The Rise of the Black Plain

While the group of Minos traveled back to the Dry City, several groups that left the Yellow City were already within the largest city on the Black Plain.

Since Minos asked for the release of information that there would be jobs here, many unemployed people got together and have moved towards this city to investigate the situation here.

Upon arriving in the Dry City, they all had the same reaction. That was stupefying!

They could hardly believe that this was the place that must have been far worse than their city. There was nothing to indicate that. Even the spiritual energy in the town was on par with that of the Yellow City.

And not only that, seeing the lush fields of crops not far from the city showed them that there was indeed a great demand from farmers in this place. After all, the Dry City had less than 50,000 inhabitants, who certainly couldn't handle all the work available!

Because of this, by the time they got close to the city, almost all of these people already knew that the rumor was true.

However, as they were already here, they wanted to learn a little more about this place.

After all, just because there are opportunities, it doesn't mean that the quality of life here is better!

In certain places, these people could very well be enslaved!

And at that point, they were even more excited. The city was experiencing steady growth, with several buildings being built in regions further away from the city center, with buildings being remodeled and expanded further to the core of the Dry City.

It was the reality of a growing place, a land of opportunities!

But it was not a disorderly and chaotic growth. No, everything seemed planned to have the best infrastructure possible.

Some streets were extensive and connected several parts of the city, while there were places concentrated in certain activities, such as public buildings, residences, shops, etc.

The image that the city had was also charming. There were public squares, lots of trees in the streets, clean and well-marked streets. In general, the town gave a very favorable impression to visitors of the Yellow City.

...

Meanwhile, the pair of friends from the Yellow City, the merchant Lance and the alchemist Edric, was also already in the Dry City.

They had arrived in the town of Minos yesterday morning and had already seen many things that had surprised them to the core of their beings.

The very fact that it was possible to plant on these lands was something of inverting the sky and the earth.

They had heard from residents of the Dry City about the 'miraculous' deeds that Minos had been doing in the town. For both of them, this person was fascinating, maybe even supported by a great power from the Central Continent...

At this time, the two were drinking tea on a balcony of the Four Seasons Hotel, where they were staying. The place was not luxurious, but it was well maintained and had a fabulous view of the city.

There was a small table with space for two, a beautiful picture on a wall, and a glass balcony.

Edric then broke the silence after drinking a cup of spiritual tea. "I'm honestly amazed by everything I've seen here. Although many things are missing in this city and the quality of services has not yet reached a high level, it is only a matter of time before this is resolved."

Lance shook his head in agreement and looked at the view of the city as he said. "Hmm, indeed. But I'm curious as to the background behind this Minos Stuart. Once I was still at the beginning of my career as a trader, I heard an interesting story from a cultivator from the Eastern Empire."

"Oh! I don't remember you telling me about it before. How is this story?" The old alchemist asked curiously.

"Haha, old friend, it happened over 200 years ago, so it's normal for me not to remember those old things." Lance smiled as he said. "This may also just be a legend that has been augmented."

"But anyway, the story goes like this. About 10,000 years ago, a revolutionary cultivator from the Eastern Empire emerged. According to the tale I heard, this person came from a humble background. Still, in a few centuries, he raised an entire weak region within that empire to a level equivalent to that of the strongest families in this world!"

"After that, he became the foremost defender of that empire against its great enemy, the Western Empire. They say that the prominent families of the Western Empire have not yet reunified these empires because of him."

"Oh! Was there such a character?" Edric asked in awe. It was genuinely admirable that a single person could defend an entire empire!

This man would certainly deserve a round of applause!

Lance laughed and said. "That's what I heard. If I have a memory, this guy was called Vico Trevisani. But anyway, maybe that's just a made-up story..."

"And do you think that Minos looks like the cultivator of this story?"

"Who knows, at least he will raise this place to a level that no one has achieved in hundreds of thousands of years. Even though he can't compare to the achievements of Vico Trevisani, he could still have his name in the legends. Haha." The old man smiled after saying this.

"But, changing the subject, you must be excited to do business with this place, right?" The old alchemist asked with a bit of interest.

"Ehh, I am already very old. Perhaps I will pass this news on to my grandson. He is very talented, and it can help him earn his space within the family." Lance responded calmly.

"And you? This is certainly a golden opportunity for an alchemist who is just one step away from reaching grade-2, like you."

"Hmm, even if I didn't want to, I would still have to come here. With this place developing, the Yellow City is finished for me. Many people from there will come here. Hell, I dare say that with this place, that city may well end up being abandoned..."

"Hmm, but this is for the best. Even if this place already has another alchemist, he does not have the capacity to supply such demand." Lance said confidently.

"Ehh. About that..."

...

While the two old friends enjoyed a conversation while drinking tea and enjoying the city landscape, other groups were making discoveries in this new place.

It didn't take long, and someone found out about the Dry City alchemist and the super low prices that he was charging the city's inhabitants!

The pills were less than a third of the value found in other parts of the North of the Central Continent!

That in itself was a great advantage for those with low talent who could not afford spiritual pills. Just by residing in this city, they could receive a discount of 700 crystals when purchasing a grade-1, high-grade pill.

It was like the city was giving them these crystals!

"Unbelievable, I can barely make 100 crystals a year, but these people get a discount of that size..." One of the Yellow City inhabitants said out loud to a friend who had informed him about it.

"Hey, Bernard, I heard that they are also going to hire 600 soldiers in the next three months. It seems that the minimum criterion is to have Blue talent and be a resident of the Dry City." A tall man said while speaking to a close friend.

"Eh? Only that?"

"Of course not, idiot! Only those with the highest level of each stage of cultivation get the vacancies. But it is only a matter of time before we have our chance."

"Oh! That's nice. How about our group coming back soon? What do you think, Greg?" Bernard asked his friend.

"Hmm, we better move our family here as soon as possible!"

...

Time passed, and the group of Minos was already arriving in the Dry City.

They quickly approached the entrance to the city, but nothing caught the group's attention.

This was a short trip of just over a week, so no significant changes were visible to the group that left for the mission in the Yellow City.

"Ahh! Home, Sweet Home." One of the soldiers said as he stretched in one of the carriages.

Not only was this soldier happy, but everyone else was glad too. This mission had paid off for all of them, and they still got a few weeks off because of it!

It was simply the dream of many of them!

At the same time, the butler Dillian looked at the city from inside the carriage and said to Minos. "I'm curious to know how many people came from the Yellow City in the past few days..."

"Hmm, it's only a matter of time before many of them come here." Minos smiled and continued. "Hehe, I want to see when I get back from the Spiritual Tournament how much the Dry City will improve... But grandpa Dillian will have a lot of work from now on. Haha."