Beastmaster of the Ages

It was too bad that nobody cared about what Shi Yan had to say. Though she could throw her weight around in front of Gujian Qingshuang and the sect elders, Long Wanying and Yan Nuxia couldn't care less. Even though there were more than ten thousand people from the Empyrean Sword Sect there, they couldn't afford to start a fight. Both sects were first-rate sects and weren't too far off from each other in terms of power. Not to mention, even the One-strike Slaughterer might not necessarily be able to defeat Yan Nuxia or Long Wanying in a one-on-one fight.

The five thousand elites from the Group of Celestial Maiden Halls headed to the Sixth Sword Branch with Long Wanying. Jiang Qingliu had prepared the place to host them earlier.

"Gujian Qingshuang," Shi Yan said, turning to him when the group left. They entered the Celestial Welcome Hall together. "How do you plan to explain that?"

There were few people on the sun that Shi Yan feared, but this foul-mouthed Yan Nuxia was among those that gave her headaches. Not only was she unable to defeat her, but she couldn't even beat her in an argument. Her devil-may-care attitude was just the thing that could keep the One-strike Slaughterer in check.

"I'm not sure what I can tell you, General Shi. If they want to enter, there's little I can do. The Whitedragon Empress has a higher status than me." Though Gujian Qingshuang was in a weak position, he felt much better that there was another faction here to balance things out. There was no offense to be taken from his decision either way.

"She's already lost her home and backing, yet you still caved to her?" Shi Yan said.

"I had no choice. As you're no doubt aware, our sect doesn't have that kind of negotiating power."

Shi Yan was only more infuriated at seeing him feign obedience.

Gujian Qingshuang hurriedly added, "Please be assured that I stand with your sect. When the divine tree is ready to bloom, you'll take charge of the harvest."

"You'd better think of a way to get them to leave. Otherwise, nothing good will come of this." Though Shi Yan said that, she felt better at hearing what he said.

"If we do that, won't we have fewer people to face off against the Supracloud Sanctuary? They do have both the wargodeans and Blueblood Starocean helping them."

"That reminds me.... Very well. Just think of a way to send them to battle first so they can take the brunt of the attacks!"

"Yes, definitely...." Gujian Qingshuang didn't dare to argue.

"You said you'll stand with my sect, right?"

"Definitely."

"You'd better. Otherwise we'll eliminate your sect by using reunification as our justification. Nobody will be able to argue otherwise."

"Understood."

"Now that those people are here, it'll be a little troublesome. Think of a way to send Jiang Qingliu away."

"Will do!" Gujian Qingshuang knew why Shi Yan was in so much of a rush. If Jiang Qingliu died, then Gujian Qingshuang would be fully committed to the Empyrean Sword Sect's cause.

......

In the sixth branch's Bamboo Quarters, the elites from the Group of Celestial Hall Maidens were merrily celebrating after not having met for a long time. After Long Wanying introduced Tianming to them, he got to know quite a few more 'aunties'. They were all the cream of the crop in their sect in terms of power and beauty, and they all had deep ties with Long Wanying.

Long Wanying had cultivated at their sect before, and also held joint exercises with them, cementing their ties with Xuanyuan Dragon Sect. Though she also had friends in many other sects, they were prevented from coming due to their sects' policies. She had shown Tianming why having connections was so important.

Surrounded by so many beautiful and enchanting women, he was at a loss as to what to do. He felt like he was constantly basking in a kind of fragrance. Not even Yu Ziqian could take it and crawled out to save himself, leaving Tianming alone.

For instance, there was a cute girl with light-red hair called Gu Tao'er. The others called her Cherry. Though she was around eight hundred years old, she looked no different from a teenager and behaved like one too. There was another woman dressed in a long yellow robe that had the elegant and mature aura of a scholar called Li Muli, though the others called her Snowpear. So far, those were the normal ones. There were quite a few eccentric ones like Yan Nuxia, such as a rather big-boned middle-aged woman who looked rather fierce despite her gentle demeanor. Her name was Niu Xiaoqian, but the others called her Avocado, which highlighted the roundness of her figure.

"Are all of you part of the Heavenly Fruit Squad or something?" Tianming asked.

They broke out in laughter, recalling the youthful days they had shared.

"Sigh, those were good times. We used to be young, naive girls, but now we're all middle-aged ladies...."

"I wish we could go back to those times...."

Tears began forming in their eyes.

"Go back my ass. Let's talk about the serious stuff," Yan Nuxia said, eating a banana. "The Empyrean Sword Sect was merely exaggerating the meeting. There's no way the Xuanyuan Dragon Sect will be abandoned. The most that'll happen is that nobody will send them any help. Many others intend to try exploiting the wargodeans, though none of them are willing to actually do so. The Dreamless Celestial Nation and Voidword Shrine have no intent of leading the charge. The Empyrean Sword Sect has only come with their slogans and promises of glory because they see something in it for them. Not to mention, they'll be able to weaken the influence of the Xuanyuan Dragon Sect in the meantime. It isn't the first time the Northdipper Swordsage has resorted to dastardly tricks like these. That animal Shi Yan is merely making empty promises to Gujian Qingshuang."

"Doesn't Gujian Qingshuang know that?" Gu Tao'er asked.

"He definitely suspects something. I figure that they'll come to ask Tangerine about the secret meeting. However, I still can't bring myself to trust someone as hard to read as him," Long Wanying said.

"No worries. We came here to protect you. The fruits of the divine tree are merely our second priority. Let's hope that the Empyrean Sword Sect plays nice. If they don't mess with us, we won't mess with them. But if they do, we'll kill them all!" Yan Nuxia snapped.

"Alright, stop boasting. You can't even kill a chicken without flinching," Long Wanying said, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, I have a reputation to keep up in front of the juniors!"

Everyone burst out laughing.

"Hey, what're you doing there?" Long Wanying just realized that they were surrounding Tianming.

"What a fresh young one.... Dashing."

"Tianming, do you have a girlfriend? Want Auntie Cherry here to introduce you to someone?"

"How about Niu Xiaojing? She's still single!"

"Hahahaha"

Tianming awkwardly watched them as they laughed, though he understood that he would definitely be well protected with all of them there. Now, he had someone backing him. He looked at Long Wanying, suddenly feeling that there was something he still had to do.

"Cultivate without worry," she said.

"Yes, Aunt Ying."

"Tianming," Yan Nuxia called out, sitting on the roof beam.

"What is it?"

"Come up here and let me feel you up."

Panicking, Tianming took Meow Meow out of his lifebound space and left it in the room before escaping.

"Meow?" The black cat lazily stretched and looked around, dazzled. Tens of pairs of eyes glowed as they looked at it.

......

To prevent trouble from coming to him, Jiang Qingliu kept himself in seclusion. The Azuresoul Palace already had a location prepared near the divine tree to wait for the start of the harvest. The Supracloud Sanctuary also had one there, so friction and conflict was inevitable. It was said that there were already some casualties due to small skirmishes, though that had nothing to do with Tianming, who was cultivating in peace now that the seniors had created a good environment for him to do so. He found himself in the place where the caeli of the Azuresoul Palace were collected, the Azuresky Bridge.