Bai Wei refused to believe it: “So if you say I’m wrong, then I’m wrong? Why should I accept that?”
“Fine!” Yun Jiao thought, *today I’ll make you admit it.*
“Huang Bai Hua has white and yellow blossoms, trumpet-shaped, with petals separated—called a ‘split-petal flower.’ The corolla looks like lips, the floral tube is slender, and it blooms at the joints of branches. When it first opens, the flower is yellow, later turning white.”
“Not only that, the effects you mentioned are correct, but it also has contraindications. Beastmen with weak stomachs or cold spleen conditions, and those with festering wounds, should avoid it. Do you know what festering wounds are? They’re wounds that have turned purulent.”
At this point, Yun Jiao pointed to the poisonous herb in the witch doctor’s hand: “Now look closely at this one. Its flowers are yellow from the start, the petals are fused—called a ‘fused-petal flower.’ Not only that, there are faint red spots inside, and the blossoms grow at the tips and joints of branches. This is clearly Duan Chang Cao—‘Heartbreak Grass,’ a deadly poison. How could it be the Huang Bai Hua you claimed?”
Whoa! The beastmen hurried to examine the herb in the shaman’s hand. Even if they didn’t understand all of Yun Jiao’s words, they could plainly see the faint red spots inside the petals. So it really was poisonous?
“Yun Jiao, you’re amazing!” Guo Guo was the first to cheer.
“Yes, amazing!” Hua Duo chimed in second.
The other females were thoroughly convinced, while the males looked at Yun Jiao with even brighter eyes.
Hu Niu puffed out her belly and said loudly: “Yun Jiao, when I give birth, will you come? You’re incredible! Not like *some* females…”
At that, Hu Niu rolled her eyes dramatically at Bai Wei.
Bai Wei was already crushed. She rushed forward, snatched the herb from the shaman, and peered inside.
The faint red spots were clear as day.
“How could this be? Aunt, tell me—is this really medicine or poison?”
Even now, she still refused to give up!
The shaman said helplessly: “Yun Jiao is correct. This is indeed a poisonous herb. Bai Wei, do you now understand why I chose Yun Jiao instead of you? Yun Jiao has great talent—her ability to identify herbs even surpasses mine. She was born to be a shaman.”
“No way! You’re a shaman, why would you even have poisonous herbs? Aunt, I’m your own grandniece, yet you and Yun Jiao are bullying me together!” Bai Wei, unwilling to accept defeat, began to make a scene.
If it were any other matter, perhaps the shaman would let it go. But the choice of successor was too important. She scolded coldly: “You’re becoming more and more unreasonable. Yes, I am your aunt, but I am also the witch doctor of the Beast Tribe. I must be responsible to everyone, to the tribe itself. In the past, when I taught you medicine, you didn’t listen carefully. Now that you can’t compare to Yun Jiao, you blame me? It’s because I spoiled you too much that you’ve become so unruly.”
Never in her memory had the shaman spoken to her in such a tone.
Bai Wei threw the Duan Chang Cao (Heartbreak Grass) to the ground and ran off crying.
The shaman was disappointed, but quickly composed herself and turned to the crowd: “If any of you feel the same as Bai Wei—that Yun Jiao is unworthy—step forward and compete with her.”
All the females immediately stepped back, even Guo Guo. What a joke—if Bai Wei, who had studied medicine, couldn’t win, how could they?
The shaman nodded in satisfaction and warned again: “Since no one objects, I don’t want to hear anyone saying Yun Jiao is unworthy in the future!”
“Don’t worry, we wouldn’t dare!”
“Yes, we won’t gossip anymore.”
“Yun Jiao, I’m pregnant too. When I give birth, you must come help—not just Hu Niu, but us as well.”
“Yes, exactly…”
Now the females were completely convinced by Yun Jiao. When she became the Sacred Female, they might have felt jealous. But becoming the shaman was different—it carried a deeper meaning.
Anyone with sense wouldn’t dare offend the shaman, especially these females who would soon be giving birth.
Yun Jiao smiled and agreed to each request.
…
After this pointless drama ended, Lei Xiao and Yun Jiao left together. The other beastmen also returned to their homes. But that night, no one could sleep. Gradually, their view of Yun Jiao began to change—even the females were no exception.
Except for Bai Wei! In a fit of anger, she ran out of the tribe and sat by the river, crying. The shaman ignored her, and Shi Yi didn’t come looking for her either.
At that moment, Bai Wei felt abandoned by the whole world. In truth, she misunderstood the shaman. The shaman had assumed Shi Yi would go after her. After all, Bai Wei was his mate—surely he wouldn’t leave her alone. But unexpectedly, Shi Yi really didn’t care.
The forest at night was extremely dangerous. In the sky, a massive horned eagle spread its wings, blocking out the moonlight. Its eyes blazed like torches, and the black feathers on its wings shimmered with a ghostly blue under the moon. Soon, it spotted the little female by the river. A flicker of interest passed through its golden-black pupils. The horned eagle landed and transformed into human form.
Seeing the unfamiliar beastman, Bai Wei jumped in fright.
“Little female, don’t be afraid. I am Yu Hei, a beastman of the Eagle Clan. Why are you here crying alone so late at night?”
Whether it was Yu Hei’s gentle voice or Bai Wei’s desperate need for someone to confide in, she gradually lowered her guard: “It’s all because of that Sacred Female. Since you’re from the Eagle Clan, why are you here? I thought your clan lived far from here.”
Sacred Female?
A shadow flickered in Yu Hei’s eyes, but his voice remained warm: “I was just passing through. When I saw a female crying here alone, I thought to remind you—the forest is dangerous at night. You should go back quickly.”
“I don’t want to go back. No one cares about me anyway. I might as well die.” Bai Wei’s voice broke as she sobbed again.
Yu Hei slowly moved closer. Seeing that she didn’t resist, he cursed her foolishness inwardly, though his expression grew softer and gentler: “Just now, I heard you say the Sacred Female bullied you. How did she bully you? If you don’t want to talk, that’s fine. I only see you’re so sad, but I don’t know what happened, so I don’t know how to comfort you.”
“That Sacred Female is called Yun Jiao. The shaman’s successor was supposed to be me, but she stole that position from me. Tell me, isn’t she hateful? Just because everyone once mistook her for a useless female, and the male she liked became my mate, she’s been targeting me ever since. But back then, I didn’t even know she was the Sacred Female! I’m innocent—so why does she treat me this way?”
Bai Wei spoke pitifully, as if Yun Jiao had truly wronged her.
But Yu Hei heard far more than her complaints. So the Mountain Tribe really did have a Sacred Female—the rumors were true. Not only that, this Sacred Female was about to become the shaman. No wonder she was the Sacred Female, the messenger of the Beast God—so outstanding. If he could bring her back to the Eagle Clan, wouldn’t their clan become powerful?
Yet he also knew the Sacred Female would almost certainly refuse to leave with him. If he wanted to take her away, he’d need another plan.
Got it!
Yu Hei continued probing: “In everything, you need to have a reason. If the Sacred Female is so excessive, why don’t you tell her father and mother?”
Bai Wei pouted: “She’s just a parentless orphan. Who would I complain to? And her cold-blooded mate spoils her endlessly. The chief, the chief’s daughter, and even the shaman all side with her. How could she ever reason with me?”