Void Cultivation

As Grey read through the report, he couldn’t help but shake his head inwardly. The more he read, the more he felt that this matter... was far deeper than it appeared on the surface.

"No matter how prepared Sky Mist is, they would never send their disciples into challenges that could so obviously shatter their morale. Moreover, it seems as though they have been waiting for this for quite some time..." Grey thought as his gaze swept across the jade slip.

The words Violet had spoken several days ago suddenly resurfaced in his mind, causing him to unconsciously examine the situation from an entirely different angle.

"Although it looks as though Sky Mist will be utterly crushed and humiliated, this could actually be a hidden opportunity..." Grey paused for a moment before continuing his train of thought. "...An opportunity to sharpen their blades before the true storm arrives."

A narrow glint flashed through his eyes.

Because many cultivators would inevitably be defeated, their confidence and morale would certainly suffer a tremendous blow. However, defeat was not always a bad thing. Sometimes, it was the best teacher.

Although the challenges issued by the Sects Alliance seemed to be aimed at suppressing and humiliating Sky Mist City, they had unintentionally provided the disciples of Sky Mist with a precious opportunity.

In this cold and cruel world, every battle could mean death.

Danger lurked around every corner, waiting for a single mistake to claim one’s life. Most cultivators never had the chance to learn from their failures because failure often meant death.

However, this time was different.

This was an opportunity for the disciples of Sky Mist to temper themselves without the constant fear of losing their lives. It was an opportunity to expose their weaknesses, learn from their mistakes, and improve themselves in a relatively safe environment.

It was a chance that many had yet to realize.

Perhaps even the Sects Alliance had never considered such an outcome.

As the challenges continued, many disciples with high cultivation bases from the various sequences, who had initially been infuriated by the arrogant actions of the Sects Alliance, gradually began stepping forward.

Although many of them still lost, the Heaven’s Chosen of the Sects Alliance no longer won as effortlessly as before. Some battles became exceptionally fierce, and several of the challengers were forced to reveal hidden trump cards before finally securing victory.

Among all these battles, there were eleven disciples from the nine sequences who stood out from the rest.

Three came from the First Sequence, while two each came from the Third, Fourth, and Seventh Sequences. The remaining two were from the Eighth and Ninth Sequences respectively.

Their battle prowess was astonishing.

Each of them possessed strength far beyond their cultivation realms, and to everyone’s shock, they managed to defeat the Heaven’s Chosen of the Sects Alliance.

Their victories were like bolts of lightning that instantly spread throughout the entirety of Sky Mist City.

The news engulfed both ordinary mortals and cultivators alike.

Ever since the arrival of the Sects Alliance and their overwhelming victories, an oppressive atmosphere had descended upon Sky Mist City like a dark cloud, weighing heavily on everyone’s hearts.

Many had begun to believe that Sky Mist was truly inferior.

But now, that belief had begun to crack.

As the news of these victories spread, the low morale that had plagued the city rapidly began to recover.

Hope had returned.

The eleven disciples were quickly hailed as the Heaven’s Chosen of Sky Mist City.

However, after every battle, they never lingered in public. As soon as their fights ended, they quietly returned to the mountain, disappearing from everyone’s sight.

Grey, who was reading all this from the report, couldn’t help but shake his head once more.

He knew that these eleven disciples were most likely Core Disciples of Sky Mist City.

Core Disciples rarely revealed themselves and preferred to live in seclusion. They only appeared during significant events hosted by the Sect or when matters of great importance arose.

To the ordinary disciples and the public, their identities remained shrouded in mystery.

Even Grey himself had never met a Core Disciple before, nor did he know their identities.

However, when it came to guessing who one of them might be, his gaze couldn’t help but drift toward a particular direction.

The direction he looked at was precisely Violet’s office.

Many people might not know it, but Grey was almost certain that Violet herself was a Core Disciple.

With her mysterious background, terrifying strength, and the respect she commanded from others, it was difficult to believe otherwise.

Grey eventually put away the jade slip and resumed his cultivation.

Although Sky Mist had finally managed to win several battles and restore some of its dignity, he did not feel the slightest bit excited.

Because there was still one person who had yet to appear.

A figure he had once glimpsed from afar.

A figure that had left an indescribably deep impression on him.

And until that person showed himself, Grey had a strange feeling that the true battle had not yet begun.

Time flowed by steadily. With each passing day, the Sects Alliance would present a new challenge, and the cultivators of Sky Mist City would once again be stirred into a frenzy as they eagerly accepted it.

The atmosphere within the city had become increasingly tense. Every challenge brought new excitement, new speculations, and occasionally, new dangers. Yet despite the undercurrents flowing beneath the surface, the city continued to function as usual.

On this particular day, however, an aged man walked silently through one of the bustling streets with his hands clasped behind his back.

He wore a simple, plain robe, but two dark stripes ran from the shoulders of the robe all the way to its hem, giving him an oddly solemn appearance. His demeanor resembled that of an old man who had witnessed countless vicissitudes of life and had long since entered the twilight of his years.

There was not the slightest fluctuation of Spirit Energy emanating from his body. At first glance, he appeared no different from an ordinary elderly man taking a leisurely stroll.

However, anyone capable of truly observing him would immediately discover something strange.

Every step he took seemed to distort the distance around him. A single step carried him the distance of five ordinary steps, as though space itself had unknowingly folded beneath his feet.

Even more bizarre were the footprints left behind him.

Instead of a single pair of footprints, there were four additional sets trailing after him.

Yet these were not ordinary shoeprints.

They were genuine footprints, as though four invisible beings were following closely behind the old man, matching his every step.

Moreover, whenever these mysterious footprints touched the ground, the mottled stone pavement would soften and melt slightly. Small depressions would appear in the earth, as though the ground itself could not withstand the weight of whatever had stepped upon it.

The scene was eerie beyond measure.

Yet the pedestrians coming and going on the street noticed nothing unusual.

Whether they were ordinary mortals or cultivators with decent cultivation, they would merely glance at the old man before instinctively looking away, completely ignoring the peculiar footprints behind him.

It was as though some mysterious force prevented them from perceiving his abnormalities.

The old man, however, paid no attention to his surroundings.

A pensive expression hung on his weathered face, and his lips moved from time to time as he muttered incomprehensible words under his breath.

"...Not enough..."

"...The threads are still tangled..."

"...Who exactly..."

His voice was so soft that not even the wind could carry it away.

He continued walking listlessly, seemingly lost in his own thoughts.

In the blink of an eye, he arrived before the Detective Agency.

Only then did he stop.

The old man’s cloudy eyes suddenly sharpened.

A strange light flickered within them as his pupils contracted slightly.

The surrounding air seemed to freeze for a brief moment.

Immediately afterward, waves of cold and heat erupted from his body simultaneously. The two opposing energies intertwined with one another, causing the surrounding Spirit Energy to churn violently.

An overwhelming pressure spread outward like an invisible tide.

Inside the Detective Agency, Grey, who had been cultivating silently in his office, abruptly opened his eyes.

A frosty chill instantly spread from his body.

His gaze became sharp as he sensed the terrifying pressure coming from outside the building.

At the same time, Violet, who had been examining several documents in her office, suddenly paused.

The papers in her hand slipped onto the table.

She slowly raised her head and looked toward the front door.

Her beautiful face remained calm, but her expression had already turned cold and indifferent.

The atmosphere within the entire Detective Agency instantly became heavy.

A powerful figure had arrived.

Just as the old man was about to take another step forward, he suddenly saw Grey and Violet emerge from the Detective Agency building.

Both of their expressions were solemn and grave, as if they had just finished discussing something important. The moment his gaze landed on them, a terrifying murderous aura burst out from his body like an invisible storm.

At the same time, several strange presences appeared around him.

They had no distinct forms, resembling wisps of shadow and mist. They hovered around him silently, clinging desperately to his body as though they were parasites feeding upon his existence.

"Where... is my grandson?"

The old man’s voice was hoarse and unnatural.

"I can feel... his weak aura... coming from there."

As he spoke, he slowly raised a trembling finger and pointed at the Detective Agency building behind Grey and Violet.

The instant his voice entered their ears, Grey felt a cold chill run down his spine.

A piercing headache assaulted his mind without warning, causing his vision to blur and his consciousness to waver. It felt as though countless needles were being driven into his head.

He bit his tongue fiercely, allowing the sharp pain and the metallic taste of blood to keep him awake.

Beside him, Violet was in no better condition.

Her face had turned pale, and her eyes were bloodshot as she struggled to endure the agonizing headache.

In their perception, they had not heard a single voice.

Instead, they had heard a multitude of voices speaking at the same time.

Young voices.

Old voices.

Male voices.

Female voices.

All of them repeated the exact same sentence in perfect unison.

"Where... is my grandson?"

The countless voices overlapped with one another, creating a horrifying and eerie chorus.

More terrifyingly, these voices seemed to possess a strange power capable of penetrating one’s mind and interfering with one’s thoughts and reasoning.

It took every ounce of mental fortitude that Grey and Violet possessed merely to remain standing.

Violet clenched her teeth so hard that traces of blood appeared on her lips. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to speak.

"Your grandson is currently being held in custody by the Enforcing Authorities of Sky Mist City. Until he is proven innocent, he will not be released."

After hearing her words, the old man suddenly became motionless.