Beastmaster of the Ages

Tianming listened to the emperor speak with the utmost respect.

"The fact that you were able to come here means that two hundred thousand years have passed since the day the demons were sealed. The moment the Blooddragon Sealing Formation reaches its limit, divine tribulation manna will appear in the Kilostar Domain to attract the inheritor of the Dragonhide," the emperor said, looking in Tianming's direction. It seemed that the recording wasn't aware of the state of the Kilostar Domain. It was apparent that he was not alive at all.

So the blood-colored formation is called the Blooddragon Sealing Formation, and the ultimate tribulation manna is actually divine tribulation manna... It also sounds like the Kilostar Domain opened because he planned it long ago? Does that mean even if we hadn’t chosen to open the domain, the formation would’ve collapsed either way and caused the domain to be destroyed? Many thoughts flashed through Tianming’s mind at that moment.

Back then, he had many doubts about the Kilostar Domain. For instance, if Great Emperor Xuanyuan had planned to open it up, why would others like Dugu Jin be allowed to enter and destroy the Blooddragon Sealing Formation? It turned out that the formation was bound to crumble anyway, sooner or later. It did seem to have been on the verge of collapse the moment it appeared. Tianming calmed himself and continued listening.

"After the collapse of the Blooddragon Sealing Formation, those of the specter race that remain will definitely try destroying the Skysource Hellshaker Formation. However, I will continue to uphold the Ninefold Hell with my divine body inside the Heaven Cauldron, so may my descendants protect my body and the cauldron to prevent the specters from returning to the human realm!

"As long as my body is guarded, the Skysource Hellshaker Formation can hold for another hundred thousand years. But once it’s destroyed, the formation will definitely collapse within a thousand years. If enough specters attack the formation from within the moment my body is destroyed, the formation might crumble right then and there. By then, the million-year nightmare we humans endured will once more come to plague us."

Tianming nodded seriously. This was the crux of the situation, and he committed it to memory. The divine body must not be destroyed! He recalled that Xuanyuan Dao and Ouyang Jianwang each had a key to the Heaven Cauldron.

"I can't tell if my descendants will still exist two hundred thousand years later. I don't know if they still carry the Xuanyuan blood. As such, all I can rely on is bringing you here through the Dragonhide. The Blooddragon Sealing Formation will definitely crumble, but before that, you shall obtain the cultivation resources I've prepared! You must strengthen the House of Xuanyuan and protect my divine body!"

Tianming finally understood why the emperor had hidden the treasures away, instead of leaving them in the hands of his descendants. There was no saying whether his descendants would use them all up before the time was right, or worse, have it stolen by others.

It's no wonder I was able to obtain the ultimate tribulation manna after obtaining the Dragonhide, and even access the treasures and black hole stars in the domain.

This was yet another method the emperor had employed to ensure that his kin would get the treasures he’d left behind. Great Emperor Xuanyuan definitely couldn't even guess that the Kilostar Domain would eventually fall into the hands of the specter remnants that had been left behind. Fortunately, Tianming had been able to singlehandedly slaughter his way through it.

"I also left some star maps behind, but I expect them to be stolen within the span of all this time. Our history will no doubt be rewritten in one form or another. But no matter. The star maps are merely red herrings. Only the wearer of the Dragonhide will be able to pass through the nine black hole stars and obtain everything!"

It was no wonder Nonahall had the star maps. It appeared that the emperor's descendants had fared worse than he expected. They lost the maps, and even forgot that they existed! That aside, from the sound of it, it seemed like the emperor had left far more treasures behind apart from the hundred thousand tribulation artifacts and ten thousand plus tribulation manna.

"Where is it?" Tianming wondered as he looked around. The emperor's figure began disintegrating into three objects.

"Descendants, whether humanity survives with its dignity intact or becomes livestock will depend on you all. What many hail as godhood is merely the next stage of Ascension. The infinite is not something anyone can grasp, especially not an infinite life. It’s my greatest regret that I’m unable to stand with you during the coming days of crisis. While others might add to or change my story, I want you to remember that I was a native, born and raised in this world. I love my home, and have protected it and our fellow humans for two hundred thousand years. I hope you will defend them for the next two hundred thousand. If I allow myself to be a little optimistic, the specters might've perished before the formation collapses."

The emperor burst out in hearty laughter at the notion. "These three gifts are for you."

By now, the emperor's body was nowhere to be seen. Only his voice remained, sustained by the heavenly patterns. The truth was out and Tianming finally understood the gravity of the situation. He was even more enthralled by the founding ancestor's impressive deeds.

He looked at the first item that floated towards him with full admiration. It was a dragon-shaped ring—a spatial ring, in fact.

"I was practiced in the arts of forging and heavenly patterns. This is my humble creation, the Skydragon. Even though it's a divine artifact, it isn’t that useful apart from having lots of space. Within the ring is a lot of the spoils that we received after the demons were sealed away, including tribulation pattern tomes, tribulation artifacts, and tribulation manna. Since you’ve been acknowledged by the Dragonhide, you must be of decent character. Bring the treasures to the Xuanyuan house. Anyone who takes part in defending my divine body deserves a share of this, too."

Tianming received the ring and gave it a casual look within, only to be stunned by the sheer density of items inside. So what we got from the domain was just scraps! This is where the real treasure was!

There were easily millions of tribulation artifacts alone within, each one with at least three or four tribulation patterns, and the highest of them having fifteen. The tribulation elders of the Archaion Sect only numbered two hundred and fifty thousand at most. If he brought this back, all of them would get new weapons!

There was also tons of manna, easily over a hundred thousand. However, the most impressive thing was the sheer volume of tribulation pattern tomes within, which could be used during combat. Nowadays, tribulation pattern tomes were rare, as the number of patternscribes who could make them was dwindling. This ring contained more of those tomes than all of them scattered across the continent combined. Taiji Peak Lake would be much better defended if he brought all of this back, and this was only the first of the three gifts.

Thank goodness the folks from Nonahall wouldn't be able to get all this even with the star maps. The founding ancestor's plan really held up well across the past two hundred thousand years. The only thing the emperor hadn't been able to predict was how Tianming was stopped before he could reach the ninth black hole star, followed by the collapse of the Blooddragon Sealing Formation. It took him until now to make his way here. Thankfully, he was a sky plunderer. Otherwise, these treasures would've been sealed under the grey formation above forever.

The second gift was a precious gem, within which were six white mists. One of them was human shaped while the other five were dragon shaped. "These are the caeli of me and my lifebound beasts. After reaching ascension, the caelum will become invulnerable and last forever. Once you bring it back, release the caeli into the Old Deepstar Path. My insights will then guide my descendants to further heights. That is, assuming the Old Deepstar Path still exists."

"Caeli!" Tianming received the gem carefully. The founding ancestor was truly faced with a huge dilemma. Despite having so much he wanted to pass on to his descendants, there was the risk of losing it to the sands of time. Thankfully, the Old Deepstar Path was still in the sect.

"I’ll definitely take it back to them," Tianming mumbled.

"Right now, I can't be sure if the Heaven Cauldron and my divine body managed to survive these past two hundred thousand years. Perhaps my body was destroyed and caused the Skysource Hellshaker Formation to collapse before the Blooddragon Sealing Formation. Maybe the specters have returned to the human realm once more. Not being able to see what I've been working toward two hundred thousand years into the future is my biggest woe. All I can do is wish you good luck.

"Why were two keys made for the Heaven Cauldron instead of sealing it away for good?" Tianming asked.

"While it’s thought that I was the one who forged the Heaven Cauldron, I merely borrowed it. Without it, my divine body wouldn't be able to last that long. Those two keys will be needed when the time comes to return the cauldron to its rightful owner. If my descendants still possess them, make sure they take care of them well." It wasn't so much a reply as a scripted explanation.

"Understood." Hmmm, he didn't mention who he borrowed it from though.

Back in the passageway, there were some people covered in starlight near the emperor. They seemed to have descended from the Kilostar Domain itself. Perhaps it had something to do with them, but the question about who they were remained.

Right as he thought that, the third gift arrived. It was a white pendant shaped like a crescent moon that felt a little cold to his touch. "What’s this?"

He didn’t know what material it was made of at all.