Beastmaster of the Ages

There was no way Sovereign Xi would go so far just to ‘graduate from maidenhood’. She was definitely after something else.

“Since you’re already showing your hand, you might as well just get straight to the point,” Tianming said. While many of his plans had been seen through, he still had a last-ditch plan, so there was no need for him to panic. Staying calm was vital in such a delicate situation.

“Let Us tell you a story.” She stretched out her arms around his neck and hugged him close like a clingy girl.

“Do you have to be so touchy to tell a story?” Tianming furrowed his brow.

“Of course. You’re Our darling to play with as We please.”

“Then go ahead….” He had a feeling that he was being slowly constricted by a venomous cobra, having been tempted by its beautiful colors.

“This is a tale about Our ancestor, the Eightmoon Swordsage. During his era, the divine moonrace was still on Orderia. It wasn’t something to brag about, Our people were smaller in number compared to now. We lived in a world of many superior races and had no dignity. We were naught but vagabonds—”

“So he was an octabane, and his meteoric rise brought your race to prominence? It’s a little cliche if you ask me,” Tianming said.

“That’s right. But the details were much more complicated.”

“How so?”

“Well… he started off as a heptabane. His eighth bane-ring was awakened later.” There was a burning light in her eyes, almost as if that was her dream.

“Awakened?” Tianming didn’t understand. His, Qingyu’s, and Li Wudi’s bane-rings had appeared in stages. For instance, Qingyu started out with only three, then five, and now she had nine.

“That’s right. Do you know the difference between a heptabane and an octabane?”

“Of course. The current ruler of the Divine Moon Realm is a heptabane and the ruler of Orderia is an octabane, hence the difference in power of the realms, right?”

“That’s not really the reason. Our heptabane is the worst kind. We don’t have the right to cultivate in a world with a nova source. In Orderia, even a hexabane can easily supersede Us. That’s the difference a nova source and the legacy of a superior race makes. Though We call Ourselves ruler of this realm, We’re but a nameless official in far off Orderia,” she said with an angry look. That was the only time she had lost control in front of Tianming.

“So you’re telling me that you have a way to make yourself an octabane. After that, you’ll lead the divine moonrace to Orderia to change your fates and prove yourself? That sounds like something all members of the bane race want to do.”

“So you can understand where We’re coming from?” she said, surprised. But she shook her head. “We shouldn’t be surprised, given how smart you are.”

“How did the Eightmoon Swordsage succeed?”

“First, one needs an invisible bane-ring on top of the seven. In the history of the divine moonrace, only he and We have something like that.”

“What then?”

“He wrote down his experience for his descendants to refer to.”

“And…?”

“And We have done what was written.”

“I’m asking about the details.”

“Luck lies at the core of the awakening of the eighth bane-ring. Do you know what luck is?” She tilted her head as she looked at his face like she would an art piece.

“I do.” Luck was an abstract concept that was hard to define. Those with great luck would always have things turn out well for them, and vice versa. The luckiest ones became rulers; luck was a mystical force that could be grouped together with Omnisentient Will and good karma.

“There may be geniuses among the larger populace, but even among geniuses are those who have reincarnated into the right circumstances. Those people are said to have good luck. The more luck they have, the harder it is for them to die and the brighter their future is.”

“So are you saying I’m one of those lucky few?”

“Of course. You’re so lucky it’s ridiculous. The ancestor instructed Us to look out for the lucky ones. You’re the luckiest one We’ve seen so far, even luckier than Ye Lingfeng and Li Qingyu.”

“Were the three thousand corpses in the blood lake all lucky as well?”

“Of course, but all of them combined can’t compare to you.” It was no wonder she stared at him so voraciously.

“So what in the world did the Eightmoon Swordsage do to awaken the eighth bane-ring?”

“He used an ancient sacrificial formation. First, he nailed ten thousand genius girls onto sacrificial poles to concentrate their luck in the formation. Then, he bathed in it every day until the night when Orderia’s nova source pulsed. On that night, he liberated the pure yang body he had kept celibate for over six centuries with a celestial orderian girl with legendary luck! That’s how he did it!” She practically shouted the method out loud. Her fervent passion was overflowing; however, Tianming felt his bones shudder.

“Li Tianming, you think it’s cruel that We’re using the lives of geniuses to awaken an eighth bane-ring, right?” she said with a smirk.

“Those who kill to enrich themselves invite death to themselves as well.”

Sovereign Xi loosened her hands and chuckled eerily. “Cultivation itself is an act of plundering the blessings of heaven and earth. In the fight for the light of the sun and moon, everyone else is competition where the saintly always wither and die. Every being should be prepared to be weeded out in fierce competition from the moment of their births. Life is but a fleeting daydream, while death is insignificant in the totality of existence.”

“That sounds good and all, but you wouldn’t be too happy if you were on the receiving end of being nailed on a pole.”

“They’ll thank Us.”

“How so? Thank you for taking their lives?”

“Thank Us for leading the divine moonrace, their fellow kin, back to Orderia, so that our descendants may live on with dignity. The Divine Moon Realm is a measly outpost. All there is here is a pitiful stellunar source, a dying ember that our race relies on for sustenance. We have nowhere else to go in this endless universe. It’s really lonely, do you know that? On the day I become an octabane, I’ll be able to rise to the level of the leaders of the other races. We’ll never have to remain exiled ever again.”

From what she said, a single bane-ring made all the difference. Even the leader of the celestial orderians was only at the eighth level.

“You wouldn’t understand how important it is for a race to have a powerful leader. You’re too young,” she mocked.

“I do.” Tianming knew too well. He, Bodhi, and Sovereign Xi were the same in that regard, but they all chose different paths.

“You don’t. For instance, when the Eightmoon Swordsage was alive, he ranked in the top ten in Orderia. The divine moonrace had room to grow and expand.”

“What happened when he died?”

“We lost our central support and got retribution.”

“Who sought revenge against you? The ten thousand genius girls? Or the peak genius celestial orderian? I’m guessing it’s the latter. The others didn’t dare to touch the divine moonrace while the Eightmoon Swordsage was still alive, but once he died, karma caught up to you all, right? That’s why you were exiled to the lower levels of the cosmic aether, right?”

“That’s a good guess.”

“So do you understand now? Even if you end up growing more powerful, so what? Once you die, the divine moonrace will fall again all the same.”

“It’s different this time. I’m using you, so I won’t be offending anyone. I only need to return and develop our foundations there. When I finally pass away, I’ll have rendered endless contributions.” In other words, she was trying to retread the Eightmoon Swordsage’s steps but without being so daring as to make use of the celestial orderians to get there.

“Luck is a capricious mistress. Just because the Eightmoon Swordsage took a mad risk and succeeded, it doesn’t mean you will too.”

“It’s fine. Attempting it can’t hurt Us.”

“Your little attempt has already cost the lives and dreams of three thousand people. They can’t even enjoy eternal rest, with their bodies still being prominently displayed by you.” He had seen through it all. She wasn’t just a venomous snake, she was a venomous snake gone mad.

“As long as achieving Our dream is possible, any sacrifice is worth it, right? You said it yourself. Everyone in the bane race will do what they have to do to break the curse and change their fate.”

Tianming fell silent, knowing that nothing he said would convince her to change course. She had dreamed about this for five centuries and wouldn’t give it up over a few words from him.

“Now, everything is in place. All we’re waiting for is the nova source pulse.” A nova source pulse was a natural phenomenon, but when exactly it would happen was hard to predict. Stellunar source would surge in a huge torrent of energy during the pulse.

“How long until it starts?” he asked.

“Soon.”

“How many days specifically.”

“Not telling you,” she said mischievously.

Tianming bit his lip and looked into her eyes. “So what’s the point of you telling me all this?”

“We need your cooperation when the time comes! Women aren’t like men, you know. The Eightmoon Swordsage might have been able to force his way, but We can’t. What if your member doesn’t react during the crucial time?” she said with an embarrassed look.

Now that Tianming had been marked by her Bluemoon Heart, his chances of running are slim. As for where her invisible bane-ring was located, it wasn’t hard to guess.