The Rise of the Black Plain

After a whole day of discussing things similar to what had been discussed at the elves' expert meeting, the temple group also discussed things of their own.

As an organization with lower-level members who didn't have access to the elven-led meeting, not everyone from the temple had attended it. Many had to listen, talk, and negotiate things necessary for their forces to survive the ice age ahead.

Part of the conversation, of course, was to advise these temple members with partnerships and conversations similar to those that had taken place at the elven-led meeting in the Pantheon of Honor's headquarters temple.

But soon after this discussion, the group moved on to internal matters concerning the temple's leadership in the coming years. Even though the blue faction had won the previous vote, that didn't mean they would decide everything themselves.

The power of the temple members in meetings like this outweighed the power of the faction at the top of the organization. The ruling faction was merely the group that could make decisions and get things done in the short term. But when such meetings took place, the rules decided upon were those that pleased the majority, not necessarily the interests of the faction in control of the temple.

In short, the blue faction would have to follow the rules chosen by the temple members at that meeting.

Among the measures approved at that meeting were an increase in the number of temple members, a decrease in the number of merit points required to access temple resources, the creation of food reserves to alleviate food shortages for temple members, and a ban on temple members becoming involved in outside conflicts.

There were several other points decided at the meeting, but these were the most important and were to be implemented immediately.

Finally, after the members had finished talking and negotiating with each other, the great meeting of the members of the Pantheon of Honor came to an end.

Because of the Divine Conclave, the mandatory membership meetings that took place every 20 years would no longer be mandatory for the next 100 years - they would only have to hold a new mandatory meeting in 50 years.

Since the ice age was a time when each power had to focus on protecting itself, its strongest representatives couldn't travel to other continents and distant lands. 

But a lot could happen in 50 years, so the temple couldn't continue for much longer without another mandatory meeting.

Without constant maintenance and changes, a high-level organization couldn't remain intact for millions of years!

So when Minos finished his business in the late afternoon, he promised Julian and Aarav to see them again at the Continental Tournament and then at the meeting in 50 years.

As evening fell in the temple's headquarters city, he and his party departed through a local wormhole port to begin their journey back to the Black Plain Empire!

...

The following day, Minos' party was already sailing across the East Sea, heading west, toward the north of the Central Continent, to the Snowlands.

Having no trouble leaving the Divine Continent, Minos' party left at midnight, having already sailed for hours, long enough for these lands to have disappeared over the horizon.

With the Sea Folk's ship and several high-level beings to help them, the journey ahead would be quick, and in less than three months, the group should reach the capital city of Snow.

With all of them having had unique experiences there over the past few years, some having traveled there with Minos for more than 5 years, it was time for them to make their final preparations.

In a few more years, it would be time for them to enter the most dangerous sea in the Spiritual World!

There was no guarantee who would be able to return from that place. So, everyone could already feel a certain nervousness, knowing that they had to make the most of the next few years in the Black Plain Empire but also strengthen themselves as much as they could with Minos' support.

So, while they sailed, most of the crew took their time to meditate, leaving only the essential personnel to take care of the journey.

Minos was among those who cultivated, using his Divine Seal on one of the giant bones in his Spatial Kingdom to cultivate and further increase the density of the chaotic energy of the supreme beings from the distant past of this world in his body.

In this way, he could better prepare his body and soul for the experiences he might have to deal with in a few years!

...

While Minos traveled to the Central Continent, Maximilian was in the Spiritual Church's Spatial Kingdom, cultivating with a smile on his face while an old man's body lay beside him.

In that high-level place that only he could enter at the moment, a cloud of colored spiritual energy surrounded the outskirts of a large cultivation chamber.

In this place, powerful spiritual fluctuations were causing the entire surrounding space to tremble, and spatial distortions were attempting to form, even though this was a stable Spatial Kingdom where spatial manipulation was not normally possible.

But with a Divine-grade medicine right in front of Maximilian and him processing the chaotic energy of that essence, there was no way this space could handle it as if nothing was happening.

He was cultivating to become a God, someone who could manipulate this space!

Maximilian cultivated with satisfaction after successfully stealing the Divine-grade medicine from the former head of the Spiritual Church without losing its medicinal effect.

'Just wait a little longer, Vico. In a few years, I'll leave this room...' He continued with closed eyes and a broad smile on his face.

'I will leave this place at level 100!'

...

Meanwhile, the people on the outskirts of the Spatial Kingdom had no idea what was going on inside the Supreme Pontiff's cultivation chamber.

But Forrest, who was there at the time, would soon discover what Maximilian had done.

Shortly after his master's soul disappeared, he and Duncan Evergreen's other disciples would learn of the former Supreme Pontiff's unexpected death!

Considering the presence of Maximillian Flamen in the Spatial Kingdom, Minos' partner in the journey through the Ancient Dragon Space Kingdom, currently at level 94, would soon become suspicious of the circumstances of his master's death.

'Guys, we have to assume that Maximilian is behind this.' He said in the minds of his companions in the Spiritual Church.

'What are we going to do? No one below level 99 will be able to enter the chamber where he is. And if he succeeds...' Someone worried.

Forrest then suggested, trying to suppress his loss since there was no time to mourn now. 'Let's go to the Black Plain Empire. We'll talk to Minos. He'll help us find a way out of this problem.'