After more than fifteen years spent in the other world, Noah finally crossed the dimensional pa.s.sage to return to his homeland.

The Utra nation had changed drastically in that period. Its vegetation had wilted, and various cracks had appeared on the now barren terrain around the big portal.

The s.h.i.+ning lines that surrounded the majestic inscribed item able to connect two Mortal Lands had drained that nation even if the four forces had never failed to provide energy to keep it in function. The portal required too much power to work, and the territories around it had to bear its incredible consumption.

It wouldn't be surprising if the entirety of the Utra nation became a wasteland in the decades to come. After all, it was clear that providing external energy to the portal wasn't enough to make up for its adverse effects, and none of the four forces was inclined to shut it down.

Sacrificing a nation for an entire world was a trade that anyone would make.

'Where are the n.o.ble families?' Noah thought as he inspected the nearby areas with his consciousness.

The only trace of life that he could sense came from the small encampments built by the four organizations all around that region. There didn't seem to be anyone else on the southern side of the nation.

Noah could immediately understand that the political situation had changed in those years, but he suppressed his curiosity for the moment. The Hive would surely update him once he returned to the new continent, and he had to prioritize his dantian before involving himself with the political struggles.

More cultivators came out of the portal, but a sort of wariness replaced the excitement for their return. In that world, they weren't a joint force anymore. On that side, they were enemies that belonged to organizations doing their best to gain an advantage on the others.

Even Noah felt that change, especially when he saw June coming out of the dimensional pa.s.sage. The shackles created by the political situation there were able to affect him even now that he was a complete rank 5 cultivator. However, he was nearing the point where he could start to ignore those restrictions.

Faith came out of the portal too and neared him to convey a few words. "I'll come to visit you, but I think I'll see June first."

Faith winked and turned toward the Elders of the Council, who had already started to gather in their encampment.

Noah saw a few of them explicitly nodding in his direction when they saw him talking with Faith. It seemed that their suspected relations.h.i.+p had already received the approval of her higher-ups.

The Elders of the Hive limited themselves to reveal polite smiles at the departing a.s.sets of the Council and Faith. They knew about Noah and June, but they didn't know what had happened in the wilderness. So, they just played along and left everything in Noah's hands.

Also, the Council was Ravaging Demon's home, which made that situation far more complex. It wasn't something that the Elders could influence. It was a matter that only Noah and the three Demons could discuss.

The Elders, Noah, and the rank 4 cultivators of the Hive eventually flew toward their encampment to reorganize before setting off for the Coral Archipelago.

Other troops would use the portal to start a thorough colonization, but Noah already knew that he would return to the other world only when he needed to refill his stash of magical beasts' corpses.

'I should be fine till the sixth rank with the new world and both seas.' Noah thought as he saw a few rank 4 cultivators expressing their intention to join the colonization. 'That issue is partially solved at least.'

It must be said that Noah didn't want to dive into the sea to look for suitable prey. The dark depths of that environment hid dangers that cultivators had always tried to avoid since there weren't many benefits available. It was pointless to colonize areas that they couldn't inhabit.

The group quickly reached for the Archipelago and separated there since Elder Colleen and Elder Ingrid had to resume their roles. The other Elders, Noah, and most of the a.s.sets in the fourth rank took the teleportation matrix to return to the forest of White Woods.

Chasing Demon welcomed them, and he led the Elders in his private quarters to celebrate their victory against the hybrids and Noah's incredible advancements.

Dreaming Demon and Flying Demon joined that celebration too, and Noah didn't hesitate to question them about the separate dimension.

"On that topic," Flying Demon said as he drank the cup in his grasp in a single sip, "We had to take down the branches under the Utra nation. That portal was starting to affect the functioning of the dimension, and we feared that it could even reveal it."

"What a waste," Noah said, "Well, there wasn't much more to do there anyway."

After the raids and accomplis.h.i.+ng his vengeance, only the Capital and the Royal Academy remained as suitable targets. However, the Royals were controlling them, and their security had increased when King Elbas activated the portal.

There was no point in resuming the raids, especially with a new world available.

"What about the n.o.ble families? The Utra nation is slowly becoming unsuitable for cultivators." Noah asked, but the two Demons didn't answer and hinted that he would soon learn about that.

Noah eventually left while the other Elders were still busy celebrating. It wasn't that he hadn't enjoyed himself. Rather, the issue with his dantian was too pressing to spend time doing anything else.

As he flew toward his dome, he prepared a list of materials that the Hive would later send to his underground quarters. When he reached his dome though, he noticed a mansion with a familiar banner standing out among the plain-looking buildings of the city.

'This is unexpected.' Noah thought as he descended toward the mansion and spread his consciousness to speak with the rank 5 cultivator cultivating inside it.

"What are you doing here?" Noah transmitted, and the mansion seemed to take life when the other rank 5 existence noticed his presence.

After a short minute, a series of heroic cultivators came out of the building and bowed toward Noah as a form of respect, exclaiming something that left him even more surprised. "The Udye family greets the Demon Prince!"

Noah was speechless as he moved his gaze between those familiar figures. He saw Daniel, Amos, and the other n.o.bles in the heroic ranks, but he still couldn't understand the reason behind their presence there.

"An explanation would be appreciated," Noah said.

Amos didn't hesitate to straighten his position before making a summary of the past events. "The portal has wasted the Utra nation. The Elbas family has suppressed the general anger of the n.o.ble families by promising ways to improve the level of the heroic cultivators and by force. With our homeland turning into a wasteland right in front of our eyes, the majority of the n.o.bles surrendered. The Cause is no more."