Chapter 4525 — The Grand Gathering of Spirit Beasts
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
"No! It's too late to retreat now—the Vermilion Bird has already discovered you," Gui Dongxi said in a low voice, stopping him.
"What?" Wei Zhao was badly startled. With his current meager strength, being noticed by the Vermilion Bird surely meant certain death.
"Since its divine sense swept past just now, with the Vermilion Bird's power there's no way it doesn't know you're here." Gui Dongxi's words plunged Wei Zhao straight into an ice cellar, but the next sentence brought him some relief: "Still, you needn't panic too much. When its divine sense swept by, I deliberately faked a trace of spirit-beast aura over you. So you must conceal your own aura as best you can—that way, to outsiders you'll appear to be a spirit beast in human form, and barring accidents you ought to be able to bluff your way through."
"Oh, that's not so bad then..." Wei Zhao nodded, still shaken. Other things he might not vouch for, but when it came to merely hiding one's own aura, he would call himself second in the world—and probably no one could claim first.
"But don't celebrate too soon. Even if the Vermilion Bird didn't notice anything amiss just now, retreating at this point is impossible," Gui Dongxi said with a sigh.
"Why?" Wei Zhao's heart clenched again.
"So many spirit beasts have gathered ahead—it looks like every spirit beast from all directions has been summoned here. My guess is the Vermilion Bird is convening a Grand Gathering of Spirit Beasts. In principle, every spirit beast in the core heartland must attend. If you hadn't been discovered just now, fine, but retreating at this point would be far too suspicious," Gui Dongxi said with a bitter smile.
"Uh... so I can only grit my teeth and push forward. Senior, are you sure this really won't be a problem?" Wei Zhao was immediately at a loss. Knowing full well that the Vermilion Bird was convening a Grand Gathering of Spirit Beasts ahead, a mere human cultivator at the peak of the mid Golden Core stage dared to walk right in—wasn't that just the old man of longevity hanging himself, tired of living?
Wei Zhao had always been bold, but he wasn't stupid. To knowingly leap into a mountain of blades and a cauldron of boiling oil—only a brainless fool would do that.
"It should be fine." Gui Dongxi couldn't speak too certainly either—after all, no matter how you looked at it, this was extremely risky—but he still comforted Wei Zhao: "With your ability to conceal your aura, plus the spirit-beast aura I've faked over you, as long as no one deliberately scrutinizes you, even face to face with the Vermilion Bird you won't show anything amiss."
"All right." Wei Zhao nodded with a bitter smile. He knew Gui Dongxi's subtext: as long as no one deliberately fixed their eyes on him, everything would be fine—but once some sharp-eyed spirit-beast expert took notice, and especially if the Vermilion Bird sensed anything off, then it was truly all over.
But matters had come to this point, and there was no other way out. He could only grit his teeth and do as Gui Dongxi said.
"Young man, you actually needn't worry too much. Apart from certain races with peculiar innate talents, or spirit beasts who dislike human form, many spirit beasts with even a bit of spiritual awareness can take human shape once they reach the Heavenly Dao stage. So even if you go over now, you probably won't draw much attention," Gui Dongxi continued to reassure him.
"Rest easy, Senior. It's a bit hair-raising, but I can bear it," Wei Zhao said, exhaling a long breath of stale air. He had never been the sort to fear trouble—and besides, fear was useless now that things had come to a head. The more flustered he was, the more likely he'd give himself away; only by responding calmly would he have a chance to bluff through.