Beastmaster of the Ages

Chapter 2377 - Battle of Ebonia’s Best

Despite Shenxi Shang’s previous attacks, Tianming had failed to locate his position. Unsurprisingly, the ebon’s expression darkened as soon as he turned and saw the world clam’s sorry state. A storm gathered in his eyes. The surrounding skydepths hyenas spewed out black spheres. Capable of massive destruction, the hyenas’ ability, Blackfiend Abyss, erupted with the power of nova source.

Xian Xian’s roots had weaved past the hyenas to attack the clam. There was nothing Tianming could do to stop the skydepths hyenas from attacking the roots. It was as if Xian Xian was being punched in the mouth in the middle of its delicious meal.

"Ah!" Xian Xian burst into angry tears. Its spiritform sat on the tree, pounding the ground with rage.

The world clam managed to shut its shell.

"The city!" Brows furrowed, Shenxi Shang commanded the world clam to use its ability once more. Unfortunately, the clam was still struggling and screaming in pain. When he looked down, Shenxi Shang found metal bugs all over the ground and realized that some must have entered the clam. There were too many of them to remove.

"Fine, you... just stay on the sidelines." Unable to bear it any longer, Shenxi Shang ferociously turned around. Although two hundred million Yin Chens wouldn’t be able to kill the world clam, and might even be in danger of being turned into pearls, the clam wouldn’t be of any help in the meantime.

Holding off a mid-sanctuary-class beast with only two hundred million Yin Chens was considered a bargain.

“We were so close to slaughtering the world clam!" Tianming sighed. "Stop crying. You’ll have more to eat soon," he comforted Xian Xian.

"Seafood is so yummy." Xian Xian pouted.

"Dammit!" Tianming facepalmed. While he was reflecting about their life-and-death battle, the tree was worried about food.

Without a doubt, Shenxi Shang had grown furious after receiving this blow. The master of soul stopped focusing on the world clam and shot toward Tianming for a head-to-head collision with the dragonscale superfiend and all ten hyenas at his side.

"Lin Feng, you possess special abilities, but if that’s all you’ve got, prepare to go to hell." Shenxi Shang's cold voice filled the air. His order field grew even more powerful, enveloping Tianming and his lifebound beasts.

His was the soulshaker order. In terms of quality, the soulshaker order was rather terrifying because it affected the soul, not the albi. As soon as the order field was deployed, Tianming's Soul Tower suddenly jolted. That kind of shaking caused Tianming's brain to buzz and his divine soul to sting with pain. The pain was unavoidable as long as the order field existed. If it weren’t for the Soul Tower, he would feel more than just stinging pain, given the strength of his soul. Ying Huo and the others screamed in pain. Not even Yin Chen could escape the suppression of the order field, and Xian Xian's spiritform even fled back to Tianming’s lifebound space.

"Attack!" Tianming’s lifebound beasts burst with the power of their orders. Because they didn’t have an order field, they condensed the power of their orders and focused their attack on Shenxi Shang.

Shenxi Shang was pleased with the effect of his soulshaker order, but soon felt five types of orders acting on the albi within his body.

"Ah!" His expression suddenly changed. Traces of being burnt by fire, lightning, and other orders appeared all over his pale skin. Even his eyes appeared metallized. The flowers and leaves that grew out of his albi were immediately destroyed with his cosmoforce.

"What terrifying orders his lifebound beasts have!" Shenxi Shang was shaken.

Up to now, the battle had been rather balanced, with both sides attacking and countering their opponents’ moves. The problem was that Tianming wasn’t at all at a disadvantage. In this battle of orders, Shenxi Shang shook their souls, but the suppression from Tianming’s lifebound beasts was far more lethal. Ebons were at a disadvantage when it came to order, and at that moment, Shenxi Shang truly realized the peculiarity of Tianming’s combat powers. Although he didn’t possess a heptastar cosmic physique, he fought like an astral god.

"Lifebound beasts...." Shenxi Shang glanced at them. Despite the five orders acting on him, he let out a cold laugh.

"Kill!"

At his command, the dragonscale superfiend and skydepths hyenas rushed toward Tianming's lifebound beasts. The superfiend met Ying Huo head on. Now that Ying Huo had used the power of its order on Shenxi Shang, there was little it could do except dodge. On the other side, ten skydepths hyenas surrounded Meow Meow, Lan Huang, and Xian Xian. The three of them made the perfect team. Xian Xian offered assistance and kept overall control of the battle, Meow Meow was in charge of long-range attacks and raining down lightning, while Lan Huang blocked the hyenas with its hardy flesh.

Although the three of them were stronger, their opponents had an advantage in numbers and were experts in encirclement. Without the use of orders, the three were in for an arduous fight. Fortunately, about eight hundred million Yin Chens had returned to assist them.

"I’ll use my totems to help you!” Tianming said.

"No. We’ll keep fighting, you concentrate on defeating Shenxi Shang!" Ying Huo yelled.

"Boss, trust us!" Transforming into its Regal Chaosfiend form, Meow Meow joined Lan Huang in close combat. With the Ninefold Chaos Thunderscape and the Regalfiend Wings to protect itself, Meow Meow broke through the encirclement. Wherever it went, lightning crackled and carnage ensued.

"Alright!" Tianming trusted them. "Shenxi Shang!" He wasn’t looking for Shenxi Shang, but the ebon was already eyeing him. At that moment, countless gold needles shot toward Tianming. It was the Heavenly Soulweep Needles, a cosmic artifact, at least ten thousand of them! As the sharp needles whizzed through the air, they made a sound that almost tore Tianming’s soul apart. Combined with the effect of soulshaker order, the effect of the soul-suppressing order, his Soul Tower shook even more violently.

"Ah!" It was excruciating. Tianming felt as if his divine soul was about to be torn apart, and this was before he had taken the actual attack.

Why were the Heavenly Soulweep Needles so powerful? It was because Shenxi Shang used an orderan battle art in conjunction with his soulshaker order, Taixi Soulsong! The needles created a kind of melody as they collided in the air, like pear blossoms in a storm. The move, Midnight Rain, was violent and deadly, but left no trace.

"This isn’t a very powerful move, but once a person is drawn in by his divine soul and battle arts, he’ll be an easy target to be pierced by thousands of needles!" That was the terrifying part. "Fortunately, my Soul Tower’s defense has risen to new levels because of Shenxii Yao!”

When Taixi Soulsong and the Heavenly Soulweep Needles came for him, Tianming’s divine soul resisted long enough for his body to dodge the attack. Using Delayed Capture, Tianming was as fast as lightning as he struck the Heavenly Soulweep Needles without taking any injuries.

"His taixi souls are even more powerful, but I have the Prime Cosmic Rings!"

Even now, Tianming’s goal was to defeat Shenxi Shang and emerge victorious. There was no need to involve death. The Prime Cosmic Rings in the sky descended on the ebon with a loud rumble. Divine wonders weren’t at all affected by divine souls.

"Die!" Tianming roared. He had to win, because Ying Huo and the others were at their limit.

"Haha…" Shenxi Shang coldly laughed. All ten thousand Heavenly Soulweep Needles returned to his body and combined to form a gold spear, the Heavenly Soulweep Spear. As soon as it appeared, the entire battlefield shook. Strong in all aspects and mighty like a dragon, the power of the spear was evident. With spear in hand, Shenxi Shang quickly retreated through the air, as swift as lightning as he continuously blocked the Prime Cosmic Rings.

"Release your taxi souls!" Tianming chased after him.

"For you?" Shenxi Shang snickered, sweeping his gaze across Tianming's lifebound beasts.

"Oh, it looks like your lifebound beasts can't hold on any longer. Let’s intensify things, shall we?" Staring at Tianming, he laughed, "Lin Feng, you have a treasure to protect your soul, but what about your lifebound beasts?" He looked bloodthirsty.

"What?" Tianming was shocked.

Shenxi Shang was ruthless. While Tianming had yet to recover from the shock, two golden souls extended from his left and right palms like sharp swords, aiming at Ying Huo and Meow Meow. They were the main component of the battle. There was no resisting the taixi souls, which moved at breakneck speed.

"Watch out!" There wasn’t enough time for Tianming to remind them. Ying Huo, who was avoiding the pursuit of the dragonscale superfiend, and Meow Meow, in the midst of a bloody battle, were both hit by the gold swords.

"Ah!" Eyes rolling back, they let out a miserable scream. Their minds and vitae were severely injured.

"Help…." Ying Huo looked at Tianming in despair. Its gaze conveyed helplessness; it couldn't hold on anymore.

"Boss...." Releasing one last burst of lightning, Meow Meow crumpled to the ground in a puddle of blood, its eyes rolling to the back.

"Die!"

As Shenxi Shang erupted in laughter, the dragonscale superfiend and skydepths hyenas frantically rushed toward Ying Huo and Meow Meow. Using their bodies as a meat shield, Lan Huang, Xian Xian, and Yin Chen quickly blocked their opponents. Unfortunately, that wouldn’t hold them off for long. Under the frenzied attacks of these warbeasts, Lan Huang’s flesh was ripped apart in multiple areas, Xian Xian’s branches and leaves were broken and its crown burned, and many Yin Chens were lost. Tianming’s lifebound beasts had been defeated! It was their worst loss ever. After all, their opponent had an advantage in numbers and possessed deadly taixi souls.

Tianming couldn’t call Shenxi Shang despicable; those were merely his means.

"It’s only right for him to use his best methods against the most suitable opponents from the opposite team." Through blood and fire, the image of his lifebound beasts risking everything to assist him was burned into Tianming’s mind. Rage consumed him. He’d expected this before the battle had begun. Fortunately, he managed to get Shenxi Shang to agree to an Infinitum Duel.

"I wanted to give you a way out, but you just won’t cooperate. If this is how it’s going to be, then I'll send you to hell!"

His lifebound beasts had collapsed, desperately struggling to hold on. Darting forward, Lan Huang protected Meow Meow under its body. The hyenas tore at Lan Huang's scales and flesh until the two-headed dragon was covered in blood. Xian Xian had just pulled Ying Huo into its petals when the dragonscale superfiend shredded its Radiant Daffodils to pieces.

Shenxi Shang was in control of the situation. Roaring with laughter, he shot toward Tianming. laughing along the way. He was in a hurry as well; after all, he was worried that Tianming would break his oath and destroy his Oldgod Ring. His plan was to take advantage of the chaos and slaughter them all.

Their fiery eyes collided. At that moment, their killing intent was well matched. Wielding the Grand-Orient Sword in one hand, Tianming rushed toward his opponent. Shenxi Shang's spear pierced through the air.

"Just one arm? Are you worthy to be my opponent?" Shenxi Shang sneered.

"Even if I only have one hand, I’ll use it to turn you to dust!!!" With a loud battle cry, Tianming opened a path using his sword, his black arm erupting with flint infernal and vapor lightning sword kis.

Shenxi Shang's spear caught the light. Taixi Soulsong, Shattering Heaven! The golden spear rotated, creating a tune that shook the soul.

Tianming unleashed the Xiaozhi Sword Art with just one hand. Unistrike Singularity! With that, space itself was compressed. The move was astonishing, but Shenxi Shang wasn’t afraid at all. He was more concerned with the Prime Cosmic Rings, which struck from behind him once more.

"As long as I kill you, your divine wonders will be gone!" Shenxi Shang pushed forward. Taixi Soulsong and his soulshaker order hit Tianming like a tsunami. Shenxi Shang knew that he had won.

But at that moment, he noticed Tianming's contemptuous gaze.

"Goodbye!" Following his cold laugh, ten gigantic sword totems emerged from his left and right arms.

"Decabane!" Shenxi Shang exclaimed, his eyes widening in shock.

The totems exploded. Second totemic calamity—Shattered Era, Cosmic Swordsurge! Anyway, he wouldn’t be able to use his totems after leaving, and at that point, Tianming couldn’t care less. The destructive power of his second totemic calamity unfolded, forming an enormous sword of cosmic beginnings that whizzed toward Shenxi Shang.

"What?" It was only then that Shenxi Shang realized danger was coming at him from three sides, the Grand Orient Sword, ten totems, and the Prime Cosmic Rings. Tianming was powerful in every aspect, an eternal god, while Shenxi Shang merely possessed a single ability. His taixi souls were being used to suppress Ying Huo and Meow Meow. By the time he felt fear and regret, it was already too late.

"I surrender!" Releasing the Heavenly Soulweep Needles, he hastily reached for his Oldgod Ring.

However, Shenxi Shang discovered that the Xiaozhi Sword Art’s effect on space had impacted his body, causing his movements to slow. In that moment of astonishment, Unistrike Singularity had reached him and the space around him had locked him up like a cage. Cosmic Swordsurge rained down from above and the Prime Cosmic Rings continuously slammed into the back of his head. Shenxi Shang screamed, spewing blood as his flesh split apart. He stared wide-eyed at Tianming.

"Shenxi Shang, this is an Infinitum Duel!"

Amidst Tianming's deafening roar, Shenxi Shang's head exploded, glowing with starlight. The sword above pulverized his flesh, turning him to dust. The totems’ destructive power was overbearing.

"Lin—"

Shenxi Shang had never thought this would happen so his final expression was one of bewilderment, and amidst that emotion, his body vanished like smoke into thin air. He was gone, his astrons reduced to ashes. All that survived were his two grade-nine gold soul eyes that floated in the air, staring at Tianming in horror. Tianming slashed the eyes with one hand, and with that, the two taixi souls dissipated, releasing Ying Huo and Meow Meow from their suffering. Grabbing Shenxi Shang’s spatial ring, Tianming took a look and found that his Oldgod Ring was still there. He anxiously swept his gaze past the dragonscale superfiend and world clam. They were there as well.

Tianming let out a deep breath. "It looks like death doesn’t count as being out of the competition. Does it only count if the Oldgod Ring is broken?"

After all, warbeasts were also considered combat units. This sort of system—a decisive battle between the final six—was to his advantage. Tianming didn't know if the same rules applied in the previous bees' rooms, but that was the best he could surmise from how the Oldgod Rings worked in this battlefield.

The world clam, dragonscale superfiend, and skydepths hyenas were at a loss.

"How dare you lay a finger on my brothers! You’re all going to die! Xian Xian, come out and have some seafood!"