81: Secrets of Level 4 Shelter

How did the other party know he had a Shelter? Was someone watching him?

Or did they have some special item that discovered the Shelter, which was already completely bound in his spiritual sea?

Killing intent rose in Tang Ping’s eyes.

“Alright, you wait for me.” He hung up the phone.

Since the other party had discovered him, he couldn’t let them off easily. The enemy was hidden, and he was exposed. There was no avoiding it, so he might as well meet them.

He arrived at the Blood Jasmine Teahouse. In a private room, a young man with a face like polished jade was seated.

Tang Ping pushed the door open.

“You’re here,” the jade-faced youth chuckled.

Tang Ping’s gaze was indifferent. Upon seeing the other party’s age, he felt a slight relief. At this age, no matter how strong he was, he wouldn’t be overwhelmingly powerful. Tang Ping was confident he could kill the other party with a surprise attack.

As long as he killed this person, no one would ever know he possessed a Shelter.

However, he wanted to know how the other party had discovered the Shelter on him.

“Your name is Tang Ping, a graduate from Seventh Junior High this year, right?” Xiao Sheng smiled.

“Cut the nonsense. Why did you call me here? And how did you discover I have a Shelter?” A flicker of icy blue flashed in Tang Ping’s eyes. If he didn’t explain, Tang Ping wouldn’t mind using some methods.

“My Talent is a bit special,” Xiao Sheng chuckled.

As for how it was special, he didn’t elaborate.

“I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Xiao Sheng, the third son of the Xiao Family Patriarch, a Level 4 extraordinary family in the Xingyao Safe Zone.”

“I don’t want to know your identity, and there’s no need for you to try to get close to me here. Just tell me directly, what do you want?” Tang Ping stared at the other party’s expression, trying to figure out what he wanted him to do. His Shelter was completely bound, and theoretically, it couldn’t be taken away by anyone.

“As I said, I genuinely have no ill will. On the contrary, you will gain unimaginable benefits from this,” Xiao Sheng seemed convinced that the other party would agree.

Tang Ping’s lips curved into a slight smile, “Benefits? Tell me, what benefits can you give me?”

“First!”

Xiao Sheng held up a finger.

“I can give you an admission slot to the First Talent User High School in the Xingyao Safe Zone.”

Tang Ping’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he sneered internally. Indeed, if he were truly an E-rank Talent ordinary junior high student, he would definitely be tempted.

“Second,” Xiao Sheng continued.

“I can help you upgrade your Shelter, and upgrade it to Level 4!”

Tang Ping’s heart suddenly became wary. He didn’t believe such a good thing would come for free. Even if it was as the other party said, he would surely have to pay a huge price.

“Third,” Xiao Sheng continued with a smile.

“You will become the most distinguished guest of my Xiao Family. Although our Xiao Family is only a Level 4 extraordinary family, we still hold a certain status in this Xingyao Safe Zone. Moreover, my father is a Level 4 B-rank Talent Holder.”

“What’s the price?” Tang Ping calculated in his mind. He wanted the benefits, but not the drawbacks. A Level 4 B-rank Talent Holder didn’t sound particularly strong.

Xiao Sheng took a sip of tea: “The price, for you, is actually a good thing. After all, with your status, it would be impossible for you to come into contact with our level. You should know that the so-called awakened Talent, F-rank and E-rank, are merely the lowest tier among Talent Users. Especially people like you, you might never even break through to Level 2 in your entire lives.”

Tang Ping frowned, why was he so long-winded: “I hope you answer me directly, without all this irrelevant talk.”

“Such a straightforward person.” A hint of disdain flashed in Xiao Sheng’s eyes.

“Alright, I’ll tell you then.”

“You may not know, but a Shelter only gains the ability to be passed down once it reaches Level 4. This method of inheritance is through bloodline, passed down to the next generation.”

“As for Shelters below Level 4, once they are completely bound to a person, they do not possess the ability to be passed down.”

“That is to say, if someone accidentally acquired a shelter item decades ago, and if he bound it for three years, becoming completely bound to the Shelter, then according to the original rules, the Shelter would disappear along with that person upon his death!”

“And it is precisely for this reason that over a hundred years, apart from shelter items lost in the Wasteland, most Shelters have long vanished with their masters.”

“Our Xiao Family’s first ancestor who possessed a Shelter was also like this. Later, our family also acquired a few, but without exception, they were all lost or destroyed due to various reasons during the apocalypse.

Even extraordinary families like ours are like this, let alone you alone.

And for families that lost their Shelters, later generations were no longer able to all awaken their Talents.

If we continue to have no Shelter, our family will also completely degenerate into an ordinary family in the near future.”

“And if you are willing to marry into my Xiao Family, we will use the full strength of our clan, with a century’s accumulation, to cultivate your Shelter to Level 4!”

“This is a height you could never reach, after all, with your E-rank Talent, it’s highly probable that your Shelter will simply perish along with you.”

“But if you marry into my Xiao Family, you can not only enjoy various beautiful women, but also gain greater strength in the future.”

“How about it?” Xiao Sheng asked.

Although it was a question, it carried an undeniable tone.

Tang Ping nodded: “I understand.”

“You’re planning to take me back to be a stud, to let the Xiao Family’s descendants acquire my bloodline, thereby pulling a switcheroo and inheriting my Shelter, right?”

“And then you want to keep me captive, to be a mascot. As for those children, I probably won’t even see them. Or, even more cruelly, once a child comes of age, you’ll kill me and let these people inherit my Shelter. Am I right?”

Xiao Sheng’s face instantly darkened, his gaze at this moment like a venomous snake.

At the same time, he was surprised. A junior high student actually had such an understanding?

But so what? His Xiao Family was determined to have this shelter item.

“I can promise that you will live safely into old age. How is living such a rich life in this apocalypse not a stroke of luck?”

“Kid, you need to know, this is a distant dream for many people,” Xiao Sheng’s eyes held a cold glint.

Tang Ping tasted the blood jasmine tea, smacking his lips: “You people really look for trouble. This tea is truly awful.”

“Tea is just like that, like a person’s life, full of bitterness, but upon careful reflection, there is still lingering fragrance and sweetness,” Xiao Sheng quietly awaited the other party’s reply.

After the brief exchange, he knew this was a very clever student.

Unfortunately, he was just an E-rank Talent.

Tang Ping put down the tea, his eyes filled with a smile: “I’m a person who dislikes living a bitter life the most.”

It would be foolish not to take advantage, especially when the other party was practically handing it over.

He would accept the benefits. As for the price, hehe, strength would decide. As for breeding, that was naturally impossible. He’d stall for two years. If two years wasn’t enough, then two months would surely work. By then, who the winner would be, was anyone’s guess.

“So…”

“I agree to your terms.”