Beastmaster of the Ages

Even after killing Xue Tu and saving himself from having to defeat a hundred others, Tianming still felt a little bad. He was feeling melancholy for the people of the Seventh Sun, a world he had no idea about. The cruelty of the natural struggle for survival in the universe made it so that even death wasn’t the worst fate that could befall people. The existence of a process that allowed one lifeform to absorb and assimilate the body and soul of others into the bodies of their hated nemeses was one such horrifying example. The two shoulder-heads’ worship for their master was really sad to behold, and it greatly unnerved Tianming.

”They’re humans, too, and I feel their pain like my own. Perhaps that’s a sign that there’s hope for humanity.” Thankfully, he wasn’t a cold, unfeeling person. In fact, he was just the opposite. He was still reeling from how the sun emperor and Li Wudi had affected him. ”If there are creatures that can assimilate others through their blood, could the sun emperor be keeping my godfather imprisoned to eventually do such a thing? He’s just a normal person from the chaos skyjail who happens to be an octabane. If it weren’t for special circumstances, he wouldn’t have had to fight the sun emperor for us to escape!”

The bloodfiends reminded him about the potential vile methods the sun emperor could use. ”We’re experiments! Totems and lifebound beasts....”

While he didn’t know how, he felt almost certain that Li Wudi could eventually suffer such a fate, or worse, yet what could he do about it? Perhaps the only thing he could do now was master the Ninedragon Tribulation the best he could to get stronger and find a way to rise in the Astraldome. Though the fact that it would take a lot of time weighed on him heavily.

”If you ask me, there’s no point in caring so much about it. I haven’t lived long in this life, but even I understand that there’s some things that simply can’t be changed. Given your current abilities, if you’re lucky, you’ll be able to stop these things before they happen, but if you aren’t lucky, the best you can do is avenge them. I don’t doubt that your godfather hopes you’ll never return. Most importantly, you shouldn’t bring his precious daughter back. He sacrificed much to get her off that cursed star,” Ying Huo said, its understanding of Tianming the best, as it was the one who had been on the journey with him the longest.

”Boss, whenever I feel bad, I just take a nap. When I wake up, I feel amazing again,” Meow Meow weakly suggested.

”How about running around and sweating it out?” Lan Huang said.

”I think eating a hefty meal is the best!” Xian Xian said, its spiritform hugging Tianming’s neck and planting a kiss on his cheeks.

”No way… bathing best!” Yin Chen said.

All of them had come out, much to Tianming’s surprise. They innocently looked at him, earnestly trying to suggest ways for him to keep those worries at bay. Though their methods wouldn’t work for him, he was cheered up all the same for the simple fact that he had these innocent and naive beasts to cherish as lifelong companions.

”All of you have allowed my life to change and brought me from being a common mortal to the realm of the gods. We’ve already done so much, so what’s there to worry about? There’s nothing I can’t do with enough time and dedication, as long as you’re with me.” Though he said that, the fog in his eyes still remained. There was no way he could be completely nonchalant about the suffering of other humans; however, he could at least keep his faith glowing bright with them around.

”As long as you get it. This Chicken Bro will protect you. You’re my minion, after all!” Ying Huo said, patting him on the shoulder with its wing.

”Yeah, right.” What a shameless little chick.

”Little Li, don’t feel down. I’ll make sure to leave the bones for you the next time you feed me meat,” Xian Xian said, stroking Tianming’s head with its little hand and a maternal smile.

Somehow, all of that made him feel like a pet being cheered up. ”Enough, I’m fine now.” The look on his face had changed. He was even more faithful and dedicated now. ”In the Grand-Orient Realm, the Li Saint Clan, a really insignificant faction from the bigger picture of the astralscape, still embraced defying fate as its core teaching and managed to forge a prosperous sect in their territory. My godfather came back from a death-like state of fourteen years to rise more powerfully than before as a talented octabane. The spirit of the people is the true treasure. Even though the sun emperor is now the fate that controls us, neither my godfather nor I will accept it!”

Tianming trusted Li Wudi as much as he did himself. ”If he was able to turn things around once and allow us to escape, he can continue fighting! He won’t lose, and neither will we!” With that in mind, the will to defy fate was engraved in his spirit and bane-rings.

When he looked up, he saw that his name and designation were now blood red, almost as if every stroke of the words was dripping with blood. It wouldn’t take long before people came chasing after him. ”I can only go to the second level of the Tranquil Battlefield by lasting an entire day and getting rewarded by the wonderians. Let’s do it!”

Unlike Xue Tu, who frantically ran to elude his pursuers, Tianming stood his ground with passion in his eyes. ”Come however many, I’ll kill them all! Let’s see what surprises the astralscape has to offer!” he declared.

At that cue, Ying Huo turned into a gigantic flaming phoenix and flew around in the sky. Meow Meow’s body sparked with lightning before darkness enveloped it as it morphed into the terrifying Regal Chaosfiend. Lan Huang’s colorful body now shone even brighter than the red light in Tianming’s eyes, its roar piercing through the thick fog and reaching the countless geniuses that were closing in on them.