Void Cultivation

Although his expression remained stern and cold, Grey could no longer sense the instinctive chill that had seized him while speaking to the old man. It was as though the person standing before him had transformed into someone entirely different.

The aura surrounding the middle-aged man had become strangely elusive and difficult to grasp. When Grey looked at him, he felt as though he was staring at an empty portrait hanging on a wall—something that existed and yet did not exist at the same time. The man’s figure appeared blurry in his mind, and even his cultivation, which Grey subconsciously tried to examine, seemed shrouded in an impenetrable haze.

It was as if his very existence had become detached from reality.

As though sensing where Grey’s thoughts were headed, the stern expression on the middle-aged man’s face deepened.

"That’s a very cautious habit of yours," he said calmly. "But don’t try to peer into everyone’s cultivation."

He paused for a brief moment before continuing in a slightly colder tone.

"There are many people in this world who are no longer human and have willingly surrendered themselves to corruption. Some have become things that should not exist. If you look too deeply into certain beings, what you see may bring unimaginable harm to you."

The moment those words entered his ears, Grey’s body stiffened instantly.

A chill ran down his spine.

He could vaguely understand the meaning hidden within those words, but that only made them even more terrifying.

Beside him, Violet glanced at Grey and a trace of approval appeared in her eyes. The smile on her face seemed to suggest that she was pleased by his cautious nature and his desire to understand the unknown.

"Fourth Elder, although I’m happy that you’re here..." Violet suddenly said, her tone carrying a hint of confusion. "Why exactly are you here?"

Hearing her question, the middle-aged man’s eyebrows twitched violently.

For a brief moment, he felt an overwhelming urge to smack the girl standing before him.

"Don’t pretend that you don’t know," he replied flatly. "I’m here to take you and that prisoner you captured so that his punishment can be decided. The two of you are witnesses to this incident, so you need to come as well."

Upon hearing his explanation, Violet’s eyes widened in surprise.

A moment later, she let out a small, embarrassed laugh.

"Oh... right. I completely forgot about that."

The corner of the Fourth Elder’s mouth twitched.

He clearly had no intention of continuing this conversation.

Without saying another word, his figure blurred and rapidly disappeared into the distance, vanishing so quickly that even Grey could barely follow his movements.

As soon as he left, Violet immediately walked over to Grey’s side and gave him a playful wink.

Grey, who had only just regained his composure, instinctively took several steps backward the moment she drew close to him.

Seeing his reaction, the smile on Violet’s face widened even further.

"Little Grey, what do you think of my acting skills?" she asked with a proud smile.

She paid no attention to his expression and instead took another step closer to him.

"Where are we going?" Grey asked after thinking for a moment. In his opinion, that was the most important question right now.

Violet blinked in surprise before her eyes suddenly sparkled with excitement.

"Ah, that’s right!" she exclaimed. "I almost forgot that we were summoned by the Council of Elders today regarding Kaien’s matter. Sky Mist has already decided to determine his punishment, and since we’re the ones who captured him, we’ll naturally be called to testify."

Grey fell silent and pondered her words.

After several seconds, he gave a subtle nod.

It made sense. Kaien was, after all, a disciple of one of the major sects on the continent. No matter what crimes he had committed, his punishment could not simply be decided by the Detective Agency alone. The Council of Elders had to personally handle such a matter.

A few moments later, spatial fluctuations spread through the air.

The middle-aged man reappeared.

Beside him stood Kaien.

Or rather, he was dragging Kaien along as though he were carrying a sack of garbage.

The once-proud disciple looked utterly miserable.

His hair was disheveled, his robes were torn in several places, and his face had become pale and gaunt. His eyes were bloodshot, and a look of terror and madness could be seen deep within them.

After spending several days in the prison beneath the Detective Agency’s headquarters, he had naturally awakened from his unconscious state.

However, waking up had only brought him more suffering.

The prison beneath the agency was filled with all kinds of criminals and lunatics. Every day and every night, the cells echoed with endless screams, crazed laughter, and miserable howls. There was never a moment of peace.

The atmosphere there was enough to slowly erode a person’s sanity.

Although the injuries on his body had healed to a certain extent, his cultivation base had been sealed, preventing him from recovering at his usual speed. Had his cultivation not been sealed, he would have already returned to peak condition.

Yet after more than a week of imprisonment, he still looked like a half-dead man.

Seeing the miserable state Kaien had fallen into, Grey carefully observed him.

He wanted to see whether he could find any resemblance between him and the old man they had encountered earlier.

However, after a long moment of observation, he found nothing.

Their appearances, temperaments, and even their auras were completely different.

At that moment, the middle-aged man spoke.

"That old man from the Bizarre Broken Sect took this fellow into his sect several years ago. He displayed remarkable talent in cultivating their sect’s arts and quickly became one of their outstanding disciples."

The man’s expression remained stern as he continued.

"Since all of the old man’s children have long since died, he eventually accepted Kaien as his grandson after he was promoted to the position of elder."

Grey’s eyes flickered with understanding.

No wonder the old man had become so furious.

To someone who had lost all his children, the existence of a talented grandson likely meant more than anything else in the world.

Meanwhile, Kaien’s eyes instantly became bloodshot when he saw Grey and Violet standing together.

Then his gaze shifted toward the middle-aged man in yellow robes.

This was the same person who had suddenly appeared in his prison cell and grabbed him like a worthless piece of trash.

An intense killing intent immediately surged within his heart.

Unfortunately, his cultivation base was completely sealed.

No matter how many times he tried to break through the seal, it was utterly useless.

He was no different from an ordinary mortal at this moment.

"Bastards!" Kaien roared furiously. "I’ll kill all of you!"

He struggled desperately, his expression twisted with madness.

"Once my sect finds out what you’ve done to me, every single one of you will be wiped off the face of this continent!"

"You animals! I’ll kill you all! I’ll skin you alive!"

His voice became increasingly hoarse as he continued hurling curses and insults at them.

After spending so many days inside that dark and oppressive prison, surrounded by dangerous criminals and madmen, his mind had clearly begun to break.

The once-arrogant genius disciple had already been pushed to the edge of insanity.

Grey’s brows furrowed into a deep frown as he slowly walked toward Kaien.

The moment Kaien saw him approaching, his expression changed dramatically.

The hatred and fury in his eyes instantly vanished, replaced by fear and terror.

During the past several days, every time he closed his eyes, the only thing he saw was Grey’s calm and indifferent face.

That punch...

That terrifying punch that had shattered his confidence and nearly taken his life.

It had become a nightmare that constantly haunted him.

Now, seeing Grey approach him once again, he felt as though he had been dragged back to that very moment. It was as if the fist that had brutally smashed into his chest was descending upon him once more.

His body instinctively trembled.

A cold chill spread throughout his entire body.

The fear in his heart became so overwhelming that his legs gave out beneath him, and he fell heavily onto the ground.

"No... no..."

He frantically shook his head, his face turning deathly pale.

His body trembled uncontrollably as he slowly crawled backward.

At this moment, he no longer looked like the arrogant genius of the Bizarre Broken Sect.

He looked like a terrified child.

Grey, however, paid no attention to his reaction.

He calmly walked to Kaien’s side and looked down at him with an indifferent expression.

Kaien raised his head and stared at him with widened eyes.

"W-What are you doing? Don’t come any closer!"

His voice was filled with panic and fear.

Grey remained silent.

He slowly raised his right hand.

Seeing this action, Kaien’s pupils contracted violently.

He subconsciously raised his hands to protect himself.

Then—

Grey’s hand descended.

His eyes narrowed into thin slits as his palm chopped downward with precise control.

Crack!

A slight cracking sound echoed through the air.

Kaien’s body suddenly stiffened.

The fear in his eyes froze for a brief moment before all consciousness left him.

His body immediately went limp and collapsed onto the ground.

He had been knocked unconscious.

Grey lowered his hand and quietly looked at the unconscious Kaien.

Although he still planned to kill him someday, he knew that now was not the right time.

There were too many eyes watching.

Moreover, the Council of Elders had specifically summoned them regarding Kaien’s punishment.

If he killed him now, it would only create unnecessary trouble.

Thus, he forcefully suppressed the killing intent hidden within his heart and struck with just enough force to render Kaien unconscious.

Nothing more. Nothing less. Beside him, the middle-aged man observed everything silently.

A look of praise and admiration gradually appeared in his eyes.

He secretly nodded to himself.

’This child isn’t bad.’

’He knows how to suppress his murderous intent and doesn’t allow his emotions to cloud his judgment while attacking.’ He caused before continuing.

’And this little fellow from the Bizarre Broken Sect seems genuinely traumatized by him.’ The admiration in his eyes deepened even more.

’Very good.’

The more he looked at Grey, the more satisfied he became.

At such a young age, possessing strength was one thing.

However, possessing restraint and self-control was even rarer.

A person who could remain calm while harboring killing intent was far more dangerous than someone who simply acted on impulse.

The middle-aged man’s eyes revealed deep acknowledgment and appreciation.

Unfortunately, when Grey turned his head and looked at him, all he saw was the same cold and stern expression as before.

There wasn’t even the slightest change on the man’s face.

Nearby, Violet looked at Grey curiously. After a moment of silence, Grey finally spoke in a low voice.

"I dislike people who talk too much."

After saying those words, he once again fell silent. For a moment, Violet stared at him blankly.

Then a smile slowly appeared on her face.

However, a second later, she seemed to realize something. Her expression immediately changed.

She looked at Grey with widened eyes and pointed at herself.

"Little Grey..." she said cautiously. "You’re not talking about me... are you?"

She blinked several times before continuing in an uncertain voice.

"I don’t talk too much... right?"

The moment those words left her mouth, the surrounding area suddenly became strangely quiet.

The middle-aged man raised his hand and cleared his throat several times before speaking.

"Let’s go. The other elders are waiting for us." After saying that, he picked up the unconscious Kaien and flew into the sky.

He soon turned into an arc that pierced through the sky at a breakneck speed. Grey and Violet also took to the sky, following speedily behind.

Their figures were blurs that many could not see if they looked up to the sky.

--- End of Volume 2---