Astral Pet Store Chapter 713
Xue Yunzhen was stunned.
She suddenly sobered up, getting goosebumps all over her after looking at Xiang Fengran’s angry yet sad eyes.
Were they scared of death?
Yes, they were, but they were also ready to sacrifice themselves at any moment!
They were all prepared to die, especially after having been stationed at the Deep Caves for years. While staying behind to fight was brave, it would destroy the last hope of humankind!
Bloodlines and seeds of fire had to be passed on!
Xue Yunzhen bit her lips so hard that blood came out. She raised her head and looked at the passionate eyes around her... Then she gritted her teeth and said, “Sorry, but I have to go!”
If she had to die, she just hoped that her death could be valuable. She was going to be the last guardian of humankind!
“Legend, please go!”
“Legend, we’re here to cover your retreat. You’re not defectors; you’re heroes!”
“Yes, Legend, you should go. We will hold this place with our flesh and blood!”
What made Xue Yunzhen shiver was that no one responded with angry curses; all of them were voices of sincerity and understanding. The other battle pet warriors had heard what Xiang Fengran and Ye Wuxiu had said, and knew of their determination.
They knew that the legendary warriors weren’t running, it was a last ditch effort for humankind!
Why would they force such heroes?
Xue Yunzhen’s eyes were wet. She suddenly thought that her hundreds of years of fighting in the Deep Caves were worth it!
For the land and the people she loved, her devotion was worth it!
“Let’s go!”
There were no farewells nor any other words. Xue Yunzhen gritted her teeth and dashed behind the defense lines. She seemed to be running, but she also looked like a hero that never looked back.
The bald legendary warrior who had planned to keep her company instantly followed her.
The many battle pet warriors nearby didn’t ask the fleeing legendary warriors to stay anymore. They instead unleashed their astral power and summoned their battle pets, ready for the last battle of their lives!
...
In the Longjiang Base City behind the defense lines.
Su Ping had a white pallor once he returned to his shop. He quickly looked around and found a few people in the shop’s safe area.
Su Ping stepped into the shore and quickly said to Tang Ruyan and Su Lingyue, “Inform Qin Duhuang and the others, ask them to evacuate and move into this place immediately. Also tell your family to send the women and children over. They’ll be safe here!”
His body was shivering. Although he knew he wouldn’t get killed thanks to the protection of the system, he could easily imagine the cataclysm that was about to happen!
It would be hell beyond the shop!
Both Tang Ruyan and Su Lingyue were shocked by what Su Ping told them. They had seen the shocking Star State battle outside. After seeing Su Ping’s condition as he arrived, they realized it was impossible for him to save the day anymore.
However, Su Ping’s words confused them somewhat.
A confused Su Lingyue was about to ask him, “Brother...” She had already seen how that mysterious shop was quite important to her brother. She also never knew where he found pets to sell.
“Don’t ask, just do it!” Su Ping suddenly roared.
Time is life. This motto fitted perfectly in that scenario; time was of the essence.
Both women were dazed by Su Ping’s roar; it was a first for them to see him that anxious.
Not daring to ask or think, they quickly took out their phones and contacted the relevant people. The place was probably safe since Su Ping claimed that it was. Even if it wasn’t, gathering them at the store was better than letting them die in other places.
While they talked on the phone, Su Ping quickly reached out to Xie Jinshui, Ye Wuxiu, Li Yuanfeng and the others, asking them to go to his shop.
Fortunately, his shop had just been upgraded with virtual arenas, which doubled the shop’s area. The shop’s footprint had expanded to the two blocks nearby!
The area was enough to accommodate ten thousand people if it was crammed!
Let’s not forget that the area was three-dimensional; the air within a hundred meters above the shop was also safe!
So, if the survivors were stacked like goods, at least a hundred thousand people could be packed!
A hundred thousand people was just a drop in the bucket compared to the total population behind the defense lines, but that was the best Su Ping could do at this moment.
Some of the calls didn’t go through, and some did. Su Ping quickly informed those who picked up the call and then hung up to immediately contact the next person.
He contacted everybody he knew. As for those whom he didn’t, he didn’t even have their numbers to try and alert them.
Very soon, one person came after another. Some were titled warriors, and some were of legendary rank.
“Mr. Su!”
“Brother Su!”
Ye Wuxiu, Li Yuanfeng and some of the others arrived. Void State warriors could travel by flashing, so they arrived first.
Ye Wuxiu asked quickly, “Did you summon us here because you have an escape route?”
His eyes were full of hope, as Su Ping had shown a high combat ability that was only second to Nie Huofeng’s!
If Su Ping worked with them and marched in single file, there was hope for them to break out as long as the Lord of the Deep Caves didn’t get there in time!
He was willing to sacrifice himself even if Su Ping was the only one of them who survived!
Su Ping was already only weaker than the Star State experts. He might enter the Star State someday if he trained himself in a secret realm; then he would be able to avenge them!
“Mr. Su!”
Xiang Fengran, Xue Yunzhen and some others arrived at that moment.
Qin Duhuang and Zhou Tianlin got there right behind them, still merged with their battle pets and using their abilities.
The empty streets were instantly filled with their powerful auras.
“Boss Su, we’ll protect you! Let’s fight our way out!” Qin Duhuang looked at Su Ping with glowing eyes. The powerful aura and fighting spirit he released made him look dozens of years younger.
He meant what he said and was ready to deliver on his promise!
His battle pet was Su Ping’s gift, and he became a legendary warrior mostly because of the understanding brought by the beast king pet that Su Ping had given him; he had always said he owed Su Ping a favor and committed that to memory.
Now...
It was time to repay it!
“Mr. Su!” Zhou Tianlin also said. He stared at Su Ping with regret and determination in his eyes. He had just become a legendary warrior. He wanted to live and enjoy the new level; however, there was no time nor hope. He only wished he could do something with his remaining power.
Everybody fixed their eyes on Su Ping.
Far in the distance, Su Ping’s parents walked to the store, also with troubled expressions.
“Ping’er, no need to care about us,” said Li Qingru, his mother; her eyes were full of love, affection and comfort.
Next to her, his father Su Yuanshan remained silent, but he could feel his father’s deep love for him!
After seeing them arrive, Su Ping took a deep breath and said, “We’re not going anywhere. This shop is the safest place!”
The shop was caught in a moment of silence.
A few seconds later, everybody had finally realized what he meant and looked at Su Ping in shock.
Ye Wuxiu couldn’t help but ask, “Boss Su, are you serious? We’re just going to stay here and wait for death?”
On the other hand, Qin Duhuang and Zhou Tianlin were dazed for a moment. They knew Su Ping longer and better, and they knew how horrifying his shop was.
After all, it was probably the only shop in the world where Void State pets were available all the time.
They also remembered that Su Ping’s shop was being supervised by a blond legendary woman!
Could she protect them?
But soon, they had exactly the same question as Tang Ruyan and Su Lingyue did: if the woman was able to resist the Lord of the Deep Caves, why couldn’t she fight outside?
While everybody seemed astounded and even angry, Su Ping knew it was impossible for him to explain. He quickly found an excuse, “Don’t be hasty. There’s an ancient divine formation in my shop, which is able to resist even Star State attacks. So, no wild beasts can break into my shop!”
Everybody was shocked upon hearing that.
They observed the shop behind Su Ping again, not expecting it to have such a miraculous capability.
Xue Yunzhen quickly thought of something and said, “However, even if we hide and they can’t kill us, they can still surround us; we won’t be able to go anywhere...”
Although she seemed like a careless tigress, she was actually quite thoughtful.
The other people’s smiles were instantly frozen.
That was very true.
Even if the wild beasts couldn’t break in, humans would also be unable to go out; starvation would eventually hit them!
Even if legendary warriors had the option to sustain themselves on astral power alone, what if the Lord of the Deep Caves were to loot all the astral power nearby?
Then, the legendary warriors would also die of old age!
That method was only a slower way of dying!
Su Ping was going to talk, when the system suddenly spoke in his head, “It’s useless.”
Su Ping instantly changed his expression.
The system had peeped into his thoughts again! He was going to soothe everybody by telling them that he could teleport the shop away from that place!
“Why is it useless?” Su Ping demanded furiously in his heart.
The system, however, didn’t answer with the usual lazy attitude. It said with a cold tone, “Even though you have been given a chance to relocate your shop after it’s upgraded to level 4, the rule is that it can only be sent to a place with enough customers. Only the range behind the defense lines meets the requirement at the moment. So, even if you relocate it, you can only relocate within the range protected by the defense lines!”
Su Ping was surprised.
He was exasperated.
“It would be possible to relocate elsewhere if you had enough residents in other places. However, the global population is all concentrated here,” replied the system, ignoring Su Ping’s wrath.
Su Ping said angrily in his heart, “Why didn’t you remind me sooner? Aren’t you always reading my thoughts? Why didn’t you tell me that my plan couldn’t work? Besides, don’t you want to make money? So many people are dying. According to you, they’re all potential customers!
“Then, shouldn’t you do me a favor and help me rescue them?”
The system said solemnly, “Taking care of customers is your responsibility, not mine.”
Su Ping gritted his teeth and lost his cool.
But he knew that it wasn’t the system’s fault; he was simply being too impatient.
Xiang Fengran frowned and called him tentatively, “Boss Su?”
Su Ping seemed about to talk, then his expressions changed haphazardly and he looked angry, which made the others feel confused and uneasy.
Su Ping came back to his senses and finally said, “I’m fine. Even if we can’t go out, they can’t come in either. We can cultivate here until we’re strong enough to go out and defeat them!”
Xiang Fengran and the others were briefly stunned upon hearing that. They looked at Su Ping, certain that he was the one with the greatest hope to reach the Star State.
“No. It would be impossible to cultivate here if the Lord of the Deep Caves absorbs the astral power nearby,” said Xue Yunzhen while shaking her head.
Everybody’s expressions changed; that was indeed a problem.
Qin Duhuang, however, said after a few seconds of silence, “In that case, we can release the astral power in our bodies for Boss Su.”
Everybody was quite shocked to hear that.
That... was indeed a solution!
After considering the idea, Xue Yunzhen looked at Qin Duhuang with appreciation in her glittering eyes.
Su Ping, however, trembled and felt like he was about to be choked by tears.
Releasing the astral power in their bodies would mean that they would lose their cultivation!
He slightly gritted his teeth. He knew that he didn’t need their astral power, not when he had his cultivation sites, but he found their selflessness overwhelming!
More and more people gathered as they talked.
Ji Yuanfeng and the Deputy Chief were both there.
Su Ping was the only hope for a breakthrough. They wanted to join Su Ping and break out of there together!
They knew they had gone to the right place upon seeing Ye Wuxiu, Xiang Fengran and the other legendary warriors in Su Ping’s shop.
Yuan Tianchen and the other group of legendary warriors joined them. They had stayed on the surface all the time and never saw eye to eye with Su Ping, but they also showed up.
Their only hope was Su Ping!
Everyone felt assured after seeing all the strong experts gathered. They had found the community of the best fighters!
“Brother Su!”
“Mr. Su!”
Ji Yuanfeng greeted Su Ping and said, “Give us a route. Let’s march out together.”
Su Ping was going to talk, when noises of wind moving were heard; titled warriors riding flying pets were arriving. The backs of all the battle pets were filled with many women and children.
All of them belonged to the Tang family.
Su Ping and the Tang family had already made peace. In fact, their conflict wasn’t too serious; the Tang family had challenged Su Ping while intending to take back their young mistress.
However, Su Ping had killed several titled warriors in a row and eliminated a legion of two thousand master pet warriors. The Tang family suffered a heavy loss.
The Tangs had offered an apology and compensation afterwards. That was it.
Su Ping had never been a petty man.
With Tang Ruyan as an intermediary—and since she had been appointed as the leader of the family—Su Ping was even less interested in getting back at them.
His shop was a shelter, but nobody knew that. He wanted more people to come; it would be a waste if the shop was left empty.
“They’re here,” said Tang Ruyan in relief after seeing the members of the Tang family.
She was familiar with Su Ping and bought the ancient divine formation fib when Su Ping mentioned it, because she believed that the man would never make empty promises.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The titled members of the Tang family leaped off their flying pets and were all shocked to see the many legendary warriors at Su Ping’s shop.
“Members of the Tang family pay respect to you, Mr. Su!”
“Members of the Tang family pay respect to you, Mr. Su!”
All of them landed and dropped to one knee, paying respect to him in the most courteous way.
Su Ping was strong enough to make them kneel voluntarily. After all, he was a top legendary warrior who deserved their respect!
“Tang Linzhan, former leader of the Tang family, apologizes to you!”
“Tang Yuanqing, elder of the Tang family, apologizes to you!”
Several men dashed out of the crowd. Tang Ruyan’s father, and the previous leader of the Tang family also half-knelt and lowered their heads.
Behind him was the elder of the Tang family who had previously attacked Su Ping.
Although Su Ping had let bygones be bygones, those people had always been worried that he might hold a grudge.
“Tang Ruyu of the Tang family apologizes to you!”
A short girl, who was already at the titled rank, also moved out from the crowd and fell on one knee with her head lowered.
It was quite a shocking scene. Ji Yuanfeng, Ye Wuxiu and the others were confused, not sure about what was going on.
Su Ping looked at the familiar faces. Having already dissolved all grievances, he waved his hand and said, “You may rise. We’re in the middle of a crisis, bring them to my shop immediately.”
In the next moment, Tang Linzhan, Tang Ruyu and the others all felt an irresistible force that made them stand up straight again.
This only increased their sense of awe. What Su Ping said next reassured them. It seemed that Su Ping no longer cared about the Tangs’ previous offense anymore.
They were all excited by that, as if a shadow in their hearts had finally been dispersed.
“Hurry, hurry!” Tang Linzhan quickly waved his hands and asked the women and children of his family to settle down.
Ji Yuanfeng was confused by their actions and could only ask, “Brother Su, what are you doing?”
“We’re not leaving.” Su Ping looked at Ji Yuanfeng, whom he didn’t dislike. “There’s an ancient divine formation in my shop; one that not even the Lord of the Deep Caves can destroy. You’ll be safe as long as you stay inside my shop. Come on in now.”
Ji Yuanfeng was quite shocked.
Yuan Tianchen and the other legendary warriors were equally astounded. When did Su Ping master such a horrifying formation?
Yuan Tianchen looked at the shop behind Su Ping. He had almost been stabbed through by the blond woman inside on his past visit. He found that Su Ping’s shop looked even more splendid than before.
His expression changed when he remembered the blond woman, as fear still haunted him.
What confused him was that he didn’t see the blond woman in the battle. It was slightly weird that Su Ping took part in the battle but without sending her out.