Chapter 4461 — A Truly Bold Move
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
"The greatest difference between a noble house and an upstart lies not in strength but in depth—in bearing. After a mere five years of settling, this Qingtian Escort Agency has already quietly acquired the bearing of a noble house: able to gather and able to release, capable of defeating foes by stratagem and of fighting to the death in close array. Truly no simple matter!" Zhao Shanying said with feeling.
For years he had set his heart on forging that noble bearing. To others, perhaps, the Xuanying Escort Agency was already strong enough, but in his eyes it fell far short—and now, seeing the Qingtian Escort Agency, that gap seemed all the more glaring.
"Chief, since the Qingtian Escort Agency is stronger than expected, shall we still proceed with the original plan for this match?" asked the escort beside him, who was in charge of on-the-spot command.
"No. This time I will command in person. If our Xuanying Escort Agency is to rise, we must put the Qingtian Escort Agency down—this match we may win, but we may not lose!" Zhao Shanying's whole bearing turned grim.
The present Qingtian Escort Agency did earn a measure of his admiration, but admiration was admiration; he could not go easy on that account. The more so, the more he must strike them down. Such an opponent was worthy of Zhao Shanying taking the field to command in person!
Even as Zhao Shanying observed the Qingtian Escort Agency, Wei Zhao, Qi Wenmo, and the others were all closely studying the Xuanying Escort Agency—know the enemy and know yourself, and a hundred battles will bring no peril.
"That man is the chief of the Xuanying Escort Agency?" Wei Zhao sized Zhao Shanying up from head to toe. Whether against the Wuma Escort Agency earlier or against the Yongxing Escort Agency in the first round of the escort-defending battle, he had only ever watched the opposing escorts and never the one directing them from the sidelines. This time, however, was an exception.
"Just so. His name is Zhao Shanying, and my father rates him very highly—higher even than Hai Wuliang. He is a ruthless-hero figure of immense ambition and daring." Qi Wenmo nodded, his face full of vigilance.
"Mm. He does look far from simple." Wei Zhao nodded. Having weathered so many storms and seen so many sorts of people from every walk of life, he had in fact gained considerable insight into reading faces and characters.
The face, as the saying goes, springs from the heart—and that "face" is not mere features but also a person's air and bearing. This Zhao Shanying across the way gave an impression of uncommon dignity, and he bore both the righteous and the wicked in him—the very countenance of a ruthless hero.
As the two spoke, the competing escorts of the Xuanying Escort Agency across the way, urged on by the presiding judge, had already filed onto the field. The five of them lined up shoulder to shoulder and took their stand upon the arena, and at once a gasp swept through the whole crowd.
All five competing escorts were consummate Golden Core cultivators!
"A truly bold move!" Even Qi Wenmo could not help drawing a sharp breath.
In the South Continent Escort Assembly, where by rule only Golden Core cultivators may compete, to field five consummate Golden Core cultivators at once was an absolute dream lineup. In times past, only an overlord agency like the Sihai Escort Agency could marshal such a formation—and who would have thought the Xuanying Escort Agency's strength had grown to such a degree!
By comparison, the Qingtian Escort Agency had only three consummate Golden Core cultivators on its side. Setting all else aside, on the strength of the roster alone they had already fallen at a disadvantage. (To be continued..) R527