As Grey and the captain walked down the bustling streets of Sky Mist City, memories from his past began to surface. The sharp scent of medicinal herbs lingered in the air, pulling his gaze toward a small shop he used to frequent. It was a modest establishment, a place where he would purchase poisonous herbs and rare medicinal plants. For a moment, Grey was tempted to enter, but then he felt a pang of realization. He was acutely aware of the state of his wallet, a sobering reminder of his financial limitations. With a sigh, he redirected his attention and continued walking alongside the captain.

They passed by a familiar restaurant where Grey used to have breakfast before heading to the Detective Agency Department. The smell of freshly baked pastries and sizzling meat wafted from the establishment, momentarily stirring a sense of nostalgia within him. But as quickly as the thought came, he pushed it aside. The city was changing, and so was he. Life had moved on.

After half an hour of walking through the heart of Sky Mist, Grey finally caught sight of the imposing building known as the Detective Agency Department. It stood tall and silent, its dark stone façade exuding an aura of foreboding. As Grey observed the people around him, he noticed how normal citizens would instinctively shudder at the sight of the building, while cultivators would make a deliberate effort to avoid it altogether. It was a place that inspired fear and respect in equal measure, and as he walked closer, Grey couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholic reflection wash over him.

The Detective Agency was a place of dark secrets and heavy responsibility. Grey had spent some amount of time in its shadow and has experienced the Detective Agency's might, and now, as he walked its familiar halls once more, he couldn't help but wonder how much longer it would remain the same.

Entering the building with the captain, they were greeted by a few cold and indifferent stares. The air felt heavy with tension as their footsteps echoed across the marble floors. However, once their identities were recognized, the atmosphere shifted slightly. A few colleagues, members of the Agency, gave brief nods or muttered quiet greetings to Grey, acknowledging him as the Vice-Captain of Division Yellow. Violet, his Captain, received similar treatment, though her icy and stern demeanor left little room for further conversation.

The new recruits, still wide-eyed and uncertain, remained silent, not yet familiar with the faces that roamed the halls of the Detective Agency. Grey found himself momentarily distracted by the lack of experienced agents. The war with the Devil's race had taken a heavy toll on the Agency, and the scarcity of members only reinforced his concerns about the state of things.

'It must be because of the war,' Grey mused inwardly. 'The rewards being offered are generous, enough to lure anyone with even a hint of greed. And with the way the Detective Agency operates, I'd be surprised if many didn't choose to fight in the war instead. The risk is high, but the rewards are greater still.'

The thought of the war had occupied his mind ever since he received the first transmission from his Jade slip. After emerging from the spatial tear that led them back from the Pocket Dimension, Grey had been bombarded with a series of messages, most of them from Ange and Zayne, some from Sylvia, and a few regarding the ongoing war and its associated rewards.

At first, the thought of joining the war had been tempting. The rewards were tantalizing, and for a moment, Grey considered rushing back to Sky Mist to participate. But then reality set in. The war had already been raging for over two months. Many of the best rewards would have already been claimed by the time he arrived, and Grey doubted that there would still be any openings for Qi Accumulation cultivators. The battlefield was now the domain of Foundation Establishment and Spirit Core cultivators. Even Nascent Soul cultivators could not be excluded.

Grey paused at his office door and glanced at the captain, who gave him a knowing look. They had both seen enough to understand the stakes. Once inside his office, Grey closed the door and took a seat behind his desk. He leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes for a brief moment of quiet contemplation.

His Jade slip buzzed, pulling him back to the present. With a sigh, he checked the message. It was an update on his salary for the month: thirty spirit stones.

Grey let out a quiet chuckle, his lips curling into a bitter smile. Thirty spirit stones. That was his entire salary. It was enough to buy a few low-tier resources, but nowhere near enough to repair his magic ship, let alone upgrade it. The amount was laughable when compared to the resources he would need to advance his cultivation. He had known that the salary wouldn't be much—cultivators in the second continent always had to scrape by, constantly searching for ways to fund their training and maintain their resources.

Yet despite the meager pay, Grey wasn't angry. He understood the world he lived in. This was Sky Mist, and life here was never easy. Cultivation resources were rare, and even when one was fortunate enough to acquire them, they were difficult to keep. In this harsh environment, survival required more than just talent. It required resourcefulness, determination, and the ability to make difficult choices. Sky Mist's disciples were trained to thrive in adversity, to rise above the hardships and push forward despite the odds.

'With that in mind, they will grow up to become decisive, cold-hearted killers!' Grey said inwardly.

'This thirty spirit stones is nothing compared to what a cultivator truly needs,' Grey thought to himself, running a hand through his slightly long grey hair. 'But this is how Sky Mist operates. Each disciple is pushed to their limits, forced to get involved in the larger world in some way, whether they want to or not. It's a system that benefits the city, but it also benefits the cultivators in the long run. Only those who are willing to risk it all will survive and grow stronger.'

Grey sighed once more, shaking his head as if to clear the weight of his thoughts. 'Cultivation was never easy, but that's what makes it worth pursuing. Power is not something you can obtain casually. You have to sweat, bleed, and struggle to earn it.'

As he sat there, the weight of the thirty spirit stones seemed less significant. There were bigger challenges ahead, the first issue was obviously his slow cultivation.

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