Death... and me

Rean shared his memory with Roan so that both would be aware of the whole situation.

'I suppose it does...' Roan responded, his attention on the unique Spiritual Energy he was trying to harness while on the River's side. 'You've probably sensed it too. This is indeed Spiritual Energy, but there's always been something... different about it.'

Rean agreed with him while he helped Clansto gather more firewood. 'Indeed. If it was normal Spiritual Energy, we should have been able to cultivate from the very start. I can't help but wonder if the Werdlem has such control over their cultivation energies over the entire empire.'

'It doesn't matter,' Roan spoke as he got up. Now that he knew the stone was necessary, he didn't intend to stay by the river doing nothing. 'I'm going to take a look around the village and see if I can find anything. You should try and ask Clansto if he knows how to get more of the stones.'

Rean didn't need to hear that twice. "Senior Clansto, do you think I will be able to cultivate as well?"

"Maybe?" Clansto didn't completely block off the possibility. "We receive four Werdlem Stones every year, and then we make a little competition between the young generation to see who will receive one."

Rean narrowed his eyes. "But would Chief Didi allow outsiders like Roan and I to take part in it? I feel like the others would find it unfair that newcomers could have a chance to acquire the stones. Besides, my brother and I intend to try to find our home again in the future."

Clansto understood that. "I know. But you don't need to worry. You and your brother are quite different from each other. However, you don't strike me as ungrateful people. I'm sure you will make up for it one day when you two grow up and get strong."

Well, Rean couldn't deny that. Clansto and his wife had done a lot for them and had been very patient. Rean even felt some remorse for lying to them until now. "I'm definitely making it up for you, senior Clansto. My brother definitely isn't different, although he is annoying. You have my word!"

"Hahaha!" Clansto rubbed Rean's head, taking it more like the talk of a kid. "Then I'm truly looking forward to it. I will see with Didi that you two can take part in the competition. However, it doesn't mean either of you will get a stone. It only means you have a chance. If you want one, you and your brother have to win. Also, there is over a 50% chance that the infusion will fail and the stone will break. Keep that in mind."

"Alright!" Rean nodded. "So, when will these new stones arrive?"

"Eager already, aren't we?" Clansto answered with a smile. "Kids truly don't know the meaning of patience. But you won't have to wait for long. We receive four of those stones every six months. The last batch was five months ago, so we should receive another four in the following weeks."

'Do you hear it?' Rean asked Roan through their connection.

Roan was sneaking near the Village Chief's house during that time. 'Perhaps we don't need to wait that much. I'll see if I can enter the chief's house and find one. Sure, someone at his position has a stone or two kept for other times.'

Rean didn't mind and simply continued to help Clansto. 'Up to you.'

Roan went around the house while taking sneak peeks through the windows. Because the chief's house was at the center of the village, it was quite busy around. The good thing was that Roan could pretend to simply be strolling around.

Some of the people there looked at him with curiosity. By now, everyone knew that Clansto found two lost children and took them in. Yet, Rean and Roan still looked different because of their hairs. No one in the village had such black hair as Roan, and even the old ones didn't have hair as white as Rean. They easily stood out.

Roan had some difficulty finding a moment when he could enter the backyard of the chief's residence without anyone noticing. Nonetheless, he now didn't need to worry about more eyes on the surroundings. He easily found an open window and tried to take a look inside. Unfortunately...

*Grab!*

Someone appeared on his back without Roan noticing at all and pulled him into the air by his leather clothes. Roan was shocked for a moment but quickly calmed down. 'I hate this lack of cultivation,' Roan couldn't help but mentally complain. He was caught by none other than Didi himself. Nonetheless, Roan was surprised Didi got to catch him without him noticing. No doubt Didi had some experience hiding in the shadows. Well, his cultivation also helped, no doubt.

"Hmph!" Didi looked at Roan and snorted. "You are already the third one this week alone. Every time we approache the Werdlem Stone competition, you kids try to sneak around, trying to gain some advantage or steal a stone for yourselves."

*Pah!*

Didi then kicked Roan's butt, sending him flying out of the fence and into the street. "Go home, kid. If I get you here again, a single kick isn't the only thing I'm going to do to you."

Some of the residents in the surrounds couldn't help but laugh. No doubt they were used to that scene already.

"And there goes another one."

"Come on, it is funny when Didi takes them. It's tradition!"

"Hahaha! Good luck next time, kid!"

Roan sighed and shook off the dirt on his clothes before walking away. Didi's cultivation wasn't too shabby for Roan not to notice him, and the man was alert about invasions. 'Guess he is the chief for a reason...'

'Hahaha!' Rean laughed through their connection. He saw everything. 'And here I thought you would never get caught in such a low-level place.'

'Shut up!' Roan retorted. Not even death was worse than being mocked by Rean. 'The guy obviously has experience. Whatever. We can wait until the stones arrive and win one.'

Rean mentally shrugged. 'If you say so...'

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