Before the sun had risen fully into the sky, Grey had reached the nearest scavenger camp. Just like before the descent of god's hand, this place used to be a rogue cultivator camp.
But now, it had turned into a scavenger camp. Scavengers were mostly just mundane humans and cultivators who had not managed to find a safe place to live.
You could earn rights to live here by paying tributes, in form of coins or The pills. Which was another form of currency.
The leader of the scavenger camp was in the eight level of Qi condensation. Just strong enough to take care of any problems that may arise.
When he got to the entrance he paid five coins as a tribute, then walked into the scavengers camp. The camp was very close to another corroded zone.
He saw various stalls where he could buy the Pills and went to one of them. As he silently stood and waited for the shopkeeper, a young girl as young as him suddenly appeared. She had brown hair and almond eyes. With rosy cheeks and a pretty oval face, she was a beautiful girl.
In her hands were small bottles containing the Pills he came to buy. The girl had a surprised expression on her face when she saw Grey.
His Grey hair and eyes that made him look hollow. Along with a detached gaze in his eyes and a nonchalant expression on his face, wearing a long dirty torn coat that almost touched the floor.
He was a peculiar sight and also a new one. "Excuse me who are you. What do you want to buy?" She said as she put the bottles of Pills down.
"How much for the Pills." Grey spoke softly but his icy voice made it sound menacing. Which made the girl frown a little.
"Ten Pills, fifteen coins. That is the maximum we can sell at a time." She said and Grey brought out fifteen coins from his coat pocket.
Then placed it on the counter. Then he stared at her for a few seconds. The girl was a bit confused but them remembered why he was staring. Grey looked at the Pills which had some black spots on it and frowned.
Pills were made from certain plants found in the corroded zone. Which meant that they all had a certain amount of corrosive substance in them which affected the quality of Pills.
"Is this the best quality?" Grey asked while looking at the other bottles. But they were all nearly the same in terms of quality.
"Yes, for now." She blushed and placed the Pills for him on the counter which he did not hesitate to swipe to turned to leave.
"Wait... I've not seen you around." Grey was still looking at her with his nonchalant expression so she hurriedly explained. "I just wanted to know if you have a place to stay?"
She blushed and waited for his answer. "No, I do not have anywhere to stay."
Her eyes lit up like the stars and she quickly answered. "Would you like to stay with us. My dad is looking for new scavengers to join his team and I can tell that you have survived for some time by yourself."
Grey was in thought for a few seconds before giving his answer. "Can I think about it? I will come back later if I've made up my mind."
The girl's eyes lit up again and she nodded. "Yes, yes... you can't rush decisions."
Grey didn't wait anymore and turned around and left. He of course was a cynical person long before. And living for two months alone in the corroded zone had made him even more cautious.
He wouldn't readily accept someone's help just because of the sheer goodness of their heart. Was that not the same thing that lead him to the spirits.
If not for the young cultivator who was flying in their direction at that time, he would probably be dead.
But he didn't want to get into any bad relationships in the scavengers camp already. For now he just wanted to find a safe place where he could break through to the fourth level of Qi condensation. It was long overdue.
Grey wanted to find residence in the outer section of the camp which was mostly built of wood or most times tents, but hearing the prices just for a single day left him in shock. With the current prices he had been given. He would clear out his pockets in days.
With a frown, he left the scavengers camp and went into the opposite direction that was facing the corroded zone.
From high up a tree, he could see the dark clouds over the corroded zone that covered it both day and night.
Away from the corroded zone, the corrosive substance was reduced but only to a certain extent. Cultivators would still suffer from the corrosive substance after some time of cultivating.
With all cultivating art, the corrosive substance would be absorbed along with spirit energy. But different cultivating arts could lead to different decay point.
For example, the Great Void art he was practicing right now condensed the corrosive substance into his wrist and formed a dot the size of a marble.
He was in the third level of Qi condensation so that meant he had three black dots on his wrists. And while Kai-kai kitan boosted his level much higher than it originally was, it didn't affect the decay point too much.
Grey gave a long sigh and closed his eyes to cultivate. He wanted to break through now.
He swallowed several Pills and felt the sizzling sensation on ha skin reduce until he could no longer fell any. The black dots in his hand were now faint and looked likely to disappear.
Although the Pills did not directly cure someone from the corrosive substance. It helped to neutralize its effects and make the pain lessen. As Grey started to cultivate, the spirit energy in his body began to swirl at a fast pace.
Soon, Grey felt popping sensations on his skin all over his body, and black liquid like pus came out from his pores.
Thankfully he had already removed most of his clothes so he could fully the process happening. He felt his body being slowly cleansed and the impurities that had accumulated in his body begin to be flushed out.
As the feeling continued, the little clothes he wore were already soaked in the black pus and he had to cover his nose due to the smell.
His body however, felt revitalised. He had never felt so comfortable in his own body before. Like he had been reborn. He felt the swirling energy in his body increase and the quality of spirit energy in his body got better.
Then a loud bang erupted in his mind and he opened his eyes.
'Fourth level of Qi condensation.'