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As Soaring Goose Ancestorâs Dustblood Coffin departed, Sky Shroud Ancestor turned to Xu Qingshan and frowned, âSettle this matter quickly. Now is not the time for chaos.â
âI understand,â Xu Qingshan nodded.
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On Green Mountain, Xu Qingshan looked at Xu Zimo and said, âYou shouldnât have let Baili Xiao go just for a spot in the Heaven Genesis Microcosm.â
âLetting the tiger return to the mountain?â Xu Zimo chuckled. âIt doesnât matter. Some people are like birds in a cage, theyâll never understand how vast the outside world really is. Trust me, sheâll live every day in unbearable torment.â
Xu Qingshan stared deeply at his son and asked, âWhat are your plans now?â
âIâm going to travel a bit, leave the Western Region, explore the Eastern Continentâs core regions. Maybe Iâll make it to the Middle Continent too,â Xu Zimo replied with a smile.
âTraining through travel is good,â Xu Qingshan nodded. âOur Western Region has grown stagnant, after all. The world out there is far more exciting. Oh right, your Second Senior Brother, Xiao Fengyu, is also training in the Eastern Continent. Maybe youâll run into him.â
Xu Zimo smiled and nodded.
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In a pitch-black space, the furious roars of the God Beast Chaos echoed out as it struggled violently, the sound of iron chains clashing resonating through the void.
âSky Shroud, you damned brat!â its voice bellowed. âYou were the ones who destroyed the glorious Desolate Era. Even now, you refuse to let us primordial beasts live.â
âDo you wish to relive the glory of the beastfolk?â a calm voice came from one corner of the darkness.
âWhoâs there?!â Chaos snapped, turning its head. Xu Zimo stepped out from the shadows.
âOh, itâs just you, little brat,â Chaos sneered. âJust another pathetic, spoiled descendant living under the shade of your ancestors.â
âIsnât that what ancestral legacies are, for us descendants to get spoiled?â Xu Zimo smirked. âIf you donât make use of whatâs available, thatâs the real waste, no?â
âWhat do you want?â Chaos asked warily.
âI want you to become my Meridian Beast,â Xu Zimo said with a light smile.
Meridian Beast, in every cultivatorâs life, they may form a contract with one.
Like humans, beasts also cultivate by unlocking their meridian gates, breaking their inner limitations.
The difference lies in this: humans open their gates from the inside out, resulting in outwardly visible phenomena each time.
Beasts, however, open theirs from the outside in, so their meridian visions occur internally, invisible to outsiders.
If a human and a beastâs meridians resonate and both parties agree, a contract can be formed. There are three types of contracts:
But thereâs a catch, a Meridian Beast must be either a pure primordial beast or a beast with Desolate Era bloodline remnants.
All beasts born after Grand Emperor Zhen Wu began the Imperial Era can no longer resonate with human meridians. Hence, no contract can be formed with them.
Because of this rarity, less than 10% of cultivators ever have a Meridian Beast.
Most of those are beasts with traces of ancient bloodlines. A true God Beast like Chaos, a pure-blooded primordial beast, is nearly impossible to find.
âYou must be delusional,â Chaos roared, eyes locked on Xu Zimo. âA mere human dares talk this way? Youâre seeking death.â
Xu Zimo smiled and asked, âYour Desolate Era⌠it was truly glorious, wasnât it?â
âGlorious? Ha, it was more than that. It was a time when ten thousand beasts reigned supreme,â Chaos said, its tone softening for a moment.
Perhaps for the defeated, past glory is the hardest to let go of.
âDo you want to restore that glory?â Xu Zimo asked.
Chaos stared deeply at him and sneered, âLet me guess, you want me to become your Meridian Beast, help you claim the Heavenâs Will, and then youâll help me restore the beast race? You think Iâll believe such hollow nonsense? Maybe that kind of trick works on naĂŻve cubs.â
âNo,â Xu Zimo said, smiling. âI donât need to claim the Heavenâs Will. Even without it, I can help you revive the beast race.â
âAnd how would you do that?â Chaos asked cautiously, its heart skipping a beat. âYou, a human, would help beasts?â
âTo me, thereâs no difference between humans and beasts, just bags of flesh and bone,â Xu Zimo said flatly. âAs long as theyâre within my rules, beasts can live. Outside of those rules, Iâll kill humans just the same.â
âWhy should I trust you?â Chaos growled.
âActually, you donât have a choice,â Xu Zimo replied. âYouâve got two options: One, refuse, and be killed. Die with your pride and your regrets. Two, accept, become my Meridian Beast. At least then, you live. And youâll have my promise. Whether I fulfill it or not⌠at least youâll have a chance.â
As he finished speaking, a colorless, formless light emerged from Xu Zimoâs body.
Chaos stared, stunned.
âYou⌠how do you have that?â
âThereâs nothing impossible in this world,â Xu Zimo smiled. âYou get one chance. If you miss it, your value to me wonât be worth my promise.â
âFine, Iâll agree to become your Meridian Beast,â Chaos said quickly. âBut only if we form an equal contract.â
âYouâre not qualified to form an equal contract with me,â Xu Zimo replied coldly.
âNot because youâre unworthy, but because no beast is qualified. You still donât understand your place. If I were you, Iâd throw away my so-called pride and dignity. Right now, you should act like a loyal hound, obeying my commands. And maybe, just maybe, if Iâm in a good mood, Iâll help you. Anyone who clings to pride without strength is the biggest fool of all. Life is about giving up dignity to gain power, and then using that power to reclaim dignity. Think about it. Even if you act like a dog in front of me... If you succeed in reviving the beast race, youâll be like a radiant star among beasts, eternal and untouchable.â