Versatile Mage: Get the Desert Emperor clone at the start

Chapter 423 The Holy City's Journey to China: Michael's Purpose and Shao Zheng's Attitude!

The atmosphere inside the Mu family's council hall was solemn and oppressive.

All the servants had already been dismissed, leaving only the core elders of the Mu family standing respectfully on either side.

The head of the family, Murong, personally led Michael to the most honored seat at the head of the table, while he himself sat to the side below, adopting an extremely humble posture.

"Your Excellency Archangel! We have heard about the events in the Holy City, and they are truly heartbreaking." Mu Rong carefully chose his words.

"I wonder what instructions you have for us by coming here in person? As long as it is within the power of the Mu family, we will do our utmost!"

Michael sat upright, and although the wings of light behind him had been retracted, he still exuded an aura of majesty.

His gaze swept calmly over Mu Rong, his voice revealing little emotion, yet carrying an invisible pressure:

"The Holy City has indeed suffered a great calamity, taken advantage of by the Void Demons, and its foundation has been damaged."

"Now, I, along with the angels and the survivors of the Parthenon, need a safe place to rest, recuperate, and regroup."

Mu Rong's mind raced, and he instantly understood the other party's intentions.

He immediately bowed and said, "Your Excellency is too kind! If the Holy City commands us, none of us on Mount Mupang would dare disobey! Please give your orders!"

Michael nodded slightly, seemingly satisfied with Murong's attitude, and continued, "We have formed an alliance with the Parthenon to weather this difficult time together."

"The most urgent need right now is a suitable base city to settle people and help the city recover."

However, before their conversation could go any deeper, a steady and powerful voice came from outside the hall:

"The Archangel has come from afar; I, Shao, have failed to greet him properly. Please forgive me!"

Before he finished speaking, Shao Zheng had already stepped steadily into the main hall.

He was dressed in a crisp suit, his expression calm and composed, his brows displaying the authority and demeanor befitting the Grand Speaker of the Supreme Magic Association.

The guards surrounding the Mu family did not actually stop them—nor did anyone dare to stop the chairman of the Magic Association.

"The Grand Speaker?!"

Several elders of the Mu family stood up simultaneously, their faces showing astonishment.

Shao Zheng's sudden appearance disrupted their original rhythm and plan.

However, Shao Zheng did not rush to make trouble. Instead, he nodded slightly to Mu Rong and the others as a gesture of courtesy.

He then walked straight to Michael and said, “His Excellency the Archangel has arrived. We failed to greet him in time. It was my oversight. Please forgive me.”

Facing the de facto ruler of the Magic Association, Michael abandoned the subtle condescension he had shown when dealing with the Mu family.

He might not have been so polite when the holy city's glory once shone throughout the world.

But things are different now—the fall of the Holy City, the repeated defeats, and the long escape have quietly changed the archangel's state of mind.

He learned to bow slightly to reality and also understood what it means to assess the situation.

So he replied in a calm tone: "You flatter me, Speaker. I should have been the one to take the initiative to visit, but I am new here and have been busy with trivial matters, so I have not been able to get away for the time being."

Shao Zheng said, "Archangel, you're too kind!"

Michael was somewhat surprised by Shao Zheng's arrival, but he also knew that if they wanted to find a foothold here, they couldn't avoid Shao Zheng and his group!
The fact that the other party appeared directly at the Mu family's residence indicates that they want to speak with them directly!
Michael didn't mince words and said directly, "The world is currently in a state of demonic chaos, and my Holy City is under siege by Void Demons. Although we have successfully defended against a large number of demons, we have also suffered damage!"

"I came here hoping to find a place to settle down."

"We won't waste your resources; we can build the city ourselves!"

Shao Zheng's thoughts drifted back to yesterday. They had actually held an emergency meeting shortly after the arrival of the Holy City angels.

A high-ranking official said, "The Holy City's arrival at this time is definitely not simply for refuge!"

"They will inevitably vie for our precious magical resources and land, and may even attempt to rebuild their center of influence."

“The Holy City still possesses its strength, and Michael himself is an emperor-level fighter,” another high-ranking official added in a deep voice.

"If we allow it to take root and grow, it may become too big to handle and seriously threaten our existing order!"

“That makes sense, but the global demon riots are escalating,” a more composed voice said.

"With rising sea levels, the threat of sea monsters is increasing day by day, from the Hanhai Fortress to the Shanghai defense line."

"If we were to confront the remnants of the Holy City at this time, or even force them to the opposite side, it would be tantamount to destroying our own Great Wall, and the consequences would be unimaginable."

"Perhaps we can guide and restrict it," someone suggested as a compromise.

“Since they want territory, they might as well settle it in the western region or push it to the coastal frontier.”

"The western region is vast and sparsely populated, with few base cities, and it faces threats from multiple land-based demons of the highest level, such as those from the Kunlun Mountains, Tianshan Mountains, and Lop Nur."

"If the Holy City wants to establish itself there, it will inevitably expend a great deal of power to deal with the demons, thus relieving some of the pressure on us. At the same time, it will not be able to threaten us in the short term!"

“If they choose the coast,” another person added, “then we must identify key figures and integrate their strength into the overall defense system to jointly resist the sea monsters!”

Just as everyone was discussing the issue, Hua Zhanhong—the most authoritative military leader in the south on the issue of coastal defense—resolutely voiced his opposition.

"It is absolutely unacceptable to place the holy city on the coast!" he said firmly, his gaze sweeping across the entire area with piercing intensity.

"The Holy City's power can indeed strengthen the coastal defenses in the short term, but please consider this—what are we protecting behind us? Tens of thousands of civilians!"

He strode forward, his finger landing heavily on the map marked with the long coastline.

His tone was calm: "With rising sea levels, the Emperor-level sea monsters are stirring, and the future war will be extremely fierce."

"We entrusted the safety of a section of our defense line to the Holy City, but they are ultimately guest forces; their core interests and foundation do not lie here!"

“If the situation deviates from expectations, we will face a life-or-death crisis,” he suddenly raised his voice.

"If they choose to preserve their strength, withdraw, or even take advantage of the coastal location to flee overseas... then who will fill the gap in the defense line that has been handed over?"

"We cannot entrust such an important matter to the Holy City!"

After hearing Hua Zhanhong's words, everyone felt that they made sense.

"The Holy City's ideology is fundamentally different from our Mage Association's. This force is indeed difficult for us to grasp, and we must never place it in a key position."

Then Shao Zheng raised his hand, his fingertips tracing the vast western region on the magic sandbox.

There are boundless Gobi Deserts, majestic snow-capped mountains, and unexplored lands fraught with danger.

"If they insist on staying, considering the overall situation, the only option is the vast and complex western region."

The decision-makers exchanged glances, and voices of agreement rose one after another:

"Seconded."

"The complex environment in the west can also prevent it from interfering with the overall reconstruction in the east."

(End of this chapter)