Three days before Michael returned to Elon continent from the Southern continent. It was the same day Noah met Laila to give the witcher stone.
"Lady Alden, you can open your eyes. The witcher stone is yours" Noah ended his drama after the Supreme guardian located the energy source.
Laila looked at the red ruby on her palm. She could feel the immense power radiating from within. It was not Arch energy, it was pure Celestial energy. According to her mentor, there were only three witcher stones in the world.
She closed her palm as a bright light appeared from her space ring enveloped the stone. The stone then disappeared along with the light.
"There's no way of finding what's inside her body, at least not yet" The supreme guardian talked to Noah telepathically.
"Do you think we should ask her for something that could help Andrew win the tournament?" Noah thought.
"No harm in asking, who knows she might have something"
Andrews was Noah's cousin who was saved by Michael. Although Noah and Andrews were cousins, they were more like brothers than cousins. Noah would do anything for his cousin. In all the years Noah knew Andres, he never asked for Noah's help until two weeks ago.
"You can take the talisman and leave" Lailah coldly said.
"Ah Lady Laden, can I ask something else?" Initially, Noah planned to brew a secret potion that would have helped him if he didn't see Ghost's name on the tournament competitors list.
Among all his peers, only Ghost seemed to have the ability to beat him. Although Noah hated the fact that he's pretty selfish, Ghost did save his family. If not for him, Noah would have lost his mother, sister, and Andrews.
Still, he needed to help Andrews defeat Ghost and everyone stands in the way to win the main championship tournament. Peyton was betting on Celina and Alex to win the tournament but deep down, Noah knew it was Ghost who had the most chance to win it.
"What?"
"I want something that temporarily makes a body strengthening cultivator a Core Formation stage cultivator in return for the witcher stone"
Nerita and Johana stared at Lailah's face. The way she looked at Noah was cold yet she didn't say no to his request right out of the bat. His request might have been impossible to others but she did know a musical note that would transfer some of her power to the target. If she used the note targeting whoever Noah wanted to reach the Core formation stage, he or she would temporarily become one. The only downside was she needed to be in close proximity to the target.
"I assume you're asking for someone else," Laila asked.
Noah was not going to hide the truth. The tournament committee only approved the use of the healing potion. Using anything else to gain an advantage over the competitors was considered a violation and the violator would be punished severely.
"Andrews, my cousin. He must win the Elon championship tournament"
"You're asking the mistress to help your cousin cheat?!" Nerita lost her cool. Her hands tightly grabbed the veena. She seemed like she would start to attack Noah any second. Noah wasn't afraid of them. He was sure that Lailah wouldn't let her disciples attack the man who just delivered something extremely rare and valuable to her.
Lailah raised her hand as Nerital quickly shut her mouth.
"Is that what you really want?"
Noah sighed when he heard Lailah's question. In truth, Andrews wasn't a warrior but a runemaster. Unlike him, Andrews had no combat training or experience. If Andrews wanted just to compete, Noah might have let him as it would help him get some battle experience. However, Andrews asked Noah to help him win the tournament. Noah tried his best to talk him out of the idea until he heard Andrews's reason behind his decision to compete and win the tournament.
"Love makes one do crazy things, Lady Alden. Andrews always had my back ever since we were little, it's time for me to return the favor. It's okay if you don't want to help me-"
"I'm not helping you, I'm just settling a debt. Go tell your cousin to be prepared, he'll be at Core Formation when the competition starts" She interrupted Noah before he could finish his thought. Noah was stunned for a couple of seconds. There was no concern in her eyes about the tournament committee.
"Thank you, Lady Alden"
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Three days before Noah ventured searching for the witcher stone, he was roaming the garden with his mother at Pen town. Alicia was on the other side of the garden with Sabrina. She was training Sabrina for the championship tournament for those under the Core Formation level.
The golden babaroo followed Samuel the butler into the kitchen to snack on the food. Therefore, Noah was alone with his mother.
"Where's dad?" Noah asked Diana.
"He went to the Sunrise sect to buy potions for our soldiers"
Noah frowned, "what happened to the potions in our warehouse?"
All the potions in their warehouse were brewed by Noah himself. The Winston family handed out the potions for free. If anyone needed a healing potion in Pen town, they could ask in any one of Winston's family warehouses. Noah disliked the idea of selling potions such as healing potions for money, unlike Michael.
"They are gone two weeks ago. You were nowhere to be found to brew more so your dad decided to buy some in case of emergency" Diana said with a gentle smile. She hid her lie behind the smile. On contrary to what she said there were still a few crates of healing potions in their warehouses but the reason for Ethan's visit was he wanted to see whether Ghost has come out of seclusion yet. Ever since Ethan heard about Jack's murder, he put secret guards around the sect to make sure no one will hurt Ghost, his son.
It was Ethan's way of showing his love for Ghost. Diana was unable to stop him from visiting the sect as Ethan blamed himself for everything that happened to Diana and Ghost. Noah couldnt see through his mother's lies because she had never lied to him before in his life. Besides, what she said made sense to him.
Occasionally Diana stopped to tend to the flower plants on the side of the path they were walking. While she was tending to one of the roses, a maid came running to Diana.
"Lady Diana, the dress you ordered has arrived" The maid took deep breaths after running to Diana.
Hearing the maid, Noah was surprised. He looked at his mother with his brows arched up,
"Mother, you ordered a new dress"
Ever since Noah was little, he never saw his mother order new dresses or care for things such as jewelry, fancy clothes, unlike other noble ladies. She rarely visited clothing stores, they had to force her to make her come with them. Yet, right at the moment, her face lightened up hearing the maid.
"I can't go to the tournaments looking dull" She dusted the mud on her hand before walking towards the maid.
"Really? What have you done to my mother-woman?" Noah chuckled as Diana twisted his ear for making fun of her. She was in a good mood.
"Does Sabi know you're going to the tournament?" Noah thought the reason for his mother's sudden interest in new clothes was Sabrina. Since it was Sabrina's first major tournament, Noah was thinking Diana bought new clothes for the occasion. Although Diana was happy to see her daughter compete in the tournament, she was more excited to see her son. She was thankful to the guardian guild for preventing the guardians from competing. She knew she couldn't even imagine her two sons fighting each other.
"It's a surprise. Your father and aunts are also coming to see the tournament" Other than Ethan, only Emelda, her elder sister knew about Ghost's identity. Just like her, Emelda was also extremely excited to see her nephew in action. Not only Emelda, but even Sabrina was looking forward to seeing Ghost again.
"You're coming with us Noah" Diana firmly said.
"You know I like to spend time with you guys so yes, I'm coming," Noah said as he saw Samuel walking towards him from the manor.
"Young Master, Young Master Andres is waiting for you at the apple tree"
"Huh? Did he say why?"
"No Young Master but Young Master Andres seemed odd and also, there's a person with him" Noah frowned hearing Samuel.
"A person you say"
"That person was wearing a hood and cloak, Young Master. Young Master Andrews said not to ask the person's identity and wanted to meet you immediately"
"The person with him, is he at the east side garden also?" Diana creased her brows. Her smile gradually disappeared from her face.
"Yes, Lady Alden. Young Master Andrews must have a good reason to bring him there"
The tree was in the east side garden. No one except the core members of their family was allowed to enter the east side garden. Noah couldn't help wondering why Andrews brought a stranger to the garden without telling anyone else.
"Go" yet if Andrews was asking for Noah, she knew it must be something important. Therefore, she didn't keep Noah with her as she sent him to meet Andrews. Her instincts told her that Andrews is in some kind of trouble but she trusted Noah to deal with whatever trouble Andrews was in.
After bowing his head towards his mother, Noah made his way to the apple tree.
