Chapter 1750 - 1750. Prisoners

Elmer and the other five experts glared at each other. Noah had pointed at the three cultivators who served Heaven and Earth, and the event had worsened the internal fights that ran through their family.

"How can you serve Heaven and Earth?" One of the cultivators asked. "They have tried to vanquish the Balrow family due to a mere gathering with the Legion."

"What about the cultivation journey?" The other cultivator who didn't serve Heaven and Earth said. "Are you willing to give up on everything?"

"You know nothing about Heaven and Earth," Elmer announced. "You are young laws who didn't get the chance to experience the desperation hidden inside the world. Rejecting the rulers is pure madness."

"You will understand once your cultivation level reaches the edges of the ninth rank," The second solid stage cultivator announced. "The faint threat of the punishments in store for you will make your back shake."

"The help they provide to the cultivation journey is also incredible," The woman exclaimed. "Your existence will connect to the sky. You will become part of the entire world and expand as the system envelops new planes."

The trio who worked with Heaven and Earth didn't hide the benefits of connecting their existence to the rulers. The group had actually started to argue about their beliefs while forgetting that Noah his team were inspecting the scene.

"What's the plan now?" Steven asked while turning toward Noah. "Do we watch until they come up with a decision?"

Noah remained silent. He had created the internal conflict, but he had to exploit it now. The Rotway family could provide a good boost to his organization, but handling rank 8 cultivators was far from easy.

Noah didn't even want to change their minds. Gaining allies that could betray him due to their fear of Heaven and Earth was pointless. His plan required monsters that could reach a decent level even without his ambition.

"Do you plan on turning toward us at some point?" Noah asked while the Demonic Sword materialized in his hand. "We have to go through all the organizations in the Outer Lands before Heaven and Earth launch their next punishment. Can you make it quick?"

The five cultivators interrupted their discussion to turn toward Noah. They didn't want to handle that invasion before getting their internal situation straight. Still, it was clear that their opponents couldn't wait for that to happen.

"Defying Demon!" Elmer shouted. "You came here to stir a mess, but the human organizations are far stronger than you think. We might have lost our domain, but we still preserve our pride as previous rulers of the world."

"What rulers?" Noah laughed. "You have lived in constant fear of the magical beasts for eras. Your only shield against those creatures was an organization made of fanatics."

"The Crystal City has served its purpose," Elmer continued. "It will come back once your organization stops tainting the higher plane."

"You are too late for that," Robert laughed. "I bet you didn't take a look at your old domain in a while."

"What have you done to the Immortal Lands?" Elmer asked as disbelief filled his expression.

"We gave them the chance to exist outside of the system," Noah explained. "Enough talking now. My organization is recruiting. Choose on which side you are in the next seconds."

Noah raised his blade, and the sharpness released by his figure intensified. His companions did the same. They prepared themselves to attack as they waited for an answer.

The battle stance forced the cultivators to face the reality of their situation. They didn't have time to sort their internal struggles now. Handling the impending threat came before their political status.

"I can't remain in an organization that wants to cut my cultivation journey short," One of the cultivators eventually announced. "You have failed as laws."

The cultivator separated from the group neared Noah's team. Still, he didn't get too close due to the obvious danger that those cultivators radiated.

"Are you really willing to betray the Rotway family?" Elmer asked. "What can they even offer? You are nothing but a rat who fears death."

"That's better than serving Heaven and Earth," Another cultivator exclaimed before separating from the group and joining his companion. "This is for our very survival. You'll only sacrifice us if the situation requires it."

The trio couldn't help but start to fear for their lives. They couldn't face Noah's group without the defenses of their mansions, and the situation appeared grim even in that situation.

Just Robert and Sword Saint were enough to match the higher-ups of that branch of the Rotway family. The other experts in that team weren't easy opponents either. Noah alone had too many incredible achievements.

Elmer glanced at the sky before heaving a loud sigh. It was clear that the Rotway family didn't have any chance to overcome that trial. He could only surrender and hope in Noah's mercy since Heaven and Earth didn't seem willing to help.

"I can give you insights on Heaven and Earth and other forces," Elmer eventually announced. "The mines here are yours to take. I'll make sure that my underlings cooperate with the Legion."

Noah didn't expect the experts to surrender. He wasn't ready to take prisoners, and part of him wanted to avoid that approach to weaken Heaven and Earth's side.

However, taking prisoners could help his plan. Noah would get the chance to turn some of those experts into allies if they remained immersed in his ambition long enough. The matter was even truer for the weaker cultivators since they had found on Heaven and Earth's side due to the influence of their leaders.

'Is it actually better to show mercy?' Noah thought while scratching his head.

His companions waited for his orders, but they shared his hesitation. Getting rid of enemies usually was the best approach, but they had the chance to maximize their gains there.

"My law has yet to enter Heaven and Earth's system," Elmer continued when he noticed that Noah was struggling to make up his mind. "You won't need to fear the rulers if you keep us alive."

"You also need my mercy to remain alive," Noah snorted before turning toward King Elbas. "Elbas, how quickly can you build restraints?"

"I already have a few ready," King Elbas replied, "But I need to make some changes for the two in the solid stage."

"Make all your troops come out," Noah ordered while turning back toward the experts. "Lower the defenses of your mansion and accept our restraints. I won't hesitate to kill all of you if I sense that something is off."

Elmer limited himself to nod and give a few orders through his inscribed notebook. He didn't dare to whisper or use methods to cover his words, so Noah and the others could confirm that he wasn't using codes when talking to his underlings.

The various buildings on the ground lit up before going completely dark. A few cracks even appeared on their surface since some inscriptions were a core part of their fabric. Turning them off had disrupted their stability.

A wave of cultivators came out of the buildings. Hundreds of rank 7 experts accompanied by weak rank 8 existences. Their force was quite stunning for a simple branch, but everything paled in front of Noah's group.

The cultivators silently removed their storage devices and lowered their innate defenses. They exposed themselves to Noah and his group without even attempting to preserve some dignity.

It felt strange to take so many prisoners. Noah rarely cared about the political side of his actions, but he couldn't deny their current meaning. He didn't like to become a proper gear in that environment, but it seemed impossible to remain outside of it at that point.

"I'm almost done," Elbas announced after tinkering with a series of formations.

The expert already had upper tier inscriptions that could target solid stage cultivators, but he wanted to make them specific for his prisoners. He could adapt his formations to their laws and make them far more effective.

Noah waited patiently. King Elbas had to go toward every expert and check their laws before creating a formation that could restrain their centers of power. He approached the rank 7 cultivators first before moving to the stronger existences.

The members of Noah's group shot glances toward the sky from time to time, but Heaven and Earth didn't seem interested in the matter. Noah's instincts also remained silent during the entire procedure.

The group descended toward the ground after King Elbas put restraints on every member of the Rotway family. Sword Saint and Robert remained outside to check on their prisoners while their companions inspected the various buildings.

'This is a lot,' Noah thought when he descended through one of the structures connected to a mountain.

Piles of Soul Stones unfolded in his view, but they were only the tip of the wealth hidden in those buildings. Noah saw entire tunnels made of Soul Stones as he explored the insides of the mountain. It seemed that those materials had replaced the azure ground of the Immortal Lands in that area.

Then, a shining lake appeared when he approached the center of the mountain. The chaotic laws flowing out of those white waters tainted the Soul Stones and increased their value. A few of them had even abandoned their grey shades and had started to glow.

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Author's notes: Ehm. Italy has won yesterday. I'll do just this long chapter for win win today and skip chaos today.