Just as there are social classes among humans in the real world, so too is there a clear divide on the Magical Beast Continent.
Carnivorous and herbivorous beasts belong to two entirely different ranks. In a sense, they keep strictly to their own paths and rarely cross. Herbivorous creatures in particular instinctively avoid carnivorous races for to the predators, they are nothing more than food.
So to ask the herbivorous Monkey Clan to save a member of the Tiger Clan was, by all logic, impossible. It would be like asking prey to help a hunter.
Moreover, the Tiger Clan was the most powerful race on the entire continent. Their descendants were born with such immense beastly energy and primal strength that they could wield the elements of wind, fire, lightning, and thunder in battle. Only a handful of other top clans possessed such power, and none had numbers or influence to match the Tigers. If they revived this young tiger, there was no guarantee he would not one day turn his strength and wipe out the entire Monkey Clan single‑handedly.
Qian Wei had understood this risk from the start. He knew that asking a monkey to save a tiger was a request that could never be granted. The little girl would surely be turned away, and the young tiger would die anyway. He had only brought her here so that she would see for herself and give up hope. Once she accepted the truth, he could still take her under his wing and travel the world as her guardian. That would be interesting enough in itself.
“He is indeed from the Tiger Clan,” Qian Wei said calmly. “And after that duel, he suffered a double backlash of both beastly energy and primal instinct. His spirit and soul have been severely damaged most would say there is no hope left.”
He expected her to grieve for a while, but that was all. He could show her so many wonderful places across the continent, hunt mermaids and eagles, and help her forget all about this tiger.
But just as he was daydreaming of their future travels, Princess Songyi spoke in a low, steady voice: “I will heal him.”
Qian Wei blinked, thinking he had misheard. “Princess… are you so blinded by my looks that you have lost your senses?”
It was true that Songyi admired beauty, and the outside world saw her as someone easily swayed by handsome faces. But since bringing them back to her palace, she had acted with poise and wisdom, not like someone ruled by desire.
“You are indeed a rare sight on this continent,” she replied, “but that has nothing to do with my decision.”
She paused, her expression serious. “There is a condition. If I succeed in saving him, I want him to destroy the entire Monkey Clan for me.”
Qian Wei: “…”
Su Mingyue: “…”
Su Mingyue stood frozen, completely stunned. She had never imagined things would take such a turn. Now it seemed that whether they accepted or refused, great trouble would follow.
Seeing the shock on the little girl’s face, Qian Wei realized that since she had appeared, the world around him had begun to shift in ways he could not fully explain. Events always took unexpected turns and strangely enough, his life had become far more interesting because of it.
“Very well,” he said with a smile. “We need not wait for the tiger to wake and decide. I will agree on his behalf. Destroying one little clan is a trivial matter it can be done whenever we wish.”
Princess Songyi stared at him for a moment, then studied him closely. When they first met, she had been unable to discern his true nature his scent, his appearance, his aura nothing gave away his race or power. That was why she had taken such an interest and invited him here. She had planned to learn more gradually, but now, hearing his calm certainty, she knew he was not speaking idly.
“Then we have a deal,” she said. “I shall return at once to prepare the herbs and medicines.”
She departed in a hurry, leaving Su Mingyue standing alone, feeling completely lost.
Qian Wei walked over, knelt down, lifted her into his arms, and sat her on a nearby table. He tested the warmth of a cup of water with the back of his hand and handed it to her.
“You claimed you know what the future holds. Why didn’t you foresee this?”
She took the cup automatically, her head hanging low, her voice heavy with disappointment.
“The world is already changing.”
“…What?”
“Does that mean what is meant to happen will still happen anyway?” she murmured, as if speaking to herself. Her small brow furrowed deeply, lost in confusion.
Qian Wei found it irritating to watch her fret. He reached out and gently smoothed the crease between her brows.
“I don’t understand what you mean, but this turn of events doesn’t seem so bad. What is one clan more or less? Why worry so much?”
If they were to travel the world together, she would see far more shocking things than this. She could not afford to be so upset every time.
“But if the clan is destroyed, all the people we saw today will die Uncle Monkey Three, his wife, and their unborn child too…”
Qian Wei fell silent. He had never thought of it that way. He had grown up alone, trusting no one. Even Monkey Three was just someone he had once saved, nothing more. If the clan fell, he might grant him a quick death out of old acquaintance, but that was all. He doubted the little girl could ever understand such cold logic.
“Suppose your little tiger wakes up starving and eats a monkey. Do you think he would feel he had done something wrong?” he asked, trying to explain the “rules” of this world in terms she could grasp.
Su Mingyue understood. Beasts were different from humans. Even in human form, their instincts remained deep within. Primal urges had no concept of right or wrong. Qian Wei was right but she still hoped that if the Monkey Clan was destined to fall, it would not be by their hands.
“I understand,” she whispered.
Qian Wei patted her head to comfort her.
“But…” she suddenly looked up, eyes bright with hope. “Could we find another way to keep your promise? Like using illusions to make everyone believe the clan has been destroyed?”
Qian Wei stared at her.
“After all, you don’t like killing living things anyway, right? You’ve never eaten prey. Killing so many monkeys would not be something you enjoy.”
She thought so highly of him that it almost made him feel guilty. He could indeed use his illusions to drive the entire clan to madness and make them end their own lives all without shedding a drop of his own blood.
“Besides, the Monkey Clan is doomed anyway… Handsome Father, once we cure Hu Lingxuan, can we just leave quietly?”
“You say they are doomed no matter what,” Qian Wei asked sharply, catching the implication. “Is that the future you spoke of knowing?”
Su Mingyue clenched her small fists and nodded.
“I don’t know exactly why, but they will bring about their own end. If we do nothing… Princess Songyi will still get what she wants in the end.”