1771 The Gathered Leaders

Pearl stood next to his uncle, the group of other 6 leaders from the various colonies sitting on massive seats in front of him. It was just him and the 7 leaders in the room. Senior Yao had been made to stay outside as not everyone was allowed inside.

The leaders quickly got themselves comfortable and looked at the Lion.

"Leader Zhu, what is going on? What is the emergency?" the eagle asked, with her azure wings folded around herself as she sat closely.

"You made it sound like it was a life or death situation," the Lizard said.

The rest didn't speak and only nodded. Instead, their eyes flickered from time to time toward Pearl. They were certainly surprised by him being here.

They didn't recognize him at all. They had no idea who he was. However, what got them to look at him was what he was.

They weren't yet sure if they were looking at a tiger with white fur or a cat. Either way, there were possibilities there and both of them seemed concerning to them.

"Leaders, are you aware of my older cousin, Shi Meiyoung?" the lion asked. "She was the daughter of the previous leader Shi Guyoung."

"Shi Guyoung's child, the white cat," the swan spoke. "We do remember her. Senior Guyoung brought her to some of our meetings when she was a child. He loved showing off his daughter to everyone."

"She was the granddaughter of the White Tiger who died in the Eastern continent, wasn't she?" the Deer asked. There was a sort of glimmer in the 6-eyed deer that one couldn't immediately see.

It wasn't just her. It seemed many of the beasts were thinking about something that they didn't speak out entirely.

"This is Pearl," the lion introduced. "He is the son of my cousin Shi Meiyoung, and he had come here with some information and a request."

"What information? What request?" the Lizard asked.

Pearl stepped forward. "I'm sure every one of you remembers the human alchemist who came here nearly 20 years ago," he said and looked at everyone.

"Of course," the Ox said with a loud laugh. "That was an incredible human. The pills he made were so good that I managed to finally break through after being stuck in my realm for nearly a century."

"His pills were indeed incredible," the Elephant said, slowly nodding its large head.

"Yes, we remember him," the Eagle cut in. "What is the point?"

"I am bonded with him and he has come to the Eastern Continent in a war against the Dragon Emperor, to kill him for all the atrocities he has committed over the thousands of years."

"However, he can't do it alone, and he needs your help," Pearl said. "Thus, I have come here to request your aid. Please help my brother fight in this war and help him defeat the Dragon Emperor."

The room was filled with silence for a moment as not even anyone's breathing could be heard at all. They all simply stared at Pearl, thinking of what to say or what to do.

"Is this the emergency?" the Lizard asked. "This is a joke. We do not meddle ourselves with the doings of the Dragon Emperor. The human world is its own. We have long since closed out border to it and we won't act on it."

"He is correct," the Eagle said. "We can't accept what you say."

"Same," the Elephant said.

"Do you want to get away from your human, child?" the Deer asked. "We will ask him to break his bond with you if you wish. As senior Guyoung's grandson, that much is something we can do for you."

The swan lowered its head. "That we can do, but not the war. We cannot endanger ourselves for someone else's benefit."

The Ox simply shook its head.

"That's not true," Pearl said quickly. "You will not be doing this for someone else. You will do this for yourself and your ruler."

The beasts looked up toward Pearl.

"What do you mean?" the Swan asked.

"My brother, Alex, has come to the Eastern Continent to bring judgment on the Dragon Emperor for all the atrocities he has done," he said as he looked around.

"The Dragon Emperor killed the Azure Dragon, your ruler. Will you not fight to avenge him?"

The Lion slowly nodded. This was what he had been waiting for. The beasts only thought about themselves and did little to help the humans when it came to that.

However, when the matter changed to that of beasts, they would act. Especially when they realized that the Azure Dragon had been killed by the Dragon Emperor, they would be forced to act.

He looked at the surprised faces of all 6 other leaders and simply waited for them to continue.

"How… how do you know that?" the Eagle asked.

"We've known that for a long time. My great grandfather, Bai Jingshen, the ruler of the Western Continent let me know long ago that the Azure Dragon had been dead in the Eastern Continent. Because of that, he hasn't been able to come here to avenge my mother, who too died at the Dragon Emperor's hands."

The many beasts looked up in horror. "Your mother was killed by the Dragon Emperor?" the Deer asked.

"Yes," Pearl said in a solemn voice.

"Why did you not say that?" the Deer asked.

"My mother's death has nothing to do with any of you," Pearl said. "But the Azure Dragon's death should. Please, come with me and help my brother in his war. He does not have enough soldiers to win in this war."

The beasts remained silent for a while, looking at each other.

"What's wrong? Why are you not saying anything?" the Lion stepped forward. "It is the Azure Dragon! He is dead, so why are none of you jumping straight to battle? Or do you wish for proof? Pearl, speak an oath to make them believe. I don't think they will—"

"No need for the oath," the Eagle stopped them immediately. "The young cat will only end up hurting himself because of the lie."

"It's not a lie," Pearl said.

"It is," the Eagle said. "The Dragon Emperor never killed the Azure Dragon."

"He did," Pearl said. "He—"

Pearl paused and looked at them all with a look of shock. "You guys know," he said slowly.

The Lion looked around. "What? What are you talking about?" he asked Pearl.

"The Dragon Emperor," Pearl said slowly. "Technically, the Dragon Emperor didn't kill the Azure Dragon. Technically, the Azure Dragon killed himself by trying to stop the Dragon Emperor."

"While that does make it so that the Dragon Emperor killed the Azure Dragon, that is not the truth when it comes to speaking the oaths," Pearl said slowly and looked at the beasts. "You know this."

The Swan sighed. "We do," she said. "We've known this… for a very long time."

"How long?" the Lion asked. "And why was I not made aware."

The Deer shook its dead. "Because we were afraid you would go out seeking revenge if you knew everything."

"What… everything?" the Lion asked.

The Deer sighed. "The Azure Dragon… is not the only one that the Dragon Emperor killed," she said. "That very night… he also killed your Uncle and aunt."

The Deer turned toward Pearl. "He also killed your grandparents."