Chapter 4627 — Two Matters

"I see. So it seems I really did come to the right place today." Wei Zhao took another small sip, and the aftertaste was indeed endlessly layered.

The three of them and one bear sat around the table, quietly savoring the tea. Even Little Curl, usually so restless, was unusually calm. It understood nothing of the Way of Tea, but it could tell fine from poor, and the measure of Dewtip Spirit Tea Shangguan Lan'er had poured for it specially would keep it digesting for quite a while.

A full half hour passed in this way, and only when the flavor of the Dewtip tea began to thin did Shangguan Tianxia finally speak again. "Tell me about your time on South Island."

"Yes." Wei Zhao nodded in assent. Apart from courtesy, the chief purpose of his visit to Shangguan Tianxia was to report what he had seen and heard in the Southern Continent—not the trivial experiences he had already shared with the others, of course, but those two matters of far-reaching significance that might well reshape the very configuration of Cloudstep Island in the days to come.

To be sure, Wei Zhao was a disciple of the Azure Cloud Pavilion, and in theory any matter of note ought to be reported to its senior echelons. Unfortunately, he could not honestly say he held any fondness for those elders—especially after the affair of his Number One Residence being brazenly seized by Ma Dangfeng, which had set the vast majority of the Azure Cloud Pavilion's higher-ups squarely against him. Under such circumstances, to go knocking on their doors to make a report would have been nothing short of asking for humiliation.

Shangguan Tianxia, master of the Skypiercer Pavilion, was another matter entirely; to Wei Zhao he stood in something like the relation of a half-teacher. At least, such was the common gossip, and Shangguan Tianxia had indeed treated him well—and in Wei Zhao's view, he was also the figure who best represented the pinnacle of North Island's elite.

"The first matter: behind the Central Chamber of Commerce stands a vast organization called the Center. Over in the Southern Continent they make a specialty of seizing Golden Core cultivators for human experimentation. Senior Brother Lu Bianren and I were both taken by them, though I found a chance to escape." Wei Zhao took a moment to order his words.

"Mm, that matter I already know of. Lu Bianren reported it some time ago." Shangguan Tianxia nodded, then mused, "This Central Chamber of Commerce—its manner of rise, its ability to connect with the mortal world, and now this human experimentation—all of it is deeply suspect. But we still cannot make out its intentions, and there are as yet no signs of open conflict, so all we can do is investigate in secret. That work is already underway—someone is on it. I trust that not only we, but the other sects and powers are likely doing the same."

Someone is on it? Wei Zhao's heart stirred. Unless he was mistaken, the task must have fallen to Gongyang Jun of the Law Enforcement Hall. Across the whole of North Island's Tri-Stack Pavilion, apart from the masters of the pavilion rank, the only one with the strength and the means to probe even the surface of the Center's secrets was that foremost talent of the new generation.

"The second matter: the spirit beast clans of South Island are preparing to expand. Or rather, they have likely already begun. They have decided to take the surrounding waters of the Southern Continent into their territory, and all human cultivators must pay them tribute to guarantee their safety." Wei Zhao continued.

"Is that so?" Shangguan Tianxia's expression shifted at once.

"What? Have you not received any such intelligence before?" Wei Zhao could not help but find it strange. From the time he had blundered into that spirit beast assembly, at least half a year had passed; by all rights, they should long since have begun to act. Could something have changed again within the spirit beast clans?

"No, not a whisper of any such thing. But though our Tri-Stack Pavilion has intelligence posts in the Southern Continent's waters, the distance is great and our intelligence has always been sluggish. If some upheaval truly has occurred, it is not impossible that those posts have been temporarily paralyzed." Shangguan Tianxia frowned slightly, then asked in puzzlement, "This is an internal secret of the spirit beast clans, is it not? How did you come to know of it?"

"I was being hunted by the remnant sect of the Western Hills and blundered deep into South Island, where I happened to come upon their spirit beast assembly. That was how I overheard it by chance. At the time the crowd was in a fever pitch—every beast there had been whipped into a fury. Unless I am mistaken, they will certainly carry this through; it is only a question of sooner or later." Wei Zhao spoke with certainty.

"Mm. Since the Spirit Beast King vanished, the spirit beast clans have indeed grown somewhat restive. The one holding power among them now should be the Vermilion Bird, no?" Shangguan Tianxia asked.

"Correct." Wei Zhao nodded, but did not elaborate further on the current state of the spirit beast clans. For one thing, there was no need just yet; for another, this was, after all, the beasts' own affair, and he had to consider the feelings of that ghostly fellow.

"Good. Though this matter has no bearing on North Island for the moment, if the spirit beast clans truly do this, they will not be content to stop there—further moves will surely follow. To be safe, this matter must be handled with care. On behalf of North Island's Tri-Stack Pavilion, I will record a merit for you." Shangguan Tianxia said thoughtfully.

"You are too kind. I am, after all, a disciple of the Azure Cloud Pavilion; reporting such things is simply my duty. There is no question of merit." Wei Zhao shook his head.

"It is good that you see it so, but what is yours is yours." Shangguan Tianxia smiled, unbothered, then asked with sudden interest, "I heard from little Lan'er that you had already entered the selection for the Dawnstar Academy of the Eastern Continent, but that you did not wish to go?"

Seeing Wei Zhao's strength transformed as if reborn, Shangguan Tianxia had originally intended to recommend him to the Eastern Continent—after all, he was the Tri-Stack Pavilion disciple he thought most highly of since Gongyang Jun. Yet he had heard this news from Shangguan Lan'er's lips instead.

Wei Zhao was slightly taken aback. He glanced at Shangguan Lan'er and nodded. "Mm, for the moment I have no such intention. But when the time is right, I will surely go to the Eastern Continent. Otherwise I would be a frog at the bottom of a well."

"That is well then. I had thought you were like Gongyang Jun, holding the Eastern Continent as so much worthless chaff." Shangguan Tianxia paused, then said with weight: "The academies of the Eastern Continent may gather geniuses like clouds, but their atmosphere is on the whole far too restless and frivolous. For people like you and Gongyang Jun, it is no wonder at all that you would look down on those so-called geniuses. Still, the Eastern Continent is, after all, the summit of all five islands of the Heavenly Steps—a place where masters come forth in droves and hidden dragons and crouching tigers abound. While one is young and has the chance, one should go and test oneself there."

"Your teaching is noted, Master Shangguan. This disciple will keep it in mind." Wei Zhao said gravely. (To be continued) R466