Chapter 4635 — Encountering the Sea Fog
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
Seeing Wei Zhao and Shangguan Lan'er appear, the people spontaneously gathered around them. Though the West Island mission was nominally led by three elders of the Sandie Pavilion, everyone knew they were merely masters of ceremony. All three were only at the Nascent Soul Stage, and their authority was, if anything, less than that of Wei Zhao, a newly promoted disciple.
Moreover, Wei Zhao was the guardian handpicked by Shangguan Tianxia and the envoy representing North Island on this visit to West Island. When a decision truly had to be made, by reason and by right it ought to be his to make.
"Envoy Lin, the entire route ahead is swallowed by sea fog. We cannot make out the situation at all. Pressing on blindly will likely court danger. What do you think we should do?" one of the elders asked on behalf of the assembly. Strength commanded deference; not all elders were fools with their noses in the air—when the time came to bow their heads, they bowed faster than anyone, for the old grow crafty with the years.
Wei Zhao smiled at that and turned to Gongyang Jun and Lan Tieshan. "I am only a junior newly admitted to the sect. Since Hall Master Gongyang and Senior Brother Lan are both here, the decision is naturally theirs to make."
All eyes turned to the two of them. Their cultivation far outstripped Wei Zhao's, and their words would carry far more weight than his.
At that, Gongyang Jun and Lan Tieshan both glanced at Wei Zhao, a certain unfathomable depth in their eyes. Though the three were not remotely on the same level, Wei Zhao's past conduct had already earned him a place in their regard; and for him to show such good sense at a moment like this would gratify anyone.
Yet both men now wore grave expressions. The sea fog before them was exceedingly dense, hindering spiritual sense beyond all measure; even experts of their caliber could not overcome it. Though they were not so badly off as the others, whose spiritual sense was utterly stymied, their range of perception was still severely limited.
"My spiritual sense reaches only fifty zhang around me," Gongyang Jun said, and said no more.
"The same for me," Lan Tieshan said flatly.
At this the crowd's faces grew tenser still. Fifty zhang of perception was nowhere near enough for navigation, especially for a colossus like the giant treasure ship. At such a distance they would have no time even to detect danger, let alone avoid it—unless they simply stopped dead in place.
Now even Wei Zhao felt a headache coming on. The Ghostly Thing's spiritual sense covered a far greater range than theirs, but it was likewise insufficient to guarantee safety. To press on blindly would be to gamble with the lives of everyone aboard; one mishap, and the likely end was total annihilation.
"In that case, we will anchor here and wait to see how things develop," Wei Zhao had no choice but to decide.
The others nodded one after another. It was the only option left. True, stopping out here on the open sea carried its own dangers, but stillness was better than motion: whatever unforeseen circumstance arose, they would at least have a little time to react.
"But this sea is thick with peril. Even anchored here, we must not relax our vigilance. We must tighten our watch," Wei Zhao continued. (To be continued) R466