Astral Pet Store (WN)

In the Celestial Court—

In the very center of the Golden Star Zone, emitting eternal light like dozens of stars.

There was no dark night; it was always as brilliant as a diamond.

The Celestial Court was extremely vast, surrounded by natural satellites that were very prosperous.

Once he approached the Celestial Court, Su Ping saw that Rhea was spinning around on a nearby orbit.

Whoosh!

"Junior brother," said a clear and loud voice all of a sudden. Su Ping turned around, only to see a young man with black hair and black eyes clad in a black robe behind him. The guy had a cold face, but he put on a smile when he looked at Su Ping. "Are you going to see Master?"

"And you are…?"

Su Ping looked at him in surprise. He couldn't help but wonder if the guy was his Ascendant senior brother who had been protecting Rhea.

"I'm your thirteenth senior brother. You may call me Senior Brother Ye Feng," said the young man with a smile.

Once enlightened, Su Ping quickly said, "Thank you for your help, senior brother."

"I'm merely carrying out our master's instructions. I've heard so much about you, junior brother. You condensed a small world in the Fate State and then created multiple small worlds. If the legacy hadn't been fake you would have been a young Celestial right now." Ye Feng chuckled; he clearly liked Su Ping.

"You're being too kind. I was only lucky."

"No need to underestimate yourself."

"I was only lucky."

"…"

Ye Feng put on a helpless smile, putting an end to the niceties. He said, "The Celestial devil sent someone to assassinate you a while back. Master didn't want you to know it, fearing that it would disturb your cultivation. But the matter got too big; I hope you don't mind. Master has moved your planet near the Celestial Court; I don't think the old devil would dare send anyone again."

Su Ping nodded. "I'm on my way to meet Master and thank him for this."

"You're very courteous, junior brother." Ye Feng smiled. "I shall accompany you on the journey then."

"Okay."

Su Ping and Ye Feng went straight to the palace on top of the Celestial Court where Shen Huang lived.

There were a lot of checkpoints and secret arrays on the way; Ye Feng simply waved and passed them all.

Ye Feng decided to find a topic as they traveled. "Junior brother, you haven't cultivated for long, have you?"

"Indeed. I have only cultivated for about fifty years in total," said Su Ping.

He was no older than thirty in the universe, but he had spent quite a long time in cultivation sites. He didn't really know how long.

"You're already a Star Lord before fifty years of age. How young."

"It's not that hard."

"Haha…"

End of conversation. They fell quiet again.

Su Ping looked at Ye Feng, and thought that he should find a topic too, or else he would seem cold and unfriendly.

"Well, Senior Brother Ye Feng, what have you been busy with?"

"Me? I've been looking out for you as per our master's instructions."

"Oh right. I forgot."

Su Ping coughed, then looked at the passing scenery around him, suddenly thinking that it didn't look bad at all. He said, "The Celestial Court is very beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"…"

A long while later—

The two of them finally reached the palace.

Hardly had Su Ping arrived when he detected an assortment of auras. Several gargantuan spaceships had been docked above the palace; they had unique appearances and seemed intimidating.

Even though the spaceships weren't alive, Su Ping somehow found them dangerous; it seemed that they carried a great amount of firepower.

"That's a spaceship from the Red Fire Star Zone. It's?Zhurong1, which belongs to the leader of the star zone!

"That spaceship which carries a flag with purple circles is Black Hole, which belongs to the leader of the Void Star Zone."

Ye Feng pointed at the two biggest spaceships and introduced them to Su Ping. "All the other spaceships belong to Ascendant State experts. Some of them have chosen to ally with the Golden Star Zone due to the rising turmoil in the universe."

Su Ping was a bit astonished. "Are the people from the Red Fire Star Zone and the Void Star Zone present as our allies too?"

"That's right. The Celestial experts of the two star zones have been friends with our master for some time. Right now, the Celestial devil has sowed discord in the entire universe. There are three groups taking shape as we speak. The Golden Star Zone is destined to fight this devil!" declared Ye Feng.

Su Ping gave a slight nod; he had heard his master talk about the matter before.

They flew close to the palace, and saw a lot of Ascendants outside. Su Ping was quite familiar with some of them; one of them was Ji Xueqing, his fourth senior sister who had taught him secret techniques.

Ji Xueqing also noticed him and Ye Feng as they approached. She greeted them with glittering eyes after being momentarily stunned, "Junior Brother Su?

"Haven't you been training in seclusion on your planet? Why are you here? It's said that the Celestial devil has issued a bounty for your head; the reward for killing you is terrifying," said Ji Xueqing quickly.

"Really? What's the reward?" asked Su Ping curiously.

Ji Xueqing felt dazed. She was rather lost for words upon seeing that Su Ping wasn't panicked in the slightest. She said, "It's said that whoever kills you will receive infinite wealth and any ten types of top rare treasures. There will also be an ancient pill that can let Star Lords experience the power of the Ascendant State; it will also increase their odds of advancing by fifty percent!

"Even the most untalented Star Lord will have a fifty percent chance of rising to the Ascendant State!

"They'd be the weakest even if they reach the Ascendant State… However, this pill has another effect, which is that those who are already in the Ascendant State will be enhanced if they consume it. So, it's tempting for the Ascendant State experts too."

"He has such a treasure?" asked Su Ping in astonishment, "He's not bragging, is he? I remember looting his treasury; he should be abjectly poor right now. Where did he find this pill?"

"You looted his treasury?"

Ji Xueqing nearly bit off her own tongue. She looked at Su Ping in shock.

Ye Feng was also shocked. He looked at his junior brother while lost for words.

"Seriously?" Ji Xueqing couldn't help but mumble. However, she already knew the answer when she saw Su Ping's expression, finally understanding why the ancient devil hated Su Ping's guts and wanted to kill him at the cost of offending multiple Celestials.

"Of course it's true. Master knows that too," said Su Ping innocently, as if thinking that his actions weren't shocking.

Ji Xueqing said with a bitter smile, "Junior brother… You're truly as expected."

He hadn't even reached the Ascendant State yet, but he had looted the treasury of a Celestial expert; nobody else could have done that.

"He's obviously bragging. Can we issue a bounty for him too?" asked Su Ping curiously.

"…"

Ji Xueqing nearly choked, and Ye Feng hummed too. He suddenly felt that his taciturn junior brother wasn't scared of dealing with people in the slightest.

"A bounty on a Celestial State expert…" Ji Xueqing almost wanted to slap her forehead. She didn't know why her junior brother was so bold. She could only say, "The Celestial State is already the peak of the universe. It's impossible for Ascendants to kill them, even when outnumbered. The only chance is for other Celestials to take action. But…

"Even a Celestial expert would have difficulties when dealing with another Celestial, unless multiple peers attack together."

She looked at Su Ping, with an obvious hint in her eyes.?Do you have any idea what price you would have to pay to hire multiple Celestials?

Su Ping patted his head and realized his error.

He had spent too much time in cultivation sites and had been desensitized in relation to Celestials.

That wasn't the Archean Divinity. If he were there, it wouldn't be too hard for him to put a bounty on a Celestial. He probably could even have emperor-level experts on the wanted lists, as long as his offer was good enough.

"That's true." Su Ping nodded in embarrassment.

Ji Xueqing said helplessly, "Junior brother, it's a shame that you didn't get a legacy despite your unparalleled talent; you could have become a young Celestial expert and spread your name in the entire universe. But right now you have to reach the Ascendant State on your own."

"Sure."

Su Ping nodded and said, "However, I didn't want the legacy to begin with. I was only fighting to get it for my pets. It's not really a shame."

Ji Xueqing: "…"

Ye Feng: "…"

"Senior sister, why do you look so weird?" Su Ping looked around, only to find that the other Ascendants were also gazing at them. To be more exact, they were looking at him.

Have I become so charming since my body entered the Ascendant State that even Ascendants can't resist me?

Su Ping unconsciously touched his face. He suddenly regretted leaving in a hurry; he didn't have the time to look at himself in the mirror.

"Chi Huo and Xu Kong are meeting with our master; let's wait outside." Ji Xueqing felt relieved; she feared that Su Ping would say another outlandish thing.

She had already noticed that her junior brother was unlike most people.

If they were exceptional, Su Ping would definitely count as inhuman.

"Oh, okay."

A few others approached while the three of them talked.

"You must be Su Ping, Shen Huang's famous disciple, right?" said a common-looking Ascendant with a friendly smile.

Su Ping looked at him. "And you are?"

"I heard that you nearly won the legacy that the new Celestial in the universe got. You were the one who invented the theory of multiple small worlds that's becoming popular too. Is it really possible to cultivate multiple small worlds?" asked the Ascendant curiously.

Ji Xueqing frowned and said, "That's my junior brother's private business; he doesn't have to tell you."

"I'm sorry. I was only curious," the former quickly apologized. He was clearly scared of Ji Xueqing, who was an authentic Heavenly Lord that once survived the attacks of a Celestial State expert.

"Multiple small worlds are possible and authentic. I'll teach everybody the specific cultivation method when I'm free. However, it would be pointless for you. It's only useful to your juniors," replied Su Ping. He was frank and serious; publicizing the method wasn't a big deal for him.

After all, it was one thing to know, and a whole different matter to actually make use of it.

Also, having witnessed a lot of universes, Su Ping knew full well how weak his universe was overall. Nobody would be able to resist if any catastrophe befell them.

"Junior brother, you…" Ji Xueqing wanted to stop him, but it was too late. She looked at Su Ping with a mix of shock and suspicion. She had heard about cultivating multiple worlds too, and confirmed it with her master.

She didn't need to think to know what an incredible cultivation method it was.

And yet, Su Ping was planning to publicize it?

It was like teaching the whole world their family's techniques!

"It's not a big deal. Humanity would have one more expert if someone grasps the technique," said Su Ping with a smile.

Ye Feng, Ji Xueqing and the other Ascendants who approached them felt dazed after his answer.

They suddenly felt that he had some sort of charisma after seeing how frank and casual the young man was.

Is this the generosity expected of a Star Lord?

After being dazed for a moment, Ji Xueqing looked at Su Ping thoughtfully, but didn't say anything else.

"I admire you for your generosity, Mr. Su Ping!" said the plain-looking Ascendant with solemnity.

"You have my admiration!" said another Ascendant who wasn't fond of talking. He eyed Su Ping in a different way too.

The other Ascendants that were further away overheard their conversation. They looked at each other; some seemed respectful, while others looked puzzled, and some were obviously disdainful. They thought that Su Ping was only being pretentious.

Exactly at that moment—loud laughter resounded above them, echoing directly in their ears.

"Is he your disciple? Haha. He's indeed unusual."

Everybody looked up, only to see that the gate behind the man was opening slowly. Then, Shen Huang's voice came from inside. "Come on in."

He sounded gentle and delighted.

Everybody saw the three magnificent Celestials seated inside the palace through the slowly opening gate.

Shen Huang was at the center, while flanked by Chi Huo and Xu Kong.

Chi Huo was tall and brawny, with long red hair; the air around him seemed to be dyed red due to the fire on his hair.

Xu Kong, on the other hand, was a purple-haired woman who was elegant and mysterious.

All of them were looking outside with a smile. To be more exact, they were staring at Su Ping.

Su Ping wasn't really nervous while feeling their gaze. He would have felt some pressure in the past; however, he had seen a fair share of Celestials, and even the emperor-level experts. He couldn't feel any pressure from Celestials anymore.

Su Ping entered the palace, then humbly and respectfully said, "It's an honor to see you, master."