Chapter 4011 — A Rough Journey
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
Beyond the resplendent palace, the Far North Island's defenses were extremely tight—three rings deep and back, all clad in full black armor, every one of them at least at the mid Foundation Establishment stage or above, with the captains and leaders higher still. Even the guard force at Shangguan Lan'er's birthday banquet some time ago had been a notch inferior by comparison.
"Let's go." Hong Zhong called out and took the lead toward the palace. Since he was an old acquaintance, the guards did not come to question them and simply stepped aside to let them pass.
Yet Wei Zhao, following behind Hong Zhong, still felt countless gazes sweeping back and forth over him from within and without. The slightest hint of anything amiss, and the surrounding guards would likely have him subdued in an instant; the pressure was no less than that of the Law Enforcement Hall.
Entering the palace, they found a whole hidden world within—pavilions and terraces, water pavilions, birdsong and the fragrance of flowers, utterly unlike the grand scale the exterior suggested. Yet this contrast brought no discomfort at all; on the contrary, it made the place seem a cut above ordinary palaces in taste and class.
Wei Zhao paid a little attention and noticed that besides being serene and pleasing to the eye, these pavilions and water terraces faintly concealed some profound formation. He could not help secretly marveling: whoever designed this palace was unquestionably a talent.
Following Hong Zhong through several pavilions and towers, they came to an open space where the view suddenly opened up. It was surrounded by lake water, and at its center stood a giant pavilion, simple yet grand in bearing, bustling with the noise of many voices—dozens of people were already seated there, and among them, sure enough, was Manager Hao, whom they had met just recently.
"Is this the auction site?" Wei Zhao asked. This leisurely scene, resembling nothing so much as a spring outing, was quite a ways off from the solemn, stately auction he had pictured.
"Indeed. In the past the auction was always held in this central pavilion, and this time should be no exception. But there never used to be so many people—why have even they come?" Hong Zhong frowned, and after he made out the identities of those seated, his brow knitted even tighter.
"They?" Following Hong Zhong's gaze, Wei Zhao realized that although these people sat together talking loudly, they had in fact divided into several circles among themselves.
The largest circle held twenty or thirty people—none other than Manager Hao and the rest of the party Wei Zhao had seen setting out from the North Island. Besides them there were several smaller circles; though fewer in number, their presence was enough to hold its own against the others.
One of them numbered only five or six, yet each radiated an exceedingly fierce and savage air of danger, like a vicious beast choosing whom to devour. Even though everyone around them was an expert, they could not help feeling a chill run down their spines by instinct.
"Heh heh, even our South Island spirit beast clan has sent someone. This North Island auction is getting interesting," Ghost Thing's voice suddenly sounded in Wei Zhao's mind.
"So they really are spirit beasts in human form. No wonder their aura is so dangerous." Wei Zhao had long suspected as much and nodded.