Birth of the Demonic Sword

Elder Hope began to slow down after she felt the two pairs of gazes fixed on her, she then turned only to say one word before continuing to fly at full speed.

"Later."

Elder Laurel wore an excited gaze when she understood that she was about to receive an explanation from their leader and even the other two elders nodded at her while wearing smiles.

"Was this a plan of some sort?"

Noah asked when he realized that all the elders were paying attention to his conversation, he couldn't help but feel that he had been used in some way.

"Sorry, Prince, you are the most promising cultivator of the Hive, no one in our organization will ever deny you an explanation that could benefit your power. We just thought that it would be better if such an explanation happened where we can listen."

Elder Laurel spoke and Noah understood that the three elders had planned to use him to obtain pointers from a heroic cultivator in the liquid stage.

'Well, that was unexpected.'

Noah thought as he put the matter in the back of his mind, he didn't really care how the others used him as long as he gained something out of it, he just forced himself to remember that the people around him weren't only more experienced but had also lived for far longer than him, his first life didn't give him any advantage over the wisdom of his companions.

The group moved for a few more days until Elder Hope stopped again a did a quick inspection of their surroundings before speaking to the rest of them.

"We have surpassed the northern shore, we need to go south for another month before we can safely reach our destination."

The Hive's target was the southwestern shore, the territories on the opposite side of the three big nations' encampments.

To put it simply, they were flying over the sea around the piece of Immortal Lands, moving around the new continent to avoid the territories already under the control of the forces of the continent.

"Now, I'll try to solve some of your doubts about the heroic ranks but remember that I'm only one step ahead of you, it's more than likely that the Prince will surpass me in no time since he has already created his cultivation technique."

Elder Hope spoke again and a series of heated gazes went on her after her words, the elders almost stopped breathing as they waited for her explanation.

Noah wasn't an exception, his eyes focused on the leader of his group, he was interested in what she had to say.

"In the human ranks, a cultivator simply absorbs "Breath" to elevate its power, ultimately reaching the heroic ranks when it is considered an independent entity, a sort of unique being."

Elder Hope began her explanation from the beginning of the cultivation journey, Elder Laurel nodded at her words, she seemed the most interested of the group.

"Once becoming an entity, the cultivator must enhance its individuality. To put it simply, it has to pave its personal path toward the higher ranks or it won't have the power to absorb the "Breath" that carries the laws of Heaven and Earth."

Noah nodded in his mind at those words, Chasing Demon had given him a similar explanation during their first encounter and even Divine Demon had hinted that.

"This can be achieved in two different ways in the early stages of the heroic ranks but, toward the more advanced ranks, succeeding in both of those ways will be required to improve. You can either understand the laws of your element that suit you or create a cultivation technique."

'So, I can't only improve the Black hole cultivation technique, I will even need some sort of understanding of the darkness element as my rank grows.'

Noah quickly sorted that information in his mind and looked at his companions, disappointed looks could be seen on their faces.

"Prince, I must say that you are exceptional."

Elder Hope interrupted Noah's thoughts with her words and continued to speak.

"Most heroic cultivators rely on techniques created by others to improve but cultivating in that way will eventually taint your individuality and endanger your future prospects, this is the main reason why many elders have chosen to remain in the gaseous stage rather than taking the easy path. Yet, you are already walking on your personal path, I believe you won't require any kind of insight about your element to reach the fifth rank. Of course, I advise you to start studying your element as soon as possible."

Elder Hope then pointed at herself before revealing something about her cultivation.

"I have yet to create a cultivation technique but my understanding of the wind element allowed me to reach the liquid stage rather quickly even though I'm using a technique created by someone else. I can only say that my individuality matches the laws of the wind element that concern the sound."

Silence fell on the group of cultivators standing in the air, Noah quickly analyzed the leader's words before asking his question.

"Your understanding of the element improves your cultivation speed but your individuality will eventually be tainted if you keep using a technique created by someone else. I guess the same goes for the opposite approach, am I right?"

Elder Hope smiled before nodding and asking a rhetorical question.

"How can you bend the laws to your will if you don't know their meaning?"

Mental energy entered the inscriptions on the walls of Noah's mental sphere and fueled the Divine deduction technique, Noah was trying to ask the questions that would give him the best understanding of the matter.

Then, he asked a question that had bothered him since he first spoke with a citizen of the Empire.

"What is a God?"

The elders around him were surprised by that question but Elder Hope revealed a surprised expression as her gaze went to the sky above the clouds.

"I've pondered a lot about this too. A peak heroic cultivator should express its individuality through the laws that suit it and express their power through its cultivation technique, meaning that a God must be a being made of its own laws."

Noah raised his eyes at the sky too after her words, the reflection of the stars that he had seen in the academy reappeared in his eyes as his mind wandered.

"What is there after godhood?"

Noah asked again, even the other elders raised their gazes on the sky above the clouds at that moment.

Elder Hope thought for a while before expressing her opinion.

"I guess Heaven and Earth."