Beastmaster of the Ages

Tianming piloted the ark toward the only remaining entrance of the Fiend Ruins.

”Since the Eightpart Pantheons’ one million geniuses lost the Heavenly Dao Arena, they’re completely helpless. It won’t be hard to kill them now. If they don’t huddle together, we’d be able to kill a few hundred thousand with enough time.” The reason Tianming didn’t do so was that it wasn’t worthwhile if he couldn’t grow his omnisentient threads at the same time. He was still counting on increasing them in the Upper Star Ruin.

”The flameyellow descendants out there are still in a precarious situation. I can only do my best to communicate with them and gradually build them into a united whole. At the same time, the elites of the Ten Desolate Starforges have mostly left. If I’m able to take over those places without anyone noticing, I’d be able to save a lot....” The Ten Desolate Starforges were maniverse-class worlds, surrounded by a thousand fortuna-class worlds that housed numerous slaves. Though they would still suffer, it was something they had to put up with for now. The disaster that befell the flameyellow divinities wasn’t something that happened only in one generation, but all subsequent generations. They hated the Eightpart Pantheons to the core. That much was clear to Tianming through the omnisentient threads. It constantly weighed heavily on them.

”What can I say to those who have experienced so much more pain than I have?” Tianming returned to the Ten Desolate Starforges with a renewed resolve. He had experienced much that caused him to grow. Soon, he reached the entrance of the Darkfiend Den.

”Big Brother, I’ll stay here to wait for Feng,” Qingyu said at the end of the day, which was no surprise to Tianming.

”Alright.” He understood how she felt. If it were him, he wouldn’t be able to give up on even the slightest hope. Right as he was about to get Moran and Zi Zhen to stay there too, however, a xenogate appeared within the ark! A black-robed youth emerged from the vortex, his hair pitch black. He had a black spinning vortex at his chest, and his eyes were completely crimson rather than the crimson and purple of before.

”Feng!” Tianming could finally see him for good.

”Brother Tianming,” Lingfeng said, his voice hoarse. He seemed to have matured lots across his absence.

”Feng....” Qingyu had not seen him so lucid for a long time. She wanted to rush to hug him and ask if he was finally free, but Lingfeng took a step back.

With a pained look, he said, ”Qingyu, I can’t....”

”Why?” she asked, eyes turning red.

”Di Yi is still in my head. I’ve only managed to suppress him temporarily. He’s constantly threatening me with you and Brother Tianming. It’s dangerous.” Lingfeng seemed rather frustrated that he had to keep his distance even though they finally reunited. It was clear that even as he spoke, he was fighting against the monster within him.

”There’s no rush.” Tianming pulled Qingyu close by the shoulder. ”How are you doing?”

Lingfeng took a deep breath and said, ”It doesn’t look good. My odds of winning against him in this fight are fifty-fifty. He’s not able to gain an edge over me either, so I want you all not worry about me.”

”Fifty-fifty?” It was much better than Tianming had anticipated. He had always been worried that Lingfeng wouldn’t even have a fighting chance.

”Brother Tianming,” Lingfeng said, ”You’re always the one who’s saving me, but I want to change that! I know you’re worried about me, but I want you to trust me.”

”Sure thing. I’ll support you no matter what!” He turned to Qingyu and said, ”I know she’s worried about you, but she trusts you too!”

”Of course,” Qingyu said, nodding at Lingfeng but being unable to say much.

”Alright.” Lingfeng took a deep breath and said, ”I already see a path ahead. If I can win in this struggle, I won’t just regain my freedom. There’s something even more crucial.”

”What is it?” Tianming asked.

”Perhaps I can replace Di Yi and take over the Xenoworld. He is gambling his life against me.”

”Take over the Xenoworld?” Tianming knew how mysterious that place was. The Xenoabyss was also a part of it.

”That’s right.”

”What if it doesn’t go well?”

”Then I’m sure to lose everything. I might even end up causing you trouble, but I have no choice but to see this through.” His eyes burned with a black flame.

”Is there any way I can help?” Tianming asked.

”I don’t need anything for now, but I might need you to come to the Xenoworld at the end of all this. We’ll be needing some soul power firepower, so I’ll seek you out when the time comes!”

”Alright. I’ll gladly offer my help.”

”I want to help too. I can do it,” Qingyu said, looking at Lingfeng with yearning.

”Sure.” He looked deeply at her before nodding. This would give a huge boost to Qingyu’s motivation to cultivate. One should fear the terror of the Eightpart Holy Daughter that did not tire.

”However, you have to go back to the Sun first. There’s no point in staying here,” Lingfeng said.

”Okay....” Qingyu nodded. It was far too lonely in the Fiend Ruins, whereas her friends and family were all in the Sun. That was the perfect place for her to grow.

Suddenly, many purple veins appeared in Lingfeng’s right eye. He was beginning to lose hold. ”Brother Tianming, Qingyu, and sisters-in-law... I have to go!”

He disappeared into the vortex to the Xenoworld before Di Yi’s eye fully appeared. They could hear Di Yi’s angered cries for a few moments before the vortex closed, leaving nothing but silence behind.

Qingyu’s tears flowed uncontrollably once Lingfeng was gone. She turned to Tianming, as if she was begging. ”Big Brother, is what he’s saying true? Or did he make it up to make us feel less worried?”

”I choose to believe it’s true, based on what I know about Feng,” Tianming said.

”No way. Do you mean that I understand him less than you do?”

”No. You’re simply not thinking straight. This matters far too much to you.” He consoled her and patted her on the shoulder. ”You should take a page out of your sisters-in-law’s book.”

”What page?” Zi Zhen asked.

Tianming cleared his throat and declared, ”Trust your man forevermore!”

”No way!”