Time passed slowly in the encampment near the borders of the Efrana nation.
The elder overseeing the situation had used the inscriptions on the ship to create a gray cloud that covered Noah's mansion and some of the tents set up around it, it seemed as if that area was still part of the mystical fog from the distance.
Kate and some of the cultivators that studied formations worked to set up the teleportation matrixes in a room inside Noah's mansion, his quarters already had some sort of defensive measures which made them the safest place where to set a connection with the archipelago.
The other cultivators from the Hive were busy patrolling the area or investigating its surroundings, they had to come in contact with the other tribes and probe their power, the mission of the group was to recruit more manpower after all.
Meanwhile, Noah was in seclusion, focusing on his centers of power.
Leaving the safety of the Coral archipelago had already affected his mental state, Noah knew that he could be targeted for many reasons even with the defenses around him.
The news that an armed envoy had been set on Efrana nation would eventually reach the three big nations which could either decide to act or not.
The independence of the Coral archipelago had ignited many revolts across the continent, the big nations could very well think to attack the cause of the issue rather than its repercussions.
The Utra nation could decide to attack them because of Noah, the Shandal Empire because it was the closest to them, and the Papral nation because of its ties with the Chasing Demon sect, many reasons could justify an assault.
That outcome was unlikely to happen due to the agreements sealed between the big nations and the Hive but that situation was still able to bring Noah back to the mental state that he had when he was just a lone cultivator.
Noah had always been driven by his pure ambition but there was another feeling that forced him to improve: The need to become stronger in order to survive!
The world was dangerous and only strong cultivators could claim to have their fate in their hands, luck couldn't affect those that held inhumane power.
Noah was still at some distance from that goal and the peaceful environment of the archipelago made him train only due to his ambition and not because he needed to.
As soon as he entered his quarters inside Efrana nation, that need returned and his training speed improved.
He had decided to put a hold to the creation of his cultivation technique until he obtained some sort of inspiration concerning the item that he was going to forge, the "Breath" blessings continued to be sent to him through the elder though.
Teleporting inanimate items was easy, Noah knew that the Hive wouldn't stop providing him with the resources needed for his experiments so he just needed to find the proper place where to store them.
The solution was quickly found, Noah had just to ask the spirit automaton of his space-ring which confirmed that he could store the "Breath" blessings inside the formation that was once filled by inscribed weapons.
The formation wouldn't slow their aging since they were a different kind of items but the minerals didn't need that feature, Noah wasn't going to keep them there for centuries after all!
What he really needed was to isolate their ability to attract "Breath" since it could affect the other items inside the ring, that problem had never occurred with his previous piece of mineral since it was too small but the quantity that he had now had started to worry him.
However, all four formations inside the rank 6 ring had that feature so Noah could safely store the blue minerals in the almost empty one.
The matters inside his ring were taken care of and all the cultivators in his group had a specific role to follow, Noah could focus on his centers of power and, in particular, on his mind while everyone was busy with something.
His eyes seemed glued to the fourth Kesier rune during his seclusion, no trace of fear for the incoming Tribulation could be seen on his expression, his gaze only radiated the endless expectations that he had toward the fourth rank of the sea of consciousness.
The Pain Tribulation made him able to fight rank 4 magical beasts and had sharply increased his power, allowing his dantian to grow till the third rank.
Noah expected far more than that from the breakthrough of his mind, his superior battle prowess had always been linked to that center of power after all.
It was during a seemingly normal night that the fourth rune inside his mental sphere neared completion.
Noah abruptly stopped looking at the sheet inside his hands and folded it, there were a few things that he needed to prepare before taking the last step toward the Earth Tribulation.
First of all, Noah drank one of his potions, the walls of his mental sphere were enveloped in a series of dark layers from its insides due to the effects of the drugs.
A battle inside his mind was bound to happen, Noah wanted to take all the precautions needed before approaching it.
Then, he filled his mind with as much refined "Breath" as possible, a black lake with the form of a saber floated over the sea that was his thoughts.
Noah had already fought with a copy of himself, he knew that everything that expressed his individuality was the key to win in the incoming trial.
At last, he waited for his mental energy to be refilled before unfolding the sheet containing the fourth Kesier rune and looking at it again.
Not even ten minutes had to pass before the walls of his sphere began to tremble, releasing a humming sound in the process.
Noah had already closed his eyes, he suppressed the pain caused by the tremors of his mind and focused on his half-transparent figure that floated at the center of his sphere.
The sea below it churned, a whirlpool formed right below Noah's ethereal figure.
Then, from the crystalline water that was his thoughts, a figure rose in the air which kept its eyes fixed on Noah.
The figure was identical to Noah, its only difference was that it was completely azure like the water that had formed it.
Noah stood up and floated in the space above his sea as he prepared himself to fight but the following events put a stop to his battle intent.
The figure opened its mouth after Noah stood up and an androgynous voice resounded inside his sphere.
"Hello, my child, son of another world."