"You!" Suishen Yong stared wide-eyed, furious from humiliation.
Unbothered by his expression, Tianming stepped on the manâs face and pulled out the Grand-Orient Sword. Suishen Yong fell to the ground once more, covered in wounds and shivering in pain.
"The strongest non-foundationeer? From now on, the title is mine." Tianming's words made Suishen Yong spew blood. He was so angry he couldn't find the words to refute him.
He had been defeated! The gold myriadpath ring determined that he had been severely injured, without any possibility of turning his defeat into victory. The Fortuna Arena opened back up. Tianming's red-and-black name moved up to nineteenth place the moment he drew out the Grand-Orient Sword. He was closer to becoming Myriadpath Valleyâs most talented genius, which also meant he was that much closer to being the best in the astralscape of order. The eye-catching red surname seemed to tell everyone that he was quite possibly the most talented among the group of disciples with blue surnames from the Three Exalted Houses.
"I wasnât exaggerating when I said heâs the number one genius in the entire cosmos, was I?" The words were spoken by Suishen Zhao, a respected minor pathkeeper from House Suishen.
More importantly, Tianming had washed away the stigma of being a tainted beastmaster. At the moment, he was almost perfect, without any weaknesses.
Suishen Yong had lost, and theyâd all witnessed the exciting battle! Tianming switched his previous combat methods, fighting as a beastmaster instead. His lifebound beasts had withstood the power of a sevenfold simulacrum, with one metal lifebound beast fighting against Suishen Yongâs vital origin spell mountain. The grand lexicon wonder restricted his opponentâs weapons, while he went in for the kill.
Tianmingâs every move was neat and efficient; it had been every beastmastersâ most ideal battle.
It left many people shocked, including Suishen Yong. When he finally climbed to his feet, he was depressed to see that he hadnât just lost the title of the strongest non-foundationeer, but had also become a stepping stone for Tianming.
"Whatâs worse, Iâm four times his age and I still
lost to him. The other two houses are even more unlikely to make me a minor pathkeeper now. Itâll even be harder for me to gain the major pathkeeper title!â
Suishen Yong was devastated. Like Yumo Yuanni, he harbored killing intent toward Tianming. But the difference was that he didnât have the determination to see it through. Tianming was already a minor pathkeeper with a higher status than him, a core disciple of an exalted house. He was the mountain pressing down on him, leaving him gasping for breath.
"I could kill him if he was only a Suishen ward!" Suishen Yong said as soon as he returned to his brotherâs side. His words seemed to imply that he resented Eminent Jiguang for giving the opportunity to an outsider, thereby depriving him of his chance.
"You wouldn't be able to. With Eminent Jiguangâs protection, none of the saints you can convince would dare to touch him." Suishen Yue was calm, as if he had predicted the result.
"What should I do, big brother?" Suishen Yong seemed lost. How painful it was to watch his brother soar into the sky, while he fell to the bottom because of Tianming!
Glancing over at Tianming and Suishen Yao, Suishen Yue said, "You don't have to do anything. The outsiderâs flown too high and will only draw more attention from the elders. It looks like heâs basking in glory, but heâs actually walking on a tightrope. The higher he climbs, the harder heâll fall. We don't have to worry about him at all."
"I understand. Oneâs origin matters! After all, the astralscape of order belongs to the Three Exalted Houses."
However, the truth couldnât dilute the discomfort he felt from the expressions of pity around him. Why would he, a candidate for the minor pathkeeper title, need the pity of these ordinary fortuna disciples?
The rage in his heart boiled over. "Brother, heâs proven his limitless talent by getting rid of the tainted beastmaster label. Arenât you worried about his presence and close relationship with Sister Yao?" asked Suishen Yong.
"Whatâs to worry about? The wedding will be held in a year," Suishen Yue calmly said.
"I'm just worried that Sister Yao will be impulsive. If sheâs confused by his tricks or unsavory methods, then the Suishen blood...." Suishen Yong was afraid to speak too loud.
Suishen Yue laughed instead. "You donât understand, little brother," he said, patting Suishen Yong on the shoulder.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"Do you know what the consequences are? Iâll lose the opportunity to become an eminent ahead of time, but they...." Suishen Yue paused, narrowing his gaze.
"Whatâll happen to them?" Suishen Yong asked, eager to know.
"The man will die and the woman will become a great shame to House Suishen. In all likelihood, sheâll be sentenced to death as a warning to future generations. Suishen Jiguang will be punished for it as well, and itâll be carried out by Uncle Ranxing himself! Do you think theyâd risk such severe consequences?" Suishen Yue coldly smiled and shrugged.
"Is it that serious?" Suishen Yong asked, stunned.
"Of course! Eminent Ranxing publicly announced the wedding and even had me and Suishen Yuan decide the winner on the Prehistoric Path. Once a scandal like that occurs, heâd be digging his own grave and House Suishen would be utterly disgraced if he didn't kill them," Suishen Yue said.
"I understand. I won't worry, then," Suishen Yong laughed. "Itâs best if Li Tianming has intentions toward Sister Yao. Heâll have to watch her become my sister-in-lawâwouldnât that be great!"
"The matter is set in stone," Suishen Yue said, staring at Tianming and Suishen Yao as they happily chatted. Of course he was upset; he merely hid his emotions well.
Father, youâre right. Why should I care about her fate if she doesn't care about my feelings? Suishen Yue sneered in his heart.
"By the way, is it true that Uncle Ranxing promised Sister Yao she can do whatever she wants if she takes first place on the Fortuna Ranking?" Suishen Yong asked.
"Itâs true, and itâs been spread. But...."
"But what?"
"I hear that Qitian Jian is about to make another breakthrough and Yumo Xue left to find something important. Yaoyaoâs the weakest among them. She hasnât stood a chance in two hundred years and she doesnât stand a chance now! Any advantage totemancers have only diminishes as we grow stronger," Suishen Yue said, unperturbed.
"Something important? Whatâs he looking for?" Suishen Yong asked.
"Don't ask too many questions, kid. Let's go!" Suishen Yue said, placing his hands behind his back.