Death... and me

"That's not the only problem. You should remember that there are a lot more cultivators who've entered the natural formation back then. Unless the Lakure Race members killed all of them, we shouldn't be the only ones present testing their defenses at the moment."

Roan was right. The sects and the Jialin Royal Family entered the formation before. There were even the Guntao Country's forces that Rean's group didn't know. Could it be that none of them were testing the defenses in the valley or attacking the crystals?

Groups like Elder Tiria and Juvian's had come to check the valley defenses before. As mentioned before, they were then forced to flee since the valley's defenses were too strong. Juvian and Tiria, for example, were the strongest members of Dalamu in this place. Nevertheless, they were only in the Nascent Soul Realm. The valley where the Lakure Race experts were located had no lack of Soul Forging Realm ones. Naturally, they had no chance of achieving anything and even lost a few of their lower-level members while fleeing.

Now, there were red crystals absorbing the life force of the areas they were placed in. Those crystals were placed further away from the valley. The other group had indeed attacked those Lakure Race members and even obtained the crystal for themselves.

However, there was a problem with it. Unlike Rean's group, the others didn't have a Kentucky, who could eat the crystal and transform it into energy. Simply put, the red crystals turned out to be useless for Tiria, Juvia, Erbec Jialin, and everyone else.

From the looks of it, only the Lakure Race members, with their special meridians, could absorb the crystal's energy. Not only that, but you had to be at a very high level of cultivation to be able to convert it. In the end, Kentucky was just an anomaly.

Well, in the end, there wasn't much of a point in attacking the groups with the red crystals. Besides, if they really started exterminating all the groups, the Lakure Race experts wouldn't just dawdle in the valley and would definitely come out to hunt them. They knew that they weren't at the same level, so they didn't want to force the other side's hand. They had to wait for the time the natural barrier opened again so that they could join hands with their forces outside before thinking about attacking the valley.

Wano then shook his head.

"The fact is that there's just too many of these crystals. Perhaps the six we robbed so far to feed the demon bird are simply not worth caring about. In any case, these groups controlling the red crystals usually have a similar level of strength to ours, which is a perfect match for life and death combat. Cultivation wise, this is a good thing for us."

Rean, Roan, Malaka, and Calina nodded. As weird as it might be, it was a fact that they were benefiting a lot from it, especially Kentucky and the twins. Rean and Roan took ten Rank Four Spirit Stones to test how good it was to cultivate with them. Surprisingly, the red crystals offered similar benefits, saving them a lot of Rank Four Spirit Stones. Well, they only tested those Rank Four Spirit Stones. They wouldn't use the rest for cultivation since they were worth a lot more in trading.

However, Malaka also remembered something else.

"In that case, how about we try to check the valley itself? After all, Illia and I came here for the Masput Rocks of the Masput Vein. Perhaps it will be easier to find it this time?"

Roan had to admit that Malaka was right.

"That makes sense."

Wano thought that it was too dangerous, though.

"I don't think we should push our luck. If there are no high-level experts overseeing the red crystals, that probably means they're protecting the valley instead. Most likely, the valley is a lot more important to them than the red crystals."

Rean agreed with Wano, but he also added another point.

"Wano's right. However, it wouldn't be much of a problem for me. As long as there's a high-level cultivator using Spiritual Sense to check the area I'm in, I'll feel their presence straight away. We just need to get close to the valley to be sure."

Wano narrowed his eyes. That's the thing he couldn't understand. The higher the difference in cultivation, the harder it was to feel the opponent's Spiritual Sense. At first, he thought that Rean and the others were exaggerating about Rean's ability. However, after heading out to look for targets for their training, he found out that Rean was always right. That was really a fantastic ability that he would very much want to learn.

"Rean, are you willing to sell this skill of yours that can feel stronger Spiritual Senses easily? I'm willing to pay with Rank Four Spirit Stones. Also, I'm interested in the ability that can hide one from Spiritual Senses. I have one myself, but yours seem to be even better."

Rean and the others were taken aback by that. They knew that Wano wasn't simple, but they didn't think that he would be so rich to the point of having that rank of Spirit Stones.

Rean then laughed before saying.

"Sure. However, it would be a useless skill for you. For it to work, you need an extremely high-level of Light Element control. Trust me, unless you want this skill to be used for simple reference, I'm at least 99% sure you won't be able to use it. Not just you, but even anyone else for that matter."

Well, that person wouldn't just need a high level of Light Element Control. Rean was pretty much sure that only someone with a natural affinity for Light Element like him would be able to pull it off. The reason was simple. The usage of Rean's Fourth Form, Hidden Radar, was deeply related to one's ability to feel Life Force. That's not something you can get by simply using Yang Energy Cultivation Techniques to control Light Element. Even Roan, who shared a connection with Rean and his Light Element, couldn't reach Rean's level at all. At must, he could support him.

Wano was surprised to hear that. He wasn't concerned about the almost impossible chance of him being able to use the skill. Instead, he was surprised that Rean didn't seem to care about selling it at all.

"So, if I pay, will you sell it to me?"

Rean nodded.

"If you want to throw your Spirit Stones away, be my guest. Rank Four Spirit Stones are incredibly hard to obtain, so any extra amount is more than welcome. Since you helped Malaka and Illia flee from the valley in the past, I'll give you a good price. Give me 500 Rank Four Spirit Stones, and the skill is yours."

Wano's mouth twitched in response. Even in the black market, skills that needed Light or Dark Element wouldn't cost that much. Roan's Dark World, for example, cost only 200.

"Isn't that way too much?"

Rean shook his head as he said.

"It's not. I'm not saying it's cheap. Instead, it's very expensive. However, I also think this is a nice price, but not for the reason you think. Truth be told, it's just because I don't want you to buy it. That's why I gave you this 'nice' and ridiculous price."

Wano became even more puzzled now.

"Why?"

Rean laughed in response as he said.

"Hahaha! I don't mind selling it, but I really don't want to give you a skill you definitely can't use. I'll feel like I'm robbing you of your Spirit Stones. Anyway, just give up the idea. Trust me, I'm doing it for your own good."

Wano narrowed his eyes. His cultivation technique also had Yang Element cultivation in it. Naturally, he can use it to control the Light Element. It's just that he would never reach Rean's level. Still, how can Rean be so sure that he wouldn't be able to use it?

'Could it be that Rean is provoking me so that I will pay that enormous amount? No... Something tells me that he truly believes I can't use that skill of his at all.'

Wano pondered for a while before he shook his head in the end. It was indeed a value way too high for something that he didn't know if it would even work.

"Alright, forget it."

Rean smiled, satisfied. After that, he looked at Roan before saying.

"Roan, since we're already here, we might as well pass by the valley. If it's only the two of us, it should be much easier to see if it's possible to look for Masput Rocks."

Roan nodded.

"That was my intention as well. Wano, Malaka, Illia, you three go back to the cave with Kentucky. Rean and I will go check the valley."

Calina and Malaka nodded. They knew that Rean and Roan had the Circuitry Teleport Formation and the Soul Gem Dimensional Realm. Escaping was very easy for them. However, Wano couldn't help but ask.

"Are you sure you don't need help? You should know that I'm strong enough to fight a Peak Core and Soul Fusion Realm enemy at my level. If we are talking about running away, I'm pretty confident to flee from someone at the Initial Stage of the Nascent Soul Realm or maybe a weak Middle Stage one."

Rean smiled but shook his head.

"Don't worry. It's almost impossible for us to be caught. Besides, the moment I feel the presence of a high-level cultivator, we will immediately leave. We'll be fine."

Wano sighed but nodded in the end. For some reason, he truly believed that the twins could escape from any situation.