All the while, Grey did not notice anything amiss.
His expression remained calm and detached as he cultivated, his breathing steady and rhythmic. However, from time to time, he would open his eyes by the slightest crack and instinctively glance toward the core of the ancient structures. Every time he did, his body would shudder almost imperceptibly, as though reacting to something his conscious mind refused to acknowledge.
Time flowed by slowly.
Three more hours passed in silence. By this point, under the continuous recovery effect of the purple crystal, Grey's ears had fully healed, and his sense of hearing returned. The distant howls of the fog creatures, the low hum of the land itself, and even the subtle pulse of spiritual energy re-entered his perception.
His eyes, however, were still blind.
