Austin had hidden the gnome in Violet's Illusion Bead since the time he had managed to flee Ghost Valley.
Staying in the Illusion Bead for such a long time had bored the little creature to no end. Upset at the confinement, it was complaining to Austin about this inhumane treatment.
To appease the gnome, Austin took two crystals that contained dense vital energy, from the Space Ring, and handed them to it. Letting out a cheerful cry, the gnome gulped the crystals down in no time.
Gnome made a noise and pointed at the valley.
Austin understood that the gnome wanted to stretch its legs and stroll around. Nodding, he asked it not to go too far, and then let it out to play.
As the gnome vanished into thin air, Austin retrieved a powerful crystal and began cultivating his spiritual sense.
Violet entered the Illusion Bead, convinced that her cultivating speed could increase while in there.
Half an hour later, Austin had absorbed the energy of the first powerful crystal and felt that the reach of his spiritual sense had extended fifty meters.
Austin wasted no time refining the second powerful crystal.
Then the third.
The fourth.
The fifth.
The sixth.
... ...
The stronger his spiritual sense was, the faster Austin could absorb the energy of these powerful crystals.
At first, it took him approximately half an hour to refine a crystal. But as time passed, he could absorb the energy of three to four crystals in thirty minutes.
During this process, his spiritual sense grew increasingly powerful.
3100 meters.
3200 meters.
3300 meters.
3400 meters.
... ...
4000 meters.
...
5000 meters.
...
6000 meters.
Two days later, Austin's spiritual sense's reach had doubled. He could detect everything that was happening within 6000 meters.
...
Austin believed that his spiritual sense was now higher than most cultivators at the premium stage of Mysterious Real
oo much vital energy in the Outstanding Talents Exchange Games.
Meanwhile, Austin activated his spiritual sense from time to time to keep an eye on the gnome. And every time, the scene left him speechless.
The gnome had found many rare elixirs and eaten them without a second thought. By now, Austin could tell that the value of the elixirs that the gnome had eaten was equivalent to a million vital energy crystals.
'What a lavish little creature!' he thought wistfully.
Besides, Austin also discovered that the gnome was particular about its food. When it found its favorite, it would eat it all, and as to those costly rare herbs, it only took a few bites and then threw the rest away.
Austin's heart bled every time he saw this through his spiritual sense.
Soon, he stopped bothering with checking on the gnome.
Two days later, Austin felt that he had made some progress in Using the Wind, the third stage of the Wind-commanding Skill.
Now, each of his strides was 200 meters long.
There were two days to go for the Outstanding Talents Exchange Games to start.
Austin summoned the gnome after finishing his cultivation and hid it in Violet's Illusion Bead before heading back to imperial capital city.
A couple of hours later, he was back at Reuben's residence.