Beastmaster of the Ages

Tianming knew that Zi Zhen must have been feeling rather lonely the entire time he had been gone and would feel horrible if he couldn’t at least soothe that a little for her.

But alas, there was nothing he could do but wait. Antiquitas Mortis was far too large, to the point that it took Eminent Jiguang half a month to reach her destination by flying. She sent him some good news through the transmission stone. ”I got the fragments.”

Tianming smiled with excitement. ”That’s great! Auntie, you’re the best!”

”Don’t wander around and wait for me to return.” She immediately started heading back.

Tianming looked for a place he could use to refine order fragments using springwater. With Eminent Jiguang standing guard over him, he should be fine. He only needed the location to be far away from the stareye, considering that there were quite a few people from Myriadpath Valley nearby. It wouldn’t be good to let them see him refining the order fragments.

He had already told her that the order fragments would work best when assimilated within the Xenoabyss, so she’d promised that she would watch over him once she got back.

Half a month passed and a beauty with pink, luscious hair and a long, flowing dress came flying toward him. Eminent Jiguang waved to him and said, ”Let’s go.”

Tianming joined her and led the way through the sandstorm.

”Am I seeing things or is that Pathkeeper Li and Eminent Jiguang? Did they come to the Xenoabyss without anyone else?”

”Why isn’t Minor Pathkeeper Suishen Yao with them?”

”I don’t know!”

”What’re they doing here?”

While the myriadpath saints and disciples were curious, none of them knew the truth. People wouldn’t believe them if they went back and asked about it, either.

***

Eminent Jiguang seemed to be in a good mood as they traveled, smiling as she looked at Tianming the entire way.

”How many?” Tianming asked. He could feel from her expression that she was expecting heavy praise.

”Take a guess,” she said with a wink.

”You can’t have gotten five, right? You should have a far higher status than Yumo Yuanni’s father.”

”Five? You’re looking down on me,” she gleefully said. ”The quality of the ordered manna you offered was really high. Coupled with a person of my caliber making the trade, Princess Ying gave me six grade-seven order fragments.”

She had traded four for six! Tianming was so shocked that, had he not held himself back, he would have given her a deep and passionate hug.

”Six?!” He threw her a thumbs-up. ”As expected as the goddess of Myriadpath Valley. Your charms are unparalleled even in the Xenoabyss. You’re unmatched everywhere!”

Eminent Jiguang couldn’t stifle a laugh. ”Stop flattering me like that, you little....” She relished in satisfaction at Tianming’s reaction.

Soon, they found a spot where they wouldn’t be disturbed. Tianming got the six grade-seven order fragments from Eminent Jiguang. Each one of them was a solid that was formed of seven unique, card-like objects. The surfaces seemed to rotate in a way that was tied to the sea of order above.

After giving it a few looks, Eminent Jiguang couldn’t help but say, ”It’s the first time I’ve seen order fragments that are so complicated. Looks like I have to take back what I said about them. They do indeed have the profound essence of the sea of order. In fact, they’re deeply tied together. I believe the mainstream understanding in Myriadpath Valley about them is somewhat uninformed due to bias against the Xenoabyss.”

She was one to quickly amend her opinion after seeing new facts. Most old-timers lacked that kind of ability and easily dismissed everything they had a prejudice against. The same held for their opinions on the purity of Tianming’s bloodline.

Tianming looked at the order fragments and took out four kegs of springwater from his spatial ring. He placed the large kegs around him and thought back to how Yumo Yuanni had covered himself in a cauldron to absorb the springwater and order fragment together.

Tianming had used the uncommon power he had in Infinitum to forcefully subdue the artifact soul of the Yumo Blood Crucible, but he hadn’t brought it with him. Instead, he had stored it in a distant, desolate location of the astralscape.

The Yumo Blood Crucible was a maniverse-class artifact that the Infinitum Stele hadn’t been able to destroy. Considering its potential in combat, Tianming planned to use it to refine the entire House Yumo one day.

”Auntie, is there some sort of space I can enter to prevent the springwater from boiling out into the surroundings?” Tianming asked.

”There is. Just use my soulblend formation,” she said with a smile.

Tianming recalled that she was a master of formation manipulation. ”Are you able to recreate the soulblend formation with you here?”

”Of course. All it takes is for me to fuse my totems together and use them to prevent the springwater from boiling away.”

”I see.” Tianming moved the four kegs of springwater into the soulblend formation once Eminent Jiguang finished setting it up.

”After I seal the formation, you can just pour all the springwater out. I’ll be able to exclude the kegs from the formation and make it so there’s nothing but you and springwater within it.” She was really thinking it through for him.

Tianming was ready. Right as he was about to give her the signal, he suddenly had an inspiration at the sight of the six order fragments in his hand. ”Auntie, do you have springwater with you?”

”I do. Do you need it?”

”How much do you have?”

”Around three kegs,” she honestly answered.

”Lend me two kegs, then. That way I’ll have six kegs and six fragments. With the amount of springwater I’m getting, I’ll be able to repay you within two years,” he said as he scratched his head, looking troubled.

He had estimated the amount of springwater he needed based on how much Yumo Yuanni had used. But now that he had two extra order fragments, he worried that it wasn’t enough.

Eminent Jiguang didn’t know how to react. ”You’re really filthy rich, you know that? It isn’t nearly as easy for me to obtain that much springwater.”

As she said that, she handed him two kegs of springwater. One keg had been enough to save the entire population of the Sun. The fact that she had handed over two kegs without much thought showed her deep trust in him.

Tianming nodded his thanks. Now, the only thing on his mind was to unlock the potential in the order fragments with springwater! Only then would Eminent Jiguang support him the next time he could get his hands on more order fragments.

I have to reach the Foundation stage as soon as possible! Before that, I should listen to her and keep my head down. The incident of the Hellfiend and Eminent Baigui had been a result of Tianming’s actions. If House Yumo learned of that, the Three Exalted Houses would go to any length to get rid of him.

”Alright, I’m going to start.” Tianming poured all six kegs of springwater into the soulblend formation and used it all at once.

”How luxurious....” Eminent Jiguang felt envious just by looking at it. Not even a princess like her had been able to enjoy that kind of lavish spending all her life.

Seeing Tianming consume all six order fragments at once, she quickly removed the empty kegs from the formation.