Astral Pet Store (WN)

"In order to pass the second test, you have to be either lucky or strong.

"That's just how life usually goes."

Shen Huang looked at everybody and said calmly, "Qianhou and Su Ping have enough willpower to pass the second test. As for the rest of you, you need to count on your luck.

"However, as your master, I have to do something for my disciples."

He pointed with a finger, and a few stones darted from the void and fell in front of Diaz and the others.

"These are the Luck Stones. They've been through a hundred Heavenly Tribulations without being destroyed; they can increase your odds of finding keepsakes."

Diaz and the others looked at the black stones, which were ugly and fist-sized; it was hard to imagine that they had survived a hundred Heavenly Tribulations.

Su Ping examined the stones, finding nothing unusual about them.

They were only heavier and more solid than normal stones.

However, his master couldn't have lied to them. His level was probably too low for him to sense the power of luck.

I didn't know that luck could be manipulated!

Su Ping thought it was a true eye-opener. He had no doubt he would win a fortune if he went gambling with the stone.

Ancestral Gods can probably influence the luck of a race and even an entire world… No wonder the ancient books say that if you're out of luck you'll be doomed, thought Su Ping.

Even though science had developed significantly, many things from ancient times still remained unexplained; they were too sophisticated to be explained with modern science.

"Keep them," said Shen Huang.

The black, unremarkable Luck Stones were distributed to Diaz and the others, except for Su Ping and Shuai Qianhou.

Shuai Qianhou raised his eyebrows and glanced at Su Ping; he didn't expect his master to think so highly of his senior brother. The man's willpower wis as good as mine? I have cultivated for fifty thousand years. How did this "Senior Brother Su" cultivate?

He had a weird feeling when he thought of that.

Considering his age, he was significantly older than Su Ping, but he was a new disciple and had to call the latter 'senior brother'.

However, he wouldn't need to care about that once he won the true god's legacy.

Diaz and the others looked at the Luck Stones. They didn't find anything unusual, but all of them packed their stones carefully and thanked their master; then, they looked at Su Ping and Shuai Qianhou with conflicting feelings.

They had the same master, but they were clearly lower than those two.

Diaz felt utterly frustrated. He and Su Ping were recruited at the same time; not only had he been crushed by Su Ping ever since, but Su Ping's willpower was even equal to Shuai Qianhou's. That was unbelievable!

Is he some sort of reborn master? Diaz could not help but glance at Su Ping.

Noticing Diaz's glance, Su Ping looked back at him and raised his eyebrows in a teasing manner.

Diaz was infuriated upon seeing Su Ping's provocative look. He was already angry enough, and Su Ping went and fanned the flames!

However, he held back his fury and gritted his teeth, as he recalled how Su Ping had crushed them earlier on, determined to acquire the true god's legacy. He would surely ask Su Ping to serve him every day when he reached the Celestial State!

The more he imagined it, the less angry he felt. He was even happy.

"All of you have practiced the Sunshine Sutra. According to your senior brothers, all of you did a good job. You should have enough willpower to keep yourselves safe inside."

Shen Huang looked at Diaz and the others. He was mostly concerned about Diaz and others. Aside from the Luck Stones, he also taught them a method to enhance their willpower.

When they fully grasped the technique, their willpower could illuminate the world like the sun, making everything else bow in reverence!

"Xiao Su, I'll ask Xiao Ji to teach you the Sunshine Sutra after the trial. Right now, you have enough willpower to pass the test, and there's no need to split your attention."

Su Ping nodded. "I understand."

Ji Xueqing was rather lost for words. "Master, can you call me Xueqing like Elder Yan does? Those who don't know us will think that you're saying chicken1!"

Once they heard that, Diaz and the others wore strange expressions. They didn't expect Senior Sister Ji to be as bold in front of Shen Huang.

But Shen Huang didn't seem angry at all. Rather, he chuckled. "I simply liked the sound of that. Right, did you teach him the secret techniques?"

"Well…"

Ji Xueqing didn't know how to respond.

How did the teaching go?

She had planned to teach him over the span of three months, but he learned everything in one day. What could she say?

"My junior brother is tremendously talented. He grasped the techniques easily a long time ago; he's been training in seclusion ever since. I heard his last secluded training was very rewarding," said Ji Xueqing helplessly.

Shen Huang wasn't surprised at all, as if already aware of something. He nodded and said to Su Ping, "I know you have other teachers, but whatever you need, just tell me. You're my disciple; I'll give you whatever I can."

After being stunned for a moment, Su Ping nodded. "Got it, Master."

Shen Huang nodded and said, "The third test is rather secretive; I won't tell you right now. The test content will be sealed in your heads, and will be automatically unsealed when you pass the second test. This is meant to prevent the information from being leaked.

"It is possible that some participants of the trial have techniques to invade your minds and acquire your memories."

Everyone felt alarmed by that.

Such a method would be really difficult to counter.

At that moment, Shen Huang pointed his finger once more and gathered a spot of light, which then split up and darted into everybody's heads.

Su Ping sensed that a stream of magnificent aura was pouring into his head unstoppably. It entered his head, then became a ball that couldn't be opened.

"You'll know what it is when the time comes. Go now. The trial will start tomorrow. Get ready," said Shen Huang.

Everybody looked at each other, and bid farewell respectfully.

Once they left the temple, Shuai Qianhou clasped hands to salute them and send them off. He said "see you tomorrow" to Su Ping alone.

Diaz and the others were jealous after seeing that Shuai Qianhou's attitude towards Su Ping was clearly different, but there was nothing they could do. Their master had plenty of disciples, and they had different groups.

"Junior Brother Su, see you tomorrow."

Su Ping's senior brothers and sisters were well aware of the situation; it was pointless to be angry with such as genius as Su Ping. Their master wouldn't let them hurt him anyway.

Although Su Ping had crushed them earlier, that was just a practice anyway, and they weren't really sworn enemies.

"Junior Brother Su, we're leaving."

The others also said their goodbyes.

Su Ping also nodded at them.

Diaz approached Su Ping and said, "Junior Brother Su, see you tomorrow. Keep it up, or I may get the legacy in the end. Humph!" Then, he was about to take his leave—

Su Ping, however, grabbed him by the collar, and pulled him back.

"Master recruited me as a disciple first. You're the junior brother here. I'll beat you up if you disrespect me again!" threatened Su Ping.

Diaz was infuriated. "Nonsense! We were all summoned by Master!"

"Indeed. But I was the champion and you were in second place. Who do you think Master would have recruited first?

"But I have the Reincarnation Divine Constitution!"

"But you're in second place."

"You!"

Diaz almost went crazy due to anger. He glared at Su Ping, clearly incensed. He was never good at arguing anyway, and could only storm off.

Ji Xueqing stood at a relavite distance and chuckled, covering her lips. After Diaz flew far away because of fury, she seemed to sympathize with him strongly. She then asked Su Ping, "Are you like this to everybody?"

"Like what?"

"Like a jackass."

"…"

Su Ping was rather lost for words. Senior sister, I didn't do anything to you, did I?