Beastmaster of the Ages

Before, the Suishen sisters had thought of Tianming as one of House Suishen even after he showed off his power. As long as his descendants carried out the will of House Suishen to rule Myriadpath Valley, they would have upheld their ancestors’ will.

Yet now it seemed that Tianming was no mere son-in-law. His might made him the true sovereign! The two women had indeed led a wolf back home. At the end of the day, Suishen Jiguang and Suishen Xiyue were still members of House Suishen and had worshiped their ancestors before, so it was no surprise that they felt guilt and shame about it.

They stayed silent for two whole hours, staring at Tianming as many things flashed through their minds.

”Actually....” The two of them broke the silence at the exact same moment. Suishen Xiyue bit her lip and said, ”You first.”

Suishen Jiguang seemed a little crestfallen. ”Sister Xiyue, I have a private motive....”

”What kind of private motive?”

”I’ve always been really mad about Myriadpath Valley when it came to House Qitian’s myriadpath sourcebeasts and House Yumo’s starblood. But I was unable to do anything about it. Not being able to do anything about that in recent years has made me really frustrated and burdened.

”I couldn’t accept my brothers’ attitude toward those practices at all, and it made me even angrier.” She turned and looked at Tianming, then continued, ”In the long history of Myriadpath Valley, people like me in House Suishen and the other houses have no doubt existed. But none of us could do anything about it.

”Even though I’ve reached the major zenith, I still feel powerless. Those practices feel like inevitabilities that’re carved deep into my bones, unchanging. Even if I become the valley lord and get my way, what’ll happen to the next generation? What about the one after that? What about a million years later?”

The unsavory practices had been tolerated even during times when the valley lords were from House Suishen. Suishen Jiguang knew that people like those would still exist in the future. Even astral gods would age and die, so there was no such thing as forever.

”You can call me an idealist if you want. However, in my philosophy, the strongest faction should lead the masses on the right path instead of acting as their oppressors. The Three Exalted Houses have tens of millions of years of history and have caused limitless suffering throughout the Million Mundi. It isn’t a debt that can be paid back.

”The weak have no right to speak out at all. In corners that we don’t see, such as the astrons of the specters of House Yumo, are countless poor, suffering souls. But who would notice their suffering?

”I don’t think I’m particularly righteous. All I feel is that the strongest faction should be the light that guides the way to a better world! Still, everything about the Three Exalted Houses, from our ancestral teachings, sacred code, and House Yumo and House Qitian’s true natures, as well as House Suishen’s weakness and compromises.... All of it makes us into a demonic existence that oppresses other worlds. We were unfortunate to be born into such a faction.”

Suishen Jiguang had felt like that deep in her heart for ages. She had once gotten into a fight with her father and brothers over that very issue, yet the only responses she got were ones of cold dismissal. They called her naive and childish for not understanding the importance of balance in Myriadpath Valley.

Nobody cared about the way Myriadpath Valley categorized talented or untalented people. Their disciples squandered countless lives in the Million Mundi, and nobody cared about it. After all, the rulers, House Qitian, treated the Million Mundi as a farm! There was only one rule concerning the Million Mundi in all of Myriadpath Valley’s history: Myriadpath Valley was absolute!

She had witnessed the unfair treatment and suffering of those people firsthand. Nobody was willing to be their voice. The Three Exalted Houses of Myriadpath Valley saw no issue with it, claiming that the weak should just obediently be food.

For instance, even black ring disciples were able to slaughter anyone they pleased in Bluemaple. The weak and the mortal had no chance at all. The only thing they didn’t have that the strong did was a legacy, but that one thing had cost them their right to speak.

Suishen Jiguang’s eyes were filled with deep sorrow. With reddened eyes, she sighed, ”Back then, Second Brother scolded me for trying to be a saint, saying that I was going against our ancestral teachings and calling me naive and sickly maternal. Sister Xiyue, I can’t stand it anymore. Is something wrong with me?”

She was suffering too much. She used to be an untethered individual who didn’t care about anything other than upholding the strict Myriadpath Sacred Code, their sacred ancestral teachings! But the tens of thousands of words could be summed up in two: devour others!

Suishen Xiyue silently listened until she was done speaking and tightly hugged her. ”Sister... I’m not that kind, and my thoughts are simple. All I want is for my children to not have to suffer. I’m not as great as you are... but I think you’re right! I respect your bravery and charisma. Even if you’ve never felt that confident, I want you to know that you can be! Trust yourself!

”The men of the Three Exalted Houses only care about taking advantage of you. So what if the ancestors said all that? Does that mean they’re infallible? Hearing you speak, I’ve figured it out. If we don’t change Myriadpath Valley from the ground up, generations of people will continue suffering in an orderly, but hopeless world. However, he’s someone who can change that.”

Suishen Xiyue turned and looked at Tianming as her fear slowly turned into worship.

”Sister.... I said that my motives are private... more private than that,” Suishen Jiguang said.

”Is it him?”

”Yes. I’ve spent a lot of time with him, so I trust in his character and abilities. I also trust in his ambition. He’s someone who’s capable of bringing true change to Myriadpath Valley. That’s why, even if I have to turn my back on our ancestors and be called a sellout of the Three Exalted Houses, I want to give it a try....”

If they failed, there would be no turning back. Suishen Xiyue saw her resolution, but didn’t understand Tianming that well yet. What kind of person could make someone like Suishen Jiguang do something so radical and discouraging, risking even her future and reputation? Why would she support him, even at the risk of being called a traitor and sinner for eternity?

Today, Suishen Xiyue had finally seen the truth for herself. ”Jiguang, I was mistaken about you. You might seem dull and boring, but you’re the bravest and most clear-headed person I know! I am proud of you!” She began tearing up.

”Sister Xiyue....” Suishen Jiguang nervously looked at her. Would her sister stand opposed to her on account of the blood of House Suishen in her veins?

Suishen Xiyue didn’t leave her nervous and hanging for long. She patted her on the shoulder and said with bravado, ”What’re you saying? As your elder sister, I’ll be on your side no matter what!”

Suishen Jiguang finally smiled, though her tears still flowed. ”Good... good...!”

Even though she was still tearing up, she resolutely looked at Tianming. She had been mocked as a wannabe saint by others to the point of self-doubt, but she’d decided to completely turn Myriadpath Valley on its head.

***

Ten days later, Tianming had successfully implanted the Imperial Sword Prison in Qitian Muyue and Qing Huang. There were at least a trillion sword sigils within their bodies, completely locking them up. Tianming hadn’t used the Imperial Sword Prison so much over the entire past century. But now, it would take but a single will from him to instantly kill Qitian Muyue and Qing Huang. He had their lives in his hands!

Qitian Muyue and her beast were rather dazed after it was done, with the beast lamenting its fate. Tianming felt completely worn out as well. Major-zenith foundationeers were far too difficult to control. He had never imagined using the Imperial Sword Prison would sap him to this degree, even in his powered-up form. He felt as drained as he had ten years ago, which reminded him of Suishen Jiguang.

”Auntie!” He still kept up a youthful attitude before her. He excitedly went to them and pointed at the radiance around his body. ”How is it? Cool, right? Were you two blinded by my awesomeness?”

The contrast of his attitudes as the Galactic Emperor and a happy-go-lucky junior was far too stark. Both sides were him, but one was what the enemy saw and the other was for his loved ones. The latter was the side that Suishen Jiguang had faith in.

”Not bad, but it’s a little tacky with how bright it is,” Suishen Jiguang chuckled. It’d been ten days, so her emotions had calmed and she’d had the time to think through many things about her future.

”Tacky?” Tianming had never imagined being described with such a term before.

”Hey, your mother-in-law is still here. Why’re you just talking nonstop to your auntie? I’m sensing some other motive here. Don’t forget that she’s your senior!” Suishen Xiyue said, giving him a side eye.

”Huh?” Tianming felt his heart skip a beat. ”D-d-don’t accuse me of something I didn’t do!”

He was feeling guilty and accidentally let a true part of him show. Even though Suishen Xiyue still feared him somewhat, seeing his cute reaction had completely lifted her fears. She pursed her lips and said, ”Alright, my good son-in-law, tell me what’s going on with those abilities of yours.”

That was one of the biggest questions they had. By now, the eminents within the Yumo Blood Crucible had been refined to ash. Qitian Muyue was still alive, but she was no longer an enemy. Even a dog was still part of the household, so there was no need to ask her to move aside.

Tianming had planned to reveal his hand to them anyway. He trusted them and told them everything about the cultivation path of sovereignhood, the strongest cultivation technique that he had.

”That’s why, when I’m in my territory, I’m the Galactic Emperor! I’m one with my subjects that lay scattered across tens of millions of nova source worlds, each of them having more than ten billion people that fight by my side!”

All of them shuddered when they heard those words and froze up like fools for a good half a minute. Qitian Muyue in particular rolled her eyes and almost fainted. She finally knew why she feared him so much: he was no human, but an aggregate lifeform!

”I finally understand....” Suishen Xiyue almost lost her voice. Shuddering, she looked at her son-in-law and continued, ”You are the great tribulation that the Three Exalted Houses have to face. The heavens have sent you to punish Myriadpath Valley on behalf of the Million Mundi!”

The Three Exalted Houses culled the countless masses for their own purposes, whereas Tianming represented the masses to storm Myriadpath Valley. It was a karmic cycle! Qitian Muyue’s worldview crumbled even more when Suishen Xiyue said exactly what she thought. Talking of destiny and karma like that, especially with indisputable proof, was the most soul crushing thing.

Tianming seemed a little embarrassed about being flattered by his mother-in-law like that. ”To be honest, I can only show off like this in my home. In Myriadpath Valley, I’ll turn back into a cutiepie that needs to be protected by you.”

”Is that how it works?” Suishen Jiguang and Xiyue felt somewhat more relieved to hear that. They’d been afraid that Tianming was a super powerful cultivator that had been messing with them by pretending to be weak, but he truly did need their protection when he wasn’t in Infinitum.

Looks like how we treat him can still change things. At the very least, that isn’t bad news for us, Suishen Jiguang thought, terrified that she would no longer be of help to him. However, Tianming had managed to close the distance she had felt between her and the Galactic Emperor. He was still that same boy that they trusted, much to their relief.

”However...” Tianming crossed his arms, ”I defeated Suishen Jinxuan and shook Myriadpath Valley, causing me to gain around eight thousand omnisentient threads from peak astral gods. One day, Myriadpath Valley might become my territory as well. The sparks might start a fire that spreads from the center of the astralscape throughout the Million Mundi!

”The Tianming Dynasty might come to dominate the astralscape of order! Who knows how much stronger I’ll become? Maybe everywhere will be my territory! Would you be scared of that?”

Suishen Jiguang and her sister froze once more. The mere thought of how things could turn out in the future seemed to cause every single one of their astrons to freeze up. They were even more stupefied than before; Tianming was a youth, but he was also the ruler of the astralscape in their eyes.

The chains in their minds loosened like Qitian Muyue’s. Eventually, they seemed to completely give up as well, but in a different manner. Qitian Muyue had been forced to give up on her ambitions due to Tianming’s overwhelming power now as well. She slumped to the ground and stared at the flaming clouds above, completely numb.

Those two Suishen bitches must be involved with him to be so close with him! Why can’t it be me...! Qitian Muyue’s mind was already going in that direction.

If Tianming really became the Galactic Emperor, the Three Exalted Houses would be nothing more than ants at his feet. He laughed when he saw how stupefied they were. ”I’m just messing with you. Things won’t go that easily for me—I’m only daydreaming.”

He waved to the Gladean Ruins and yelled, ”Godfather, Old Lin, come here! Tell these two great beauties of Myriadpath Valley about the rules and taboos of my empire, then brief them about the living conditions of subjects in my worlds, the benefits they’ll enjoy, the upgraded techniques they’ll receive, as well as punishments they’ll get if they misbehave. Teach them what it means for all sentient life to strive to create a new world together!”

”No problem! Ladies, please enter!” It was finally their turn to shine. They warmly welcomed the goddesses who were still reeling from the shock as Tianming went back to Qitian Muyue’s side.

”What should I do once I return to Myriadpath Valley?” she asked, biting her lip.

”Oh? Are you trying to seduce me?” Tianming asked.

Startled, she awkwardly said, ”Was it that obvious?” ”Don’t bother trying,” Tianming coldly said. He paused for a moment. ”Here’s what you should do once you go back....”

Before he even finished telling her his plans, her eyes snapped wide with awe.