Void Cultivation

Chapter 360: Chapter 359- Arrival of the Foreign Sects

Grey, who had previously been sitting in deep meditation with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them.

A sharp glint flashed across his pupils as his gaze instinctively shifted toward the distant horizon, the direction from which the enormous fleets were approaching.

Although the ships were still far beyond the limits of his vision, his spiritual senses had already perceived their arrival.

The moment his divine sense brushed against the approaching fleets, Grey’s expression gradually became solemn.

He could sense several terrifying auras hidden within those flying fortresses.

Each one possessed a presence powerful enough to make his instincts scream in warning.

Compared to the cultivators he had encountered until now, these individuals were like blazing suns illuminating the heavens, while everyone else resembled nothing more than the pale glow of a full moon.

The difference between them was simply too vast.

Yet among all those overwhelming presences...

There was one aura that immediately captured Grey’s attention.

It wasn’t the strongest.

In fact, compared to several of the monstrous experts accompanying the fleet, this aura was noticeably weaker.

However...

For some inexplicable reason, Grey found himself unable to look away from it.

The feeling it gave him was unlike anything he had ever experienced.

It was as though the owner of that aura had already reached a level approaching perfection.

It felt impossibly pure.

Impossibly complete.

As though every flaw had been carefully erased by the heavens themselves.

Grey couldn’t help but narrow his eyes.

This wasn’t the aura of someone who had become terrifying through countless years of cultivation.

Nor was it the oppressive pressure emitted by an old monster whose cultivation had reached unimaginable heights.

Instead...

It was the aura of limitless potential.

An existence whose very talent eclipsed everyone around them.

It was as though heaven itself had favored this individual above all others.

Compared to everyone else aboard those ships, this person’s existence resembled an ever-radiant sun, while all the surrounding geniuses became nothing more than dim stars scattered across the night sky.

The heavens themselves seemed willing to gather around this single individual.

It was almost as though the entire world had been created for this person alone.

Grey knew such thoughts sounded absurd.

He wasn’t even describing a human anymore.

Yet...

That was precisely the sensation his instincts conveyed.

For the very first time in a long while...

Grey felt an indescribable sense of caution toward someone he had never even met.

---

Meanwhile...

Inside the Captain’s office, Violet leisurely sat behind her desk while gently caressing the small bronze ring resting upon one of her fingers.

The moment she sensed the overwhelming auras approaching Sky Mist City, a faint smile slowly appeared on her beautiful face.

Unlike the countless disciples and elders who were feeling anxious and apprehensive, Violet showed not the slightest trace of concern.

Instead...

She appeared rather pleased.

Her eyes slowly drifted toward the direction of Grey’s office.

A complicated expression surfaced on her face before gradually softening into one of gentle affection.

"Don’t worry, little Grey..."

She spoke quietly, almost as though talking to herself.

"All of this is merely another step we’ll have to climb before reaching the summit."

"They may be receiving all the admiration... all the attention... and all the glory today."

"But it won’t stay that way forever."

A confident smile slowly spread across her lips.

"It won’t be long before we take all of that away from them."

"We’ll stand where they’re standing now."

"It’s only a matter of time."

As she spoke, her fingers gently stroked the ancient bronze ring with remarkable care, almost as though it were an irreplaceable treasure.

Moments later, Violet slowly turned her gaze toward the distant horizon where the colossal magic ships continued drawing closer.

An excited gleam flashed through her eyes.

She couldn’t help but lick her lips.

"The only reason I’m looking forward to their arrival..."

"...is because of all the wonderful gifts and goodies they’ll be bringing."

Her smile widened.

"Those old geezers in the sect are probably just as eager as I am."

At the thought of the treasures accompanying the foreign super sects, a trace of greed surfaced deep within Violet’s eyes.

For a brief moment, her elegant appearance disappeared entirely.

Instead...

She resembled a ravenous beast that had just discovered an irresistible feast.

Fortunately, the terrifying expression lasted for only an instant.

Taking a slow breath, Violet effortlessly suppressed the greed welling up inside her before returning to her usual calm demeanor.

She resumed gently rubbing the bronze ring as though nothing had happened.

If Grey had been present inside the office at that moment, he would have immediately noticed something strange.

Sitting quietly upon Violet’s desk was a perfectly fresh apple.

It had been placed there hours ago.

Yet...

Not a single bite had been taken from it. It remained completely untouched.

In a remarkably short amount of time, the approaching fleet of magic vessels reached the outskirts of Sky Mist City. Their arrival was like the tolling of a funeral bell, a dreadful knell that echoed throughout the entire city and caused countless hearts to grow heavy with apprehension.

The moment the enormous magic ships entered the city’s airspace, the sect master and the assembled elders — who had been waiting patiently in the heavens — lowered their heads in respectful bows toward the approaching fleet.

Slowly, the colossal vessels drifted to a halt outside Sky Mist City. Each one was so unimaginably massive that it resembled an entire district floating in the sky. Their immense shadows stretched across the land, blotting out the sunlight over large portions of the city below and plunging countless streets into an eerie darkness.

An oppressive silence descended over the surroundings.

Then, another astonishing scene unfolded.

A lone figure stepped out from the deck of the leading magic vessel.

He was a middle-aged man with a gaunt, sunken face that made him appear almost corpse-like. His sharp, brilliant eyes, however, shone with an intimidating intelligence and overwhelming confidence. Every movement he made carried an indescribable sense of authority.

More importantly, the aura surrounding him far surpassed that of everyone present, including the sect master and every elder standing behind him.

The instant he revealed himself, an overwhelming pressure erupted from his body like an invisible tidal wave. It spread across the sky and descended upon the entire sect without restraint.

The pressure was suffocating.

Those in the Spirit Core Formation Realm immediately realized that this man’s cultivation stood far beyond anything they could comprehend. It was like comparing a flickering candle to the blazing sun.

Meanwhile, the Nascent Soul Transformation experts felt an even greater sense of despair. Unlike the others, they could vaguely perceive the terrifying gap between themselves and the newcomer.

This was no longer merely a difference in cultivation.

It was a difference in the very level of existence.

An indescribable fear gripped their hearts.

’The... Nirvana Realm!’

The same thought appeared almost simultaneously in the minds of every sect elder and even the sect master.

Despite the violent trembling of their bodies under the immense pressure, none of them allowed their expressions to change. They remained calm, maintaining their respectful bows without uttering a single word.

Only after several moments did the middle-aged man finally speak.

His voice was cold, indifferent, and overflowing with contempt.

"Where is the true leader of your sect?" he asked dismissively. "I have no business speaking with insignificant flames like yourselves."

Every word dripped with arrogance.

His tone alone was enough to ignite fury within nearly every cultivator present.

Yet the sect master and the elders remained completely composed, as though they had expected such treatment from the very beginning.

Just then, a calm and ethereal voice sounded gently from behind them.

"There is no need for such anger, fellow Daoist from the Buried Nether Sect."

The soft voice seemed to drift through the air like a gentle breeze, instantly drawing everyone’s attention.

A young woman slowly emerged from the void.

Her skin was deathly pale, while her long white hair cascaded gracefully over equally white robes. Her complexion resembled that of a corpse that had long since lost all traces of warmth.

Yet despite her unnatural appearance, her facial features were breathtakingly beautiful.

An even stranger characteristic surrounded her entire existence.

A ghostly aura continuously flowed around her body, making it seem as though she existed and did not exist at the same time. Her figure constantly appeared to flicker between reality and illusion, as if she were forever wandering between the worlds of the living and the dead.

It was an unsettling sight.

The moment the sunken-faced cultivator laid eyes upon the spectral young woman, his previously indifferent expression changed ever so slightly.

His eyes narrowed into thin slits.

Although she concealed her cultivation exceptionally well, he could still sense the terrifying truth.

She stood on the same level as himself.

She was...

A cultivator of the Nirvana Realm.