Death... and me

During these days of waiting, Rean's group also bumped into other participants from the Jialin Country. They found three members of the Jialin Royal Family and two members of each of the other sects. At first, those sects were supposed to only have a single slot remaining after giving one to the Dalamu Sect. However, it seemed like they cut a layer of their own skin to obtain another slot. 

Rean was also surprised to see that one of the Lagan Sect's participants was Luina herself. She was accompanied by a man using the same sect's uniform.

"Hi, Rean. It's been some time."

He still remembered that around a year ago, he and Roan went out on a mission to get rid of the Gold Hands Bandit Group. During that mission, they met up with Luina of the Lagan Sect and had done the mission together.

"Indeed. I can see that you also reached the Peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm, congratulations."

Luina sighed as she shook her head.

"I've done nothing here. Back then, you and Roan were behind me in cultivation. But looking at it now, you already caught up with me in cultivation."

Just as she was about to continue, Malaka returned from another stall where she was looking at items with Calina.

"Rean, who is she?"

Luina was taken aback as she saw the clothes on Calina. Obviously, she was also informed about the participants of the Capital and the way to identify them.

Rean then introduced.

"This is a friend Roan and I made while we were on a mission. She and her other two sect members went through a lot with us to get that done. Her name is Luina, a member of the Lagan Sect."

Rean then looked at Luina and another man on her side.

"As for the two girls here, the naughty one is my little sister, Malaka. As for the other girl, she's just someone from somewhere in the Capital."

Calina didn't like that introduction at all, but the one who really hated that introduction was Valeu. Once again, a hint of killing intent appeared in his body, just to disappear soon after. Rean couldn't help but snort in response.

"What you mean by 'just someone?' I could have you jailed for the rest of your life just for this offense, you know? My name is Calina. I'm a member of the Imperial Family."

Luina immediately bowed to show her respect, and so did the man beside her.

"I see. I'm Luina, the daughter of the Lagan Sect's Sect Master in Jialin Country. Not that someone of your revered status would know about a small country like ours. Nice to meet you, princess."

Calina finally nodded, a lot more satisfied.

"Princess?"

Rean and Malaka were taken aback. They heard that she had Imperial Blood, but they didn't know she was a princess.

"Sister, you were a princess?! That's so cool!"

Calina nodded.

"Well, I'm not anyone that important, to be honest. Considering the life span of a cultivator with the Imperial Family resources, the Imperial Family already has hundreds of princesses and princes. I'm at the very bottom and don't really have any meaningful status to start with. Of course, I'm still very proud of being a member of the Imperial Family."

Valeu then said in response.

"Princess, such issues shouldn't be discussed with strangers."

Calina shrugged her shoulders.

"It's not like this is any secret anyway. Besides, Malaka is not a stranger."

Rean then looked at the man on Luina's side.

"By the way, this person is?"

The man replied straight away.

"I'm Wallad Marc, another member of the Lagan Sect. I came this time around to participate in the Profound Abyss with Luina."

Rean could tell that Wallad's cultivation was far above his. Probably at the peak of the Core Formation Realm.

"By the way, Luina. I didn't know you were the Sect Master's daughter. You didn't say anything last time."

"This..."

Wallad then explained.

"In fact, if not because of the princess' presence, she wouldn't have said anything. Very few people know about it. However, we can't lie to the members of the Imperial Family. I hope you can keep it between us."

Rean didn't mind. Everyone had their own secrets. Luina's identity was being hidden, most likely to protect her.

"Very well, I shall say nothing."

Luina couldn't help but ask soon after.

"By the way, what kind of demon bird is this?"

Obviously, she was talking about Kentucky, who was looking at everything with a curious expression.

"It's a Demon Bird from our Dalamu Sect. I happened to become its master, so I brought him to participate in the Profound Abyss as well."

As Reliance had mentioned before, it seemed like no one could tell what race Kentucky was from.

Luina nodded, not finding it strange. A lot of cultivators had brought their own demon beasts this time around as well.

She then looked around as if looking for something.

"So... where is Roan? Is he not with you?"

Rean nodded.

"He's at the stalls somewhere. He had been using this chance to get a few different skill books. I think I saw him around five minutes ago in that direction."

Rean was 100% lying. He was simply using his Soul Connection to tell where Roan could be found.

"Is that so?! Great, I'm going there to say hello to him."

Luina then bowed to Calina once more and then left with Wallad in a hurry.

Malaka and Calina then left to look around once more as Rean remained behind with Valeu. So far, he hadn't said anything to them. But this time, he gave Rean a warning with a Spiritual Sense message.

'Brat, peasants like you and your sister should not get involved with the Imperial Family. Calina is still naive. That's why she's giving you this little bit of attention. Here's a piece of advice, you better pretend you didn't see her after all this shit is over. Also, don't try to get close to her during the Profound Abyss, or I'll cut you lot myself.'

Rean narrowed his eyes as he looked at Valeu's face.

'I'll take Senior Valeu's advice to heart. Don't worry, we do know our place in this world.'

Rean wasn't the least bit surprised. After all, he had already seen the killing intent he had for Malaka and even himself a few times.

And just like that, the last two days also passed in a flash.

Finally, the opening day arrived as all the participants gathered in front of the Profound Abyss entrance. 

Rean, Roan, Malaka, Tive, Weren, and Kentucky were already waiting somewhere behind with Reliance and Zunzun on his shoulder. As a small kingdom, they were positioned at the end of the queue.

Malaka then took out a blue pendant while she waited with the rest. It had a hexagram with the image of a lion inside. The cool thing was that it didn't matter from which direction you looked at it. The image appeared to move to match the direction of the person's eye. 

"Hum? What is this, Malaka?"

Malaka smiled before saying.

"Calina gave it to me while that annoying Valeu wasn't looking. She said that if I wanted to see her again one day, I just had to bring this pendant to the Capital."

Even Rean didn't notice when she received that pendant.

"Is that so? Then make sure to keep it safe."

Malaka nodded as she wore the pendant and put it inside her clothes.

However, Rean and Roan noticed. Inside the pendant, some of the Yin Energy they felt from Calina was also present.

'Perhaps this is a means of identification as well.'

Suddenly, a few men and women appeared in the sky above the Profound Abyss. At the very center, there was an old man who seemed to be the leader of the group. He then moved a bit forward and stopped in front of the others.

"Welcome to the Profound Abyss Training Grounds. My name is Polian Sasamil, and I'll be overseeing the event this time."

Rean could tell with his Light Element Skill that the powerful Spiritual Sense he had sensed before came from that man.

'Roan, that's the guy I told you that's above the Soul Transformation Realm.'

Roan nodded in response.

'By his surname, he is another expert of the Imperial Family. Indeed, the Imperial Family is on another level altogether. If they already sent someone like this to watch over a small event like the Profound Abyss, just how much stronger are the real experts living in the Capital?'

Rean could only nod at that remark.

Polian then continued.

"As you know, only those at the Core Formation Realm and below can enter. Each person can bring one Demon Beast with them, too, as long as it is Stage Three or lower. Your objective is obviously to arrive at the Vermilion Pond and make use of it to improve your meridians. We don't care as to which method you use to do this. There are no rules about the difference of cultivation or numbers either. Killing, stealing, taking hostages, etc., everything is valid."

"Also, as always, we have members of the Imperial Family and the Imperial Family's forces participating as well. However, I'll swear in the name of the Imperial Family here and now that it doesn't matter what happens to them inside of the Profound Abyss. The Imperial Family will definitely not look into the matter. This is a training ground for both you and us. If they die, it is because they were too weak. Simple as that. It has always been like that, and it will continue to be so in the future."

"Lastly, the Profound Abyss entrance will be open for two weeks. If you don't come out by the end of that time, you will get locked inside until the next opening. Well, no one has ever survived five years of Decaying Energy, so it's more or less akin to death."

"Alright, that's enough. Open the entrance!"