"What are you all roaring for?" Bai Dongchuan sneered. "You shout for my death, but if I die, that Tongtian Hou cub dies with me! Tsk tsk, a super beast cub that only appears once in centuries, and you would let it die just like that? What a pity."
The entire Tongtian Hou clan had arrived—ten super beasts in total.
Now, all ten of them were thoroughly enraged. Their eyes glowed red, their auras surged wildly, threatening to spiral out of control at any moment.
"Kill him!" One woman of the Tongtian Hou clan stepped forward. Her expression was cold, but her voice was trembling with force. "My clan will never be slaves! Xiao Bao resisted the contract with his life. If he knew we allowed ourselves to be bound because of this wretched pact, then all his resistance would mean nothing! He is my child. My heart bleeds to say this, but compared to living in disgrace, death is the true release."
The woman dropped to her knees before Di Xiao, tears hitting the ground. "My King! Sang Qing begs to execute these seven. Blood must pay for blood. My Tongtian Hou clan swears to battle. Unless the Beastmaster Sect is destroyed, we will never rest!"
"Unless the Beastmaster Sect is destroyed, we will never rest!"
The other Tongtian Hous fell to their knees, their cries shaking the air.
"Unless the Beastmaster Sect is destroyed, we will never rest!"
One after another, the super beasts present dropped to their knees.
From ancient times until now, there had never been a case of forcibly severing a master-servant contract. The only way to break free was for Xiao Bao to die.
As the only super beast born in centuries, he was seen as the cherished junior of them all.
And yet now, still in the prime of his life, he had been ruined by the Beastmaster Sect.
These elders could not even protect his life.
The eyes of the super beasts turned red with grief.
Their sorrow spread.
On the square, more and more beasts knelt to demand war.
The fury of the horde surged like wildfire.
"A bunch of animals, daring to talk about destroying my Beastmaster Sect!" Bai Dongchuan's arrogant voice still rang out. "I—"
He did not finish.
Slap!
A palm struck his face from nowhere.
Then, another.
Slap!
"And I—"
Slap!
One blow after another fell, unrelenting.
Cheng Feng Zhēnzūn actually felt a strange relief watching it. Finally, someone had shut that cursed mouth. He only wondered who had taken the action.
"W-Who dares…" Bai Dongchuan stammered, his words slurred by swollen lips.
The next instant, a strike landed on his abdomen, forcing him to collapse weakly to the ground.
Yun Jin stood upon the execution platform, her expression unreadable.
Cheng Feng Zhēnzūn froze, then instinctively called out, "Sect Master Yun! Why are you here?"
"It's the kind human Sister!"
At the edge of the square, Spike Deer exclaimed at Yun Jin's sudden appearance.
"Benefactor!"
"Why is our benefactor here?"
"She might be dragged down by these despicable humans!"
The young beasts grew anxious.
Yun Jin spoke evenly. "I was merely passing through. I did not expect to encounter such matters."
A shadow of sorrow crossed Cheng Feng Zhēnzūn's face. He quickly said, "Sect Master Yun, you have nothing to do with this. Please, leave at once!"
If Yun Jin were to perish here, matters would only spiral further out of control.
"Another human!"
"Kill her too!"
"All humans must die!"
"Slay her as well, avenge the fallen beasts!"
Roars thundered across the crowd.
Cheng Feng Zhēnzūn felt his scalp go numb. Lowering his voice, he urged again, "Sect Master Yun, hurry! This has nothing to do with you. Senior Di may not stop you if you leave now. Our lives do not matter, but please, inform the Beastmaster Sect's Sect Master of what is happening here!"
But Yun Jin did not move. She stepped forward, her clear voice ringing across the square.
"These people's words are reckless, their arrogance deliberate, as though eager to stoke your fury. If they truly acted under the Beastmaster Sect's orders, then at this point they would surely try to hide it. Instead, their every word seems meant to drive both sides to immediate war. Does that not seem suspicious to you? I ask you to consider—this matter may not be so simple."
"If war breaks out, both the Beastmaster Sect and the Spirit Beast Forest will suffer grievous losses. And the one who reaps the profit… must surely be another hidden enemy."
Di Xiao raised a brow, neither stopping Yun Jin nor speaking in her favor.
Whether she could calm the wrath of all beasts depended entirely on her.
"Human, what use are these empty words?" Sang Qing stepped forward, her face cold. "So many spirit beasts have died. With just your talk of hidden enemies, do you mean their deaths should count for nothing? If you want to resolve this blood feud, unless you can revive every fallen beast, then it is impossible!"
Yun Jin replied calmly, "I cannot bring the dead back to life. But if you rush into war, the true culprit will remain hidden, and the spirits of the dead will find no peace beneath the earth."
"Still nonsense!" Sang Qing snapped. "Where is this so-called enemy you speak of? Do you think we will trust only your glib tongue?"
But Yun Jin did not grow angry. Her voice remained steady. "I ask only that you restrain your fury for seven days. Give me seven days to uncover the truth. After that, I will return with an answer."
Before Sang Qing could refute her, Yun Jin continued, "And to prove my sincerity, I am willing to help the Tongtian Hou clan sever the master-servant contract binding Xiao Bao to this man!"
The words fell like thunder.
Sang Qing and the entire Tongtian Hou clan froze.
Break the contract?
Did this human even know what she was saying?
This contract had been witnessed by Heavenly Dao itself. Unless Bai Dongchuan willingly released it, who could possibly undo it?
Unless Yun Jin herself was stronger than Heavenly Dao.
Or unless Bai Dongchuan willingly freed Xiao Bao—which was utterly impossible.
"Do not speak such wild words, human!" Rong Zhou frowned deeply, stepping forward. "This matter has nothing to do with you. Do not throw yourself into the fire!"
He had wanted to fight Yun Jin before, but he had never wished for her death.
If something happened to Yun Jin, his granddaughter would never forgive him. His own son, as the Wushuang Sect's guardian beast, would also face calamity if their Sect Master perished in the Spirit Beast Forest.
"Whether I speak wildly or not, a test will prove it," Yun Jin said steadily. "You had already resolved to let Xiao Bao die. Then why not let me try? Perhaps a miracle may occur."
Her confidence was unwavering.
The Red-Winged Tiger, who had once met Yun Jin, leaned toward Sang Qing and whispered, "She wields the Primordial Wood. The Primordial Wood is unmatched in healing. Perhaps… perhaps she really does have a way."
"Heavenly Dao's contract… what way could she possibly have?" Sang Qing still shook her head, but despite herself, a fragile spark of hope flickered in her chest.
After all, Xiao Bao was her child.
Seeing him suffer, she longed to take his place.
If there had been any other way, she would never have made this choice.
But if Yun Jin could truly save him…
"Yun Jin, are you truly certain?" Di Xiao's voice was slow, heavy.
"Truly certain," Yun Jin replied with solemnity.
"How certain?" Di Xiao pressed, his gaze sharp.
Yun Jin lifted her head. Without a trace of hesitation, she said, "One hundred percent."