"You are not allowed any help," the patriarch said. "You will take this trial with other White Tigers, but you will go through it alone, all by yourself."
Pearl nodded slowly. "What if I were to gain help from someone not a White Tiger?" he asked. "Is that then allowed?"
"A human?" the patriarch roared. "Why would a human ever help a White Tiger in a trial?"
"Because he's my brother," Pearl said. "He will help me."
"Brother?" The patriarch looked down with a confused expression.
Bai Jingshen sighed. "Patriarch, this might be as good a time as any to tell you something that we've been keeping from you," he said. "You'll find out about it soon enough anyway, so it's better if you learn it from us."
The patriarch was even more confused now. "What is this, Jingshen? What are you talking about?"
Bai Jingshen had wanted to find the right time to reveal this fact, but he realized there would perhaps never be a more opportune moment. So, he came outright and said it.
