"You are clever," the man praised, but his expression turned cold. "But cleverness does not erase the truth. For centuries, my kin have suffered. The young Tongtian Hou cub was harmed, that too is fact. If your human race cannot give me an explanation, then I will claim it myself. Do you understand?"
Yun Jin's eyes sharpened.
The meaning was plain. He already knew something was amiss, yet if the truth could not be brought to light, the fury of countless spirit beasts would remain. Conflict between humans and spirit beasts would be inevitable.
"Very soon, I will execute Cheng Feng Zhēnzūn and his companions before all." The Spirit Beast King looked at Yun Jin with calm indifference. "The cub was harmed, and all spirit beasts are enraged. I have already received word that you claim you can save it.
Yun Jin, if you can sever the cub's contract with that human and bring it back to life," the Spirit Beast King paused, his voice turning heavier, "I will give you time to uncover the truth.
But if the cub dies, then you, Cheng Feng Zhēnzūn, and the entire Beastmaster Sect, prepare yourselves to bear the wrath of the Spirit Beast Forest."
Yun Jin did not hesitate. She answered firmly, "Senior, be at ease. I will save the cub. And I will also uncover what has truly transpired over these centuries. I will bring the truth both to you and to all spirit beasts."
The Spirit Beast King nodded calmly. "See that you do. Yun Jin, this is the last chance I grant you and the human race. To master this divine palace I am usually bound within it, and this inability to leave seems to have given you humans an illusion, that I would never act in anger. But hear me well.
Should the cub perish, should your race fail to give me an explanation, then even if I must pay a price, I will march upon the Beastmaster Sect. You speak of hidden schemes, yet those disciples are undeniably of Beastmaster Sect. The sect cannot escape the crime of failing to discipline its disciples. Even if I were to wash Beastmaster Sect in blood, it would not be unjust."
Yun Jin exhaled softly.
So this was an open conspiracy.
Even though she and this senior both knew something was wrong.
Even so.
The two sides had already forged a blood feud. If the hand behind the scenes was not dragged into the open, then the centuries of pain borne by spirit beasts would still demand a vent.
War between spirit beasts and humans would be unavoidable.
To resolve this, Yun Jin would first have to save the Tongtian Hou cub, to win time for investigation. Then she would need to discover the truth and give justice to the fallen spirit beasts.
Only then would there be a chance to dispel this looming war.
It would be difficult.
But Yun Jin believed she could try.
The next moment, the divine palace stilled, and they were once again seated in the lakeside pavilion.
Steam still curled from the teacups on the table.
The man regarded Yun Jin. "You should understand my meaning by now. The time is nearly upon us. I will open the gates of the divine palace. As planned, I will announce the execution of Cheng Feng Zhēnzūn and the others. Whether you can win time will depend on your ability."
He rose to his feet.
Yun Jin followed.
"My name is Di Xiao," the man said evenly, his gaze fixed on her. "Should you one day die by my hand, at least you will know the name of the one who slew you. Of the human race, only Wandao ever forced me to bow in respect. As his successor, I truly hope I will not be forced to kill you."
Yun Jin only smiled faintly and stepped back behind Di Xiao.
Di Xiao said no more.
He lifted his hand, and the scenery shifted once more.
In an instant, the palace became an immense square.
The divine palace's gates vanished completely.
Lifting her eyes, Yun Jin even saw Rong Zhou, who had been sitting quietly outside the gates, now standing in awe.
"The divine palace is open!"
"It is the King!"
Countless spirit beasts turned their heads, kneeling reverently toward the man at the center of the square.
Di Xiao raised his hand slightly, and all beasts were lifted to their feet by an unseen force.
His voice echoed across the heavens of the Spirit Beast Forest, calm yet undeniable.
"One stick of incense from now, the traitors of Beastmaster Sect will be executed. All spirit beasts may enter the divine palace to witness."
The beasts closest to the palace broke into a run, desperate to reach it in time.
Those too far away still roared forward, unwilling to miss the summons of their king.
Within the Spirit Beast Forest, ranks were rigid and absolute. Only when the Ten-Thousand Beasts Summoning Order was invoked could all spirit beasts, regardless of level, enter the core domain to behold their sovereign.
"The divine palace manifests," Di Xiao spoke lightly.
Above the Spirit Beast Forest, an immense divine palace shimmered into view. Its image was so wondrous that from anywhere within the forest, a beast only needed to raise its head to see it.
Many spirit beasts had already arrived, cramming the square until it was packed like a sea of scales and fur.
Yun Jin swept her eyes across the crowd.
Super beasts.
High-tier beasts.
These peak beings, usually rare and seldom seen, now gathered like common vegetables at the market.
Even mid-tier and low-tier beasts crowded together in droves, and yet this was still only a portion of the Spirit Beast Forest's inhabitants.
More were still racing across the land, eyes fixed on the divine palace's phantom above.
When the incense burned out, Di Xiao's cold voice rang. "Bring forth the prisoners."
Cheng Feng Zhēnzūn and his six companions were dragged out.
Seven in all, bound with silken threads that glimmered with strange power. No trace of spiritual energy flowed from them; their strength had been sealed. They were nothing more than helpless prey awaiting the butcher's blade.
Dragged onto the execution platform at the center, Cheng Feng Zhēnzūn's face was ashen. His lips trembled. "Senior Di, our lives matter little, but today's events, the Beastmaster Sect truly knew nothing of them. If you must kill us, then I beg you, do not drag my sect into it."
"Master, why waste words with him?" one of the seven sneered. "I signed a master-servant contract. If I die, that Tongtian Hou cub dies too! They won't dare kill me!
In fact, the best solution is to let me take the cub away. Living as a servant is better than dying, isn't it, Senior Di?" He even dared to lift his eyes and provoke Di Xiao directly.
"Exactly, Senior Brother is right. What's the fuss over contracting a mere cub? Must we go to such extremes?"
"Dare to kill us, and Senior Brother will simply use the contract to end the cub's life!"
Four of the seven began jeering, their tones brazen with arrogance.
Cheng Feng Zhēnzūn's face turned deathly pale.
If he had not been bound and helpless, he would have stitched shut their mouths himself.
"Silence!" Cheng Feng Zhēnzūn roared, gathering all the strength he could muster. His eyes burned with fury as he glared at his once-prized disciple. "Bai Dongchuan, shut your mouth!"
But Bai Dongchuan only smirked, unconcerned. "Master, why pretend? At this point, what good is it? Don't worry. They won't dare kill us."
That single expression, dripping with arrogance, ignited the fury of the assembled beasts.
From the square, a tide of roars thundered skyward.
"Kill him! Kill him!"
"Despicable humans!"
"Flatten Beastmaster Sect!"
Yun Jin stood in silence, listening to the storm of hatred.
"Do you see? Do you hear?" Di Xiao's voice resonated within her mind. "The grievances of the beasts, if not resolved, can only be cleansed with blood."
Even if all knew it was a scheme.
Even if all knew this was a trap.
The blood shed by the spirit beasts could only be answered with blood in return.