Death... and me

The light was a rare commodity in the underground space. The only way to see something was to generate light yourself. Of course, as cultivators with Spiritual Energy, it wasn't anything hard to do. However, it didn't make things much better. The Decaying Fog around made the light stop at just three or four meters away from the origin. In some places where it was more concentrated, it wouldn't even matter that much.

What cultivators relied the most upon going underground ended up being their Spiritual Sense. It could travel much further, not to mention that it was an all-encompassing sensory ability. Still, as mentioned before, Spiritual Sense was also affected by the Decaying Fog. Even those at the Peak of the Core Formation Realm couldn't see much more than 100 meters around or so.

Rean's group was no different. Spiritual Sense carried a trace of one's element affinity, but it was mostly fueled by pure Spiritual Energy. Naturally, they couldn't escape this restriction. However, Roan still had some advantages over this field, thanks to his Dark Element and Yin Energy.

"I can't see more than 20 or so meters. Usually, I can see up to 90 to 100 meters or so with my Peak Foundation Establishment cultivation. This fog is really something. What about you, Malaka?"

Malaka nodded as she replied.

"I'm even worse. My Spiritual Sense stops at 12 meters."

There was no point in asking Kentucky since he probably didn't even know what Spiritual Sense was to start with.

"What about you, Roan?"

"I'm doing much better. Thanks to my affinity and Yin Energy, I can still see up to 35 to 40 meters. Well, if we are talking about specific detection abilities, Rean's is better than my Spiritual Sense range."

Rean nodded. Roan could indeed see much further with his Spiritual Sense. However, Rean could literally detect Spiritual Senses of a higher level with his Light Element Spiritual Sense Bending Skill. One must remember that if the opponent's cultivation was too high, Rean's group's own Spiritual Senses would fail to detect the enemy's position. Also, if Rean stopped using his Light Element Spiritual Sense Bending Skill, they wouldn't even be able to feel the opponent's Spiritual Sense either if their cultivation was too high.

However, higher-level cultivators' Spiritual Senses had the opposite effect on Rean. They would shine like a sun against Rean's skill. It was so useful that he even decided to call it the Fourth Form of his Life Style, Hidden Radar. Although pretty lame, the name was indeed quite fit. It could both detect others' Spiritual Senses and also hide oneself and even others against it. Not to mention that it could both bend Spiritual Sense and Light, so the hidden effect of the Fourth Form was able to hide from others' eyes too. Anyway, if someone with a Spiritual Sense stronger than Roan's appears, Rean would be the first one to detect it. Too bad that he could at most hide two people at once. More than that would be too hard to control, so he couldn't do it for Malaka and Kentucky as well. That being said, Rean was only using it to detect others' Spiritual Senses and nothing else.

Also, that wasn't the only thing. Rean can feel Life Forces from longer distances as well, especially in a place like this where Life Force shines like torches. If the enemy stops using his Spiritual Sense for some reason, Rean's Life Style Fourth Form wouldn't detect anything. However, his Life Force can't just disappear unless he was dead. Rean was basically a walking double-layered detector.

After hearing the explanation, Malaka couldn't help but ask.

"By the way, which one can detect others from further away?"

Rean pondered a bit before saying.

"It will depend on the range of their Spiritual Senses. I was paying attention to the people who distanced themselves from us during our descent. I can feel their Life Force up to 60 to 80 meters. It all depends on their cultivation. The higher their cultivation, the stronger their life force. The stronger their life force, naturally, the further I can feel it. If they have a Spiritual Sense that can go further than 80 meters, I will first detect their Spiritual Senses. If not, then I'll detect their life forces early instead."

Malaka nodded.

"Master told me that Spiritual Sense strength is not only related to cultivation. People's souls have different degrees of power. That gives them a longer or shorter range of Spiritual Senses. I guess it will come up to their talent whether you can feel one or the other first."

Rean nodded and smiled. Malaka was only eleven years old. Although Malaka acted happy go lucky all the time, she was quite intelligent for her age. She understood the entire explanation without even needing to ask questions in the middle.

All of a sudden, Roan raised his hand.

"Stop! There's something ahead."

Rean narrowed his eyes in response. He couldn't detect anything in there.

"It's probably one of the Decaying Demon Beasts of the Profound Abyss that Elder Reliance talked about. If it was a cultivator, I would have definitely detected it."

However, before they could even think if they should ignore or test its strength, Kentucky's eyes lit up!

*Chick!*

*Vup!*

Without any warning, Kentucky dashed in the direction of the Demon Beast. Rean's group could only sigh in response to it and follow it in the end.

The Demon Beast was very close to start with, so it only took Kentucky a few seconds to enter its detection range. It turned out that it didn't even look like a Demon Beast at all. It had the shape of a Dark Fog Blade that floated in mid-air.

As soon as it noticed Kentucky, it began to tremble. Soon after, it shot like an arrow against Kentucky's head.

Rean's group had received a lot of information about the profound Abyss from the Sect Master. All the Decaying Demon Beasts used the Decaying Fog as fuel for their attacks. It made abilities like Spiritual Energy barriers more fragile. Also, if hit, the Decaying Energy in their bodies would immediately flow inside the cultivator's body like torrents. That being said, all the cultivators participating in this Profound Abyss were warned to avoid injuries at all costs.

"It's a Decaying Slasher! Its power is comparable to an Initial Stage Core Formation Realm cultivator. However, it has very high defense, so it will be hard to break through its blade to hit the Core."

There was only one way to kill Decaying Demon Beasts, destroying their cores.

Roan nodded.

"It's a good chance to see what Kentucky can do."

Malaka wanted to help Kentucky, but Rean and Roan stopped her. They knew how strong Kentucky's defense was, after all.

The Dark Fog Blade was obviously faster than the half plumpy bird. Still, Kentucky didn't seem to be the least bit concerned. If anything, he looked excited.

As soon as the Decaying Slasher arrived in front of Kentucky's head, Kentucky's Light and Dark Element gathered around his beak. Just like in the past, Kentucky's head moved much faster than demon beasts at his stage could. Even the Decaying Slasher couldn't react in time with its speed.

*Clang!*

*Shatter!*

It was a one-sided battle. The blade-like Demon Beast broke right in the middle, where its Core was present. With that, its entire body crumbled, leaving behind just the Core, which was now locked between Kentucky's beak. 

The beast then tried to gather more Decaying Energy to reform its body, however...

*Gulp!*

*Burp~~*

Kentuck swallowed it like the Core was candy.

Rean's group was quite surprised to see it.

"Elder Reliance was right. A Minokawa's beak is no joke. Kentucky shattered the Decaying Blade in a single strike."

Roan nodded.

"It's good that it can rely on itself while we are here."

Rean then came forward and touched Kentucky's head before convening his thoughts through a Spiritual Sense.

'Kentucky. Keep the Demon Core, but don't start digesting it right now. Wait for the time we come out of the Profound Abyss.'

*Chick!*

Kentucky seemed to have understood what Rean said. Right after, he returned to Malaka's side, who quickly mounted him again.

"Good boy! Hahaha!"

"Alright. This is just the entrance. The number of Decaying Demon Beasts will only increase as we move ahead, so pay attention. Let's go."