Beastmaster of the Ages

”What?” Tianming was taken aback. ”Her cultivation level isn’t as good as yours, how could she save you?”

Yue Lanfeng intended to say something, but just as he opened his mouth, he awkwardly closed it again and said, ”Sir, why don’t you ask her yourself? We dare not speak out of turn.” After all, in their eyes, Tianming and Jian Qinghe were comrades.

”Alright!” Tianming didn’t press them further. No matter who it was in Myriadpath Valley, they were all afraid.

Tianming patted Yue Lanfeng on the shoulder and said, ”Don’t worry, when I go back, I’ll immediately expose the fact that I killed those people. I’ve killed so many in Myriadpath Valley, those four won’t make a difference. Normally, there’s no way it’ll implicate your Bluemaple Swordvalley.”

Upon hearing that, Yue Lanfeng and the others exchanged glances and quickly knelt down to Tianming, their eyes red with tears. They didn’t say anything, but their eyes said it all.

”Don’t be like this, there’s no need to thank me. This matter had nothing to do with you in the first place. I’m the one who asked you to lead the way, which ended up causing trouble for you,” Tianming said.

”Sir, you’re too modest. It’s our honor as sword cultivators to know a gentleman like you and work for you,” Yue Lanfeng said.

”Alright!” Tianming took a deep breath and said, ”To be honest, staying with you guys any longer will only cause you more trouble. I’ll leave first.”

”Yes, Sir! Until we meet again in the vast astralscape!” Yue Lanfeng and the others clasped their hands.

”Farewell!” After bidding farewell to them, Tianming didn’t linger any longer, but headed toward the direction of the stareye of the Myriadpath Celestial Formation. He didn’t need to look back to know that Jian Qinghe was still following him.

”I’m not very familiar with you, so I can’t fully trust you. I need to mention the matter of Bluemaple Swordvalley. I’ll take full responsibility for the killing of those four scoundrels. When you return to Myriadpath Valley, don’t speak recklessly,” Tianming said without turning back, walking and talking at the same time.

”Okay,” Jian Qinghe quietly murmured.

Tianming only made a brief remark, but he felt reassured in his heart because he knew Jian Qinghe was mysterious. Moreover, she had already intervened to save Yue Lanfeng and the others, so why would she harm them now? As for the method she had used to save them, it surely had its own mysteries, and Tianming didn’t find it appropriate to ask. However, he had a feeling that Jian Qinghe’s condition wasn’t quite as stable as before.

Just as he was about to approach the stareye, Tianming felt a disturbance behind him. He turned around, only to see Jian Qinghe suddenly stopping.

The veil on her face spewed thick black smoke and the spider-like patterns on the veil seemed to come to life, manifesting as sharp blood-colored spikes that directly pierced Jian Qinghe’s head! Eight bloody holes appeared on her head, which had to be causing unbearable agony even for an astral god.

Jian Qinghe stood there, her delicate body trembling. She only let out a soft groan, gritting her teeth to endure the pain. The eight spikes then retracted back into the veil, disappearing without a trace. However, the bloody holes remained, emitting thick black and red smoke.

Jian Qinghe breathed heavily, beads of cold sweat already forming on her face, dripping down from her neck.

”What’s wrong?” Tianming asked.

”It’s nothing,” Jian Qinghe’s voice was hoarse. She stabilized herself for a while and the bloody holes on her head began to heal.

”Is it a punishment for using power without permission?” Tianming asked.

”Yes,” Jian Qinghe softly replied.

”You’re really mysterious.” Tianming didn’t say much. As he arrived at the stareye, he began manipulating the Myriadpath Celestial Formation, preparing to return to the Myriadpath Valley. His gaze fell on the Bluemaple.

”If I become stronger in the future, I’ll find everything out!” For now, staying alive was the most important.

Jian Qinghe also returned to the stareye. Tianming heard that she had come to relax, but in truth, there was no relaxation on this journey. If she hadn’t saved Yue Lanfeng and the others in the end, she would have had almost no presence.

”In Myriadpath Valley, I have to prioritize staying alive and rising! I can’t get dragged into more trouble...” Tianming warned himself, closed his eyes, and activated the formation.

***

They returned to the Myriadpath Celestial Formation. It still only took a moment for the two to appear in the eight trigrams formation made of stars.

As soon as Tianming arrived, he took a look at Myriadpath Valley, which resembled an abyss, and said to Jian Qinghe, ”I’m going somewhere else. The team for the mundus mission is disbanded now, so do as you please.”

”Okay,” Jian Qinghe gently nodded and flew away, boarding the astralship back to Myriadpath Valley.

Tianming then activated the myriadpath ring again and manipulated the power of the Myriadpath Celestial Formation.

”Head to the stareye of Antiquitas Mortis!” His body that had just reformed was once again pulled away.

In another instant, he arrived in the capital of Antiquitas Mortis. These two instants had actually been more than a month in reality. ”The concept of time is just a feeling. Each kind of creature, each kind of state, may have different perceptions of time.”

After arriving in Antiquitas Mortis, the Yin Chens left there all awakened at once. Then they began acting, dispersing, seeking people, and gathering information.

Tianming, on the other hand, as a disciple of Myriadpath Valley, swaggered into the turbulent capital!

He quickly contacted Chen Tianyong after arriving in Antiquitas Mortis.

”Tianming, it’s good timing that you’re here. We have an order fragment target. Let’s meet up soon!” Chen Tianyong said.

”Alright.” Tianming had Yin Chen lead the way.

”He can also find a target?” Generally speaking, it was better for Tianming to select the targets in this empire.

On the way to find Chen Tianyong, Tianming asked Yin Chen to find Zi Zhen. She was still in hiding, but since she had a Yin Chen with her, they could directly contact her.

”Has she absorbed that manna?”

”No!”

”Hmm.” Tianming nodded, understanding that Zi Zhen had chosen to be cautious. There was no rush anyway.

On the way to find Chen Tianyong, Tianming had already used a transmission stone to communicate directly with him. ”Uncle Yong, what’s the target?” Tianming asked.

”It’s like this...” Chen Tianyong began. ”Some time ago, the imperial clan held an auction to provide some princes with better manna. They used their order fragments to exchange for manna.”

”Order fragments in exchange for manna?”

”Yes! What’s special is that the auction didn’t explicitly prohibit cultivators from Myriadpath Valley from participating,” Chen Tianyong said.

”The fact that there’s no prohibition means that the imperial clan wants Myriadpath Valley to participate? After all, Myriadpath Valley has more manna.” Tianming smiled with narrowed eyes.

”Yes. To put it bluntly, it’s a disguised invitation for the people of Myriadpath Valley to come for a trade. It’s just that using an auction format allows the imperial clan to negotiate prices better. After all, the imperial clan also has manna, while Myriadpath Valley doesn’t have order fragments,” said Chen Tianyong.