The level 79 Spiritual Saints next to Minos were open-mouthed, looking at their leader, shocked to see him manipulate space for the first time.
Minos was not a Spiritual Sage, but he had several abilities related to the Special Laws, which gave 9th-stage cultivators the ability to manipulate space and travel through wormholes.
But it wasn't only because of his techniques that he had achieved this!
Because the Natural Laws condensed into the giant skeletons in the Spatial Kingdom, which Minos had been absorbing for years, he had greatly advanced his ability to manipulate space.
That had not given him great mastery over space. He couldn't open wormholes and travel long distances. Still, with this, he could manipulate space to small distances, as he had just done.
His subordinates were not aware of this, as Minos had never shown this before, so they were open-mouthed at his demonstration of power.
That noblewoman from the Sista kingdom looked at Minos strangely, feeling that her initial analysis of this sovereign's abilities was incorrect.
He was far more talented than she judged, and if he advanced a stage, he would probably surpass her brother!
"How can you do that?" She finally questioned him, looking at that man with a strange expression.
"Hmm, that's a secret, haha," Minos said. "Anyway, I will prepare my children to do the same in the future, so don't underestimate them. They will represent my state in the Continental Tournament."
Those people were silent for a moment, wondering if the queen would accept this as an excuse for Minos wanting to ally with them but not compete directly.
'Well, it would be better if he set himself up as a competitor.' The level 88 man thought, 'But if his children achieve the same as their father at his level, then it's not impossible that the queen would accept them on the kingdom team.'
Hope then heard the other woman there advising her to go ahead with an agreement with Minos.
She then said to him. "Very well, we will consider joining your state in the Continental Tournament even if Your Majesty will not compete for yourself.
Suppose your children achieve the ability to open the doors of the Continental Tournament. In that case, we will pass on the information to Her Majesty for her to decide to confirm the agreement with your state. Until then, we can cooperate with information regarding the tournament and joint training.
We can send our competitors to train with yours here in your state or receive your candidates in our kingdom.
Of course, we will ensure their safety."
Minos heard that and saw no problems. It was only natural that they would reevaluate this in the future, and any agreement made now could be undone later.
As for sending his children to Sista, he obviously wouldn't do that now that both he and his children were weak. Even if that state were safe for those with the queen's protection, this emperor would rather not risk it.
If Kendrick and Sarah wanted to go there to train when they were Spiritual Saints, he would see no problem sending them with the promise that the queen would protect them. But until then, he would only welcome Sista candidates into his state.
"Hmm, very well, that sounds good to me." He said. "We will sign an agreement to be renewed every ten years. If at any time you realize that we will not be able to help you in the tournament, we will end our partnership after the agreed period."
That said, they would talk some more time with Minos and those high-level Black Plain elders before searching for places to stay in Dry City.
Their spiritual judge would only come to this state if their group could reach an agreement with Minos, so it would take a few days for that to happen.
In the meantime, they intended to stay in this place to get to know a little better the strengths of this person they wanted on their side in this competition of world importance.
As for Minos, he would talk to his wives about this, as it involved their children.
...
"What? Father will sign an agreement with the Sista kingdom, and I'm going there?" Sarah asked with a smile on her face after hearing that from her mother.
Gloria then said, seeing that her daughter seemed to be looking forward to it, "Stay calm, girl. You are not going there now! If all goes well, you may or may not go to Sista after you become a Spiritual Saint. Before that, forget about leaving the empire for yourself."
Sarah knew that her parents would not allow her to travel outside the empire at her current level, and she didn't think it was bad.
She dreamed of getting to know the Spiritual World and making friends with talented, high-level people who were unafraid of her origin. So upon hearing the news from her mother, she was naturally very eager to travel to Sista.
She had wanted to see other places, but upon hearing about this kingdom, it had immediately become her focus.
"No problem. I'll become a Spiritual Saint in no time, mother!" Sarah said before saying goodbye to Gloria, leaving to find her father, who could send her to the Spatial Kingdom.
Gloria saw that and laughed, finding her daughter's behavior amusing. 'That girl... What is she going to do in that place?'
"Sigh... I hope nothing that will anger her father." This red-haired woman muttered before returning to the Dry City Temple.
...
Meanwhile, little Kendrick was playing with his toys on the floor of his room while Abby lectured her husband.
"How can you promise such a thing, Minos? Did you promise a commitment to my son without consulting me?" This blue-haired woman asked loudly, startling the maids in the vicinity.
Minos remained calm as he usually was and said in an unchanged tone as if he was having a normal conversation with his wife. "Abby, Kendrick will not go to the Sista until he reaches level 70. It will take decades for that to happen, dear."
"Even then, he's just a little baby!" She said, with the veins in her neck and forehead trembling.
"It's no guarantee that he'll go there immediately after reaching that level. Maybe Queen Sista will change her mind, or the opportunity for him to train there won't come until later, when he becomes stronger, like me... You will have plenty of time to watch him grow, dear."
"You rascal! I just had my son, and you're already considering taking him away from me?" She didn't take that well. "If you think it will happen like that, you'd better change your plans, Minos! I won't allow it!"
"Hmm, we can talk about this again in a few years." Minos smiled before hugging his wife's waist and stealing a kiss.
After doing so, he left from there as Abby shouted things at him, which he ignored. It was normal that she was a little defensive at the moment. After all, her hormones were at their peak, given how little time had passed since Kendrick's birth.
And so, Minos returned to his office to deal with Mia and the others there to handle empire matters with him.
