Since the Yin body was a body-nouris.h.i.+ng method specific for the darkness element, it was obvious that the absorbed "Breath" would be of that same element.

The Seven h.e.l.ls method didn't distinguish between them and had freely stored "Breath" of various types but, with the new method, that "Breath" had become a hindrance for the advancement of the body.

The dark gas slowly filled his body, lowering its temperature.

Noah endured the coldness and pushed the new "Breath" toward the dantian.

The dantian then refined the gas and dispersed it through his skeletal system.

His bones began to emit a soft aura that slowly nourished the other parts of his body.

'So that's how it feels like to use a method that requires the dantian.'

The refinement of the dantian was necessary for the process to render the cold "Breath" absorbed by his acupoint harmless.

If his body tried to directly a.s.similate it, it would create a great deal of damage.

Noah continued to practice in the Yin body for the rest of the night, trying to automate the procedure.

When the sun rose, ending the night, Noah had managed to use two of his seven acupoints for the absorption part.

He stood up and felt the "Breath" acc.u.mulated in his bones slowly nouris.h.i.+ng his body.

It was a cold sensation but Noah didn't feel the slightest uneasiness.

Conversely, he was feeling his body becoming stronger!

'Such a long time has pa.s.sed since I last trained my body. It feels good.'

He smiled enjoying the sensation of his strengthening.

'Never mind the battle prowess, I will become used to my new techniques anyway during the real battle cla.s.s. Right now, I should focus on increasing the level of my centers of power before wasting time in some useless missions for the academy.'

That's what he did in the free week before the beginning of the lessons.

The day was reserved for the Kesier rune and his martial art while the night was spent trying to cultivate together dantian and body through his two techniques.

When the free week ended and Noah exited his lodging, his usual aura seemed even colder and his skin was pale but not in an unhealthy way.

As he moved toward the building, he noticed that the streets of the academy were crowded with young students that he had never seen before.

"It seems that the test period is usually break-time for the students. They were all back in their families or away doing missions for the academy."

June arrived behind him and solved his doubts.

She had even larger eyebags than last week but her eyes seemed more focused.

"I didn't see you two for an entire week, don't tell me that you spent all that time cultivating!"

Ruth arrived with her brother.

The answer to her question was quite obvious seeing the aspect of Noah and June.

"You should enjoy life more! We are young and talented, we can't waste our best years like this!"

June shook his head and snorted while Noah limited himself to look ahead of him.

'Enjoy life? I don't even know when the Balvan family will find me.'

Rhys' face appeared in his mind and some of his suppressed emotions were kindled again.

'I bet that daddy is pretty desperate about Fabian disappearance. What a pity, I'm way too weak to make a move against a medium-size n.o.ble family.'

Some traces of killing intent began to be exuded from his figure.

However, before anyone near him could notice it, a big commotion invaded one of the streets near his position.

Tens of students surrounded a tall man of about nineteen years old.

He had short silver hair and a slender body.

A warm smile was on his face as he greeted those that came to welcome him.

His aura too was warm and fiery which improved his figure in the eyes of the others.

Ruth suppressed an excited scream and whispered to June.

"That man is Daniel! The prodigy of the Uyde family! It is said that not only his family is one of the wealthiest among the large-size n.o.ble families, he is also the strongest student in the academy! Think about it, he has the record in the hunting entrance tests with one hundred and ten Earth lizards killed!"

June was speechless and pointed at Noah behind her.

"But he broke that record."

June didn't hold her voice so all the students near her heard what she said.

Whispers began to resound between the various groups of students until, eventually, those words arrived at the youths surrounding Daniel.

"Someone broke Lord Daniel's record? Hump, I bet he was fighting ants!"

"But I heard that they were Ice-born Yetis, their strength is quite similar to the Earth lizards."

"Nonsense. And even if they did that, Lord Daniel was less than seventeen when he did that accomplishment! We must all remember that."

"But this Vance is not even sixteen apparently."

"…"

Silence reined on the streets and June sensed a cold stare on her back.

She turned and saw Noah looking at her with the same gaze that he had back when they fought.

"I'm sorry, ok? I'll make up for this at some point. I just don't think much about the consequences of my actions."

She bowed while saying these words.

Noah felt like an old man scolding a child and sighed loudly while ma.s.saging his temples.

However, some stares and gestures that pointed at him had already begun to appear between the students.

He then felt a scorching gaze on him and turned his head in that direction.

His eyes inevitably crossed Daniel's ones and they stared at each other for a whole minute.

Noah felt that Daniel's nature was completely different from his, he could not explain why.

It was more of an instinct rather than a sensation.

'Is he stronger than me? Well, he is at least three years older.'

Noah felt that Daniel's strength was slightly above his, he wasn't sure that he could beat him.

After their stares, Daniel began to speak.

"So, you must be Vance! Why don't you join me and my friends for a drink? Oh, you can bring your group too, the more the merrier!"

Daniel's smile began even brighter as he gently asked that.

Ruth turned to look at Noah with an eager expression but he answered immediately before any plead reached his ears.

"No, I have a lesson now."

After these words, he walked toward his appointed building between the amazed gazes of the other students.