Death... and me

There was a reason for the mirror not to see through Rean's concealment ability. It was the fact that what hid the Dragon Wing Marks was not the Light bending skill itself but the light it had bent. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the light reflecting the blue color of the marks other than the fact that it was forced to follow a pre-determined path. Rean's concealment ability against naked eyes was near impeccable because of it. Unlike other skills that concealed things themselves, Rean's skills forced something else to do the job. In this case, it was the light.

Since Celso thought Rean's group didn't have the Dragon Wing Marks, they preferred not to attack. After all, they believed Rean's group would die to the next Light Element and Divine Energy wave. It would be unwise to attack them in front of everyone and alert the rest of the cultivators who had nothing to do with the Lost Star Selection.

Rean's group had just arrived, so Rean took the chance to push further, asking, "Brother, we have just arrived here, so we don't know what's happening. Do you know why everyone's waiting in front of the Second Level? Is there something wrong?"

Celso stopped thinking about the twins and was now focusing on the top ten powers' disciples. He wanted to know who it was that robbed his group of their marks. Because of that, he didn't want to waste time with Rean anymore. "Sorry, I don't have time to talk with you anymore. Good luck." Immediately after, Celso moved to the place where his Dragon Tail Brotherhood companions and elders were located.

Seeing Celso leave without answering his question didn't bother Rean, though. He simply returned to his group and raised a doubt he had through a Divine Sense message. 'I can understand all the Elemental Transformation and Transition Realm cultivators among the top ten powers' disciples. However, what are the elders doing here? They're obviously above the Transition Realm, so they won't be able to enter that plane Aelrie talked about.'

Hurio shrugged his shoulders in response, saying, 'What else could it be? They're obviously here to protect the disciples. Since that separate plane is so good, all the top ten powers sent their best disciples who could enjoy that place's Divine Origin Energy. It would be idiotic if they died to someone because of their cultivations.'

Rean still found it weird. 'That much I know. What makes me curious is the Light Element wave that will eventually come. Wouldn't they die to that?'

Roan understood where Rean was coming from, asking in response, 'You mean that only those who can enter that so-called plane will be able to survive while the rest will die. Is it?'

Rean nodded in response. 'Yes. Of course, I have no proof. Perhaps the fact that these Void Tempering Realm elders came together is because they know a way to escape the barrier back at the depths' entrance.'

Hurio then looked at Lilia, who bitterly smiled in response. If Rean was right about the deaths, didn't that mean Lilia would stay out and die as well? 'We need to find a beast pool for Lilia at all costs.'

Roan snorted after hearing that. 'Yeah? And how exactly do you intend to find them? Also, don't forget. You need to have all three marks to enter the other plane. If she really wants to enter it, she'll need to go back to the first floor, find a beast pool that none of the ten powers did, and then come back. First of all, is there still any pool remaining even with all ten powers scouring the depths? The big ten obviously have gone through this process many times. Don't they perhaps know where each and every pool is located, so they already got everything?'

'This...' Hurio had to admit Roan was right.

Roan also added, 'One more thing. We have nothing to do with you and Lilia. We're here for the Fallen Light Star Fragments that are easier to find in the third level. If you want to go back to help her, by all means, be my guest. However, we definitely won't follow you.'

Hurio's expression immediately turned dark after that. Even though what Roan said was true, he didn't need to put it that way.

Rean couldn't help but laugh after that. 'Hahaha! Cold as always, huh? Why can't you be a little more honest?' Rean then looked at Hurio and Lilia and said, 'What the ice block really meant was that this selection most likely won't take everyone in. After all, it's called a selection. It will become a race against time to see who are the first people to gather the marks and get selected. Even if you go back now, it would be simply impossible to come back in time to fight for the slots. Obviously, Lilia has a much better chance of surviving if she finds a way to avoid the Light Element wave by continuing to move forward.'

'Hmph! You're the one who said that, not me.' Roan refused to admit those were his intentions at all.

Hurio's expression finally eased up after that. 'I see...' He then looked at Lilia, who just smiled at him. 'But she's still at risk nonetheless.'

Kentucky then mentioned, 'Well, I also want to help her. However, you're forgetting something. Before you think about saving your sweetheart, you must save yourself... unless you're planning to die together, that is.'

Lilia and Hurio became somewhat embarrassed after that but didn't deny Kentucky's words. 'Ahem... I won't leave her alone outside unless she has a chance, so yeah, we might die together.'

'Don't be ridiculous,' Lilia immediately complained. 'You're the hope of our people. I absolutely won't allow you to do such a thing. Stop being selfish.'

Hurio and Lilia then began to argue about the issue while the twins and Kentucky simply ignored them. In the end, that wasn't their problem. 'Roan, I'm gonna ask the other cultivators who aren't part of the top ten to see if they know why everyone is waiting outside.'

Roan nodded in agreement to Rean's move. 'Alright.'