456: Chapter 456 The Mystery of My Origins

A biting cold wind swirled with heavy snow, painting the world outside the Stone House in a vast, hazy silver-white. Jiao Yin's gaze pierced through the snowy mist to clearly see the two Males approaching.

They were the very same two Males Jiao Yin had previously rescued from the edge of the Swamp!

"You two again?"

Jiao Yin frowned. "Is something the matter?"

Hearing the commotion, Hua Han also stepped out of the house. On such a snowy day, what good could come of them returning after they had already left?

His beautiful fox eyes narrowed slightly, flickering with a dangerous light, as sharp claws silently extended from his fingertips.

"Stop right there! What are you trying to do?" His voice carried an undisguised wariness.

The two Males were forced to a halt by Hua Han's hostility and Jiao Yin's scrutinizing gaze.

They hurriedly waved their hands, their faces filled with urgency and sincerity. "Please don't misunderstand! We are Males of the Jiaolong Clan. We've come to disturb you again not to harm you, nor to covet your Female, but because... there is one thing we simply cannot let go of no matter what!"

Bai Wanwan had originally been in the inner cave playing with the Cubs, who were full and snoring softly. Hearing the voices, she wrapped her thick beast skin tightly around herself and walked out.

Her clear gaze calmly swept over the two uneasy Males, her voice cool. "Something you can't let go of? Does it involve me?"

It wasn't a question, but a statement of near-certainty.

The two Males exchanged a look, both seeing the same struggle and determination in each other's eyes.

Finally, they nodded heavily toward Bai Wanwan, their movements carrying a near-humble plea.

"Wan Wan!" Hua Han immediately stepped to the side, trying to shield Bai Wanwan more thoroughly. "Their origins are unknown; who knows what they're planning? Go back inside where it's warm; leave it to Jiao Yin and me to question them!"

Judging others by his own standards, he wondered how many Males could resist being moved by a Female as stunningly beautiful and uniquely tempered as Bai Wanwan.

He instinctively felt these two fellows had simply found a high-sounding excuse to get close to her.

However, Bai Wanwan gently pressed down on Hua Han's tensed arm.

Her gaze fell upon the two Males again, keenly catching the way they looked at her.

There was no heat or possessiveness typical of a Male facing a Female he desired; instead, their eyes were filled with complex, hard-to-describe conflict and a hint of awe. This was by no means the look of a suitor.

"No need," Bai Wanwan's voice wasn't loud, but it was firm. "I want to hear what they have to say."

She pulled her beast skin tighter, bundling herself up so that only her face, as fair and white as jade in the firelight, was visible. "You can speak right here."

She chose to give them a chance to state their case while remaining within the immediate protection of Jiao Yin and Hua Han.

Under Jiao Yin's cold, palpable pressure and Hua Han's predatory vigilance, the two Jiaolong Males felt immense stress, with fine beads of sweat even breaking out on their foreheads.

They dared not hesitate any longer. Taking a deep breath, they explained their purpose:

"Noble Female, we... come from the Jiaolong Tribe. It is one of the oldest and most powerful Super Tribes on this vast continent."

The Male's voice carried a heartfelt pride, which then turned into sorrow. "The reason we have appeared before you again is because... because your appearance is almost exactly the same as our Clan Chief's Consort when she was young! We suspect... that you are likely our Clan Chief's Female Cub!"

"Likely?" Jiao Yin keenly caught the suspicious phrasing.

He took a step forward, his invisible aura making the air feel as if it had partially solidified. "When did beastmen start identifying bloodlines based on faces instead of scent?"

Both Males wore expressions of bitterness and confusion. "Exactly! That's where the problem lies. This Female's scent is indeed incorrect! It is completely different from our Clan Chief, the Clan Chief's Consort, and even the inherited scent of the entire Jiaolong Royal Family. But..."

He added hurriedly, his eyes full of disbelief, "The Female Cub currently by the Clan Chief's side has a scent that matches the Clan Chief's lineage perfectly, beyond any doubt. Yet... yet she is unable to gain the recognition of the 'tree of life'!"

At the mention of the "tree of life," the two Males' expressions instantly became incredibly devout and mournful.

"The tree of life is the supreme divine tree of our Jiaolong Clan, the foundation that protects our clan's reproduction, growth, and the inheritance of our power! It only recognizes a Sacred Female who possesses the purest Royal Bloodline!"

The other Male also spoke up: "But now... the only bloodline Female Cub the Clan Chief has, though her scent matches, the tree of life has no reaction to her. The divine tree's power is draining at a terrifying speed; its leaves are withering, and its spiritual light is dimming... If this continues, our entire Jiaolong Clan will face a decline in bloodline, or even the crisis of extinction!"

He looked at Bai Wanwan, his eyes bursting with a final, desperate glint of hope. "So... so when we saw you, looking so similar to the Clan Chief's Consort, we... we came up with this bold guess! We implore you to return to the Tribe with us. You only need to touch the tree of life. If... if you are destined to be with the tree of life and can gain its recognition, then the hope for our clan's survival rests on you!"

Hua Han sneered, his amber eyes full of disbelief. "The scent is different, so how could she be your Clan Chief's Female Cub? Besides, Wan Wan..."

He looked at Bai Wanwan, his tone certain. "She doesn't belong to this continent at all! We know her origins better than you do!"

Although Jiao Yin didn't speak, his tightly knit brows and cold gaze showed he held the same attitude.

However, a storm was brewing in Bai Wanwan's heart.

Who the original owner's parents were held little emotional weight for her as a transmigrator.

But "tree of life," "Royal Bloodline Female Cub who couldn't be recognized," "scent doesn't match but appearance is identical"...

These keywords combined pointed to an extremely melodramatic and conspiracy-filled possibility—a swap of true and false daughters!

It likely involved the truth behind the original owner being poisoned and abandoned!

She had occupied this body, gained a new life, met her Beast Husbands, and even had Cubs.

The starting point of all this originated from the original owner.

She truly owed the original owner a massive favor.

And the crisis concerning the survival of a powerful race before her seemed closely linked to the original owner's fate...

Seeing Bai Wanwan remain silent, her face showing only deep contemplation without a hint of being moved, the two Males grew even more anxious.

"Female! This matter truly concerns the life and death of nearly ten thousand Clan Members of our Jiaolong Clan! Please..."

"If I go back with you," Bai Wanwan suddenly looked up, her gaze sharp as an ice pick, piercing straight through the two Males, "what will I face?"

Her question was calm and direct, instantly shattering their fantasy of only describing hope while avoiding risks.

The two Males choked up suddenly, looks of bewilderment and shock appearing on their faces.