphanage was quite large and the bandits were determined to find the valuables they believed the old lady was hiding.
Running an orphanage with that many children alone was already difficult, and they barely had any money, which she had already handed over to them.
She had instructed all the children, along with the oldest out of them, that was 16 to hide and look after the children.
He was the first child that she took in and raised.
She found him as a baby after he was thrown out by some bandits, not caring to look after a baby that didn't have any parents or family claiming it.
Since it couldn't benefit them in any way until it grew older, they didn't see the baby as something worth saving, so she took it in.
From then on, the small church that she ran in the village using the donations she received from the other villagers became an orphanage, and most of the village was fine with it and continued providing donations.
They had barely been able to stay open and when the boy grew up enough to work; he began doing all sorts of things around the village and his physical strength was amazing.