Beastmaster of the Ages

”I have it covered,” Meow Meow confidently said.

Lin Jianxing and the ebons were just made fully aware of the fact that they wouldn’t be able to keep up with that monster of a cat. If it hadn’t been for Yi Zhuojun’s insistence on recruiting Lin Jianxing, Tianming wouldn’t have had to fear any of them from the start, given that he had Meow Meow.

Tianming had only laid his hands on Lin Linglin because he saw Qi Xuanzi stop in his tracks, glancing at the other ebons. All five of them turned back and ran toward the walnuts.

”Looks like they decided to go for those, since they can’t catch up to me.”

In terms of combat power, the five of them and Lin Jianxing were stronger, since Yi Zhuojun was out for the count. The ebons had their warbeasts stand guard near the green pillar of light as they tried entering it to take the walnuts, having decided that there was no way that Tianming would be able to defeat them and would be forced to just keep running. Lin Jianxing was no fool, either, and he immediately noticed Qi Xuanzi’s move. There were only six walnuts in total! No matter how enraged he was at Tianming, he decided to stop.

”Why’d you stop? You want to watch it happen? Alright, I’ll get right to it.” Tianming put his arms around Lin Linglin’s waist from behind and turned to Dongshen Xiaoli. ”Cousin, you’re still young, so you shouldn’t peek.”

”Ah, this!” She crossed her arms in a defensive manner, watching him in horror. ”Cousin, don’t come after me! I still haven’t fallen in love....”

”What’re you trying to block? It’s not like you have much to show off,” Tianming said, rolling his eyes.

”Hey! You deserve a thousand cuts for saying that!”

Throughout the act, Lin Jianxing clenched his fists tight. When Tianming started getting freaky, Lin Jianxing gave Lin Linglin one last look before he turned away and charged toward the pillar of light.

”Brother Jianxing!” Lin Linglin had been horrified and pale the whole time, shaking in fear even as she cursed at Tianming nonstop, swearing that Lin Jianxing would cut him into pieces, yet he had actually turned away and left her to Tianming’s devices, seemingly without any hesitation at all!

”Brother Jianxing....” Tears began flowing as her body completely slumped, only being held upright by Tianming. The man she looked at didn’t turn back to meet her gaze at all, even after she cried out for attention. She felt her world completely crumble as she fell into despair.

Tianming gave the back of her head a sound slap that snapped her out of it. She felt like the contents in her brain were being rearranged.

”You fool, you still don’t get it?” Tianming said.

”Get what?” she daftly asked.

”There’s only six walnuts, but he still decided to turn his back on us. That means Lin Jianxing had chosen to give up on you when he decided to betray us,” Tianming said, rolling his eyes.

”How? He would definitely give me one.... Will he give up on taking one for himself? Or make it so that one of the ebons doesn’t get it?”

”None for himself? Having one walnut might be a ticket to his survival. Why would he get himself killed for your sake? Because you’re a woman? Because of the lumps on your chest?”

”What about the ebons?”

”When will you get it into your head that the ebons called you their dogs? Who’d waste the life of an infinitum-class genius for a mere pet? Are you stupid? Or do you think those five are stupid?” Tianming was completely speechless at the sight of the love-blinded girl. He had thought that seeing Lin Jianxing leave would be enough to hammer it into her, but she was still placing her hopes in him. Tianming knew about the special status of the ninth branch, and how Lin Jianxing wanted to recruit Lin Changkong into the reformist faction through Lin Linglin. If it weren’t for that, he wouldn’t even bother explaining anything to her. He also hoped that those of the ninth branch outside could see the scene, and that it would help his grandfather.

He stopped messing with Lin Linglin and released her bindings, then handed her over to Dongshen Xiaoli for some nursing. Then he picked up Yi Zhuojun from Meow Meow’s mouth. ”Friend, how’re you doing?”

Yi Zhuojun was covered in blood, though it was quickly reabsorbed into his body. He turned into a glowing galaxy with seven bright stars, a sign that he was rapidly healing. ”I got rather badly injured, but it isn’t as bad now. As long as my heptastar organs aren’t hurt, I can recover with some divine pills. Though it’ll still take me some time to recover my combat prowess.”

”How long?”

”Around two hours,” he said, gritting his teeth.

”Alright. We’ll join hands to defeat them in two hours.”

”You?” Yi Zhuojun cast a doubtful look at him.

”What’re you looking at?”

”How can a normal god like you be so powerful? And your lifebound beasts even have orders.” That was the question everyone wanted the answer to.

”Just get used to it.”

”Fine! I really have to apologize—my injuries were of my own making. I didn’t think that Lin Jianxing, a member of the Swordgod Lin Clan, famed for its upstanding and righteous people, would be such a shameless person. You’re also really powerful, and I’m sorry for not recognizing your capabilities.” His apology was direct and sincere. As he spoke, he noticed that Meow Meow was running back toward the green pillar at high speed. ”What are you thinking about?”

”I need to harass the enemy before you recover, you know. Who knows if we’ll die outright once they get the walnuts.” Tianming wouldn’t be able to deal with the rest himself, so he needed Yi Zhuojun.

Yi Zhuojun noticed that Lin Jianxing and the five ebons had entered the pillar of light. As expected, lifebound beasts and warbeasts were forbidden from entering, but people could easily go in. It probably had something to do with the green light their bodies gave off. All six of them reached out to the walnuts, but found that they weren’t able to take them. Though Tianming wanted to charge in and fight for them, he wasn’t powerful enough. The remaining warbeasts, including Qi Xuanzi’s three low-sanctuary-class beasts, put up a watertight defense around the pillar, all of them warily watching Tianming.