Chapter 4538 — Long Time No See

An affair of this magnitude, one that could shake the balance of the entire Cloud Terrace Island at a moment's notice, was something only the great figures of the prestigious sects could handle once it had blown up into a full storm. With Wei Zhao's current strength, which was barely enough to keep himself alive, he naturally could not afford to wade into such troubled waters; the only wise course was to hurry back to the North Island before the storm broke.

Although all was peaceful in the Weihu Sea region for the moment, Wei Zhao did not dare act rashly. The trials of the past month had sharpened his vigilance considerably; unless he could be certain beyond any doubt, he would not show himself openly before a crowd.

Even though Weihu City was nowhere near as fraught with peril as the South Island, Wei Zhao still remembered clearly that back at the South Continent Escort Alliance Conference, the Old Sect of the Western Hills had declared outright that they would come to station themselves at the Dragon Boat Escort Agency. Until he knew exactly what the Old Sect of the Western Hills was up to, appearing in the open would be nothing short of inviting trouble.

Thanks to his earlier legendary exploits, Wei Zhao was a celebrity known to every soul in Weihu City; he could probably plant himself in any forgotten corner and still draw a crowd. Fortunately, he now wore the Thousand-Silk Mask, and in the eyes of ordinary folk he was nothing but a coarse-featured warrior passerby, naturally attracting no attention.

Once inside the familiar streets of Weihu City, Wei Zhao did nothing at all for a whole day. He simply found a tavern, ate a little something while resting and easing his fatigue, and pricked up his ears to listen to the chatter of the other patrons around him.

This, too, was a kind of martial-world experience: if you wanted to know what had recently happened in a place, the best method was to sit in a local tavern for a day. Basically, any faint stir of rumor would come to you loud and clear.

Sure enough, the three topics most discussed by the patrons around him were almost all directly or indirectly connected to Wei Zhao: first, his own legendary deeds; second, the Skysupport Escort Agency, the newly risen overlord of the South Continent Escort world; and third, the Old Sect of the Western Hills, the giant of the evil cultivators now stationed at the Dragon Boat Escort Agency.

The first two were merely entertaining gossip, but the last was of great value to Wei Zhao. Thank goodness he had not shown his true face; otherwise, once word of his return got out, the Old Sect of the Western Hills, given its previous fight-to-the-death attitude, would have come killing at the first moment, and that would have been a serious mess.

He waited in the tavern until nightfall. Only then did Wei Zhao set out, using the cover of darkness to make his way to the Skysupport Escort Agency. He had meant to enter through the front gate, but after noticing several hawkers across the street who kept darting glances his way, he abandoned the idea on the spot and instead climbed over the back wall into the rear courtyard.

This was no ordinary mortal night market. After dark, there were basically no vendors left out on the streets; after all, this place was chaotic enough by day, and at night it was worse still. Those without nerve did not even dare linger on the street, let alone set up a stall.

The only vendors still holding their posts at such an hour were of two kinds: those genuinely desperate for spirit jade, and those with ulterior motives. Judging by the few across from the Skysupport Escort Agency, whose clothes were not shabby and whose manner betrayed not the slightest hint of destitution, they were clearly not the sort desperate for spirit jade. So they must be the latter.

In all of Weihu City, there was only one power that would skulk around watching the Skysupport Escort Agency like this: the Dragon Boat Escort Agency. Wei Zhao was even eighty percent certain that these spies had been posted here to watch for him, so that the moment he appeared, the Old Sect of the Western Hills would have word at once.

Having stayed so long at the Skysupport Escort Agency, Wei Zhao knew its internal layout like the back of his hand. For all that it was now the overlord of the South Continent Sea's escort world, and its guard force was stronger than before by more than a notch, no matter how many men were rotated through the watch, they could not stop Wei Zhao from slipping in.

After the past month of brutally intense training, the seemingly heavily guarded Skysupport Escort Agency was to the present Wei Zhao as good as undefended, no challenge at all.

Another whole day of social obligations. Qi Wenmo rubbed his head and staggered back to his own room, reeking of liquor. There was no help for it: ever since becoming the overlord of the South Continent escort world, major clients came knocking every few days, and as the young master of the agency, he naturally had to receive them in person. The business of drinking with them was simply impossible to refuse.

"Tomorrow it's off to entertain guests again, entertaining this one and that one all day long—damn it, a perfectly good young master of an escort agency, and I'm practically turning into a girl of the Drunken Flower Pavilion..." Qi Wenmo plopped down on the edge of the bed, dazed, and with a bitter smile began to grumble. Once he had dreamed of becoming the overlord of an escort agency, but now that the dream had finally come true, he found it less easy and carefree than before.

"Heh, looks like Brother Qi is quite familiar with the Drunken Flower Pavilion. Here, have a cup of spirit tea to sober up." On the table not far away, a figure had appeared at some unknown moment. He smiled faintly toward Qi Wenmo, casually poured him a cup of tea, poured one for himself as well, took a comfortable sip, and gave not the slightest impression of being a stranger.

"All right, many thanks." Qi Wenmo instinctively rose and started toward the table, but halfway there he suddenly came to his senses. The liquor-induced haze vanished in an instant, replaced by a cold sweat, and he adopted a posture of facing a deadly enemy: "Who's there?!"

Qi Wenmo was instantly shocked sober, his heart pounding with lingering dread, and he could have slapped himself twice. He had not even noticed someone entering his own room—he really had been drinking himself muddle-headed lately! Thank goodness the other party had not struck at the first opportunity; otherwise, even a hundred lives would have had their throats slit long ago.

"What's this? Barely a month apart, and Brother Qi has already forgotten me?" The figure turned around with a smile. It was none other than Wei Zhao, who had slipped in without a sound—though not in his true appearance, for he still wore the Thousand-Silk Mask.

"Brother Ling?!" Qi Wenmo's voice instantly turned to delight at the sound, yet the completely unfamiliar face before him made him freeze again. The disbelief in his eyes made it clear he had already guessed Wei Zhao's identity, though he did not yet dare to be a hundred percent certain.

"No need to doubt it, Brother Qi. It's me, Ling Yi." Wei Zhao nodded with a smile.

"Ah? It really is you, Brother Ling?!" Only then was Qi Wenmo fully convinced of Wei Zhao's identity. The face had changed, but the voice and build had not, and that was enough.

"Heh, a month apart—long time no see, Brother Qi. I trust you've been well." Wei Zhao nodded in confirmation, and at the same time shot Qi Wenmo a look, signaling him not to make too much noise. (To be continued.)