In the Eastern Continent he had visited only one region, the Yellow-Rank sea area, and even there he had spent time only at Xiangyun Academy, Chenxing Academy, and the Thunder Plains Island. His knowledge was hardly extensive, to say nothing of the legendary Mystic-Rank sea areas, and above those yet higher tiers still. Wei Zhao seriously doubted whether newcomers from the secular world could even survive after being transported to such places.

Wang Xinyan had been lucky enough to encounter the Holy Nun of the Eastern Sea. Had her luck been poor, things would truly be hard to say. Wei Zhao could not help thinking of that woman from the secular world whom Yao Jiali had tormented—perhaps she was one of them.

And if being transported to the Eastern Continent was a low draw, then being sent to the Southern Continent was a true draw of nine deaths and one life—the very lowest of the low.

The Southern Continent's sea areas alone were chaotic beyond measure and exceedingly perilous. If one were transported to the Southern Island's interior, that was the territory of the spirit beast clan, known as a forbidden zone for humans. Once truly sent there, one likely would not survive at all—one would certainly be executed at the first opportunity.

The Eastern Continent, the Southern Continent—wherever they had been transported, it was no good news. But if it was neither of those places, the news was only worse, for if these people truly had been transported to the Northern Island, the Central Island, or the Western Island, and had remained without a word all this time, then only one worst-case surmise remained: they had all met with disaster.

At this thought, even Wei Zhao could not help breaking out in a cold sweat from his own alarm. Such is human nature: once one's spirits sink, it is all too easy to burrow into a dead end and lose oneself there, finding everything more and more amiss the more one thinks, until one truly is trapped in that blind alley with no way out.

"Wei Zhao, are you all right?" Seeing that downcast, dispirited look on his face, Qiu Lingshan and the others were all worried, exchanging glances. Before them, Wei Zhao had always been exceedingly optimistic and confident—what had come over him?

"Oh, I'm fine. I just spaced out for a moment." Wei Zhao hastily forced a dry laugh.

"Really?" The others were still somewhat uneasy.

"Really." Wei Zhao nodded. He dared not tell everyone the true situation; after all, until definite news arrived, everything was mere conjecture, and he did not want them to worry along with him for nothing.

With this little interlude, everyone's spirits were affected to some degree, and the gathering that had been so harmonious had to be wrapped up in haste. Qiu Lingshan and the others dispersed to rest, but Wei Zhao was called back by Lin Dongfang.

"Trying to slip away the moment you've finished eating—you think this is a restaurant? Go wash the dishes!" Lin Dongfang said with a sour curl of the lip.

"Uh..." Wei Zhao glanced at the empty plates covering the table and was caught between laughter and tears. Just now everyone had worn such worried, frowning expressions, yet their mouths had not been idle for a moment—they had licked those plates quite clean.

"What are you standing there for? Wash the dishes!" Lin Dongfang was still urging him from behind, but then he suddenly added: "There's nothing to worry about. They aren't going to die just yet."

The remark came out of nowhere, headless and tailless, yet Wei Zhao understood at once: the old man was comforting him. He could not help smiling bitterly. "I'll take your comfort, old sir, but I know the score on this myself—it doesn't look good."

"Know the score? What score do you know?" Lin Dongfang said with amusement.

"Although I still haven't found any word of them, I've knocked about Cloud Terrace Island for three years now and made something of a name for myself. Some things, even if unconfirmed, can always be inferred." Wei Zhao sighed. Before Qiu Lingshan and the others he had to force a cheerful face, but before old man Wei there was no need for that at all.

"Yours is inference; mine is divination. Which do you think is more accurate?" Lin Dongfang said with keen interest.

"Divination? What divination?" Wei Zhao was taken aback.

"You don't even know what divination is—you really are an ignorant young fellow," Lin Dongfang said with contempt.

"No, but isn't divination just feudal superstition? You can believe that stuff?" Wei Zhao said in astonishment.

"Who told you divination must be feudal superstition? Calling anything you don't understand feudal superstition—your level isn't exactly low, young man, so can you not be so childish?" Lin Dongfang curled his lip, then explained: "Listen well. Divination is a most wondrous ancient secret art. Though it's hard to say it is a hundred percent accurate every time, if a master performs it in person, its credibility is exceedingly high."

"An ancient secret art? That stuff is real?" Wei Zhao listened with a face full of shock. Divination, that murky and mysterious thing, seemed to ordinary people little different from talk of ghosts and gods; even he had always taken it for the trickery of charlatans hoodwinking old men and women. Yet from what Lin Dongfang meant, it actually existed?

"Remember this: never jump to conclusions about things you have not witnessed with your own eyes. I can tell you plainly that the art of divination does exist—only, the masters in this world who truly command this ancient secret art can be counted on one's fingers," Lin Dongfang said gravely.

"Yes, I'll remember." Wei Zhao nodded solemnly, then asked: "But what does this have to do with Chen Xi and the others? Do you mean a master has divined for them?"

"Correct. From the results of the divination, their lives are not yet in danger, so you may set your mind at ease," Lin Dongfang said with a nod.

"Good, that's good." Only then did Wei Zhao finally breathe a sigh of relief, though he still clicked his tongue in wonder: "By the way, where did you find this master diviner, old sir? Why not introduce me, so I can open my eyes too?"

"You? Meeting such a master depends on fate. The fate has not yet arrived—just wait," Lin Dongfang brushed him off casually, with no sincerity at all. In truth, Wei Zhao had already met this person before.

Wei Zhao had already been convinced, but now he began to mutter doubtfully again: "What fate? This thing isn't something you just made up to toy with me, is it?"

"Believe it or not." Lin Dongfang shot him a glare and urged: "Hurry up and wash the dishes—dawdling about, you're slacking off!"

But before he could finish speaking, Aunt Qing suddenly called out from over there: "Don't think you can slack off either—you two wash the dishes together!"

"Aunt Qing is wise!" Wei Zhao hastily offered a flattering word, then looked with amusement at old man Wei's sullen face. Truly, everything has its vanquisher.

Another five days slipped by in a flash. On this day, Xin Yi'an deliberately halted the undersea mining and once again gathered all the disciples of the Ancient Alliance, including the apprentice disciples. Apart from Lin Dongfang and Aunt Qing, who had returned to West Star Mountain Village to drink water, Wei Zhao and the others were all present as well.