However, Xila was facing a problem. That was the fact that the twins' group always knew when their experts were getting closer. It's not like the Lakure Race hadn't thought about Spiritual Sense. After all, that was always the first thing to find where they should be going.
The problem was that the area of coverage was way too big! Without using Spiritual Sense, it would be hard to find a specific place in a world where all high-level experts relied on it. That being said, Xila came up with a new idea.
"Call the Nascent Soul Realm cultivators overseeing the outside. I want them to do something for me."
His subordinate quickly left after receiving the order. A few hours later, everyone gathered in front of Xila.
The days passed in a flash as Rean's group continued their 'attacks' every few weeks. However, Rean quickly noticed something off.
"It's been quite some time since I last felt the presence of a Nascent Soul Realm's Spiritual Sense. Could it be that they gave up using high-level experts to look for us?"
Wano shook his head as he said.
"I don't think so. However, I don't think we're getting lucky either."
Roan agreed with him.
"Wano's right. We have been using the same strategy for a long time, after all. It would be weird if they kept being knocked down by us without doing anything. Well, it's not like you can't imagine what they're trying to do."
Calina and Malaka laughed in response. Even they could imagine what the next step to try capturing them would be.
"Without a doubt, their Nascent Soul Realm experts stopped using Spiritual Sense."
Roan faintly smiled.
"Indeed. However, they never had more than a few Nascent Soul Realm experts looking for us simultaneously. That being said, they've begun to rely on pure luck."
Wano narrowed his eyes in response.
"Are you telling me the Nascent Soul Realm experts are hiding inside some of the patrolling groups and are refraining from using their Spiritual Senses?"
Everyone nodded.
"That can be the only explanation. In fact, I think it's way too long for them to try and do that. The cultivators of this world rely on Spiritual Sense way too much."
Wano couldn't help but ask.
"The chances of bumping in a group with one of them is quite small. After all, the area around the valley is just enormous. Unless..."
Roan glanced at Wano.
"Seems like you understood it as well. The number of groups patrolling the outside has gotten a lot smaller. However, they're doing it in a way that would be hard to notice. Little by little, the further away groups would disappear, leaving only the red crystal groups behind like it was at first. There are multiple red crystals, but it would be several times easier to hit the jackpot when we end up with only those targets to deal with. Sooner or later, we would encounter one of those high-level Lakure Race cultivators."
Rean's group was right. That's what Xila had exactly done. Since he can't go and find the twins, he might as well wait for them to come. He knew that no one in Rean's group was in the Nascent Soul Realm. That being said, he only needed one of their own to find Rean's group. At the very least, they should be able to capture someone through that... or at least, that was the idea.
"What do we do now? It's good that we didn't attack a group with one of them. However, even though the chances are small, it's not like we are going to be this lucky forever, right?"
Rean and Roan smiled after hearing that.
"It seems like it's time to go pay the valley a visit."
The fact was that the attacks were going so well that Rean's group put the thought of Masput Rocks on the side. Because of that, they still haven't tried to use Rean's transformation skill that made them look like a Lakure Race member.
However, Rean then looked at Wano, which puzzled him.
"What? Is there something wrong with my face?"
Rean shook his head as he said.
"As I mentioned before, we do have our own ways of escaping in case things go south. That's why I'm not that concerned about entering the valley to look for the Masput Rocks. However, our methods don't include you in the mix. If we really are surrounded by the Lakure Race for some reason, we won't be able to help you escape at all."
Well, they could obviously bring Wano into the Soul Gem Dimensional Realm. However, that would be the same as revealing their own secrets. They would obviously avoid such a thing.
Wano pondered for a bit about the risks of entering the valley. First of all, he didn't even need Masput Rocks to start with. He just wanted to give it a try and see if Rean's methods really worked to deceive the Lakure Race members.
"Hmm... That would be an unnecessary risk. However, I don't want to lose the show either."
After a few moments, Wano finally decided.
"Alright. I'm going with you anyway since I want to check the valley as well. As for whatever would happen after that, you can simply prioritize yourselves. It's not like I don't have my own ways of escaping anyway."
Wano then looked at Kentucky.
*Chick?*
"What will you do about the demon bird? I don't think you can disguise it as a Lakure Race member either."
Rean shrugged his shoulders as he said.
"I'll simply leave it back in the cave inside the concealing formations. It should be safe until we come back."
Wano nodded, not minding it too much. As for Malaka, Calina, and Roan, they knew very well that Kentucky would simply enter the Soul Gem Dimensional Realm and stay there.
After returning to their cave, they used three more weeks before going out again. Sure enough, Rean's group arrived outside while Kentucky was nowhere to be seen. In Wano's mind, he thought Rean locked the bird inside his cave where the concealment formation was located. However, Kentucky was inside the Soul Gem Dimensional Realm. Sana was over three years old now. She was a very energetic girl, so Rean left Kentucky to play with her in the meantime.
"Alright, let's go."
Meanwhile, somewhere far away from the valley, the groups that had entered the Natural Formation with Rean's group were gathered together. That also included the Dalamu Sect.
"It's been over three years inside this place already. However, none of the Lakure Race members have come out looking for us. In the end, spreading our forces was quite useless."
The one talking was Erbec, the Soul Forging Realm cultivator from Jialin Family.
"Have you guys tried to go out of the formation?"
Everyone nodded. Sure enough, they tried to find an opening these last three years.
"Unfortunately, there's no progress. This formation is tightly sealed, with no way of going out."
"Same thing here. Be it ground or air, the dome has no flaws whatsoever."
"My Guntao Country's forces didn't find anything either."
Tiria then added.
"I did notice something, though."
Immediately, everyone's attention focused on her.
"What is it?"
Tiria then pointed at the natural formation barrier before saying.
"Can't you see it? Think about how much energy there was in the barrier when we first entered it. The barrier now seems to be a little duller than before."
Immediately, everyone looked in the barrier's direction. Sure enough, they had to admit that Tiria was right.
"It can only mean one thing, the Formation Core's energy is being used up more quickly."
Juvian, who was beside Tiria, nodded in response.
"Exactly. Also, I don't think the people outside would just look and wait for the barrier to run out of energy. When we were checking the barrier for a way out, we noticed that several places were attracting more energy than others. If we're not mistaken, the experts outside are attacking it without taking a break."
The Lagan Sect's leader, Galo, immediately confirmed that.
"I also noticed the same thing. Since the Dalamu Sect has reached the same conclusion, that's most likely the case."
"The time here passes around much faster, up to ten times more or less. We already spent three years and two months since we entered this place. That means almost four months had gone by outside. The Sasamil Empire's experts should have arrived a long time ago. They should also be the ones who initiated the attacks on the natural formation."
Suan Foil, the Soul Forging Realm of the Guntao Country Forces, then looked at everyone.
"So, what do you all plan to do? Are we going to simply wait until they finish breaking the barrier from outside? We haven't found anything that can be of use ever since we came here. Isn't that way too humiliating?"
Tiria didn't care about Suan's feelings, though.
"It doesn't matter. You know very well the strength of the experts inside the valley. They don't have just one or two Soul Forging Realm experts. We captured a few of their low-level members to interrogate. I'm pretty sure you did the same thing as well. That being said, you should know that they have multiple Soul Forging Realm ones and even Saint Realm experts. If you want to go there and try something, then you better go by yourself."
Some of the cultivators around nodded in response. However, there were also those who agreed with Suan.
Suan then offered.
"I'm not saying we should try to head there like it's suicide because of honor. Instead... Can't we try to negotiate with them?"
Erbec narrowed his eyes as he said.
"Negotiate? They attacked us as soon as we meet up. Can a negotiation even take place?"
Suan shrugged his shoulders as he responded.
"Perhaps? At the very least, we haven't tried ever since that battle."
Everyone pondered over it. If possible, it would be good if they could at least talk about it.
