The Rise of the Black Plain

"Friends of the Black Plain, don't worry. We are not members of the Saints Killing Sect." The leader of this group of newcomers said aloud while having a warm smile on his face.

"We are not searching for your leader's head but rather business with him. This one is named Warner." He pointed to himself before introducing his two companions. "... We are here on behalf of the Edwardstone family, the Flaming Empire Imperial House!"

"Oh?" The people in the Dry City group opened their mouths in surprise, each of them feeling better that these were not enemies.

But just in case, they remained on guard in case the enemies were disguising themselves!

"Can you prove it?" The level 58 Spiritual King from before asked. "How do you know that the Saints Killing Sect is on our tail?"

The other Spiritual Emperor there then laughed and said. "We are part of the imperial family, so obviously, we know about our vassals' movements!"

"As for how to prove who we are, well, we have our empire IDs, but will that be of any value to you?"

"No..."

Warner then remembered something and said. "Don't worry. I participated in the peace negotiation attempt promoted by the Spiritual Church months ago. That way, just call someone who participated in that event, and that person can identify me."

"Hmm, that we can do, but you will have to stand here without moving." The leader of the group of Spiritual Kings lowered his tone, feeling that he probably would not have to fight today. "What do you say?"

"Sounds good to me!"

Warner was already a level 65 Spiritual Emperor who deserved respect wherever he went. That was even more true for this region of the Central Continent. However, this man was not making things difficult for Black Plain despite his pride and natural arrogance.

Not because he was afraid, nor because of Minos' origin in that Empire, but because he had been ordered to come to do business and not to cause trouble. So, considering his information and common sense, this man was not offended by having to follow the protocols of mere Spiritual Kings.

They were expected to be a bit traumatized, so he simply stood in that place with his two associates, peacefully waiting for the moment to visit Minos.

...

After a while, Minos and Abby had already returned from the Spatial Kingdom to Dry City, where they had several matters to attend to.

That was only their first day back there, so there were still a few commitments for the two of them to resolve before returning to their usual routine.

For example, Minos had to stop by his army's administrative group to go over and receive new information. As for Abby, besides her regular duties within the army, she had the matter of the Scourges of the Devil's former allies to deal with.

Thus, they left Ruth farming in the Spatial Kingdom to pursue their agendas!

So, just a few minutes after their fun was over, the two were already at the headquarters of the Black Plain Army, separated while settling their affairs.

...

"Your Grace, a group, claiming to come from the Flaming Empire has just arrived on the city's south side!" A soldier came shouting into Minos' office, sweating from the rush from his post to there.

"Flaming Empire?" Minos promptly rose from his seat, already beginning to prepare to fight.

He then clenched his fists and felt his level 55 cultivation spreading to the surroundings along with his fury. 'Very good! Very good Saint Slaying Sect! You truly enjoy pissing me off!'

But before he had a chance to give the order for that soldier to gather a group to accompany him, such an individual spoke. "They claim to be representatives of the imperial family of that state. It seems they are here for business, Your Grace."

"Oh?" Minos' blood calmed a little at this information. "Are you sure this is true?"

"No, but one of them, someone named Warner, said he participated in that previous peace negotiation attempt. So, they are waiting in one of the construction camps on the city's south side so that someone can confirm his identity."

"So that's it... Well, I will go to that place to confirm whether it is him or not. In any way, form a group to accompany me."

"Yes, Your Grace!"

...

Sometime later, Minos and a dozen or so people could be seen running through the construction fields on the south side of Dry City, heading toward those visitors.

While doing this, he talked to his father-in-law, Eliot, who had already reached level 57.

There in that group were also Angela and Celeste, both on the same level as Abby's father, as well as number three in the Miller family, Daphne Miller, level 58, an old friend of Minos' father during such a person's youth...

"Minos, isn't it too soon for more enemies from that place to arrive? I mean, we were attacked a few weeks ago! I thought we'd still have some time." Eliot commented.

He and some people there had just joined the rest of the group, so they did not know that the situation would probably not involve confrontation.

Minos laughed and explained. "Father-in-law, that doesn't seem to be the case. I only called you all in case we were about to face a cross-dressing enemy."

"But these people seem like they are only here for business."

"Oh?" Daphne felt better hearing that because it was dangerous to fight against Spiritual Emperors, and business with the Flaming Empire would be undeniably positive for this territory.

Her family had already become completely integrated into Minos' organization, and she herself was living in Dry City to assist him, despite the fact that the majority of her family was in the territory granted to them by King Stuart. As such, she was very concerned about local success.

With that, they soon ran into the three visitors from the Flaming Empire, which the previous group surrounded.

"Hmmm, all right, folks, this person was at the event hosted by the Church. So you can rest now." Minos said right after seeing Warner's face.

On the other hand, that man looked at Minos in shock, seeing that the local sovereign had already reached level 55!

'How can this be? The last time I saw him, he was only at level 53!'

'That's not even a year, and he's already reached that level?' Warner looked incredulously at the brown-haired man standing next to several high-level Spiritual Kings.

On the other hand, the two individuals on Warner's side were also impressed by Minos' cultivation speed.

Of course, they did not know him yet, but news of Minos' advancement to level 54 had reached the Empire about 7 or 8 months ago.

Considering that, it was a big surprise to the level 62 Spiritual Emperor and that level 59 Spiritual King that Minos was so fast cultivating.

'What a little monster!'

'The Coleman family genes are truly amazing!'

'It's not for nothing that his mother is already a Spiritual Saint under 150, while his grandfather is already at level 79!' The peak Spiritual King of that group thought about it in silence, blaming Minos' lineage for his cultivation speed.

Maisie had recently advanced to the 8th stage, something impressive by the standards of even the Flaming Empire.

Considering that, seeing that son of hers, such a person could not help but envy the Coleman lineage.

"So?" Minos said, breaking the mental shock of those three. "What does House Edwardstone want from the Black Plain? You wouldn't be here to avenge the members of the Saints Killing Sect, would you?"

"Uh?" Warner shook his head from side to side and then answered Minos. "Your Majesty, you have misunderstood us. We have no relation to what the Saints Killing Sect has been doing."

"In any case, you shouldn't worry about them bothering you much longer. The Church recently revoked the previous authorization that was giving the Saints Killing Sect freedom to act."

"So, the members of that organization shouldn't be bothering you again very soon."

"Oh?" several voices arose in the surroundings as those Spiritual Kings felt relief in their hearts.

Gloria's deeds had not yet reached Dry City. Because of this, none of those people were aware of such a thing.

'That must be Gloria's doing...' Minos thought silently, pleased in many ways by this information.

"Then what do you people want here?"

"We are here to talk about our future and the future of the Spiritual Tournament!"

...