Noah's mind wandered as he fought the pack of rank 4 tigers.
His existence affected the world, and he could transform the energies around him in part of his power, but that was only a form of theft.
Cultivators absorbed the "Breath" in the world, but most of them didn't remove Heaven and Earth's will from it, even heroic cultivators still kept the laws of their element created by the world.
Yet, creating something from raw materials that already existed in the environment wasn't enough, his path had to bring him to a status similar to Heaven and Earth.
To put it simply, Noah felt that he needed to reach a state where his existence could create something similar to the "Breath".
After all, he knew that Heaven and Earth were intelligent beings, he couldn't possibly imagine the power that they held, but it was evident to everyone that they could create the marvelous energy that filled the world.
Of course, Noah was only dreaming for now.
His path was clearer than before, but he didn't have the power to imagine its end, he could only keep on gaining insights that would eventually lead him to the absorption of other laws of the darkness element.
Understanding the laws that suited your individuality and growing until you become your own law, that was what Noah knew about the path to godhood!
'All starts by yourself.'
Noah closed his eyes to better experience the sensations running through his body.
The bodies of the magical beasts that made the pack of tigers were lying lifelessly around him, he had killed all of them while his mind wandered.
He could clearly feel the destructive power contained in his body, its hunger, its pride.
Everything about his beast side seemed made to destroy the world created by Heaven and Earth, he felt as he was some sort of enemy of the "Breath".
However, there was also creation.
He created black lines every time he waved his sabers, and his lungs were able to turn pure energy into flames.
Noah used the energy stolen from Heaven and Earth to fuel his attacks, and his body and mind to control them.
'The "Breath" is the fuel, but the mind sets the blueprint that will eventually determine the final effect. My body is just an organic blueprint with very specific behaviors.'
Noah thought as he stored the corpses of the beasts and let the spirit automaton of his ring handle them.
He needed to store as many rank 4 creatures as he could to be prepared for any eventuality, they were his main food and also the most common nourishment for his body, he didn't expect to obtain many dantians in the imminent future.
'The more I attune myself with my dragon side, the more I find ways to improve my combat style. I still think too much as a human when I fight, I need to use my legs and even my teeth if necessary.'
Noah knew his weaknesses better than anyone else because he was the only one who knew the full extent of his power.
'I guess I can spend this period to fix this issue and gather enough resources, I should also plunder as many as those azure bushes as I can.'
After he thought that, Noah went deeper into the plain, searching for another pack to fight.
Time passed in the new continent.
Ships continuously landed on its shores, carrying many ambitious human cultivators.
The alliance between the four nations had delineated the borders of the dominions of the three big countries and brought peace once again, only the manpower needed for the complete colonization was lacking.
Even the envoys tasked to analyze the territories of the southwestern coast arrived, Elder Julia politely escorted them through those areas while pointing out the details that the Hive had discovered in that period.
Of course, her actions were only another performance meant to solidify the lie about their arrival, her methods were more than enough to cover the traces left by her group during the past months.
It was needless to say that the envoys ignored most of the territories after they reached the lava lake, the Elbas family felt fortunate when it learnt that traces left by divine beings were situated in a land that they could obtain.
Noah had been forced to stop his wild lifestyle while the envoys analyzed those lands, he couldn't show them that he was plundering anything that contained "Breath" in the azure plain.
The last weeks harmed his aspect, but he felt more confident than ever in his abilities after the prolonged period spent exploring the depths of his dragon side.
Experiencing the simple life of a magical beast had been quite refreshing, he did nothing but battle, eat, and train all day, without anything else bothering him.
His body improved steadily, but his other centers of power benefitted from that lifestyle too.
His mind was always under pressure due to the constant battles and the threats that the areas around the plain hid, and his dantian was nourished by the laws of the darkness element whenever he gained some insights about his path.
He had even resumed forging weapons in his spare time, he had way more rank 4 materials that he needed, and he didn't want his ability in the Elemental forging method to become rusty.
That led him to accumulate a few disposable weapons again, he couldn't create stable items with materials of different elements, but he had succeeded in making them reach the fourth rank nonetheless.
He didn't think that he could use them to win a battle against a heroic cultivator, but they could be useful if another situation like that next to the obelisk happened again.
In the end, the envoys returned to their respective nations, and he could resume his wild lifestyle.
'I must say that I enjoy battles more since I became a hybrid, I even feel more in general.'
Noah thought as he laid on the ground of the azure plain.
He had decided to rest that day, the stars in the sky were particularly shining at night, so he had chosen to let his mind wander as he stared at them.
'To think that I would become more human by fusing myself with a magical beast, or maybe it's just this freedom that makes me express my true self.'
He analyzed himself as the light of the stars was reflected in his reptilian eyes.
Only rank 4 beasts inhabited the plain, Noah was basically the strongest creature in that area.
He was experiencing what being at the peak of an environment meant, it was as if he had reached his lifelong goal in that zone.
'Yet, monsters that I can't even approach live right next to me, and the stars still shine over me.'
Noah didn't know how much time he had spent in the plain, he had long lost track of it, but he knew that he was only living in an illusion of his dream.
Then, a voice resounded in the air.
"Prince, it's time."