Death... and me

Back on Rean and Roan's side, they once again felt Spiritual Energy entering their bodies. Without any other choice, they had to stop moving to absorb the energy into their dantians. This time, however, they stayed in that position for much longer. That was because Kentucky didn't stop eating the red crystal until it was completely gone.

A few hours later, they finally opened their eyes.

"It seems like he was finished absorbing whatever he got."

Rean nodded as he said.

"Well, it's not really a bad thing. We've obtained enough energy to make up for two or three weeks of cultivation. I'm quite curious as to what he found that has so much energy. The only sad part is that we couldn't absorb most of it."

Roan shook his head as he replied.

"It doesn't matter. If we really continue like this, our foundations will become unstable due to the speed of cultivation. This speed is more than enough to keep the balance."

Roan then looked in the direction he could sense Kentucky.

"Anyway, we are very close to him. If not for this energy we've obtained, we would have arrived already."

Roan was right. After all, the group that attacked the Royal Family and the sects' forces had already returned to the valley. It would be weird if the twins didn't move that much as well.

Rean and Roan didn't waste time and departed.

On the side of Calina's group, Kentucky sat on the ground as he digested the red crystal it ate.

Calina, Malaka, and Wano just stayed there as well, waiting for Kuana's group to recover their energy. During this time, Calina and Malaka discussed something else with Wano.

"Don't you think we're being too lucky? We found almost no one on our way here."

Wano nodded.

"I thought the same thing as well. I was even ready in case a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator had appeared. Nevertheless, we've only come across some Core Formation or even Foundation Establishment cultivators. It's as if they are busy with something else."

Malaka pondered for a bit before saying.

"Well, we have been here for over 12 days. The sects and other powers should have noticed what's happening in this place. Most likely, the enemies are dealing with them now. They can't spend much time with low-level cultivators like us."

"That makes sense. In any case, that's a good thing for us. Let's keep moving out of this place."

The three could not help but unanimously agree with that statement.

Just as they were about to move, Kentucky's eyes opened as he looked in a particular direction. Malaka, of course, noticed that straight away.

"What is it, Kentucky?"

*Chick!*

Wano narrowed his eyes and immediately spread his Spiritual Sense. However, he couldn't see anything in the direction Kentucky looked at.

'Could it be a higher-level cultivator? If that's the case, I won't be able to feel it with my Spiritual Sense. However, how could a Middle Stage Three Demon Beast feel it?'

Wano then assumed a combat stance, preparing to run away as soon as possible.

It was then that a voice entered everyone's ears.

"Oh! We finally arrived."

Kentucky immediately got up and ran in the direction of the voice. Malaka and Calina obviously recognized that voice as well, so they just smiled in relief. After some time, two figures came out of the woods.

Naturally, they were Rean and Roan, who were already close by to start with.

*Chick!*

Kentucky immediately pounced at Rean.

"Wait, wait, wait!"

*Bang!*

Poor Rean was pushed to the ground by Kentucky's body.

"Too... Heavy! Get off of me, Kentucky!"

*Chick?*

Only then did Kentucky notice that Rean seemed to be suffering and stepped back.

*Chick!*

Soon after, he began to rub his head against Rean's body.

"Alright, alright. I'm happy to see you too."

Roan completely ignored that as he looked at Malaka and Calina.

"It seems like you two are fine."

Wano and Kuana couldn't help but ask, though.

"Who are you?"

Calina smiled as she stood beside the twins.

"It's okay. They're members of our Dalamu Sect."

Malaka nodded as she followed where Calina left off.

"They're my big brothers. We came from the same tribe."

Wano narrowed his eyes in response.

"Are you sure? How did they find this place if that's the case? It's obvious that they knew where we were going. As far as I know, they might very well be allied with the ones who attacked the valley."

Kuana and the other two girls nodded. That was just way too convenient.

Well, Calina and Malaka knew very well why. They had heard how the twins could feel the Minokawa's presence as long as it wasn't too far away. Of course, they couldn't talk about it.

Roan then looked at Wano before saying.

"I don't care whether you believe us or not."

After that, he turned around and began to leave.

"Illia, Malaka, let's go."

Rean couldn't help but sigh.

"Why do you need to always be like this? They might have helped Illia and Malaka, you know?"

Malaka nodded.

"Indeed. Senior Wano was a huge help for us to escape the valley when it was attacked. Kuana, Laffey, and Cassy also helped out a lot. We wouldn't make it out if it wasn't for all of them."

Rean looked at Wano after hearing that and bowed.

"Thank you for helping my younger sister, Senior Wano."

Wano scratched the back of his head in response. How come Illia and Malaka didn't seem to care about their sudden appearance?

"Let me see if I got it right. You two have a way to track down these two girls, right?"

Rean smiled as he nodded.

"I can't tell you how to be exact. However, we do have a way to track them. That's why we found our way here after we heard about the event in Qerlen Country."

Wano nodded.

"Very well. How about we exchange some information then? I'm sure you want to hear what we know. Obviously, I want to know the situation from those who are outside as well."

Rean was more than happy to comply. As for Roan, he didn't say anything as he waited.

Rean, Wano, Calina, and Malaka then began to discuss what they saw and knew. It wasn't before half an hour later that they finished discussing everything.

"So, there's a natural formation impeding anyone from entering or leaving, huh? However, that Elder Droman found a way to open a gap, and that's how you came inside with many other cultivators of your sects. However, after the natural formation went through that transformation we saw before, it became impossible to open it again with the same method. The Arolan City you passed by has also been wiped out by these enemies. There's also the thing about the time inside this place, which is ten times as fast than it is outside or perhaps even faster. Finally, it seems like this is a different race from us humans that had been sealed for quite some time. Did I go through everything?"

Rean nodded.

"That's basically it. As for your case, you were there when the valley was attacked. Also, you got to see those red crystals that Kentucky ate. That makes a few things clearer."

Roan finally decided to talk after that.

"From the looks of it, the main forces of the enemies are all gathered around the valley. There must be something there that they're protecting."

Wano nodded.

"That makes sense. Otherwise, we should have been discovered by now. To me, it seems like they're trying to buy time."

Rean shrugged his shoulders in response.

"Well, that's good for us. I'm a Formation Master, so I know this formation will collapse through lack of energy sooner or later. We won't be trapped here forever."

Rean then looked at Wano, Kuana, Cassy, and Laffey.

"Alright, then. You can head in the direction of the natural formation's barrier. That should be the safest place to be in for now. The area enveloped by this formation is enormous, so there are quite a few demon beast forests enveloped by the formation as well. You can use it to train while you wait."

Wano couldn't help but ask.

"What about you guys?"

"We're going to train as well. We don't know how long this barrier will keep up, so we want to use the time difference to hastily increase our cultivation."

Malaka and Calina were taken aback.

"Are we going to stay nearby? Isn't that too dangerous? The Lakure Race definitely has cultivators at Nascent Soul and above. What if we were attacke-"

"Ah! Forget what I said..."

Calina felt like an idiot.

'What am I thinking? Rean can feel any level of Spiritual Sense. There's no way we can be ambushed by higher-level cultivators without him noticing. Once they appear, Rean and Roan can simply pull Malaka and me directly inside the dimensional realm.'

Rean looked at Calina and could tell that she understood their advantages. However, Wano found it very intriguing.

"From her reaction, it seems like you guys have some way of keeping yourselves safe. How about I join you as well? I've been traveling to train, after all. Now that you say that, this time acceleration is a huge opportunity for me as well."

Rean and Roan were just about to refuse when all of a sudden, they received a Spiritual Sense message from Malaka.

'There's something strange about this guy. His strength is far above those at his cultivation level. He's also extremely young. Perhaps we should keep an eye on him.'

Rean narrowed his eyes as he looked at the smiling Malaka.

'Why do I feel like you are looking more and more like the Sect Leader?'

Malaka laughed in response.

'Master has been teaching me very well... even though I don't want to learn.'

Rean sighed and then looked at Roan.

'So, what do you think?'