Beastmaster of the Ages

A few days later, Tianming, Zi Zhen and Li Tianzi brought Li Yanfeng and a thousand of his closest and most trusted associates away from Violetblitz Starcage without anyone noticing. After they left, the firemaple troops scaled down their attacks and switched to defending themselves before gradually adopting a low profile.

”The violetblitzians have no leader, so things will surely get much worse for them,” Li Yanfeng said. ”Lin Tianjian did have a number of powerful primocosmic gods under him, but they don’t get along with one another. No doubt, they’ll start to carve out their own territories at each other’s expense. The firemaples will be in the least danger from all this.”

”That’s right,” Li Tianzi agreed. ”You left secretly, and the violetblitzians wouldn’t go causing trouble for a group that still has their imperator, after all.”

The official story was that Li Yanfeng had ordered his troops to adopt a low profile to be cautious against the Adjudicator’s reaction. As for the Adjudicator, even if he really did want to seek out Li Yanfeng, he wouldn’t lower his station to attack the normal firemaples even if he couldn’t find the imperator. All the while, the imperator headed to Skyplunder Capital with his people for to strengthen their alliance.

***

Many important figures gathered within the Plunderlord Palace. Li Muyang took the main throne within a large hall with Wei Jing sitting beside him. Mu Qingqing stood behind the two of them.

On the other side were Sage Chen, Sage Xing and Jiang Qingluan from Vermillion Bird. Those three had been there for quite some time and knew that the biggest conflict in the Realm of Chaos was about to arrive, so they decided to come over to observe the situation.

”They’re back.” Li Muyang stood up smiling with a silver cockroach in his hand.

Mu Qingqing, who had been looking straight at Jiang Qingluan, immediately rose and nervously asked, ”They’re back? Are they okay?”

”Everything went well,” Wei Jing said, much to Mu Qingqing and Jiang Qingluan’s relief.

”Do not worry, Imperial Daughter, that kid Tianming won’t run into any serious trouble,” Sage Chen said to Jiang Qingluan.

”Who said I was worried about him?” She blushed stubbornly and turned her gaze back to Mu Qingqing. ”He already has a wife to worry about. Why would I need to?”

Mu Qingqing felt rather helpless about it as she shook her head with a resigned smell. ”Given Tianming in his current state, you might be closer to him than I am.”

She knew that what Tianming had experienced in the Realm of Order had made her identity as Mu Qingqing something that he couldn’t accept. Jiang Qingluan, however, was a close friend of Tianming’s, at least the Chaos Skyjail version of her. That probably also meant that Tianming felt more affinity with Chaos Jiang Qingluan.

Despite her musings, Mu Qingqing didn’t reveal any hint of jealousy, only resignation. She had always been gentle and calm. She was happy as long as she got to watch and defend him quietly.

Jiang Qingluan laughed and said, ”Closer my ass. If not for my father heckling me to come, I wouldn’t have bothered.”

Mu Qingqing smiled, knowing that Jiang Qingluan just couldn’t be honest with herself.

Everyone got up to welcome the party outside the hall. Soon, Tianming, Li Tianzi, Zi Zhen and Li Yanfeng descended to Skyplunder Capital. The imperator’s associates were led to their respective accommodations without drawing any significant attention. The alliance led by the sky plunderers finally assembled in one place.

”The mission was successful,” Li Tianzi said. He then began to greet everyone there.

”My good son, you two are amazing! You left the violetblitzians completely crippled! We’re much better off now that they lost one imperator,” Sage Chen said, patting Li Tianzi on the shoulder.

Li Muyang and Li Yanfeng hugged each other. Their relationship was good enough that words were unnecessary.

”Uncle Chen, Uncle Xing, Imperial Daughter.” Tianming greeted the three of them as he landed with Zi Zhen. He noticed that the proud young woman ignored him and stared at Zi Zhen instead. Sparks seemed to fly when they exchanged glances.

”Jiang Qingluan?” Zi Zhen raised a brow, knowing that there was a person with the same name on the Sun. However, nothing happened between Tianming and that Jiang Qingluan even though they knew each other for so long, so Zi Zhen wasn’t the least bit concerned. This one, however, seemed different. In fact, she looked like a great match for Tianming as he was now!

”So, you’re Zi Zhen, right?” Jiang Qingluan was an eighth-level primocosmic god and somewhat taller than Zi Zhen, being eighty thousand meters tall. She smiled and stepped forward with her hand stretched out. ”I heard that you were able to hold Imperator Tu back at Violetblitz Starcage and helped Tianming and his brother kill Imperator Jian. That’s an amazing achievement.”

”It was alright, I suppose,” Zi Zhen said, not finding any fault with her attitude. She accepted the handshake. ”If not for the red ball from Vermillion Bird, what we did wouldn’t have been possible.”

Zi Zhen was referring to how both she and Tianming used the dazzling radiance, but Jiang Qingluan had been under the impression that only Tianming could benefit from it.

”That was just the optimal use for that resource. On the other hand, we’re very thankful that you’re able to come to our Realm of Chaos to help Tianming.”

”There’s nothing to thank me for. It’s only natural for me to help him out when he’s in trouble.”

Though the two seemed cordial, Tianming couldn’t help but feel a headache brewing.

Mu Qingqing began to mutter, ”Tianming, Imperator Tu and Imperator Ji returned not long ago. The four concubines are at the Kunruler Palace.”

Zi Zhen and Jiang Qingluan turned to Tianming when they heard that.

”One, two, three, four, five, six, seven...” Xian Xian carved seven figures onto her bark in one go.

”Heavens...” Tianming blacked out immediately.

***

Soon, all nine of them entered Plunderlord Palace’s main hall. They had to prepare for the incoming storm. Since everyone present was an ally, they spoke freely and without restraint. Tianming felt as if he had returned to Ignispolis from seeing the familiar faces of Mu Yang, Wei Jing, Jiang Qingluan, Li Yanfeng, Sage Chen and Sage Xing.