Beastmaster of the Ages

After Mo Lian and Mo Xi went looking for the Skyfiendling, Tianming and the rest had actually been discovered. Yin Chen was growing rather resistant to cosmic sense. While it still wasn’t able to get too close to the cosmic gods, the meeting didn’t escape its countless eyes.

”The Skyfiendling and Yushen An?” Tianming knew that they were people of really high status in the Ten Desolate Starforges. ”They have their eyes on me, eh?”

The cobalt fiendeyes’ ability came as quite a shock to Tianming. It would be quite an annoyance, though Yin Chen could fortunately keep tabs on the enemy group’s location at all times. Even if the Skyfiendling constantly made adjustments to track Tianming’s movements, he wouldn’t be able to catch up.

”Still, it’s going to be rather troublesome for them to constantly follow us around....” They had quite a lot of cosmic gods. Even if Tianming could escape encirclement, the Jiang siblings wouldn’t be able to escape alongside him. ”I’ll have to cross that bridge when I come to it.”

Jiang Datou was leading them to Jiang Lincheng, who was at a place that was closer to the Ninelives Ancestral Tree’s main body. ”Let’s see what it’s like there first, then. If things don’t work out, I’ll leave the group and go to the Primordial Sands later.” He already knew them well, so he could reach out to them at a later date.

***

Meanwhile, in Cobaltium, boundless starlight shone down on a grand building called Skyfiend Hall. The guests from the Ten Desolate Starforges had all been seated. All of them were respected cosmic gods; when lined up next to each other, it made the seating look like an elaborate altar of divine figures, forming a sea of many colors.

All kinds of local specialties from different maniverse-class worlds were served as delicacies, paired with the finest wines for the guests. Many of them were so exotic that they were beyond imagination.

It was going to be a birthday celebration that doubled as an assembly for the elite cosmic gods of the Ten Desolate Starforges. They would discuss matters of cultivation, as well as the treasures from the Ancient Flameyellow Ruins and their generations of descendants.

High up in Skyfiend Hall were countless projections that were being broadcast from the tracing rings worn by the Ten Desolate Cosmic Genii Ranking. That way the seniors of the Eightpart Pantheons could watch the performance of their juniors, cheering and gasping at the exciting developments.

Cosmic gods though they may be, that didn’t change the social dynamics between them. They were still human, after all, and society was still an integral part of their being. And within that were competition, networking, and connections! As long as there was a hierarchy, there would be factions—particularly those that centered around the cosmic gods within Skyfiend Hall.

”Congratulations and felicitations, Cobalt Overfiend!” Cheer after cheer rang out from the guests, all containing some kind of unspoken story. The Cobalt Overfiend sat at the most honored seat in the hall. Most of the cosmic gods didn’t even dare to directly look at him.

Even though it seemed like everyone was rather merry, they were all strictly observing protocol. Those who didn’t have a high enough status didn’t even have the right to speak. They could only perfunctorily focus on their food and laugh.

”The Skyfiendling appears to be tracking someone....”

”That’s right! He used his cobalt fiendeyes....”

”Interesting! I wonder who offended him. Yushen An seems to be with him, too.”

”Is it that lowly race from the Primordial Sands again?”

Many cosmic gods looked for the projections that depicted those scenes.

***

Thanks to guidance from transmission stones, Jiang Datou was able to quickly lead them to their destination. The one guiding them with their transmission stone was Jiang Lincheng’s wife, Jiang Yulian. Jiang Datou had already informed her about Tianming on the way there, though Tianming found that the situation was unlike what he’d initially imagined when he arrived.

Deep within the cavern was around thirty cosmic gods, most of them primalwingers. The leader—a youth clad in purple armor and sporting a slender build and long, purple hair—had sharp, sword-like eyebrows that gave him quite a look. His wife, Jiang Yulian, was a beautiful primalwinger clad in a long orange dress. On top of being beautiful, she also had a slightly prideful gaze.

”Friends, this is Lin Feng. I already told you about his situation. He’s definitely a genuine fellow, the two of us can guarantee it,” Jiang Datou said.

Jiang Lincheng didn’t speak, but his wife did. She held her husband’s arm and shot a provocative look at Tianming. ”It doesn’t matter what you say. What if he planned to approach you with ulterior motives all along? It wouldn’t be surprising for him to act that way to get you to trust him.”

Jiang Datou really wondered why they’d even allowed Tianming to come with them if they had their doubts in the first place. What was the point?

Jiang Xiaobai shook her head. ”It isn’t like that. Big Sis Yulian, he really is someone from the orbiter worlds. Aren’t there many orbiteres who secretly sneak away and defect to the Primordial Sands? Not to mention, he’s alone—what can he possibly do even if he’s trying to go to the Primordial Sands with ill intent?”

The siblings were about to speak more, but Tianming didn’t think there was a point. ”Everyone’s worries are nothing if not reasonable. Since I’m not welcome here, I’ll take my leave.”

”Alright....” Jiang Datou considered it for a moment, then looked at Jiang Lincheng and said, ”Brother Cheng, I’ll be leaving as well.”

”Wait!” Jiang Yulian looked at Tianming and said, ”We should kill this suspicious masked fellow lest he dooms any of us. That way he won’t be able to continue parasitizing you and harm others.”

”Aren’t you going overboard?” Jiang Datou was both enraged and embarrassed. ”If you don’t trust us, you didn’t have to let us come in the first place!”

Jiang Lincheng looked at his wife. When Jiang Datou had told her about Tianming, she’d made a personal decision to lure them there first.

”Lincheng! We’re in a dangerous situation and can’t afford to show any mercy! Even I’m willing to get my hands dirty for the sake of our survival. What about you?!” She seemed quite a forceful woman who would do anything to get her way.

”Enough.” Jiang Lincheng looked at Tianming and said, ”I trust Datou, so I want you siblings to stay behind. He’ll be allowed to leave.”

”You!” Jiang Yulian seemed clearly displeased by this way of handling things.

Right then, a young cosmic god hurriedly rejoined the group and reported, ”Brother Cheng, we found a golden Ninelives Fruit, but it isn’t easy to get! We should all go!”

Everyone turned to Tianming, stunned. ”Surely we can’t let him walk off with that kind of news, right? Think of the risk! Even a saint would think twice!”