Death... and me

The worker then warned Rean, "You better think twice before trying something like that out. Usually, the transformation starts from the outside. That's why that method of cutting that girl's transformed body parts worked to save her life. However, if you try to cultivate through this method, you need to first absorb the white powder into your body. If you fail to refine it, the transformation into a salt statue will start from the inside instead of the outside. I don't think you can cut parts of your body off like that."

Rean had to admit the guy was right... if it wasn't Rean they were talking about. Regrowing a few missing body parts wasn't a problem as long as the person was still alive. Then again, Rean could see the risk involved. For example, if the transformation from the inside started in the brain, Rean couldn't simply cut a part of it off. After all, the power of Light Element had its limits.

After that, Rean left the inn to see how Kentucky was faring. It's just that Kentucky seemed to be catching his breath while releasing the black and white flames that kept the water away. Of course, seeing that, he used Divine Sense and asked, 'Are you fine?'

Kentucky nodded in response. 'Pretty much. The white powder can't get close to me if there isn't any water. Look at the roof of the protection formation of this city.'

Rean looked up and understood why Kentucky asked that. 'The white powder is accumulating even more. It seems like even more of it is passing through the formation as well.'

Kentucky nodded, saying, 'Indeed. Nevertheless, at least 99% of it is kept outside, thanks to the formation. We could risk leaving the city and keep these bubbles that protect us from the water. However, I don't think it's a good idea due to how much white powder you can find outside.'

Roan, who was watching everything, agreed with Kentucky on that with his Divine Sense. 'I feel like Kentucky is right. By the way, Kentucky, did you hear Rean's conversation with the guy at the inn with your Divine Sense?'

Kentucky nodded once more. 'About absorbing the white powder and refining it in our bodies? I heard that. However, I don't think it's worth the risk. Besides, we do have quite a few Rank Three Divine Stones in the Soul Gem Dimensional Realm, don't we? We have no need to risk that.'

Rean then shook his head, saying, 'To be honest, what I'm thinking about is not the cultivation side of the issue. Instead, I'm more interested in the origin of this white powder. What could give birth to this thing, and why does it have so much Divine Energy inside.'

Kentucky and Roan knew Rean very well, so they couldn't help but ask, 'You noticed something, didn't you?'

Rean confirmed their words before extending his hand into the water beyond his bubble. Soon after, Rean brought inside his bubble a tiny speck of white powder, covered in a drop of water so that it wouldn't disappear. 'The reason why it has so much Divine Energy is that this thing is made of Divine Stones to start with.'

Kentucky and Roan's attention were piqued after that. 'How come?'

'Do you remember what happens to the Divine Stones once we absorb all the Divine Energy inside?' Rean asked in response.

'They become dust!' Roan and Kentucky immediately understood what Rean was trying to say. 'However, they only become dust when there isn't any more Divine Energy. These specks of white powder still have a lot of Divine Energy in them, don't they?'

Rean shook his head, saying, 'Have you heard of a rule that says you can only transform Divine Stones into dust once they have no more energy?'

Kentucky and Roan shook their heads in response. Following that, Rean took out a Rank One Divine Stone and used his hand to press it. 

*Crack...*

*Shatter!*

With his Second Grade Star Body, Rean didn't even need to use Divine Soul Power to crush that Divine Stone into dust. With that, a lot of the Divine Energy contained in that Divine Stone disappeared, but some still remained.

Seeing that, Kentucky couldn't help but say, 'That doesn't make sense. After you broke the Divine Stone, not even a tenth of its energy remained in the dust.'

Roan, on the other hand, knew where Rean was coming from. 'I understand. This white powder has Divine Energy equivalent to Rank Three Divine Stones, right? If the dust of a crushed Divine Stone only has a tenth or so of the Divine Stone's initial energy...'

Kentucky was shocked to hear that. 'Doesn't that mean if this white powder was really made of Divine Stones, then it's made from a higher-ranked one?'

Rean nodded with a smile. 'I'm happy you understood.' He then threw the speck of white powder back into the water. 'Of course, this is just all speculation. Can you see how not even the aquatic demon beasts don't leave the formation's confinement? Even though their resistance against it is higher, they can't resist all that white powder outside. Even those at the Void Tempering Realm and above seem to be no exception to it.'

Roan agreed with Rean. Both the twins could feel the Divine Senses of those at the Void Tempering Realm and above inside the city thanks to Rean's Divine Sense bending skill. None of those Divine Senses came from outside. They were all inside the city's protection formation.

Kentucky sighed after that. 'If even those monsters can't fight the white powder, we're obviously in an even worse shape to go out. Unless this white powder can be countered with Roan and my Dark Element.'

Indeed, Dark Element destroyed everything. Most likely, the white powder wouldn't be an exception. Rean thought about a problem, though. 'The only doubt is whether your Dark Elements would be enough to fight all the white powder. Also, even if we can resist the white powder outside the city's protection formation, the concentration will be even higher once we get closer to the source. Would you be able to deal with that? Last but not least, who will take care of Falangia, Luan, and Rafatia in the meantime?'

Surprisingly, those weren't the only problems.. Rean still had more to add to the equation.