The storm raged on for three relentless days, howling with a fury that seemed to shake the very earth beneath. But amidst the chaos of the sandy tempest, Grey remained untouched, completely absorbed in his cultivation. For the entire duration of the storm, he had immersed himself in the depths of his practice, so consumed by his efforts that he barely noticed the other cultivators in the cave with him even though he was keeping an eye on each of them.

The breakthrough to the Ninth Level had been a monumental shift in his understanding of spiritual energy. It was no longer a vague, abstract force to him. No, now he could feel it on a sub-atomic level. His senses had sharpened to an incredible degre, his perception of the world around him had expanded, far beyond the limits of mere mortals. Even the faintest stirrings of energy in the air now registered in his awareness, and it was as though he could touch the very fabric of existence itself.

But it was only after he crossed the threshold of the Ninth Level that Grey truly understood the vast gulf that separated him from cultivators of higher realms. The peak of Qi Accumulation realm, once a formidable goal, now felt like nothing more than the first rung on a ladder that reached into the heavens.

For instance, the Foundation Establishment cultivators, with their dense and volatile energies, made him recoil slightly whenever he focused on them for too long. The pressure was like that of a flickering flame, a small, yet potent force that could easily burn him if he got too close.

But it was the Nascent Soul Transformation cultivator before Grey who truly humbled him. His spirit energy were unlike anything he had ever experienced. It was as if they carried the sun within them. The sheer magnitude of their spiritual power was overwhelming, and any attempt to probe deeper would invite a backlash so intense that even his soul might fracture under the strain. Their presence was like an impenetrable fortress, and Grey found himself holding back whenever his Divine sense got too close. The disparity in their strength was a constant reminder of how far he still had to go.

With these realizations in mind, Grey had become far more cautious in his interactions with the world around him. His perception of the spiritual world had deepened, and his spirit sea now allowed him to perceive the true nature of the energies he encountered. No longer was he merely a passive observer, he could now identify and understand the energies for what they truly were.

As the third day came to a close, Grey's senses flared. His eyes snapped open, glowing with an intense golden light. With a simple gesture, a wave of invisible force rippled through the air, and the massive boulder that had blocked the cave entrance shifted effortlessly, as if moved by an unseen hand.

But there was no time for Grey to revel in his newfound strength. Before he could even fully process the event, his body flickered, vanishing in an instant as if he had never been there at all.

Meanwhile, back in the cave, the other cultivators began to stir, slowly rising from their meditative states. However, there was one who remained seated, his presence heavy and foreboding. The Nascent Soul Transformation expert, whose aura dominated the cave, sat in perfect stillness, his eyes closed as though in deep contemplation.

It wasn't until several minutes had passed that the Nascent Soul expert finally opened his eyes. A flash of brilliant light illuminated the space, and from his body, another figure emerged... His clone, an identical version of himself, save for the subtle difference in aura. This new figure exuded an energy that was both familiar and foreign, as it was not the power of the Nascent Soul Transformation but one that closely resembled the Spirit Core Formation realm.

The Nascent Soul expert glanced at the clone with a cold expression. "Follow that cultivator. Track him down and see if he possesses any treasures. If he doesn't, begin refining him into a new clone. If his body is indeed as unique as I suspect, we may be able to use it. His lack of a magic artifact is suspicious, but his body, his very form, may hold something of value."

The clone nodded without a word, its expression as cold and lifeless as the master's. With a blur of motion, it vanished into the void, its robes a striking shade of green, in contrast to the dark blue of the Nascent Soul cultivator.

"Whatever secrets you are hiding, I will uncover them," the Nascent Soul expert murmured to himself, his voice barely a whisper. "And if you possess any incredible treasures, my clone will also find them."

With a flick of his hand, the Nascent Soul cultivator turned his attention to the entrance of the cave. His fingers curled as he drew on his immense power, gripping the air as though it were tangible. The massive boulder, which had once been moved aside, was pulled back into place, sealing the entrance once more.

Now, the cave which looked once habitated, began to look like a sealed entrance which was cut off from the world countless years ago.

Fierce sands began to blow and started to cover the entrance and the boulder until it completely camouflaged it.

Satisfied, the Nascent Soul cultivator let out a long, steady breath, dispelling his Divine sense and slipping into a meditative trance. Only the connection to his clone remained, a tether that would allow him to monitor its progress.

***

Meanwhile, many miles away, Grey was already far from the cave. His body moved at a breakneck speed, each step carrying him further from the cave and deeper into the large expanse of sand filled wilderness. His face was pale, the toll of his constant running taking its toll on his body. Yet his expression remained one of cold indifference, his mind focused solely on the path ahead.

Grey had been running for hours, and he showed no signs of slowing. His thoughts were a whirl of calculations, but there was one thing he did not realize: he was being pursued. Unbeknownst to him, the Nascent Soul Transformation cultivator's clone was shadowing him from a distance, its presence masked by the void itself.

Days passed, and Grey's journey continued without interruption, until at last, he arrived at a city nestled deep within the vast expanse of the whistling fields. This was Green City, a settlement known for its size and the strange energy it exuded.

Despite the distance he had traveled, Grey could still feel the city's imposing presence from afar. The buildings were tall and clustered closely together, their structures rising against the horizon like a forest of stone and steel. As he reached the outskirts, he saw something strange—deformed people, their bodies twisted and contorted in ways that were unnatural. Some had limbs that bent at odd angles, others had bodies that seemed to be a grotesque amalgamation of mismatched parts.

Curious, Grey inquired about their condition and learned that the deformities were a result of the constant whistling sandstorms that ravaged the region. These storms were fierce and unrelenting, and those caught in them were often disfigured by the sharp, cutting sands. The victims, unable to find shelter in time, were transformed into something... different. But it was not just their bodies that had been altered, these people had no access to cultivation techniques, and their misshapen forms made it impossible for them to heal or progress in cultivation.

Grey could sense the energy fluctuations around him as he entered the city. Despite the physical deformities of the people, many of them still possessed cultivation power. Most were at the fifth level, which was remarkable considering the lack of proper cultivation arts available to them. However, there were others, outsiders, no doubt, whose energy signatures were far stronger. Grey could easily identify them as Foundation Establishment cultivators. But their stiff postures, tense expressions, and the lack of emotion in their eyes told him one thing: they did not belong here. They were strangers, much like him.

Grey had come to the whistling fields for one reason, to find magic treasures and artifacts buried deep beneath the sands. Over the years, rumors had spread of people discovering extraordinary artifacts in the region, treasures that were said to contain unimaginable power. There was even talk of an Emperor-level secret art once found here, though it had been stolen by powerful cultivator before anyone could truly master it. The powerful expert later developed the Emperor Level art and created a sect. That same secret art had since become the foundation of the powerful Sky Mist City, a faction whose influence stretched far and wide. And one which Grey knew all too well.

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Author here with another teaser, I think this city will be an eye opener for Grey. And I don't know, maybe his cultivation will become faster from here.

Well, I also noticed that we have very low a rating and low power stones and golden tickets. Let's ascend through the rankings by voting.

**☺️😉**

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