Arriving in Payton at the local wormhole port, Minos' group was soon at the local imperial palace, where the empire's forces were gathered.
As far as they knew, the easternmost portals of the state, near the border with the Evergreen Empire, had not yet fully stabilized, and no one had attempted to pass through them.
The Edwardstone family was still concentrated in their capital, waiting for their departure to that area.
Harold was going to enter the Ancient Dragon Spatial Kingdom together with Minos' group, so he was waiting for them locally.
Sensing her father's spiritual fluctuation, Isabella led the way, quickly arriving at her family's headquarters, where dozens of Spiritual Saints were positioned around the imperial palace.
Many of them noticed her arrival and respectfully greeted the former crown princess, who had almost become empress.
Amid this, they could not help but look with a little awe at Minos, noting that he was very close to reaching level 83, having far surpassed them all.
Only a few years ago, they treated Minos as a talented junior, but in just over three decades, everything had changed, and he had now surpassed them all by a large difference.
Even Emperor Edwardstone could not compare to him in terms of level!
"Your Majesty Minos Stuart, it is good to have you back in the empire's capital." One of the imperial guards who had known this fellow the longest said as he approached the group led by Isabella.
Minos looked at Warner, level 75, and nodded, remembering this man he had first seen shortly before the end of the War of Independence.
He nodded to Warner and asked. "How are things locally? Much trouble in the portal area?"
"Not so much, but several powerful experts are out there awaiting the opening of the Ancient Dragon Spatial Kingdom." That man guided Minos' group to where Harold was. "Even with people from the south and west in that area, there hasn't been any fighting yet. But tensions are quite high in the area."
One might find it strange that envoys from these warring regions were in the same place without getting into trouble, but it was indeed happening.
Both sides wanted to participate in this event for the same purpose, to strengthen themselves, get resources and high-level weaponry, and improve the strengths of their factions' main talents. Precisely for this reason, both sides avoided fighting within the Flaming Empire.
As the war continued on the border of the western region and the strongest of each party in the war were watching each other, even though the Flaming Empire was part of the Church's territory, there was not much such an organization could do to prevent Vico's envoys from entering that spatial region.
Most of the Church's territory was held by only mid-level specialists, which was not enough to prevent enemy incursions.
And even knowing that these people were in their territory, Maximillian's people could not do much about them.
What would he do? Risk a premature confrontation of several of his top specialists with those of Vico and risk losing the chance for his envoys to enter the Ancient Dragon Spatial Kingdom?
No, if it came to fighting, they would fight inside that place and disrupt each other's plans there. Outside, any confrontation would lead to losses for both sides and gains for powers from other continents.
Hearing that, Minos didn't find it strange and was soon in front of Harold and part of the local imperial family.
"So you guys are already here..." Harold looked at Minos, seeing how much stronger this man was compared to the last time he saw him.
"Hmm, we'll wait for the full opening of this region locally, and when everything is ready in that area, we'll leave. I intend to enter this Spatial Kingdom with my women soon after the first groups of foreign states enter."
Minos' plan was to draw as little attention as possible to his entry into that place since he and his people were not strong enough compared to the powers that would enter there.
Minos had improved a lot since his battle against the Demigods of the Longus family. However, given the difference between 10th-stage levels, his combat proficiency was not much better than before.
His current limit was level 90 Demigods; above that, he needed to fuse his techniques.
Obviously, he would have less difficulty facing opponents like those from the Longus family at the moment. However, he could not casually deal with people of level 91 or above.
That was how different the cultivation strengths of high-level beings were in this world!
Even though he had gotten so much stronger, Minos had hardly evolved in relation to Demigods.
But concerning Spiritual Sages, his strength had improved significantly, and creatures of great lineages at that stage would have a harder time facing him these days.
"Oh? That makes sense." The emperor of this area said, seeing no problem with this strategy, as a day or two delay would not make much of a difference to them.
While they were talking, suddenly, a powerful aura rose above the local imperial palace, and a voice reached the ears of the people in the imperial palace.
"Minos Stuart, Gloria Frost, I want to talk to you alone. Can we do that now?" That voice questioned, while Minos and the rest of the people in that place felt the level 93 aura of such a person.
This was no ordinary spiritual fluctuation but something from someone talented with great techniques and innate ability.
There was nowhere for them to run or how to avoid such a person. Soon they all set off for the roof of the imperial palace, where they identified where that person was coming from.
"Spiritual Church?" Abby muttered as she saw the silver cloak of that tall and strong man, someone with a sharp appearance but a warm aura.
Seeing Minos Stuart in front of him for the first time, that high-ranking Cardinal looked at this fellow and narrowed his eyes, much more surprised by this person's talents than the others in the surroundings admiring his powers.
"Who are you?" Minos looked into this Demigod's eyes, not understanding what this was about but confident this should not be a big problem.
"Minos Stuart, I am Forrest Howell, disciple and successor of the Supreme Pontiff Duncan Evergreen. I would like to speak with you and Cardinal Frost at the local temple. Please accompany me." He said before disappearing as he moved in the direction of Payton Temple.
...
