This revelation was a real shock to Drac, although he had obviously started to speculate in this direction, he did not think for a single moment that the disciples were being sacrificed one after the other in order to maintain the training.
It was shocking and sad news, he now knew where that feeling came from.
He couldn't help but ask.
"Are there no other solutions? And if you must be sacrificed, then what is your duty in these ruins?"
Farek looked with a serious expression and answered him.
"There is another way and that is why we need as much Ghost Essence as possible, this resource allows the formation to be strengthened while maintaining the ghost power, that would also allow us to create other Guardians."
Drac frowned for a moment, thinking quickly. After all, these people were total strangers to him, did he really have to risk his existence to help them?
In the end, he wasn't sure at all, even though the fate of the Mausoleum was tragic, it had nothing to do with him.
So he asked the question that intrigued him the most at the moment.
"Tell me more about this assignment you keep mentioning."
"It's not complicated."
As he said this, he made a white crystal the size of a hand appear out of nowhere, probably from a space object, and put it on the table.
The object emitted a soft mesmerizing light and appeared to be filled with living substance.
Farek explained.
"It is a ghost crystal. There are not many left, our duty is to use our cultivation techniques and subjugate as many ghosts as possible, then give half of them to the White Ghost Temple via this crystal. Indeed, once the ghosts are refined, they are slowly transformed into Ghost Essence inside this crystal. "
The other two disciples nodded gravely.
Drac, for his part, could not help activating his scanner directly, scrutinizing this strange white crystal in every detail.
But before he had time to understand, Farek had already made it disappear in his space object.
He then declared.
"Young Master, this shelter is a safe place that has been strengthened year after year by our ancestors and previous disciples, it is a safe place. Tomorrow we will go hunting and fulfill our duty."
Dracs was not thrilled at all, he had just arrived and he felt full of energy, so he put his cup on the table and stood up.
"No need to wait until tomorrow, stay here if you want."
Farek turned as pale as a sheet, if the young master decided to leave he could still use force to hold him back but it was not a good solution at all!
"Wait, Young Master, it is better to wait for things to calm down outside, you must have felt it too, our coming to alert the inhabitants."
"So what? Even though they're at the Profound Realm stage, and even above I'm confident I can handle them on my own, but there's other Farek stuff, right?"
Farek relaxed and gave a good laugh, but the other two scowled and looked grim.
"You didn't give me time to explain! Of course there is something else, how could it be that simple? You should know that these ruins are the hunting ground of the White Fog. This entity is not only powerful, it is extremely powerful, far beyond what we can imagine! "
Feina couldn't help but add.
"Senior brother Farek is right. The only time I crossed the White Fog I only made it out alive thanks to the intervention of a Guardian. At the cost of his life ..."
Jezdal turned to Feina, incredulous and he shouted.
"Sister Feina, you never told me about it!"
Feina snorted and said.
"So, is that something we want to talk about every day? After this event I understood how extremely dangerous this training ground is, as the Master calls it. "
Jezdal clenched his fist and looked down at the table.
Dracs seemed to ponder about it for a moment and he finally said with a determined expression.
"You can stay here if you want, I have my own abilities and the decision is mine. I won't risk my life, but I need to see with my own eyes what that ruins hide."
And then, just like this, he left the shelter, leaving three confused people sitting at the table, looking at him dumbfounded.
Farek was ashamed, his mission was clear, he needed to help Young Master Taidian in the training ground, but something inside of him was screaming with fear! After all, he really felt the malevolent presence and that only feeling was enough to make him tremble in fear.
But to his surprise, it was Feina that made the first move, she stood up energetically and didn't say anything but just followed after Dracs. The former inexpressive girl was no more, you could see the worry on her face but also a serious determination.
At this sight Jezdal jumped from his chair and tried to stop her and grabbed her arm but she pushed him back angrily and left the shelter.
Farek shook his head and said.
"If you want my opinion, it was a pitiful move that you just made. You're so fond of that girl that it becomes ridiculous, think with your brain not with what's in your pants, junior brother."
"I… I just wanted to protect her! Senior brother, it's madness to leave like this without a plan, this Young Master that you brought is a scourge!"
Farek looked at him coldy and said.
"Firstly, Don't speak like this about Young Master Taidian. And secondly, if you want to protect that girl just do it with your own power! Also, we are here to train and fulfill our duty. Stand up and follow me, we're going after them."
Jezdal was red from embarrassment but he couldn't deny the words of his Senior brother so he just sighed and nodded his head slowly.
"Let's go."
Outside the shelter, Dracs had already started to wander and activated his virtual map to record every corner of this dangerous area. But to his surprise, he was not alone, the female disciple called Feina was on his side, inspecting their surroundings carefully.
Dracs asked her.
"Why can't we activate our cultivation techniques here, what's the problem with that?"
"We have to be sure that we are safe without too many powerful evil ghosts there."
~sigh~
Dracs understood why it was necessary to be careful but he was confident with his scanner and he only found ghosts of cultivation at the Profound Realm and Earth realm so it should not be that dangerous if they didn't rush the process.
Feina was at the peak of the Profound Realm and she wasn't an excellent fighter but against ghosts it was another world, she was very proficient in the arts of the White Ghost Temple, so these enemies shouldn't be a too hard opponent for her.
In fact they knew too little about the inhabitants of these ruins. During the last years many new lifeforms had appeared, because deep in the darkness a terrible creature had started his own schedule, menacing to make the entire Mausoleum fall into his grasp.
But at this moment, no one in the White Ghost Temple, not even the old ghost master Taikian nor Ancestor Jikoudian Akran was aware of this terrifying entity.
So of course, Dracs and the others couldn't know either.
They were walking on a destroyed road full of holes between crumbling buildings, specks of dust flew up behind their steps, each sound echoed and made the atmosphere even tenser.
No one of them dared to speak, especially Dracs who was fully focused on his virtual map, checking if some dangerous enemies were around, and of course there were plenty of ghosts hidden everywhere.
Fortunately, there was enough ghost qi to naturally enter the area but that was very dimmed. And the more they advanced, the more the ghost qi seemed to diminish.
At this moment, just behind them, they heard footsteps. Dracs knew who it was because the guy had appeared on his virtual map a few seconds ago but he did turn around and sighed internally.
Right on his side, Feina didn't even hide her annoyance, she bit her lips and couldn't help cursing in muttering.
Indeed, the disciple didn't seem to be all that careful.
"Sister Feina, Wait for us, we're coming!"
Jezdal was almost running in the mist provoked by the dust. Farek could be seen not so far away from him. Unfortunately, Jezdal wasn't careful at all and he walked directly on a skull that was lying there, and crushed it on the spot!
At this moment even Dracs knew that it was surely not a good thing…
And suddenly, after a brief silence, a cacophony of screams and screeches boomed from all the corners of the place, followed by hundreds of ghostly figures coming out of the ruins!
At this moment and without hesitation Farek shouted.
"Gather together! Prepare to fight!"