Void Cultivation

Chapter 344: Chapter 343- Return from the dead sea

Her icy gaze swept across the vast surface of the Dead Sea as she searched for any trace of him.

However, the moment Grey arrived, he immediately fled into the distance. He had no idea whether the young girl could actually stall time for him or not.

Nor did he want to find out.

The possibility alone was enough to make his heart tense.

Without hesitation, he erupted forward at full speed, transforming into a streak of radiant light that tore through the sky.

By now, Sky Mist City was no longer far away. If he maintained his current speed, he would reach the city in only a matter of minutes.

The teleportation talisman had unexpectedly sent him much closer to the sect than he had anticipated. Even Grey had been surprised by this fortunate outcome.

But surprise quickly turned into relief.

At the very least, it meant he had a better chance of escaping whatever terrifying existence was currently searching for him.

As he sped across the sky, his radiant figure attracted the attention of every magic ship sailing upon the Dead Sea.

Countless cultivators raised their heads in shock.

The overwhelming aura of a Foundation Establishment expert spread through the air, causing both Foundation Establishment cultivators and Qi Accumulation cultivators alike to feel a chill run down their spines.

To ordinary mortals, all Foundation Establishment experts appeared equally powerful.

However, those who had already entered the realm understood the truth.

Many of the Foundation Establishment cultivators present were still lingering within the early stages of the realm. Some had only recently broken through and had yet to manifest even a single ball of Spirit Fire.

Others had spent years painstakingly cultivating, slowly opening spirit perforation after spirit perforation in pursuit of greater power.

Those who had already opened twenty-five spirit perforations and successfully ignited their first Spirit Fire understood better than anyone how difficult that achievement truly was.

Every spirit perforation represented countless hours of cultivation.

Every breakthrough was accompanied by risks and hardships.

Some had nearly died multiple times before finally succeeding.

Because of this, they knew exactly what Grey’s current display represented.

To ordinary cultivators, the three blazing suns revolving around his body looked magnificent.

To experienced Foundation Establishment cultivators, however, those suns were terrifying.

They represented a gap that could not easily be crossed.

A cultivator who had successfully ignited a Spirit Fire could easily suppress someone who had not.

The difference was comparable to placing a Qi Accumulation cultivator against a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

The outcome was obvious from the very beginning.

Victory would not merely be difficult.

It would be impossible.

This realization caused many Foundation Establishment cultivators to become extremely cautious.

The moment they saw Grey flying through the sky without any regard for who might witness him, countless thoughts flashed through their minds.

Was he pursuing someone?

Was he escaping from an enemy?

Had some major event occurred within the sect?

No one knew.

And because no one knew, no one dared to approach.

Many immediately concealed their auras and activated camouflage formations on their magic ships.

Others quietly lowered their heads and pretended not to notice him.

Regardless of their methods, their goal remained the same.

Avoid attracting the attention of such a dangerous individual.

Meanwhile, the three blazing suns revolving around Grey’s body made it impossible for others to clearly see his appearance.

The intense radiance obscured his features completely.

From below, he appeared more like a moving star than a human cultivator.

As a result, nobody could determine his identity.

They could not tell whether he belonged to the Sky Mist Sect or whether he was a foreign cultivator who had ventured into their territory.

Yet despite their uncertainty, everyone shared the same conclusion.

Do not provoke him.

Do not approach him.

And most importantly, do not become involved in whatever situation had caused him to travel at such frightening speed.

Thus, they could only watch as the radiant figure streaked across the heavens before gradually disappearing into the distance.

Although they learned nothing about his identity, many cultivators who were returning from the Dead Sea found themselves unable to suppress their curiosity.

After all, a powerful Foundation Establishment expert suddenly appearing and rushing toward Sky Mist City was far from a common occurrence.

Several Qi Accumulation cultivators immediately altered their course and began following Grey from afar.

They wanted to witness what would happen once he arrived at the city.

Soon, more cultivators joined them.

Curiosity spread rapidly among the lower-level cultivators, overwhelming their sense of caution.

The desire to uncover the truth pushed them forward despite the latent danger.

However, this phenomenon was mostly limited to those in the Qi Accumulation Realm.

Very few Foundation Establishment cultivators chose to follow.

After surviving for many years within this cruel and unforgiving world, they had long since developed an instinct for danger.

Curiosity had claimed the lives of countless cultivators.

They had seen it happen far too many times.

Why would they risk everything they had worked for merely to satisfy a momentary interest?

After spending years battling for resources, surviving life upon the Dead Sea, and escaping countless life-and-death situations, they understood a simple truth.

Some matters were better left alone.

Some mysteries were not worth uncovering.

And some people were better avoided entirely.

As such, many Foundation Establishment cultivators immediately turned around and headed in the opposite direction from Grey’s departure.

Those who had originally planned to venture deeper into the Dead Sea accelerated their journey without delay.

Meanwhile, those who had intended to return to the sect altered their routes to avoid crossing paths with Grey altogether.

No one wished to become an unfortunate casualty of circumstances beyond their understanding.

In this world, surviving was often more important than knowing the truth.

And sometimes, the wisest decision a cultivator could make was to walk away before disaster arrived.

Grey swiftly arrived at the harbor of Sky Mist City. Before him stretched a bustling scene of magic ships constantly arriving and departing from the massive port. Some vessels were unloading precious resources harvested from the Dead Sea, while others prepared to embark on dangerous journeys into its dark waters.

As he descended from the sky, countless eyes were immediately drawn toward him.

The radiant aura surrounding his body was impossible to ignore. Even from a distance, the three balls of Spirit Fire orbiting around him revealed that he possessed an extraordinary cultivation base.

For a brief moment, Grey remained suspended in the air and swept his senses across the surrounding area.

When he discovered that no one was pursuing him and no familiar aura was closing in on his position, he finally released the first genuine sigh of relief he had taken since the chase began.

His tense muscles relaxed slightly.

The nightmare was finally over.

At least for now.

The brilliant light surrounding his body gradually faded as he deactivated his Special Brilliance form. The three Spirit Fires returned to his body, and his cultivation fluctuations became far less conspicuous.

Moments later, he landed quietly upon one of the harbor’s numerous docks.

This was Port Thirty-Four, one of the busiest sections of the harbor. Ships constantly arrived and departed, while countless cultivators moved through the area carrying supplies, accepting missions, or preparing for voyages into the Dead Sea.

After Grey concealed his brilliance, his arrival no longer attracted much attention.

Only a handful of people who had witnessed his descent continued to observe him.

The moment his feet touched the wooden dock, an overwhelming wave of exhaustion washed over him.

His body felt heavier than ever.

For days, he had been fleeing across the Dead Sea without rest. He had pushed his cultivation, spirit energy, and mental endurance to their absolute limits. The pressure of knowing that a Spirit Core Formation expert was hunting him had weighed heavily upon his mind every second of the chase.

Even now, standing safely within the city, he found it difficult to fully relax.

His nerves remained tightly wound.

Grey’s appearance was far from presentable.

His robes were torn in several places, and dried blood stained the hems of his clothing. Salt from the sea breeze clung to his body, while traces of old wounds could still be seen beneath his garments.

Although he tried his best to maintain a calm expression, the fatigue hidden beneath his eyes could not be concealed entirely.

To any observer, he looked like someone who had barely escaped death.

However, very few people paid him any sympathy.

Many disciples merely glanced at him before looking away with indifferent expressions.

Such scenes were extremely common in Sky Mist City.

Every day, cultivators ventured into the Dead Sea seeking fortune, treasures, and opportunities. Many never returned. Those who did often came back injured, exhausted, or missing companions.

Compared to the countless tragedies that occurred upon the sea, Grey’s condition was hardly worth a second glance.

Furthermore, his youthful appearance worked against him.

With his striking features, gray hair, and unusual eyes, many assumed that he was a recently recruited disciple who possessed only a modest cultivation base. In their minds, he was simply another inexperienced newcomer who had overestimated his abilities and nearly lost his life in the Dead Sea.

No one would have guessed the truth.

No one would have imagined that this seemingly young disciple was actually a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Nor would they believe that he had just escaped from the pursuit of a Spirit Core Formation expert.

Had they known, the reactions around him would have been entirely different.

Ignoring the gazes around him, Grey quickly left the harbor.

The first destination that came to mind was neither his cave abode nor any place of leisure.

Instead, he headed directly toward the Detective Agency Department.

Apart from his residence, the agency was one of the safest places available to him. There, he could rest, recover, and organize his thoughts without drawing unnecessary attention.

More importantly, it had been a very long time since he had last returned to his cave abode.

Months had passed since he had paid rent for the residence assigned to him on the mountain. His prolonged absence would undoubtedly raise questions, and the last thing he wanted was to deal with inquiries from sect administrators while he was still exhausted and vulnerable.

At the moment, all Grey wanted was a secure place to recuperate.

Everything else could wait until later.