Beastmaster of the Ages

A sword strike pierced the skies of the Azuresoul Sword Mountain, leaving an obvious mark through a few clouds. The place was filled with activity, with countless cultivators going about talking about the development of the imperial star ranking. Word from the Voidsky Flame Pillar had arrived, followed by even more, increasing in intensity. Gujian Qingshuang wasn’t able to sit without being knocked off his chair by one shocking news after another.

He had left the Azuresoul Sword Palace and joined the others there to watch the grand event. The appearance of the Ninedragon Imperial Tomb had immediately rocketed the current match to a historic height. To the powerful cultivators of Orderia, who could live up to two millennia, a thirty-year-old was no different to an infant. It was a battle of babies. Yet this competition was being regarded even more seriously than the most dire of sect wars, especially after word of the Ninedragon Imperius and Divine Worldeater Cauldron’s appearance. The juniors of the sects almost went insane watching it, and even the seniors had started to pray.

“The Ninedragon Imperius was claimed by Xuanyuan Dragon Sect…. That isn’t the worst outcome. Please, don’t let our disciples claim the Divine Worldeater Cauldron!”

The cauldron was a legacy that could allow the Azuresoul Palace to reign for thousands of generations, yet they were praying they wouldn’t get it. It was clear from that alone how wise the second-rate sects were when it came to matters concerning the powers that be. Yet the thing they had worried about the most had come to pass after all.

“Chief Instructor! Look at the imperial star ranking!”

Countless seniors felt the blood drain from their faces. Without them having to remind him, he was the first one to note the changes.

“Yu Ziqian got four hundred thousand points and reached third place!”

“The chief disciple got the Divine Worldeater Cauldron!”

Those of the sect had all kinds of polarizing reactions toward the same news. The elites of the Azuresoul Palace were stunned beyond belief.

“It’d already be a miracle if we were to get even one of those treasures, yet we got the cauldron, of all things! Sigh….”

“What in the world is with these disciples of Jiang Qingliu?”

“The Xuanyuan Dragon Sect is going to take three of them in without Yu Ziqian, but now it looks like he has to go, too. Otherwise we’ll be in deep trouble.”

“Looks like this disciple is already too risky to keep.”

“What do you think, Chief Instructor?”

Everyone turned to Gujian Qingshuang, who merely watched the changing ranking with his hands behind his back. Taking a deep breath, he said, “The Divine Worldeater Cauldron is no doubt the most precious of those treasures. Currently, the Myriad Solar Sects, and even the celestial orderians, will be keeping their eye on the Xuanyuan Dragon Sect. They might not be able to maintain their hold on that. What I’m afraid of is that after we hand everything over and obtain the Xuanyuan Dragon Sect’s protection, we’ll still be involved in the subsequent massacre that is to happen…”

Most of them already guessed what he was implying.

“Ideally, Yu Ziqian should join the Sky Palace! That way the matter of the cauldron will be wiped clean. Without it, the Xuanyuan Dragon Sect will only have three treasures. The divine pill has been consumed, after all. Unlike the cauldron, those weapons can only make a single person powerful. Yet the cauldron holds the potential to strengthen a whole group of people at once. Should that be the case, the Xuanyuan Dragon Sect will be fine, and us by extension.” That was the ideal scenario he envisioned.

“Chief Instructor, someone from the Xuanyuan Dragon Sect is here,” came a report.

“Have them sent in, quick!” Gujian Qingshuang knew that the appearance of an object of that caliber would trigger a huge storm in Orderia. With what had happened at the Voidsky Realm, the Azuresoul Palace was at the very frontier of that storm. “We can only rise or fall now. There’s no other way.”

……

At the south of the sun, the Voidsky Flame Pillar continued expelling nova source toward the reddish sky. Drops of fiery rain fell to the ground with a sharp sound like a literal meteor shower, sowing chaos over the terrain below. Yet the number of people around the Voidsky Flame Pillar was only increasing.

Initially, only seniors waiting for their disciples to come out had been there. But after the appearance of the Ninedragon Imperial Tomb, many interested parties had emerged. Certain factions were even preparing to assemble their armies. Their intentions were plain as day. The only thing that remained to be revealed was the pick for who would join the Sky Palace. That single decision would shape the history of the sun for aeons to come.

“These kids should be proud of causing a commotion of this magnitude,” someone said, staring at the Skyward Stele at a corner facing the pillar. Mist seemed to move about in his cloudy eyes. “Four of the top eight places have been taken by the Azuresoul Palace, eh….”

His expression was initially sour, but he suddenly sincerely smiled when Yu Ziqian emerged. “Interesting…. Will the Xuanyuan Dragon Sect be able to protect you?”

There were too many intricacies amidst the complex political dealings of the factions within the Myriad Solar Sects. Earning the ire of many was not a wise move. Not even the Dreamless Celestial Nation would be able to take on everyone else at once.

“Brother Yun,” a deep voice called out.

Yun Tianque turned back and saw a group of blue-haired people approaching. The leader had a face like that of a shark. When he spoke, a few sharp teeth could be seen.

“Brother Lan Sha.” Yun Tianque waved to him. Behind Lan Sha were tens of others from the Blueblood Starocean, Lan Feilin and Lan Xingyao among them.

“I have some friends to introduce you to, Brother Yun,” Lan Sha said with a smile.

“Oh? To whom do I owe the pleasure?” Yun Tianque saw golden giants heading toward them, all of them more than three meters tall. They were like gigantic beasts, threatening to flatten everything in their path with every step. They were the wargodeans who ranked fourth among all the factions, being the most powerful faction among them that was united by a shared racial heritage. Their fame echoed far and wide.