Beastmaster of the Ages

”Li Tianming!” An old figure suddenly rushed toward Tianming and prostrated before him, tears flowing nonstop. It was the old patriarch of House Suishen, Suishen Xiao. His eyes were red with tears as he begged, ”Please spare my son’s life on account of Yaoyao and Jiguang! From now on, House Yumo’s no more. He no longer has a right to dream about leading the Three Exalted Houses. Please give him a chance to show remorse so that he can turn over a new leaf to serve you! He can help you administer Tianmingopolis! He’s also experienced in matters of the Million Mundi!”

The old patriarch’s desperate pleas came from the love of his son. He was so nervous that he immediately knelt toward Tianming despite being an elder. ”Even though you never blended well with House Qitian and House Yumo, you have incredibly complex ties to House Suishen! Your conflict with him was merely one of ideals, not life and death! Please spare his life on account of the protection we offered you back then. He’s Yaoyao’s father!”

The old patriarch’s tears flowed more and more as he audibly sobbed and prepared to kowtow toward Tianming. The other Suishens closely watched the sight. All of them actually felt rather conflicted about the situation. With everything being set in stone, they were hoping that Tianming would spare Suishen Ranxing for their familial ties, but they didn’t dare to say it, especially with Suishen Xiyue still around. Only creditors could decide whether to forgive a debt.

Before the old patriarch’s head met the ground, a light surrounded him and pulled him up. Tianming couldn’t possibly let Jiguang’s father—his senior—kowtow to him like that. As everyone watched, he took a deep breath and said, ”I don’t have the right to forgive him. After all, the ones he harmed aren’t me.”

Tianming turned and looked at Suishen Xiyue. She had known from the beginning that the day she would judge Suishen Ranxing would eventually come. He was someone who had abandoned her in the abyss of despair; it was made even worse after he tricked her into going to the Inner Yin, only to betray her trust and backstab her after she had birthed him two children. And if that wasn’t already enough, he had even attempted to use his own children as hostages to threaten Tianming! Her hatred for him had reached a boiling point.

”I’m sure everyone wishes for me to let go of his sins and give all of you a happy ending. However, those who haven’t experienced pain at the hands of others shouldn’t preach kindness for the sake of those others!” Suishen Xiyue looked at her former husband with incredible hate and resentment.

”Suishen Xiyue!” The old patriarch’s face turned pale. ”It was my fault! I raised him wrong! Please, let my death atone for his sins!”

”That’s enough!” Suishen Ranxing growled, causing the people around him to back off. He looked at his father with contempt and smirked. ”Do you know who you’re kneeling toward? An invader who wiped out Myriadpath Valley! A fiend that wants to enslave our kind! But here you are, begging for his mercy?! Where’s your pride as a Suishen? Even if you’re defeated, you can’t let anyone trample on your soul and dignity!”

”What’re you saying?! Shut up!” the old patriarch snapped.

”Shut up? Hahahaha...!” Suishen Ranxing glared at every single Suishen near him before stopping at Jiguang. ”Look at your sorry, pathetic state after you’ve been conquered! You were one of the Three Exalted Houses, yet your backbones all softened when you became the bitches of this invader. You all even seem glad that it happened! Are any of you really the inheritors of the legacy of House Suishen that’s been passed down through countless generations? You’re even cheering for his so-called dynasty! Don’t you know you’re just insulting your own bloodline and spirit?!”

”Suishen Ranxing!” the old patriarch yelled again.

”Scram!” Suishen Ranxing glared at him and turned to Tianming with a fuming expression. ”You! You’re powerful, alright! Monstrously so! You wiped out Myriadpath Valley and two of the Three Exalted Houses before castrating the last one! You sure are domineering after doing everything to trample upon us. But let me tell you this: in the countless worlds out there, there will always be someone stronger. Life finds a way to surpass what’s come before! You might’ve won today, but one day, someone else will wipe out your descendants! Just you wait! Hahahaha!”

His unkempt hair flipped about as he rapidly turned and looked at everyone else. ”Suishen Xiyue, you think you’re incredible, don’t you? So what? You got it from becoming someone’s dog, someone’s bitch! Don’t feel so good about yourself. Your disgusting drool for your master will stain the sacred ground that our ancestors built.

”Jiguang, looks like you’ve achieved your revenge. However, I still don’t get one thing about you. You were completely powerless and incapable. Was there anything worthwhile about you but your beauty? Do you think that all you need to do is to stick to someone like him? This kid is ambitious and far-seeing. One day, he’ll abandon you after he had his fun with you. There’ll be countless women scrambling for his attention, and you’ll only be able to watch with tears in your eyes!

”And finally, Dad!” Suishen Ranxing gave his father the most complex look. ”If I become your son again in the next life, don’t beg for mercy from an enemy so pathetically. You made me lose all my dignity, don’t you know that? You almost made me fall to the level of the rest of these dogs! Do you know what you did?!”

He turned toward the Suishen Cave and knelt on the ground with a thud. ”Ancestors of House Suishen, I, Suishen Ranxing, have failed you! Our house has submitted to an outsider! I’ve failed you, my ancestors, failed the ancient old gods, and Myriadpath Valley! There’s nothing I can do to atone for my sins. May I never find peace in death! Let me never enter the cycle of reincarnation as punishment for my sins!”

When he finished ranting, his body exploded and turned into a blazing star. The flames burned bright, casting light on the faces of every Suishen and even deep into their hearts. The burning star rose into the sky and became like the flames on the myriadpath steles, brightly flashing at the center of Tianmingopolis before turning into ash and scattering over the mountains and rivers of Myriadpath Valley in an instant.

”My son... my son...!” The old patriarch slumped to the ground crying like he had completely lost his spirit.