Beastmaster of the Ages

Suishen Yao hurriedly escaped into the distant clouds and mist with Tianming without looking back.

He managed to catch that the three were all men. Among them, the one in the center was a middle-aged man, while the ones on the left and right were young men.

The middle-aged man walked with an imposing stride. His left eye surged with stars and his right eye burned with flames, while light flowed on his hair like a river of stars. His starfire robe was extremely domineering. Just a glance revealed his unparalleled divine might, as if he were the supreme ruler of the Million Mundi, bringing even Tianming immense pressure despite his fortitude.

”I’ve been in Myriadpath Valley for so long, and this person should be the strongest person I’ve encountered! He’s even scarier than the Eminent Tiankui I met at the Myriadpath Celestial Formation last time....” Tianming felt a thump in his heart.

It was the Three Exalted Houses alright! He encountered such a heaven-defying powerhouse immediately after entering. Just one look had opened his worldview.

As for the other two young men, one wore a blue robe and the other wore brown armor. Both had deep foundations and handsome faces that weren’t inferior to Suishen Zhao’s. They were clearly older than the siblings, hence their auras were even mightier. Although they were still considered young, they had the bearing of reverends and eminents.

”Shh!” Suishen Yao was extremely nervous. After hiding with Tianming, she patted her chest, stuck out her tongue, and whispered, ”That was close! That was close!”

”Who was that?” Tianming’s mind was still replaying the image of that middle-aged man’s stride. It was the most domineering gait he had ever seen, and each step seemed to trample on the Million Mundi, shaking the world one step at a time. And most significantly, it wasn’t conscious, but an impression born purely out of his natural strength and demeanor.

”You don’t recognize him?” Suishen Yao rolled her eyes, then said, ”Alright, considering you just came from a mundus, I’ll forgive you for not knowing him.”

Tianming responded with a grunt and didn’t say much.

Suishen Yao glanced behind her, ensuring no one was around, then said, ”That guy is my father, Eminent Ranxing.”

”Got it.” Tianming nodded. He was now aware that there was a strength and status gap among eminents. The top eminents of the Three Exalted Houses couldn’t be compared to ordinary lone eminents.

Myriadpath Valley didn’t establish more titles to distinguish them in order to create the illusion for outsiders that, as long as they worked hard and rose up, they could rule Myriadpath Valley.

But the true status and real power gap were in unwritten rules.

Someone like Eminent Ranxing was undoubtedly one of the strongest eminents. Moreover, Tianming could see that he should be very young—at most around three thousand years old.

”Lan Yun, Demoness Yin, and others practice the Sky Starvore Fiendart, which extends their life but deprives them of the ability to reproduce and pass on their legacies. So these top entities of the Three Exalted Houses obviously don’t practice such demonic arts to maintain their lineage. Their lifespan is about the same as reges mundi, around six thousand years.”

At around three thousand years old, he was at the peak of his life and possibly still had room for breakthroughs. In other words, compared to the Eminent Tiankui that Tianming had seen earlier, this Eminent Ranxing not only had stronger power and higher status, but also more vigorous vitality.

Suishen Yao’s father could be considered one of the rulers of the astralscape, right? Tianming thought. As for the two young men beside him, they were likely also noble descendants of the Suishen clan.

”Are the other two your brothers?” Tianming asked, then added with a smile, ”I should get to know them so they don’t feel disrespected.”

”They aren’t my brothers. One is a paternal cousin and the other is a maternal cousin.” Suishen Yao seemed a bit displeased when speaking of the two, so Tianming didn’t ask further.

He thought, They’re probably top scions of the Three Exalted Houses. These people have pride and nobility written in their blood! The two are older than Suishen Yao, which means they’re maniverse disciples. I wonder if they’re major pathkeepers, the top talents of the maniverse disciples?

Tianming thought it was likely, judging by their demeanor and bearing. The one in brown battle armor, who seemed older, possibly even had the status of a reverend and likely ranked high on the Maniverse Ranking.

They made him feel competitive. Although he was less than a hundred years old, in terms of ambition, he wouldn’t be surprised if he could become a major pathkeeper in a few years. It would definitely cause a sensation in both Myriadpath Valley and the Million Mundi!

The journey in Myriadpath Valley was fraught with danger. Tianming was carefully treading as he walked on a tightrope. Therefore, he had to be more cautious than ever, and be careful with his words and actions.

But when it came time to show his strength, he would be as swift as thunder.

After a few moments, Suishen Yao said, ”They should be gone. Follow me.”

”Alright.” Tianming admired the scenery of the Suishen Cave while following Suishen Yao back to Suishen Ancestral Hall. No matter what, he was still very curious about the caeli there. It was equivalent to letting him enter the upper ruins in advance.

They soon arrived at the hall.

”Hurry up.” Suishen Yao walked ahead, urging him.

Seeing her like that, Tianming knew she felt as guilty as a thief. It was indeed very dangerous, but one often had no choice in the world of cultivation.

Seeing the grand doors of the Suishen Ancestral Hall before him, he quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

At that moment, they heard a voice behind them. ”Cousin!”

Tianming’s vision went dark.

Suishen Yao also immediately stopped and turned back with a look of exasperation. ”Suishen Yuan, what’re you yelling for?”

Tianming turned with her and saw the blue-robed young man who had been beside Eminent Ranxing. The man had very fair skin, eyes like a blue ocean, and a warm, sunny smile. He exuded a heavy and passionate presence, like the sea. Seeing him made people think of sunshine, beaches, and waves.... In any case, he was a clear and bright young man.

The blue-robed young man seemed younger than the steady, brown-armored young man, but Tianming estimated he was about a thousand years old. He was Suishen Yuan. Tianming guessed that his totem was probably related to the sea.

Fortunately, there was no one else with Suishen Yuan.

Suishen Yao wasn’t very afraid of him. She put her hands on her hips and sternly said, ”What do you want? Hurry up, don’t get in the way of my cultivation.”

”Cultivation?” Suishen Yuan was taken aback. In his impression, the cousin before him wasn’t one to train hard. He stepped forward, approaching her. Only then did he take a closer look at Tianming and softly ask, ”Cousin, who’s this brother?”

If he had seen Tianming outside Suishen Cave, he wouldn’t have paid attention. But since Suishen Yao had brought him there, it already indicated an unusual relationship.

”My new disciple!” Suishen Yao flatly said.

”Disciple? You’re just a fortuna disciple, how can you take disciples?” Suishen Yuan said with a smile.

”I just did, so what?” Suishen Yao said, puffing out her chest.

”Alright then!” Suishen Yuan faintly smiled. He noticed that Suishen Yao didn’t want the topic to focus on Tianming, so he pretended he didn’t exist and continued speaking to Suishen Yao. ”Cousin, to celebrate the end of your confinement, how about I take you to the Flystar Falls? I heard from Little Zhao that you’ve always wanted to go there. I went there once before, and the nova source forms a stream that falls like a waterfall. It’s indeed spectacular.”

”Flystar Falls?” Suishen Yao’s eyes lit up, but she quickly pouted and said, ”What’re you thinking? My grandfather and father jointly forbade me from leaving Myriadpath Valley. I can’t go to Flystar Falls!”

Suishen Yuan shook his head and smiled. ”Just now, your father agreed that, as long as I watch over you, I can take you out for some relaxation. He permits you to leave for three years.”

”What?” Suishen Yao thought she had misheard. She grabbed Suishen Yuan’s collar and asked, ”Suishen Yuan, are you kidding me? Leave Myriadpath Valley for three years?”

”Why would I lie to you? I never would,” he said, gently looking at her.

”That’s great!” Suishen Yao jumped with joy, but after a short while, she frowned and asked, ”Does that mean you and I will be alone?”

”He wants me to take care of you, to protect you,” Suishen Yuan softly said.

”I need your protection? In the Million Mundi, there aren’t many reges mundi who can match me!” Suishen Yao said.

”It’s mainly for company, so you won’t be bored,” Suishen Yuan said.

”You’re wrong! Being watched by you for three years would be boring. I’m not going!” She waved her hand and refused.

”Cousin, that....” Suishen Yuan didn’t expect that such a good opportunity would be refused by Suishen Yao.

”I begged for a long time before your father agreed. Don’t waste this chance. I promise, if we go out, I’ll only follow you and never interfere with you,” he quickly said. Traveling together was definitely a chance to build a relationship; clearly, Suishen Yao wasn’t unwilling to go out, but rather unwilling to build a relationship with him.

”Forget it, I’m busy guiding my disciple in cultivation. I don’t have time to waste on useless things. Please tell my father that, from now on, I’ll focus on cultivation and stop being the Number Three of the Ages!” Suishen Yao seriously said.

Suishen Yuan stared blankly at his cousin. She wasn’t playing by the rules, leaving him speechless.

”Also, don’t tell him I brought my disciple to train in the Suishen Ancestral Hall or I’ll never talk to you again, got it?” Suishen Yao glared at him.

Suishen Yuan understood. She wasn’t unwilling to go out, but didn’t want to be alone with him. He gave Tianming a strange look. He didn’t know him, but the young man could accompany Suishen Yao and have private time with her. It was an opportunity he dreamed of, so he was puzzled.

”Okay, cousin, I’ve got it. No matter what, your happiness is most important. If you ever want to go to Flystar Falls, just come to me. No matter what I’m doing, I’ll immediately take you.” Suishen Yuan warmly smiled, still looking elegant and graceful.

”Alright, goodbye!” Suishen Yao didn’t want to talk to him anymore. She called Tianming and was about to enter the Suishen Ancestral Hall when she suddenly turned back, stared at Suishen Yuan, and asked, ”By the way, was it my father who called you out of the ancestral hall? Since he summoned you both at once, what’d he say?”