Chapter 1187: 1187. New life

The life inside the separate dimension wasn't easy, but many adapted faster than others.

The human cultivators had it easier than most. They had to deal with their lack of freedom, but they didn't have a hard time training. After all, they only needed "Breath" and some fights to strive for the heroic ranks.

Instead, the situation wasn't easy for the heroic cultivators. Their requirements to advance were harsher, and the peaceful life inside the dimension made their growth slower.

Some talents still managed to improve at a decent pace, but they also suffered due to that stale environment. The separate dimension didn't offer any incentives, so they could only rely on their willpower to keep growing.

The hybrids had it worse than everyone else. They usually required a lot of food, but that was one of the most valuable resources inside the dimension.

Their dantians and seas of consciousness could improve normally, but their bodies remained near their original level due to the lack of proper prey.

That made many hybrids go wild. Their hunger became so intense that they started attacking their companions and invade areas of the dimension inhabited by cultivators.

The higher-ups suppressed those threats and used their corpses to refill their stashes of food, but they had to implement different methods to control them at some point.

The three forces wanted to survive, but they also desired to keep growing. There was a limit to how much they could improve as organizations in that environment, but they still did everything in their power to prevent negative trends.

Skully took care of the situation by forcing the hybrids to hunt themselves. That would reduce their population, but it would also maintain the overall power of the stronger specimens.

The other powerhouses in the separate dimension also obtained specific roles as the years passed.

Great Elder Diana's control turned out to be useful for Thirty-seven. She helped manage the flow of the "Breath" through the various doors, and she also came up with ways to divide the resources more equally.

Elder Julia had lost her purpose once the Hive abandoned the Copying Technique. Still, she joined Skully in managing the hybrids to help her create a better army.

The Shandal Empire's powerhouses didn't link too much with the alliance, but they still helped whenever the population required their help.

God's Left Hand was quite knowledgeable, so the other leaders asked her for forgotten methods that they could use to improve the separate dimension.

That didn't help their situation, but it was better than nothing. Moreover, God's Left Hand got to play her part in the survival of the organizations.

Other powerhouses spent most of their time in seclusion. Their expertise couldn't help inside the separate dimension, so they focused on improving their power.

The three organizations would resurface at some point, and they needed to be ready for a clash with the new forces on the landmasses. They couldn't let themselves grow weak in that environment.

Some promising peak rank 5 cultivators managed to reach the sixth rank during the years spent inside the dimension.

The new lifestyle benefitted Daniel's individuality. He also became a beacon of hope for the masses of weaker cultivators who couldn't endure remaining trapped in that sterile environment for too long.

His existence slowly advanced until he became a rank 6 cultivator, and his popularity among the various organizations increased together with his power.

Faith had become quite popular too. She had always been famous due to her beauty, but her peace made her become one of the most acclaimed higher-ups among the three organizations.

The life inside the separate dimension benefitted her. She became a rank 6 cultivator a few years after Daniel, and the two of them began to work together at that point.

Both human and heroic cultivators liked to be in their presence, and the two new powerhouses didn't avoid to take care of those assets during those difficult times.

Other peak rank 5 cultivators didn't manage to obtain the same results. Being trapped and in a dead environment crushed their determination and hindered their path toward the higher ranks.

The most iconic case was June since her individuality depended on her battle intent. The lack of enemies and battles that could satisfy her slowed her growth and made her fall behind her companions.

Faith tried to help her, but the separate dimension couldn't endure battles among existences on that level. Their blows would force the area to expand, and the Hive couldn't risk that.

Heaven and Earth were a constant threat. Thirty-seven felt quite sure of his calculations, but even he couldn't predict when they would notice the separate dimension and start sending Tribulations inside it.

It was better to keep the width of the separate dimension limited to the very minimum. The Hive couldn't let that place end up like Divine Architect's separate dimension.

June didn't find a solution to her issue, and she even became unstable at some point. Noah wanted to help her, but he couldn't go against her individuality in the process.

June eventually had to ask for Flying Demon's help, and she started a trend that many heroic cultivators decided to follow.

Flying Demon was one of the most important figures inside the separate dimension since he was one of the few experts capable of creating doors that led to the outside world.

His work provided "Breath" inside the dimension, so every cultivator respected him. Yet, as King Elbas' attacks became rarer, he found himself with nothing to do.

The Demon didn't complain since he could spend time with his lover, but the situation changed after June asked for his help.

June knew about Flying Demon's individuality. His ice had peculiar qualities that made it able to interfere with time.

That was precisely what June needed. Since she couldn't cultivate properly, she would rather have the Demon turning her into a block of ice until the Hive managed to come out of the separate dimension.

Flying Demon's individuality would also preserve the state of her centers of power, and the fact that she was still a rank 5 cultivator made the task relatively easy to accomplish.

Noah couldn't say that he liked that outcome, but June's potential was at stake, so he approved that process.

Once the matter became official, many rank 4 and 5 cultivators decided to ask Flying Demon to freeze them until the three organizations resurfaced.

Flying Demon performed his task impeccably, and a large number of heroic cultivators ended up in special areas of the dimension dug to preserve their frozen bodies.

The process also eased the pressure on the dimension since it required less "Breath" after many powerful cultivators froze themselves.

'Four centuries have passed already,' Noah thought as he sat in front of a pillar of ice.

June was inside the pillar. The ice had preserved her beauty and cultivation level through the years, but Noah felt bitter when looking at it.

He had to live through that period on his own. The separate dimension's environment didn't benefit him either, but Flying Demon didn't have the power to freeze him.

Moreover, he was the leader of the Hive. He needed to remain awake to control the situation and maintain order.

'It should be almost time to go out,' Noah thought as he closed his eyes to meditate. 'King Elbas should complete the preparations for his ascension soon.'