Void Cultivation

Grey did not say anything. Instead, he calmly lowered his gaze and looked at the shadow beneath his feet.

Within the dimly lit prison, his shadow was barely visible. The darkness of the underground cells swallowed almost every trace of it, making it seem as though it did not exist at all. However, to Grey, it was a completely different matter. He could sense his shadow as clearly as if it were standing under the blazing midday sun.

Because of this, he immediately noticed that the shadow had begun to distort ever so slightly, writhing like a living creature.

But as if it had sensed his gaze, the shadow abruptly stopped squirming and returned to its ordinary shape.

Nobody seemed to have noticed the strange interaction between Grey and his shadow. Consequently, the vulgar jeers and mocking laughter of the prisoners continued to echo throughout the underground prison.

"It’s just a brat!"

"Hahaha! Come back and play with us!"

Various curses and insults rang out one after another.

However, when they saw that their captor had no intention of responding to them or even sparing them a glance, many of them gradually lost interest. Their laughter slowly died down, and the underground prison once again fell into a heavy silence.

Grey cast one final look at the underground cages before turning around and leaving.

Bang!

The loud sound of the heavy metal door slamming shut informed all the prisoners that he had departed.

...

By the time Grey returned to his office, the first rays of dawn had already appeared.

Golden sunlight seeped through the tiny cracks in the window and spread across the room, illuminating the otherwise gloomy office with a faint and gentle radiance.

Since Grey was indirectly facing the window, a small beam of sunlight landed on his face.

Warmth immediately spread through his body, bringing with it an unfamiliar sense of comfort.

Feeling slightly uncomfortable, Grey turned his head until the sunlight no longer touched his face. However, he allowed it to continue shining on the rest of his body, letting its warmth dispel some of the cold chill that had seeped into him during the long night.

It was not often that the sun appeared in Sky Mist City.

Dark clouds perpetually covered the sky, enshrouding the entire city in a gloomy and solemn atmosphere. Most people could go several days without seeing even a glimpse of sunlight.

As a result, these brief moments of sunshine were incredibly precious.

For a few short moments, one could almost forget that they lived in a world filled with cruelty, danger, and endless death.

Moreover, whenever one looked toward the heavens, they would inevitably see the giant visage of God’s hand suspended in the sky.

The mere sight of it was enough to make anyone’s heart tremble with unease.

Nobody wanted to look at God.

Grey slowly circulated the Qi throughout his body.

He did not do this to increase his cultivation. Rather, he was attempting to flush out the remnants of the Rotten Lotuses that had already dissolved beneath his skin and seeped into his flesh.

The shadow and the Purple Crystal worked together, relentlessly eradicating the frail life force hidden within those remnants.

A short while later, Grey’s eyes snapped open.

He grabbed an empty liquid container and suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.

Pfft!

The blood was extraordinarily red and seemed to shine with a faint crimson glow. Furthermore, it carried a heavy and nauseating scent of decay, making it seem less like blood and more like some cursed substance.

Grey stared at the bottle in his hand and the blood contained within it, a contemplative expression appearing on his face.

Although he had successfully expelled the Rotten Lotuses from his body, he felt that they could still serve another purpose.

Their infiltrating power was terrifying enough to make even his flesh tremble and nearly tear itself apart from the inside.

Grey was considering incorporating this strange substance... into his poison.

If successful, it would make his poison far more lethal and, more importantly, completely unexpected.

"However... there is a problem."

He murmured softly as he stared at the crimson blood.

"This special blood was produced by a spell. Although the spell ultimately failed, the curse it rooted inside my body remains very real, even after the caster unknowingly dispelled it."

Grey hesitated slightly.

"It may not work if I add it directly into a poison mixture. It might lose all of its effects entirely."

He carefully pondered the matter.

He could naturally tell that the Rotten Lotus had been a spell cast by Kaien in an attempt to end the battle as quickly as possible. Its purpose was simple yet horrifying, to transform the victim’s flesh and blood into a nest where the Rotten Lotuses could grow and flourish.

"I must give it a try."

Grey muttered.

"Even if it doesn’t work, I won’t lose anything."

As he spoke, he continued circulating his spirit energy throughout his body, forcing out more traces of the Rotten Lotuses. More blood carrying the foul scent of decay was expelled from his mouth and collected inside the bottle.

Before long, the amount of crimson blood within the container had increased considerably, and the room became filled with the faint smell of rot and death.

A few minutes later, Grey wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth as a bright glint flashed through his eyes. The sunlight that had been pouring down from the heavens was once again blocked by the dark and gloomy clouds that drifted over the sky above Sky Mist City.

This sight was a common occurrence in the city. Whether they were cultivators or ordinary mortals, everyone had long since grown accustomed to the strange weather. The sky of Sky Mist City was always unpredictable, and dark clouds often gathered without warning, covering the sun and casting the entire city into a dim and oppressive gloom.

Before long, members of the Detective Agency Department began arriving one after another. The sound of footsteps echoed through the corridors and floors of the building, creating a constant stream of noise. Some footsteps were hurried, while others were slow and deliberate.

Grey heard everything clearly.

However, he remained completely silent. His expression didn’t change in the slightest as he sat there quietly, seemingly lost in thought.

Soon, faint voices began reaching his ears.

Various disciples had gathered in small groups, speaking in low and hushed tones. Their expressions were solemn and filled with caution, as though merely discussing the matter was dangerous.

These were disciples who lived with death every day. They were cultivators who had fought countless battles and stained their hands with more blood than ordinary people could imagine. They were individuals who carried baleful auras around them at all times.

Yet now, these very people appeared unusually restrained.

No one dared to speak loudly.

Although their voices were soft, the vigilance and caution in their eyes did not lessen in the slightest. Some even glanced around from time to time, as though afraid that someone might overhear them.

Then, a low voice suddenly sounded.

"Did you hear what happened last night?" someone asked quietly.

"What happened?" another disciple replied almost immediately.

The moment those words were spoken, everyone nearby subconsciously turned their attention toward the first speaker.

The disciple lowered his voice even further before continuing.

"I heard a rumor this morning that one of the disciples from the Sects Alliance was caught committing a crime."

As soon as these words were uttered, several people frowned.

The disciple continued, his eyes shining with excitement.

"I heard that he and another cultivator from his sect were kidnapping people and planned to secretly send them out of Sky Mist City."

He paused briefly before lowering his voice to an even softer whisper.

"But before they could escape, they were discovered by the Captains of the Detective Agency Department. One of them was killed on the spot, while the other was severely injured and captured."

"I also heard..." He swallowed nervously. "...that the captured cultivator is being imprisoned in one of the underground prisons of the Detective Agency right now."

Silence immediately descended.

Everyone’s eyes widened.

Utter disbelief appeared on their faces.

No one wanted to believe what they had just heard.

The Sects Alliance held an extraordinary position within Sky Mist City. Although its disciples were arrogant and had repeatedly challenged and humiliated the Detective Agency Department, they were still disciples of major sects.

To commit such a crime...

To actually kidnap people and secretly traffic them outside the city...

It sounded completely absurd.

For a moment, everyone remained silent.

Some wanted to laugh and dismiss the rumor entirely.

Others shook their heads inwardly, unwilling to believe it.

However, before anyone could say anything, another voice suddenly sounded.

"In the early hours of this morning, I saw our Vice-Captain and Captain return."

The speaker’s voice was calm and steady.

Instantly, everyone’s attention shifted toward him.

"I saw them carrying a severed head and another person covered in blood."

The surrounding disciples’ expressions changed.

"Because it was very late at night and the lighting was poor, I couldn’t clearly see who that person was."

He paused for a brief moment.

Then he slowly continued,

"But... after they returned, I heard the gates of the underground prison open."

His calm voice was like a single drop of water falling into a still lake.

The effect it produced was immediate.

A huge wave of shock swept through everyone’s hearts.

The surrounding area instantly erupted into an uproar.

"What?!"

"You’re serious?"

"Then... the rumors are true?"

"No way..."

The expressions of everyone present changed dramatically. Disbelief, shock, and confusion filled their eyes.

If this matter was true...

Then the entire Sky Mist City would soon be thrown into turmoil.