"Good—come with me, then!" The kappa brightened at the sound of that. So long as Wei Zhao was willing to leave this place with all haste, it would not have minded escorting the two of them out with full ceremony the whole way.

But just then a humming drifted over from the distance. The thing was still too far off for its shape to be made out, yet Wei Zhao's divine sense had already fixed on its position and form: a giant venomous wasp, fully the size of a grown man.

"A patrol wasp! What's it doing here?" The kappa started violently at the sight. Wei Zhao showed no particular reaction, but the kappa was thrown into utter panic, at a loss what to do with its hands and feet.

"You're afraid?" Wei Zhao glanced at it.

"I—" The kappa's fear made it stammer. "If... if it finds us... you're dead... and I'm dead too..."

"But this thing doesn't feel strong at all?" Wei Zhao said, somewhat puzzled. The patrol wasp was fearsome in appearance, to be sure, and looked like nothing to be trifled with, but when all was said and done it was only a Foundation Establishment–level spirit beast; dealing with it would be no more than lifting a hand for Wei Zhao.

"Not strong?" The kappa was about to retort out of sheer reflex—after all, to its mind not a single patrol wasp was anything to be trifled with—but on second thought, recalling how Wei Zhao had just performed, a mere patrol wasp really did seem to pose no great worry for this human.

"In return for that pearl you gave me, I could do away with it for you—guaranteed not a soul will be the wiser," Wei Zhao offered. Truth be told, he bore the kappa no ill will; he rather thought the creature was decent enough. If he could lend a hand, he would.

"Impossible!" The kappa shook its head at once.

"What's impossible? Didn't you say that if it finds us we're both dead? Or do you mean to help it against me?" Wei Zhao said, somewhat taken aback.

"That's not what I mean. I mean that no matter how strong you are, you could never destroy any patrol wasp without it being noticed—they share a mind. The moment one patrol wasp comes to harm, every other patrol wasp knows it that very instant. So no matter what, the moment it senses you are here, the master and all the other patrol wasps will know as well." The kappa's face was a picture of misery.

"A shared-mind mechanism? That is rather thorny." Wei Zhao could not help but frown. The existence of such a mechanism really did leave no way around it—even if he could kill the thing in a single breath, it would make no difference. Being sensed by it meant the situation was out of control, and that was that.

That left Wei Zhao but one option: flight. If he were alone it would hardly matter; unless he willed it, no number of patrol wasps would ever sense him. But the problem was the man lying senseless on the ground, Fei Yangnian. Patrol wasps were hardly slow, and wasps had always been keen in their perception. Dragging along such a dead weight, Wei Zhao had no confidence of doing it without a single crack in the concealment.

As they spoke, the patrol wasp had already come straight for this direction, its purpose plain. Even Wei Zhao felt a touch of tension—could it be that the thing had sensed him already?

The kappa was far more panicked than Wei Zhao. In desperation it hastily dragged the senseless Fei Yangnian into the river, and called to Wei Zhao, "Get in too! I'll use Formless in Water to shield you both—it shouldn't be able to find you."

Wei Zhao was briefly startled. There was no real need for him to jump in with them, but to sample the creature's innate gift, he followed.

Once the kappa had drawn Wei Zhao and Fei Yangnian down beneath the surface, Wei Zhao soon felt a thin film of water settle over his body. It seemed to weigh nothing at all, yet once the film had wholly covered him, a wondrous thing occurred: his primal spirit body had turned transparent as the river water itself, leaving, at first glance, almost no trace behind.

Wei Zhao quickly worked out something of its principle. This was plainly a most ingenious form of protective coloration. In truth, many creatures in nature bore some degree of camouflage, but few could achieve the utter invisibility of the kappa.

Of course, Formless in Water could not be mere protective coloration—if it were, it could at best fool the naked eye, not divine sense. What truly deceived divine sense was this film of water. Because its surface was covered by that film, Wei Zhao's entire being, as perceived by divine sense, had taken on the very texture of river water. There was simply no distinguishing him.

Wei Zhao could not help but marvel inwardly. Worthy of the kappa clan's innate gift—Formless in Water was indeed superb.

Before long the patrol wasp had arrived above the river and sent out a strange, shrill transmission of divine sense: "Kappa! Come out!"

The kappa's heart lurched, yet it dared not act rashly. It could only keep Wei Zhao and Fei Yangnian carefully hidden with Formless in Water while slowly poking its head above the surface.

"Kappa! The master summons you!" the patrol wasp continued by divine sense.

The kappa breathed a little easier at that; by the look of things the wasp had not yet discovered Wei Zhao and Fei Yangnian. It said, "But I am to stay and keep watch over the Hundred Herbs Garden—such is the master's command."

"You go. I will take the watch. This is the master's latest command," the patrol wasp said flatly.

"Uh—" The kappa was at a loss again. It did not mind for its own sake, but the moment it left, it could no longer keep Wei Zhao and Fei Yangnian hidden with Formless in Water, and then the flaw would inevitably show. All would have been for nothing.

"What are you standing there for? The master is waiting!" the patrol wasp urged.

"Brother Patrol Wasp, could you let slip what the master wants me for?" the kappa asked, eyes wide and pleading.

"The master means to let those distinguished guests see the Holy Water Pearl with their own eyes. He needs you to cover that crack for a time—that is why you are called," the patrol wasp answered truthfully.

"Oh." The kappa nodded in sudden understanding.

"Then go, and quickly!" the patrol wasp urged again. Given the master's harsh temper, if the kappa delayed overlong, it would be this messenger creature's turn to suffer the consequences.

The kappa would have liked to go—but how could it dare go just like that? After a moment's thought, inspiration struck: "Er... I just heard a fair commotion up ahead. Perhaps a blast-fruit has burst, or perhaps something has broken in. For safety's sake, it would be best to go and confirm."

"Such a fuss. I will handle it. You go at once—keep the master waiting and you'll have nothing good to show for it!" With that, the patrol wasp sped off into the distance.

The kappa did not dare stir, and only when the patrol wasp was several li away did it finally breathe a sigh of relief.