Pearl's sudden authoritative voice surprised the group of Saint Transformation beasts that were gathered in the room. However, it did not surprise them nearly as much as the information that came with it did.
Qing Tianchui. That was not a name that was commonly known amongst the beasts. However, the ones that were gathered here were of the strongest and knew very well who that name belonged to.
The Azure Dragon.
They looked at Pearl with shock clear on their face.
"Young one, what did you just say? Say that name again," the Lizard demanded.
Pearl stood upright with his head held high. "You heard me correctly," he said. "I did not wish to have to resort to this, but if I must then I will."
"My mother, as you know, is Shi Meiyoung, daughter of the late Shi Guyoung. My father… is Qing Tianchui, ruler of the Eastern Continent, the Azure Dragon."
"How is that possible?" the Elephant asked.
"Your mother was a cat, like you, wasn't she?" the Swan asked.
The Lion was plenty surprised by this revelation as well. "Pearl, what are you saying?" he asked.
"My mother was a cat with the blood of a White Tiger, which I now have," Pearl said. "My Father was Qing Tianchui, Azure Dragon. I cannot tell you how I was conceived, but I was, and I am here. In the absence of my father, I am this Continent's ruler, and I will demand that you listen to me."
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"This is nonsense," the Elephant said. "If you wanted to lie, you should have made it a better lie."
"It is not a lie," Pearl said. "My father is the Azure Dragon. He and my mother were killed by the Dragon Emperor because he wanted to kill me. I have come back to avenge their deaths, but I cannot do it alone. I need your help."
"Pearl, are you being truthful right now?" the Lion asked. "Are you… are you really the son of the Azure Dragon."
"I am," Pearl said. He saw the doubtful faces of the beasts gathered and continued, "I swear by the heavens that I am speaking the truth. My father is Qing Tianchui."
The beasts froze in their place when Pearl spoke the oath and nothing happened to him.
"How… how is this possible?"
"A cat, even if she was a tiger, should not be compatible with a dragon. This doesn't make sense," the Elephant said.
"But he just swore, so it is true. Unless it is only he that believes it, but I do not believe that to be the case," the Swan said.
"In the first place, why did the Emperor come to kill his grandparents? We never figured that out," the Eagle said from next to Pearl. She quickly turned toward Pearl and asked, "Did you say that the emperor attacked your mother because of you?"
Pearl nodded. "He was there that day to kill me. I do not know why as of yet, but he feared my existence for some reason. My father tried his best to protect me, but he couldn't do it as he was bound by the oaths and his status in this world. He died protecting me, and so did my mother. Now I have come seeking revenge along with my brother, but I cannot do this alone. I need all of your help."
The beasts looked at each other, and they could see that the other beasts were starting to believe Pearl's words.
"Do you have any guess why the emperor might have been after you?" the beasts asked.
"I do not know," Pearl said. "But… seeing as he not only went after me and my mother but also my grandmother, I would say he is after the beasts that hold the White Tiger's bloodline."
The beasts gave a slight nod as it made sense. "So you not only are the son of an Azure Dragon but also carry the bloodline of the White Tiger?" the Lizard asked.
"I don't just carry it," Pearl said. "I am a White Tiger."
"What are you talking about? You're clearly not—"The Ox was only halfway through speaking when his eyes widened in shock. He was only now noticing Pearl's physique.
The other beasts noticed what they had so easily disregarded as well.
Without the stripes, Pearl who was introduced as the son of a White cat, appeared a White cat to everyone. However, upon seeing him with the newly revealed bit of information, they could finally see that despite the black stripes, they were in fact looking at a White Tiger.
"My god!" the Swan was fully wide-eyed. "It's true."
The Eagle quickly stepped away from Pearl and looked at him in wide-eyed horror. "My lord, please forgive me," she said, quickly bowing to Pearl as she moved back.
"You do not have to treat me differently just because I'm a White Tiger," Pearl said.
"No, no," the Eagle shook her head. "You're not just a White Tiger, you are the son of the Azure Dragon as well. Please forgive us for any disrespect we may have shown you today."
Pearl sighed a little and looked at everyone in the room who gazed at him with fear and reverence on their faces.
"I'm sorry for not telling this to you sooner, Uncle," Pearl spoke to the Lion. "I only just learned about my father half a year ago."
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm "No, no, it's alright…" the Lion said. He was pretty shaken about the entire thing as well.The Existence of a beast born from both with the bloodline of two heavenly beasts was an impossibility to everyone's eyes. And Pearl had ended up evolving into one as well.
This was truly something incredible that everyone got to witness.
"Now that it has come to this, I hope you will accept my request or my command, and start gathering your beasts so we can leave right away," Pearl said. "Uncle, you should return quickly."
"Yes, right away," the Lion said and started moving. However, even before he had reached the door, the Lizard spoke.
"I'm afraid that is still not possible, my lord." The Lizard has his head down in a bow, and his words were one of respect, but his actions were not. "I still believe that going to this war is a suicide. Even if it is you who commands us, I cannot accept this."
"Neither can I, my lord," the Ox spoke. "I do not wish to see my beasts dead."
"What are you saying?" the Deer suddenly spoke. "The young lord has asked us to help, and this is the best chance for us to help him. Sure there will be some deaths, but that is the price we must pay for revenge. That is the price we must pay for freedom."
"I'm with Sister Lu on this one," the Swan said. "I say that we fight."
"We absolutely must fight," the Elephant said.
The Eagle grimaced a little. "My beasts are weak. I cannot accept this command, my lord. Please forgive me."
Pearl stared at the beasts with absolutely no idea what to do at all.
After all that he had done to convince them, the beasts still didn't come to a decision to help him at all.