Death... and me

Surprisingly, during the next five tests, the Silver Horn Sturgeon race didn’t appear anymore. Rean, Erla, and Min thought that some of the new contestants were probably sent after them, and they just didn’t know. However, no one seemed to be actively looking for them during the tests. 

Or perhaps there were more mercenaries looking for them, but they simply couldn’t find Rean’s group. Well, Rean made sure to use his Light and Divine Sense bending skill in all Dimensional Realms where they were useful. After all, it would definitely irritate anyone looking for them while inside the Dimensional Realms.

The weird thing was that Erla and the others hadn’t seen Blansin anymore after that. She wondered if his disguise was seen through or if he simply couldn’t return. Nonetheless, with these five tests gone, they had now completed nine in total. 

Another good thing was that Rean made a fortune in Rank Two Divine Stones during the time he and Roan used their weapon intents against the elders. Thanks to that, the Dimensional Realm already had over two hundred thousand Rank Two Divine Stones. With that, it was a given that the sect wouldn’t run out of Rank Two Divine Stones anytime soon.

Rean then looked at Habac, who seemed to be on cloud nine. “You seem quite happy.”

Habac nodded, saying with a hint of glee, “Only three tests to go, and I’ll be able to join the Jhiod Sect. How can I not be happy? Not to mention that I really contributed to our tests so far, so I’m definitely in a good mood.”

Rean smiled in response. “That’s good to know. So, which one is the next test?”

“Life Syphon Forest,” Habac’s smile disappeared as he answered the question. “Shit, why did you have to make me remember that?”

Rean shrugged his shoulders, saying, “You were just delaying the inevitable. So, what should be aware of in that place?”

Habac was just about to answer when suddenly, someone approached Rean’s group. “Are you Rean Larks?”

Rean and the others looked at the guy but couldn’t identify who he was. “Well, that would be me. And you are?”

“I’m Fanso, a member of the Silver Horn Sturgeon race,” the demon beast answered.

Erla narrowed her eyes in response. “What did you come here for? Have you finally given up hunting me for my heart?”

The guy glanced at Erla for a moment but then ignored her. Instead, he looked at Rean and said, “Our Silver Horn Sturgeon race is willing to pay you to not get involved with her anymore. That’s all you need to do. State your price.”

Erla and Min were taken aback to hear that. Could it be that they didn’t find anyone else so far because of Rean’s presence? 

Rean, of course, was quite surprised by the sudden request. “Oh-ho… and why would you even believe I will keep my promise?”

Fanso then took out a Soul Binding Contract. Sure enough, he could see that Rean was a Transition Realm cultivator. That meant he shouldn’t have the means to break the seal once he signed it. One couldn’t blame the Silver Horn Sturgeon race for coming up with this plan. After all, where has one seen a Transition Realm cultivator that could avoid the contracts even after signing them?

Naturally, that wasn’t all. Rean could see that several more demon beasts, all in the Void Tempering Realm, were just behind Fanso. One didn’t need to be a genius to understand that they were all Silver Horn Sturgeons.

Rean then looked at Erla and asked, ‘Do you know any of them?’

Erla nodded, telling him, ‘I’ve seen some of them back when I visited the Silver Horn Sturgeon race a few times. I’ve only seen Fanso for the first time, though. However, I know him by his name. He’s also one of the geniuses of the Silver Horn Sturgeon race. He isn’t quite at Blansin’s level, but he isn’t that far off either. However, because he’s older, his cultivation is much higher. As you can see, he’s at the Peak Stage of the Void Tempering Realm.’

Rean understood the situation after that. “So your Silver Horn Sturgeon race decided to give up on the mercenaries and bring a lot of their own Void Tempering Realm members, is it? But I don’t understand. Why wait until now to appear?”

Fanso answered without care. “Bringing this many members all the way from Terces to here takes time and Divine Stones. It’s that simple. So, will you state a price, or will we have to fight you as well during the next tests? Unlike those mercenaries, we won’t give up regardless of the danger. This situation is directly related to our race’s future, after all. I advise you to get out of our way and even receive some compensation while at that.”

“Sure! Why not? Give me a thousand Rank Three Divine Stones.”

Mina, Erla, and Habac almost burst into laughter after hearing that. That was a ridiculously high price. To afford such a price, the Silver Horn Sturgeon race would probably go bankrupt for many years. There was no way they would accept Rean’s price.

Sure enough, Fanso felt like Rean was making fun of his face. “Do you think we’re that rich? We can pay for you to get out of our way, but you have to be reasonable. Ten thousand Rank Two Divine Stones for you or any of your friends and that brother of yours to get out of your way. If you refuse, then we’ll meet inside the next tests. Sooner or later, we’ll find you there. That’s why we brought so many sturgeons.”

If the guy just knew how rich Rean was, he probably wouldn’t have made that offer. Nonetheless… “Alright, I accept your offer. Ten thousand Rank Two Divine Stones.”

Erla and Min were taken aback. Didn’t he accept it way too easily? “Rean, are you serious?”

Rean shrugged his shoulders in response. “Come on! It’s ten thousand Rank Two Divine Stones. Would you refuse such a fortune if you were me?”

“This…” Erla and Min found it hard to go against Rean’s words. Indeed, for them, that was really a huge amount of Divine Stones.

However, it was then that they received a Divine Sense message from Rean. ‘Don’t worry. I won’t leave you. Just trust me and pretend to be afraid of my departure.’

Ten thousand Rank Two Divine Stones might not be much for the System Sect at the moment. However, Rean wouldn’t let the chance of getting Free Divine Stones slip through his fingers that easily.