Astral Pet Store (WN)
chapter-446

Chapter 446 Not Worthy Enough

Dai Lemao and Chen turned around, their faces clouded.

“I had heard that Old Ding was in closed-door cultivation. He rarely goes anywhere. People say that he’s focusing on the thunder fire cultivation method, attempting to become a top trainer.”

“Sounds about right!”

“He became a master trainer twenty years ago, right? It’s about time that he makes another breakthrough.”

“You guys, don’t call him Old Ding. He’ll hear you.” Shi Haochi lowered his voice.

Dai Lemao heaved a sigh. “Right. If he does succeed, we would have to use more polite terms to address him.”

“Here he comes. Let’s go and say hi.” Chen had already stood up. Building relationships had to be done early. Otherwise, buttering him up would be that much harder when Old Ding did make the breakthrough

Shi Haochi and Dai Lemao nodded. They gathered their students and went to the red -carpeted aisle.

“Master Ding…”

Zhenxiang, Tongtong, Qian Xiuxiu, and Zhou Jin gazed at the hunchbacked old man with an unattractive appearance. There was a difference in status even among the master trainers. By seeing how their dad (teacher) had reacted, they knew they would have to pay respects to the man called Master Ding. Su Ping darted a glance at that master but didn’t feel as startled. All of a sudden, he saw two familiar faces in the group following Master Ding.

Surprised, Su Ping raised his eyebrows.

The other master trainers had also noticed Master Ding. Few of the prouder master trainers remained seated. Apart from those few, the other master trainers “accidentally” stood up and “happened to” step near the aisle where Master Ding would definitely pass by.

Once Master Ding moved closer, the master trainers would go and say hi.

The aisle was short but it took Master Ding more than ten minutes to arrive at Su Ping’s location. “Master Ding, long time no see!” Shi Haochi, Chen, and Dai Lemao were pretending to talk about pets while they were observing through the corner of their eyes. When they noticed that Master Ding was close enough, Shi Haochi “accidentally” turned around and greeted him with some surprise, calmness, and a bit of natural reaction.

Chen and Dai Lemao also acted surprised and said their hellos.

Hmm, they were just calling him Old Ding and now they addressed him as Master Ding.

Master Ding’s name was Ding Fengchun. He had noticed the master trainers the second he stepped into the room. He was fully aware of how natural those encounters were. He said hi with a smile while his mind was focused on the ones who remained sitting.

People wouldn’t necessarily remember the ones who treated them nicely. But if someone slapped you in the face, you would never forget and you would become even angrier over time!

The ones sitting down. Fine, I won’t forget you.

“They must be your daughters. How smart they are,” Ding Fengchun said to Shi Haochi with a smile. That wasn’t entirely offered as false praise.

Ding Chunfeng had never cared about Shi Haochi.

However, he remembered Shi Haochi’s daughters well. They were the strong performers of all the master trainers’ children. The two girls had good academic scores and they had reached the sixth rank before they reached the age of twenty. How talented!

In the future, they could become master trainers just like Shi Haochi. Three master trainers in one family. How awesome!

Ding Chunfeng couldn’t help but remember his stupid son who only wanted to become a battle pet warrior. How foolish.

“You flatter them, Master Ding,” Shi Haochi said humbly.

Zhenxiang and Tongtong blushed in excitement.

Su Ping looked at the two girls. How could Old Ding tell that they were smart just by the way they looked? “You?!”

All of a sudden, someone cried out in alarm and stepped out from the crowd behind Ding Fengchun.

The master trainers were talking. Who was the one unable to read the room?

It was a girl.

Hu Rongrong blushed in shame as she noticed how people were staring at her. But she kept her gaze on Su Ping. She could not believe it. Su Ping was an elementary level trainer that had just made his first visit to the Holy Light Base City. What was he doing at the conference?

Was Su Ping a friend of the three master trainers? But he was from another base city. Why?

The young man standing next to Hu Rongrong eyed Su Ping for a bit. A glint of coldness rose in the young man’s eyes.

“Rongrong, do you know him?” Ding Fengchun wore a kinder look as he noticed that it was Hu Rongrong who had shouted in alarm. Since her grandpa was a top trainer, no matter what she said, Ding Fengchun would never scold her.

The ones close to Shi Haochi were also staring at Su Ping in surprise.

Both Zhenxiang and Tongtong knew Hu Rongrong. Everyone knew about her grandpa and Hu Rongrong had a more exalted status than theirs.

Zhenxiang and Tongtong were proud of the fact that they weren’t any weaker than Hu Rongrong in skills. They were also sixth-rank trainers and were studying in famous academies. There was no telling which one of them would become a master trainer sooner.

“Brother Su, do you know Miss Rongrong?” Shi Haochi asked Su Ping in surprise. Didn’t Su Ping just come to the Holy Light Base City? When did he befriend a top trainer’s granddaughter when he didn’t even find a hotel?

“Yes.”

Su Ping nodded.

But he merely knew her name.

Hu Rongrong was about to answer Ding Fengchun’s questions when she thought of something. If she told people how she came to know Su Ping and he got banished or belittled, that would be too embarrassing.

She nodded. “We met before. Just acquaintances.” She gave a vague answer. Ding Fengchun didn’t pay more attention to Su

Ping.

Right then, the young man standing next to Hu Rongrong said with a grin, “Little Brother Su, we meet again. You told me that you were an elementary trainer and I bought it. I was just wondering, you couldn’t possibly be an elementary trainer, could you?”

Su Ping darted a glare at the young man.

Those who didn’t know about their past disputes would think that the young man was complimenting Su Ping.

The young man was Xiao Fengxu.

He was the leading student of the group, and the only one that did not confront Su Ping directly.

Su Ping was surprised to see Xiao Fengxu jump out at this moment. He had previously noticed Xiao Fengxu’s killing intent but he didn’t mind it back then since he deemed it unimportant. It never occurred to Su Ping that they would meet again and that Xiao Fengxu would no longer hide his killing intent.

“Elementary trainer?”

Upon hearing Xiao Fengxu’s words, everyone turned to look at Su Ping in surprise.

Shi Haochi and Chen were also startled. But Su Ping remained quite calm. For a moment, they couldn’t tell if the young man was telling the truth or not.

“Do you know each other?” Dai Lemao asked Su Ping

At the same time, he darted a look at Shi Haochi.

Dai Lemao had been wondering about Shi Haochi’s words. After all, how could the person who trained the Moonfrost Dragon to be that young?

He wouldn’t have been able to do that even if he had started cultivating since the moment he was born.

Even Hu Rongrong was merely at the sixth rank. Say Su Ping was more talented, he couldn’t have made a Moonfrost Dragon develop like that!

Shi Haochi was full of questions but he trusted Su Ping, deep in his heart. Shi Haochi was able to tell back then that Su Ping’s calmness couldn’t have been faked.

“Met, but I don’t really know him,” Su Ping answered, “Who are you calling Little Brother Su? You’re not worthy enough.” Xiao Fengxu was trying to be sarcastic but Su Ping was not in the mood to beat around the bush.

The reason was simple. Xiao Fengxu didn’t deserve it.

If it were someone of equal strength, Su Ping might have wanted to argue for a bit. But Xiao Fengxu was too weak. Arguing with him would never be a rewarding task.

Su Ping’s reply made everyone quiet down.