The entire Tiger clan fell silent.
Just then, the patriarch of the Blazing Sacred Tiger clan, who had been kicked away by Ye Lingyuan, flew back furiously and swiped a claw at Ye Lingyuan.
Before Ye Lingyuan could make a move, the patriarch of the Blazing Sacred Tiger clan was sent flying again, crashing heavily onto the ground.
This time, it was Xiao Hu's bloodline pressure that repelled him.
"Hmph! Patriarch Chi Yan, are you openly defying me?"
The patriarch of the Blazing Sacred Tiger clan, having picked himself up, roared, "He kicked me, I clawed him back, what's wrong with that?"
Xiao Hu's tiger eyes suddenly turned cold. "Didn't you hear what I just said? You insulted my master and went against the Chosen One. Kicking you is still light!"
"Hmph!"
The patriarch of the Blazing Sacred Tiger clan sneered, "She is the Chosen One? Who can prove it?"
"I!"
"I!"
Ye Lingyuan and Xiao Hu said coldly at the same time.
"You?"
The patriarch of the Blazing Sacred Tiger clan snorted, "You don't count! You are all close to her, so of course you would speak up for her."
The temperature around Ye Lingyuan rapidly dropped, and the surroundings became chillingly cold.
Xiao Hu knew that Ye Lingyuan was angry. The wrath of the Underworld King was no trivial matter.
He looked pleadingly at Zi Linling. Xiao Hu knew that only Zi Linling could appease Ye Lingyuan.
Bound by a contract with Xiao Hu, Zi Linling naturally understood his intentions.
In the current situation, if Ye Lingyuan were to erupt, the credibility Xiao Hu had painstakingly established would be ruined.
Zi Linling grabbed Ye Lingyuan's large hand and shook her head at him.
Ye Lingyuan nodded and said to Xiao Hu, "Deal with it quickly!"
Xiao Hu nodded, his icy gaze fixed on the patriarch of the Blazing Sacred Tiger clan. "What do you want?"
The patriarch of the Blazing Sacred Tiger clan, completely unaware that he had just skirted the edge of death, said smugly, "Although you have won this year's Tiger King title, you have sworn allegiance to a human, disgracing our Tiger clan."
"Therefore, you must either hand over the Tiger God Token and voluntarily relinquish the Tiger King title, or break your contract with this human and prove that you have inherited the Tiger God's legacy. Only then will I agree to hand over the Tiger God's spirit essence to you!"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Hu sneered, "What if I choose neither?"
The patriarch of the Blazing Sacred Tiger clan also sneered, "That is not up to you! The position of Tiger King concerns the fate of the Tiger clan. I will never agree to someone who has a contract with a human being our Tiger King. I believe the patriarchs of the other twelve lineages will not agree either."
Xiao Hu's cold tiger eyes swept over the patriarchs of the other twelve lineages. "Is that so?"
The patriarchs of the twelve lineages of the Tiger clan lowered their heads, not uttering a single word.
Indeed, they had initially acknowledged Xiao Hu's position as Tiger King, but that was before they knew he had sworn allegiance to Zi Linling.
Now that Xiao Hu called Zi Linling master, he was indeed no longer fit for the position of Tiger King.
Seeing their expressions, Xiao Hu understood.
He let out a roar to the sky and said, "Since that is the case, I will give you two choices: either hand over the Tiger God's spirit essence, and both my master and I will not hold grudges, or from this moment on, the Tiger clan will have nothing to do with me. When the world-ending tribulation arrives, even if I defy the Tiger God's decree, I will not protect anyone in the Tiger clan."
In reality, Zi Linling had several ways to prove she was the Chosen One, but Xiao Hu was unwilling to use those methods to inherit the Tiger King's title, as it would be an insult to Zi Linling.
Zi Linling's heart was filled with warmth upon hearing this.
She said with a half-smile, "Think carefully, your Tiger clan. Whether I am the Chosen One is not important. What is important is, are you sure you want to force the Tiger God's bloodline inheritance out of the Tiger clan?"
"This..."
Except for the patriarch of the Blazing Sacred Tiger clan, the patriarchs of the other twelve lineages fell into contemplation.
If Zi Linling were not the Chosen One, then Xiao Hu, as the inheritor of the Tiger God's bloodline, would not be a significant loss even if forced out of the Tiger clan.
After all, in the vast expanse of time, another inheritor of the Tiger God's bloodline would eventually appear.
However, if Zi Linling truly were the Chosen One, then the Tiger clan would face great calamity.
"Lord Tiger King, esteemed Chosen One, can we discuss this?"
The patriarch of the Dark Night Demon Tiger clan, bracing himself, stepped forward and said.
Zi Linling and Xiao Hu exchanged a smile and nodded.
"Thank you!"
After thanking them, the patriarch of the Dark Night Demon Tiger clan signaled for the patriarchs of the thirteen lineages of the Tiger clan to gather in the Tiger God Hall.
Half an hour later, the patriarch of the Dark Night Demon Tiger clan reappeared before Zi Linling and Xiao Hu.
He respectfully presented a sealed bottle and said, "Lord Tiger King, esteemed Chosen One, this is the Tiger God's spirit essence!"
Xiao Hu did not take the bottle. Instead, he asked strangely, "So, you believe my master is the Chosen One?"
The patriarch of the Dark Night Demon Tiger clan nodded and said, "Yes!"
In truth, he was not being entirely honest.
Among the thirteen lineages of the Tiger clan, five did not believe Zi Linling was the Chosen One. However, the remaining eight lineages decided it was better to believe than not, and thus, they adopted a majority rule and offered the Tiger God's spirit essence.
Xiao Hu continued to ask, "So, you don't mind that I, the Tiger King, have taken a master?"
The patriarch of the Dark Night Demon Tiger clan nodded again, "Yes!"
What did it matter if he had taken a master? As long as Xiao Hu still had the Tiger clan in his heart, he would provide them with some shelter.
"Alright then!"
Xiao Hu took the Tiger God's spirit essence and said, "Although I cannot guarantee that the members of the Tiger clan will emerge unscathed from the world-ending tribulation, if there is an opportunity, I will certainly leave a seed of hope for the thirteen lineages of the Tiger clan!"
The patriarch of the Dark Night Demon Tiger clan nodded with pleasure. This was the promise he wanted.
"In that case, Lord Tiger King, please proceed to the Tiger God Tomb. The chances of merging with the Tiger God's spirit essence will be greater there."
Xiao Hu looked at Zi Linling and Ye Lingyuan, asking for their consent.
Zi Linling and Ye Lingyuan nodded and said, "Let's go, we'll escort you in!"
Xiao Hu nodded and said to the patriarch of the Dark Night Demon Tiger clan, "Please lead the way!"
Under the guidance of the patriarch of the Dark Night Demon Tiger clan, the three quickly arrived at the Tiger God Tomb.
The patriarchs of the other twelve lineages of the Tiger clan were already waiting there.
Zi Linling, Ye Lingyuan, and Xiao Hu were slightly taken aback, not understanding what the thirteen lineages of the Tiger clan were doing.
The patriarch of the Dark Night Demon Tiger clan quickly explained, "Please don't misunderstand, we have no ill intentions. It's just that to open the Tiger God Tomb, the blood essence of the patriarchs of all thirteen lineages of the Tiger clan must be gathered."
Saying this, he beckoned the patriarchs of the thirteen lineages of the Tiger clan to offer their blood essence.