When they saw their companions suddenly faint as they walked through that dark forest, Oriel and Luke immediately drew their weapons, circulating their energies in their defensive techniques.
The Elemental Sect had sent them to patrol this area days ago, so they felt that their companions' fall was because of possible enemies nearby!
The two approached, standing with their backs to each other as they stood silently, watching for traces of movement in the surroundings.
However, they saw nothing, which only made them even more afraid of possible enemies nearby.
"Luke, stay alert. When the enemy shows itself, run away as fast as possible." Oriel said, sensing that they might need reinforcements, and at least one of them had to run to be able to send a call for help.
Gulp!
But as Luke swallowed his saliva, feeling that this could quickly become a deadly mission for his group, a space crack opened up below them, startling them.
With no chance to escape, the two fell into that spatial crack, sensing that this would be their end.
'Shit! I still had so much to do!' Luke thought to himself, regretting finding a fucking Spiritual Sage right after he advanced to the 8th stage.
But the next second, he and Oriel fell a few feet above where Minos was sitting.
When they saw someone sitting below where they would fall, they both frowned, preparing themselves for the impact.
But it would never come.
When they were about to hit that person with brown hair and black gold armor, they suddenly started to lose their acceleration, so they managed to move and land not far away from this level 80 Sage.
When they realized that this level 80 person, next to a level 87 beast in its humanoid form, was behind what had just happened, they both looked at him, narrowing their eyes.
Luke was the first to realize who this was, changing his expression. "Minos!"
Oriel quickly realized who this was and swallowed his saliva, revisiting Emperor Stuart after so many years.
Noticing how easily he had surpassed him in terms of cultivation, this man opened his mouth, shocked.
Minos had been stronger than him for a long time. But until a few years ago, the difference in levels between the two was not great.
But quickly, the young man who had once been more than 25 levels weaker than him was now 6 whole levels ahead of him. Not only that but considering the magnificent combat proficiency Minos had always had, the difference between them was probably much greater!
'Incredible! He's already at level 80!'
Minos looked at Luke and saw how surprised this cousin of Elen's was to see him there, but also because of his cultivation. "Hmm, long time no see, young master Nash."
"Please, Your Majesty, don't call me that..." He said, feeling a little embarrassed.
Minos smiled and said. "Well, I spotted you while I was eating and decided to say hello. By the way, thanks for your help years ago. Back then, your action helped us a lot."
"Your Majesty doesn't need to thank. We got enough for that." Luke said as Oriel agreed.
Luke's advancement to the 8th stage and even Oriel's cultivation speed were explained by the resources they had obtained by helping Minos back then.
They both knew very well said and genuinely thanked Minos once again for that opportunity after their shock of finding him in the middle of this forest passed.
"... But anyway, what is Your Majesty doing here? I thought the Black Plain was focused on its internal projects recently." Luke said.
He hadn't returned to the northern region in a long time. Still, he received letters from his family every few months, sometimes even from Elen. Because of this, he knew the Black Plain Empire had recently been having a few problems relative to the pressures before Maximillian's emergence.
But he didn't know everything. Luke was in the dark about the Longus family because that matter had been treated as a state secret, and Elen or others would not talk about it with people outside their group.
Minos then said. "I am in search of some people... There are some problems that will hit us in the future that I want to prevent. So I'm going after solutions."
"Future problems?" Luke and Oriel muttered.
They had already heard rumors in their sect regarding the emperor's concerns about the future. Listening to Minos, they couldn't help but connect such a thing to this.
Minos rose from where he was standing and said. "Be careful. Times are getting more challenging, especially for your state.
So I wish you good luck. If fate brings us together again, I hope I'm not in a hurry. Perhaps we can have a drink on that occasion."
The two agreed, without trying to delay Minos in what he was doing.
Luke said. "Good luck to Your Majesty and the empire as well. Maybe the next time we see each other, there will already be Demigods there."
Oriel looked at that woman next to Minos, figuring this shouldn't be long.
Minos laughed and said nothing more, soon climbing on Starclaw's back after she showed her bestial form.
With that, the two set off back on their journey westward, leaving those two watching them from afar.
"Minos is really amazing... In just a few decades, he has accomplished so many things." Oriel muttered to Luke, "I fear that in another 50 years, he will become a world-renowned expert."
"If he doesn't die, I fear he will become as great as Vico Travisani one day," Luke commented before sighing deeply. "Anyway, let's get back to our group. We shouldn't worry about the affairs of such great people."
...
A few more days passed...
While Minos was traveling to the border of the Western Empire with the kingdom of Lusmait, the group of envoys from the Longus family had reached the core of the Black Plain Empire!
As they arrived a few days late at this place, the group of peak Spiritual Sages, unlike the previous one that had only one such person, noticed the local changes.
As they flew over the place that should be the capital of this state, they noticed that pyramidal dome devoid of light hovering above this city.
"What is that?" One of them asked as the group leader felt they would have to investigate the local situation once more before proceeding with their plans.
"I don't know. But we'll find out!" He said before they scattered.
