It wasn't just nine years. It took the twins' group eleven years to go from the late stage to the peak stage of the Space-Bending Realm. Well, they knew it would be 'at least' nine years, not that nine years was guaranteed. Regardless, the session continued, and the Starlight Stones were consumed nonstop. Even the Rank Seven Divine Stones Rean got from the Elves were going down.
During this time, Zangeshu managed to reach the Elemental Space Realm as well, while Rifindio reached the Middle Stage of that Realm. It looked like the higher the twins' cultivation, the slower the twins were compared to Rifindio and Zangeshu. The proportional energy requirement for the twins' group was escalating fast.
The initial twenty-year plan soon transformed into thirty, the thirty-five, forty... In the end, only by the ninety-first year after stopping for cultivation did the Rean, Roan, Celis, and Kentucky reach the Elemental Space Realm.
