Beastmaster of the Ages

”Go away, brat, and don’t butt in,” Suishen Yao said.

Tianming shrugged. ”You’re also my rival, you know. I’ll eventually pull you down a notch. I’m worried that you’ll see my awesome skills and be so shocked that you won’t be able to put up a good fight when I challenge you. That’d make it pointless. I don’t want other people to think that you’re letting me win.”

Suishen Yao burst out laughing. ”You must be daydreaming. I’ll keep you down for the rest of your life! Do you think you can just leap over me without the Prehistoric Path?”

Suishen Zhao shot him a thumbs-up. ”Brother, you’re brave. You’re the perfect match for my sister, after all.”

”Alright, stop pretending. Show us then. What new technique did you master this time?” Suishen Yao said.

”I have you to thank for it. My totems have really improved,” Tianming flirtatiously said.

”Shut up!” No matter whether or not they had really done the deed to pass on Suishen Blood, it was already an established fact as far as the others were concerned. Suishen Yao blushed and steam seemed to come out of her head.

”Let’s go.” The major pathkeeper and four minor pathkeepers merrily left Suishen Cave as the seniors around them watched.

”I think some people are thinking too much. Just look at how well Li Tianming gets along with our three minor pathkeepers, and Major Pathkeeper Suishen Yuan, too. As all of them grow up, their relationship will only grow closer.”

”That’s right. Li Tianming has a fair and loyal nature. He’s a decent person indeed.”

”The fact that he’s gained the recognition of the youth is impressive.”

”The old patriarch’s decision saved those young folks.”

”That’s right!”

”House Yumo lost all three of their young geniuses. Once the next generation takes the reins, House Suishen will have an overwhelming advantage over them and we won’t have to be number three for much longer.”

”Rising and falling is only part of the natural cycle.”

”What’d they say they were going to do? Li Tianming wants to advance in the rankings again?”

”He’ll eventually surpass Yaoyao. It’s only a matter of time.”

”I guess that’ll be when he becomes a foundationeer! I’m always worried that his talent will only be this high in the Cosmic Cartography stage.”

”We can only wait and see. Let’s go watch them fight.”

By the time Tianming arrived at the Ascension Battlefield, he was surprised to see only a few hundred people there. Oh, that’s right. Most of the cultivators have gone looking for Infinitum.

It was quite a peaceful place. Yin Chen also told him that, while there aren’t that many youths around, many reverends and eminents had noticed their arrival and were intently watching them. The sacred and august houses had also sent people to observe. Even those of the Three Exalted Houses came. When Eminent Jiguang heard about it, she joined the Suishen youths. She wasn’t that much older than them and her beauty still let her blend well with the youth.

If my target is Qitian Jian, I’ll have to make a few challenges to climb all the way up to him. If I include breaks, it might take a month. Tianming wasn’t in a rush.

Every opponent I’ll face is a talented person from one of the Three Exalted Houses. Six of them are minor pathkeepers, and the other three are just as talented even without the title. That included Suishen Shuang as well. Even though it was a little awkward to pull her down a rank, Tianming was eventually going to do the same to Suishen Yao, so he didn’t pay it too much heed.

Oh, looks like I rose to ninth place after Yumo Xue died. Suishen Yao will still be quite challenging to fight since she’s a second-level foundationeer. Her aside, I have seven others to fight. He would do it for the sake of seven hundred bowls of springwater every year! That was close to a keg, and even the first-rank Suishen Yao only had a hundred bowls each year. After dealing with the red dust, Tianming had learned more of the benefits of springwater.

He issued a challenge to the eighth-ranked Qitian genius, who had to accept as long as he was in Myriadpath Valley and not in deep seclusion.

”He just got married yesterday and he’s already challenging people to fights? What a battle maniac!”

The cultivators of Myriadpath Valley immediately joined the hype once they learned that Tianming was fighting.

”It’s him! When he was away, Myriadpath Valley was so boring!”

”He’s giving us a show right after he returned. Not bad.”

The ones that came were mostly reverends and above. House Yumo didn’t send any true elites and risk losing them again. All of them were on the level of Huang Daolie and Lan Yun.

”That Qitian girl accepted the challenge.”

”Not bad. The young folks in this generation are pretty bold.”

”I heard Pathkeeper Li’s target is Qitian Jian.”

”Oh? If he’s powerful enough, we should be in for quite a good show.”

”It might be a bit tough, but let’s not forget that he’s Suishen Yao’s man. After getting that thing, his totems must’ve rapidly improved.”

”That’s right! I was wondering why he’s so bold all of a sudden. So that’s the reason!”

”Suishen Yao’s amazing, and that kid isn’t blushing in the slightest after partaking in her....”

”Hey, don’t tease the kids. They’ll run away in embarrassment.”

After a while, the one who accepted the challenge arrived with the rest of House Qitian. There were around a dozen youths, Qitian Jian included. Four of them were in the top ten.

”Brother Li, are you shooting for second place this time?” Qitian Jian asked.

”I’ll try to,” Tianming said.

”Very well. I look forward to facing a monstrous talent like you.” Qitian Jian seemed pretty stable despite having lost twice in a row. And now a new opponent seemed to be rising to put pressure on him.

”If Qitian Jian loses another time, his mental state might crumble....”

”It’s too hard on him. He’s been at the top for nearly a hundred years, only to run into so many strong people right before he graduates from the Fortuna Ranking.”

”If Yumo Xue were still alive, Qitian Jian would no doubt feel even more pressure.”