Because the distance from the corroded zone to the scavenger camp was very far, it took several hours and by dusk, Grey had reached the scavenger camp on the map. It was a campsite established by rogue cultivators who had no where to live.
Scavengers were mostly just humans 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 medicinal pills, which was another form of currency.
But staying in a scavenger camp was taking a deadly risk. Everyone here had survived the cruel world and were proficient in scheming against others.
There were no rules in a scavenger camp and anyone could mostly do whatever they want. Weakness in the scavenger camp was just seen as a way to plot against others.
That's why each and every single person who was in the scavenger was a battle veteran and all carried a baleful aura around them.
Grey knew this, so he didn't let down his guard. He had killed a scavenger a few hours ago and knew that if all of them were like that, then he would have to be wary.
The leader of the scavenger camp was in the eight level of Qi accumulation. 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. He suddenly felt several gazes lock unto him that made him feel uncomfortable. His face scrunched up into a frown as his body grew tense.
The camp was very close to another corroded zone. Inside the scavenger camp, he saw several houses. Some made out wood, some made out of stone. While there were even some tents in the area.
In the scavenger camp, there was a hierarchy. The richer you were and the higher your cultivation, the more treatment you would receive.
He also saw various stalls where he could buy the medicinal pills and went to one of them. As he silently stood and waited for the shopkeeper, a young girl as young as him appeared from within. 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 medicinal 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 different. 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.
Grey should have been happy to see someone as young as himself, instead he felt even more tense as more gazes locked unto him. Making him more uncomfortable.
"How much for the Pills." Grey spoke softly but had a frown on his face. Which then made the girl frown.
"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. He was not the best at talking to girls and with the strange senses locking unto him, he was in no mood to chat.
"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 again as she twiddled her fingers and waited for his answer. "No, I live in the corroded zone."
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 am sure you can find a job or two while you are here."
Grey was in thought for a few seconds before giving his answer. "I wil think about it."
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 he transmigrated. And although he didn't dislike the girl, he was suspicions for her reason for helping him. Living in the depths of the corroded zone for several days had made him more cautious.
He would not readily accept someone's help just because of the sheer goodness of their heart.
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 accumulation. 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 with the strange gazes and the outrageous prices, he left with a from 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 Sky Mist art art he was practicing 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 accumulation, so that meant he had three black dots on his wrists.
Grey gave a long sigh and closed his eyes to cultivate. He wanted to break through now.
Because his eyed were closed, he did not see a purple light flickering on his forehead. Afterwards, those purple lines began to spread to his four limbs, creating a network of purple light.
A faint energy undulated as it emitted from Grey's body. This energy originated from his chest where his purple crystal was. Although the energy was faint and feeble, it was real.
Grey suddenly felt a nourishing power as the purple lines continued to let out purple light.
He swallowed several medicinal 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.
The spirit energy in his body reached full capacity and suddenly burst out like a dam.
A loud bang erupted in his mind and he opened his eyes and a faint purple light illuminated in its depths.
The purple lines and light on his body then faded away when he stopped circulating his spirit energy.
'Fourth level of Qi Accumulation.'