Beastmaster of the Ages

His words made the cosmic gods of Violetblitz uneasy.

”You’ve changed.” Lifting his head, Lin Xiaoting launched himself into the air, his eyes blazing like nova source as he stared at Tianming.

”What’s changed?” Tianming asked calmly.

”You’re arrogant now! You’re ballsy and domineering when you speak!” Lin Xiaoting smiled and gave Tianming a thumbs-up.

Instead of fearing him, they grew more at ease. They had encountered many who made ruthless remarks, but had never witnessed a Skyplunder imperial son making such bombastic threats.

”They’re laughing because they think you’re posturing,” said Mu Qingqing.

”Does that need explaining?” Tianming said, his eyes briefly flickering towards the cosmic gods. His anger turned into a murderous intent.

Li Tianzi said nothing more. Instead, he brushed past Tianming and said, ”Go back to your Kunruler Palace. It’s not time for you to appear at the banquet, so don’t spoil the surprise.” He shot toward Plunderlord Palace, the city’s most distinguished place, where Nullity welcomed the guests.

As soon as Li Tianzi vanished, an immense sea of lightning erupted in the sky, as millennia-old cosmic gods descended upon Skyplunder Capital.

”Imperator Jian!”

The arrival of the first foreign imperator to set foot upon Nullity was met with a city-wide chorus of voices, a testament to his prestige. Tianming looked up to see a lightning cosmic god more majestic than imperial son Lin Xiaoting. A towering and majestic 100,000-meter figure, he was entirely enshrouded in billions of lightning bolts, his divine power unrivaled and reminiscent of the true progenitor of lightning.

”Lin Tianjian?” Tianming had a fleeting impression of the man’s face. Glancing at Lin Xiaoting, he immediately knew Lin Tianjian was his father. He was completely unprepared for the name to emerge in the Realm of Chaos as Imperator Jian. Any memory of Lin Tianjian had long since turned to dust.

”Who’s directing this boring play and reusing characters?”

Tianming was speechless. For a moment, his mind reeled. But looking at Lin Xiaoting and his father, he could only say, “Forget it. There’s no need to reconcile the two worlds. They’re fundamentally different.”

The man before him was a living and breathing lightning cosmic god who had existed for hundreds of thousands of years. His every word and every move commanded the heavens and earth; his gaze was deep beyond mortal comparison.

As soon as he appeared, Imperator Jian simply glanced at Tianming and said to Lin Xiaoting, ”Stop embarrassing yourself and come with me to Plunderlord Palace.”

”Yes.” With a nod of obedience, the Violetblitz imperial son departed, but not before giving Tianming a meaningful look, as if to remind him of their thousand-year agreement.

The other Violetblitz cosmic gods soared through the air and entered the palace as well.

Tianming was preparing to leave for the Kunruler Palace when a thunderous boom made him look up. Above, the sea of lightning had given way to a fiery furnace, the flames swirling into the shape of drifting maple leaves. A group of cosmic gods emerged from the blazing core, their bodies aflame.

”Imperator Feng is here...” Many whispered, their voices filled with awe.

”Imperator Feng?”

Tianming’s gaze was drawn to the foremost cosmic god, a humanoid form of magma, burning with the intensity of a boundless, ageless god. His raw power and overwhelming presence rivaled Imperator Jian.

”Why does this man look familiar? What’s his name?” Tinaming managed a fleeting glimpse of the man’s silhouette through the brilliant blaze, but the obscuring flames prevented him from recognizing him.

Mu Qingqing introduced him, ”He’s Imperator Feng of Violetblitz.”

”He comes from Violetblitz as well? Two imperatores on one starcage? He must be strong!” said Tianming.

”Yes... He’s a true legend. Violetblitz was dominated by Imperator Jian’s lineage, but he fought his way to the top. With the power of fire, he elevated the flamemaple race, became an imperator, and claimed half of Imperator Jian’s territory,” Mu Qingqing said solemnly.

”The Flamemaple race...”

So that was why he looked strangely familiar!

”Damn it, it’s Li Yanfeng!” Ying Huo shouted.

”That old bastard, meow,” Meow Meow said.

”Stop swearing!” Although he didn’t utter a single curse, Tianming was inwardly more shocked than the other two.

Just a coincidence... Just a coincidence. The name’s just a name. They’ve nothing to do with each other, so don’t confuse the two.

He could only persuade himself.

Just as he was thinking this, Mu Qingqing said, ”Imperator Feng’s most sensational feat was slaughtering Imperator Jian’s father. He was once a general serving the old imperator, but betrayed his former master and rose to power against all odds. It sent shockwaves across the Realm of Chaos.”

”Holy smokes!”

Wasn’t this Li Yanfeng’s murder of Lightning Seigneur?

”Some events here seem to mirror what took place in Vermillion Bird... They’re all so powerful now. I feel as if I’ve left Flamehaven and come to Ignispolis once more!”

Could these strange cosmic parallels be hiding secrets?

The mighty Imperator Feng entered Plunderlord Palace without noticing Tianming.

”Li Yanfeng, you could never have imagined how impressive you are in this world!”

Tianming couldn’t help but smile bitterly. The real Li Yanfeng had most likely died of old age in the chaos skyjail. Time had dulled the hatred and enmity, and now he just found it amusing.

...

Tianming proceeded to wait in the Kunruler Palace. Outside, a procession of imperatores arrived in succession, accompanied by cosmic gods from their worlds. He noted the arrival of five imperatores at Skyplunder Capital, beginning with Imperator Jian. Naturally, some chose not to attend, or perhaps were unable to.

”Given the circumstances, five is a solid turnout,” Mu Qingqing said softly, sitting on her knees beside him.

Just as Tianming wanted to ask about the situation here, she stood up and cut him off by saying, ”Your mother says you should enter Plunderlord Palace now.”

”Sure.” Tianming rose to his feet.

”Don’t be nervous. It’s okay,” Mu Qingqing assured him.

”I’m not nervous at all.” Pursing his lips, Tianming headed out.

Glancing from the 100,000-year-old portrait behind her to Tianming’s departing back, Mu Qingqing chuckled helplessly. ”Why are you such a rascal now? How annoying...”

Even so, she followed him carefully.