The Golden Tortoise Emperor's suspicions

The Old Man's ancient eyes, shined with a golden brightness as it scrutinized Feng Qian's form.

The suspicious gaze bore into the Qilin's being, prompting a question that hung in the air with an air of profound scrutiny.

"Hmm, good... now son, answer my question truthfully," The Old Man paused for a moment, then continued. "tell me who you really are?" The Old Man glanced coldly at Feng Qian.

Maintaining a facade of composure, Feng Qian's eyes widened subtly at the unexpected question. 

He feigned innocence, responding with a measured tone, "Pardon?"

The Old Man, undeterred, continued his investigation. "It's already quite odd for a young Spirit Beast who has just been born for a few years to have a name and immediately possess the Cultivation-Age of a thousand-year Spirit Beast," he remarked, his words carrying a tone of discerning curiosity.

Feng Qian, feeling the pressure of the Old Man's keen gaze, broke a cold sweat. "Did he already found out I'm a reincarnated human?" Feng Qian thought inwardly.

Concealing his internal turmoil, he replied with a plausible excuse, "Why is it odd? It might just have happened because I awakened my intelligence early."

His words were carefully chosen to divert suspicion, but the Old Man remained perceptive. He sniffed out a lingering anomaly and countered, "You might fool my descendant, but you can't fool my eyes. In a million years of my life, Qilin might have the trait to awaken their intelligence the fastest in the past. However, one thing is for sure— they couldn't absorb a Dragon Core like you. No spirit beast could absorb a Dragon Core unless they have the same exact bloodline of the source Dragon Core, or..."

The Old Tortoise paused, a realization dawning upon it. The ancient spirit's gaze turned towards Feng Qian with a mixture of disbelief and revelation.

"Or," it continued with a deliberate emphasis, "one is the reincarnation of the Dragon God itself."

As the weight of the revelation settled, the Old Tortoise's gaze bore into Feng Qian, awaiting a response that would confirm or deny the suspicions that now lingered in the air.

The atmosphere hung heavy with the unspoken truth that had surfaced, and Feng Qian grappled with how to navigate this unexpected revelation about his identity.