Chapter 2256 — Searching the Mountains
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
"As things stand, going back is impossible anyway." Wei Zhao shrugged. "The Grand Protector is dead. Sooner or later the Tagan family or his comrades will come searching. If we took the same road we climbed by, the danger would be far too great."
"That is true." At Wei Zhao's words, Sun Jingyan's expression turned grave. "Your monstrous master has gone, and there is no one to help us now. How are we to get down the mountain? The Tagan family will not seal off the foot of the mountain against us, will they?"
"I do not know." Wei Zhao shook his head. To tell the truth, this was precisely what worried him.
It was not impossible to descend by way of places without a path, but it was far too dangerous. To begin with the middle range: the great fire-lion had said as much—the middle range was not home to the great fire-lion alone, but to other spirit beasts as well.
The Sky Thunder Pig was a spirit beast of peak late Mystic rank, but the great fire-lion's strength had already reached the Heaven rank. Anything able to contend with it must surely be a Heaven-rank spirit beast as well. Otherwise—the hierarchy among spirit beasts was strict, and rank suppression was plain to see; how could beasts not of the same rank be enemies of one another?
This in turn proved that the great fire-lion's rivals must also be Heaven-rank spirit beasts. In such a case the Sky Thunder Pig could be of no use at all and could not suppress the foe. If they met one, it would truly be trouble. One could only hope each would keep to its own side of the river.
No doubt spirit beasts were highly intelligent; without any profit to be had, they would not attack Wei Zhao for no reason. Reason with them, and there should be no problem.
What worried Wei Zhao, however, was the lower range.
There were no spirit beasts there, but there were savage beasts akin to spirit beasts and poisonous insects. The Sky Thunder Pig lacked the fearsome, killing aura of the Majestic General, and whether it could overawe such near-spirit beasts was hard to say.
Wei Zhao himself was not much concerned; his fear was that Sun Jingyan might fall into danger. If a near-spirit savage beast appeared and caught Wei Zhao off guard, that too would be a most troublesome matter. The Wulonghaote Mountains—even the Tagan family's people dared not climb by other routes at will; they must be exceedingly perilous.
"So, wolves before and tigers behind—it really is a hard choice." Wei Zhao smiled. "Stay with me and there should not be much trouble. Running into spirit beasts is better than running into the Tagan family."
After all, there was no mortal enmity between them and spirit beasts, whereas with the Tagan family it was another matter. Especially if they were bent on avenging the Grand Protector—then they would summon their finest hands and never let Wei Zhao and Sun Jingyan go. At that point, Wei Zhao would have no way to cope.
He had not even been able to deal with a single Grand Protector; only by joining forces with the Heaven-rank monstrosity had he barely managed to kill him. If several more such foes came, Wei Zhao would not be going home at all.
"Yes!" Sun Jingyan had no ideas of her own; she simply followed Wei Zhao's lead.
With the Sky Thunder Pig clearing the way ahead, Wei Zhao and Sun Jingyan followed carefully behind. Their purpose on this journey had been all but achieved, and their enemy was dead. If they could descend by another route and slip away from Ruileida Town unnoticed, that would be the most perfect ending of all.
Making their way through the jungle was plainly much slower than before. Though it could not be called riddled with danger, neither could they let down their guard.