Void Cultivation

Chapter 297 - 296-

The interior of the crystal palace was like an entirely separate world, one forged from endless, frozen ice. Everything shimmered with a cold, lifeless beauty, as if time itself had been sealed away within layers of frost. Aside from the already overwhelming pressure, which had become even more domineering upon entering, the frigid aura permeating this place was even more shocking and merciless.

In just a few breaths, Grey’s body nearly froze into a rigid ice sculpture. A biting chill seeped into his bones, threatening to halt even the flow of his blood. Frost rapidly crept across his skin, and he could feel his movements slowing, as though the cold itself sought to claim him.

He was forced to immediately circulate the power of his Spirit Perforations to resist the encroaching frost.

His two normal Spirit Fires burned fiercely, pushing back against the invading cold air and protecting his vital functions. At the same time, his third Spirit Fire, born from the cold yin core, did not resist. Instead, it absorbed the frigid energy flooding into his body, devouring it before it could freeze his organs and flesh from within.

The balance was delicate, but it was the only reason he remained standing.

Faced with such extreme cold and crushing pressure, most cultivators would not have been able to move forward even a single step. Their bodies and minds would have long since collapsed under the strain.

Yet Grey endured.

Inside the crystal palace, his gaze landed on a long staircase formed entirely of translucent ice, leading upward toward the unseen peak of the structure. However, much of it was obscured by a dense, swirling fog that even his sharpened vision could not penetrate, giving it an eerie and mysterious presence.

At the same time, he noticed something even more surreal.

The ceiling of the palace was pitch black, vast and endless, as though it were the night sky itself. Countless stars shimmered faintly above, and within that darkness, the six suns that had hung outside the palace were also present here.

They shone brilliantly, each radiating a different color, their lights cascading down upon the palace like divine illumination.

Violet who was still in the appearance of the young white-haired man, licked her lips as she stared at the six suns, her eyes filled with naked greed and desire.

Even without her saying a word, Grey already understood what she was thinking.

It was as if the light from those suns was calling to her... tempting her.

At that very moment, as though stimulated by the radiant glow, the captain suddenly let out a loud, feral howl and charged toward the staircase without hesitation.

Her body erupted with a resplendent light of blue and black, intertwining like opposing forces brought into harmony. With a single step, she launched herself forward and landed firmly on the first step of the icy stairs.

The instant her foot touched the step, her body violently trembled, and she stumbled backward slightly.

Blood trickled down from the corner of her lips.

Yet the madness in her eyes did not fade, instead, it burned even brighter.

Without hesitation, she raised her other foot and stepped onto the second step.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Three deafening sounds rang out in rapid succession, echoing throughout the frozen palace like the tolling of an ancient bell. Each boom caused the captain’s body to stagger violently, as if an invisible force had struck her.

More blood spilled from her lips, staining the ice beneath her feet.

But she did not stop.

"We are cultivators!" the captain shouted hoarsely as she forced herself forward. "If we can’t endure even a little pain to increase our cultivation, then what exactly are we cultivating for!?"

Another step.

Another boom.

More blood.

Her body trembled uncontrollably now, as though each step carried a weight far beyond what her body could bear. It was as if the staircase itself was testing her, crushing her with invisible force with every advance.

And yet, she persisted.

When her foot landed on the seventh step.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Eight explosive sounds erupted simultaneously, each one heavier than the last.

The captain was forced backward by a step as she coughed out a mouthful of blood.

The blood didn’t even reach the ground before freezing midair into crystalline shards, shattering the instant they touched the icy floor.

Her face had turned deathly pale.

But within her eyes, aside from pain and unwillingness, there burned something else.

A blazing, insatiable desire.

A hunger for power.

That desire alone pushed her to open her eyes once more, to grit her teeth, and to take yet another step forward despite the agony tearing through her body.

Watching her reckless advance, watching her climb those steps without regard for her life, Grey felt something stir deep within him.

A burning desire.

A desire to grow stronger.

A desire to reach the peak of the world and stand above all others.

A desire to break free from the constant threats that surrounded him... to live as he pleased without fear.

And most of all,

A deep, aching desire to uncover the truth hidden within the fog of his mind... and to piece together the fragmented memories of his siblings.

Grey understood one thing clearly.

If he wanted any of that...

If he wanted all of that, then he needed power.

Overwhelming, undeniable power.

"As cultivators in this cruel world..." Grey muttered under his breath, his voice low but resolute, "...the only real choice we have... is to become stronger."

With that, he moved forward and stepped onto the first stair.

The moment his foot landed.

An overwhelming, formless force surged into him.

It didn’t crush his body.

It attacked his mind.

A violent shock slammed into his consciousness, throwing his thoughts into chaos. His vision spun uncontrollably as dizziness overwhelmed him.

He coughed out blood almost instantly.

But it didn’t stop there.

The force surged again, stronger this time, pressing down on his mind like a collapsing mountain.

Grey felt his vision darkening at the edges.

His consciousness began to fade.

It was as if he were being dragged into a deep abyss, his awareness slipping away little by little.

Just as he was about to lose himself completely, he heard a voice call out to him gently and softly.

"Grey..."

It was the captain’s voice.

But unlike her usual tone, it carried a rare softness, like a lifeline thrown into the depths of his fading consciousness.

That voice became an anchor.

It pulled him back.

It steadied his drifting mind and dragged him out from the edge of unconsciousness.

In the next instant, Grey snapped back to awareness.

He realized he was already falling backward, his body tipping off the step.

But the moment clarity returned, he forcefully stopped himself, stabilizing his footing and standing firmly on the first step once more.

The overwhelming force that had attacked his mind seemed to have exhausted itself in that single assault. Now that Grey had regained consciousness, the crushing mental pressure had vanished entirely.

His breathing was ragged, but steady.

When he lifted his gaze, he saw the captain had turned back to look at him.

For a brief moment, amidst the madness and determination in her eyes there was a faint trace of concern.