The residential area of the rank 3 cultivators was placed near the center of the sect, the matrixes in that area led to the islands that were more important to the sect or toward those that were more valued by the representatives of the continent.

Rank 3 cultivators were the most powerful a.s.set in the human ranks, of course they would be a.s.signed in the areas connected to the high-value zones.

Noah had only gone once in that area when Roy accompanied him on the tour of the sect.

The density of the "Breath" there was far higher, it even surpa.s.sed that of Noah's cave when his "Breath" blessing was placed on the ground.

'I bet that the concentration of "Breath" inside the caves surpa.s.ses even that generated by the big boulder that I found in the Royal Inheritance… If only I could train here.'

Noah's mind wandered as he thought about that.

That area was specifically created for cultivators in the third rank, their dantian was stronger, they could withstand such density.

Noah had personally tested the aftereffects of cultivating in an area unsuitable for his cultivation level: he had to take a long period of rest after the events in the Royal Inheritance and his dantian was so stressed that his breakthrough to the second rank had been delayed because of that.

'Now that I think about it, I've really been reckless at that time. If I hadn't shared that "Breath" between my body and dantian, I might have had harsher repercussions.'

Noah thought as he reviewed those past events.

'Well, I was still in the same nation of the Balvan family, I needed to become stronger as fast as I could. Now I'm doing the same but at least I'm learning to control myself.'

Noah desired power over everything, his entire life was built on that pure pursuit.

That's why he found it hard to control himself whenever a chance to accelerate his growth appeared, methods to quickly improve the cultivation level were everyone's dream and Noah wasn't an exception, he yearned for those even more than other cultivators.

Yet, as time pa.s.sed, he learned that there weren't shortcuts when it came to the cultivation journey.

Heaven and Earth were fair, they would always place a price next to such methods.

Even if Noah was to obtain a cave in the residential area of the cultivators in the third rank, he would probably avoid cultivating there, he won't use it as a stable training spot at least.

A stable growth was always the best option, unorthodox techniques pushed their pract.i.tioners to the limit already, anything that surpa.s.sed them would only create more harm than good.

Noah spotted Roy as soon as he entered the residential area, he waved his hand, gesturing to near him.

An open cave was behind him, Noah could sense that there were other people inside it but he couldn't understand their cultivation level.

'Rank 3 mages.'

He immediately reached that conclusion, the only beings that could hide from his investigation were mages with a stronger mental sphere than his and he didn't believe that cultivators in the heroic ranks would be interested in him.

Roy entered the cave when Noah reached him, he waited for him to enter before closing the entrance.

The outside light was blocked but the same purple halo illuminated the insides of the cave, Noah could clearly make out the contents of the large room that filled the main hall.

The cave was large and had many rooms, it was far more luxurious than Noah's one.

A few beds and a large table were placed on the ground, six cultivators could be seen sitting around the table and they began to inspect Noah as soon as he became visible.

Noah didn't falter under those powerful gazes, his mental waves fought the probing of the external forces, managing to hide some of his power.

The cultivators' eyes widened before they nodded enthusiastically, their interest rose when they saw that Noah could really defend against their minds.

Roy pointed a chair and Noah followed his silent order, he sat there, on the opposite side of the other cultivators.

Then, Roy sat between him and the others, he was acting as a mediator, his position on the table was a sign of that status.

"Let's start with a few clarifications."

Roy began to speak as a few servants bought wine and food, he continued only after they left.

"This is my cave, we are on neutral ground so your status can't be used to suppress the representatives of the other factions."

He eyed the other cultivators before he pointed at Noah.

"Zach is a cultivator in the solid stage of the second rank but also a rank 3 mage. This achievement alone speaks for his talent so obtaining him will surely add a rank 3 cultivator to the ranks of your faction in the future."

Noah listened to Roy's words and a.n.a.lyzed them as he gazed at the reactions of the representatives.

'They were willing to set up a meeting only because they were sure that I will enter the third rank of the dantian, I don't believe that they would go through this process with every member of their faction.'

The biggest obstacle in the breakthroughs between ranks was the control that a cultivator had on the process.

To succeed, the cultivator had to contain the impurities expelled by the solid "Breath" and use them to improve its dantian, a great amount of concentration was needed.

If the dantian didn't manage to improve its qualitative form because too many impurities escaped its walls, then the breakthrough would fail, heavily injuring the cultivator in the process.

However, Noah's mind was far stronger than his dantian, there was virtually no chance that he would fail in the breakthrough.

That's why the envoys and Roy were so sure that he would enter the third rank in the future and that it was better to make him join a faction now rather than then.

"Zach, however, isn't his real name. His real ident.i.ty is that of Noah Balvan, I'm sure that some of you are already aware of that name."

Roy suddenly revealed that information, Noah could feel six surprised gazes staring at him with even more intensity than before.