Beastmaster of the Ages

Tianming’s full power attack had struck the Northdipper Swordsage, who was neither mentally nor physically prepared. He had hastily blocked, but he was unable to cancel out the might of ten totems and a grade-nine divine artifact. The most powerful part of the attack was the boost from thirty million believers, though it couldn’t be seen.

Hence, the sect masters present only saw the truth: the Northdipper Swordsage had been beaten back by a youth in his twenties, even if he was caught off-guard!

The Northdipper Swordsage was a twelfth-level solarian, someone with the potential to become a sovereign. These years, his momentum had brought him close to being above the aging Saintdragon Emperor. It wouldn’t be wrong to call him the number one elite of the Myriad Solar Sects.

Tianming, on the other hand, was a kid still fighting in the Voidsky Skirmish a few years back..... There wasn’t just a few years difference in experience, but entire centuries!

That was why Tianming was so shocking. Once this miracle got out, it would be inflated to Tianming defeating the Northdipper Swordsage and claiming the spot of the number one elite of the Myriad Solar Sects.

Tianming knew inside that if the Northdipper Swordsage was just slightly serious, he could still easily defeat him as he was now. However, the various experts of the Myriad Solar Sects had already recognized him. Before, they had all believed that his miracle was mostly exaggerated, or even intentionally created by the seniors of the Xuanyuan Dragon Sect.

But now they had seen it with their own eyes. They all knew how competitive the Northdipper Swordsage was. If he became the leader of the Myriad Solar Sects and led them out of this disaster, it may very well be his chance to become a sovereign. Hence, there was no way he would cooperate with Tianming and create a show.

Everything had gone according to Tianming’s plan. Shocking the Northdipper Swordsage led to shocking the myriad sects! He struck while the iron was hot. Recalling the decapath era godswords, he summoned his lifebound beasts. The three sovereign beasts were especially eye-catching.

A phoenix ascended to the skies, infernal flames crackling around it as a black and white Regal Chaosfiend raced around above the heads of the sect masters. As for Lan Huang, which was like the king of all dragons, it let out a deafening roar under Tianming’s direction.

When the countless dragons on the Myriaddragon Mountains sensed the imperial aura of a sovereign dragon beast, they all roared in response, causing the entire mountain to shake underfoot. The showmanship naturally heavily impacted the sect masters’ hearts.

Tianming had a dragon lifebound beast, which made him perfectly suited to take up the role of the Imperialdragon Princeps and the successor of the Xuanyuan Dragon Sect. Ying Huo, Meow Meow, and Lan Huang had over eight thousand stars in their eyes, while Xian Xian and Yin Chen hadn’t reached that level yet.

However, Ying Huo, Meow Meow, and Lan Huang’s eyes could be clearly seen. Xian Xian and Yin Chen’s couldn’t, so those present assumed all five of them were sovereign beasts.

Ten totems, defeating the Northdipper Swordsage, countless dragons roaring in response to one, all sovereign beasts.… Together with his previous miracles, Tianming had sent a strong signal that he was the king the Myriad Solar Sects had been praying for.

He kept his sword and spoke to the sect masters. “I let my lifebound beasts out to let everyone know that, apart from being a decabane, I’m also a beastmaster. And even more so, a dragon beastmaster of the Xuanyuan Dragon Sect. My totems are strong, but my beasts aren’t weak either. In fact, they’re a critical component in us winning this war!”

The sect masters’ blood was boiling. They didn’t say it out loud, but their fiery gazes were enough to signal their admiration for the white-haired decabane. His goal would be accomplished as long as they were willing to place their hopes on him.

The hopes and desires of the masses is a double-edged sword. It grants me authority and the rallying power to unify the Myriad Solar Sects, but it’s also a weighty pressure. When hope is lost, I’ll fall into the deepest of hells. But that’s the path of an emperor, a path of no retreat. If I were scared, this path wouldn’t be my choice! Tianming said to himself. Outwardly, he only showed an infectious confidence, conviction, and charm.

The Northdipper Swordsage finally realized he had become a stepping stone to deify Tianming and wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry. The current situation told him he had already lost his chance to be in the running. This wasn’t a place where combat power or status decided the winner. He was no match for the hope or rallying power Tianming brought to the table and his only advantage, power, was being caught up to.

Everyone knew the Myriad Solar Sects had to unify. There were two purposes for this assembly today. Firstly, it was to determine a decision maker that would have real authority. Secondly, it was to decide the plan for counter-attacking the celestial orderians.

Anything Tianming announced today would quickly leak to the celestial orderians with over ten thousand people here. Hence, the decision maker’s decisions couldn’t be announced.

The Saintdragon Emperor stepped forward with a solemn expression. “Presently, the Myriad Solar Sects face a crisis of survival. Unity is imperative. Originally, we had no hope and could only bitterly struggle against destiny. But now, Li Tianming’s return has brought us new hope. I’ve been utterly convinced by his performance. Do not look at him as just a kid. Behind him stands the full support of the Xuanyuan Dragon Sect!

“I nominate Li Tianming as the first alliance leader of our Myriad Solar Sects Alliance. He alone will possess the greatest authority. At the same time, we’ll set up an alliance council, formed by the commanders of six of the top ten sects. Li Tianming, Northdipper Swordsage, Ninesun Martial Lord, Frost Empress, Fusheng Gongyi, and Yan Lingxian. The council will make the final decision on war intelligence, troop deployment, and logistics. The Myriad Solar Sects will accept the council. This isn’t the time for disloyalty, but a time for trust. Trust is the only path to survival, to seizing back our homeland and dignity!”

It would be very difficult to get all the autonomous small and medium sects to accept unification, future dispatches, and expeditions. That was the difficulty with forming an alliance and why past gatherings had struggled. However, with Tianming’s support, the Saintdragon Emperor’s words helped the sect masters make their choice.

“Everyone!” Tianming swept every person there with a steely gaze. “You have to bleed on the battlefield to stop those celestial orderians nibbling at us. Every cultivator has to play their part. I can’t promise salvation, but I can promise to do my best and to be impartial. We will bleed, while the enemy dies in droves. That’s the only way to beat them out of our lands like defeated dogs, just like at the battles of the Myriaddragon Mountains and Azurecloud Continent!”

The Saintdragon Emperor’s prestige wasn’t as great as Tianming’s, whose words caused the sect masters to passionately clap and cheer. Many there had already lost their homes and no longer had anything to care about. When they thought about their deceased family, friends, and children, going on a killing spree would be their first thought, not eking out an existence without dignity!

”The celestial orderians have taken our land, seized our treasures, and slain our families. Today, our sects are fractured while suffering fills our lands. Yet these bandits continue lawlessly and arrogantly doing despicable things. If I don’t get vengeance for this enmity, I’ll regret it for three lifetimes! I don’t really have much skill, but getting revenge... I’m an expert in. If you’re willing to join me on my path and unite the myriad sects, together we shall become the enemies’ nightmare and let them realize that a debt of blood can only be paid for with blood!”

All of the sect masters subconsciously walked a few steps forward, looking at Tianming with scorching gazes while the Saintdragon Emperor and the rest teared up.

The Myriad Solar Sects had finally let go of their prejudices and united together because of Tianming! This youth had accomplished something that would be impossible for older experts through his miracles and personal charisma.

Even the Northdipper Swordsage, Ninesun Martial Lord, and the rest were excitedly cheering. The new council members all looked at each other and quickly put aside their prior doubts and unease.

It would be easy to deploy the sects, as all the sects and their cultivators had clear stratas, making everything orderly.

Fourth-rate sects generally had over a thousand elites on the level of ’swordpupils’, along with tens of thousands of gods.

Third-rate sects would have over ten thousand elites and hundreds of thousands of gods.

Second-rate sects, like the Azuresoul Palace, had a hundred thousand swordpupils and almost ten million gods.

The Xuanyuan Dragon Sect had over a million peak beastmasters, the Ninedragon Army with over thirty million troops, and over a billion gods.

The Ninedragon Army was partly formed of peak beastmasters and partly ordinary gods. The seven million celestial orderians who had perished on the Azurecloud Continent were set up the same. In those seven million, about three hundred thousand were on the level of swordpupils.