Su Ping was happy to see old friends as well. “I’m glad you’re still safe and sound.”
He remembered that the Holy Light Base City was far away; it wasn’t among the nine base cities on the unified defense line. They must have been forced to move there.
“Is this your store?”
Zhenxiang and Tongtong were interested in the store’s setup. They thought that his store looked smaller than how they had imagined.
Being a top trainer, they had thought that Su Ping’s store should have been as large as a theme park!
“Yes.”
Su Ping smiled at the two innocent and cute girls.
Vice Chairman Lu Qiu wore a troubled look.
He gazed at Su Ping. Major events had taken place ever since the young man left the Holy Light Base City; for instance, the destruction of both the Nordic and the West Ocean Continents. Those incidents were unbelievable but they did happen.
There was once a time when the end of the world seemed to only exist in nightmares… But the end of the world was truly coming to them in real life!
Lu Qiu no longer regarded Su Ping as a simple top trainer.
Su Ping took care of the Void State beast with ease during his visit to the Holy Light Base City, demonstrating his frightening force. Later on, he killed a Fate State beast at the Xing-Jing Defense Line, saving a Class A base city. Many big forces had seen that video. Su Ping was more honorable than most legendary battle pet warriors.
Given his status as the Vice Chairman of the Trainers Association, Lu Qiu knew what the Fate State meant. That was why meeting Su Ping again was difficult.
Su Ping was smiling at them in a friendly way. Lu Qiu then took a deep breath. He felt sorry; he should have befriended Su Ping earlier. “Nice to see you again, Mr. Su,” Lu Qiu greeted him respectfully.
Shi Haochi and his two daughters didn’t understand why Lu Qiu was behaving so politely all of a sudden.
They had been quite busy in recent days; the Trainers Association had been receiving a large number of orders, so they didn’t have time to mind the recent news. They only knew that the entire world was in crisis. Even the fees that the Trainers Association was charging had dropped to the minimum; they were basically working for free.
Su Ping waved his hand. “We are friends. Make yourself at home. Here, have a seat.” Lu Qiu felt a spread of warmth in his heart. “Mr. Su, I’ve heard about what you did. I have also met the young kids that came with you.”
Su Ping nodded. He didn’t take care of those young people himself. He asked Qin Duhuang to help them settle down.
“Was everyone from your Holy Light Base City relocated here?” Su Ping asked.
Lu Qiu nodded and then shook his head. He sounded nervous. “The members of the Trainers Association are very important lately. We were assigned to the nine base cities inside the walls to provide training services for battle pet warriors. We are striving to make their battle pets progress before the war breaks out!”
Su Ping nodded. “Good. You’ve really done great work.”
“It is only our job. You, Mr. Su, have made great contributions. All the legendary battle pet warriors at the battlefront are heroes.” Lu Qiu waved his hand. He was blushing slightly.
His words stunned Shi Haochi and his daughters. Legendary? Su Ping?
Su Ping is at the legendary rank?
And he’s a top trainer to boot!
Zhenxiang and Tongtong were panting. This guy is at the legendary rank?
Shi Haochi suddenly understood why Lu Qiu greeted Su Ping with such respect.
She remembered how Su Ping had been stopped at the door of the Trainers Association on his very first visit. Who would have thought that the young man whom many had teased was at the legendary rank!
That’s not my rank… Su Ping wanted to explain but he recalled the responses. Never mind. There was nothing he could do to clear his name.
“I’m glad you came to Longjiang. Come to the store in case the two walls break and the outer wall is breached,” Su Ping said to them.
Lu Qiu appeared to be overwhelmed by fear. Su Ping surely knew something they didn’t. Was the situation worse than they thought?
“Mr. Su… Will we die in this strike?” Lu Qiu asked.
Su Ping nodded. “It’s a possibility. Anyway, there’s no way back; we have to fight and that is the only way we can keep hope alive.”
Lu Qiu was at a loss for words. Shi Haochi and his daughters were even more baffled.
It was right then when Tang Ruyan and Zhong Lingtong entered the store.
“What? We have customers?” Tang Ruyan was surprised to see people in the store. The corporate slave wore her fake smile as she hurried over. “Welcome, what is it that you’re looking for? We can train pets, or you can buy pets and pet food!”
Zhenxiang and Tongtong turned around. Another pretty girl?
As for Zhong Lingtong, they immediately recognized her.
Lu Qiu widened his eyes when he saw Tang Ruyan. The current… head of the Tang family?! He could not believe it.
The Tang family had changed. The incident when the Tang family destroyed the other two ancient families created a sensation; the Trainers Association had collected detailed information about that event.
The general public began to hear about the young family head; no one could underestimate her.
one
To reflect their recent status as the most powerful family of the continent, the Tang family had placed many orders at the Trainers Association for their battle pet warriors. The Tang family and the Trainers Association had been working closely. And…
The young head of the most powerful family of the continent was there in Su Ping’s store!
She… seems to be working here.
The family head is working here?!
Lu Qiu was still dazed as he stared at Tang Ruyan when he heard, “Nice to meet you Vice Chairman and Master Shi.”
Lu Qiu found the strength to look away and focus on Zhong Lingtong. The latter’s face was chubbier than before. She… must be living a comfortable life here.
Lu Qiu was relieved. Finally, he would have a chance to talk with someone he didn’t have to be scared of.
“Ah, Tong…” Lu Qiu smiled kindly, “You’re Mr. Su’s student. You’re surely close to becoming a master trainer.”
Shi Haochi and his two daughters were freaked out.
Master trainer?
So soon?! Zhong Lingtong blushed. She lowered her head and said shyly, “I have a lot more to learn from my teacher. He said I could only help battle pets learn the skills of the thunder family. I’m just a ninth-rank trainer who tends to go overboard on one subject. I have much to learn before I can become a Holy Spirit Trainer…”
What?!
Lu Qiu and Shi Haochi looked at her in a daze.
Just a ninth-rank trainer who tended to go overboard on one or some subjects? Just?!
Su Ping didn’t think Zhong Lingtong would say anything inappropriate. He taught her the elementary rules of thunder when he reached the middle stage of the rules of thunder. She was able to help battle pet warriors learn skills of the thunder family below the legendary rank. She was a ninth-rank trainer according to the Trainers Association’s grading.
Still, she would have to know how to enlighten battle pets’ talents first in order to become a Holy Spirit Trainer.
He wasn’t planning on teaching her that right then, given that Su Ping had only mastered the elementary Agility himself.
Lu Qiu gulped. “You, you can help battle pets learn ninth-rank skills.”
Zhong Lingtong nodded and added, “But just of the thunder family.”
II
11
They were speechless.
What do you mean by just?
Were you thinking about making a battle pet learn the ninth-rank skills of every family? That was harder than becoming a Holy Spirit Trainer!
So… staying with a freak would make a person a freak! Lu Qiu thought to himself.
He had once made a deal with Su Ping that their students would compete against each other when they met again. But… no competition was needed.
“I’m glad you’re here,” Su Ping said to Lu Qiu and then turned to Zhong Lingtong. “I don’t have time to teach you the basics (because I have no idea what they are). Go and help Mr. Lu. train the battle pets that are going to go to the battleground. Learn and have a feel of that practice from practice…” Zhong Lingtong said gladly, “Sir, thank you!” She was too bored while staying there.
She had spent all her time dining and playing around; still, she would sometimes help clean the store. She didn’t have to do anything else and Su Ping barely talked to her.
As for her studies… she had to rely on herself. She would still feel the urge to ask questions to Su Ping, though. Sometimes, she couldn’t even find him. When she did find him, he would tell her to find answers by herself.
Finally, she was able to practice the strange rules of thunder on battle pets!
Lu Qiu curled his lips. This girl… She’s already a top trainer at such a young age. The people of the Trainers Association would find this news mind-blowing!
“Brother Lu, I’ll be troubling you to take care of her,” Su Ping said.
Lu Qiu came back to his senses and nodded.
Shi Haochi and his daughters were confused; they had mixed feelings about that.
The girl was a top trainer. That was their lifelong goal!
Soon after, Shi Haochi and his daughters, Lu Qiu and Zhong Lingtong left together.
Tang Ruyan was still at the store; Su Ping told her to ask around for information if she had nothing else to do. The store had no business at the moment.
Tang Ruyan went to deal with that task.
She could borrow the strength of the Tang family.
The day became darker.
Su Ping stayed in the Longjiang Base City. He would fly to monitor the two walls every now and then. He noticed that the relocation had almost been completed.
He had no idea when the wild beasts would get there. He had to wait while the store was still being upgraded and he wouldn’t even dare go to a cultivation site at the moment… What if the beasts showed up while he was exploring?
He didn’t want to save humans when the world went to hell, neither did he want to become the hero of the age.
Still, he would be the first to go to the frontline when the wild beasts arrived.
He would go back to recover when he could no longer handle the fight, and then he would go back at it again. That was his plan.
Saving the world when it was going to end? Those scenarios only happened in novels. He didn’t even know if he could survive!
Su Ping was standing on the back of the Dark Dragon Hound, flying in the sky. After pondering long and hard, he dialed a number. He was calling… Gu Siping!
“Are you free? I have some questions for you.”
“Huh?”
They had exchanged phone numbers at the meeting so they could stay in contact. Still, Gu Siping was surprised by the call. Gu Siping didn’t receive any information of any sudden strike to the continent.
“What is it?” Gu Siping asked, indifferently.
Su Ping ignored his dismissive attitude. He went straight to the point. “It’s about the Heaven Executors and the Heaven Lock!
“The new defense line can completely protect the Heaven Lock; that is no coincidence. Tell me… What are you planning? I hope you can reveal certain secrets, and I think I’m qualified to know!”
Gu Siping narrowed his eyes.
“Heaven Lock? What is that? I don’t understand,” He replied in a deep voice.
Su Ping squinted his eyes. “Don’t play dumb, it’s pointless. You should know about the time when the Otherworld Heavenly King came to Longjiang. I remembered that our mayor went to ask for help from the Tower but you refused. Why? Weren’t you afraid that the base city would be destroyed and the formation base could be flattened?”
Gu Siping answered after a few seconds of silence, “Where did you hear this?” “Don’t get me started. There’s no time to stray from the topic!” Su Ping was annoyed. He pressed down his anger and continued, “I was wondering if we should open the Heaven Lock. If you don’t tell me, I’ll go ahead and do it myself!” Gu Siping shouted, “Are you kidding me? Do you even know what will happen? No one knows how rich the astral powers contained by it. The wild beasts will develop and mutate faster once the seal is released. We will die even faster!”
Su Ping sneered, “Why aren’t you acting dumb again? I want to know why the formation was built in the first place. There’s also a sealing formation at the deepest level of the Corridor. What is being sealed inside?
“What?” Gu Siping sounded confused.
“A formation… at the bottom of the Corridor?” He frowned. “What are you talking about? Did you go there? You found a formation?”
Su Ping said coldly, “You’re the leader of the world. Don’t you think it’s insulting to us all if you continue beating around the bush?!”
Gu Siping was furious. “Watch your mouth; I’m being quite tolerant as it is. Yes, I know about the Heaven Lock. That is a top secret of the Tower and naturally, we don’t want to tell you. But I don’t know anything about the additional formation inside the Corridor. Are you sure about that?”
Su Ping didn’t think Gu Siping was lying.
It would have been too shameless to keep pretending
“Never mind. Tell me about the Heaven Lock. Why did you set it up?” Su Ping asked.
Gu Siping was no longer willing to be friendly to Su Ping. Coldly, he said, “I just said that it’s top-secret, it’s not for you to know. You only need to focus on how to stop the wild beasts. You don’t have to worry about anything else!”
“Are you sure? I will open up the formation if you don’t tell me. You’ll have to face the consequences!” Su Ping threatened Gu Siping.
Arrogant!
Gu Siping was furious.
Su Ping is crossing the line!
Still, he had also seen the video when Su Ping killed that Fate State beast king and knew that the young man had incredible skills. Gu Siping then decided to hold back his rage. “You cannot open up the formation on a whim. The base cities are full of people right now… Do you want them to relocate again? You’re welcome to try!”
“I told you that I would dare to go down in history as a symbol of infamy!” Su Ping sneered at the threat.
He would not mind making people relocate again if opening up the formation could save the world. He would never fear having a bad reputation.
“You… Scoundrel!” Gu Siping cursed. Su Ping was nothing like a legendary battle pet warrior!
All the legendary battle pet warriors would do their best to maintain a good image. But not Su Ping. He was a lunatic who cared about nothing! “You can make them relocate, but you can’t open the formation without the keys. And even if you could, you cannot destroy all the base cities!” Gu Siping said.
Su Ping replied, “That I know. Not even a Fate State Warrior can destroy the formation with blunt force. But I know what the keys are; I can open the formation. I will need the blood of a Flaming Bird, the head of a Stone Turtle…” Su Ping recited the list of materials needed to open the formation.
Gu Siping turned pale.
Saying one material could be coincidental, but Su Ping was mentioning all the materials, save one; he kept something unsaid.
But it was evident that Su Ping knew the entire list and the method!
Who is this guy?
He reached the legendary rank without anyone knowing and he knew how to open the formation! It’s beyond scary! Gu Siping heaved a sigh. “Who taught you that?”
“None of your f*cking business!”
Gu Siping was about to lose his mind. He bit his teeth and squeezed out a reply, “Fine, I will tell you but you cannot dispel the formation. Otherwise, the Blue Planet will be doomed, for real!”
“Tell me first.” Su Ping snorted.
“The first Tower Master was the one who set up the Heaven Lock; he learned the formation from an ancient legacy. This formation can seal a certain portion of space and nurture the Astral Spirit. Once the Astral Spirit can successfully grow, it can help a person reach the Star Rank directly!”