Beastmaster of the Ages

The land outside Dragonbound Valley was incredibly desolate, making it rather well concealed. Coupled with an illusion formation, the whole place was a maze that could trap someone for eternity. However, it was hard to say whether it would do much against elite celestial orderians. It was a matter of luck.

Currently, an uninvited guest had shown up in the vicinity, an ugly woman with a ghostly face dressed in a bloodstained white robe and wielding a fine crimson blade. Her eyes flashed violet and red as she made her way through the illusory fog. Then a demonic totem emerged from her, completely covered in green and purple. It looked like an infant with a disproportionately large nose covered in hairy spikes.

"Let's see... no matter how intricate this formation is, it can't hide the scent of living bodies... I'll let you guys enjoy a feast today," Li Wushuang said, cackling.

The totem plastered itself on the ground. It looked humanoid, but had long legs that resembled those of a spider. It rapidly scuttled along the ground like an insect, zig-zagging around as it dragged its long tongue across the ground, letting out sharp baby-like sounds as it went about. Though it was a totem, it seemed to leave some kind of thick, slimy residue that could melt a thousand-meter hole into the ground. The infantile voice and Li Wushuang's demonic laughter reverberated through the entire area. Many young disciples that were doing their best to cultivate inside Dragonbound Valley heard the sound.

"Who's crying? It sounds like a child."

"It's too loud to be a child. It can't be...."

"Someone's laughing outside, too, how terrifying."

Panic began to spread as the pale-faced youths huddled toward the center of the valley.

"It must be some kind of elite! Spread out and hide! Don't gather in large groups!"

Long Longlong had quite a bit of authority, thanks to his relative experience. The other disciples did as they were told and hid in their respective safe spots. That way, even if someone barged in, they wouldn't be able to kill everyone in a short time. The only thing left for them to do was pray.

"Over here," the totem said.

Li Wushuang looked toward the southeast. The commotion coming from within the valley couldn't escape her sight. "Found you, little ones."

She cracked a wide, beaming smile that was cold and disgusting at the same time. If she saw her reflection now, she would no doubt puke. Fortunately, she had tossed the mirror away long ago and no longer cared about her looks; it was good enough that she was powerful. She felt a mad rush as she felt the power coursing through her.

"Was he right after all? I'm a twelfth-level solarian now... few can stand up to me in all of Orderia. Even the Saintdragon Emperor is getting old. As for the Myriad Solar Sects, if we don't include the Sky Palace, the dreamless celestial emperor's probably the only one who can stand up to me." Back then, she'd had a really high status, but her power was far from close to being the number two in all of Orderia.

"If I become the sun empress one day, can't I use his Divine Sun Palace to roam the astralscape of order? That'd be a completely different kind of life, huh?" She seemed to have her thoughts in order, or in as much order as someone driven mad by power like her could have. As she cackled, she shuffled toward the valley, her body stinking to the high heavens.

At that moment, two figures descended before her, a man and a woman, the latter of whom was an incredible beauty. Long Wanying's elegance had only grown more refined as she aged, with every bit of her skin seeming perfectly sculpted. Time didn't seem to leave the slightest mark on her. With her dreamy looks, it made her so much easier to approach. Even just standing beside her brought one comfort. And Yang Ce, her loyal protector, was right beside her.

Long Wanying angrily glared at Li Wushuang, who felt a sour tug in her heart. She looked at Miss Popular, who was loved and adored by everyone, and even saw her own reflection in her eyes! Could her power make up for her lost beauty? No! Absolutely not! Old wounds reopened as her rage and despair welled up within, her emotions pouring out from them like toxic blood.

"Aaaaaagh!" she madly howled, clutching her head. Then, she raised the Skymoon Holyfiend and pointed it at Long Wanying. "I... will... make you... minced meat!" She had gone raving mad. Tears of blood flowed down into her ghastly mouth as killing intent soared.

"Li Wushuang!" Long Wanying's whole body shuddered as she fought to glare at the madwoman. "It's your fault that my husband and son are dead! You ruined my life! You're the source of all the pain I suffered! Yet you still want me dead? I don't get it. You started all of it! You think you deserve to hate me?! It should be the other way around! Your family was the one that ruined you! How dare you blame me for all of it?!"

"Because you deserve to die! No question about it!" Someone like Li Wushuang would never find fault with herself. As far as she was concerned, Long Wanying was the target of her envy who had stopped her from getting everything that she ever wanted. "I can't wait to relish in torturing you to death! Let's see who has the last laugh when I make you as ugly as I am now!" She charged in and began her assault, erratically switching from laughing to crying.

"Wanying, the fight over there has started. We won't be able to go back until we deal with her, so let's give it our all," Yang Ce said.

"Alright!"

This was the moment she could get her revenge. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the sight of her husband and son dying. It had been that way for all these years. Solitude always reminded her of the pain of loss. It was the kind of loss that she would never fully recover from all her life. However, though she hated Li Wushuang to the bone, she would never become as cruel as her. She held her sword tight, her heart shaking. "Xuan, my beloved, and my dear Tian, I'll avenge you today."

She had held herself back from killing Li Wushuang even when she was out cold, but now there was nothing left to fear. The celestial orderians were going to go all out on her sect, anyway. Her eyes were completely bloodshot as she finally let her pent-up hatred loose. Even her sword seemed like it was covered in a bloody aura.

Li Wushuang's eight completely different totems emerged. Long Wanying felt like she was seeing a completely different person. In Li Wushuang's youth, her totems were beautiful goddesses of the moon, aloof and dreamlike. But now they were all fiendish demons!

"How powerful...." Yang Ce and Long Wanying furrowed their brows. "She's at least at the twelfth level now."

This was a nightmare. The two of them were only tenth-level solarians.