The Rise of the Black Plain

Before long, the entire population of Dry City found out about the war warning that young Stuart had released earlier.

That was not good news by any means. And as such, people had become somewhat fearful about the local future because of it.

After all, wars were not easy things to settle and usually involved a lot of risks and losses. So, even the population of this city, which was composed of many ordinary individuals without much knowledge, was aware of the seriousness of the situation.

And they really wouldn't need much knowledge about the regional past to know that independence or rebellion was not well received by the large regional forces... On the contrary, rebels were treated harshly and were usually exterminated sooner or later!

Hence, upon discovering Minos' intentions to fight a war of independence against the Brown Kingdom, the citizens knew that he was heading in a direction that had no return.

Either he would succeed, and things would go well for Dry City in the future, or he would lose, and it would all be destroyed.

On the other hand, the more experienced or intelligent people soon realized that there wasn't much choice here.

Some might be more naive, but even the worst of the fools wouldn't think that outsiders wouldn't covet Dry City upon discovering the local opportunities. As in the example of those nobles from the Brown Kingdom or members of royalty who would undoubtedly see the Black Plain as a place to be explored.

So, with the discovery regarding the local changes, it was only a matter of time before someone would approach this city and try to take local control. They would replace the current ruler or subdue him.

In any case, the results would not be satisfactory for these more ordinary citizens, people with White and Blue talents.

Most of Dry City's population had migrated here from other cities. Most of the people of Dry City had migrated here from other cities and different kingdoms in the region. Because of this, they knew very well that if an enemy force took over this place, they could be sure that the local opportunities would change significantly.

After all, none of them knew of any cities in this region that offered the same opportunities for low-talented inhabitants as Minos did in Dry City.

There were even good cities to live in in this part of the Central Continent. Still, in these places, at most, these ordinary inhabitants wouldn't be exploited and would get decent wages.

As for things like learning techniques for free without direct subordination to the sovereign power, financing options for real estate, employment for all, subsidies for pill production, and so on, none of this existed outside of Dry City.

On the other hand, any of these cities were far away from the Black Plain, and those who wanted to migrate might have to endure the hardships of traveling for months until they arrived in one of these cities.

To make matters worse, after spending many crystals, overcome the dangers, migrants who attempted this still had no guarantee that they would be well received.

Thus, despite the fear of the consequences of war, many local citizens understood the why for such a thing and how it would be best for themselves.

And so, despite the bad feeling that everyone felt, the silence that this had caused at the beginning of the day in Dry City, most citizens did not delay in going about their business.

They couldn't forget this and their fears. But they understood that their lives and responsibilities would not stop just because they had problems.

At the end of the day, working, gathering crystals, and training was the only way for anyone to overcome adversity. In this way, Dry City went on with business as usual, despite the worried eyes that could be seen everywhere.

...

While the ordinary citizens were trying to get on with their lives after discovering Minos' plans, each of the army's allies had already found out about the young ruler's rebellious intentions.

And each of them had had different reactions, some happy, others sad, worried, hopeful. Still, each of them wanted to understand the young Stuart, his vision, to try to predict his subsequent actions.

...

"Not for nothing!" Patriarch Gill said aloud as he got up from an armchair in the middle of a meeting room in the building where he and the core of this family were living. "That's why he built those defenses and acted so vigorously against us!" 

Upon hearing this, the high-ranking elders of this family had looks of loss on their faces as they seemed to have swallowed a bitter medicine. 

They were obviously not even a little happy. On the contrary, those experts were very afraid of the future. After all, unlike the ordinary people in this city, they knew very well the dangers that the rebels faced.

And since a hot-blooded madman had subjugated them, they could only prepare themselves to withstand the powerful enemies of Minos, practically all the regional noble families!

The Counter-Revolutionary Statute!

That was the final nail in the coffin for this family...

'We are finished! Our situation was terrible before, but who knew? Who knew?'

'We've managed to make our fate much worse!' So, Winston thought to himself as he felt a deep pessimism.

"Patriarch, why don't we try conversing to this sovereign? Since he has assured us that we have rights as his subordinates..." This level 54 Spiritual King paused his sentence at this point while forming a disgusted expression on his face. "Cough! Then we have the right to at least try to convince him otherwise!"

Upon hearing this, many people in that place nodded in agreement, hoping that the patriarch might put some sense into Minos' head.

Perhaps this young man was just a fool with no knowledge of the dangers his own desires posed. In that case, maybe the voice of an influential and experienced figure might change his mind...

"I'll try my best, but..." And soon they continued talking about it, with each of them expressing their points and presenting their ideas.

They still didn't respect Minos as their ruler or anything like that. After all, they had just been subjugated, and other than their fear of that young man, there wasn't much more than their anger towards him.

But like it or not, they had no choice and were struggling to accept this reality and follow the rules set by young Stuart himself.

Hence, since they were Minos' subordinates, they would act as such and ask questions!

...

Meanwhile, at the top of the local Cultivation Tower...

Three Spiritual Kings of the Miller family had just heard the recent news from the young Spiritual General who had accompanied them to this town.

"What? Didn't Minos say he wanted to live in peace on the Black Plain and had no intentions of fighting the Brown family? So why does he announce such a thing now?" One of them yelled, shouting in anger.

"And he didn't even talk to us before he did such a thing! He doesn't respect us!" A level 54 individual said this, feeling somewhat betrayed.

"This is terrible!"

"What will happen to our family? We will be treated as traitors to the kingdom!" The young Spiritual General said in a low voice as he felt an intense chill run through his body.

On the other hand, the level 53 Spiritual King had a different idea. "Well, that's truly a pity, but young Minos has done nothing but as promised." 

"What? What are you talking about, Gary? Are you drunk?"

"Where that fighting a war of independence was in our agreement with the Black Plain?"

Gary then shook his head as if dissatisfied with his companions and said. "You people took young Minos' words very lightly."

"He said he would not fight the Brown family if that organization did not attack him. So, in other words, he basically said..."

The level 55 Spiritual King then complemented Gary's speech, speaking solemnly. "That he would fight anyone who tried to take what is his!"

"Exactly!"

'Damn, that young man is very sneaky!' So, he thought before finally making up his mind that he should talk to Minos.