Beastmaster of the Ages

Tianming was clad in a black dragon robe with his white hair combed straight. His eyes radiated a look of dignity and his black arm gave people the chills. He’d only spoken a few short words, yet his presence had caused others to forget his age and focus on his aura. Long Wanying had taken care to ensure that his getup not only looked good, but also imposing, subtly suggesting that he was born to rule. It contrasted against the senior-looking Saintdragon Emperor, arrogant Northdipper Swordsage, and savage Ninesun Martial Lord, who were all hard to approach.

The Myriad Solar Sects needed someone that could stand up against the sun emperor in terms of aura. Even if Tianming was a little short of that, he was still young. He had beckoned for them all to sit, and the Saintdragon Emperor knew that that alone meant they were halfway successful thanks to his stunning reputation. Tianming didn’t like empty pleasantries.

After they all sat and looked at him, he simply said, ”We’ve gathered here today for only one goal: to defeat the celestial orderian invaders and take back our homes. They tried to invade and enslave us and our descendants. We’ll tear that plan apart and pay the blood debt back in full! Over the past few years, we’ve been enduring their humiliation and trampling. All of us here surely know how unforgettable that kind of humiliation is. We’ve been left with only one path: to unite together and share our strength. We’ll push aside distractions and form a unified group as organized as the celestial orderians. We need a systemized and effective army of our own.”

People looked at each other and chattered after hearing those words, still feeling a little confused. The celestial orderians had always been the ones with the more unified forces, whereas the Myriad Solar Sects were used to having their own autonomy without being tied down to a greater whole. Having them work together under a unified banner would be a hard ask, but they all knew that was the only way. Otherwise they would only keep on fighting among themselves while the enemy took them apart piece by piece. Yet even knowing that, they were at a complete loss as to how they could work together.

Tianming knew their worries and said, ”I’ll take charge of the specifics about organizing the cooperative effort. The Xuanyuan Dragon Sect is capable of forming a united army out of all your troops. I only need your agreement to proceed.”

Even so, not many agreed outright, with many still having their reservations. The main flaw of the alliance was that all of the leaders sought to maximize their own benefits. There were still some sects that hadn’t been attacked by the celestial orderians so far.

Unsurprisingly, the Northdipper Swordsage stood out at that moment. Tianming inwardly laughed at the sight, knowing that he needed someone to represent the dissenters to speak against him. As long as he could win the argument with said representative, that would bring the rest to his side to support him.

Calmly, the Northdipper Swordsage said, ”Tianming, we don’t doubt your performance at the Myriaddragon Mountains and Azurecloud Continent. However, it’s a fact that you’re still young and lack experience. It’s true that all of us came here to form an alliance. There would be no point of risking travel during such chaotic times otherwise. But before that, why don’t you show us your totems? Many of us here have only heard about it, after all, rather than seen it for ourselves.”

Many others echoed his sentiment. Most of them had come for Tianming alone, but it would be quite hard to ask them to place their hopes in him before actually seeing proof that he could do what he claimed.

”I have to thank you for this chance to prove myself, Northdipper Swordsage,” Tianming said.

”You’re welcome. Make sure you don’t let down our trust in you,” the Northdipper Swordsage said with a shrug. Back then, he had failed to recruit Tianming, and there was beef between them as well. However, Tianming didn’t think he was hated. But given the Northdipper Swordsage’s personality, he wouldn’t stop trying to become the top dog of the alliance, as evidenced by his previous attempts to form one himself.

Tianming left his seat for the center of the grand hall and casually opened his arms wide. His bane-rings brightly glowed as all of the decapath era godswords manifested, each of them unique with different aspects. The might they radiated far surpassed the expectations of the onlookers. Most beastmasters had only seen totemancers with identical totems, while Tianming had ten different ones, which caused quite a few of them to gasp in shock despite having heard about them beforehand. Their eyes lit up at the sight of the ten swords. Tianming himself was wielding the Godsin. He had also manifested his cyclic sacrosun, as well as his many sword ki strands. This ultimate sword god was far more powerful than many leaders present. Almost immediately, most of the leaders felt a sense of worship forming in them.

”He’s only in his twenties, yet he already has so much power. What is he if not a genius?”

”He was a decabane from the very start, but he was still weak back then and worried that the sun emperor would target him so he kept it hidden. He only showed his full power after returning.”

”A decabane... I wonder if such an existence has ever appeared in the history of the universe....”

”So that’s a grade-nine divine artifact?” The Northdipper Swordsage’s gaze fell on Tianming’s sword. He had heard about the totems, but the sword was something that shook him.

”That’s right. This is the Godsin, forged from formless glacier and infused with the grade-nine divine hazard Galactic Godsin,” Tianming said.

The seven stars on the Northdipper Swordsage’s mask glowed as he stood up. ”Why don’t you demonstrate the power of your totems to me?”

People stiffened and quieted down. It sounded like a provocation, not necessarily to Tianming himself, but to the Xuanyuan Dragon Sect as a whole.

Yan Lingxian immediately stood out. ”Northdipper, it was already quite rude of you to ask him to show his totems. Even if his skills are to be tested, you aren’t the right person to do it. Given your cultivation level, if you gave it your full power, you’ll create the impression that his totems aren’t powerful enough. Why don’t you have an eighth-level solarian do so instead?” It was clear that she stood on Tianming’s side.

But before the swordsage could reply, Tianming said, ”Thank you, Senior Yan, but an eighth-level solarian wouldn’t be able to draw out my true power. Since the swordsage has asked to personally test me, I won’t disappoint him.” His no-nonsense demeanor immediately earned him quite a number of fans. It wasn’t just a mark of his bravery, but also a signal to the others present that he would stop at nothing no matter the odds.

”Don’t be nervous. Just attack me as you please. I’m only testing you, and won’t harm you.” The Northdipper Swordsage casually beckoned as he left his seat and came to Tianming. ”Come, child.”

It was like he was trying to put Tianming in his place. While he could be convinced if the Saintdragon Emperor was taking the lead, he felt uncomfortable about letting Tianming lead him. Tianming had future potential, and the Saintdragon Emperor had a lot of experience, but the Northdipper Swordsage thought himself above the both of them.

Even so, Tianming hadn’t come here just to be called a child. His goal was to become the leader of the alliance with absolute authority over the battlefield! ”If you please!” He smiled coldly. If he were to convince this group of top elites, he had to make it swift and settle the question once and for all. He was a third-level solarian, but he wouldn’t have problems fighting a ninth-level solarian. Since he was going to stun them, there was no need to hold back on using the Omnisentient Threads.

He started absorbing their power, causing his aura to change. He even demanifested his totems and let them absorb enough power. By the time they manifested again, they were ten times their original size, stunning those present with their might. His power explosively surged, coupled with the Godsin and his many strands of sword ki. Together with his totems, he executed the Sevendragon Tribulation with full force, sending his most powerful strike toward the Northdipper Swordsage, who stood facing Tianming with his arms behind his back without using his lifebound beasts. The chaos came at him in an instant.

”Fucking hell!” the swordsage cursed. People couldn’t see his expression through the mask, yet they could see him draw his sword and gather his astralforce to block the strike. When Tianming’s move enveloped him, his own sword strike was shattered and he was sent haggardly flying away, smashing into the ground. He raised his hand and coughed to signal Tianming to stop as he lay there, petrified like everyone else who was watching.