Beastmaster of the Ages

There was naturally some awkwardness when acknowledging such seniors. Fortunately, Lin Xiao broke up the tension. He laughed, “Don’t be so tense, Grandson. Your grandmother is just too used to having a sour expression. Others call her the ‘Mean Old Lady’. However, she’s actually very happy now.”

Dongshen Yue’s stick thwacked him in the ass, causing him to fall face first onto the ground. “Lin Feng, Feng’er.… Tell your grandmother who your mother is? Where’d you grow up and why haven’t we heard from you all these years?” Dongshen Yue asked. Clearly, she still had some doubts even though she had grabbed Tianming in such a flashy manner. She was a little anxious and felt that it would be really embarrassing if Tianming turned out to be a fake grandkid.

Tianming had already more or less planned out his story. The two old fellows were his foundation on this world and he had to gain their trust. He hurriedly said, “Let me give you a brief overview first.” Tianming cleared his throat. “I’m actually not from Ebonia. I was born in a skypiercer-class world and only had my mother growing up. However, we lived in a chaotic world, and when I was thirty, she died to an enemy. Before she passed, she told me my father was someone called Lin Clan’s Lin Mu from the Infinitum Bodhimanda. I spent another few decades on that world and finally slew my mother’s killer when I became successful in my cultivation. I finally had the strength to roam the astralscape and made it to Ebonia after many struggles. However, I never expected to stumble into the private estate of an expert called Gongshu Ding due to my ignorance of Ebonia’s rules. I was forced to reveal my identity as Lin Mu’s son instead of dying, which resulted in me being sold to Lin Jianxing and brought here.”

That was obviously all lies. But it wasn’t done out of malice, as Tianming couldn’t talk about the Cyclic Mirror. He could also tell that the two trusted him and just needed a reasonable reason to get rid of their doubts. If he said he was from Ebonia, there would be many flaws later on when it became apparent that he lacked basic knowledge about Ebonia’s rules. Thus, he just straight up said he was from a distant place. It also helped foreshadow the sun’s existence.

Anyway, the two probably wouldn’t be that interested in a distant skypiercer-class world.

“I say! Why’d that kid of ours like to run everywhere and even leave behind products of passion! This may not even be our only grandkid, just the only one that made it back!”

“A skypiercer-class world?” Dongshen Yue pursed her lips and examined Tianming before sighing. “To be able to reach this cultivation at a century old in such a low-grade world must’ve been hard.”

“It was! Your grandson is a super expert of that world who rules an empire with trillions of people!” Tianming smugly said.

“You can rule trillions without even being a stellaminor? That world of yours is even worse than some helical-class ones,” Dongshen Yue said.

“Hah, well, it’s still just considered a skypiercer-class,” Tianming said.

Dongshen Yue sighed, “So, your mother isn’t Yi Daiyan then. What’s her name? Did you get your vengeance so she can rest in peace?”

“Her name was Wei Jing and I’ve completed my revenge.” Tianming thickened his skin. Inside, he was defending himself. Don’t be angry, Mom, your man screwed me over first!

He had passed another trial!

The oldsters continued touching Tianming. Dongshen Yue pressed her ear to Tianming’s chest and listened for a few moments before revealing a look of disappointment. She looked at Lin Xiao and said, “He doesn’t have a swordheart.”

Lin Xiao rolled his eyes. “That’s normal. His mother wouldn’t have had a swordbeast. As others would put it, a mixed-blood mixed their blood further, so how could he have a swordheart? Even Mu’er’s swordheart was incomplete.

Dongshen Yu understood the logic, but wasn’t happy about it.

“What’s a swordheart?” Tianming asked.

“The Swordgod Lin Clan’s sword dao inheritance is passed down through their heart. The legacy swordheart is the foundation of every Lin Clan disciple. The swordheart is how a lifebound beast can transform into a swordbeast spiritform and fuse with your weapon. Not having a swordheart also means that you can’t inherit the most elite portions of the Swordgod Lin Clan’s legacies,” Dongshen Yue said.

“It’s no big deal, kiddo! These things are predestined,” Lin Xiao roared with laughter.

Swordbeasts and swordbeast spiritforms? Isn’t that just like the Draconis House of Jian? The Flameyellow Continent also had a swordbeast legacy and he’d found it rather miraculous when he encountered it back then. The Hexapath Sword God had been able to fuse his lifebound beasts into his swords, greatly increasing their power and accomplishing the result of man and beast becoming one.

Tianming guessed the Swordgod Lin Clan was a similar swordbeast beastmaster clan. Perhaps they were even the origin of the Draconis House of Jian. As for how they ended up on Flameyellow, Tianming didn’t know. The continent was a mysterious place. Apart from swordbeasts, they also had starbeasts..com

Although Dongshen Yue was disappointed about the lack of a swordheart, Tianming didn’t care. His talents were more than enough.

“Grandmother, no need to worry! I may not have inherited Father’s swordheart, but I was still a super genius in that skypiercer-class world! I’m not the piece of trash others say I am. I’ll definitely cultivate hard and bring glory to you two. Though… I’ll need very good resources.” Tianming’s words were full of confidence.

“A super genius of a skypiercer-class world?” Dongshen Yue used her stick to bonk him on the head and sternly said, “You’re indeed better than I imagined, but you can’t be too arrogant and ignorant! Ebonia is a sixth-level world and the main star of the Infinitum Mundus. Your current accomplishments aren’t worthy of a direct descendant of the second branch! Since you’re here, Grandmother will train you hard in the coming days. Prepare for some suffering.”

“No problem! I’ll definitely bring you a pleasant surprise,” Tianming laughed.

Dongshen Yue looked hard at Tianming. “Feng’er, you have to understand the burden you bear because of your father’s matter. Your life will be much harder than others. Although we just met today, I still need to tell you that you must put in a thousand percent effort if you want to live with dignity!”

“Old granny, couldn’t you have waited two days before the lecture? My grandson just got here,” Lin Xiao said with emotion.

“Quiet! They won’t grow if you coddle them!” Dongshen Yue ignored him.

“Actually, I’m a bit confused. What exactly did my father do?” Tianming weakly asked.

“You don’t know? Well, put that aside for now. For now, introduce your cultivation attributes. You should have lifebound beasts, right? Show them so that I can plan a proper course of training.” Dongshen Yue was serious. She truly wished well for Tianming, which was why she already wanted to improve him as soon as they reached home. She was well aware of Tianming’s coming days. If he didn’t shape up, his entire life would lack dignity.

“Yes!” Tianming didn’t want to be flippant anymore. He spoke seriously, “I’m not a hundred yet. My cultivation can be counted as a twelfth-level solarian, I suppose. However, I can fight several levels above.”

“Fight several levels above? That’s on a skypiercer-class world. You have the bloodline of Ebonia, so that’s normal. Don’t think it’ll be possible now that you’re back here.” Dongshen Yue was stern.

“Alright!” Tianming obediently nodded.

“How many lifebound beasts do you have?” Dongshen Yue was anxious; Lin Mu didn’t have any! Those without lifebound beasts on Ebonia belonged to the lowest rung of society. They could only use ordinary people’s cultivation methods. However, even then they would still have poor accomplishments. They would struggle in battle and have a low upper limit.

“Please watch, Grandmother.” Tianming opened his lifebound space. Ying Huo and the rest, who had been cooped up for so long, immediately rushed out. “Look sharp for Grandmother’s inspection!”

However, Ying Huo and the rest acted like they had just escaped a cage. They ran about everywhere, hollering as they enjoyed their newfound freedom. A flaming phoenix flew in the sky, a little cat slept on the ground, and a two-headed dragon madly ran around. There was also a giant tree that grew flowers, countless silver insects, and even a pink nova source….

“What’re all these? How many lifebound beasts are there? Are they even beasts?” Dongshen Yue was stunned. Ying Huo and Meow Meow, who had come out first, were still normal. However, they soon got progressively weirder. By the end of it, something like a nova source that had a little pink girl sitting on it flew out.

Lin Xiao was flabbergasted, too.

“Yes, I have six lifebound beasts and all of them are very strong! Little fellows, show your stuff!”

“Yes!” Ying Huo was the first and flew up. “Grandma, I’m Ying Huo! Watch this!”

Ying Huo began whizzing back and forth as it showed various fire abilities.

“The first act is done! It’s your turn, Meow Meow!” Ying Huo smugly said as it elegantly landed in front of Dongshen Yue. “Cat Bro!” It looked down to find Meow Meow still sleeping.

“Stop being an embarrassment!” Ying Huo anxiously kicked it. It expected Meow Meow to wake up mid-flight, upon which it would display a dazzling performance. Instead, Meow Meow dropped down Brokensword Peak like a rock.

“Well, it’ll wake up when it lands,” Ying Huo awkwardly said.