Chapter 4627 — Two Matters
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
"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?