Noah knew that the Dark blast spell wouldn't do enough damage if Adrian managed to use the humming sound again, so he had to make it detonate when his uncle wasn't ready.
The only way to do so though was to make it explode right after a clash, meaning that he wouldn't be able to escape its area of effect.
However, why would he care about his own attack when he didn't fear the spells of solid stage cultivators?
Noah had hidden the enlarging sphere behind his figure during the battle, waiting for it to become threatening enough.
Then, when almost half of the "Breath" in his dantian and of the mental energy inside his mind was poured inside the spell, he decided to make it detonate.
Zac enveloped his figure as his body became ethereal, Noah couldn't use the Black hole spell to absorb his own energies, but those defensive methods were more than enough to block the blast.
As soon as the explosion ended, Noah returned material and shot toward his uncle while launching hundreds of ethereal claws and slashing with his sabers.
Adrian had returned to his silver form and couldn't fully block Noah's attacks without using the humming sound, the ethereal claws damaged his internal organs, and two long wounds appeared on his chest.
For the first time since the beginning of the battle, Adrian feared for his life.
Noah's power didn't make sense in his mind.
Adrian knew that empowering his body with two spells, using the ability of his body-nourishing method, and further defending it with another spell placed his power almost at the peak of the gaseous stage.
Every cultivator specialized in a field, and his was close combat, there were very few humans on his same level that could break his defenses before he managed to catch them.
Yet, Noah's body seemed as powerful as his, even stronger actually, but without using any strengthening spell.
Only his Demonic form spell seemed to affect his body, but that alone couldn't match all Adrian's methods.
That led to a situation where Noah could use all his spells and martial arts to attack Adrian while still matching his physical strength, it was evident that he had an advantage against him.
Truth to be told, Adrian wasn't weak, his defenses and resistance were something that very few cultivators on his level could destroy.
Yet, against someone able to press him with an endless offensive and a variety of attacks, he could only passively defend until all his spells were broken.
And that was precisely what had happened.
Adrian stared at the fiendish figure reaching for him, he knew that he wouldn't be able to stop his nephew even with his humming sound in that form.
He only had one way to keep his life.
"I surrender."
Elder Hope heaved a sigh of relief when she heard the words spoken by Adrian, that vicious battle had finally ended, and the Hive had managed to claim another territory.
Yet, she was surprised to see that Noah didn't stop his charge.
Noah arrived right in front of Adrian and stored one of his sabers to stretch his fuming hand and grab his uncle's throat.
Adrian felt an immense strength preventing him from breathing, he could only stare at icy-blue eyes hidden behind the armor of smoke while Noah chocked him.
He saw the deep hatred radiated by them and understood that Noah wouldn't think twice to trade the territory under him for his life.
Noah continued to tighten his grasp, and the black smoke around him kept on consuming Adrian's silver skin, the latter knew that only death waited for him at that point.
However, a golden light shone next to them, and three figures appeared immediately after.
Noah heard a familiar voice speaking a few words directed at him right after he sensed the three cultivators.
"Stop, Noah Balvan, this act doesn't respect the pact sealed by the rulers of our nations!"
Noah didn't need to turn to understand the identity of the man behind that voice.
"Thaddeus Elbas, do you think rules can bind me?"
A deep voice came out of the fiendish figure, Noah answered Thaddeus without releasing his grasp from his uncle's throat.
Another figure appeared near Noah, Elder Hope had immediately entered the battlefield when she saw that three heroic cultivators had teleported next to him.
Thaddeus revealed an ugly expression when he heard those words, but he managed to remain calm as he threatened the entirety of the Hive.
"If the Hive doesn't respect the pact, the Royal family won't respect it either. Take his life, and you will obtain a war."
Elder Hope's expression became cold when she heard Thaddeus' threat, and she turned her gaze toward Noah.
She couldn't really stop him, Adrian's throat was already in his hands, Noah could just crush it before anyone could intervene.
Everything was up to him.
Noah closed his eyes for an instant, but countless thoughts surged in his mind in that brief moment.
He knew that he wouldn't obtain another chance to kill Adrian anytime soon, he had been able to reach for him only because his uncle wanted to fight after all.
Yet, killing him would provoke a war against the Utra nation, something that the Hive couldn't endure.
The territories just claimed would become battlefields, and he knew that the Hive would lose.
Losing those territories would force the Hive back in its previous situation, with promising heroic assets but without the adequate resources to nurture them.
Without powerful heroic cultivators, the Hive wouldn't be able to expand its influence on the old continent and would be forever contained by the three big nations.
If the Hive weren't influential, Noah's position as Demon Prince would be affected, and he wouldn't be able to obtain resources for his cultivation.
Without resources, his path toward the higher ranks would be hindered.
'When will I be able to snap his neck without fearing the consequences of my action?'
Noah sighed internally as he thought that.
Then, he released his grasp and dispersed his armor of smoke, revealing his skinny figure out in the open.
Adrian coughed for a while as he retreated, he had come too close to death at that time, he didn't want to remain on the new continent any further.
"The Royal family can't tolerate such actions, we ask the Hive for compensations!"
Thaddeus continued to speak when he saw that Adrian was safe.
The meaning behind his words was clear, he wanted to extort something from the Hive.
Yet, Noah's answer forced the royal to drop that act.
"The pact wasn't broken, you can complain about my behavior to Chasing Demon when he returns. In the meantime, go away from my land."
Thaddeus saw the pair of reptilian eyes fixing on him when those words resounded in the area, he felt as if Noah would just charge at him if he insisted on that matter.
In the end, he simply left, followed by the two elders that had teleported with him and with a wounded Adrian.