Beastmaster of the Ages

Li Ruoshi had lost even faster than Long Youyou. It was clear for everyone to see that she'd been badly beaten like a helpless rabbit without the slightest ability to resist, all while she hadn't underestimated her opponent one bit and had given it her all. The celestial orderians had lost the first two matches, much to the shock of every cultivator on the Supracloud Sanctuary's side.

"This...."

Even the wargodeans and those from the Blueblood Starocean held their breaths in shock.

"Is it over?"

It had turned out completely different from their expectations. They had come with full force and exerted a lot of pressure, only to be beaten back.

"Long Youyou and Li Ruoshi are both about the level of seventh-level constelliers.... Their opponents have grown much stronger since the Voidsky Skirmish!"

"These two aren't even Sky Palace disciples!"

"The four juniors of the Azuresoul Palace...."

Even the seniors from the Azuresoul Palace felt that it was too good to be true, unable to say a word as they stared at Tianming and the others.

"Heavens!"

"Is this the blessing of the forebears of our sect?"

"This has got to be the best day ever."

"Look at their expressions! It's like they stepped in dog shit!"

Putting the Tumulus Pill God aside, Lan Sha, Yun Tianque, and the others—including Gujian Qingshuang and Shi Yan—were flabbergasted. Lingfeng and Xiaoxiao had been Shi Yan's goal the entire time, since they wouldn't have to eventually leave for the Sky Palace. And now they'd demonstrated themselves able to defeat some of the best celestial orderian juniors! This was historic. Shi Yan felt her heart skip a few beats from the realization.

As for Long Wanying and the rest, they were all beaming with joyful smiles. Yan Nuxia laughed heartily and said, "They really kicked an iron plate with that one! They thought they could show off, only to become laughingstocks!"

Everyone broke out laughing, starting from the women of the Group of Celestial Maiden Halls to those from the Azuresoul Palace. Even those from the Empyrean Sword Sect couldn't stop chuckling.

"Li Tianming was right. They've won two of the three matches, so you'd better be ready to scram! You were the ones who suggested we settle it this way. Please take your loss gracefully and stop making fools of yourselves. Huh, and I thought celestial orderians had higher standards. I didn't think that the Veildragon Palace and soul tribulators wouldn't be able to compare to the seventh ranker of the imperial star ranking." Yan Nuxia didn't miss the chance to throw in a mocking comment and stoke Li Wushuang's flames.

"Well, she looked down on us and tried using a trick. They knew what they were doing," Long Wanying said. She could tell that Li Wushuang was fuming now. Those four were the only ones that represented the celestial orderians and neither she nor Li Haochen would tolerate any insult to them. However, Li Haochen was the one who had suggested the arrangement, so who was to blame after their loss?

The waves of mockery splashed on Li Wushuang, Li Haochen, Li Ruoshi and Long Youyou like toilet water. Their piss-poor performance had even made things awkward for those of the Supracloud Sanctuary. They looked more embarrassed than angry.

"Aunt Wushuang, Brother Haochen, I'm sorry." Li Ruoshi's tears fell like rain, but she tried covering her face to hide it.

Long Youyou couldn't help it and broke into tears after seeing Li Ruoshi cry. She had been utterly humiliated. No matter their status, it was clear that they hadn't suffered any real setbacks in the short twenty-odd years of their lives. They were merely overgrown children, at the end of the day.

"Stop," Li Wushuang snapped. "If you're going to keep crying, leave."

The two girls shut up and immediately stopped sobbing.

"Aunt, it was my mistake. I didn't think they'd be so powerful, unlike what our reports state about them. The mistake was mine, so don't blame them. They've done their best. I know full well how capable they are," Li Haochen said.

"That's right, Miss Wushuang. This isn't something any of us had expected. The young ones aren't at fault," the Tumulus Pill God said. Then he whispered, "Should we retreat? Or keep attacking?"

"Attack? Do you want us to break our word? Let the world know that what the celestial orderians say counts for nothing at all?" Li Wushuang asked.

"Alright, then! We'll retreat. But don't worry. We'll make preparations so that they won't be able to enjoy their victory here for long."

"I never said we'd leave," Li Wushuang said.

"What do you mean, Aunt?" Li Haochen asked, pushing down his rage.

"Haochen, are you confident in yourself?" Li Wushuang asked.

"Confident about what?"

"Defeating Li Tianming."

Li Haochen looked at the white-haired youth and said, "If his junior brother and sister have both improved, there's no way he hasn't as well. As a conservative estimate, he's probably two levels stronger than the time he fought Weisheng Moran. Even if he can face off against an eighth-level constellier, I'm still confident that I have a ninety percent chance of winning. Aunt, I didn't waste my time just sitting around these years. I've even defeated ninth-level constelliers."

"Alright. We can't not let you fight now that we've come to this point. Let it be known that we celestial orderians don't fear failure. We only fear not daring to strike back after we're defeated."

"But they've won two out of three matches. There's no point in me fighting," Li Haochen said. He would have launched into battle otherwise, but he accepted that he was the one who'd messed up by proposing what he had.

"Let's raise the bet!" Everyone turned to look at Li Wushuang after she said that.

"What bet, Aunt?" Li Haochen asked.

"Tell him that we're offering up a seven-star universal manna. If you lose, he'll get the manna. If you win, we'll get the grade-eight divine herb. The two are roughly equivalent in value, and since Li Tianming's a beastmaster, he won't be able to refuse a universal manna."

"Seven-star universal manna!" Even Li Haochen's heart shook from the thought. Even though it was useless to celestial orderians, it would be incredibly precious among those in the Myriad Solar Sects. In the Azuresoul Palace, for example, Gujian Qingshuang was the only one who had a seven-star divine beast. Weisheng Moran had obtained a seven-star universal manna from one of the dragon palaces in the tomb. Having a lifebound beast with a star count of more than seven thousand would make one among the strongest people in Orderia.

"There's no need to feel bad about it. Our territory produces just as many universal manna as the Myriad Solar Sects', but we've given most of them to the Veildragon Palace. They wouldn't have gotten so powerful otherwise. This particular manna was obtained by me from the inside of the nova source myself, so it's fine if you use it in your bet," Li Wushuang said.

Long Youyou merely poked out her tongue without daring to say anything else. What Li Wushuang had said about giving most of the universal manna that manifested in their territory to Veildragon palace was true. In other words, they had the celestial orderians to thank for their current might. To think that she was willing to use something so precious to help the celestial orderians save some face!

"Thank you, Aunt, for giving me this chance," Li Haochen said, the fighting spirit in him igniting once more.

"It could be a chance, but it could just as well be your misfortune. Now, it depends on you. If you lose, the celestial orderians will be mocked by the Myriad Solar Sects because of you. Even though there's a risk, I chose to allow you to fight because celestial orderians have to dominate all. If you can't even overcome a Sky Palace disciple, how can you dominate everyone in the future like your father?" In other words, this was a trial that he couldn't escape. He had to do it, because he represented the very best.

"Yes!" Li Haochen knew what she was saying. This was the price someone with his status had to pay even if it could result in his embarrassment!

"Haochen, you must understand what your status represents. The blood that flows in you and lets you enjoy the best of treatment and be worshiped by countless others also comes with a burden. You have to be the undisputed ruler of all, otherwise you aren't worthy of this bloodline."

"I understand." It only took a few words to raise his will to fight.

......

"Li Tianming," Li Haochen said, stepping up as those on the side of the Azuresoul Palace thought they were about to leave like beaten dogs. "You've won two out of three rounds, and we're fully convinced of our loss. However, it is a bit of a shame that I didn't get to show my hand during a gathering as grand as this. That's why I wish to once more fight for who takes the grade-eight divine herb by offering something of my own in exchange if you win." He looked down on Tianming with a blazing expression."What are you offering? Are you intending to deny the results?" Tianming asked. They wouldn't even have to hear them out now, as they had won the divine herb fair and square.

"Don't listen to him! It's a trap, so let's quit while we're ahead," many elders advised.

"It'd better be something that's just as valuable." Long Wanying had been looking at Li Wushuang the entire time she was talking to Li Haochen, so she figured this was her idea. It seemed clear to her that the celestial orderians were just trying to go back on their word.

But unlike what she had expected, Li Haochen said, "If you fight me and win, I'll give you a seven-star universal manna. If you lose, I'll take the grade-eight divine herb. This is separate from our previous agreement, which your side won. By suggesting another fight, I'm already implicitly accepting that the grade-eight divine herb is yours. We aren't going back on our word."

It sounded plenty reasonable. Naturally, Li Haochen had to take a step back and acknowledge their victory. Otherwise, Tianming wouldn't even begin to consider their conditions.

"A seven-star universal manna?" Everyone began chattering when they heard it.

"Only the chief instructor has a seven-star divine beast, right?"

"Most second-rate sects don't even have one...."