Beastmaster of the Ages

Yumo Diyan, Qitian Muyu, and the valley lord wore solemn and serious expressions. It was evident that, despite their secret meeting, the internal barriers and grudges between them hadn’t truly been resolved.

At that moment, Suishen Ranxing had stepped forward to act as the bridge between them.

Qitian Muyu was the first to react. He looked at Suishen Ranxing and said, ”Then what? How will it work?”

”The three houses will sign an alliance pact and swear an oath before the Source Progenitor. From now on, regardless of whatever treasures or astralships there may be, they’ll be incorporated into the ancestral teachings and Myriadpath Sacred Code. They’ll be fairly inherited and equitably distributed among the Three Exalted Houses. Whoever incites conflict shall be abandoned by the many ancestors before us!” In other words, top-level astralships like the Blissful Union or the copper coffin secret realm would be treated like the Grand Myriadpath Ruins, collectively belonging to the Three Exalted Houses.

Everything would be inherited according to the rules!

”Only by rebuilding trust can Myriadpath Valley and the Three Exalted Houses return to what they once were. That’s the fundamental solution. Otherwise, tomorrow, we might have a Lin Tianming or Wang Tianming exploiting our internal strife instead! I’ve said my piece. The decision is yours,” Suishen Ranxing concluded, then fell silent.

Qitian Muyu had spoken with him before on similar matters of letting go of past issues. In that regard, they were in agreement.

Only Yumo Diyan and the valley lord hadn’t completely let go. When the copper coffin secret realm appeared earlier, selfish and greedy thoughts had arisen in their hearts. Why had no one ever contested the Grand Myriadpath Ruins, allowing it to be successfully inherited each generation? It was because it was governed by the Myriadpath Sacred Code and passed down by established rules.

The ”bond” connecting the three houses was trust.

The Grand Myriadpath Ruins and formations like the Myriadpath Celestial Formation had been handed down among the three houses for generations, but the Yin-Yang World had completely fractured the Three Exalted Houses’ alliance. With a new calamity looming, it was an opportunity to completely relinquish greed and return to the past.

The copper coffin secret realm was a deadly temptation.

”Dad, Yumo Diyan, it’s time to wake up. We’re all descendants of the prehistoric Myriadpath Valley and have been brothers and sisters for tens of millions of years. Only by uniting can we rule the world. If selfish desires persist, Myriadpath Valley will face true annihilation....” Qitian Muyu’s voice softened.

There was a long, long silence.

”Alright, I’ll let go!” Yumo Diyan sat down on the ground, tears of blood for the deceased members of House Yumo and the senior madame streaming from his eyes. But he knew that the death of the twenty eminents in the Infinitum Mundus, then the ten eminents—including Yumo Dinai—represented an even greater loss. The culprit behind the first tragedy remained unknown, but the latter was undeniably tied to Li Tianming. That grudge was even deeper!

Finally, it was the valley lord’s turn. The tensource beast hadn’t been killed by Yumo Diyan, but it was still a casualty of the battle. The copper coffin secret realm had also rekindled his ambitions of profiting from the Yin-Yang World.

Qitian Muyu and Suishen Ranxing looked at him with fervent anticipation. The valley lord had become the sole remaining obstacle to the complete unification of the three houses.

At that moment, he seemed to significantly age.

”The world is yours.” He waved his hand and turned away, saying, ”Swear your oath!”

His decision was clear.

”Good!” Qitian Muyu and Suishen Ranxing finally smiled.

”Rebuilt trust is the most fragile. Killing Li Tianming and seizing the copper coffin secret realm is the first step to proving this ’trust’. We must act with one heart and mind. Any hint of betrayal will lead to utter annihilation!” Suishen Ranxing solemnly declared.

The path ahead seemed clear in his eyes. Unlike the others, he had never truly dreamt of dominating alone. He only wanted to enjoy the fruits of his ancestors’ labor, to become the valley lord, and to be the next Qitian Xiao. He was the most steady player in the game.

Once the alliance was established, and he reached the super zenith, he would be the first to benefit from the treasures in the Yin-Yang World and the copper coffin secret realm. He would ultimately be the greatest beneficiary.

Houses Qitian and Yumo could never have expected that, among the three leaders, the previously underestimated Suishen Ranxing had already touched the threshold of the super zenith. He was merely one step away from ruling Myriadpath Valley.

The oath and alliance were established.

The valley lord had essentially stepped back, while the three leaders clasped their hands together.

”Myriadpath Valley, supreme above all! The Three Exalted Houses, eternal and unchanging!” A fiery conviction burned in their eyes. They had completely let go of their differences, merging their wills into one.

At the moment the covenant and oaths were solidified, Suishen Ranxing’s eyes burned like two nova sources. ”With this agreement today, I can confidently suppress the traitorous turncoats within House Suishen, slay the demon, and restore House Suishen’s reputation! When the time comes, I’ll need your help. Don’t hold back,” he said with a faint smile.

”Eminent Ranxing, don’t call it ’help’. Eliminating traitors and slaying demons is the duty of the Three Exalted Houses and the entire Myriadpath Valley!” Qitian Muyu said with a laugh.

”Quickly get rid of your original wife, then openly marry your lover. Take this opportunity to break tradition and bring the hearts of our three houses closer. After all, the Myriadpath Sacred Code doesn’t prohibit marriage between our houses,” Yumo Diyan said. Although they couldn’t have children, exceptions could always be made for love, right?

Hearing that, the three of them knowingly smiled. For Yumo Diyan to say such a thing, it showed that he had truly let go of his past grudges.

At the side, Qitian Muyue could feel the resonance of determination within the three individuals. They were of the same generation and naturally shared mutual understanding and admiration.

Their alliance isn’t a good thing for me.... Qitian Muyue hadn’t expected that her task would remain incomplete while these three leaders ended up uniting as one!

She deeply hated Suishen Ranxing. He had first stopped everyone from entering the copper coffin secret realm, then served as a bridge to bring the three houses together to kill his wife, his sister, and Tianming.

Fortunately, the little butterfly in her arms had heard everything. If it hadn’t, they wouldn’t have known how determined those three were. Upon their return, Tianming, Suishen Jiguang, and Suishen Xiyue would all face deadly danger.

This Suishen Ranxing is a dangerous man. What is his true goal in taking the initiative? He was essentially sacrificing two major-zenith cultivators of House Suishen. Most of House Suishen were unwilling to give them up and they had significant support within the house.

The old patriarch wasn’t present, so had he really made all those decisions on his own?

The old patriarch might not care about Suishen Xiyue, but he’s extremely fond of his youngest daughter. Yet his son has effectively sentenced her to death. What’ll the old patriarch think about that? Qitian Muyue deeply recognized Suishen Ranxing’s cold-blooded nature.

His wife and sister underestimated his ruthlessness. Who would’ve thought that the matter of the copper coffin secret realm would push him to finalize his resolve and hasten his plan to kill Li Tianming.... Luckily, he’s probably heard everything and made his decision by now.

Yin Chen would never have entered the secret negotiation space if it weren’t for Qitian Muyue.

”At least I’m still useful. Without me, those three wouldn’t know the coming danger. Even Suishen Jiguang, a candidate for future valley lord, is being abandoned! The only risk to this plan is that both Li Tianming and her are seen as future hopes by the two million cultivators in Myriadpath Valley. Suishen Ranxing’s decision to eliminate two uncontrollable futures within House Suishen will tarnish his reputation and make him reviled.

”But the cultivators of the Myriadpath Valley hold too little influence. Once Li Tianming and Suishen Jiguang are killed, the storm will eventually pass. Under the unified will of the Three Exalted Houses, those people will ultimately be suppressed, and history will inevitably be forgotten.”

Qitian Muyue felt that point most deeply. It was just like how people had quickly forgotten the former valley lord and how Qitian Xiao had murdered his wife and made sacrifices to the ancestors before targeting House Qingchuan.

”Mom....” Qitian Muyue suddenly recalled a woman who was gentle, warm, and unassuming like all other myriadpath source spirit beastmasters. She’d done nothing wrong, and had even borne Qitian Xiao four children. But for her trouble, she had been publicly executed and her blood drained.

For years, Qitian Muyue had been thankful that she belonged to House Qitian and not House Qingchuan. But now a long-buried sadness flowed in her heart.

”Do you have any plans for what comes next?” Yumo Diyan asked the other two.

Suishen Ranxing didn’t hesitate to reply, ”I’ll return to House Suishen and keep Yaoyao and Little Zhao by my side. Li Tianming, Suishen Jiguang, and Suishen Xiyue value them more than their own lives. As long as I have them, they’ll inevitably show up.”

Hearing that, Yumo Diyan and Qitian Muyu looked at him with admiration. ”Placing righteousness above all! Admirable!” Suishen Ranxing was even willing to use his son and daughter as hostages for the sake of the Three Exalted Houses. He truly was the most ruthless among them.

”Once we find them, we’ll immediately act. I’ll seal the Myriadpath Celestial Formation, leaving them nowhere to escape,” the valley lord said from afar. He must have been listening in.

”Understood, Valley Lord!” Suishen Ranxing nodded.

”What about your father?” the valley lord coldly asked. ”Does he know what you’ve done today?”

”He doesn’t.”

”And if he tries to stop you?”

”Valley Lord, he’s old. He won’t be able to stop me,” Suishen Ranxing said.

”Haha.... Indeed, I’m too old. I can no longer match you young people’s foresight,” the valley lord said with a bitter laugh. The three house leaders, one valley lord, and Qitian Muyue together far outmatched Suishen Jiguang and Suishen Xiyue.

”For my father’s sake, I won’t necessarily kill my sister... but I will cripple one of her bane-rings,” Suishen Ranxing gravely said. A House Suishen member with a crippled bane-ring could never reach the super zenith.

”She’s too weak-willed and doesn’t have the capability or courage to oppose me. She’s only reached this point because Suishen Xiyue’s been manipulating her. She can be spared, left to her naive ways. But Suishen Xiyue must die by my hand,” Suishen Ranxing grimly said.

”Very well. Leave your father to me. I’ll explain everything to him,” the valley lord nodded.

”Thank you, valley lord.”

”Get to work. Your priority is to secure your children.”

Suishen Ranxing bowed and left, his black-and-red robes billowing as he strode away. His imposing presence sent even the surrounding black mist scattering in fear.

”I’ll return to handle the affairs of the deceased,” Yumo Diyan sighed as he also departed.

Now, only the father, son, and daughter of House Qitian remained.

The valley lord squinted in the direction Suishen Ranxing had gone and gravely said, ”Suishen Ranxing’s more ruthless than we imagined. Be wary of him.”

”Father, you’re doing it again,” Qitian Muyu said, shaking his head.

”Are you confident in reaching the super zenith?” the valley lord asked Qitian Muyu.

”Not at the moment,” Qitian Muyu lowered his head.

”Suishen Ranxing seems confident. His resolve surpasses both yours and Yumo Diyan’s,” the valley lord said through gritted teeth. ”I fear the next valley lord will belong to House Suishen.”

”If he achieves the super zenith, so be it. The Three Exalted Houses rotate leadership. It’s the definition of the Myriadpath Sacred Code! If he succeeds, I’ll accept it. His success would be legitimate, rightful, and earned! In generations past, it was the norm—why should it be any different now?” Qitian Muyu couldn’t help but retort.

The remark left the valley lord silent for a long time. ”Very well, you’re still so noble,” he finally said. Some things in the world truly couldn’t be changed, like the thoughts and temperament of one’s children. If he could choose, Qitian Xiao would have preferred Suishen Ranxing as his son.

But that was impossible.

Qitian Muyu said nothing more. He knew that his father’s insecurities stemmed from the Grand Myriadpath Ruins, as he was the first valley lord in history not to inherit the fortuna-class astralship.

That was because he was also the first in history to seize the position through treachery.

The Grand Myriadpath Ruins’ control core required the previous valley lord to pass it down. Killing them wouldn’t suffice. It was a restriction set by the ancestral teachings, akin to the bloodline requirement of the Blissful Union.

It was also why Qitian Xiao had refrained from killing the former valley lord all these years.

”Are we going to proceed as Suishen Ranxing suggested?” The silver-haired valley lord was still uneasy.

”Fine! At this point, it’s time to take this step! Without the Grand Myriadpath Ruins, my position as valley lord is constantly restrained,” the valley lord said through grit teeth. If he had the Grand Myriadpath Ruins, he could also guard against Suishen Ranxing.

After all, if he aspired to be the valley lord, he would also want the Grand Myriadpath Ruins. He could only wait if Qitian Xiao refused to pass it down.

”Father, what’re you planning to do?” Qitian Muyue asked.

”Go capture all the bloodline descendants of House Qingchuan. Bring them to the Grand Myriadpath Ruins. I’ll kill them one by one until that old man hands the Grand Myriadpath Ruins over to me,” the valley lord said, his eyes flashing with a cruel, sinister light.

”Father, if we kill them all, our House Qitian’s lifebound beasts will no longer be able to consume myriadpath source spirits and the progress of our talented disciples will significantly slow down,” Qitian Muyue quickly interjected.

It was precisely because House Qingchuan had been treated as a resource to be incrementally harvested that House Qitian hadn’t yet resorted to slaughtering them to pressure the former valley lord. In the past, House Qitian had little need for the Grand Myriadpath Ruins and could afford to delay, allowing their youths to consume more myriadpath source spirits.

But now, the valley lord, who had lost his sense of security, had finally decided to take the most ruthless step.

”Enough talking. Go capture them. Clear out the Grand Myriadpath Ruins and I’ll personally negotiate with that old ghost!” Thinking of that old man, the valley lord’s lips curled into a cruel smile, his eyes filled with cold malice. ”Master, Father-in-law... long time no see!”