With that thought, Grey entered his room and shut the door behind him. He didn’t even spare a glance for the elegant designs carved into the walls before sitting down cross-legged on the floor. Closing his eyes, he gently urged the spirit energy within his body to circulate through his meridians.

After the battle with the Shadow Sect, he had already cleaned the dirt and grime from his body. His long grey hair now spilled loosely down his back, slightly wild and unkempt, but Grey paid it no mind as his consciousness sank deeper into meditation.

The moment he entered a profound meditative state, thin purple lines flickered into existence on his forehead. They stretched downward along the side of his head, branching outward like veins as they spread across his entire body.

Deep within his body, Grey sensed spirit energy steadily gathering in his dantian. Sky Mist City was protected by a powerful array, one that suppressed corrosive substances while enriching the surrounding spirit energy. Because of this, it didn’t take long before spirit energy surged toward him, flowing into his body as if he were a magnet drawing it in.

The spirit energy within him rose higher and higher. His dantian swelled as more energy accumulated, quickly nearing its limit.

In a short span of time, his cultivation reached its peak. His body was already saturated with spirit energy, yet it continued pouring in without restraint.

A massive vortex of spirit energy formed above Grey’s head, spinning violently as his overflowing dantian trembled, on the verge of bursting apart.

The purple lines on his forehead pulsed rapidly, their glow growing increasingly intense. At the same time, the purple crystal embedded in his chest radiated a brilliant violet light, illuminating his body from within.

Beneath that glow, Grey felt his body creak under unbearable pressure. The spirit energy compressed tightly in his dantian, forming an oppressive force that threatened to tear him apart.

Clenching his will, Grey guided the energy forward and forced a breakthrough.

It felt as though a dam had shattered inside him. His body began to crack under the strain, blood seeping from fine fissures across his skin, but before the damage could worsen, the purple crystal released waves of protective light, instantly healing him.

His body entered a brutal cycle, breaking apart, then healing, over and over again.

Minutes passed.

To Grey, it felt like hours.

Sweat drenched his forehead and soaked through his clothes as the pain continued without pause.

Then...

Boom.

A deafening explosion echoed from deep within his body, causing Grey to tremble violently. Blood burst from the cracks in his flesh, only to be healed in the same instant they appeared.

The spirit energy finally found an outlet.

Guided by Grey’s will, it surged forward and poured into the sixth level of Qi Accumulation.

His body felt as though it was being shattered and reforged repeatedly. The pain was overwhelming, but when it finally subsided, the sudden release of pressure brought an indescribable sense of relief.

Breathing steadily, Grey guided the remaining spirit energy to stabilize his cultivation, consolidating his newly attained realm.

Traces of corrosive substance attempted to invade his body, but they were immediately swallowed by his shadow, vanishing without a trace.

Gradually, the vortex above his head dissipated, its energy fully absorbed. The purple lines faded back into his body, and the radiant light around him disappeared. His spirit energy became calm and gentle, just as it was meant to be.

Grey remained seated for several minutes, steadying his breathing.

Then his eyes snapped open, flashing with a sharp purple light.

’Finally... I’ve reached the sixth level of Qi Accumulation.’

As his senses adjusted, Grey took in his surroundings. The interior of his room appeared sleek and refined, beautiful yet modest. Even the acoustics felt oddly pleasant.

With his cultivation advanced, it felt as though a sealed door within the world had been unlocked. His vision sharpened, allowing him to perceive every detail in the room with startling clarity. His hearing had also improved, picking up even the faintest sounds.

Those were only the internal changes.

Externally, the most striking change was his skin.

It was flawless, pure, fair, and smooth, almost delicate enough to rival that of a young lady. It carried a faint luster, so refined that it wouldn’t lose to the captain’s and was already approaching Ange’s natural elegance. If any woman were to see him now, it would be nearly impossible to look away.

His grey eyes had changed as well. The murky haze they once carried was gone, replaced by a bright, clear brilliance that made them seem almost luminous.

As for his grey hair, it appeared ordinary at first glance, but upon closer inspection, it possessed a subtle beauty, flowing more gracefully than before.

Grey was still observing the room when he finally turned his gaze toward the window. Night had already fallen.

Just then, the door opened.

Tyler walked in, followed by the captain and Ange.

The captain maintained his usual calm demeanor, though a trace of surprise flickered in his eyes. Ange, however, froze the moment she noticed the changes in Grey’s appearance. Her face flushed crimson almost instantly.

’How did he become even more... pretty?’

She struggled to tear her gaze away. When their eyes met, Ange nearly fainted. Her cheeks burned as she abruptly turned her head to the side, utterly embarrassed.

Even Tyler wasn’t spared. Her eyes lingered on Grey a second longer than they should have before heat crept up her cheeks.

’He became even more pretty...?’

Flustered, she quickly shifted her gaze to the captain, the only one who seemed relatively composed.

The captain cleared his throat, nodding subtly at Grey’s new appearance.

That simple action snapped the girls out of their daze.

"En," the captain said. "Good. You’ve broken through."

He paused briefly before continuing, "But you’ve spent two whole days in cultivation. The academy’s admission will close in a few hours."

He turned toward the door.

"So let’s get moving."

**☺️😉**