"I don't know why you have an axe to grind with Thusia, but I am coming with you," said Eve. She was so calm and casual, like she was going on a vacation.
"No, you're not," Michael shook his head.
"It's between Thusia and me. I won't put you and your family in danger," He was adamant about not involving his allies in the war between him and Thusia. The only allies he would use were the kings who is already at war with Thusia. Michael wanted to dismantle everything Maxim Barnes built brick by brick.
"Out of the question, Ghost. You saved my life,"
"And I want you to keep it. If you want to help me, go to Bradford and keep those people safe," Michael's voice was domineering, like a god. Under his tone, not only Eve, everyone in the room shuddered.
"He's right. If they target Bradford, we need someone we can trust to save those people," said Gaya. For a few long moments, Eve thought about this. Finally, she sighed. Judging by Michael's look, he wouldn't take her with him, she knew that. Hence, the only way to help him keep the people of Bradford safe. It wasn't fighting alongside Ghost, but it was better than nothing.
"I need a safe place," said Michael.
"Isn't this a safe place?" Eve tilted her head slightly.
"No,"
Michael's answer shocked everyone. Eve creased her brows.
"I am going to trigger the heavenly tribulation Eve,"
As soon as these words escaped Michael's mouth, their minds went blank. All of them looked startled to the core. Silence fell over the hall. The firewood crackled under the scorching heat of the fireplace. Everyone remained silent until Eve's words cut through it.
"You're going to reach the Half Immortal Stage,"
Julien was unable to believe the words he's been hearing. In his life, he had never heard someone as young as Ghost breaking through to the Half Immortal stage. He couldn't even remember the last time someone triggered a heavenly tribulation. If his memory served him right, it had been two hundred years since a human reached the Half Immortal Stage.
"It's dangerous, Ghost. Are you sure you want to do this?" Eve asked in a gentle tone. Her eyes glimmered with concern for Michael's life.
"If you're worried about my life, don't. I am not going to die. I just need a safe place for five days. During these five days of heavenly tribulation, the slightest disturbance can result in catastrophe. Hence, my need for a safe place."
"Now that you're pissed off Thusia somehow, they will definitely use this opportunity to end you," said Eve.
Michael liked Eve more and more. She didn't even ask why Thusia wanted to kill him or the other way around. Without knowing the reason, Eve stood beside him. To Michael, it felt like she was meant to be his side.
"I have a place in mind. Now that Lord Julien and Lady Astrid gave me the floating mountain, I can make use of it,"
"Care to tell us where this safe place is?" asked Eve.
"The Holy Church," said Michael.
The last time Michael checked, he was an ally to the holy church. Although the holy church was still in a growing phase, it wasn't weak either. The Holy Church had a good relationship with the empress and the golden princes. Therefore, any kingdom would think twice before acting against the Holy Church. Even the Guardian Guild didn't dare to be disrespectful toward the Holy Church. The Holy Church believed Michael was a strong believer. Michael didn't think they would say no if Michael asked for a safe haven.
Michael slowly rose from his sofa.
"It's time for me to go meet His holiness in the church," said Michael. Knowing the graveness of the matter, none of the Voldigards dared to stop Michael.
"Before that, I have one more thing to do," said Julien.
"Let's fly to the floating mountain,"
"I'll accompany you two," Eve decided to join Michael and Julien.
So, taking the protector of the Voldigards along with them, Michael, Gaya, Nightmare, Eve, and Julien flew to the floating mountain. It took them almost an hour to reach the mountain. The lonely mountain hovered in the air. Snow blanketed everything. Even the waterfall was frozen and looked like a glacier. The remnants of the battle with the Fusion stage reaper were still visible. The ground had deep webs of cracks.
The party slowly landed in the middle of the barren mountain. In Gaya's eyes, she could see a towering fortress atop the floating mountain. She couldn't wait to transform this barren floating mountain into the world's first floating fortress.
"Master Ghost," Lord Julien extended his arm toward Michael.
Michael grabbed his arm. Lord Julien closed his eyes as Michael felt a tinge of electricity passing through his arm.
[Does the host wish to take the floating mountain as your base of operation?] asked the system.
"Yes," Michael confirmed in his head.
"It's done," said Lord Julien.
Michael felt a strange connection with the mountain. He pointed his finger as the floating mountain trembled before slowly floating forward. Lord Julien and the protectors were stunned to see the power of Michael. Although Lord Julien was a Fusion stage cultivator, he couldn't move the mountain without the help of the protectors. They all needed to work together and use their combined energies to move the mountain. However, Michael did that single-handedly.
After exchanging pleasantries for a few more minutes, Lord Julien and the others prepared to leave the floating mountain. But before Eve could ascend to the sky, Michael called out for her. Eve nodded at her father, wordlessly telling him to go first.
Michael looked up at Eve. A gentle smile hiding grave concerts appeared on Michael's face.
"Whatever happens, whatever people say about me, I always thought of you as my friend. I had no ulterior motives for helping you, Eve,"
"Why are you telling me this now, Ghost?" Eve furrowed her brows. She was about to descend when Michael disappeared from her sight along with Gaya and Nightmare.
Once the floating mountain completely disappeared from their sight, Gaya asked.
"Why did you say that to Eve?" asked Gaya.
"I feel like I can't pretend to live two lives anymore," Michael sighed. He had this eerie feeling for some time. Even though he did everything in his power to hide his other identity, some things weren't in his control. His instincts had never betrayed him, and this time, they were telling him to fully embrace his Dark Lord persona instead of living as Ghost in the day and the Dark Lord in the night. He felt the two identities were stopping him from reaching his full potential. The mental pressure to keep his identity hidden was getting higher and higher. As a result, he started to make mistakes. After all, Michael was not a perfect human being to not make any mistakes.
"Even if our identities get exposed, I just hope the people who helped us won't get in trouble with the Guardian Guild and the Skyhall," said Nightmare. His thoughts were no different than Gaya's. She was worried about the Sun Rise sect and everyone in it.
"Do you have a plan for them?" asked Michael.
"Why do you think I allied myself with the Holy Church? When the world learns Ghost is the Dark Lord, the Guardian guild would obviously target everyone who aided us. Since the Holy Church itself helped us, they would do their best to spin the story they helped us without knowing Ghost's real identity. They would say Ghost fooled them,"
"It's not a story, it's the truth," said Gaya.
Michael nodded and continued.
"The Holy Church can't say they were fooled but not the others. It will make them look even worse. Plus, I always kept a distance from the people who helped us. So the Skyhall and the Guardian guild will put them under surveillance but won't harm them," Michael explained.
"I really hope your instinct is wrong this time, human," Gaya slowly shook her head. She was especially concerned for little Cindy and Raylene. They were truly innocent people who had done nothing wrong.
"Me too," Michael sighed.
They continued to fly toward the Holy Church in the city of Yaserius, where Michael met Vishriyan. The floating golden temple soon appeared in their view, being covered by snow.
(Read Chapter 578 to refresh your memory)
To Michael's surprise, when he got closer to the church, Vishriyal flew out of the temple to welcome him as though Vishriyan had sensed Michael's presence.
"Believer Ghost," Vishriyan greeted Michael with a smile.
"Miss Aelia, Nightmare," Vishriyan smiled at Gaya and Nightmare. Most of the true believers of the holy church resented the other races. Fortunately, Vishriyan was not one of them. He and his brother Maxwell believed all lives were created equally by the Great One and Two.
"Believer Vishriyan," Michael greeted back with a smile and bow.
"You have been in my prayers ever since what happened in Royal Land. I truly wish we had more power to root out all evil from the face of this world," said Vishriyan.
"The world will change, believer Vishriyan. But today, I am at the Holy Church's doorstep with an unreasonable request,"
"If it's in my power, I will give it to you, believer Ghost," said Vishriyan, gesturing at them to follow him into the church.
"I want a safe place to cross the heavenly tribulation, believer Vishriyan,"
Vishriyan landed on the doorstep of the Holy church with a dumbstruck look on his face. Just like anyone else, he couldn't believe Ghost was on the verge of breaking through to the Half Immortal Stage. Of course, everyone thought the youngest to reach the Half Immortal stage would be the Wielder of Angel's veena, Lailah Alden. But never in a million years, one thought she would be surpassed by Ghost.
"I have to talk to his holiness, but I don't think he would say no to a true believer when he's in need of a safe haven," Michael was glad to hear Vishriyan's words. On the other hand, Gaya had difficulty controlling her urge to laugh at the Holy Church. Michael was fooling them to the core.
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