The words conveyed through the consciousness of the existence inside the castle carried intense tinges of pride.

However, Noah had survived in his long journeys as a lone cultivator because he didn't leave anything to chance.

He was only able to make out the power of the ent.i.ty inside the castle, but he didn't know anything about his real intentions or situation.

To put it simply, he didn't trust him.

The consciousnesses of the two heroic cultivators didn't send other messages.

Noah remained silent as he observed the reactions of the man inside the castle, and the latter waited for some sort of answer that never arrived.

In the end, the rank 5 cultivator put an end to that silence.

"Who are you, silent one?"

"The Demon Prince of the Chasing demon sect."

"Huh!?"

Flying Demon couldn't help but gave a real voice to his surprise when he heard Noah's answer.

His gasp resounded in the area and startled the commoners and rank 1 cultivators living around the castle.

Those men and women came out of their habitations wearing confused expressions.

However, they soon kowtowed toward the castles and began to chant what seemed to be a prayer.

"Praised be the ancient one, for his blood is prosperity."

"Praised be the ancient one, for his blood is hope."

"Praised be the ancient one, for his blood is life."

The kowtowed men and women repeated those lines in unison.

Noah didn't let any detail of that scene escape his eyes and ears.

He saw how those humans appeared used to that procedure, they had an innate synergy that couldn't be achieved in a matter of months.

The prayer though didn't have any hidden effects, it was a simple ritual that those people were used to perform.

Of course, Noah didn't ignore the meaning behind the words of the prayer.

'Blood of the ancient one… Is he feeding them with his blood to make them survive in this wasteland?'

Noah instantly linked the two clues in his mind.

Heroic cultivators were existences far above those in the human ranks, an incredible amount of power filled their entire beings.

'It should be possible, at least theoretically. The blood of a rank 5 cultivator would need to go through many processes and purifications to provide the nourishments that humans need to survive, but it should be possible.'

Noah had even activated the Divine deduction technique to a.n.a.lyze every aspect of that situation in the shortest period.

After all, there was a rank 5 cultivator in front of him.

Nothing had to be left to chance when against such a powerful existence.

The prayer lasted for a few hours, but, when those men and women saw no reactions from the castle, they returned to their habitations to rest.

Noah had remained silent for the whole time, he didn't mind waiting to learn more about that situation.

Yet, he decided to ask a few questions with his consciousness when the crowd under him dispersed.

"Did you keep these people alive with your blood?"

He wasn't worried that his consciousness would be tracked if he kept on releasing mental waves.

The Dark cover spell hid the entirety of his presence, and Flying Demon hadn't been able to pinpoint his location.

That shouldn't happen against someone in the fifth rank, but Noah guessed that there had to be some restrictions on that powerful existence.

Otherwise, why would he just talk instead of coming out to face him?

"Yes."

"Why? It would be a miracle if one of them reached the second rank."

Noah questioned Flying Demon again as soon as the latter answered.

"Because they are the future of the Flying demon sect and Dreaming demon sect. Tell me, how is Rufus? He was only at the peak of the fourth rank back then, but he as an heir now."

Flying Demon's words surprised Noah.

He had heard Chasing Demon's real name only when he listened to Divine Demon's message.

Those words made him start to believe the ent.i.ty inside the castle, but he still didn't move when he answered.

"Chasing Demon has reached the sixth rank and has tasked me to gather the remains of the demon sects. Our organization is called Hive and would be more than willing to offer protection and support to beings of your caliber."

Flying Demon consciousness flickered when Noah's words reached him, and he went silent for a while before resuming to talk.

"Did he avenge Charming Demon?"

"No, not yet."

"What about the other demon sects?"

"Only ghosts and human cultivators remain, you are the first heroic cultivator that I found during my task."

Flying Demon hesitated a bit before replying to that statement.

"I am a ghost too, Demon Prince of the Chasing demon sect. Come inside, let's talk face to face."

Noah heard that offer but didn't move.

He would never go inside the lair of a rank 5 cultivator that he didn't trust, that act went against all his survival instincts.

Flying Demon didn't take much to understand Noah's personality, he had been one of the leaders of the unorthodox organizations of the Papral nation after all.

"You don't trust me, do you?"

"No."

Noah answered the cultivator's question without showing any hesitation.

He knew fear, he had experienced the feeling of being powerless against an ent.i.ty far more potent than him.

That was why he couldn't take the first step toward Flying Demon, he would never risk putting himself in one of those helpless situations.

"My Master would like you."

Flying Demon said, and an earthquake filled the area when that phrase ended.

The humans came out of their habitation again to pray, but Noah's attention was on the castle.

The large rocks that made the castle began to float and separate from the main structure, creating a large opening on the surface of the building.

Then, a large wooden throne came out from that opening and flew in the sky above those structures.

Noah saw a skeletal man with disheveled white hair and a long white beard sitting on the floating throne.

Countless needles were stabbed on his half-naked, pale body, which seemed not to have even a trace of muscle tissue left.

Inscriptions covered the surface of those needles, and small drops of blood acc.u.mulated on their tips.

Noah couldn't help but think that such a mighty cultivator was nothing more than a half-dead man.

"Don't look down on me. My body is drained, and my dantian is a mess, but I can still do wonders with my sea of consciousness. Follow me now, junior, you have to pay your greetings to Dreaming Demon."

Flying Demon used his rough voice to say those words, and Noah was somewhat able to understand how weakened that rank 5 cultivator was.

His cultivation level wasn't low, Noah guessed that he was on par with Elder Julia, who seemed to be the strongest among the elders.

Yet, he was so weakened that a simple attack could make his body crumble.

Noah decided to follow him at that point.