Beastmaster of the Ages

This time around, Tianming’s radically different transformation had had something to do with Huang Qi; he would have to face it eventually. He laid flat on the ground within the Fishguts, relieved that he was finally safe. Though he was still rather disoriented, his will grew stronger and stronger, but as far as anyone else was concerned he was out like a log.

Lin Xiong had Feiling look after Tianming while he stood guard. ”Lin Chongjing, you should all leave!”

Even though Lin Jie had escaped, Lin Xiong and the rest still weren’t capable of convicting Lin Chongjing and the other four. It would be safer to have them leave the council hall for now.

”On what basis?” Lin Chongjing smirked, clearly dissatisfied by all that had transpired. ”Don’t celebrate so soon. Even if Lin Jie was forced to escape and Tianxi and the monster from the ancestral world were defeated, if Lin Changkong and Lin Lao’er perish at Mount Taia and the Lifeless Chaoshole, the few of you will be all that’s left in the clan. There’s no guarantee that you’ll persevere.”

Even now, Lin Chongjing still didn’t think he would be dealt with. Everything that had happened at the Infinitum Swordsea still hadn’t been enough to properly crush the reformists.

”Leave!” Lin Chongyao hissed, knowing that it wasn’t time to settle debts right now. They still hadn’t received any word from Mount Taia so far. Lin Chongjing and the rest unwillingly relented, knowing that they wouldn’t be able to assassinate Tianming in the council hall at this time.

Once they got outside, Lin Xiong made a clan-wide announcement. ”Everyone, rejoice. Lin Feng’s still alive and well. The monster from the ancestral world and Tianxi, who’ll be judged by the Infinitum Bodhimanda, and these traitors shan’t touch a single hair on him! The animals lost! We prevailed!”

His words stoked the flames of righteous anger in the countless clan members. ”We won!”

Tears of joy flowed. While they didn’t know where the other two foreign invaders were, at the very least, Tianming had returned to the council hall. The traitors wouldn’t be able to touch him any longer, either. It was only then that the distraught Yin Chen realized that it hadn’t told the good news from Mount Taia to Lin Xiong and the others. Most of the clan were simply unaware of it.

”Hey you... let me... tell you... some exciting... marvelous news!” cried Yin Chen using its many bodies.

”Bug Bro, move aside! Let me announce it, I don’t stutter!” Lan Huang popped out and took a deep breath, then let its booming voice resonate all throughout the Infinitum Swordsea. ”Everyone! There’s good news from Mount Taia! The most powerful fighter of our clan, Etherean Gladeus, went to Mount Taia to protect Second Patriarch Lin and fought Chi Hun in an Infinitum Duel!”

Just as the clansmen were relieved by hearing about Tianming’s safety, they tensed up and braced for the bombshell to drop.

”Is that really true?”

”Of course! That’s Lin Feng’s lifebound beast! It must be!”

”Heavens.... Was Etherean Gladeus ever that daring in the first place?”

”Do we know how the duel ended?”

People all turned and nervously looked at the two-headed dragon. Fortunately for them, the simple Lan Huang wasn’t one to play with their feelings. ”Chi Hun is dead! Etherean Gladeus is ranked eighth on the reges mundi ranking, pushing Tianxi down to tenth place!”

Pindrop silence covered the entire ocean. Everybody froze in their tracks, seemingly immobilized. For that to be possible after the shocking news of Tianming’s bloating showed how much weight the words carried. Part of his spirited triumph was thanks to hearing how it ended at Mount Taia.

”Did you hear that? Chi Hun’s dead! Lin Xiaodao, Etherean of Gladeus, killed him in an Infinitum Duel! He’s a hero of our clan! It’s true! You’ll hear it from your transmission stones soon enough! Word of the duel is spreading like wildfire through the entire Infinitum Mundus!” Lan Huang truly had its fill of shouting the news to everyone, fanning the flames when it could. It was only then that people took out their transmission stones in a daze to ask some of their well-connected friends about the news.

Lan Huang turned back and saw the dumbfounded expressions of Lin Xiong and the other elders in the council hall.

”Is that... true?” Lin Xiong’s usual booming voice sounded like a fly’s.

Ying Huo gave his head a slap and yelled, ”Hey! Where’s that burly man I used to know? Why are you doubting us? My brother saw it with its own eyes! How can it be fake? Why do you think Lin Jie fled so desperately? Tianxi didn’t show up a second time, either!” If it weren’t for the overwhelming hype Ying Huo felt, there was no way it would dare to slap Tianming’s elder with its wing like that.

Lin Xiong and Lin Chongjing turned to look at one another, breathing deep in suspense. The burly man took out a gold transmission stone. He hadn’t checked it yet, as he had been fighting the whole time. When he took it out, he saw Lin Xiao.

”Chi Hun is dead. Xiaodao killed him,” Lin Xiao said, smiling. Clearly, Yin Chen had told him that Tianming was safe.

”Aaaaaaaaaah!” Lin Xiong tossed away the stone and hugged Lin Chongyao tight.

”Uncle, stop!” Lin Chongyao endured the squeezing like a ragdoll, then let out a hearty laugh.

Many others outside got confirmation of the news as well.

”It’s true!”

”Oh, heavens! Our clan finally has someone that’s ranked in the top ten! How long has it been?!”

They had lost confidence in themselves after a long period of mediocrity, miring among the lower rungs of the Infinitum Regal Clans. But now, things were turning around. Chi Hun’s death was just as shocking to hear of as Tianming turning into a black star and killing Lin Yun and Lin Ziqing. All billion people in the Infinitum Swordsea howled with vindication—while Chi Hun had been killed, there was no fear of retaliation as it had been an Infinitum Duel! Not to mention, relations with the ebons had been severed for good, thanks to Tianxi showing up in the territory of the Lin Clan for less than savory reasons. The ebons were indisputably in the wrong for starting the conflict, and it was one they had lost at that! Tianming’s survival, Chi Hun’s death, and the birth of a top-ten ranker in the clan were the greatest victories the clan had seen in ages. They used to have no present or future, but that was finally changing.