Birth of the Demonic Sword

The short period spent inside King Elbas' mansion couldn't give Noah a complete understanding of his new power. Even the battles that had followed the breakthroughs could only make him rely on old techniques that used more power since he didn't have the chance and ability to test new skills.

The void could be the best place to test abilities due to the lack of things to destroy. However, the absence of energy made it the worst environment where to develop new techniques.

Noah's next targets were the stormy regions, and he couldn't approach them unprepared. His current level would allow him to survive there if he behaved carefully. Yet, the rank 9 resources were the real reason behind his d.e.s.i.r.e to approach the areas filled by chaotic laws.

Noah had to arrive in the stormy regions with enough confidence to hunt rank 9 creatures. His only proper experiences against existences at that level came from the void, but he had the backing of his entire group there. Those victories didn't mean much.

A silent understanding spread through the black landmass while the various factions started thriving and the leaders trained in almost complete solitude. The exploration of the stormy regions usually was a mission that existences near on into the ninth rank approached on their own, but Noah's team was an exception in that sense.

It was almost impossible for a normal organization to have multiple experts ready for the journey across the stormy regions. However, Heaven and Earth's Cancer rarely fit common standards, especially when it came to the battle prowess of its members.

Noah's force had multiple existences capable of deploying peak rank 8 battle prowess. Even most of the magical beasts could accomplish such a feat. In theory, he could recreate the group who had explored the void and bring it to the stormy region to start another journey.

Still, he liked the idea of having a relatively solitary experience. Noah accepted that exploring the stormy regions with a small group was better than doing that alone, but he didn't want to bring an entire army there.

Those thoughts appeared and disappeared in his mind whenever he moved from a project to another. The peculiar state of the world often forced Noah to leave the black landmass to perform tests among the white emptiness, so he found himself with a lot of time to consider his options.

His training was going poorly. His advancements were almost non-existent. His body appeared unable to grow without rank 9 materials, and he was unable to hunt peak rank 8 creatures because the world didn't have them.

The hunger couldn't take control of his mind, but it was an annoying feeling that fused with his helplessness toward his centers of power. Even his dantian showed almost no signs of improvements after spending centuries feeding on the energy of the landmass. It almost felt as if the organ ate that fuel only out of necessity.

Only his mind gave him some satisfaction. Noah had stopped using protections against the white halo for millennia already. His mental sphere lived under constant internal and external pressure, which only benefited the center of power.

The ninth rank was still far away, but it wasn't a dream anymore when Noah looked at his sea of consciousness. The peak of the cultivation journey appeared right behind the corner, and Noah couldn't help but review his life whenever he thought about that.

His journey had been shorter than others but still incredibly long. Many existences encountered on his path were dead, and most of those who had survived had remained behind.

Everything felt unreal when Noah thought about that. He had been nothing more than a transmigrated soul, but he had arrived right below the ultimate battlefield. He had become so crucial that Heaven and Earth had started to teach his name to their followers.

"The bastard of the Balvan family has gone far," June commented when Noah talked to her about his nostalgic thoughts. "Life inside the Mortal Lands was easier. We had our issues, but they were nothing compared to the complete destruction of the world."

"I wonder how much of ourselves we lost along the way," Noah wondered. "I remember almost everything, but some things barely have any value at this point. I have gone from carrying "Breath" blessings in my space-ring to stealing entire lower worlds from Heaven and Earth's system."

"I remember that too!" June exclaimed before exploding into a loud laugh. "You were so addicted to your training schedule that you delayed your own breakthroughs."

"You have taught me how to rest," Noah exclaimed while looking at his lover.

"I did," June snorted. "Right before you left me for hundreds of years."

The two joked around while recalling the past, and they could only heave complicated sighs when they inspected their current situation. It was hard to find the happiest period of their lives when they had gone through so much.

"We have spent so many millennia together in the Immortal Lands," June eventually announced. "Even our love has grown old."

"You still don't lose the chance to jump on me whenever you can," Noah commented and gave voice to a laugh when he felt June's kick landing on his side.

"I was talking about maturity, you cultivation maniac," June snorted. "I know that you will leave again and that I'll have to search for you this time, but I don't feel bad about it. I even consider it normal."

"I might have left you behind too often," Noah commented, but June shook her head.

"That was our agreement," June explained. "We are both maniacs among maniacs. Our love would have turned into hatred if we let it hinder our cultivation journey. The many separations actually made me become more confident in my ability. I know that I'll catch up with you."

"Don't you dare remaining behind," Noah scoffed before his eyes lost themselves into the black wall in front of him. "Daniel said that he wouldn't catch up with us."

"He is right," June exclaimed. "His character has always been unsuitable for the cultivation journey. Faith is the same. She has almost given up to pursue higher ranks."

"What about the Demons?" Noah asked. "I thought they would have done something more after finding their Master."

June still talked with those experts often, while Noah barely stopped to nourish his friendsh.i.p.s anymore. His status and many important tasks made him too busy and too detached from those matters.

"Dreaming Demon told me something," June revealed while diverting her gaze, "But you can't speak with Flying Demon about it. You would ruin them."

"I won't," Noah replied.

"She can advance already," June continued. "Dreaming Demon told me that the understanding of her law could make her advance and land right below my level."

"I bet the same doesn't go for Flying Demon," Noah sighed, and the faint sadness that had appeared in his mind spread when she saw June nodding.

"His law is too murky to advance," June revealed. "Reaching the eighth rank has already been a miracle. His devotion toward his lover has made him able to advance and follow her closely, but that power has reached its limits."

"And Dreaming Demon is willing to ruin her potential to remain with him," Noah concluded.

"They are a beautiful couple," June sighed. "A beautiful couple of idiots."

"That's their path," Noah commented. "They have chosen how to live. It's not bad."

"It isn't bad," June added. "It's just sad."

Noah could only agree with her on that point. It was rare for couples to survive the cultivation journey due to the many hindrances and differences in potential issues that could appear.

Noah and June had been lucky enough to see their very opposite making a decision they would never accept if they were in their shoes. Both of them could understand the Demons, but they still disagreed with their decision. Yet, they could only feel sad about their situation.