Void Cultivation

Grey ignored the severed head dangling in Violet’s hand and instead bent down to pick up the unconscious Kaien. The young man was still as pale and emaciated as before, looking as though he had one foot already inside the grave.

The bloody hole in his chest continued to spurt an alarming amount of blood, staining his robes crimson. Coupled with his ghastly complexion and weak breathing, he looked like someone who would perish at any moment.

However, neither Grey nor Violet feared such an outcome.

The reason was quite simple—a Foundation Establishment cultivator with such a high level of cultivation would not die so easily.

Although Kaien appeared to be in an incredibly weakened state, his life force was astonishingly tenacious. Beneath his pale skin, faint spiritual fluctuations could still be felt as his body instinctively struggled to repair its grievous injuries.

Seeing the unconscious Kaien lying limply in his hand without even the slightest twitch, Grey couldn’t help but frown. After a moment of hesitation, he took out several medicinal and healing pills and stuffed them into the man’s mouth.

The other party was still a heaven’s chosen, after all.

A person like this possessed immense value. Allowing him to die so easily would be an absolute waste.

As Grey and Violet flew toward the nearby harbor, a cool breeze swept past them, carrying the scent of blood and seawater. The city below remained noisy and lively, seemingly oblivious to the fierce battle that had just taken place.

At that moment, Violet’s voice suddenly resonated in Grey’s ears.

"Don’t you think it’s strange?"

Her voice was laced with casualness and leisure, as though she were merely discussing the weather.

Grey looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

After activating the healing power of the purple crystal within his chest, the rotten lotuses that had begun sprouting beneath his flesh rapidly started to decay.

The countless tiny skeletal heads adorning the petals released shrill, ear-piercing wails that echoed throughout his body. The sound was enough to make one’s scalp tingle.

However, Grey paid them no heed.

After Kaien had fallen unconscious, the secret art he had activated abruptly stopped, and no new rotten lotuses continued to grow. Furthermore, the healing power of the purple crystal, combined with the devouring abilities of the shadow, was more than enough to rapidly consume and dissolve the remaining corruption.

After pondering Violet’s words for a few moments, Grey finally asked,

"What is strange?"

Violet did not answer immediately.

Instead, she turned her gaze toward the distance. Grey followed her line of sight but could not tell exactly what she was looking at. However, the direction she faced was precisely where one of the Super Sects had docked its enormous magical vessel.

After a long pause, she finally spoke.

"Don’t you think it’s strange? We dealt with one of their heaven’s chosen practically under their noses and nearly even killed him, yet they didn’t interfere at all."

Grey’s expression immediately changed.

Now that he thought about it, it truly was strange.

No... strange wasn’t the right word.

It was incredibly bizarre.

His pupils couldn’t help but contract.

"What do you think is the reason?" Grey asked in a low voice.

After all, with several high-level cultivators aboard their vessel, a battle of this scale should never have gone unnoticed.

Even if he himself had been standing on the harbor when it happened, he would have sensed the violent fluctuations in the spiritual energy and immediately pinpointed their source.

If even he, a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, could detect such a disturbance, then it was impossible for a Super Sect not to notice it.

Violet smiled faintly when she heard his question.

"The answer is simple and direct, although it may not necessarily be the truth."

She paused briefly before continuing.

"Ever since the Sects Alliance fleet arrived, they have repeatedly challenged and provoked the disciples of Sky Mist City, yet the Super Sects have remained silent and have done absolutely nothing."

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Now that we’ve uncovered their crimes and dealt with one of their heaven’s chosen, perhaps they still intend to remain silent."

A strange glint flashed through her eyes.

"Or perhaps..." she said softly, "they simply don’t care about him at all."

The sea breeze blew past once more, causing Grey’s expression to become even more solemn.

After a brief pause, Violet shrugged.

"Of course, this is merely my assumption. I could very well be wrong."

Grey did not say anything, but silently pondered Violet’s words in his heart. Her earlier statement continued to echo in his mind, causing him to sink into deep thought as they made their way back.

A few moments later, they arrived at Port 33 with Kaien still being carried by Grey.

The atmosphere at the port was heavy and baleful, carrying a faint hint of tragedy. The bloodstains that still remained on the ground and the damaged surroundings only added to the gloomy mood.

The other Captains arrived shortly afterward. They had clearly been informed of the commotion and rushed over as quickly as possible.

However, the moment they arrived, all of them froze.

Their eyes first landed on the severed head in Violet’s hand before moving to the almost dead Kaien in Grey’s grasp. The indifferent and cold expressions on their faces instantly changed to ones of utter disbelief and shock.

"You found the people behind the kidnappings and the murders in the Market District?" one of them asked in a slightly stuttering voice, his eyes filled with incredulity.

Grey simply nodded before casually tossing Kaien onto the ground.

The drop was over ten meters high.

A series of sickening cracking sounds immediately rang out when Kaien’s body struck the pavement, followed by a low and mournful groan.

Although he was unconscious, the immense pain from the fall had clearly affected him subconsciously.

Everyone, aside from Violet, was stunned by Grey’s cruel and indifferent behavior toward the Heaven’s Chosen.

They naturally recognized him.

During the battle several days earlier, Kaien had displayed astonishing brilliance, overwhelming several opponents with ease. At that time, none of them had the confidence to challenge him, much less defeat him.

This was the feeling of everyone that was present and watching from a distance.

Yet now, the once-proud Heaven’s Chosen lay before them in a crumpled and bloody mess. His robes were soaked in blood, his face was pale and deathly, and a horrifying hole pierced through his chest.

The sight was simply unbelievable.

Violet then stepped forward and casually threw the severed head onto the ground as well.

It hit the pavement with a loud thud, causing blood to splatter in every direction. Although the head remained mostly intact, several cracks had appeared on its forehead due to the impact.

"While you guys were running around, we caught these fellows trying to escape from the scene," Violet said while dusting off her hands. "Thankfully, my Vice-Captain apprehended that bloody fellow while I dealt with this headless one. It was quite a battle."

She shook her head tiredly after saying the last part, as though recalling an exhausting experience.

Hearing her words, the other Captains could not help but stare at the two of them with dumbfounded expressions.

These were Heaven’s Chosen they were talking about.

Individuals who stood at the very peak of their generation.

Yet the way Violet spoke made it sound as though they had merely apprehended a pair of petty thieves on the street.

Moreover, the nicknames she had casually given them... "that bloody fellow" and "this headless one", were somehow more frightening than amusing.

Grey’s eyes narrowed slightly.

He suddenly felt that something about Violet’s earlier words did not quite add up.

The severed head most likely belonged to the protector of this Heaven’s Chosen. Such a person would undoubtedly possess an extremely high cultivation base, perhaps even far beyond that of the Heaven’s Chosen himself.

It was not rare for a individual with great potential to be guarded by his sect. He would undoubtedly have a body guard.

Yet Violet had spoken about the matter so casually.

As if she had merely crushed an insignificant insect.

As though sensing his thoughts, Violet turned to glance at him and revealed a small smile.

A strange light shone within her beautiful eyes, making it seem as if the thoughts in her mind were being illuminated and reflected through them.

Looking at her, Grey suddenly fell silent.

For some reason, he could not help but feel that the gap between them had widened once again.

And this time...

The difference seemed even greater than before.