Beastmaster of the Ages

Now that Tianming had access to the wondersky realm, he no longer cared too much about the resources of the Divine Moon Realm. However, the wondersky realm still wasn't able to get him everything he needed, as it was limited to battle arts, techniques and caelum legacies. Physical resources like manna, weapons, spirit herbs, ores, and hazards couldn't be obtained there. Most importantly, there was no stellunar source there either.

As such, relying on the wondersky realm alone wasn't enough for him to make progress. He needed other ways to grow stronger in reality as well, so he needed a firm foundation.

"Have you stated all of your requests?" Sovereign Xi asked gently. She didn't seem to want to throw her weight around with Tianming. Instead, she maintained a gentle visage filled with an air of mystique and interest.

"Yes, I have. Knowing when to stop is also a key aspect of grace, after all," Tianming said.

"So you know about grace as well." Sovereign Xi seemed to like him more the more she observed him. "Follow Us in. From now on, the Grandfowl Water Palace will be your home."

She entered the hall ahead of them. Tianming followed her inside and found himself in a well-illuminated paradise that smelled rather fragrant. After entering, the sovereign was nowhere to be seen. However, her voice resonated across the entire hall. "Child, grow up fast. We will wait for the day you knock down the door to Our heart."

Her voice sounded like a warm breeze, though it sensually tickled him as it entered his ears. Tianming chuckled in his heart at the sensation.

He chose to stay in the quarters in the east, Origin Hall. There was a thick mist within it, a sign of the highest density stellunar source filling the area. Cultivating there would have the best results. It was the best location to cultivate in all across the Divine Moon Hall. Not to mention, he was quite happy that the sovereign wouldn't be interrupting him.

This was his first day in the palace, and so far, he didn't seem to be in immediate danger. In fact, it was perfect. Sovereign Xi was also gentle and pleasant all around. "Come to think of it, she's someone who controls the lives of billions. There's no way she's someone who doesn't have any understanding of the human psyche."

For now, his impression of the 'old whore' had changed considerably. There was only one thing he doubted, though.... "A harem of three thousand? Why isn't there a single person here? Even the core area, the Grandfowl Water Palace, doesn't have anyone apart from the two of us!"

This was the biggest question in his mind, but since he didn't ask, the sovereign wouldn't mention it either. He knew she would definitely have something ready to tell him if he did, but he wouldn't be able to ascertain the truth of it.

"Looks like the water isn't as shallow as it seems here."

That night, Tianming didn't train in the wondersky realm as the sovereign would be sending someone to bring him manna sooner or later. He sat in the courtyard considering every detail of their earlier conversation. As he wasn't able to see her expression under the mask, it was hard for him to discern the true emotion hidden beneath the gentle voice, if it was even fake to begin with.

"I should explore the area and familiarize myself with the surroundings." He got up and went poking around in the Grandfowl Water Palace. There were hundreds of halls here, but it was all quiet. If not for the brilliant glow of the moon, it would look like a ghost town. A silvery mist permeated the corridors and circled around the palace, carrying a somber aura with it. Tianming closed his eyes and felt himself in endless darkness.

"Did you notice anything?" Tianming asked."Notice what?" Ying Huo said.

"This is the area with the densest stellunar source. Normally, it should be packed with people. But it just so happens that there's not a single soul here."

"How would I know? I'm not even outside."

"Then come out, will you?"

"No way. I wouldn't want to risk catching the old vixen's eye."

"Stop messing around!" Tianming snapped, then continued blindly roaming around.

Not long later, he exited the palace from the rear entrance and saw a large, silver lake in front of him. "This is breathtaking."

The lake looked like a bright full moon. The power of the stellunar source seemed to be rising from the depths of the lake, giving the whole lake a glow. It was as if the surface of the lake was covered in pearls. Tianming approached it and opened his arms wide, feeling the surging power of the thick stellunar source.

"This is the perfect place for cultivation!" he marveled. The glowing lake seemed clear and free from impurities. It also seemed a little warm, like a hot spring, with steam rising from the surface. All of a sudden, a thought occurred to him. "How many people have fooled around here with that woman?"

It just so happened that this was also the perfect place for some sensual activities. "Forget it. It has nothing to do with me."

He knelt and stretched out his hand, wanting to touch the warm lake water. Feeling the cold outside was making him a little queasy. However, his fingers seemed to stop right before touching the surface. "It's a formation."

A formless formation seemed to cover the surface of the lake. The only thing that seemed able to pass through was the rising steam. If he had directly jumped into it, he might have slipped and fell onto the formation like it was glass instead.

"It's just a lake. What's the point of walling it off with a formation?" He smirked and switched to his left hand. His black arm easily tore open a small hole and poked into the lake. Using the Plundering Eye, he saw a completely different sight within the lake. His actual eyes opened wide and his brows furrowed.

This was no clear lake whose bottom was clearly visible. It was a pool of blood so pure that it didn't seem to contain the slightest bit of water. That was why the lake didn't seem too big. The pool of blood seemed to have coagulated after a long time and it wasn't warm at all. Instead, it was the source of the chill!

The other sensations were all illusions. What shocked him even more were the three thousand poles in the middle of the lake. On each of them was a complete skeleton held on by countless nails. The skulls, and even their finger digits were properly arranged and nailed. There were three thousand sets of skeletons in total. All three thousand people who were unaccounted for were dead! Their empty eye sockets were pointed in Tianming's direction, though they didn't move in the slightest. He felt chills running down his spine.

"So this is where your harem of three thousand is...." That instant, he drew a cold breath that spread throughout his body and even seemingly numbed his heart. He finally knew the nature of the place he had found himself in. What kind of perverse ritual was that woman up to?!