Beastmaster of the Ages

”Everything we say and do is known by the valley lord. I keep telling you that he can find out about Tianming’s actual home anytime he wants using the logs of the Myriadpath Celestial Formation. Perhaps he already knows. Maybe that’s why he doesn’t seem to be in a rush at all.

”It seems likely that he’s also biding his time until Li Tianming reaches the Foundation stage to see his performance then. Once Li Tianming crosses the valley lord’s threshold, the brat will die for sure without you making a single move,” the old patriarch said.

”So how will that child survive?” Eminent Ranxing seemed befuddled.

”By sticking out, but not too far.”

”What do you mean by not too far?”

”Basically, he can’t cross the threshold set by the valley lord and House Qitian. Once they feel that he’s a great threat to the Three Exalted Houses, House Qitian will definitely work with House Yumo to apply pressure on us. We won’t be able to hold off both parties,” the old patriarch surmised.

”And what about sticking out at all?”

”Of course, that refers to our own threshold. If he’s too weak and can’t reach the Foundation stage, he won’t be able to become a tenth-level foundationeer no matter how hard he tries. What use would we have for him then? If we’re going to withstand the pressure of others to keep him, he has to at least be as capable as Jiguang and achieve the minor zenith in the future. It’d be even better if he reaches the major zenith.”

”I see. So we do think the same. What we need is someone that doesn’t exceed me, but we’ll be fine if he’s on my level. If he crosses that level, it won’t end well for anyone involved.”

”Based on his current performance, it seems like he’s already crossed a ton of the valley lord and House Qitian’s red lines. If he continues to do so and we leave him be, House Qitian and House Yumo will take unstoppable action. It all depends on how things change after he reaches the Foundation stage.”

Eminent Ranxing shook his head in resignation. ”At the end of the day, being too talented is harmful to him, right?”

”I never would’ve thought this would be possible back then, but it’s playing out before our very eyes. All I hope is that he has just the right amount of talent. That way, he’ll be able to increase our influence without applying overwhelming pressure on the Three Exalted Houses.”

Their standards were clearly defined. The upper limit that Tianming was allowed to shoot for was the minor or major zenith level, no higher or lower.

”That brat isn’t the same as the previous valley lord. The circumstances of his birth are a huge weakness. He has a home, and the fact that he’s kept it a secret means he cares about his friends and family. The previous valley lord was a peak talent from an august house, but Tianming’s friends and family are no doubt mere mortals and he can only fight alone. No matter how insanely talented he is, he can only do so much on his own,” Eminent Ranxing said.

”It’s too soon to compare him with the previous valley lord. He’s still a young child, so let’s just wait and see,” the old patriarch said.

”That’s right.” Eminent Ranxing pursed his lips and a thought occurred to him. ”By the way, Dad, did you forget something?”

”What?”

”Big Brother’s sentence should have been fully served yesterday.”

”Oh....” The old patriarch awkwardly stood there. ”I completely forgot about him, thanks to Jiguang’s breakthrough.”

***

Black mist was all around the Midsky Well. Two people stood before a grand hall nearby, Suishen Yue and his mother, Eminent Jinying. Nobody else waited there with them.

”Your dad used to have so many followers, but they all went to see Jiguang at the Twinmoon Suishen Stele. Sigh, how shallow people are! All it takes is for one slight trip to fall from grace,” Eminent Jinying said with a sorrowful, self-mocking smile.

”Those people are far too heartless. My dad served his sentence in full, yet none of them showed up to welcome him back!” Suishen Yue’s body shuddered with rage and resentment.

”Not only that, your grandfather even said he would come personally to receive him when he finishes serving his sentence. It was meant to let your dad start over with a new leaf! Not only must he be here, he also has to bring all the eminents of House Suishen with him, yet he didn’t fulfill that promise! Who’ll respect your father after his release after this sorry display?!” Eminent Jinying was also fuming.

”They’re all his children, yet he treats them all so differently!” Suishen Yue’s mind grew more and more twisted. His words carried killing intent. ”He had me lose all my reputation to the point that I’m not able to even hold my head high. Does he think he can make it up to me with a maniverse-class cosmic artifact? What a cold grandfather he is! Not to mention Suishen Ranxing and Jiguang—Jiguang especially! She’s stolen the limelight alright...!”

Suishen Yue was an eighth-level foundationeer, almost a match for ninth-level eminents. Even though he was considered to be from a later generation than Eminent Jiguang, their ages weren’t that far apart. When Eminent Jiguang still ranked near the top of the Maniverse Ranking, Suishen Yue was catching up from behind. The age gap between him and Suishen Yao was far larger.

”Sigh.... I’m just worried that your dad’s hopes of starting fresh after all these years will be dashed. To do what he wants, he needs his compatriots’ approval. He’s been left alone for so many years, and all he wants is to be properly welcomed back. Oh, I wonder how badly it’ll hurt when he realizes this is what he comes out to.... I can’t stand this family anymore!” Eminent Jinying wailed.

Suishen Yue’s gaze became even more sinister. He had tried twice to ruin Suishen Yao to his own benefit, but failed both times at the very last step. If he’d succeeded, he would have felt as good as having paid back a thousand-year-old grudge, but Tianming had denied him that pleasure!

”Once my dad comes out, none of you will ever live in peace!” The fiend in his heart grew more and more.

Suddenly, the hall ahead rumbled. Suishen Yao agitatedly looked up and saw a half-naked middle-aged man clad in tattered yellow robes step out. His hair was unkempt and his face unshaven. He stood there and blankly looked at his wife and son.

”Just the two of you?” When he uttered those words, his eyes flared with despair and he felt an urge to go berserk. ”Just the two of you! Just the two of you! Just the two of you!” Each time he repeated himself, he sounded even more mad. The scars on his face looked like centipedes. ”Hahahahahaha!”

***

Tianming called out to Suishen Zhao and Fen Nu before heading to the Myriadpath Sourcespring. But with so many eminents watching him, he wouldn’t quite dare to unlock the old well, despite having the key. ”Now that I’m ranked first, I’ll be getting a keg of springwater and a million merit points every year....”