Before leaving, Qinghua had Xiaotian weave an illusion for Bai Yu: Because of your usual pretense as the Beast God's emissary, the Beast God has reclaimed the mysterious staff from you.
When Bai Yu awoke, he instinctively reached for the item at his waist—but found nothing. Recalling the dream he had just experienced, his expression instantly darkened like ice.
Suppressing his anger for the moment, he summoned the beastman who had been on guard that day.
"Ah Da, tonight… did you see any suspicious beastmen?"
His sharp eyes stared directly at his subordinate, leaving nothing suspicious unexamined.
"Emissary, rest assured. I've been guarding outside; no beastman has entered. I can vouch for this in the name of the Beast God."
Ah Da didn't know what had happened, but he understood that he must truthfully recount everything from memory. After all, he had witnessed Bai Yu's methods firsthand.
Bai Yu scrutinized him the entire time but found no flaws. Helpless, he gestured for Ah Da to step down.
Standing still for a long moment, Bai Yu muttered softly: "Beast God… you are truly ruthless. You've tricked me so cruelly…"
By this time, Qinghua had long left Beast God City, piloting her craft away from it.
On an empty hillside, she gazed at the two staffs in her hands—different in shape, but made of the same material.
As expected, like attracts like. In a burst of light, the two staffs fused together into a brand-new staff.
Its body was pale blue, gradually etched with intricate runes. The animal shapes were strange, with missing heads—clearly incomplete.
Something was off. This Beast God seemed problematic. Qinghua carefully reviewed the recent events and realized she had been manipulated by this mysterious being.
Searching for the Beast God was like peeling layers of a doll—never-ending.
But Qinghua wasn't a puppet without contingency. The prey wasn't necessarily done yet; it still retained the form of prey.
Now was the perfect time for another divination—to see what the Beast God would do next.
[To truly see the Beast God, one must carry the fused staff as a token and be guided by a sea turtle beastman. Time limit: one month.]
This information was explicit and clear. Qinghua immediately sensed the urgency behind it.
The next day, Qinghua disguised herself with dark makeup, transforming into an elderly female beastman weathered by life. She appeared in Beast God City.
The little ones, seeing their "sister's" new face, were amazed: This is incredible—like a head-switching technique! I want to learn this from her!
Qinghua had been worrying about how to locate the sea turtle beastman and the bird clan staff—but fate intervened unexpectedly.
"Hey, did you hear? The annual warrior competition is starting!"
"That's great! I hear many beastmen from other clans are participating this year!"
Listening to the conversation, Qinghua began to piece things together. This warrior competition might help her find what she was looking for.
Following the two excited beastmen, she discovered the venue: the very stone plaza from yesterday.
The scene was grander today. The plaza was packed with beastmen from all clans, cheering and shouting with fervor.
Qinghua's vision was blocked, and she couldn't see clearly with her eyes. She had to use her spiritual power to probe.
In the innermost circle, ten stone stools wrapped in animal hides were placed atop the highest level—reserved for participating clan leaders, each flanked by over ten subordinates.
The event host was an old acquaintance—Bai Yu.
"Beastmen, please be quiet. Today marks the opening of Beast God City's annual warrior competition. We have invited ten clans: fox, snake… and, for the first time, the bird clan."
Hearing the last words—bird clan—Qinghua's pupils constricted. The bird clan possessed what she needed, though the timing seemed too coincidental.
The competition was brutal and bloody. All participating beastmen assumed their beast forms. Victory came by pushing opponents out of a designated area.
After multiple rounds, the final winner would receive the Beast God's blessing and the title of Beast God's Warrior.
Qinghua wasn't interested in the competition itself; she focused on Bai Yu's mention of the "Beast God's blessing."
While deep in thought, her advanced staff in the spatial pocket glowed again. How familiar this scene was!
Qinghua remained calm. She performed another divination, consuming the staff's energy. This time, the result came slightly faster than before.
[Future uncertain. Proceed with caution.]
At the high platform, a bird clan beastman's face briefly lit with joy, then turned to disappointment.
Qinghua noticed this subtle change, confirming that the bird clan beastman possessed the staff she sought.
Though the divination result was ambiguous, Qinghua didn't mind. Success depended on action.
Around them, male beastmen cheered loudly for their clans:
"Tree! Give it all you've got!"
"Run! The bull clan's warrior is the best!"
"Our wolf clan warrior is unbeatable! The Beast God will favor us!"
The cacophony gave Qinghua a surreal feeling, as if she were in a modern sports arena—though the beasts' sweat and animal hides reminded her of the wild reality.
That night, following the location she had scouted during the day, Qinghua approached the bird clan beastman's stone house. Surprisingly, another beastman was inside.
"Tianlan, you must find the other staff! Only then can we resolve your clan's reproductive issues!"
"Hmph! You sea turtle clan only hide behind us. We can't handle this alone! I sensed it today—but there was too little time…"
Qinghua overheard the two beastmen bickering, exchanging sharp retorts.