Beastmaster of the Ages

”It isn’t that,” Eminent Jiguang said, shooting Tianming the oddest gaze with a hint of gentleness, gratitude, and mischief.

”Wait, then why do I feel like you’re much more terrifying than before?” Suishen Yao asked.

”That’s because...” Eminent Jiguang’s eyes shone even brighter as she looked at Tianming, ”I’ve actually broken through from the tenth level to the minor zenith of the Foundation stage.”

”What?! Huh?!” Suishen Yao immediately pushed Tianming aside and excitedly hugged and kissed her aunt. ”Minor zenith?! Doesn’t that mean you’ve become one of the ten strongest in House Suishen before the age of two thousand? Dad and Uncle didn’t manage to achieve your level at your age! They only reached the minor zenith around three thousand years old, and major zenith after four thousand!”

”Top ten?” Eminent Jiguang smiled. ”If you include my other techniques, like the Twinmoon Suishen Art, no other minor-zenith foundationeer is my match. I’m probably in the top five.”

By the sound of it, the tenth level of the Foundation stage and the minor zenith were separated by a wide gap. Tianming knew that it usually took thousands of years to break through once someone neared the higher levels of the Foundation stage, so it was no wonder that Suishen Yao was so shaken.

The tenth level was incredibly high by Myriadpath Valley standards, but not quite enough to make one join the core of the Three Exalted Houses. But anyone who was a minor-zenith foundationeer, even if they weren’t from core bloodlines, would be included in the core with that level of power.

Eminent Baigui, whom Tianming had killed, was a minor-zenith foundationeer. He was the captain of the Hellfiend and incredibly influential in House Yumo. Tianming had thought that the level would simply be called the eleventh level and he’d only just learned that it was specifically referred to as the minor-zenith level.

Eminent Jiguang had a rather high status, thanks to her birthright and talent. A few centuries ago, she was still a maniverse disciple. Not to mention, she had obtained the legacy of the Twinmoon Suishen Stele. Even so, her status had still been short of qualifying her to join the core and control other eminents and reverends.

But now things were different. In terms of raw power, she had more than enough. Tianming was happy to see her so excited.

”Li Tianming!” Eminent Jiguang immediately turned to him after celebrating with Suishen Yao.

”Eminent—I mean, Auntie?”

She came over and earnestly stretched her fair hands out to hold his. ”I could feel that you were looking out for me the best you could while we were cultivating. It’s thanks to you and your totems that I was able to gain a key insight at the crucial moment. Did you know that you just saved me at least three hundred years of painful cultivation?”

”I... didn’t know. Hehe.”

”Three hundred years? It can’t be that crazy,” Suishen Yao said, mouth agape.

”Why would it be crazy? The Foundation stage is the very limit of cultivation! Each step is grueling and painful. Every single breakthrough is just as important as the next. It’ll be another fifteen hundred years before I attempt to take the final step!” That was what Eminent Jiguang and the rest had to contend with, but she was now confident that she would be able to reach that level earlier than the others.

Tianming immediately humbled himself. ”It’s mainly thanks to your talents and smarts, Auntie. All you needed was the slightest push.”

”It was far from a slight push,” she said, shaking her head. ”You gave me a huge, huge push. You were far too great a help to me. I don’t even know how to thank you.”

”Auntie, I’m already lucky to have had you to protect me and Yaoyao. It’s more than enough that I’m allowed to grow in peace in Myriadpath Valley. It’s only right that I repay the favor.”

”Stop faking humility. Auntie wants to thank you, so accept it,” Suishen Yao said.

”Then... fine.” Tianming scratched his head, not having expected that a year of his help would be so influential to an eminent like Jiguang. His decapath era godswords were simply that amazing.

Eminent Jiguang wore an immensely gentle smile on her face. ”You’re so young, yet you have countless merit points. And quite a bit of springwater, too. I really don’t know what I can give you. How about this—I’ll owe you a favor and you can ask me for something when you think of it. Auntie will give you whatever you want.”

By now, she considered Tianming her own nephew.

”Okay!” He didn’t turn it down.

Suishen Yao pouted, ”Hey, I’m sorry. I was too rough on you just now, so don’t hold it against me on Auntie’s account, okay? I’ll be less harsh on you from now on.”

”Your apology sounds a little funny to me,” Tianming said.

”It’s up to you to accept it or not,” she said with a wink and smile. Either way, she was happy.

Eminent Jiguang slowly calmed down from all the excitement. After some thought, something seemed to occur to her. ”I used to only have mastery of the second fold of the Twinmoon Suishen Art because my level was insufficient and I couldn’t absorb more silver fish. But now I should have a chance! Do you want to watch me challenge it?”

”Of course! Auntie, show them that you’ve climbed to the top five in the house! You’ll be at least in the top twenty in the entire Myriadpath Valley!” Suishen Yao exclaimed.

”I’ll come too, I suppose,” Tianming said. He was truly happy for them.

”What do you mean ’I suppose’? Say it like you mean it,” Suishen Yao said.

”Puny Suishen Yao, you need to address me with more respect,” Tianming said with a stern look.

Suishen Yao snapped and complained to her aunt, ”Auntie, he’s bullying me!”

Eminent Jiguang chuckled, ”Yaoyao, I would’ve taken your side back then, but now I think it’s well deserved.”

”Fuck! I don’t want to live anymore!”

The merry band soon reached the Twinmoon Suishen Stele, high up in the strata of Myriadpath Valley. There weren’t many people there at first, but when Suishen Yuan, Suishen Zhao, and the rest heard about Eminent Jiguang’s breakthrough, the news spread throughout Suishen Cave. Almost immediately, the entire place turned rowdy.

The shock eventually spread throughout Myriadpath Valley. The look in the eyes of many changed when they heard that Eminent Jiguang was now at the minor-zenith level.

”House Yumo lost twenty eminents, including a minor-zenith foundationeer, Eminent Baigui, and now House Suishen gained one, bringing their total number one higher than House Yumo’s! The balance of power’s been shattered. House Yumo’s power might be inferior to House Suishen’s!”

”Yet another historic moment unfolds....”

”I heard she went to challenge the third fold of the Twinmoon Suishen Stele right after. In terms of comprehension, she far surpasses her elder brothers!”

”If those three siblings had united instead of working for their own interests, House Suishen would be unrivaled.”

”Let’s go check out the commotion.”

More and more people gathered near the Twinmoon Suishen Stele. The ones who arrived earlier were among the top elites of Myriadpath Valley. Tianming saw Ranxing and his father there.

I heard that the old man and Auntie Jiguang’s relationship resembles that of Yaoyao and Eminent Ranxing. I wonder what he’s thinking now....