The Master of Beasts

That day, after returning, Ba Tianba first had his wife settle Yaoyao, before he furiously headed straight to the Great Elder's cave mansion.

Seeing the Array rising before him, Ba Tianba's mood soured further. I've risked my life with you for how many Hui Yuan, and you actually activate an Array to keep me out?

"Old bastard, get out here!" Ba Tianba cursed rudely.

Seeing the Great Elder remained unresponsive, Ba Tianba cursed loudly for more than an hour. Then, a cup of water appeared before him, offered by a languid young man.

"Lan Tian, what is the meaning of this?" Ba Tianba asked, looking at the young man before him with displeasure.

"It's nothing much. You just disturbed my sleep. Besides, you've been cursing for over an hour; aren't you thirsty?" Lan Tian said, gesturing with the cup.

Ba Tianba took the cup and downed it in one gulp. "Heavenly Water? You might as well have given me a whole cup of liquor!"

"So, tell me, why are you so angry? I recall you weren't this furious when you sent your son away not long ago," Lan Tian said with a shrug.

Looking at the languid Lan Tian, Ba Tianba suddenly sighed. "Lan Tian, Sister Silver Flower doesn't have much Life Span left."

Lan Tian's languid gaze instantly sharpened. "What did you say?"

"I said, Sister Silver Flower's Life Span is nearly depleted! And this old bastard is still in his cave mansion, playing dead! I refuse to believe he doesn't know how much Life Span Sister Silver Flower has left!" Ba Tianba shouted.

"I'll break the Array! We must get some answers today!"

"Sigh... there's no need to break the Array. If you have questions, just ask," the Great Elder Ye Sheng, dressed in plain cloth robes, appeared beside the two, his face etched with sorrow.

"Old bastard, you finally deigned to come out! Do you know Sister Silver Flower's Life Span is nearly depleted? If it weren't for her blocking that Demon God's Spell to save us, and if you hadn't refused her back then, why would Sister Silver Flower have been trapped at the Heavenly Immortal realm, only to end up in this state?" Ba Tianba glared at Ye Sheng, his face contorted with rage.

Ye Sheng merely shook his head. He then closed his eyes, briefly reviewed the past, and sighed, "So, that's how it is."

Looking at the two of them, he said, "Ah, the tribulation of love... it is indeed difficult to overcome."

"Let's go. To White Lotus Mountain," Ye Sheng's words silenced the two of them, who had been on the verge of speaking.

All three possessed Golden Immortal Cultivation. Reaching White Lotus Mountain would have taken them but the blink of an eye, yet they all arrived at the foot of the mountain and began to ascend step by step.

"Old bastard, this time you *must* give Sister Silver Flower a proper explanation! Otherwise, I won't let you off the hook! Right, Lan Tian?" Ba Tianba said fiercely.

"Ye Sheng, you've indeed gone too far this time. To put it bluntly, Silver Flower saved all three of our lives. Whatever your reasons, you at least owe her an explanation. After her waiting for numerous Hui Yuan, today you must take full responsibility," Lan Tian stated, his face devoid of expression.

Ye Sheng heard this but said nothing, merely letting out a deep sigh.

White Lotus Mountain was high, yet it wasn't high enough.

Silver Flower, who had already sensed the three of them from the mountain peak, stared at the plainly dressed old man before her. Her eyes were red and tear-filled, her lips trembled slightly, yet she was unable to utter a single word.

Ye Sheng looked at the silver-haired old woman before him and said softly, "Silver Flower, I've come."

With each step he took, a change occurred. By the time they stood facing each other, both had transformed, appearing as they did in their prime, radiating vigor and spirit.

One shone as brilliantly as a river of stars, the other a peerless, city-toppling beauty.

"You've finally come! I was afraid I'd never see you again... I was so scared this was all a dream," Silver Flower said, tears streaming from her eyes as she reached out to touch Ye Sheng's face.

"Why did you suffer so? I've come now, and I won't leave again." Looking at the beautiful woman before him, Ye Sheng finally decided to accompany Silver Flower on her final journey.

In the White Lotus Pond, two Flood Dragons, who were being punished by having to plant lotuses, hid behind the flowers. Watching the scene unfold, the Fire God exclaimed, "I never expected Granny Silver to be so beautiful! And who's that man? He actually made her cry!"

"So touching!" Ao Yi said, his enormous eyes brimming with tears.

"What's so touching about it? It's obvious this man abandoned Granny Silver! He's no good! If it were me, I'd definitely stay by your side forever!" the Fire God declared proudly.

With three Golden Immortals and one Heavenly Immortal at their peak who had endured several Life Span Tribulations among the four outside, how could the words of two young Flood Dragons fail to reach their ears?

Upon hearing the Fire God's words, Ba Tianba couldn't stop nodding. This young Flood Dragon is right, that old bastard truly is despicable!

Lan Tian lightly pressed a hand to his forehead. Where did this audacious little creature come from, to be so daring?

Silver Flower, however, was completely immersed in the joy of their reunion and paid no mind.

Conversely, Ye Sheng, who appeared the most indifferent towards Silver Flower, felt an almost imperceptible twitch at the corner of his mouth. His fingers moved slightly, and the Fire God was instantly bound into a sphere by an invisible Spiritual Energy, a change that startled Ao Yi beside him.

Fortunately, Ao Yi was no fool. Knowing that the people outside were not to be trifled with, he immediately clapped his claws over his mouth and said no more.

Lan Tian discreetly pulled away Ba Tianba, who had been about to speak.

"Why are you pulling me? I haven't even spoken to Sister Silver Flower yet!" Ba Tianba grumbled, shaking off Lan Tian's hand in dissatisfaction.

"...What would you even say? Isn't it better to give Silver Flower and Ye Sheng some space?" Lan Tian shot him a look one might give a fool.

That look deeply stung Ba Tianba, for his own wife often looked at him the same way. Consequently, Ba Tianba unleashed an unparalleled torrent of words.

While the two bickered, the sky began to darken.

Suddenly, a floral fragrance so delightful it uplifted the spirit burst forth from the direction of the White Lotus Pond, causing both of them to turn their heads.

Myriads of white lotuses bloomed in the air, countless blossoms vying with each other in radiant splendor, forming a sacred ocean of flowers. Once all the white lotuses had unfurled, a colossal silver bud suddenly materialized in their midst.

"This is like when we first saw Sister Silver Flower, isn't it?" Ba Tianba said, his eyes reddening before he even realized.

"Yes... so many years have passed in the blink of an eye." Even the usually languid Lan Tian found the rims of his eyes growing slightly red.

As they spoke, the silver bud blossomed. The beauty of its life force was so profound it defied all description, as was the Silver Flower who emerged from within.

Standing on the ground, Ye Sheng gazed with a complex expression at the peerless beauty before him. Ripples stirred once more in his heart, a heart that had remained unmoved for hundreds of thousands of years.

Watching the girl skip towards him, hands clasped behind her back, Ye Sheng found himself, for some unknown reason, uttering the same words he had spoken when they first met: "Were you born from a lotus?"

Silver Flower looked at Ye Sheng with a touch of surprise, then quickly responded, "I wasn't born from a lotus. I *am* the lotus. I want to see the outside world. Can you take me with you?"

The two who were peeking from outside, witnessing this scene and hearing this exchange, both felt a tremor pass through their hearts.

Lan Tian grabbed Ba Tianba, who was about to surge forward, and snapped angrily, "What do you think you're doing?"

Tears streaming down his face, Ba Tianba roared, "I'm going to beat that old bastard to death! If it weren't for Sister Silver Flower, we'd have died long ago! How could I have ever advanced to Golden Immortal without her? My wife would have perished in the Demon Abyss if not for her!"

"Sigh... I understand, I understand. Right now, what Silver Flower probably wants most is to spend her best remaining moments properly with Ye Sheng." Lan Tian said, a pang of sorrow gripping his heart as he sensed Silver Flower's ever-fading life breath.

"No, that's not right! Am I forgetting something? What is it?" Ba Tianba suddenly exclaimed, clutching his head and spinning in place.

"What crazy fit is this now?" Lan Tian frowned.

"HAHAHA! I've got it! I remember now!" Ba Tianba exclaimed, a wild glint in his eyes. "Sister Silver Flower! It was because a Demon God forced the Demon Clan's defiling blood into her, implanting a Demon Clan Bloodline within her body! That's why she couldn't break through to Golden Immortal! Isn't that right, Lan Tian? Isn't it?!"

"And so what if it is? Even as Golden Immortals, we couldn't remove the Demon Clan Bloodline implanted by that Demon God."

"I have an idea! Follow me!"