Beastmaster of the Ages

Sky Saint stage beastmasters could engage in aerial battles. Standing above the sea, Li Wudi's crimson hair fluttered as he wielded his Crimsonblood Saber. The crimson kunpeng beside him had also transformed into its kun form, causing the sea to rage as it descended on the ocean, which was the Ancient Infernalblood Kunpeng's home ground. It had evolved from being water-type to bloodsea-type, however, which was similar to converging a massacre into the ocean.

The rivers and lakes on the mainland weren't large enough for the Ancient Infernalblood Kunpeng to turn into its kun form. But now that it was in the ocean, it was returning to its home ground. Its figure was as massive as a whale, and when it opened its mouth, the torrential waves swept toward Jun Shengxiao and Yuan Hun.

The two saints had to race against time to defeat Li Wudi if they wanted to turn the tables around. Yuan Hun had an enormous black tortoise beside him. It was oily green in color and had weird green flames on it. The shell was thick, and the body was at least three times the size of a Hellshaker Black Tortoise. Its eyes were pitch-black, but blazing with green flames, showing that it was poisonous. The black tortoise was a poison- and fire-type lifebound beast, a sixth-order saint beast known as a Netherflame Black Tortoise!

The size of the tortoise was similar to the Ancient Infernalblood Kunpeng. But since it was also a fire-type lifebound beast, it didn't have an advantage in the ocean. It could only levitate in the air because it was in the Sky Saint Stage. But what made Li Wudi feel a greater threat was Jun Shengxiao's lifebound beast!

Jun Shengxiao had two white dragons as lifebound beasts. The two dragons looked pure and untainted; they were righteous dragons that matched well with the image that Jun Shengxiao had tried to portray. They were also sixth-order saint beasts, Firmament Saint Dragons.

Over the years, they had been the strongest lifebound beasts in the Grand-Orient Realm, and they were known as emperors among lifebound beasts. Everywhere they went, people would bow to them, and they had considered the Elysian Emperor as their god because of them.

"Li Wudi had just reached the Sky Saint Stage, yet he dares try to intercept us? Let me test him out!" Yuan Hun held two weapons, both with about forty saint patterns. It was a set of saber and shield.

The shield in his left hand looked like a stone gate, which seemed dignified and impenetrable—the Suppression Gate. It was famed for its defense in the Earthorigin Sect. Yuan Hun had a small-sized frame, but the saber that he was wielding, the Soul Snapping Sabre, was enormous. The saber had a bewitching effect. It was a unique saint beast weapon that was said to be able to snap souls, and just the name itself could strike fear in others.

"Let's go!" Yuan Hun instructed the Netherflame Black Tortoise, which blew flame onto the ocean to evaporate it and stop the Ancient Infernalblood Kunpeng, then turned into a green streak of light and charged over, executing the Nether Dragonslayer Art.

It was a sky saint battle art. Although the name had dragonslayer in it, it wasn't talking about actual dragons, but slaying earth veins. It was a highly lethal move that could split mountains and rivers in two. It was a top-tier battle art that had been passed down in the Earthorigin Sect for ten thousand years.

The ocean rumbled as Li Wudi unsheathed his saber, his face expressionless. At the same time, the crimson kun instantly swept the Netherflame Black Tortoise into the ocean.

"Chase after it!" Jun Shengxiao immediately ordered one of the Firmament Saint Dragons into the ocean to assist the black tortoise. The dragon was a light-type lifebound beast, which was rare. Although it wasn't good in the water, it was definitely better than the Netherflame Black Tortoise. The Ancient Infernalblood Kunpeng was doomed to die since it had to face two beasts of a higher level, even if it did have the advantage of being in the ocean.

"Li Wudi, what level are you in the Sky Saint stage?" Jun Shengxiao charged over with the remaining Firmament Saint Dragon while Yuan Hun was engaging Li Wudi.

"On the day I finished my Lifesbane, I made three breakthroughs and reached the fourth level of the Sky Saint Stage. Can you believe it?" Li Wudi laughed. He was still in the explosive state of his Lifesbane, which would gradually weaken and calm down after a year. The past three months would show his fastest improvements, and it would gradually slow down from there. So that meant that his cultivation speed would settle down roughly a year from now.

However, the Elysian Emperor replied with a sneer. No one could make three consecutive breakthroughs in the Sky Saint Stage, not even in the Theocracy of the Ancients.

"Jun Shengxiao, let me tell you something else. Do you believe that I'm an octabane?" Li Wudi laughed once more as he continued battling Yuan Hun.

At this point, Jun Shengxiao could no longer be bothered with Li Wudi. Octabane? Li Shenxiao was only a pentabane when he stepped into the Empyrean Saint stage, and that alone had already created a sensation in the Theocracy of the Ancients. If Li Wudi was an octabane, wouldn't he be a god?

"I know that you guys won't believe me, so I can pretend to be weak." Li Wudi's eyes suddenly lit up. He had previously been suppressed by Yuan Hun when he was only using the strength of a second-level Sky Saint stage. But right at that moment, his aura exploded as he unleashed his full strength.

"What?!" Just when Yuan Hun was about to swing his saber down, Li Wudi suddenly gripped his saber in both hands and slashed out, executing the Infernalblood Strike—Strike of Ten-Thousand Bloodbanes. Tens of thousands of bloodbanes erupted from the saber, all of them directed at Yuan Huan's Suppression Gate.

Yuan Hun, who still thought that Li Wudi was only in the second-level Sky Saint stage, felt his arm go numb from the impact. But that wasn't all! The shock that he received through the shield was beyond his limits. With an explosion, the Suppression Gate flew out of his hand and crashed against him. The Suppression Gate wasn't light, and Yuan Hun's head was covered in blood when it crashed against him.

"You despicable fiend! You actually hid your strength!" Yuan Hun roared. The dizziness he felt was making him weak. However, the greater shock he was feeling came from his heart. Li Wudi is actually in the fourth level of the Sky Saint stage! There's no way I can fight him! I have to retreat!

It would be impossible for him to win against someone in the fourth level of the Sky Saint Stage, and he no longer dared to stay behind. "Earthorigin defenders, listen up! Immediately retreat and return to the Earthorigin Sect!"

Not only was he leaving, but he also couldn't be bothered with the Elysian purifiers. After all, it would be better for the Earthorigin defenders to leave separately, as fleeing with the Elysian purifiers would only make them a bigger target.

"Yuan Hun, don't leave!" Jun Shengxiao called out. Making three breakthroughs in three months? What did that make Jun Shengxiao, who had cultivated for decades?

"Screw you!" Yuan Hun roared. He was frustrated, as he had never suffered such failures in his life. At the moment, he was genuinely terrified. "Netherflame, let's go!"

He avoided Li Wudi's saber and immediately dove into the ocean, wanting to join his lifebound beast. But all of a sudden, the ocean turned red and a colossal beast flew out from the ocean. It was a green beast's head, bereft of its body. Then, a crimson kun charged out from the ocean and dove back down. Yuan Hun had clearly seen how the crimson kun was carrying a green snake's head in its mouth. As for the headless beast, it was his Netherflame Black Tortoise!

"Li Wudi!" Yuan Hun roared. He'd already decided to run, but Li Wudi had killed his lifebound beast anyway. Yuan Hun felt as if his heart had been pierced with countless swords, and he was filled with regret. His voice was trembling as he yelled, "ARGGGGGGH!"

When the Ancient Infernalblood Kunpeng charged out of the ocean, it raised huge waves that isolated Jun Shengxiao and his Firmament Saint Dragon from Li Wudi. It was purposefully done so that Li Wudi had time to deal with the despairing Yuan Hun. It was only at that moment that the other Firmament Saint Dragon charged out from the ocean, but the crimson kun was easily dealing with it. They were both in the same stage, so how could the kun possibly be killed in the ocean?

"Yuan Hun, I already said that you'll die today!" Li Wudi's cold voice echoed out.

"A-aren't you afraid that the Earthorigin Sect will destroy your Grand-Orient Sect?!" Yuan Hun yelled as he immediately turned around and started running.

"Sure, if they're not afraid of the Bloodbane Barrier. I'll welcome your Earthorigin Sect with death if they dare to come." Li Wudi immediately chased after Yuan Hun, and Jun Shengxiao chased behind him. Jun Shengxiao launched several attacks, but none of them could hit Li Wudi.

"Elysian Emperor, save me!" Yuan Hun shouted.

Right at that moment, the Ancient Infernalblood Kunpeng charged out from the ocean again. It was like a whale as it pounced at Jun Shengxiao, driving him into a rage. He could only suck it up, though, as the Ancient Infernalblood Kunpeng had the advantage of terrain. Meanwhile, Li Wudi had charged through the blood wave and arrived behind Yuan Hun.

"ARGGGGGH!" Yuan Hun roared, as he could only turn around and execute the Nether Dragonslayer Art—Hellbreak!

On the other hand, the Crimsonblood Saber flickered as an entire ocean of blood enveloped the combatants from above. It was Li Wudi executing the Infernalblood Torrent, which sent Yuan Hun flying out. There was no way Yuan Hun could take the attack from Li Wudi, given the difference in their levels.

"You can die now!" Li Wudi swung his saber again, and this time it sliced Yuan Hun's throat.

"Urrrrrgghh…." Air escaped from Yuan Hun's throat as he looked at his killer with his eyes wide open. The Soul Snapping Saber and the Suppression Gate had also fallen from his hands into the ocean. But Li Wudi didn't stop there, and swung his saber once more. This time, it split Yuan Hun in half.

Yuan Hun was powerless. Even at his death, he couldn't understand why Li Wudi was so ruthless. He was only here to fish for benefits, and he wasn't even the mastermind. However, it was a taboo to snatch the territory that someone's ancestors had obtained through their sweat and blood, and he had violated that taboo.