Astral Pet Store (WN)

Is this the study? Su Ping was slightly dazed. The ancient pavilion had been well preserved; not a speck of dust was to be seen. It seemed to have been cleaned regularly; everything was in order. Books and scrolls were floating in midair, with the brilliance of laws protecting them from decomposing.

Furthermore, Su Ping felt that the flow of time had been slowed by ten thousand times!

The passage of a century inside the pavilion would mean ten thousand years outside.

"Little Golden Lotus!"

While Su Ping was observing the place—all the books and scrolls seemed to have been alarmed. They turned around and rushed to meet the newcomers.

At the same time, a pitch-black book descended from the top of the pavilion, covered in black smoke; it transformed into an old man, who was staring at Golden Lotus with a surprised expression.

"Senior Dark Demon!" cried Golden Lotus in delight after seeing the old man.

They hadn't seen each other in eons; she had every reason to feel excited

But then the old man gradually came to a stop. His expression dampened somewhat as he noticed the woman standing next to Golden Lotus. Realization struck; he asked softly, "Evolution Cauldron, have you really made up your mind? I've already asked you to change your ways. Given your potential, you may grow to become an unparalleled imperial cauldron."

The woman sneered and said, "How hilarious. The most wicked book with evil secret techniques is asking someone else to reform!"

The old man stared at her and continued, "I am indeed an evil book, but I've never harmed anyone; I've been using evil skills for righteous purposes. I cannot decide what I was born with, but I can still decide what to do with it. You're different. You were a deity cauldron once, yet you slaughtered billions of creatures and fell into the demonic path. That's something you chose!"

"Whether I'm a deity or a demon is up to me; it doesn't matter as long as I can get stronger!" The woman ended with a snort laced with contempt. "You're just as obsessed and unchanging as before…" The old man wore a solemn expression; a dark aura surged around him.

The woman narrowed her eyes and said, "Old fart, I suggest you mind your own business. I didn't volunteer to swallow the Blue Ocean Snake Pill or the Seven Treasures Tree; that old monster made me do it!

"Besides, your precious Golden Lotus has been cursed by me; she'll be consumed by demonic flames if anything happens to me. You'd better think carefully before you take action!"

The old man instantly changed his expression and looked at Golden Lotus, quickly noticing the black fire pattern on her neck.

"You're asking to be killed!" The old man flew into a fit of rage.

The woman sneered. "I will lift her curse once I get out of here. That's the deal I struck with her, and she readily agreed; she would have been imprisoned there forever if it wasn't for me. She would have been the first to be eaten when the old monster returned. You should thank me for bringing her over!"

The dazed old man looked at Golden Lotus.

She nodded with a troubled expression. "Senior, I volunteered for this. The date of his rebirth is drawing near; I fear he might return soon. Death is not what I fear, but the prospect of him becoming stronger and invincible after consuming me. Besides, there were other pills with me…"

"Little Golden Lotus…"

The old man understood the situation and his face reflected conflict. He couldn't help but heave a sigh in the end.

"Cut the crap. Just let me out of this place, then I'll lift their curses. I would rather not waste my time on stubborn people like you!" interjected the cauldron woman with a cold tone.

The old man gazed at her and said, "You want to leave this place? Okay. Lift the curse on Golden Lotus first; then I'll set you free."

"You think you can trick me that easily?" roared the woman.

The old man's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. He then paid attention to Su Ping who was standing between the two females, and asked, "Who's this?"

Golden Lotus quickly replied, "This young human came here seeking the old monster's legacy. He accidentally fell into the ocean and entered the treasury."

"So, an unlucky bastard," concluded the old man, now enlightened.

Su Ping wore an awful expression, but there was nothing he could say.

He had indeed been unlucky this time.

Su Ping couldn't help but complain in his heart, Who could've thought that the place was a trap? Even the twelve Celestials were tricked. They should have been more reliable!

"Golden Lotus, are you really willing to let her out? You should know what kind of catastrophe she might cause if she leaves," said the old man to the pill lady.

The latter looked at Su Ping with a conflicted expression, and then nodded. She said, "Senior, we're in a different era; there's nothing she can do even if she leaves."

The old man noticed her actions, instantly realizing that the young human he had ignored was more important than he thought.

He then asked Su Ping, "What did you say to Golden Lotus? I know this is a different age. The old monster chose rebirth to avoid the war, which should have ended by now. However, the universe must bear scars as part of the aftermath. Do you know how strong we are?"

"Of course. Seniors, you're Deity Kings, and so is the old monster you mentioned. Although there are no Deity Emperors right now, there are plenty of Deity Kings. Twelve of them are out there as far as I know!"

Su Ping then added, "All of them are gathered outside. They couldn't enter and fight for the legacy due to restrictions placed on the ruins, so they had to send their disciples instead; I'm one of those disciples. Unfortunately for us, this place turned out to be a trap; I will report the matter after I leave. They will surely raze this place to the ground!"

The old man was stunned. "Twelve Deity Kings are already waiting outside?"

"Yes." Su Ping nodded.

He also said that because he hoped that the old man would think twice before trying to hurt him.

The old man looked at Golden Lotus and saw that she stayed silent, so he knew that Su Ping was telling the truth.

Nearby—the cauldron woman changed her expression after hearing what had just shared with them. She asked with shock and fury, "Brat, you plotted against me?"

Su Ping said quickly, "I certainly wouldn't dare."

"You wouldn't? Twelve Deity Kings are waiting for us; even the old monster would be killed by them if he chose to be reborn right now. Won't they fight over me if I go out? What's the difference between being controlled by them and being controlled by the old monster?" demanded the woman furiously.

Su Ping was lost for words. The cauldron seemed determined to pursue freedom.

"If that's true, I guess it's fine to set you free." The old man chuckled when he heard the woman's furious cries; he suddenly found the young human much more likable.

"The legacy has restrictions? Hehe; that old monster set them up on purpose. He was only looking for a vessel to be reborn into. If the vessel is too powerful, it might swallow him instead…"

Su Ping felt intrigued. "Senior, may I know more about this rebirth?".

The old man replied with a smile, "He actually learned the rebirth method from me; it's called the Yin-Yang Nine Rounds Demon Fetus Technique. Unlike secret techniques that require multiple rebirths, it doesn't actually require nine rounds of rebirth. You'll pass the nine rounds in one rebirth by absorbing 'vessels' of nine different types. After rebirth, consuming the dragon and phoenix blood, will help you gain the natural Chaos Deity Constitution!

"This is one of the rare imperial constitutions in the universe. Once you cultivate it, you'll be able to absorb everything and live an eternal life!"

Su Ping felt dazed for a moment; he instantly realized he had secured the dragon and phoenix blood that the old man had just mentioned

So to speak… he had robbed the old monster of the most critical items? "You taught him that?" The woman changed her expression after hearing that. "He'll be unstoppable when he becomes an emperor. He'll destroy the entire universe!'

The old man's smile was gone. He heaved a sigh and said, "I was mistaken. But I didn't volunteer to keep a record of that sinful technique."

"Humph. If you didn't do it voluntarily, why didn't you destroy yourself?" Said the woman with a sneer.

"I can't destroy myself; I would have done it already," said the old man.

"Do you honestly expect me to believe that?"

The woman wasn't convinced in the slightest; there was contempt in her eyes.

The old man didn't say anything else to her. He simply continued, "Since twelve Deity Kings are waiting outside, we can inform them of this matter and he won't be able to endure their attacks moments after his rebirth. He would surely meet his doom!"

Noticing the opportunity, Su Ping quickly said, "Indeed. They will surely destroy this place as soon as we get out and inform them!"

The old man glanced at Su Ping with a vague smile, and then said, "But humans are treacherous beings; even though the war between demons and deities is over, the war between good and evil never ends. "How do you know that none of the twelve Deity Kings is wicked?" Su Ping was flabbergasted. He asked, "Senior, what are you suggesting?". "Inform your master of the rebirth technique; he will surely be tempted. He will surely sabotage the old monster's endeavor if he sneaks in," said the old man.

Su Ping changed his expression. Did the man want to take advantage of his master?

He looked at the old man, and suddenly found him wicked.