The Rise of the Black Plain

As Kendrick ate for a new round of appointments, Sarah quickly arrived at the temple of the Spiritual Church in Dry City.

Several high and low-level members bowed their heads and stopped what they were doing to respectfully make way for her.

Besides being the emperor's daughter, she was the only daughter of Cardinal Frost, the leader of this post. As such, everyone there treated her with the utmost respect.

As she waved to some old acquaintances on her way, Sarah walked alongside Ivy Lawson, level 79, Maisie's best friend, who was part of the group assisting the princess.

Besides her, Little Green, level 80, in his humanoid form at the moment, was also accompanying Sarah.

Minos had passed this beast on to his daughter in recent months, while Maida, level 74, was Kendrick's official mount.

"I heard that your grandfather Joseph has advanced to the 9th stage, Your Highness. Is that true?" Ivy asked as she walked through the halls of the local Spiritual Church temple.

"I don't know. I think my grandmother is here to talk about it." Sarah commented just before they arrived at Gloria's office.

In that place, Gloria was talking to her mother, Margot, who was currently at level 79.

Upon seeing her grandmother, Sarah ran up and hugged her, happy to see this woman getting stronger.

Margot was already quite old, so leveling up for her was more than just getting stronger. It was a chance to live longer!

Being on the threshold of the 8th stage with the 9th, she was close to achieving a major breakthrough, something that naturally made Sarah happy.

"Grandma Margot, you look very well," Sarah said as she felt this woman's arms wrapping around her.

Margot smiled at her granddaughter and said. "You are looking even better, haha. You will become a Spiritual Saint in no time!"

"I hope so, hehe."

"Sarah, your grandmother has something to tell you," Gloria said as she continued in her place, with several documents spread out on her desk.

Margot moved away from her granddaughter and looked her in the eye. "Sarah, we have good news and bad news regarding your grandfather Joseph."

Gulp!

"What?"

Margot went straight to the point. "Your grandfather advanced to the 9th stage recently. That's the good news. Unfortunately, upon advancing to the 9th stage, he was called back to the Church headquarters."

The Church headquarters was at war with the western region, so this was by no means good news.

"What, but why? Why wasn't he left in the Flaming Empire like my mother was here?" Sarah exclaimed, finding that to be exceedingly unfair.

Margot sighed and said. "The Flaming Empire does not have the same conditions as the Black Plain Empire Empire, my girl.

After all these years, Emperor Edwardstone is the strongest in the state and is only at level 81. Meanwhile, Minos is at level 81, but he has several cultivators under him who are at levels 87, 88, and 89.

So it's not against the rules of the Church to Groria stay in this region."

"But... But Grandpa would never do anything against Emperor Edwardstone! He wouldn't try a coup against that imperial family!" Sarah argued, thinking that this rule was absurd.

"But that's the way it is, Sarah," Gloria said, looking into her daughter's eyes. "But don't worry, the people in my faction are already moving to try to bring your grandfather to the Black Plain." She promised.

Margot wiped the tears dripping from Sarah's little eyes and said, smiling at her. "Don't worry about your grandfather. As much as he is in the Evergreen Empire, this war has been handled by experts stronger than him. So he probably won't be sent to the battlefield."

...

Meanwhile, Isabella was standing next to her mother, walking through a garden in the innermost part of Dry City.

Her mother, Audrey Cummings, was currently at level 79 and was accompanied by a member of the Edwardstone family's imperial guard, also level 79.

After the weakening of the imperial family of the Flaming Empire due to Harold's kidnapping and subsequent rise of the Saints Killing Sect, much had changed in that state.

With the partnership with the Black Plain Empire and the Spiritual Sages sent by Minos to act for the Gray Clouds Sect, Harold had greatly developed his strength. His family had not only recovered from the losses of that time but had also become even stronger than before.

He had advanced to level 81, while his queen had reached level 80. On the other hand, several family elders often came to the Black Plain and had, therefore, improved several levels in recent years.

Among these people who had benefited from the partnership with the Stuart family was precisely Isabella's mother, who was living half the year in Dry City to advance to the 9th stage.

Hence, she had time to take occasional walks with her daughter, who nowadays had a relatively large belly.

After Minos' return from the Divine Continent, the Stuart family had been blessed, and two more of his wives had become pregnant!

Isabella had already been pregnant for about 1.5 years, while Ruth had had her pregnancy confirmed 6 months ago.

Not only that, from what the army doctors said, Ruth was not only pregnant, but she would have twins!

This was an extremely rare possibility in the Spiritual World, but it could happen.

Because of this blessing, the whole family was thrilled now that all of Minos' wives had become pregnant at least once with his child.

Anyway, as she walked around smoothing her belly, Isabella talked about serious matters with her mother. "The state must withstand the current challenges, mother. In less than a decade, one of the entrances to the Ancient Dragon Spatial Kingdom will appear in the Flaming Empire. That will be an opportunity for all of us.

My father has to try his luck there. Depending on what will happen, everything could change for the Edwardstone family."

"Hmm, I agree. This will be a good opportunity to strengthen our house and create opportunities for the imperial heir." Audrey commented.

Isabella's little brother, the emperor, and empress's son, was born months ago, just before Madeline's breakthrough.

The state functioned to its heirs and to make them even more powerful than their parents. Thus, it was essential for the Edwardstone family to do what was necessary to take advantage of the opportunity to enter this special place!

Only then could the state have a brighter future with Isabella's little brother!