Death... and me

'Sister Orb, why didn't you tell us about the price for the save points?'

[Teehee!]

A vein popped out of the twins' head, but they took a deep breath. They needed to wait for a day where they could be stronger than the orb. Only then could they teach it a lesson.

"Whatever. Having one coordinate saved in the Sect is definitely a must. Let's do it."

[Purchase Confirmed.]

[Saving Coordinates.]

Out of nowhere, something that looked like a green cube appeared in mid-air. As Rean looked at it, he could see the several tiny runes and the circuitry engraved on it. Without a doubt, it was a very advanced Circuitry Formation.

The Formation then began to interact with the space around it. Right after, the cube began to descend slowly. However, it did not touch the ground. Instead, it looked as if it was entering an invisible portal. The space around it rippled as if a stone was thrown into a calm lake. Finally, it completely disappeared from Rean and Roan's visions. There was simply nothing else in there anymore.

[Coordinates Saved.]

"Good. Now we have a way to come back if necessary. Too bad it can only reach 300 kilometers."

"It's okay. We might as well save Destiny Points to buy the next level of Soul Connection."

'By the way, is the next level already available, Sister Orb?'

[Yes. As soon as you bought the last one, the new one took its place.]

[Soul Connection Range Upgrade level 3 – 5000 Destiny Points] (3000km) (New)

Rean and Roan almost fainted.

"5000 Destiny Points! Holy shit!"

"However, it will also increase the range to 3000 kilometers. I guess it makes sense that it became this expensive."

"Still... Just how long will it take to accumulate 5000? Should we really wait that long and buy nothing else?"

Rean's words made sense. Considering how fast they were getting Destiny Points, it would probably take at least half a year before they had enough.

"Leave it. Besides, we don't have Rank Four Spirit Stones to use the Formation beyond 1000 kilometers anyway. Let's focus on the other attributes for the moment."

Rean agreed with him.

"Our next priorities should be the Spiritual Energy Absorption Level 2, the Alchemy Workshop, and the Electrical Formations Repository. Even putting all their next level upgrades together, they aren't as expensive as the Soul Connection."

Having reached that decision, Rean and Roan finally got over with the upgrades from the System Rewards.

"Roan, Elder Droman asked me to go out with him for a few days to check the Router Formations at work. I have no choice but to go since I need to see them. Are you tagging along so that we can keep cultivating, or will you stay behind?"

Roan pondered a bit before saying.

"I'll stay behind. Next weekend will be the first time I will enter the Blue Orchid District since the Profound Abyss. It's part of the agreement with the girls there to help them with their doubts about the Death Style. I will also take the chance to test Calina out. Besides, we can't use Spirit Stones to cultivate yet since our foundations have been shaken. We might as well keep cultivating slowly with natural energy while you are out."

Rean nodded, not minding that much.

"Alright. I'm going back to the Formations Hall. Oh, right! Keep an eye on Kentucky while I'm out. Don't turn him into fried chicken, please."

Roan snorted in response.

"Can't guarantee anything."

Sure enough, Droman returned to the Sect after three days. On the fourth, he and Rean left the Sect with several elders of the Formations Hall. Everyone knew that Droman took Rean as 'disciple,' so none of them found it weird at all.

As for Roan, he stayed in the Sect doing several things. He fought his way up in the Inner Sect, reaching as far as the 412th position. However, his progress became a lot harder from there onward. There were only Middle Stage or higher Core Formation Realms in there. Not to mention that those at the middle stage were geniuses above the average level. There was one Late Stage guy called Sulino, who Roan was not able to defeat in the end.

Although it was difficult, Roan was still delighted with that. The outer sect disciples simply couldn't pose a challenge for him anymore. Finding those experts in the Inner Sect was really a treasure in his eyes.

He also continued to practice Alchemy under Old Worm's tutelage. He was making his way to becoming an Earth High-Level Alchemist. Rean was already an Earth High-Level Blacksmith, so he couldn't possibly be worse.

Finally, the day to train the girls in the Blue Orchid District arrived once more.

Roan then went on the stage where he usually bullie- ahem... trained the girls and looked at the small crowd. Julio and Lenna were there. Last but not least, Roan found Calina almost instantly. From the looks of it, she had been keeping her appearance as mentioned.

He didn't see Malaka there, but he knew it wasn't because she avoided him. Instead, Sect Master Mia was most likely taking care of her as always. Roan knew that Mia was an excellent Master since he saw Malaka's improvement during the Profound Abyss, so he wasn't concerned.

Everyone was feeling nervous, even Amanda herself. Back then, Roan was behind her in cultivation by three stages. However, he had already caught up to her while Amanda still hasn't advanced into the Core Formation Realm. Even Malaka was quickly approaching. How could she not feel pressured? Not to mention 'Illia,' who also had a Peak Foundation Establishment cultivation and was a lot younger.

Roan didn't pay attention to the girls and Julio for long, though. Instead, he lifted a bunch of papers in his hands while showing a cold smile. Seeing that, everyone around felt a chill on their backs.

"Now then. Here are the papers I got which are related to the missions you took while I was out. I believe none of you have forgotten my words, right?"

All the girls nodded their heads vigorously, Julio and Lenna even more so. Roan had told them that he would check how they performed after he returned. Those who did not reach his expectations... well... they could only hope that it wasn't the case.

"Before that, I can see four new faces in the crowd. Are these the new members that joined the Sect after the Entrance Exam?"

One of the new girls nodded as she stepped forward. Still, she couldn't understand why everyone was feeling so afraid of Roan. As far as she saw during the past few days, the girls here never act like that in front of the other disciples outside. There were plenty of them who were even in the Core Formation Realm, but her sisters still behaved as if there was nothing to be impressed about.

It was bizarre. Even a few of her sisters literally began to tremble once Roan started to look into the papers. There were quite a few sisters here with the same cultivation as him, so why all the hustle? For some reason, none of her sisters wanted to talk about it, nor did they warn about this 'training' day.

"I'm Fanalia Luan. Peak Energy Gathering Realm. Brother Roan, how come you can enter the Blue Orchid District, but the elders don't stop you? Shouldn't it be the elders who are going to train us instead?"

Roan nodded, not finding it at all strange that the new girl had her doubts.

"Simply put, your elders' training methods suck! That's why I'm here."

Elder Zuna's mouth twitched. She had long since found out about this gathering. Still, Zaia Shinsuo, the Inner Sect Elder leader of the Blue Orchid Faction, told her and the other elders to not stop it. In the end, they had to admit that Roan was just too good with weapons and detecting flaws, let alone as a teacher, so they accepted it in the end. Especially since it looked like no one outside the Blue Orchid District knew about it. Neither Rean nor Roan had ever gone around telling others about it. Or, to be more specific, it seemed like they didn't give a damn!

She found out that Roan began to do those training sessions every week as part of a trade between him and Amanda. Since it was a fair deal for both sides, she more or less accepted it.

Still, Roan's mouth was just too sharp. He never held back. She wanted nothing more than to go up on stage to teach the kid a lesson, but she knew better than to act on that impulse. First, even if Zuna wins, just how much older was she? Second... Roan was fucking strong. Elder Zune was the outer sect elder of the Blue Orchid District with the highest cultivation, Peak of the Core Formation Realm. Yet, she wasn't absolutely sure if she could take him on.

Fanalia was also shocked that Roan said it right in front of the other elders. Still, even though they showed dark expressions, none of them said anything. Well, it was confirmed that Roan's mouth was like that, but his methods were the real deal. Their disciples really improved a lot every time he came by. They had to keep telling it themselves, or else they would all attack him together.

"Now, get back. Let's start this shit."

"Let me see here..."

"Juliana Agars."

One of the Sisters on Falania's side suddenly trembled more than the others.

"Y-yes!"

Roan looked through the report of her last mission and nodded his head in the end.

"Your results were not too shabby. For you, it will be the regular beatin- ahem... training. Come up!"

All the girls and Julio felt like crying.

'He was about to say beating, right? Right?!'