Beastmaster of the Ages

The atmosphere grew tense the moment Tianming said that. It looked like stars were colliding inside Lin Jianxing’s eyes, causing an explosion of astral sword ki to surge out and almost consume Tianming. Yet he wore a calm expression, not fearful in the slightest. He knew that Lin Jianxing wouldn’t kill someone from his own clan yet, if only to protect the impression Yi Zhuojun had of him as a reliable person. Who could bring themselves to trust someone who jumped at the chance to fight someone from their own clan? As such, Lin Jianxing had no choice but to swallow his rage, no matter how much he seethed about it.

Even though he could have crushed Tianming when they first met, he’d had to endure having his patience tested and challenged time and time again since then. And the more he looked down on Tianming, the worse he felt about it.

As the air in the room heated up, Yi Zhoujun stepped in. ”Gentlemen, let’s wait until you return to the Infinitum Swordsea to settle that petty grudge. There’s no need to go at each other when we have a bigger foe to face. Not to mention, you guys are from the same clan. So the five of us should stand united.”

”Brother Yi is right. That’s what I expect from a sensible person, unlike someone I know who thinks he’s some hotshot,” Tianming said.

”Lin Feng, don’t act shamelessly. Our alliance can do without you perfectly fine. Who would care about you if not for Dongshen Xiaoli?” Lin Linglin said, gritting her teeth in anger.

”Who would care about you if not for Lin Jianxing? At the very least, I’m stronger than you, so you are the last person I want to hear that from,” Tianming said, chuckling.

”Enough, Lin Feng. You need to tone it down,” Yi Zhuojun said. If the conflict between Tianming and Lin Jianxing really couldn’t be resolved, he would be willing to give up on Dongshen Xiaoli as well. ”Dongshen Xiaoli, watch your cousin.”

”Brother Yi...” Lin Jianxing saluted him, ”apologies, that was my blunder. You’re right. A minor conflict like ours can be settled back home. Let’s focus on unity for the sake of survival.”

”That’s right!” Yi Zhuojun seemed rather satisfied with the quick correction of Lin Jianxing’s attitude. When it really counted, Yi Zhuojun and Lin Jianxing were the ones who mattered the most.

However, Lin Linglin didn’t seem quite happy that her beef with Tianming hadn’t been resolved. But she didn’t dare to defy Lin Jianxing when he hinted to her about it, so she swallowed her anger. The main reason Lin Jianxing didn’t dare to simply force his way was that he couldn’t be sure whether the Oldgod Rings were still broadcasting to the outside world. Not to mention, he needed Yi Zhuojun to work with him. It was a shame that he hadn’t been the first to run into Yi Zhuojun, otherwise it would have been much harder for Tianming and Dongshen Xiaoli to join their team.

”Lin Jianxing seems to be rather polite toward Yi Zhuojun. Does he have some high status or something?” Tianming asked his cousin in a hushed voice.

”Of course. He’s the nephew of the rex mundi! His father is one of Yi Daiyan’s brothers,” she said.

In other words, Yi Daiyan was his aunt; that wasn’t a connection that could merely be brushed off. Though it also meant that the Lin Clan didn’t dare to bring anything up about Yi Daiyan stealing their Ancestral Swordheart after she became rex mundi, given how Lin Jianxing didn’t dare to offend Yi Zhuojun in the slightest. It was a matter best left for another day to settle.

The main reason the reformists of the clan wanted to form closer ties with the ebons was to step out of the shadow cast upon them by Yi Daiyan. But before that was a certain thing, Lin Jianxing still had to regard Yi Zhuojun politely even though they were supposed to be enemies, especially from the point of view of the reformists. Tianming had a feeling that Lin Jianxing was a person fraught with internal contradictions and always scheming something, so he had better be on guard.

”I see. What about Yi Taoyao?”

”Whoa. So you know about that young goddess of the luxdaemons? Are you constantly out searching for news about beauties? Cousin, you already have a wife and two concubines! This won’t do!” Dongshen Xiaoli nagged.

”Sheesh, why does your little mouth flap so much?” Tianming wanted to pinch her mouth shut.

”Hey, what are you doing? Are you trying to kiss me? We’re cousins!” She backed off in a hurry and put her hands around her lips.

”No way! We’re related, okay?!”

”That’s exactly why! I heard your clan prioritizes keeping your bloodline pure. You guys simply love getting paired up with your cousins!” Dongshen Xiaoli alertly backed off, tearing up. ”Cousin, even though you’re handsome, I have to tell you that it’s impossible between us! I haven’t even fallen in love yet, so I won’t let my first be with a playboy like you!”

Her imagination was truly vivid. Tianming only wanted to pinch her lips shut, but the fanciful tale she spun in her mind was going out of control to the point that she was tearing up. ”Stop! I only wanted to ask about Yi Taoyao’s status. If you don’t want to tell me, fine!”

”Alright.” She snapped out of it and continued, ”That goddess with the finest of long legs... Her father’s one of the brothers of the rex mundi as well. She’s Yi Daiyan’s niece and has an even higher status than Yi Zhuojun, thanks to being more talented. I guess they’re cousins in a sense!”

”Got it.” ’Goddess with the finest of long legs’ was truly an apt description of Yi Taoyao. Her white hair, five-colored eyes, and slender figure did indeed give her the aura of a celestial maiden.

”You’d better drop that notion. That goddess is said to be cold and proud. She aspires to reach the heights of her aunt and isn’t interested in men in the slightest. Everyone in Ebonia is just a turkey compared to a phoenix like her,” Dongshen Xiaoli advised.

”Hey, I never said I was into her.” No matter how beautiful she is, she’s never going to be as delectable as my Ling’er.

The two looked like they were plotting something with their hushed whispers, not that it mattered, since the key figures of the team, Lin Jianxing and Yi Zhuojun, were coming up with possible contingencies. Tianming and Dongshen Xiaoli were sidelined in the group. Though Tianming was confident he could carry his own weight in the fight, he didn’t feel the need to. There’s going to be all kinds of unpredictable situations, so it’d be best for me to keep my trump cards to myself.

Yin Chen reported that the ebons more or less finished their discussion and had decided to come meet Tianming’s group. ”What were their exact words?”

”They don’t... know your... identities, so... they’ve decided... to come... and check... you out... for now.... If you... are weak... they’ll kill.... If you... are strong... they’ll split... you up!”

Watching their group of five joining up must have given the ebons quite a bit of pressure. Before they knew who they were dealing with, they couldn’t make a decision. Soon, the two groups of five met in the center of the room.