The Tiger Clan is one of the most powerful races on the Magical Beast Continent.
For many years, they had lived in peace and stability, but this year, one major incident after another had shaken their order.
Among these events was the invasion by the Wolf Clan the first time in a century of tranquility that the Tiger Clan had faced the threat of total annihilation.
This was a matter that could not be taken lightly.
On the Magical Beast Continent, if a tribe suffered successive years of disasters, it was widely believed that the heavens were punishing them.
“Chief! This calamity must have been brought upon us by that half-breed!”
“Exactly! From the very start of this year, nothing has gone right for us. One misfortune after another has befallen the tribe surely the heavens have grown angry with us!”
As soon as Hu Feng finished speaking, the rest of the assembly immediately echoed his words in agreement.
The very fact that Qian Wei had been allowed into Hulingye’s private quarters had already sparked widespread discontent from the beginning.
After all, Hulingye was the future chief of the Tiger Clan; yet she had stubbornly overridden all objections and insisted on bringing that unknown white tiger into her compound.
It was only later, after the chief’s own household had taken in Bai Xichen and her family as distant relatives, that Hulingye’s white tiger companion had gradually gained some measure of acceptance among the rest of the clan.
Now that everyone knew Qian Wei was not truly a member of the White Tiger race at all that his true form was actually a half-breed of unknown lineage their anger flared up all over again.
“Among beastfolk, bloodline has always been held in the highest regard! If he is not of our kind and a mixed-blood at that, he must be an ill omen sent down from the heavens!”
Disputes over bloodlines were always an extremely sensitive matter among the beast races.
And to make matters worse, Qian Wei had originally claimed to be a pure-blooded white tiger, only to be captured later when his true mixed heritage was exposed.
Bai Mingshan stood in the hall feeling neither able to sit nor stand comfortably, terrified that the flames of suspicion might turn toward him if he let his guard down for even a moment.
“Speaking of which isn’t the Bai family in the chief’s household also descended from the White Tiger line? Who’s to say there aren’t other half-breeds hiding among them? Why not seize them all and investigate thoroughly!”
The words came from somewhere in the crowd, and instantly every eye in the hall turned toward Bai Mingshan.
He immediately dropped to his knees and pleaded frantically, “Chief! My Bai family is truly of pure White Tiger lineage we are no half-breeds, I swear! I beg you to look into this fairly! We have been distant kin of the chief’s line for generations; how could we possibly be anything else?”
“Do you have proof? Didn’t that Qian Wei say exactly the same thing before he was allowed into the Eldest Young Mistress’s quarters?”
As one of the wealthiest and most powerful beast clans on the continent, internal strife was never far from the surface. There were plenty within the tribe who bore ill will toward the Bai family, and they were certainly not about to let such an opportunity slip by.
Just then, a woman’s voice rang out from the doorway.
“Uncles and elders, please do not be hasty. I have something here that I would ask you all to take a look at first.”
The speaker was none other than Bai Xichen the same young woman who had spotted Hu Lingxuan and Su Mingyue secretly examining the ancient beast scrolls the night before.
After the two had left, Bai Xichen had been unable to sleep. Rising in the middle of the night, she had returned to the chamber where the scrolls were kept and carefully gone through the texts they had taken out. To her surprise, reading through them gave her a sudden new insight.
“Hmph you’re just a worthless female white tiger! When did meetings of the Tiger Clan become a place for you to speak your mind?”
Bai Xichen did not grow angry. She merely smiled calmly and replied, “Uncle, you may speak of me however you wish. But if by mistake we were to punish a divine beast sent from the heavens, it would be our Tiger Clan that truly faces years of endless disaster!”
Hu Zhanxiao was a wise and far-sighted chief otherwise, he could never have led the Tiger Clan through so many campaigns and kept them victorious for so long.
From the moment the meeting began, he had remained silent. But upon hearing Bai Xichen’s words, he suddenly raised a hand to command quiet, then pointed at her and said, “Speak clearly what is this all about?”
Bai Xichen immediately stepped forward and presented the ancient scroll she held.
“Chief Uncle, this is information I researched overnight in the archives where the ancient beast records are kept. It documents the earliest divine beasts of our Magical Beast Continent and their distinguishing traits.”
Hu Zhanxiao took the scroll and examined it, his expression unchanged. “Though it lists the names of these divine beasts, none have been seen on our continent for over a thousand years. Moreover, there are no detailed descriptions of their appearance. How can you claim there is any connection between them and us?”
Bai Xichen pointed to a section of faint, faded characters on the parchment.
“I could not make out this part at first, but after cross-referencing most of the scrolls throughout the night, I have finally pieced together what it says.”
Curiosity rose among the assembly. “What does it say?”
“The text records that the divine beast known as the Qilin is born as a pair of twins one female and one male. The male is called Lin, and he possesses the power of illusion. When he casts his magic, mist rises beneath his feet, and all who see it fall under its spell. This description matches exactly what many witnessed when Qian Wei fought against the Wolf Clan and unleashed his illusions.”
“And more importantly, it states: ‘Divine beasts arise in response to great calamity.’”
“Calamity?” Hu Zhanxiao frowned, confused. “If you claim Qian Wei is a divine beast, then where does this ‘calamity’ come from?”
Bai Xichen hesitated, her face showing difficulty, and did not continue right away.
Others pressed her. “Misfortune has struck our clan repeatedly these past two years. If there is no calamity, it is hard to explain what has happened. Besides, I have not heard of other tribes facing such troubles… something strange must have begun within our own ranks.”
As she spoke, Bai Xichen added softly, “Then tell me does anyone here remember when the first changes began to appear in our clan?”
Silence fell over the hall.
Suddenly someone called out, “Wasn’t it the night the Fourth Young Lady arrived?”
“That’s right! She fell from the Wolf Clan’s sacred statue, and that was when we discovered the Wolf Clan had been lying in wait to ambush us…”
“Could it be… that the calamity was brought here by the Fourth Young Lady?”