Chapter 4533 — What Was the Point?
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
"Boy, aren't you going to thank His Majesty at once? Otherwise, with your suspicious identity, you'll certainly die today!" The Vermilion Bird swept Wei Zhao a cold glance, its eyes plainly carrying a trace of anger it could hardly conceal.
Its fury was not on account of so insignificant a figure as Wei Zhao, but because the King of Spirit Beasts had dared, before all present, to defy the Vermilion Bird openly.
After all, this so-called new King of Spirit Beasts was a puppet the Vermilion Bird itself had discovered and raised up; at any time and on any occasion, it must act entirely in accordance with the Vermilion Bird's will. Its conduct thus far had been obedient enough, but today it had suddenly spoken up to interfere with its own command—one might even say it had slapped the Vermilion Bird's face in public. Was this rebellion?
What enraged the Vermilion Bird even more was this: in private it could order this new King of Spirit Beasts about as it pleased, but here, in this public setting, that was absolutely out of the question. Now that the new King had ascended the throne, everyone in the spirit beast clan, from top to bottom—including Elder Vermilion Bird itself—must bow the head and swear allegiance to it, without the least hint of disobedience.
Though it was a matter of holding the sovereign hostage to command the feudal lords, the public show still had to be done properly. Everyone could know the truth in their hearts, but the one thing forbidden was to name it openly—otherwise this so-called sovereign would lose its legitimacy, and this so-called holding the sovereign hostage to command the feudal lords would have nothing to stand on.
So however towering its rage, with all eyes upon it the Vermilion Bird had no choice but to endure. Not only endure—it must show itself more supportive of this King of Spirit Beasts than any other spirit beast, without the slightest room for hesitation.
Every word the King of Spirit Beasts spoke in public might leave other spirit beasts some small room for doubt, but the Vermilion Bird alone must treat it as a royal decree and carry it out to the letter. Otherwise it would leave itself open to gossip; after all, this was the master it had raised up with its own hands—if even it did not take that master seriously, how could it expect anyone else to?
Of course, once this Spirit Beast Assembly was over, and the doors were shut, then it could teach this King of Spirit Beasts a lesson for acting on its own as it pleased—entirely according to the Vermilion Bird's mood.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Wei Zhao hastily bowed and cupped his hands, seizing the moment to study deeply this noble presence shrouded within the seven-colored bamboo hat, while pondering in his heart the same question every spirit beast present was asking. Why had this creature suddenly spoken up to help him out of his predicament?
Others might not have noticed, but the other party had deliberately mentioned the Great Fire Lion clan in its words—could there be some hidden meaning in that? Wei Zhao was no Great Fire Lion, but that clan was one of only two among all the spirit beasts to have close ties with him. Without some basis, how would the other party dare assert so rashly that he was a member of the Great Fire Lion clan?
He was utterly in the dark, but clearly no one at such an occasion would enlighten Wei Zhao. That mysterious new King of Spirit Beasts had fallen silent again after speaking its piece. No one knew what it was thinking, and because it was concealed beneath the seven-colored bamboo hat, not even its expression or gaze could be seen; the impression it gave was mysterious, and nothing but mysterious.