My Wife is a Hidden Big Shot

Chapter 457 - 419: Guardian Assembly (Part 1)

This was a circular altar, open to the sky above.

It looked a lot like Vick’s place in the game *Conquest of Glory*.

But the surrounding stone walls were not carved with pictures, but with the names of the celestial constellations.

The central platform was divided into three tiers, like a giant Compass installed in the center.

However, this Compass had no needle. There was only an old man with grizzled hair, meditating with his eyes closed.

"You’ve come, successor of the Martial God..."

Ruth Winslow—no, Aurora Sinclair’s gaze grew cold, and her hands, hanging at her sides, clenched into fists.

"You knew I was coming?"

The old man opened his eyes, a smile within them. "I know a little about peering into heaven’s secrets."

Aurora Sinclair didn’t like this place very much. She took a few wary steps back.

Quinn Winslow looked at her position and was inwardly shocked. ’Is this a coincidence?’

This place was a massive mystical formation, and she just so happened to be standing in the only gate of life.

His expression shifted slightly, but he said calmly, "At the upcoming Guardian Conference, I ask that you show mercy."

Aurora Sinclair’s eyes narrowed. Placing one hand behind her back, her demeanor sharpened. "What else do you know?"

"Heaven’s secrets cannot be revealed!"

"You’ve revealed quite a bit already..."

Quinn Winslow smiled and offered an ambiguous statement, "But Vera Winslow survived, and she also brought the only sliver of Vitality here."

Aurora Sinclair froze.

***

The Guardian Conference arrived as scheduled.

Caleb Winslow, Howard Winslow, and their men were growing frantic.

They had practically locked down the Esteros Sea, but there was still no sign of Aurora Sinclair.

"Can she fly to the heavens and burrow into the earth?" Caleb Winslow slammed his hand on the table.

After a moment of thought, Howard Winslow said, "Should we go ask Mr. Sterling? Have him perform a divination?"

"Forget it! That old coot would never help us! When is Mr. Silas returning from The Holy Mountain?"

Howard Winslow shook his head. "We had The Holy Eagle carry a message to him a month ago."

"Let’s hope he can make it back in time..."

Meanwhile, an old man emanating a chilling aura stared at Alaric Winslow. "What do you think you’re doing?"

"Mr. Silas cannot leave The Holy Mountain today."

Silas Winslow’s eyes darkened, his expression growing more grim. "Your surname is Winslow..."

"It is precisely because my surname is Winslow that I don’t want to see The Winslow Clan destroyed!"

Silas Winslow’s eyes shot wide open...

Alaric Winslow was the most talented individual in The Winslow Clan. On The Holy Mountain, he was also the only clan member permitted to ascend to the summit, making him the one closest to Ancestor Winslow.

His words very likely represented Ancestor Winslow’s intentions.

"Please go back," Alaric Winslow said, gesturing with his hand.

"Then they..."

"The ways of heaven and the course of nature each have their own destiny."

Silas Winslow’s hands clenched tightly.

***

The Guardian Conference was held in a vast, empty valley.

Aurora Sinclair, still disguised as Ruth Winslow, followed Quinn Winslow into the valley where the Guardian Conference was being held.

A large crowd had already gathered in the valley.

The people standing scattered about were the Guardians from the various continents. Since Esteros had no nations, its representatives were chosen from the Great Martial King Realm experts among The Ancient Martial Families.

In contrast to these scattered groups, a row of people with imposing auras stood on a high platform on the other side.

These were the Intermediate Regulators and Basic Supervisors, arranged from left to right in order of strength. The person on the far left was the strongest among them, and the one on the far right was the weakest.

Aurora Sinclair immediately spotted her grand-master standing second from the left.

Both Merck Gold and Caleb Winslow were weaker than him. No wonder Caleb Winslow’s men didn’t dare make a move in the association once her grand-master arrived.

At that moment, the Regulator on the far right took a step forward and announced loudly to the Guardians below the platform:

"The Guardians from each continent will now determine their two strongest representatives through combat. Begin—"

This competition was not a series of one-on-one duels, but a massive free-for-all to see who would be the last one standing.

Quinn Winslow glanced at the still figure beside him and asked with a smile, "Aren’t you going down?"

"If I go down, the competition will be meaningless," Aurora Sinclair said pointedly.

While this free-for-all among the continental Guardians seemed crude, it was a way to discern the relationships between the various nations.

If she went down, Arcadia’s position would be impossible to gauge.

Quinn Winslow smiled and shook his head. "If you don’t go down, they might disqualify you."

Aurora Sinclair followed Mr. Sterling’s gaze toward the group of people on the other side. After a moment’s thought, her figure blurred as she shot down the mountainside.

She moved so fast that no one present even noticed.

It wasn’t until she came to a stop in the combat area for Arcadia’s Guardians that the Regulators on the high platform finally spotted her.

"Aurora... Aurora Sinclair..."

The expressions of the Members of the Winslow Clan on the high platform changed drastically. Caleb Winslow and Howard Winslow, in particular, looked as black as the bottom of a pot.

Caleb Winslow even shot Kael Miles a cold snort. "You certainly kept this a tight secret!"

Kael Miles’s eyes were filled with smug satisfaction. "I can’t make decisions for the younger generation."

Aurora Sinclair’s sudden appearance put the Guardians of every nation on high alert. Although she emitted no fluctuations of Power, there was something about her that inexplicably made people afraid to approach.

While unwrapping the bandages on her right arm, Aurora Sinclair said calmly, "You all can continue fighting for the other spot."

Her words made the expressions of the Arcadia Guardians shift slightly, but no one actually dared to step forward and attack her.

This was because she wore the Guardian Token of Veridia.

Compared to the brawls of the other continents, Arcadia’s Guardians suddenly became restrained. Even their attacks on each other grew more reserved, almost always stopping short of causing real harm.

This caused the Regulator for Arcadia on the high platform to lose a great deal of face, because these people had never shown him such deference when he was around.

The Guardians’ free-for-all lasted for almost five days and five nights before the two strongest from each continent were finally decided.

Arcadia’s side was decided on the very first day: one was Aurora Sinclair, who hadn’t moved from start to finish, and the other was the Guardian from another major nation within Arcadia.

As a result, the Arcadia Guardians spent the next four days watching the spectacle. Because Aurora Sinclair had brought sunflower seeds, the twenty-odd people sat amicably outside the combat area, cracking seeds together.

Besides watching the show, they also discussed Body Refining Techniques and collectively asked Aurora Sinclair for advice on their Martial Cultivation.

The harmonious, cheerful scene among Arcadia’s Guardians was the envy of everyone else.

Some Guardians from smaller nations on other continents had only come to broaden their horizons, not expecting to advance. When they saw the group discussing Cultivation Techniques, they also ran over to listen in.

By the end, apart from a dozen or so Guardians from major nations still fighting for a spot, all the other Guardians had gathered around Aurora Sinclair to listen to her lecture.

This was a spectacle never before seen in the hundreds of years of the Guardian Conference.

This infuriated Flint Winslow’s branch of the clan so much that their teeth itched with hatred.

It also made the Regulators on the high platform understand that the female Guardian from Arcadia below was definitely a powerful competitor.

Thus, the Regulators on the right side of the platform flocked to Kael Miles. "Lord Miles, has your grand-disciple said who she plans to challenge?"

Seeing the worry on their faces, Kael Miles felt extremely pleased with himself. He pretended to think for a moment, then looked pointedly at Caleb Winslow. "Lord Winslow, who do you think she will challenge?"

Caleb Winslow’s expression stiffened. He glanced at the onlookers and said in a low voice, "Instead of guessing who she will challenge, you should be preparing to meet that challenge with your true abilities."

"It seems Lord Winslow is already confident of the outcome."