The atmosphere outside the corroded zone was calm and relaxed. The brutal battle with the black steel wolves was over, and a hard-won peace had settled over the group. Because of his impressive performance, Grey was given more recognition. The other team members would occasionally add him to their conversations, a sign that they had truly accepted him into their ranks. Most of the time, Grey didn't know what to say, so he would simply stay quiet, sometimes answering with a simple "En." The team seemed to have acknowledged him as someone who could hold his own in a fight, a peer rather than a helpless dependent.
Everyone was feeling calm and relaxed, but the captain always had his calm expression on his face. And while it looked like he was relaxed, his ears would twitch occasionally, and his eyes would dart in the darkness. He was clearly on a vigilant lookout, a natural habit born from years of being the protector. Under the watchful eye of the captain, the night passed without any problems.
In the morning, Luo brought out several steaming buns from her storage bag and passed one to everyone. The buns were the size of Grey's fists, and they were very fluffy and delicious. He finished one in a few bites, savoring the simple pleasure, and decided to save the other one for later. After they finished eating, they continued their march towards the scavenger camp. In five hours, they could see the faint outline of the camp in the distance.
But as they got closer, Grey saw something strange: several convoys of sleek, futuristic vehicles were parked outside the scavenger camp. These convoys looked like cars but they ran on spirit stones, so naturally, they were called spirit cars. The captain's expression turned stern, and he walked even faster. Soon, they reached the convoys of cars parked near the entrance. It was quite weird to see such advanced technology in this remote place. The corroded zone they had just come from was once a small city, but after being struck by the "God's Blinding Radiance," its entire structure changed, and spirit technology had largely failed because of the pervasive corrosive substance. To see working spirit cars here was a shock.
'Hm, this is my first time seeing spirit cars,' Grey thought inwardly, his eyes following the captain. 'I wonder who is inside?'
The rest of the cohort also decided to stay back, their vigilant expressions returning as they watched from a distance.
A Fated Meeting
When the captain was less than five feet away, the door of the lead spirit car opened with a hiss of compressed air, and someone stepped out. It was an old man, and the spiritual fluctuations radiating from him could be felt by Grey and the others even from their distance. The energy was so strong that it caused a low rumbling in their minds, their breathing turning labored and their hearts hammering in their chests. Their faces paled, and they all staggered back, a primal fear seizing them.
'This feeling… This can only come from…' Grey's mind refused to process the truth, his brain shutting down in an attempt to protect itself. 'This is…' he started, but Zuro, who had a bit more experience with powerful cultivators, finished the thought for him.
"A cultivator at the Foundation Establishment realm!" he gasped, his voice barely a whisper. The moment the words left his mouth, everyone's pale faces turned even paler. The old man didn't even have to release his aura; his very presence was enough to shock the minds of Qi Accumulation experts.
The captain, who was the target of the old man's gaze, staggered back by a few steps and coughed up a mouthful of blood. His face was ashen, but the expression on it was one of utter madness and determination. He took a single step forward, and his own aura instantly erupted, a defiant surge of power that pushed back against the oppressive presence. In the face of the old man's indifferent gaze, the captain's eyes burned with a fire of madness and unwavering resolve. He took one step after the other, closing the five-foot distance between them. He then raised his head and looked straight into the eyes of the old man.
He felt his mind rumble and shake under the immense power, but he didn't take his gaze away. His eyes turned bloodshot, and the blood vessels in his forehead bulged. In the end, the old man took his gaze away and sheepishly rubbed his nose. He then turned to the captain, and the subtle aura he emanated immediately dissipated.
"It's good that you haven't lost your edge," the old man said, a slight smile on his lips. "I thought as the leader of this dump, you would have lost some of your spunk!"
'What in the world is happening!?' Grey wasn't the only one with this thought. The rest of the team also looked shocked, their faces a mixture of confusion and disbelief.
"Sir Sebastian… What are you doing here?" the captain's voice was hoarse and grated, as if it had been put through a grinder. His slightly long hair, which was tied in a small bun, fluttered slightly in the wind.
"Hmmph, can't I come and see you again?" the old man, Sir Sebastian, said, slowly walking towards the captain and standing over him. Despite his old appearance, he was as tall as the captain, and with the captain's back bent slightly forward, he was looking down at him. The captain was silent, not lifting his head, as if he feared meeting the gaze of the old man.
"Okay, to be truthful, I'm here because your exile has ended, and I've come to invite you back," Sir Sebastian said, his voice dropping to a low, serious tone.
The captain was still silent and did not say anything, but his gaze was still directed at the floor.
"I can't…" the captain's voice was barely a whisper.
"Oh, why is that?" Sir Sebastian had a surprised expression on his face. Clearly, this was not what he was expecting.
"I have responsibilities here, and I cannot leave," the captain replied, his voice a little stronger this time.
"Oh, is that so? Whatever. When can I be expecting you?" Sir Sebastian shrugged, as if the captain's responsibilities meant nothing to him.
"In a few months at most," the captain said. He had regained his cool and finally raised his head. On his usually calm face, Grey could see a new expression… regret.
"Okay, see you then. Don't keep the sect master waiting, though," Sir Sebastian said, then turned his back and entered the spirit car. The engines started with a low rumble, and the convoys drove off into the distance, leaving only a cloud of dust behind. The scavenger camp had been visited by a storm, and only now did the people begin to feel the aftershocks.