Beastmaster of the Ages

”It all depends on your own choices. There’s nothing I can do to help,” Sovereign Starfeather said.

”Understood. Thank you nonetheless, Sovereign.” After Tianming expressed his gratitude, he gripped Godsin and entered the cloud of divine hazards in search of the grade-eight ones. It was said that there were ten or more of those within.

”They were attracted here by the Galactic Godsin, so I’ll use it to search for them.” Galactic Godsin was both a grade-nine divine pattern and the name of a grade-nine divine hazard. Reaching the center of the cloud, he raised the sheet-thin but razor-sharp Godsin up. When he channeled his astralforce into it, green ’veins’ began surfacing on the blade as if it was a living being. The veins were actually grade-nine divine patterns.

An inky-green aura of death began to emanate from the sword; it was the power of Galactic Godsin and the origin of the frostsky plague. The aura was able to seep into the flesh of the living, absorbing all the warmth they contained until its prey froze to death. Only then would it leave the body, larger than before, and continue spreading until all life around it was extinguished. Without anyone to stop it, it could extinguish all of the mundane lifeforms on an entire astral world. Only astral physiques could resist its power. If Frozen Glasstree could be considered the king of divine hazards, Galactic Godsin was their ancestor. Its power dyed the cloud of divine hazards an inky green the moment it was released.

Tianming waved the sword around and heard a clink. ”Here, eh?” The yellowspring fish within the sword had served as an artifact soul for a long time and was even more embedded than the artifact soul of the Lifesteal Silverdragon. As such, Tianming could interact with it somewhat, and even direct it around, especially after it had been domesticated. Tianming had it guide him through the cloud, and he eventually felt that his target was close. Rumbling was coming from ahead, like the beating of a heart.

”This is....” Tianming was a little stunned to see the divine hazard up close. It actually looked like a gigantic heart! Every time it beat, it sent a drumming sound through the clouds. The strong smell of blood that wafted over almost made him puke. ”This is a strand of sword ki?”

His horizons were expanded. For grade seven and below sword ki, they still somewhat looked sword-like. However, the Frozen Glasstree already hadn’t conformed to that expectation, and this time he saw a heart.

”If this is like the Frozen Glasstree, it isn’t real flesh and blood. It just took a form similar to a heart. However, there must be a reason why it assumed this outer form. The Frozen Glasstree took the form of a tree as it was best able to utilize its destructive capabilities that way.”

Looking closer, Tianming saw the element of the sword ki. Outside the heart were many dense blood vessels that got filled with blood every time the heart beat, constantly cycling the blood. Those blood drops all looked like swords. Though they didn’t seem sharp, they appeared sinister, and that was just the blood visible from the surface.

”This sword ki is perfect for the Blooddragon Sacrifice!” His eyes shone. While the Frozen Glasstree suited the Fienddragon Blood Transience, that synergy paled in comparison with that of the Blooddragon Sacrifice and this heart.

”It’s called the Bloodweep Swordheart,” Sovereign Starfeather said when he approached with a look of praise. ”Having never left the nova source, it’s bound to be much more powerful than the Frozen Glasstree. The powers within are so powerful that you wouldn’t stand a chance of absorbing it without the Galactic Godsin. Even so, it’s still rather dangerous. Do you want to try out something else first?”

”I’ll eventually have to get to it, so I might as well try it now!” Tianming couldn’t think of a better name for it. The sword ki within the heart formed a sea.

”Fortune favors the young and the bold, huh. How envious.” Sovereign Starfeather watched as Tianming fearlessly approached the beating heart. It felt the presence of the Galactic Godsin and beat even faster, letting out loud thumps. Though it was a beating heart, it seemed like clashing planets. The bloody sword ki from within surged out and pointed toward Tianming.

”Go!” Tianming raised the sword and charged toward the heart, unleashing Galactic Godsin from his weapon. The inky-green miasma spread out like a gigantic beast and enveloped the heart. The Bloodweep Swordheart respectfully bowed to the more powerful divine hazard, but Tianming would still have to endure terrifying pain to absorb it into his sword body.

”The path of cultivation is the path of self-torture! I’ll proceed for the sake of the future!” He was truly facing too much pressure. So far, he still didn’t know what had befallen his parents. Not to mention, he needed power to protect his lover, sister, friends, and bestial pals, and eventually save his godfather, whose fate was yet unknown. There was also the upcoming threat of the Mysterium Cluster, pushing him on a path of no return. He yelped with pain within the cloud of ink green.

Sovereign Starfeather listened with his hands behind his back, seemingly shaken. ”Looks like he’s shouldering quite the burden....”

......

Once the process to assimilate the sword ki started, it was only a matter of time before it infused into the albi of Tianming’s body. As long as he endured and persevered, he would be able to take on even more in the future, equipped as he was with a new weapon and his ultimate technique. It was far easier than becoming a solarian.