Noah was unaware of the conversation of the disciples in the residential area but he didn't care much about it.

He had always been a loner, with few exceptions when it came to people that managed to become important in his life.

Yet, Lily was dead, William served the Balvan family, June was in the Utra country, and he had left Nina to search for better cultivation resources, the few relations.h.i.+ps that he managed to build seemed to always conflict with his ambition.

'Cultivation is a long and lonely journey, even the heirs of the large-size n.o.ble family will eventually exhaust the support that their family can give them.'

Those words resounded in Noah's mind as he went for the mission's building.

The image of the disciples happily feasting in the residential area was still on his mind, he could clearly see how the majority of them were still unaware of the true nature of the cultivation world.

It couldn't be helped, Noah had really seen too much, his many misadventures only empowered his natural cold demeanor.

'I guess there is no need to rush, I will just focus on acc.u.mulating merit points, I will eventually learn to know someone. I am a member of the sect after all, I will spend a lot of time here.'

Noah had always been used to exploit the various organizations that he came in contact with.

However, at that time, he was a proper disciple, he needed to work for the greater good of the sect.

'I would have completely avoided joining any organization if cultivation resources weren't so hard to obtain. Well, the Chasing demon sect has offered me good conditions in the end.'

He was satisfied with his current status.

The sect, as an underground organization, provided cover to his ident.i.ty and it didn't hinder his progress in any way.

The only thing that Noah had to give in return was some mission every few months which didn't bother him at all.

The mission's building appeared in his eyes and he went directly for the first floor, where cultivators in the second rank were.

The usual envious gazes were shot at him but Noah didn't even look at the others in the room as he pressed his palm on the formation on the surface of the desk.

The list of resources suitable for the rank of his dantian appeared in his mind and he calmly sorted out those that were useful to him.

Earth pills and, their improved version, Yellow-Earth pills helped the dantian in the breakthroughs between the three stages of a rank but Noah's mental sphere was too strong, he didn't need any external help.

Curative and situational potions and pills were also useless, Noah had stashed far more of those medicines than needed, he wouldn't waste merit points for them.

There were rank 4 martial arts but their prices were exorbitant, Noah guessed that he had to spend months doing a.s.sa.s.sination missions only to gather the necessary points for one of them.

The spells listed on that floor were in the second rank at best, they couldn't increase Noah's battle prowess since he was already a rank 3 mage, using them would probably limit his power instead.

'I should wait for when I gain access to the next floor for the expensive purchases, now I should just stabilize my situation.'

He willed and a list of pills and potions remained in his mind.

'These should all have beneficial effects on the dantian, it's better to have them and pair them with my new cultivation technique.'

The Dantian's opening put his center of power under heavy stress.

It couldn't be helped, unorthodox techniques were famous for their fast results but they were also known for their unusual and dangerous practices.

The Forging of the Seven h.e.l.ls had allowed Noah to obtain a rank 3 body without the help of a dantian but he had to risk his life every time he underwent the procedures.

In the same way, the Dantian's opening increased the speed at which his dantian improved because it directly poured "Breath" in its insides and it exploited the suction force of the preexisting cultivation technique to further increase the enlarging speed.

However, the price to pay was a wounded dantian.

Noah had chosen that technique over the improved Dark vortex because he preferred a fast cultivation over a safe and steady one and because he was confident in the healing capabilities of his body.

Yet, he couldn't help but worry about the long-term repercussions that his center of power might eventually suffer.

That's why Noah was looking for resources that specifically targeted the dantian.

'Heaven pill, Purple seaweed potion, Heat-refining pill… The sect sure has a good variety for even if doesn't match the academy.'

Noah read the descriptions of the many items and ultimately went for the most expensive ones, he wouldn't be stingy when it came to his centers of power.

'Sea snake's tears, this is the most expensive potion in the field. It says that it has great curative effects on the dantian and that it also helps in strengthening its walls. It should be perfect.'

Noah memorized the price and moved toward the pillar where the missions were affixed.

'I should avoid those that require the gathering of information, they are the longest and the less remunerative ones. I should aim for those that concern threats and bribes and do the a.s.sa.s.sination ones on if necessary.'

Noah didn't want to gather too much attention to himself.

He was always careful whenever he made a move but the a.s.sa.s.sination missions were the most valued ones in the sect, which meant that they had more repercussions on the archipelago.

Noah didn't want to become the target of some legal organization or end up in a trap.

Under the gaze of the other disciples, he registered for five missions that needed for him to threaten certain cultivators that had positions that the Hive could exploit.

Then he moved toward the matrixes that would teleport him on the island where his first target was.