Beastmaster of the Ages

As long as he was alive, there was hope. Everyone thought that Ye Lingfeng was gone for good. When Tianming heard the wondersky fairy talk about xenofiends, his hopes had fallen to rock bottom. But now, Ye Lingfeng was standing right before him. It was a delightful surprise, to say the least.

They hadn't met in far too long. Even though he was only a caelum in the wondersky realm, it made no difference. Ye Lingfeng was just like before, simple and pure, but with more life experience. There was a hint of depth and maturity in his eyes, compared to the time when he was eating worms.

"So, what state are you in right now?" Tianming asked, forcing himself to stay as calm as he could.

"I was banished to the xenomemory space and have been wandering this whole time. Then I saw a butterfly-like world and had the soulfiend send my caelum here.

"That's how you ended up in Violetglory Star's wondersky realm?"

It was far too much of a coincidence that depended on Tianming getting the wondersky gate all the way back at Flamehaven before he even met Ye Lingfeng. Even then, there were more than three thousand legacy lands in this particular wondersky realm. It wouldn't be odd for them to not meet for centuries.

"Come to think of it, what kind of place is this? How'd you come here?" Ye Lingfeng asked.

Tianming briefed him about his experiences, including Li Wudi's departure and task for him, as well as the true nature of the wondersky realm.

"It's amazing indeed," Ye Lingfeng said. "That means we met out of sheer luck."

"What do you know about that? It's a karmic bond, that must be it," Ying Huo said.

"Shut up, tattoo," Tianming said.

"Chicken Bro is a bird on a bird," Meow Meow teased.

"You two are on buttcheeks! You have no right to mock me!" Ying Huo snapped.

Tianming ignored them and patted Ye Lingfeng on the shoulder. "I have a few questions for you."

"Alright."

"Who brought you and Qingyu to the Divine Moon Realm?"

"I don't really know. It felt like a gust of wind that was only going to bring her. I happened to be nearby and held onto her, so I got dragged along with her. The soulfiend did the same as well."

"A gust of wind? Then what about when you reached the moon? Did you see the person that took you there?"

"No. The two of us were just wandering around an unfamiliar place. We could barely survive, thanks to our weak cultivation. But when we cultivated using the stellunar source, we started being able to defend ourselves. As for the rest, you already know about it. It's all my fault for not being smart enough to lay low...."

"What's happened has happened. Don't get too hung up over it. Let's just think of what we can do to change it," Tianming consoled. "Do you think it's good or bad that Qingyu went to the celestial orderians?"

"I can't say for sure. The two of us knew almost nothing from beginning to end. I heard she was called the Ninemoon Goddess because she had nine bane-rings, so it might not be a bad thing. She was even able to stop the celestial orderians from killing me. Come to think of it, you had ten. Didn't you cause even more of a commotion than her?"

"I hid it. I can't afford to go to Orderia yet. I have to save you first." Tianming showed him the four bane texts on his arms.

"You're the more experienced one, as usual. If Qingyu and I knew to hide it, I wouldn't be so close to dying right now."

"What're you talking about? We've already met, so there's no way I'll let you die. Come to think of it, did you leave any traces of blood before being banished to the xenomemory space?"

"What good would that do if I did?"

"Sovereign Xi has a dimensional rope that I can use to pull us back once I find you using your blood."

"Is that true?!" Ye Lingfeng's eyes brightened for a moment, but he soon shook his head. "Sovereign Xi wanted to kill me! If it weren't for Qingyu's pleading, I wouldn't have lived. Not to mention, the celestial orderians ordered her to banish me here. There's no way she'll agree, unless you can somehow control her."

It didn't seem like there was much hope for him.

"Control? It isn't impossible. I broke my Lifesbane curse and am rapidly growing. Not to mention, I managed to come to Violetglory Star. This place is even better than Orderia for cultivation. I'll definitely be able to grow stronger than her one day. As long as you can survive in the xenomemory space, there's hope."

Saving Ye Lingfeng could well put him in the bad graces of the celestial orderians and make things much harder for Tianming in the future. Even so, his path was one of changing fate. If death was Ye Lingfeng's destiny, he would fight to his death to change it.

Seeing Tianming so resolute about saving him, some hope returned to Ye Lingfeng. However, he seemed to have something troubling him.

"Is there any difficulty with that?" Tianming asked.

"Brother Tianming, I was discovered by the xenofiends. Now, one of them is born."

"What happens then?"

"I'm not too sure. It is rather bad. It's destroying my body from the inside. The soulfiend says it'll continue proliferating. Once there are five or six xenofiends in my body, I'll die."

"How many are there now?"

"Just one."

"I got it." That meant Tianming couldn't afford to go about it at a leisurely pace. If it weren't for the xenofiends, Ye Lingfeng could've waited for a few years, but now it was a race against time.

"Entering the xenomemory space is as good as dying. It's far too difficult to leave. If it's too risky, leave me be. I don't want you to get into trouble for saving me. You have a bright future. Don't offend the divine moonrace and celestial orderians for my sake," Ye Lingfeng said.

"What are you talking about?" He smacked the back of Ye Lingfeng's head. "Snap out of it. You're my brother. How could I not save you when you're in trouble?! Think about it. If we changed places, would you just watch as I helplessly waste away?"

Ye Lingfeng gave it some thought and believed he wouldn't as well. Since the day he was freed, he had been prepared to give his life for Tianming.

"I just feel that the only reason I was able to leave the Infernal Soul Purgatory was due to you. Yet now I need you to save me again without being able to offer any help. I'm too pathetic."

"What's the rush? Anything can happen with enough time. Maybe you'll get stronger than me one day, and it'll be your turn to protect me." Plus, the only reason Feiling had survived in the Tomb of the Ancients was thanks to Ye Lingfeng, not to mention the battle at Decimo Dao Palace. He had done far too much.

"Alright, it's a promise!" Ye Lingfeng pledged to do just that.

Tianming changed to a more serious tone and said, "Additionally, there's something you need to hear...."