On the same day that many powers of the Flaming Empire surrendered to the capital, Minos received word from his men at where he was resting beside his wives.
"Your Majesty, we have identified some fugitives traveling south of the empire, heading toward the Flowers Kingdom." A member of the Gray Clouds Sect reported just after entering the place where Minos was sunbathing beside his wives near a swimming pool.
Immediately upon hearing this, he frowned and lost the smile he had on his face. "Which force do they belong to?"
"To one of the families of the Spiritual Palace Sect, Your Majesty."
Hearing this, Minos stood up and began to dress.
"Shall we go after this group?" Ruth questioned her husband, already standing up and putting on more appropriate clothes.
"Hmm, there's no reason we should free people who attacked us and chose to run away rather than pay penalties for their mistakes." Minos commented, more determined than he normally would be over something like this.
He had learned well from the Abe Vogel situation that he could not allow fugitives or problems could return to him in the future.
So with the information of the likely location of this fugitive group, it would not be Minos to forgive them!
"But why would they head in the direction of the Flowers Kingdom? Are they crazy?" Ruth questioned.
Gloria then said, already dressed in her red-gold armor. "That's probably a group of women. For people like that, such a state is the safest for an escape like this.
Not only would they have a chance to go to a place that Minos would have a problem chasing them, but they would also have a chance to reach a state friendly to them."
The women with terrifying abilities from the Flowers Kingdom naturally had no interest in other women. As such, this was a safe place for women from all over the continent.
It wasn't necessarily a good place for frail women since that was a high-level kingdom. But it was a pretty quiet place for women with strength above the continent's average, 6th stage.
With Gloria's answer, Ruth more or less understood the situation before that man from the Gray Clouds Sect confirmed that this was indeed the situation of this group.
"Yes, only women are part of this group."
With those words, Minos didn't take long to leave, heading to where Little Green was in Payton.
Then the group of three humans and a giant beast departed the capital, traveling at great speed to the south of the empire.
'I'll take the opportunity that I'll be passing near the headquarters of the Saints Killing Sect and finish that place off.' Minos pondered as he felt the wind on his face, already distant from Payton.
...
Meanwhile, on a floating island in a remote location in the Flaming Empire...
Mortimer was in this secret outpost of his Saints Killing Sect being treated by the best doctors in his organization.
After arriving at this place earlier, he had lost consciousness and was currently in a deep coma.
The doctors at this place were at most level 75 and 76 individuals, so treating a level 80 Spiritual Sage was difficult for them. In this way, it would take some time before they could get enough to awaken their leader.
Luckily for Mortimer, each of these people had contracts with him that forced them to stay and care for him without the slightest chance to rebel.
He was a suspicious and careful man, so he had obviously demanded things of the sort from each of his subordinates.
Hence, he was being treated in this place while the members of this sect slowly discovered everything that had happened in Payton during and after the battle.
"What will happen to us?" One of the strongest elders over there asked his companion as the two took over that island's surveillance.
The level 76 man next to the one who asked the question sighed deeply and said. "If the sect master awakens, we can flee far away... There is no more hope for us to stay here.
From what I've heard from the doctors, the sect master's cultivation is partially crippled, and he can't get any stronger...
Amidst this, Minos is still free and well."
It was obvious that Minos would continue to get stronger, and Mortimer would not even be able to escape in the future. Thus, all that was on that man's mind was the chance to escape at least, who knows the luck to start a new life away from the empire.
But to do this, they would have to wait for Mortimer's awakening and this man's decision!
They didn't know when this might happen, and even when it did, it would be unpredictable for them, who had no idea what Mortimer would choose to do.
Meanwhile, the threat of Minos finding and exterminating them would scare them even in their dreams!
"Hopefully, that damn thing will go to the Flowers Kingdom and stay there once and for all!"
...
One day later...
At an extreme point in the Flaming Empire, a group of women was camping on the banks of a lake while eating and resting.
Several spiritual beasts were among these people, individuals between levels 58 and 76.
They were members of one of the strongest families of the Spiritual Palace Sect, an organization that had chosen to run away from whatever Minos decided to do with the empire's enemies.
This sect had split into several groups to flee the empire, some going to the Flowers Kingdom, some to Mairin, and some to the Eastern Empire.
The purpose of subdividing was to delay the actions of their potential persecutors and thus try to ensure the continuity of this organization.
As for future revenge, nothing was planned, and that would be left for each succeeding group to decide for itself.
From now on, they would only be survivors, not members of the glorious Spiritual Palace Sect.
Knowing this, several women felt depressed as they rested, upset at their superiors' mistake in siding with Mortimer instead of abstaining from the conflict.
Others were already predicting their deaths, either to potential pursuers or the dangers they would have to face until they reached their destination.
"Sigh... Where will we get to, big sister? Are we going to die?" A level 61 woman asked a level 70 woman while the many people in that group stood in various groups, murmuring.
"If Minos Stuart catches up with us, we probably won't be able to stand it..." That woman commented in a depressed manner.
She had fought against people from the Gray Clouds Sect before fleeing after the news about Mortimer's defeat. So she knew that if the enemy leader found them, he would show no mercy.
"But we have a chance here. As long as we last two more days, we will reach the border with the Flowers Kingdom. After that, we'll be safe." She smiled at her junior, knowing the dangers would be great, but the chances were not zero.
"I hope so..."
As this Spiritual Emperor said this, suddenly, a shadow approached their area, alerting everyone there.
...
