Lin Mu held his breath as the Saintess began to speak.
"The Hundun Imperial Order… the Taowu Imperial Order… the Qiongqi Imperial Order… and the Taotie Imperial Order," she said, her voice like ancient scripture. "Four pillars of chaos. Four branches of an eternal rot that grew in the shadows of creation."
She paused before continuing, "These four were each founded upon the essence and legacy of one of the Four Perils—Primordial evil beasts born at the dawn of time, whose very existence was anathema to balance."
"The Four Perils…" Lin Mu whispered. "I've heard of them only in scraps. They are the antithesis to the Four Guardian Beasts, aren't they?"
The Saintess nodded solemnly. "Yes. Where the Four Guardians brought order and protection—Azure Dragon of the East, White Tiger of the West, Vermilion Bird of the South, and Black Tortoise of the North—the Four Perils brought chaos, destruction, hunger, and madness."
Her voice became heavier.
