Beastmaster of the Ages

It would be a rather brutal move. Even if people hated underhanded methods, that anger would be directed at Suishen Hongtian, not House Qitian.

”Come to think of it, Suishen Hongtian was the one who came up with this idea on his own accord. He really seems like the kind of bastard that doesn’t have a single line he won’t cross, doesn’t he?” Qitian Baba said.

”It’s because of that very quality that nobody can imagine how vile he truly is. Someone like him can perfectly serve as our dog,” the valley lord snickered.

”With this, House Qitian will be able to maintain an edge among the Three Exalted Houses. However, it’s only a stopgap measure. When the Three Exalted Houses’ combined might inevitably falls, the august houses and the other two million cultivators of Myriadpath Valley might get ideas.

”To truly keep them at bay, the legacies of the Yin-Yang World are key! We’ll force House Suishen to stay put with the hostages. When I recover, we’ll kill Yumo Diyan and Yumo Dinai and invade Yumo Cave, making sure they’ll never rise again!”

The other three respectfully nodded.

***

Outside the Jiguang Sea, Suishen Jiguang changed into a set of white-and-pink armor that fit her figure well, accentuating her slim waist. She was the picture of perfection.

As she left the Jiguang Sea, she felt a blazing gaze that made her feel incredibly uncomfortable. Looking up, she saw the hateful man in a black-and-yellow robe, sporting a long mustache and squinty eyes. Her eyes turned bloodshot and she let her cosmoforce surge with her killing intent. It was Suishen Hongtian! They had finally met again after her return from the Yin-Yang World.

Unsurprisingly, he no longer cared about what he had done to her and merely fearlessly looked at her. ”I’m rather curious. Which man was the one that relished and conquered your body after what happened?”

His words caused Suishen Jiguang’s killing intent to spike ten times higher than before. Even though he was her elder brother, she wanted nothing more than to end him. She didn’t say a word in reply.

”It can’t be some random, nameless schmuck, can it? Or some lucky old fella. Either way, looks like you got a bad deal. My son was a major pathkeeper, after all. He didn’t look bad and wouldn’t have treated you roughly.”

Suishen Jiguang knew that the plan would be ruined if she fought now. So, she swallowed up her killing intent and rage. Instead, she said in a cold tone, ”Suishen Yue? Let’s not bring up that pitiful dead fool. I can only imagine how tragic his life must’ve been. It wasn’t even that long, and he didn’t even get anything he truly wanted.”

”Hehehehe...” Suishen Hongtian chuckled and applauded. ”What you said does make sense.” He approached her with a dry smile. ”So you admit that my son met his end at your hands, do you?”

”Who else’s? He died a pathetic death.”

”Since that’s the case, let’s call it even. In the Yin-Yang World, I harmed you and you harmed my son. Let’s let no grudges remain, shall we? I’m sure it’s also your intent to reconcile with me since you didn’t go blabbing to Dad after you returned, right?”

”Are you saying you want me to pretend none of that ever happened?”

”It doesn’t matter to me if you intend to throw a fit over it. It isn’t like I have any reputation left to salvage. You, on the other hand, lost your Suishen Blood. People have been guessing, you see. Do you suppose they’ll believe me if I said that I took your Suishen Blood? All because you were shameless enough to seduce your own elder brother,” Suishen Hongtian laughed and shrugged.

”You—” Suishen Jiguang grit her teeth in rage.

”Besides, during such tumultuous times, House Suishen needs a major-zenith foundationeer like me, you see. I’m much more useful to our father than you are. If he has to give up on one of us, I think it’d be you.” Suishen Hongtian raised his chin high. ”That’s why you should stay quiet and know your place as a woman. Enjoy the peace of your home and don’t butt into the squabbles of men. You’re the one who should worry about rolling in the mud, not me.”

”Do you have any other tricks? You’re really risking overusing that same threat over and over again,” Suishen Jiguang sneered.

”Oh, don’t flatter me. I wanted to be a good person, too, but it’s a shame that reality didn’t allow it! That’s why I am revealing my hand. I won’t pretend anymore!”

”What do you think about House Qitian’s claim that they obtained the legacies of the Yin-Yang World?” she suddenly asked.

The sudden change of subject shocked him. ”What else can I think? I’m not the leader of House Suishen. It isn’t like I have a part in the secret meetings between you, our brother, and dad, hehe.”

Suishen Jiguang coldly glared at him before leaving. As she did, he muttered, ”What do I think? I’ll side with House Qitian, of course. You can all rot in your graves since you don’t even seem to notice that you’re being buried alive!”

***

The ceremony took place as planned at the Progenitor’s Altar. The Source Progenitor was the root and foundation of Myriadpath Valley, having witnessed the golden age way before the time of the Three Exalted Houses! Nothing but myths and legends were left behind from that time.

The Three Exalted Houses could only imagine what kind of blessed fortuna-class world Myriadpath Valley had been. Tragically, the death of a world wasn’t something that could be reversed. The mutated fusion formation of the valley would never return to its original state. In the future, it would become yet another Yin-Yang World. On that point, it seemed that the Yin-Yang World’s place in the history of the astralscape of order predated Myriadpath Valley’s far more.

As for the normal cultivators, they didn’t know the true nature of the Source Progenitor that the Three Exalted Houses held in such high esteem. A whole two hours before the ceremony, House Qitian’s parade departed from Qitian Cave in a large procession.

Word of that soon reached Houses Yumo and Suishen. Given that House Qitian had so daringly left their stronghold before the legacies from the Yin-Yang World even arrived, House Yumo didn’t want to be seen as cowards, either. They immediately left Yumo Cave in response.

House Yumo sent just as many people as House Qitian, but their elites paled in comparison. They only had six minor and two major zeniths. As for ninth- and tenth-level eminents, they only had two-thirds the number of House Qitian.

With conflict threatening to spark between House Qitian and House Yumo, the old patriarch of House Suishen led their procession with Eminent Ranxing. They sent seventy percent of their forces out, a smaller amount than the other two houses, but it was enough for them to defend themselves in case something went wrong.

Apart from them, a few large august and sacred houses, and even some ancient houses who only had reverends, sent quite a lot of their elites to participate in the ceremony.