Astral Pet Store (WN)

"What a shame. I wish the old monster would have been killed."

The cauldron woman couldn't help but heave a sigh after the Celestials left; she knew that the old monster was a cunning fellow; he probably wouldn't be sieged again.

The old man glanced at Su Ping and asked, "What are you going to do to us?"

"Just serve me exactly like you served him in the past," said Su Ping with a smile, "I won't mistreat you if you behave."

The cauldron woman and the old man had already seen that coming. There was no surprise; they could only feel sorry for themselves. They had just escaped their terrifying owner, only to fall in the hands of someone even more terrifying; they had yet to gauge how strong the guy was.

Many people rushed to Su Ping's store at that moment.

They were the Celestial's disciples, including Qing Hongyue and Brian.

"Brother Su, did Lin Xiu really take the legacy?" Brian looked at Su Ping; he had realized Su Ping's extraordinary qualities when he displayed multiple small worlds, but he didn't expect that he could survive before a Celestial expert.

Furthermore, Su Ping had been bold enough to challenge Yong Ye.

"You did me a great favor in the first test, Brother Su. Whenever you need me, just call me," declared Qing Hongyue in a manly fashion.

All the others offered greetings too.

They had seen how terrifying Su Ping was, based on the recent battle. He had also done them a favor, so they wanted to befriend him.

Still, some of them weren't sincere. Even though he probably had a Celestial backer, he had also pissed off another Celestial. It was very likely that he would stay there until he reached the Celestial State.

He could end up being killed by the other Celestials if he ever chose to walk out someday.

Besides, Su Ping was probably a public enemy for them too, having unveiled the saints' scheme.

So, he had made too many enemies; it was unadvisable to be close to him.

Su Ping's eyes were quite keen; he could easily tell which of them were sincere and which were just pretentious. He didn't say anything, but he knew it well.

"I don't remember seeing Lin Xiu in the second trial. He had already been executed by Brother Su; how exactly did the old monster possess him?" someone asked Su Ping curiously.

The latter was just as curious. He asked, "Are you sure you didn't see Lin Xiu in the second trial?"

"No." Qing Hongyue shook her head.

Brian shook his head too. "We wouldn't have spared him otherwise. He tried to slaughter us and kept our mouths shut with the saints' special ultimate treasure; we certainly wouldn't let him get away with it!"

"That's true…" Su Ping nodded. His guess was that Lin Xiu had escaped death somehow, using unknown treasures or methods; nobody else could have detected him.

The guy might have snuck into the secondary test while in a weakened state, and was eventually picked by the old monster as a vessel for his rebirth.

According to what the old sutra had said, the old monster would be extremely weak right after his rebirth, so he wouldn't choose an overly talented and strong vessel. Lin Xiu, who had been gravely wounded, was undoubtedly the best choice.

That was also why he wasn't picked by the old monster, even though he had been the first to enter.

Whoever ignited the nine lamps would have to be strong. Perhaps the old monster had picked the vessel in the second test.

Su Ping shook his head and stopped thinking about it; Lin Xiu was already dead anyway. However, his grudge against the latter had been shifted to Old Monster Ye.

That brutal devil has escaped. I must find him. Otherwise, even if I hide in the store, my closed ones will still be hunted by him. Unlike other Celestial State experts, he's absolutely shameless… Su Ping's eyes glittered, feeling the urge to improve his level.

"Those who set food on the road of lamps never returned. It was almost my turn; I couldn't have survived without you, Brother Su." Qing Hongyue stared at Su Ping with clear eyes.

Su Ping snapped out of his stupor. He finally noticed that many familiar faces were gone, including the woman named Claudia who was known as the Queen of Time. She was better at controlling time than those who had mastered the law to perfection, probably thanks to her special constitutions and methods. In addition, a few of the other top Star Lords were gone too.

The sutra said he needed different top constitutions and the dragon and phoenix blood to cultivate the unparalleled imperial constitution. He's probably found the constitutions, but I stole the dragon and phoenix blood, which is already extinct in this day and age; I wonder if he can find replacements…

Su Ping's eyes glittered; he suddenly felt that he wouldn't be safe even if he became a top Heavenly Lord.

"Brother Su, I appreciate you for what you did; tell me whenever you need my help. See you later," said Qing Hongyue.

Su Ping nodded. He also said goodbye to Shuai Qianhou, Brian and the others, and then walked them out.

Everyone left, but then a person arrived with a fragrant breeze. Su Ping lowered his head, only to find that she was Loulan family's heiress. "You should be careful; don't go out anytime soon."

"I won't. I'm glad that you're fine," Su Ping nodded and said.

Loulan Lin stared at him and hesitated, but she said nothing more. She simply added in the end, "We're heading back then; I'm sure you have a lot of things to do." "Yes." Su Ping nodded. He heard the affection in her words, but he didn't ask her to stay; after all, he did have a lot of things to do. First of all, even though he had taken the Path Seeking Pill to escape, it was still effective; he could seize the time to remember what he experienced

Su Ping closed the door after all of them left.

"I'll leave them in your care. This fish will be locked in the nursing pen for now," said Su Ping to Joanna.

The latter nodded.

Su Ping went to the pet room. He threw the fish into one of the nursing pens, and then got into another pen, where he carefully examined the feelings brought by the Path Seeking Pill.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye.

Su Ping woke up from his cultivation when the Path Seeking Pill had been mostly absorbed. He had benefited a lot from the training session; he learned a lot about the Ascendant State methods, plus some details about the Celestial State methods. If he went along that road, he would be able to reach the Celestial State in no more than three hundred years.

However, Su Ping chose a different road.

He wanted to condense a fourth small world, break the restraints of the proposed road and create his own road to the Celestial State.

My level has indeed plummeted…

Once he ended his meditation, he walked out of the nursing pen as a level-1 battle pet warrior, all the way down from the Star State; he was no different from an ordinary person.

However, Su Ping vaguely detected a great power within his abdomen.

It shouldn't be hard for me to return to the Star State. My master offered me abundant resources. Even the resources that I looted from other Star Lords are enough for a hundred people to rise to the Star State. They're all big fat fish…

Su Ping wasn't upset about his level plummeting, but he noticed something else: he couldn't feel the Little Skeleton and his other pets as clearly as before.

Damn it, have the contracts been removed? Su Ping's expression changed. He examined more carefully, only to find that he could only detect their emotions vaguely, even though he was trying his best.

His expression changed again. He quickly displayed the shopkeeper's menu, and was finally relieved to see that the Little Skeleton and his other pets were still in the pets column.

Su Ping couldn't help but ask curiously, "System, what's going on?" It seemed that he was too weak to control the Little Skeleton and the other pets in his current level. However, the contracts weren't removed; there was only a minor problem.

"They're temporarily locked in your pet space. You won't be able to free them until you reach a certain level," replied the system lazily.