Chapter 4: Great Sword Hero Dongqing

"Dongzhu, this is freshly stewed old hen; have some while it's hot!"

Zhang Guihua walked out of the kitchen, carrying a steaming plate of chicken soup and an old hen, and entered. Looking at the coffin, her face was pale and she seemed very weak; Liu Dongzhu, whose eyes were lifeless, said with concern.

"Mother, I'm not hungry…"

Liu Dongzhu instinctively shook her head, but before she could finish speaking, Zhang Guihua interrupted, "Even if you're not hungry, you must eat a little, consider it for Ping'an!"

Wang Lin agreed, "Yeah, if you don't eat, where will the milk come from?"

Liu Dongzhu only then reached to take the big bowl, when Zhang Guihua said, "You just sit here, I'll feed you!"

After speaking, Zhang Guihua picked up a ladle, scooped a spoonful of chicken soup and fed Liu Dongzhu.

The rich aroma of the chicken soup startled Wang Ping'an awake from his deep sleep; as a newborn infant, he is at his most sleepy, spending all time sleeping except for eating, drinking, excreting.

Wang Ping'an subconsciously lifted his head, followed the scent of the soup, and at once saw on the big bowl a fierce, clawed old hen, looking terrifying, about to swoop at him.

For some unknown reason, a flash of insight flickered in Wang Ping'an's mind; subconsciously he muttered a Soul Salvation scripture, and the once ferocious old hen instantly calmed.

After that.

In the sky, it seemed a Guimen Guan appeared; the old hen turned into a white light and shot into it!

"Ding! You performed Soul Salvation on an old hen and gained Merit +1!"

A mechanical, cold voice rang in Wang Ping'an's mind just then; Xuanqing Daozhang, who was reciting the Soul Salvation scripture, seemed to sense something, looked up, but saw no difference at all.

The disciple whispered, "Master, what's wrong?"

"Nothing!"

Xuanqing shook his head, his face full of puzzlement.

"Merit?"

Wang Ping'an's face showed confusion; subconsciously he whispered "system", and a holographic screen appeared before his eyes.

Human Infant Growth System

Host: Wang Ping'an

Level: lv0

Energy: 16/100

Merit: 1 (Note: can upgrade talents and skills!)

Talents: Kindheartedness 【Entry Level】, a bit of vast righteous Qi 【Entry Level】, Motherly Love, Dao Heart 【Entry Level】

Skills: Soul Salvation 【Entry Level】

……

After viewing the system panel, Wang Ping'an's face was filled with unmistakable delight; to think that he had just been born and already possessed so many talents—when he truly grows, he can't even imagine.

What heights he could reach!

But seeing the extra 'Merit' column was surprising, and the note after it even more so; he hadn't expected Merit to be so powerful.

It can upgrade talents and skills!

"May I ask, is this Wang Ruhai's home?"

A questioning voice sounded at the doorway, and immediately a black‑clad man wearing a bamboo hat entered, carrying a long sword, his aura fierce, clearly not to be trifled with; seeing the memorial hall and coffin, he frowned and asked, "May I know who has passed away in this house?"

Wang Lin stood up, walked over to greet, and said, "Our Wang Ruhai went to the capital for the imperial exam and unfortunately lost his life!"

"Ruhai? Isn't Wang Ruhai just the recent top scholar of the high school exam?"

Dongqing was startled and said, "Is this the Wang Ruhai household of Hutou Gou, Qingyang County?"

"Yes!"

Wang Lin said, "May I know who this guest is, and what business you have with our Wang Ruhai?"

"I am Dongqing!"

Dongqing replied.

Wang Lin hadn't reacted yet, Xuanqing was startled, not even finishing the Soul Salvation scripture, and blurted, "But that great sword hero who slays demons, Dongqing?"

"Just an empty title!"

Although he said that, Dongqing's face showed unmistakable pride, and he asked again, "Old Daoist, is there another Wang Ruhai here?" "The one you're looking for should be this family!"

Xuanqing said.

"Then this…"

Dongqing pointed toward the memorial hall.

"It's a family disgrace…"

Wang Lin laughed self‑deprecatingly; after some time, and with Niu Li's 'publicity', every household in Hutou Gou knew what had happened to his family, and now he no longer fears embarrassment.

He recounted the whole story in detail!

Wang Lin said, "I don't know what business you, Great Sword Hero Dongqing, have in looking for this beast?"

"I originally came to seek wealth!"

Dongqing's expression suddenly became extremely complicated; he hadn't expected such a thing. Seeing Wang Lin's puzzled face, he continued,

"Back then, I met Wang Ruhai, who was heading to the capital for the exam, in a ruined temple; that night a female ghost tried to take his life, I saved him, and he told me that once he passed the imperial exam with top honors, he would grant me wealth!"

=9+book_ba

Wang Lin said, "If that's the case, Great Sword Hero Dongqing, why not go to the capital and find that beast!"

Logically, Dongqing owes Wang Ruhai a life‑saving debt, and as a father figure should be grateful, but seeing Wang Ruhai now behave so despicably, he truly wishes he hadn't saved his life.

Perhaps that beast wouldn't have done anything that wronged Dongzhu!

"Such a man who abandons his wife and children, even if he offered me boundless wealth, I would not take it!"

Dongqing snorted coldly, turned to leave, but his peripheral vision caught Liu Dongzhu holding Wang Ping'an in her arms; he seemed to perceive something, his eyes instantly lit up, and he strode over.

Liu Dongzhu jumped in fright!

Wang Lin hurriedly blocked in front of Dong Qing, nervously saying: "Great Hero Dong, what are you doing?"

"Old man, could you let me take a look at your grandson!"

Dong Qing said.

For a moment, Wang Lin felt a bit at a loss; Wang Ping'an had only just been born, and Dong Qing's terrifying, demonic look might frighten him, yet Dong Qing, at a glance, knew he was not to be trifled with and did not dare to refuse.

Liu Dongzhu whispered: "Great Hero Dong, is there something wrong with my child?"

"I just see that your child looks like a Great Benevolent Person Reincarnation!"

Dong Qing laughed: "But whether it's true, I still have to examine carefully!"

Liu Dongzhu exclaimed: "Great Hero Dong, you can tell that just from this?"

These words had just been spoken by Xuanqing Daozhang earlier; she had only taken them as kind words and not believed them. Now even Dong Qing says this, she cannot help but take them seriously, though deep down she remains more curious.

"Some things cannot be hidden!"

Dong Qing sighed.

Liu Dongzhu said: "Actually, whether our Ping'an is a Great Benevolent Person Reincarnation, I don't care; I only care that our Ping'an can grow up safe and sound!"

"It will, with this jade pendant, it can definitely guarantee that your child grows up safe and sound!"

Dong Qing took the Wang Ping'an that Liu Dongzhu handed over; his eyes were instantly stunned by the jade pendant hanging on his neck. Then he turned his head toward Xuanqing Daozhang, saw him smile at him; such a treasure only he possessed.

After a long while, Dong Qing finished carefully inspecting Wang Ping'an, exhaled a heavy breath of foul Qi, his forehead drenched in sweat, his whole body looking as if he had just fought a battle.

Liu Dongzhu took back Wang Ping'an, looked at the slightly weakened Dong Qing, and worriedly said: "Great Hero Dong, what's wrong with you?"

Dong Qing smiled faintly: "Your child is ninety percent a Great Benevolent Person Reincarnation; I feared he would be persecuted by demons and evils, so I injected a Sword Qi into his body!"

"Ding! Sword Hero 'Dong Qing' injected a Sword Qi into your body, gaining the talent: Sword Bone 【Entry Level】!"

A mechanical, cold voice rang in Wang Ping'an's mind, and the next moment Wang Ping'an vaguely felt a small snake slithering inside his body.

If nothing goes wrong, it should be that Sword Qi!

(End of Chapter)