Beastmaster of the Ages

Chapter 3005 - Connections in Myriadpath Valley

Tianming and Li Fan took the shuttle from the Myriadpath Celestial Formation to Myriadpath Valley and disembarked at an earlier stop. Tianming wasn’t a disciple of Myriadpath Valley yet, so he had to pass through the Skyward Grandpath. Thus, the stop was called Skyward Platform. About a third of the astral gods on the ship stopped there. Like Tianming, they were cultivators who wanted to enter Myriadpath Valley, while the rest were referrers like Li Fan. Because outsiders couldn’t use the Myriadpath Celestial Formation on their own, the participants traveled in groups of two or three with the members of Myriadpath Valley that had discovered them.

Suspended in the sky, the black platform beneath Tianming’s feet seemed to be made of glass. When he looked down, he saw his image reflected on the glossy surface. At the moment, there were a few thousand people on the platform. They were all spread far apart from one another, cold and indifferent. They weren’t just strangers, but competitors. From that alone, one could tell that Myriadpath Valley had a solemn and austere atmosphere.

"That's the Skyward Grandpath. You can reach the entrance of Myriadpath Valley through it.... It’s right under Midsky Myriadpath, that large stele over there." Li Fan made sure to cover everything as if he was afraid for his life.

Following Li Fan's gaze, Tianming saw a black stardust vortex at the end of the platform. From the side, the Skyward Grandpath looked like a huge worm wriggling in the cosmos, while the inside looked very much like a bottomless pit. He would have to enter through the mouth and emerge from the tail. Like a living creature, the big, black stardust worm twisted and made a whimpering sound.

"Can you tell? The Skyward Grandpath is said to have evolved from the corpse of a fortuna-class wildbeast," Li Fan said.

"Fortuna class? So powerful?" Tianming asked.

"Of course. Anything that’s fortuna class, even the lowest grade cosmic artifact, is limited in quantity and it’s difficult to produce more after they’re destroyed. Any fortuna-class nova wildbeast is an overlord of the cosmos. They’re beasts that have inherited extremely powerful bloodlines. They can travel long distances across the cosmos and have incredible combat power. Some are strange and terrifying like the euphoria mistbug.... In fact, a fortuna-class bestia can be divided into many parts and used for up to a hundred cosmic artifacts,” Li Fan explained.

"I see." Tianming nodded, looking out at the vortex. "Is there anything special about the Skyward Grandpath?" He asked.

"It’s the corpse of a nova wildbeast, after all. When a beast that big dies, numerous small ones live off its corpse. So the Skyward Grandpath is a world of wildbeasts that’re all extremely fierce." A hint of fear flashed in Li Fan’s eyes as he seemed to recall his own experience. "But with your strength, those wildbeasts are nothing. In fact... you might just dominate the Skyward Grandpath and come out on top. Joining Myriadpath Valley will be a piece of cake for you. I think you’ll become a saint’s disciple in no time at all," Li Fan said with a smile.

"Huh." Tianming stared at him, his expression cold.

Li Fan froze. "I’m sorry. I spoke without thinking.”

Tianming knew that Li Fan was betting on his death. As long as Tianming died, the events in the Infinitum Mundus, along with the existence of Zi Zhen, would be secrets that only he knew. Although Li Fan couldn't take possession of them yet, it was better than being under Tianming’s control. Thus, Tianming had his guard up against him. Even with Yin Chen and the Imperial Sword Prison, he still had to watch out for Li Fan’s traps. For now, the guy seemed honest and was afraid to set any obvious pitfalls, but Tianming had a feeling that his flattery was meant to puff him up.

If he were to underestimate the Skyward Grandpath and lose his life, Li Fan would be free.

"Li Fan."

Coming here meant that he was no longer under anyone’s protection. Tianming knew that he had to stay cautious every step of the way. Both fortune and danger existed in Myriadpath Valley.

"From this moment on, your life is bound to mine, no matter what happens to me, whether or not it has anything to do with you. Even if I die, I’ll take you with me. So you should pray that I live forever,” he said, glancing coldly at Li Fan.

Li Fan was stunned. “Fine, I admit defeat. I won’t try anything again."

"Your obedience will benefit both of us,” Tianming said.

Li Fan nodded; he would behave. Their lives were tied together, so he had no other choice. "I hope you do well here, and maybe I’ll have a chance to rise as your little helper," he added.

"Let's see how you perform!" Tianming replied.

"Of course. If you have any questions, I’m happy to answer them," Li Fan sincerely said.

It was impossible to judge a book by its cover. Tianming understood that he had to scare Li Fan into behaving, and the only way to do that was to threaten his life.

Li Fan then explained more about the competition. "The Skyward Grandpath doesn’t open at a set time, just when there’s ten thousand participants on the Skyward Platform."

Tianming looked around and frowned. "There aren't many people here. How long will it be until it opens again?"

"It might take three or four months. The Million Mundi is enormous and there’s someone being recommended at any given moment. Ten thousand is nothing, but only a hundred make it through every time, and at least ninety of them are natives of Myriadpath Valley," Li Fan replied.

"Natives of Myriadpath Valley? Aren't they supposed to be geniuses under the age of five hundred from the Million Mundi? Why’re there so many of their own people?" Tianming was perplexed.

According to Li Fan, there were about ten places that Tianming could compete for.

Hearing Tianming's doubts, Li Fan shook his head and bitterly smiled. "Well, the best bloodlines have moved from the Million Mundi to Myriadpath Valley, then taken root and sprouted here. The rest are the odd freaks of nature that appear in the Million Mundi. The truly heaven-defying geniuses of the astralscape of order are born in Myriadpath Valley."

"Why come out to compete with outsiders for a spot?" Tianming asked.

"That’s the rule because there are still people born with little talent in Myriadpath Valley. So natives of Myriadpath Valley and outsiders are treated the same. Even descendants of powerful elites must pass the Skyward Grandpath before they’re five hundred years old to officially become a member of Myriadpath Valley. Before that happens, they’re considered temporary residents and have no right to public resources and benefits. If they fail to pass the Skyward Grandpath before the age limit, they’ll be expelled from Myriadpath Valley regardless of what clan they’re from or who their parents are."

"That’s so cruel!" Tianming exclaimed.