Chapter 220: Returning to the Wood of Hearts! Changes at Home!

Chapter 220: Returning to the Wood of Hearts! Changes at Home!

This talent?

Su Ping sat in the cabin, blinking, momentarily taken aback.

He had witnessed the effects of talent upgrades, such as the improvement of mental communication to spiritual communication. Although the name of the talent changed slightly after the upgrade, the effect was indeed remarkable, allowing for secret communication through the spirit.

If one were to speak of it, this ability should be considered more of a mental communication skill.

However, the effect of this talent upgrade was, at most, to slightly bewitch lower-level pets, and the true metamorphic level of change was not particularly significant.

Nevertheless, the enhancement of the pet home by the Soul Fruit seemed a bit excessive, didn't it?

The upgrade from Pet Beast Home to Ten Thousand Spirits Home was so significant that the name alone couldn't encompass the magnitude of the talent's enhancement.

But this Ten Thousand Spirits Home not only greatly enhanced the Beastmaster's Space, but it also permanently added a buff, and most importantly, all space attributes were significantly improved.

Su Ping's space attribute was a space absorption ability.

In an instant, the Pet Beast Home talent, which originally only served as a warehouse, transformed into a top-tier talent!

Was this the charm of spending money?

Su Ping sighed.

However, it didn't stop there.

Now, pets that were higher than a major realm could also be placed in the Pet Beast Space as long as they didn't resist.

If he were to improve by another realm, it would mean that in the future, when running around with Old Sand, he wouldn't have to summon Old Sand out, which would be very troublesome.

Moreover, once placed in the Beastmaster's Space, pets would generally not refuse commands that didn't involve life safety. Even wild pets, if placed in the Beastmaster's Space, could quickly increase their intimacy, right?

At that time, if you fancy a pet, just lock it up in a small black room and start... no, it's to reform it! Take those damn white-eyed fish, for example.

After feeding them well for so many days, they still bit him when he got close.

These things should be locked up in a small black room.

Thinking of this, Su Ping was filled with righteous indignation.

However, Su Ping was well aware that intimacy couldn't be quickly improved solely through the Beastmaster's Space talent.

Yawning and feeling the surging spiritual power, Su Ping once again thought of that strange figure that had appeared in his subconscious, a fleeting glimpse like a startled swan, and quickly shook his head.

Recently, Ye Zhou had been chattering about these ancient species and their potential pets.

Snapping back to reality, Su Ping glanced out the window.

The boundless sea of clouds had disappeared, replaced by a low-altitude landscape.

Su Ping was startled, had they arrived at their destination?

He hurried out and, as expected, the three people other than Aunt Qin were nowhere to be seen. Upon seeing Su Ping, Aunt Qin quickly put on a smile and asked, "Young Master Su, are you done with your breakthrough?"

Su Ping shuddered at this address and quickly said, "Aunt Qin, please call me as you did before!"

Aunt Qin smiled and pursed her lips.

Previously, Su Ping was just a peer friend of Qin Xiaoxue and a junior favored by Sang Sheng.

But now, after this New Year's Day, Su Ping was a senior breeder in the Dragon Kingdom, a genius breeder renowned in the Beastmaster's circle.

This represented a different significance.

"Aunt Qin, have Master Zhu and the others left? Have we arrived at Linzhou?"

"Yes, we arrived in Linzhou forty-five minutes ago. I sent them to the Breeder's Association first, and since you hadn't woken up yet, I had them wait for you at the Wood of Hearts building."

Aunt Qin explained.

"Thank you, Aunt Qin. I'm done, and thank you!"

"You're welcome."

The cabin door of the Cloud Ascender was opened.

Su Ping looked down at the familiar breeding base beneath the Cloud of Hearts building and couldn't help but exclaim with excitement.

As the saying goes, no golden nest or silver nest can compare to one's own doghouse, and now, his doghouse was no less impressive than any golden or silver nest!

Turning around, Su Ping waved to Aunt Qin, who was standing at the cabin door, and said, "Aunt Qin, you can go back now! Please send my thanks to Senior Sang on my behalf!"

After bidding farewell to Aunt Qin and watching the Cloud Ascender fly away, Su Ping finally felt like he had returned home, like a Husky ready to run wild.

He ran all the way to the elevator and descended to the lobby of the Wood of Hearts building.

When the Cloud Ascender appeared in the sky, Guan Lili had already known that Su Ping had returned.

At that moment, in the lobby of the Wood of Hearts building, Guan Lili was waiting with numerous staff members:

"Welcome home, boss! Congratulations on winning the breeding master competition and becoming this year's champion!"

This also startled Su Ping, who had just come out of the elevator with Old Sand, but he smiled and nodded.

At this moment, Su Ping naturally couldn't help but express his gratitude.

He had never been stingy.

Standing before all the excited and proud employees, Su Ping smiled and said, "You all have good intentions, and Old Guan as well. I announce that to celebrate our Jianghai and my victory as this year's breeding master champion, all formal employees who have signed contracts will receive an additional five months' salary as this year's year-end bonus!"

It must be said that upon hearing this, even Old Guan, who had been waiting there, was taken aback.

All the other Wood of Hearts employees were even more surprised, and their voices, filled with sincerity, shouted, "Long live the boss!"

Su Ping smiled and thought, nothing was more practical than cold hard cash. What use were those superficial things?

Waving his hand, Su Ping thought that giving money as a celebration was always the most practical.

After waving goodbye, Su Ping finally returned to the original realm of his Wood of Hearts breeding base.

Then, Old Sand returned to the forest, and Su Ping, feeling incredibly comfortable, lay on his sofa, did nothing, and contentedly let out a sigh of "Ah."

At this moment, no one would dare to disturb Su Ping's rest.

So, despite having rested well these past few days, once he lay on his sofa, he still fell asleep after a short while.

After a short nap of less than an hour, Su Ping opened his eyes, feeling refreshed and energized. He stretched lazily and stepped outside, where the warm winter afternoon sun shone on his body, creating a unique sensation of cold and warmth. The leisurely afternoon sun was a luxury that Su Ping wouldn't trade for any position or power.

Su Ping didn't move much; he lay in a rocking chair next to the flower bed outside his door and brewed a pot of hot tea before leisurely rocking back and forth.

Soon, he thought about it and took out his phone.

This leisure time was precious, but it was essential to distinguish between work and enjoyment.

At present, the most important tasks for Su Ping over the next few months were the breeding of the origami man as a special forces breeder, as mentioned by Commander Zhao, and the evolution of Little Qing.

So, upon returning home, Su Ping's first action was to call Commander Zhao.

He now understood the benefits of such activities.

No personal influence or power could compare to the pleasure of getting close to official organizations and reaping the benefits.

The Soul Fruit had provided him with immense help.

Moreover, Su Ping now had good reason to suspect that Lord Leng, during his brief appearance, had mentioned forming a special beast taming force of undead pets to explore the Heavenly Tomb.

Could this upcoming selection of undead forces breeders be for that very force?

It would be a lie to say he wasn't curious about the Heavenly Tomb, the place that almost killed him.

"Hello, Su Ping?"

Commander Zhao's voice sounded surprised on the phone.

"Commander Zhao, it's me. Are you busy these days?"

"Hahaha, if it were anyone else asking, I'd say I'm busy, but if it's you, then I'm as busy as I'm not. Congratulations, you little rascal! You really stole the show at the recent breeding competition!"

Although Commander Zhao had been enthusiastic before, he had never been this intimate.

The recent breeding competition had given Su Ping a significant boost, evident to the naked eye.

"Hehe, I guess I was just lucky..."

"If luck is all it takes to breed super-ranked skills, then super-ranked skill breeding wouldn't be so valuable. Anyway, I know you're a busy man now, so you must have a good reason for calling. What's up?"

Commander Zhao was straightforward, typical of his military background.

Su Ping smiled and said, "It's about what we discussed before. You mentioned selecting breeders nationwide. I've decided to participate. Can you tell me the specific process and location?"

"That's still a while away, so there's no rush. But your timing is perfect because the news just came out this morning. It's scheduled for mid-March, after the Spring Festival, and will be held in Beihan City, the center of Beiyuan Province. Local arrangements will be made for breeders to go there for the selection."

When Su Ping heard the location, his eyes narrowed.

As expected!

The special beast taming force that Lord Leng had mentioned for exploring the Heavenly Tomb was this force!

Mid-March?

Su Ping nodded, "Alright, I understand. Do you have any further inside information?"

"You little rascal... But yes, I can confirm that this time, they specifically need undead pet breeders. Moreover, the focus is on secret realm exploration, so a comprehensive, reconnaissance-oriented undead pet would be more suitable!"

Commander Zhao's words reaffirmed Su Ping's thoughts.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries with Old Zhao, Su Ping hung up the phone.

His thoughts returned to the origami man.

He wondered if breeding with a focus on multiple elements would meet the breeding standards for this pet.

At this thought, Su Ping furrowed his brows and searched through his phone contacts, finding a number he had never called before.

This number belonged to the Zhang brothers, the tomb raiders he had met in the Mechanical Association in Magic City.

Su Ping had previously told them that when he returned to Linzhou and had free time, he would ask them to come so he could inquire about the Five Elements Formation in person.

When Su Ping called, Zhang Chaoqun's voice became noticeably more respectful.

Anyone who had seen Su Ping would undoubtedly recognize him from the widely watched breeder competition.

The Zhang brothers, being tomb raiders, were no exception.

Hearing that Su Ping hadn't forgotten them and wanted them to come to Linzhou, the Zhang brothers readily agreed.

They promised to arrive within two days at the latest.

After finishing the call, Su Ping no longer felt like sunbathing. He drank the entire pot of tea, feeling warm inside and out.

Su Ping stood up.

After being away for over half a month, he wondered how the expansion of the Wood Heart was progressing.

Su Ping took a few steps and entered Uncle Guan's office.

"Su Ping, why don't you rest some more?"

After a long journey, the first thing to do is to rest well. Therefore, Uncle Guan had instructed Li Shu and Guan Lili not to disturb Su Ping.

But to his surprise, Su Ping was already up and about.

"I'm done resting. Uncle Guan, do you want to take a walk with me?"

Uncle Guan readily agreed.

He put down his work and followed Su Ping outside.

"Did anything happen to the Wood Heart while I was away for over half a month?"

"No major issues, but there were some minor ones. Some were resolved, and some I'd like you to take a look at."

"Oh? Let's go, then."

Su Ping nodded, trusting Uncle Guan in this regard.

When Su Ping had first returned, Uncle Guan hadn't rushed to tell him, indicating it wasn't a significant matter. Su Ping hadn't paid much attention to it.

The two boarded the sightseeing car, as the Wood Heart had expanded far beyond its previous small base.

The sightseeing car drove on the cement road, quickly reaching the rear of the Wood Heart.

After winter set in, there were slightly fewer tourists than before, but there were still many anglers on both sides of the Water Heart, enjoying the unique experience of this lake, which combined the fun of gambling and fishing.

At the Water Heart, there were no noticeable changes. As the sightseeing car slowly moved along the shore, Su Ping noticed the bridge spanning the Water Heart Lake and the Lingxi River, causing him to pause briefly.

The bridge had been constructed long before his trip to the Demon Capital.

However, at this very moment, the bridge had undergone some alterations.

The bridge itself remained unchanged, but at its end, by the shore, a misty water pine had emerged from the water.

On this winter afternoon, a cold mist, typically seen only in the early morning, enveloped the bridge, shrouding one end of it entirely.

It was like a surreal, ethereal wonderland.

The lake's surface, in particular, exhibited this phenomenon.

As the gentle breeze blew, the cold mist clung to the vast Water Heart Lake,

Ice mist enveloped the cold bridge, and the misty water pine stood tall.

This scene added an indescribable charm and a touch of the extraordinary to the bridge, which was merely a transportation hub.

Intriguing.

A hint of a smile appeared on Su Ping's lips.

"It seems like the placement of the plant-type pet beasts has been quite successful during this period! But wasn't this misty water pine originally located elsewhere?"

Standing beside him, Guan Qianshan heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing the smile on Su Ping's face.

"Initially, according to your requirements, the misty water pine was indeed not placed here. It was supposed to be at the foot of a remote mountain, far from any commotion, as you mentioned that the misty water pine preferred solitude.

However, during the actual placement, we encountered some issues. So, after consulting the misty water pine, this little fellow seemed to enjoy the environment here and didn't have any particular demands regarding its habitat. It came here on its own initiative."

"Hmm? What about its previous location?"

Guan Qianshan scratched his head and, without further explanation, started walking towards the front.

The Water Heart occupied a significant area, but the planned botanical garden for the Wood Heart was still some distance away.

Initially, the misty water pine had been placed at the border between the Wood Heart's botanical garden and the Water Heart Lake, requiring the Water Heart to be further expanded towards the Wood Heart.

Soon, Su Ping understood why this arrangement wasn't quite right.

The area was evidently still under construction, situated at the boundary between the Wood Heart and the Water Heart.

However, the intended connection to the Water Heart had only been partially excavated, reaching a depth of less than five meters. Su Ping peered down, but there didn't seem to be any changes below.

He furrowed his brows, looking at Guan Qianshan with suspicion: "What is this...?"

Guan Qianshan, standing beside him, sighed helplessly, "Xiao Ping, take a few steps forward and feel it for yourself."

Su Ping's eyebrows rose, and he glanced at Old Guan with skepticism. "What do you mean?"

But he did take a few steps forward.

Previously, the misty water pine had mentioned its dislike for noisy crowds, so it wanted to find a secluded spot where people wouldn't disturb its beauty.

Before leaving, Su Ping had the misty water pine placed here.

Then, after the design company started work, he had a new design made specifically for the misty water pine.

This spot was supposed to be the misty water pine's habitat, located in the southwestern corner of the Wood Heart. If it weren't for Old Guan subsequently purchasing a large plot of land, this area might not have even been considered part of their property.

Su Ping was visiting for the first time.

Naturally, he had no idea what mysteries this place might hold.

However, upon stepping onto this land, he felt an indescribable sensation, as if something was suppressing his body's weight.

His body seemed to grow slightly heavier at that moment.

As Su Ping walked further, this feeling became more pronounced.

After just a few dozen steps, Old Guan stopped keeping him in suspense:

"According to the inspection company, there might be a special magnetic field affecting this area."

"Magnetic field?"

Apparently, this issue needed to be addressed, as the land seemed to be under some influence.

But,

For this reason, digging a pit in their Wood Heart didn't seem worth it.

Su Ping frowned and shook his head. "Forget it. This place doesn't seem to be part of the Wood Heart's expansion plans for now."

Guan Qianshan understood Su Ping's implication; not having plans now didn't mean there wouldn't be any in the future.

From the young master's words, it was clear that the Wood Heart's scope would likely expand further, accommodating an increasing number of pet beasts.

In addition to the Wood Heart's expansion, Su Ping had mentioned to Old Guan before his departure about the underground tomb where the origami figures were, and the possibility of creating a true underground palace for cultivating undead beasts!

So, although Su Ping didn't explicitly state it,

The special land beneath their feet caught Guan Qianshan's attention as well.

After that, the two of them headed towards the heart of the Wood Heart, where the botanical garden was located!

After more than half a month, despite the arrival of winter, Su Ping's generous funding ensured that construction proceeded at a rapid pace.

The garden at the foot of the solitary mountain in the Wood Heart was home to the Lipin Peony and various other flower-type pet beasts, collectively known as the 'Flower Heart' branch of the 'Wood Heart'. There was also the 'Fruit Heart', consisting of the Blade Silver Apricot and numerous other fruit-bearing trees.

These two areas, a garden, and a fruit orchard, formed two exquisite landscapes alongside the mountain road leading to the Wood Heart.

Visitors could admire the flowers and pick fruits.

The entire area, spanning over a kilometer, was meticulously planned. In addition to the original plant-type pet beasts, various low- and mid-level resource plants were planted as decorations, creating a harmonious and uncluttered atmosphere.

However, Old Guan didn't linger here with Su Ping for long. Instead, he hurriedly led Su Ping to a cliff along the mountain road.

At this cliff, a solitary tree stood tall.

It was none other than the Hundred Birds Phoenix Tree.

Guan Qianshan spoke up:

"Three days ago, a bird was injured and sought treatment from the Hundred Birds Phoenix Tree. I tried to bring in some healing beastmasters, but the bird was extremely aggressive and wouldn't let any living being except the tree get too close!"

"Hmm?"

This time, Su Ping was genuinely intrigued and looked towards the Hundred Birds Phoenix Tree.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end