Beastmaster of the Ages

No one bothered Tianming anymore, so he could go back to focusing on breaking the swordbarriers.

Time passed, and soon it was the twentieth day. Lin Jianjia hadn’t reached five thousand yet, but Tianming had hit six thousand five hundred. A mere five days had created a gap of one thousand and five hundred. Not even ten days were left, but Lin Jianjia wasn’t even half done with her comprehension yet and had completely lost all hope. Miracles tended not to happen on the stele.

On the twenty-fifth day, Lin Jianjia was at five thousand five hundred. Her progress showed that her mental state had collapsed. Her continued effort was merely the last throes of her confidence. The more she struggled, the further her dream drifted from her grasp.

Her expression twisted as her conviction shattered when she could no longer touch her dream. “Grandvoid Swordfiend! I took you as my everything, but you didn’t cherish me.…” Everyone called her a chosen of heaven and someone with the potential to become a rex mundi, so what was happening here?

Even so, that was still fine. However, how could a wastrel, someone who wasn’t even a stellaminor after a hundred years, get to eight thousand five hundred swordbarriers in twenty-five days? And accurately speaking, he had technically only taken twenty-two days.

Based on Tianming’s speed, he would gain the inheritance if nothing unexpected happened. The art that Lin Jianjia had waited for for so many years would land in the hands of the person she looked down on the most.

In the blink of an eye, only two days were left. The number of black sword patterns on Lin Jianjia hadn’t increased much; the chaos in her mind was clear to see. Tianming, on the other hand, was at nine thousand eight hundred and only had two hundred left to go!

Everyone was shocked, but Tianming was actually cursing at Grandvoid Swordfiend. “Why the hell do you need ten thousand layers of locks? I’ve almost lost the feeling in my hand by now.” He had pinched and grabbed nine thousand and eight hundred times by now. It was all physical labor.

But still, the end was in sight.

“Lin Feng!” Lin Xiaogui said to him, her voice shaking.

Tianming only needed one guess to know what Lin Jianjia had chosen. She planned to drag him down with her. That wasn’t the best move as, for the clan, it was a good thing no matter who in the clan inherited the art if it appeared. Lin Jianjia would be condemned for this action, but she no longer cared.

Of course, Tianming had anticipated that long ago. That woman was very arrogant and wouldn’t be able to accept her own failure. “Lin Xiaogui, are you scared of her?” he joked, not even looking up.

“No.” Lin Xiaogui grit her teeth.

“Don’t deny it. Your tone tells me you’re scared and don’t have the guts.”

“Shut up!” Lin Xiaogui’s voice was hoarse as she shot to her feet.

“There’s no shame in admitting it. Fear’s fear. Don’t talk about trauma or how you’ve never beaten her before. Those are just excuses. The truth is that you’re weak inside and you’re just using hard work to tell yourself otherwise,” Tianming said with amusement.

“Are you crazy? One more word and I’ll leave.” Lin Xiaogui was furious.

“Then leave. I won’t send you off. But if you do, don’t ever hope to stand up straight again. Everyone’s watching now, so this is your chance! Let her, let the whole world know your name! If you want respect, you have to climb the highest mountain. That’s how you get a new lease on life,” Tianming said.

“I knew that without you saying it!” Lin Xiaogui spat.

“Then go!”

“Shut up!” Her tone grew shrill as she got more agitated. When she looked at the approaching Lin Jianjia, her eyes still showed fear in their depths and her hand hesitated to draw her sword.

“Crush her! Slap her, pull her hair! Destroy her everything! She’s gotten so many resources, but she’s not even that much better than you! In my opinion, you’re much stronger than her, except for some fear in you! Lin Jianjia? Who the hell is she? She still ended up frustrated and throwing a tantrum because of me! How can someone like that scare you, Lin Xiaogui!” All of Tianming’s words were like liquid fire being injected into Lin Xiaogui’s veins.

Everything in the past flashed past in her eyes. But this time, the emotion tied to them wasn’t fear, but anger. She tightened her grip on her sword and regarded the woman in front of her. “Lin Jianjia!”

“What does this have to do with you, specter mongrel? Get lost, don’t dirty my eyes! If you don’t listen like a good dog, a mask isn’t going to be able to hide your ugly face!”

A mask! Why did she wear a mask? It was because her face was covered in scars that Lin Jianjia had left on her. They had been there since she was young, and some were even bone-deep. They were unremovable. The mention of the mask made her eyes turn completely red.

“Mom, you once said that death would be better than living like a rat. That was why you chose to end your life and leave me behind. I’ve been living a life like yours the past few years. Without dignity and without friends. However, I don’t want to live like that anymore. If I die, it’s all over. I don’t want to live a life of being despised.”

Tianming was right; many people were paying attention to this stele so this was her chance. She remembered that woman who had rejected facing reality and saw the same weakness in herself now. It was a mark of weakness passed down through the bloodline!

“Strike!” Tianming roared.

The word blew away all of the shadows in Lin Xiaogui’s heart and her blood surged. She had fought Lin Jianjia numerous times before they were thirty. It wasn’t that Lin Jianjia was invincible, but that she had lost to herself. However, this time she had anger and conviction she had never had before. That strength supported her as she roared and leapt forward to meet Lin Jianjia! The two collided and sword light flashed.

“Lin Xiaogui’s so fierce?”

“She’s suppressing Lin Jianjia!”

“She’s weaker by a level!”

“That’s because she’s half specter. Her body is stronger, and the Swordsoul Purgatory doesn’t restrict the strength of your body.”

The other disciples on the stele crowded around to spectate.