Beastmaster of the Ages

Antiquitas Capital was so vast that traveling anywhere on foot would take days or even half a month. Tianming pulled Moran along and swiftly advanced using Fiveway Blitzrun.

Sixth spoke through anyone they encountered along the way, urging him to hurry toward the imperial palace.

”The palace used to be a place I feared, terrified that the antiquitean imperials would discover my secret about resolving xeno fatigue,” Tianming murmured. But now, as he returned to the Xenoabyss, it was as the emperor of the astralscape.

”What does it want me to do at the palace?” Tianming frowned. Fortunately, he had left behind a considerable number of Yin Chens in the capital, which quickly reawakened.

However, they were severely countered by Sixth. Previously, they had spied on everyone, eavesdropping on conversations. But now the entire capital was eerily silent. Its inhabitants moved aimlessly, as if they were busy, but they actually accomplished nothing.

Yin Chen could only observe the strange world through its eyes.

”So you’re saying that after we left, the crowd we saw earlier piled up on the stareye to block it with their bodies?” Tianming asked, exasperated.

”That’s right!” Yin Chen confirmed.

”They don’t want me to return?” Tianming frowned.

”This is familiar. I think they call it ’closing the door to trap the dog,’” Ying Huo quipped with a laugh.

”Are you the dog here?” Tianming shot it a glare.

”Can the stareye really be blocked by people?” Moran asked softly from the side.

”It could interfere with my ability to return unless I kill all those specters.... But creating unnecessary havoc isn’t my style. This is between me and Sixth, there’s no need to involve others,” Tianming sighed, feeling troubled. The brat’s use of the specters as meat shields weighed heavily on his conscience.

”I believe there’s another possibility,” Moran suggested.

”What do you mean?”

”Previously, it seemed terrifying at Myriadpath Valley. It could break your omnisentient threads, and even speak through me. But I feel like it must have more restrictions on it. Otherwise, why would it threaten you with trivial things like clothes instead of instantly wiping out everyone in Myriadpath Valley? Even now, it hides and uses roundabout tactics, like blocking the stareye. Doesn’t that suggest it’s bluffing?”

”You make a good point. Still, a reckless brat with no bottom line is a real headache!” For that reason, Tianming knew he had to be cautious when confronting it.

”Any ideas on how to deal with it?” he asked his lifebound beasts.

”What’s there to fear? Once we see it, we’ll get an inspiration,” Ying Huo replied, utterly unfazed.

The others showed no fear as well.

”Alright!” Tianming nodded before asking Yin Chen, ”What about the imperial palace? Any movement there?”

”It’s crowded... many are... going in,” Yin Chen reported. A short while later, it added, ”A million... antiquitean imperials... are gathered.”

”A million? What are they doing? Waiting for me? Trying to take me down?” Tianming was thoroughly puzzled.

”Didn’t it claim to be able to effortlessly take you down at Myriadpath Valley?” Moran asked.

”It could suppress my omnisentient threads, but it probably couldn’t beat Zhoutian Shenhai. If I lost and Zhoutian Shenhai killed me, it would be a huge loss for Sixth,” Tianming explained.

”True. Forcing you here to subdue you... but relying on a million antiquitean imperials?” Moran skeptically questioned.

”The antiquitean imperials can do it. There’s a million of them! My real combat power here is only that of a sixth-level foundationeer. If it comes to a fight, I’d have to run for my life,” Tianming sighed. But would Sixth let him escape?

”If it planned to attack, why not station that million-strong force near the stareye to attack the moment you arrived?” Ying Huo remarked.

”Maybe it feared we’d flee right away?” Moran suggested.

”Or perhaps the imperial palace has some special properties. It might also indicate that its soul control has certain limitations,” Tianming speculated.

But despite all the analysis, he still needed to head to the palace. ”Be careful when the time comes,” Tianming reminded Moran.

”Understood,” she softly replied, nodding. It was her first time embarking on an adventure alone with Tianming. For her, it was a rare experience and she wanted to shine.

Even with Fiveway Blitzrun, it took Tianming several days to arrive. Finally, a massive, boundless black palace stood before them. It was shrouded in dense white mist, veiling it in what seemed like endless clouds.

That explained why Yin Chen could only report the presence of ’a million antiquitean imperials’ inside without further details.

”Li Tianming, come inside!” As soon as he approached, a collective cry of a million voices rang out like a resounding drumbeat, shaking the giant imperial capital.

The antiquiteans were a race with humanoid bodies and serpent tails that ended with snake heads. Each antiquitean thus had a minimum of two heads.

Tianming steeled himself and leapt over the massive walls, crossing into the palace. Within the dense white mist inside, towering giants crowded the space!

All eyes, both human and serpent, turned toward Tianming in unison. Their eerie smiles sent shivers down his spine.

”We’ve been waiting for you!” They stood in perfect formation, their symmetry rivaling that of Yin Chen. Every individual was identically posed.

”Enough with the theatrics! Face me directly if you dare! All this sneaky behavior... out of all the Primordial Chaos Beasts, you’re the weakest!” Tianming’s voice resonated with authority as he boldly strode into the palace, weaving through the masses of towering giants.

”Provocation? How childish. I know exactly how strong I am,” a million voices jeered in unison.

”If you’re so sure, then stop hiding and face me yourself!” Tianming sneered, scanning the Antiquitas Mortis crowd before shouting, ”Or are you planning to rely on these pathetic creatures to take me down?”

With that, he leaped into the air and used his Lan Huang-enhanced body to kick one of the giants. The targeted antiquitean imperial flew backward, crashing into hundreds more and sending tremors through the ground as chaos erupted.