C18 A Lackey Who Came to My Door

To everyone's surprise, Su Ping'an had mastered his Junior Brother's signature technique. Could there be a connection between him and his Junior Brother?

Yet, having successfully crafted a green pill, it wouldn't be right to give him a hard time. Best to keep things friendly for now.

Quickly composing himself, he put on a warm smile and started questioning Su Ping'an.

"Your flame is quite enigmatic. May I ask who your teacher is?" Sect Master Yang inquired with a genial tone.

Su Ping'an felt a chill as he noticed the Sect Master's smile was not as innocent as it seemed. Best to play it cool for now.

"It was a fortunate discovery. And defeating that woman has certainly brought glory to Elite Wound," Su Ping'an replied, grinning.

The Sect Master didn't anticipate such evasiveness from the young man, leaving him somewhat at a loss.

With a chuckle, he simply nodded and, in front of the entire Elite Wound, affirmed his confidence in Su Ping'an.

"I hereby proclaim that Su Ping'an is among the most distinguished of our Elite Wound. Henceforth, the sect's treasury shall be open to him, to select treasures at his leisure."

The Sect Master's high regard for Su Ping'an was unexpected, and it drew envious glances from the others.

"It seems Su Ping'an is on the fast track to success. Previously, only the Eldest Senior Brother had the privilege of accessing the treasury."

"Not even the inner sect disciples have had such an honor. The Sect Master clearly favors Su Ping'an above all others now."

"How I wish I had that kind of power; I wouldn't have to fret about my latter years."

Yang Na's emotions were a complex mix as she watched Su Ping'an receive accolades from so many within Elite Wound. She hadn't anticipated his sudden rise in popularity.

Moments before, they had all looked at him with scorn, but now they fawned over him like eager puppies.

Regret washed over Yang Na. Opposing Su Ping'an now seemed like a grave miscalculation.

She decided to leave this contentious place and plan her next move later.

With her beauty, she was confident that Su Ping'an would eventually fall into her hands.

Su Ping'an watched Yang Na beat a hasty retreat, a mischievous glint in his eye. It looked like this young lady would be a thorn in his side in the future.

But he couldn't afford to be distracted now, especially since the system had just alerted him. He couldn't afford to space out in front of an audience.

After saying goodbye to the Sect Master, Su Ping'an made a beeline for his room and eagerly addressed the system.

"Let's get this lottery going. I'm itching to see what I've won."

His recent skirmish with Yang Na had not only allowed him to complete two missions—reviving the Alchemy King's techniques and besting Yang Na in a duel—but also earned him two Fiend Pill Fragments and, surprisingly, a lottery draw.

[Congratulations, host. For completing the missions, you've been rewarded with a 10,000-year-old Soul Returning Grass (the key ingredient for the One Breath Pill), two Fiend Pill Fragments, and a set of Heavenly Silkworm Immortal Armor.]

He promptly stashed the loot in the system space. While the Soul Returning Grass had no immediate use, the Heavenly Silkworm Immortal Armor was a timely acquisition.

Clutching the featherlight armor, Su Ping'an's smile stretched wide; the armor was nothing short of extraordinary.

Crafted from the silk of millennia-old silkworms, the Heavenly Silkworm Treasured Armor could neutralize attacks from an adversary of equal standing and even withstand a full-force blow from someone two major realms above.

This wasn't just armor; it was like gaining an extra life. Now at the Other Shore Stage, he could potentially fend off assaults from someone in the Psychic realm.

The thought alone sent Su Ping'an into fits of glee, his laughter almost producing bubbles from his nose. The system's generosity had exceeded all his expectations.

Lost in the wonder of his new armor, a knock at the door jolted him back to reality.

"Knock, knock."

In a flurry, Su Ping'an stashed the armor back into the system space and went to answer the door.

Confronted with a burly brute and a man with a sharp, monkey-like face, Su Ping'an felt a twinge of suspicion.

He didn't recognize them and wondered what business they could have with him. With a puzzled gaze, he eyed the two men.

"Why are you looking for me? Or did you perhaps wander into the wrong room by mistake?"

I had a vague recollection of the two, but since my time at Elite Wound had been brief, I was at a loss as to why they sought me out.

"Boss, take us under your wing. From now on, we'll follow your every command. If you point us east, we won't even consider heading west."

I was taken aback by the unexpected realization that my allure was so compelling that I had attracted would-be followers.

This prompted Su Ping'an to regard them with a skeptical eye, considering their sudden prominence was likely fleeting.

Would they be as fickle with others in the future, swaying like reeds in the wind?

For the moment, it seemed prudent to learn more about them.

"Hold on, hold on, hold on. I don't even know who you two are, and you're already looking to pledge allegiance to me as your boss? You must be joking."

Their response was to scratch their heads in embarrassment, realizing they had neglected to introduce themselves.

The thin man with the sharp features spoke up first.

"Boss, I'm Wang Ning. I'm all alone in my family. If it hadn't been for an Elite Wound elder who rescued me, I might have perished from hunger."

Wang Ning nudged the muscular brute beside him, prompting a simple grin and an introduction.

"The name's Zhao Xiaohua. My dad's a blacksmith. It took a lot of favors to secure my place here at Elite Wound."

I nearly choked on my meal upon hearing his name. Who would have thought a man of his stature would bear such a feminine name?

Their stark contrast was not lost on me, and I couldn't help but find it amusing.

Zhao Xiaohua seemed harmless enough, but Wang Ning... he might require closer scrutiny. Something about him didn't seem entirely forthright.

Yet, here I was in Elite Wound, without a single ally. Perhaps bringing these two on board wouldn't be such a bad idea after all. I watched them with a hint of amusement.

"I'm not opposed to you recognizing me as your boss, but since I'm not familiar with your characters, let's proceed with caution." Su Ping'an stated with a relaxed demeanor.

Upon hearing Su Ping'an's remarks, the pair was put at ease. The fact that he was willing to put them through a test indicated there was a chance he would accept them; he wouldn't have gone to such lengths for nothing.

Both individuals now regarded Su Ping'an with keen anticipation, ready to face whatever challenge he had in store for them.