In the core of Dry City...
Today was a special day for this place, as Minos would attempt for the first time to advance to the 8th stage and allow his soldiers to watch, as he had done upon reaching the 6th stage.
Since he would use this advancement to promote his innate ability with the use of Saint-grade medicine, there would be immense benefits for those who assisted him.
Not only for those weaker than him but even for some individuals a few levels above Minos' could benefit from the Natural Laws he would absorb to achieve a qualitative evolution.
At the same time, the Saint-grade medicine would release large amounts of spiritual energy that he could not absorb due to his 'low' level. Then the special room that the army had prepared for him to advance would become extremely rich after the consumption of such medicine to nurture those below level 70.
And with that, the hundreds of individuals who would have the opportunity to absorb this energy were as happy as Minos himself!
But even those who would be watching this whole event were happy, which in itself made the mood in this central part of the Black Plain somewhat memorable and joyful.
The streets of the area protected by the local dome were filled with soldier families enjoying the day as if it were a weekend.
Meanwhile, many soldiers from the Black Plain Army and local police were working.
But not only these less prestigious members of the local forces were preparing. As Minos would advance outside the Spatial Kingdom, the Spiritual Saints of the Gray Clouds Sect were already positioned to maintain a security perimeter on this day.
As such, more than ten individuals between level 74 and level 76 were on the outskirts of the Dry City core, while three high-level Spiritual Saints were inside the dome, around Minos.
Among them, Oswald was there.
After the period that had passed, Oswald finally handed over all the functions of the leader of the Gray Clouds Sect to his grandson and disaffiliated himself from such an organization.
As such, Minos currently had full powers over that sect, while Maisie had become the matriarch of the Coleman family.
Precisely because of this, he was there beside his grandson without being part of that organization, being there only as someone who was saying goodbye to his grandson before leaving on his new journey.
Oswald had planned to try to help Harold. So now that his sect was in Minos' hands and this young man was going to advance, he intended to go to the Flowers Kingdom.
Anyway, as Minos walked toward the place where he would try his advance inside the headquarters of the Black Plain Army, Oswald was at his side, talking to him.
"After today, when you are finished recovering, I will set out toward those women's kingdom." He said to Minos as he looked out over the beautiful central streets of Dry City.
Hearing that, Patience, who was also there, and was currently at level 76, did not like that. Still, considering how stubborn her husband was, she just turned her face sideways and said nothing.
On the other hand, the grandson of these two asked. "Are you sure about this? With the things happening to me, I will stay in the northern region for at most another year before I leave for that kingdom to try to rescue Isabella's father."
"Then you don't need to worry about that. You'd better stay in the Black Plain or move on with your retirement, as you had planned."
Staying on the Black Plain would be best for both of them. Oswald knew this since he already knew how his grandson had become so impressive.
Minos had revealed the Spatial Kingdom to the rest of the core of the Gray Clouds Sect, including, of course, his closest relatives.
Because of this, Oswald and Maisie already knew about the Spatial Kingdom and had trained there a few times.
They had also understood why it would be worthwhile for the sect to move to the Black Plain, where they could be closer to Minos and this shrine of cultivation.
But even considering that possibility, Oswald had promised the imperial family elders that he would try to do something about Harold. So he could not change his promise now.
"No. If you can make it in time to stop me from committing myself, I will pass that responsibility on to you. But until then, I will begin the attempt to rescue His Majesty." That old fellow with white hair and a beard said in a determined tone.
With those words, he made Maisie clench her fists in frustration that she could do nothing to help her father or son.
She was now at level 75, a level she had never expected to reach so quickly before she learned about her son's possibilities.
But even though she had become quite strong in the last few years and even learned some Golden-grade techniques from him, she was still quite weak to help them.
As she walked beside Sarah, who had grown quite a bit after her seventh birthday, this brown-haired woman was quite serious.
On the other hand, Minos' wives were all smiles, pleased with the day their husband had reached the absolute peak of the 7th stage and raised the mastery of his techniques to the highest he could.
They had great confidence that he would advance on his first attempt, as his talent guaranteed him no bottlenecks in his stage. Then after today, he would reach a level that would give him the strength to deal with the empire's current problems, something they had long wanted to resolve to have a little more peace.
While different moods could be felt around Minos, he and his group arrived at the place from where he would start his advance.
There, Abby's parents, Eliot Miller, level 66, and Nicole Miller, level 64, were on the outskirts together with several soldiers and allies of Minos. They would be part of the team of those who would take advantage of the situation of his advance.
But not only were these individuals around, but some of the Gray Clouds Sect elders who had benefited from the Spatial Kingdom in recent years and advanced levels were also around.
Virtually all of the Spiritual Saints who had come to the Black Plain before Abe's death and were still around had advanced one cultivation level in that time.
Because of this, Minos had already done the first exchange with the imperial family of the Flaming Empire, having exchanged a few of his experts for several Spiritual Saints from his sect.
With this move, from the little over 40 8th-stage cultivators of that sect in the Black Plain Empire, Minos now had 70 individuals of that stage around his territory.
"Minos, good luck in your advancement." A large fox with seven tails on its rear, level 69, said this to Minos as he saw it stopping beside him.
Minos also saw Kyla standing next to Emlyn, that young fox who had already reached level 65. "Big brother, soon I will reach the 8th stage too!" That being said, already ready to watch Emperor Stuart's advancement and, who knows, maybe get an advancement for itself later.
"Hmm, thank you all. Then, I'll ask you to get ready, and we'll start everything immediately."
...
