Beastmaster of the Ages

Tianming couldn’t help but sigh. ”It felt like my caelum had stayed in that city for a lifetime. Who would’ve thought that only three days passed? The Foundation stage is so amazing! Advanced cosmic deities must be even closer to the cosmic laws!”

It was great being in the reges mundi level of the Caeli Vault.

”There’s no rush to leave. It’s only been three days. Let’s see if I can become a twelfth-level stellaminor, grasp the last piece of the initiate cosmic deity phase puzzle, and perfect the minor stella charts on my albi’s inner walls now that my divine wills have grown.”

The completion of the minor stella chart was the key requirement for an astral god. Tianming was in a hurry, of course.

”My progress would’ve been faster if it weren’t for Tianxi and Lin Jianxing. Huang Qi’s rewards still have an impact on me as well. This is also my first time being this close to a rex mundi’s caelum.”

The reges mundi level was sparse, but filled with nova source. He had basically consumed all of the primeval source left in his body after returning to Ebonia and his astralforce had been completely replaced with Ebonia’s explosive nova source. After Ji Ji regained consciousness, genesis ancestral nova source had also returned to his body, making his strength more violent and destructive. However, his cultivation level was still considered a shortcoming.

”Today, I’ll take the last step to becoming an astral god!”

Taking a deep breath, Tianming began circulating the Aeternal Infernal Codex, Genesis Chaos Codex, and the other codices. Ebonia’s boundless nova source was absorbed into his albi and gathered in his astral discs and his strength rapidly increased. The entire process caused a huge disturbance in the reges mundi level. Like a tumultuous storm, nova source poured into his body. The astral discs in each albus furiously absorbed the newly transformed power, and whatever couldn’t be absorbed entered their inner walls and built up within his minor stella charts. Like twinkling stars in the night sky, the minor stella charts glowed brighter and brighter, eventually forming a series of criss-crossing bands of light. They were the embryonic form of Cosmic Cartography, and also the blueprint for heptastar cosmic physiques.

If Tianming were to carefully study his minor stella charts, he would find that they were different from others. However, he had yet to discover that because he had never seen someone else’s minor stella charts and cosmic atlas.

This time, advancing proved to be a bit of a challenge. Just a step away from making a breakthrough, neither his Imperial nor Lifesbane Will could support it.

”Just a little more! Nevermind, just this time!” Gritting his teeth, Tianming persisted.

His albi resembled the Order Relic, sturdy and strong, which gave him courage. Although his two divine wills could barely support it, he continued to transform and condense power within his body. A storm raged inside him, turbulent astralforce turning into flames, lightning, and other elements, violently colliding around. For any ordinary person, it would have caused a large number of their albi to split apart, resulting in serious physical injuries and even the collapse of their cultivation. However, Tianming discovered that his spherical honeycomb briquet-like albi were as stable as a mountain. Without external forces acting upon them, it was difficult for any internal turmoil to damage his albi.

”Is this also a benefit of the Order Relic? Has it increased my body’s ability to tolerate violent internal surges? I wonder what it would take for these albi to burst.”

Internal and external damage were two different things. One punch was all it would take to destroy numerous albi. The stability of the albus’ internal structure meant that Tianming had a higher tolerance for errors; a temporary explosion of power might not even hurt his body.

”Anyway, advancing to the twelfth level of the Stellaminoris stage should be a done deal!”

The power in his body was obviously at the limit. Despite the intense surging storm within him, there was no trace of it on the outside. It was as if the forces were caged by a boundless abyss.

”Fullstella! Strongest of the initiate cosmic deities! I can explore the path to astral god once I stabilize my cultivation!” Tianming stood up, foolish with joy. Cultivating and breaking through was delightful for both the body and the mind.

”Do you have your astralsea divinity cultivation techniques ready?” Tianming asked. From what he had heard, he would have to use a new method to assimilate nova source using his actual lungs after becoming an astral god. Before that, it was only basic absorption, but astral gods directly inhaled nova source!

”Bullshit! We’re already half astral gods. You’re the trash that’s holding us back,” Ying Huo said contemptuously.

”You guys?” Tianming was shocked.

”Take that! Hahaha!” Lan Huang rolled all over the ground in laughter as the others speechlessly watched.

They were ready; the road ahead of Tianming was vast and free.

”We’ll focus on becoming astral gods, as well as cultivating sword arts.” The reges mundi level was the perfect place for that.

”I’ll need some time to stabilize my cultivation. Rushing will only create more problems… I’ll check in with the elders.”

Tianming wasn’t sure how long the elders could wait. Although the Caeli Vault was guarded by a formation, it was inferior to the one protecting the council hall. Theoretically speaking, it couldn’t stop Tianxi. Tianming wouldn’t dare remain in the Caeli Vault level if the elders weren’t around. Before leaving, he glanced at his disciple card. Because he didn’t possess any cosmoforce, it still read “twelfth-level stellaminor.”

”This time, it matches my actual cultivation level. Taking down Shenxi Shang would be easy now, wouldn’t it?” Tianming smiled.

”He’s already dead and you’re still thinking of taking him down? You’re shameless,” Ying Huo mocked.

”It’s just an example,” Tianming said.

”Who’s Example? You want to beat him up?” Lan Huang shouted, trying to inject some humor into the conversation.

Tianming and the other lifebound beasts were stunned.

”Haha!” Lan Huang was so amused by its own joke that it began pounding the ground with laughter.

......

As soon as Tianming left the Caeli Vault, the elders outside immediately behaved as if they were facing a formidable enemy. Lin Chongyao parked the Phantavoid at the entrance, so Tianming could enter it as soon as he left. From the looks of it, the elders were still on guard.

It was clear that Tianxi and the alien monster placed a great deal of pressure on them.

”Why aren’t you an astral god, although you seem to have made progress?” Lin Xiao asked.

”Grandpa, all that’s left is the last step. I might have to go on a retreat. It’ll take me at least a few months, or several years at most,” Tianming said.

”You’ll be able to defeat a fifth-level orderan when you become an astral god!” Lin Changkong couldn’t believe it.

”I should be able to. There’s some issues with my cultivation level. If it weren’t for that, I’d already be a fifth-level orderan.” That was the best explanation he could give. Otherwise it would be hard for them to accept the fact that he was able to leapfrog several cultivation levels and defeat astral gods.