The Rise of the Black Plain

After Minos' conversation with Isabella, he took some time off from his recent pursuit of the previous quadrupedal frontier, going with Abby to where he normally stayed in this palace.

While he was resting, the supreme elder learned about Minos' return and this emperor's most recent exploits.

As such, he was furious about Minos' actions against the powers of this state without first consulting him.

But the Gray Cloud Sect's elders prevented him from seeing Minos, leaving him to go to Isabella to complain about how lenient she was towards that individual.

Minos deserved the right to speak and could even decide some things for the empire without asking for permission. The supreme elder saw it this way since this state was only still ruled by the Edwardstone family because of such a person. But this did not give him the right to do anything he wanted.

Minos had to be limited and understand that his interests had to match those of the imperial family in this state, not the other way around.

But the old regent would only hear things that would displease him when he went to talk to Isabella and the rest of the high-ranking elders of the imperial family.

Most of the powerful people within this house were slowly distancing themselves from the regent because he repeatedly stood against Minos, even when the empire was already significantly dependent on this individual.

As such, many already dared to speak out about how they thought his ideas did not seem the best for the family, supporting Minos since, besides being powerful, he would probably become the husband of the future empress.

...

While the supreme elder was feeling the changes of time, Ruth, Gloria, and Sarah were at this moment in the central part of the Temple of Payton with the grandparents of this young girl.

"Oh, Sarah, how you have grown!" Margot hugged her granddaughter tightly, crushing this young redhead's cheeks against one of her breasts.

Joseph stood beside the two, seeing how much his granddaughter had grown since he had last seen her.

"In a little while, little Sarah will begin to cultivate." He said with a satisfied smile on his face. "Have you decided what technique she will use when that happens, Gloria? How about handing her over to me to train her inside the Church?"

"Father, you know Minos won't allow that..." Gloria said, tired of talking about this with her old man.

They wanted Sarah to become a warrior of the Church. Still, Minos wanted his daughter to be a cultivator for the Stuart family, perhaps the protector of their territory in his absence.

So he naturally wanted her to walk the same path as his and had even planned to let her cultivate the same techniques he had been training since his beginnings in cultivation.

Joseph knew of Minos' intentions, but he always insisted since his first granddaughter deserved to be spoiled by him and to receive the best possible resources.

The Black Plain had evolved quite a bit over time, but would this territory reach the level of the Spiritual Church someday? He didn't believe that and had it in his mind that Sarah might have a more promising future within that organization.

Margot agreed with that and said. "Sarah, what do you want?

Why don't you ask your parents to stay with us and join the Church? Then, grandma will be able to see you daily, and I'll buy lots of things for you."

Sarah was already pretty smart and said. "No, grandma. I want to serve the Black Plain Empire and help dad and mom strengthen our state."

"What? You?" Joseph said. "Sarah, leave that to Minos and Gloria. You can enjoy your life and become an expert away from home. It's the best thing for your future."

"No, grandpa. I want to become just like dad in the future. If I stay on the Black Plain, I will do amazing things like he always did." She said with her little eyes shining. "One day, I will be respected like my dad is!"

Minos was the person Sarah liked the most after her mother, but she still admired him more than Gloria. As such, she did not wish to become part of the Church but rather to walk the path of a princess of the Black Plain, helping her father maintain his dominions and even improve.

"Sigh..." Margot sighed, feeling that Minos had manipulated her beloved granddaughter into being so stubborn and devoted to the Black Plain.

Ruth smiled as she saw that, imagining the day she would have her children and see her parents trying to spoil them only to lose out in competition with Minos...

As for Gloria, she was pleased to see Sarah acting on Minos' plans, which would lead her to a much better future than being part of an organization controlled by another family.

She wanted to become the leader of the Church, the Supreme Pontiff. But that didn't make her think that being part of the Church was better than being part of an imperial family with potential and power.

With that, these people continued talking for the next few hours, with the two high-level Spiritual Saints playing with their granddaughter for some time before saying goodbye.

But for the next few weeks, they would have plenty of time to be together, so neither of them was in a hurry to do as much as they could that day, as was the case when Minos was in a hurry.

At the end of the day, Sarah, Gloria, and Ruth would return to the imperial palace, where Minos and Abby had already taken care of their business and returned to dealing with local leaders.

For the next few days, slowly, the news of the end of the Spiritual Palace Sect would spread throughout this state, making the organizations punished by Minos and the Imperial family fear the worst. Therefore, they would soon begin to honor the agreements with the Gray Clouds Sect and the Edwardstone family to avoid tragic ends...

As for Mortimer and the high-level elders of the Saints Killing Sect, these individuals would no longer show themselves in the short term, easing the tensions that still existed in the Flaming Empire.

As long as he was alive, the danger of something bigger happening would not end, and the local powers would constantly be on alert. But as the days passed, the notion that he might appear and cause chaos diminished, and the weaker people of this state began to return to their usual tranquility.

Minos and his family would spend this period quietly in the empire's capital, where the Spiritual Sage of the Eastern Empire would eventually return his observation of him.

Amidst this, he would take the time to enjoy his family, train and cultivate extensively, and continue his previous business concerning the Grey Clouds Sect's withdrawal from this state.

...

Two and a half months after the end of the Imperial Palace Sect, Minos and his family were finally preparing to return to the Black Plain.

At this moment, he had just finished saying goodbye to Isabella, Gloria's family, and some close acquaintances of theirs in this capital city.

With everything settled in this state and order restored, it was time for them to return home for Minos to prepare for his next journey!

In about a year and a half, it would finally be time for him to go to the Flowers Kingdom!