After more than four and a half years since reaching level 90, Minos had finally passed the halfway point and reached the last part of level 90.
This might seem slow to someone who, in the past, would have cultivated more than one level at the 9th stage in the same period of time. However, the 10th stage was not easy, and the difference in energy levels in this realm was huge. A single level might require decades of meditation and closed cultivation.
Reaching the last part of a 10th stage level in just over 4 years was fantastic!
Almost everyone in the Spatial Kingdom felt the same way when they saw how fast he had progressed, with the weaker ones feeling more hopeful about the future and the stronger ones feeling increasingly frustrated.
But how could they not be frustrated, knowing that Minos' time was short? Even with his cultivation speed, reaching level 92 before the aliens arrived would be difficult.
However, the people in this place tried not to think about it too much and tried to focus on what they could affect, things that could really change their lives and the lives of many others.
Minos' situation was unchangeable. There was no way he could beat time, the only thing that really stood in his way.
So when he finished some of his experiments this afternoon, he and his closest companions were preoccupied with other things than how sad it was that he wouldn't have the opportunity to go any further in his cultivation before his enemies arrived.
He looked at one of the strongest members of his study group and said. "I'm going to take a few weeks off to go to Dry City and care for some things. I want to collect some high-level weapons for my family in a special place."
"Oh? Don't worry about us, Your Majesty. At the stage of development we're at with the experiments and techniques left by the Ancient Folk, we can finish our work without any support." The Demigod said with a smile on his face.
After years of working with the theories of Minos and the Ancient Folk, his group had achieved significant results, with safer methods that could be used by people like the Emperor and Titus, but also significant results with experiments.
By now, more than 500 live guinea pigs had overcome their old bottlenecks. They were helping the empire's scholars improve their methods and theories.
Things were going so well for the group that Minos planned to begin the widespread application of his discoveries to the empire's soldiers in no more than two years.
Even soldiers at the peak of their cultivation, as Titus was before, could go through the same thing as him without the risk of ending up like this old fox!
Because the group had improved so much over the years, Minos could afford to take some time away from his group to attend to his own affairs.
"When I return, I want the chaotic energy cultivation method to be available. I'll be the first to try it out. If it works, we'll form the first group of soldiers to learn these methods and the techniques compatible with this type of cultivation."
The top scholars were anxious, for some answers would only come when an even larger group of guinea pigs tested their advances in knowledge and theory!
"We will do our best." These high-ranking men and women said simultaneously.
Minos then looked at each level 99 Demigod in seclusion in his Spatial Kingdom and saw that they were still far from successfully advancing to level 100.
Then he looked at Kyla and Emlyn, who had not yet gone through the evolutionary process.
"When I return, it will be time for you to go through your evolution, Emlyn. Be prepared for it." He warned her without fear. Too many successful cases had piled up for him to fear the worst.
She wasn't worried about the risks either and was anxious, looking forward to the progress that would make her much stronger and able to help Minos.
"I'll be ready." She said, just before Minos looked at his children in his, where he planned to leave them until the Continental Tournament.
The weakest of them was currently at level 61, while Sarah, whom he had brought to this place the last time he was in Dry City, was currently at level 80!
'Time for me to visit this Seraphim place...' Minos thought as he teleported to Dry City, arriving at his imperial palace in the blink of an eye.
Upon arriving in his capital, he simply told his wives where he was going before leaving the quasi-Spatial Kingdom of the empire's capital.
It was snowing heavily around the capital, while here and there, unprotected places were freezing, a sign of the changing times.
'We're only a few months away from the official beginning of the ice age, but we're already in this state...' Minos sighed as he remembered how colorful this place had been years ago.
Now, the horizon seemed to have lost all its joy, primarily covered with snow and frozen layers of earth.
The spiritual energy itself seemed colder than ever, and the laws of nature with an affinity to fire became almost intangible in this place.
But Minos didn't observe this for long. Soon, he would manipulate space and set out from the core of his empire toward the Ancestral Sea, toward the Seraphim's Ancient Sarcophagus.
Decades ago, he had heard from Maximillian that he could return to that place whenever he wanted to try to obtain quality items. Now that he was a powerful Demigod and had some free time, it was time for him to follow through on what he had decided with the man when he was still a Saint.
Unlike back then, when it took him months to reach the core of the Ancestral Sea, he would arrive at the location of the floating island he was destined for in just a few hours!
'When I've finished my business here, it will be time for me to finish my experiments and prepare for the Continental Tournament!' He thought as he came upon this ancient place, looking ahead to all the way he had to go before the war of the worlds.
After that, there would be nothing left for him in this world but to fight the invaders!
