Seeing that her old friend recognized her, Abby smiled as she came over to hug him.
At the same time, Ruth and Abby's group were standing there, looking doubtful. It was a situation in which it was widespread for someone to be 'out of focus' when an old acquaintance appeared. After all, in these moments, other people were often ignored...
And while the four people looked at each other and waiting for an explanation, Abby said with a bit of joy. "I didn't know that you had recovered. I am pleased about that. I thought you would never come back!"
"Hmm, thanks. Let me introduce you. Here is my traveling companion, Ruth Miles." Minos signaled to Ruth that was beside him, and then he continued. "Ruth, this is an old friend from the period of the spiritual academy, Abby Miller."
"Hmm, nice to meet you." Ruth said while acting friendly.
"Oh! The pleasure is mine. Well, those with me are my friend Mona Miller, the protector Eda and Russ." Abby introduced her group without much ado.
After greeting each other, Abby finally asked Minos curiously. "Minos, what are you doing in the Cromwell Kingdom?"
He smiled and said. "I think it's probably the same as you..."
"Ehh? Will you participate in the Spiritual Tournament too? But how are you going to do it..." Abby stopped in half when she finally decided to probe Minos' level.
Abby had already reached level 40, so she could feel the free energy in nature. She was 17-years-old and had a Black talent. That was an excellent cultivation speed, but considering that the Miller family was the richest in the Brown Kingdom, such a thing was already expected for one of its members.
As she scanned Minos' body, Abby suddenly let out a cry of surprise when she noticed his cultivation.
"Ahh!"
Upon hearing this, the three people in her group looked at her in surprise, and then the middle-aged woman asked as she took a step forward, beside the young woman. "Ms. Abby, are you okay? What happened?"
Upon realizing that she had attracted a lot of attention, Abby blushed and said. "Nothing, I was just scared a little after remembering something..." She then thought as she covered her mouth that was slightly open with one of her hands. 'How can this be? As far as I know, he was unconscious for years! So, how did he get to level 37 so fast?'
'Perhaps the heavens have blessed him after the misfortune?' Abby thought in silence, trying to understand the speed of cultivation of Minos.
She then broke the momentary silence and said. "Well, you genuinely cultivate fast! I hope you get a good place in this competition. After all, this is an excellent opportunity for you."
Abby believed Minos would have a decent chance in the Flaming Empire because he had no family in the north of the Central Continent and hence had no motive to stay in this location.
Thus, it would be much better for him to live simply in an empire, taking advantage of the opportunities that such a place could offer him.
That would be her strategy if she were in his shoes!
After a few decades, perhaps he could return to the north of the Central Continent, forming his power in this region.
However, instead of agreeing, Minos said something that impressed both Abby and her fellow travelers. "It doesn't matter. I'm just going to the Spiritual Tournament to test my strength and meet some people..."
"I truly don't mind going to an empire..." He said humbly...
And of these three people, apart from Abby, they all thought the same thing. 'An excuse! But at least he recognizes his own limitations, that can already be considered a quality!'
But for Abby, who knew about the time Minos was unconscious, his comment was more arrogant than self-conscious. 'Ehh? Does he mean that the Flaming Empire doesn't matter to him? How confident...'
After that, the group chatted for a few more minutes, when Abby finally said, making some hand gestures and smiling. "Minos, don't you want to travel with us? It would be nice to know more about each other. So many things have happened in the meantime."
Minos then looked at Ruth for a moment and said. "Ehh... I thank you for the invitation, but I fear it is not appropriate..."
"But we can meet before the Spiritual Tournament starts. It's still over a month away, so we can still talk a lot when we get to Capital City." Minos politely refused, while he had an apologetic smile on his face.
He was at a time when he didn't want to spend his time with other people. Although he valued friendship... Well, that could wait.
As for his fun with Ruth, it had a time limit!
And hell! Only they knew how good this fun was!
When the Spiritual Tournament was over, Ruth would have to return to the Gray Cloud Sect, and they could go years without seeing each other. And although they don't have a more significant relationship, Minos had no other partner for his 'adventures.'
Elena lived on Stone Island and Ruth in the Flaming Empire. Minos' daily life in the Dry City was very monotonous. The only woman he dealt with daily was secretary Mia. Still, he would never get involved with her, even though she was pretty attractive.
You know how it is, right? Don't shit where you eat!
Many problems could happen in a relationship between boss and subordinate. So, Minos would avoid that with all his strength.
Finally, when she saw that Minos was not interested in her proposal, Abby smiled as she disguised her discontent. She indeed was a good friend of his and would like to talk more to find out what had happened in the meantime when they didn't see each other.
She also noticed Minos' look at Ruth and the slightly flushed face of the young woman with black hair. She then understood what was going on. 'Hmph, so this is why... You put your old friend aside for the sake of a woman!'
She sighed. She could smell vaguely the scent of Minos coming from Ruth. Despite the fact that she was not a high-level cultivator, her friend and Ruth did so much that it was easy for her to notice, especially given Abby's several years with him. Hence, she knew the smell of young Stuart...
"Well, since that is the case, we will see you in Capital City. But you better not neglect your cultivation because of lesser things..." Abby said before saying goodbye to Minos.
Upon hearing this, Ruth clearly understood Abby's final words when she had looked steadily in her direction as if to say that she knew what was happening here.
Ruth then blushed and looked away while Minos said goodbye to Abby's group. 'What a nosy woman!' She thought.
Minos and Ruth went back to their business in this city as they walked away when she asked. "Minos, how close were you to that woman?"
He then scratched his head and said sincerely. "I think we were as close as a 9-year-old boy and girl can be. Why?"
"Nothing. I just didn't like her behavior. I don't like people who put their noses in the private lives of others..." She said with a sharp look.
"Private life? What are you talking about?" He asked with a curious look. Minos hadn't paid attention to Abby's final sentence. For him, Abby must have been trying to cheer him up since his cultivation was still lower than hers...
Ruth then sweetly smiled while trying to hide her lips. She said. "Nothing, it's just my impression..."
...
While Minos and Ruth strolled through the city they were in, Abby and her group were going to eat at a restaurant when her friend Mona asked her a question.
"Abby, don't tell me that you like that boy?"
"Ehh? No, why did you ask that?" Abby asked after being surprised by her friend's question.
"You seemed annoyed that those two seemed to be together..."
Abby then shook her head in denial and said. "It is not that kind of irritation. Minos didn't want to travel with us because of that woman. She probably bewitched him!"
"I don't care about others' private lives, but I don't believe that people of our age should waste time on this. We can live so long. So, why spend our best years of cultivation on mundane things like sex?" She said with a resolute look.
In fact, this was also a widespread thought among women in the Spiritual World. Although sexuality is quite liberal in this world, many dedicated their first decades of life to the cultivation and training of battle techniques.
Someone at Abby's level could live about 850 years, so why miss out on the best years of cultivation due to something they can do later? That was very rational thought, especially for women.
So, it was not uncommon to find some virgins over 300-years-old in this world...
But that was not so common among men, no... These individuals were very 'close' in this type of activity...
But Abby didn't know that Ruth thought almost the same way as she did. It was just that she had met Minos...
"Ahh, I see..."
After that, the two young women continued to talk about Minos since the young Mona was very interested in learning about his story with her friend.