Chapter 503

Is our Ping'an that formidable? Even a lion came running to find him?

A surprised voice pulled Zhang Chengyong out of his endless envy; he was about to bite his teeth off.

He used to dream of having a mount; who let him study martial arts at the county martial arts hall, where he often saw his fellow disciples riding fine horses, while he had nothing.

He didn't resent his parents; he only blamed himself for lacking ability, unable to earn money—his parents, even his older brother and sister-in-law, had already done their best, sending him out of Zhang Family Village, not to mention using connections, and spending money to send him to the martial arts hall to study.

Tuition, meals, medicinal baths… every aspect wasn't cheap; they required huge sums of money, year after year.

Not to mention their family wasn't well-off; even if they had a gold mine, they couldn't withstand such expenses. Moreover, he gradually showed talent in the martial arts hall, caught the master's eye, who then gradually waived his tuition, meals, medicinal bath fees, etc., treating him as an inner-door disciple, which allowed him to study there year after year.

Otherwise.

Then he could only be like the vast majority of disciples: learn a move or two, enough for self-defense, and then stop studying martial arts in the hall.

Is it that they don't want to continue studying martial arts?

No, it's that their family lacks money to support continued martial arts study; they wouldn't spend money to send them to the hall unless they knew the master favored talent—if they could show outstanding ability, the master would treat them as inner-door disciples, so during their study they wouldn't need to spend money.

Just.

This probability isn't zero—he himself is an example—but it's very small, less than one percent.

He had spent years in the martial arts hall, seeing all sorts of youths; those who came for a year or two without showing outstanding talent, if they wanted to continue studying, had to pay.

The vast majority of families couldn't afford the long-term cost of martial arts training, so they could only give up the idea of letting their children stand out through martial arts.

After learning a move or two for self-defense, they'd either carry it with them or become apprentices at a tavern or blacksmith shop to earn money.

If he hadn't shown outstanding martial arts talent initially, he believed his parents, even his older brother and sister-in-law, would still empty their family's savings to support his martial arts study.

But he wouldn't burden his family; he would quit on his own!

How could he possibly resent his family for not having extra money to buy him a mount?

At most he'd envy those fellow disciples who had mounts, and fantasize that after earning money he'd buy a fine horse to ride, just to show off in front of his fellow disciples.

He never would have thought……

His dream hadn't even been realized yet, when he was shown up by a younger family member—a baby just a few months old.

Not breaking down was already good enough; how could his heart not have other thoughts?

Guihua, this isn't our Ping'an's achievement; it's all thanks to my uncle-in-law. If it weren't for his blessing on our Ping'an, this white lion wouldn't even be lying there letting Dongzhu bring Ping'an to ride on its back without attacking Dongzhu and Ping'an—I'd already be thanking heaven and earth!

Wang Lin's expression turned serious; seeing Zhang Chengyong's barely concealed envy in his peripheral vision, he amended his words:

Chengyong, such a huge lion is useless to us; we don't even know how much blood-meat it needs per day—we might not be able to afford keeping it. Why don't I decide to give this white lion to you as a mount?

He hadn't forgotten that not long ago his family's Dongzhu mentioned that this white lion, which had suddenly appeared, knew Zhang Chengyong was the son of the Mountain God, came over to seek refuge with Zhang Chengyong, wanting to become his mount.

Zhang Chengyong was overjoyed, thrilled, and seeing his own Dongzhu holding Ping'an while riding the white lion, that envious look was impossible to hide. 'Uncle-in-law, you can't say that!'

Zhang Chengyong's face changed drastically; he envied that the white lion had come to seek refuge with Wang Ping'an, not him, but he had never thought of killing and looting—cough, cough, wrong—rather, of replacing it.

He also believed his uncle-in-law wasn't testing him with those words; they weren't strangers, he knew exactly what kind of person his uncle-in-law was, so there was no doubt his uncle-in-law spoke sincerely.

But he couldn't accept this goodwill.

Zhang Guihua was about to speak, to rebut her father-in-law's words, after all this white lion coming to seek refuge with their Ping'an could protect him like a divine cat or divine hawk, but on second thought she realized her father-in-law made sense.

Such a massive beast—who knows how many meals of blood-meat it needs each day.

Their family is relatively well-off, but at most they can only meet the food, drink, and waste needs of the whole household; adding such a massive creature—she doesn't think her family could sustain this lion.

Zhang Guihua likewise urged: 'Chengyong, you used to say that once you made money, the first thing you'd buy would be a splendid horse; this white lion as your mount would be even more splendid than a horse—why aren't you willing? In our household we might not be able to keep it alive; it'd be better to go with you.'

'Aunt, uncle-in-law, you don't know—don't look at this white lion as just a wild beast; it has pride!'

As he said this, Zhang Chengyong's face turned extremely strange; who let the white lion behave so obsequiously before Wang Ping'an, making it hard for him to believe the lion before him had pride, he explained:

'Don't be fooled by its sudden appearance; before Ping'an it was fawning all over, but that shows it has chosen Ping'an—otherwise, when I approached it just now, it wouldn't have growled at me.'

You have reached this novel.

It came to seek refuge with Ping'an, not with me; you say giving it to me, even if it runs away angry, that's a small matter—but I fear it might think you're humiliating it and decide to seek death.

Of course, this too is a small matter; the fear is that if it goes to extremes and attacks you, even Dongzhu sister and your Ping'an, you must never say such words again!

Zhang Guihua jumped in fright, panicking: 'Is it really that serious?'

'Serious, my dear grandma, this is even more serious than what my uncle said!'

Wang Ping'an heard his grandmother's words and gave a wry smile to himself.

When his grandfather spoke those words, he faintly felt that the white lion they had just subdued was off—seeming to have understood his grandfather's words, it grew furious, especially when his grandmother repeated his grandfather's words.

If he hadn't exerted strong control, that white lion would have already attacked his grandfather and grandmother in a rage.

Of course.

He knew his grandparents meant well, and couldn't blame them.

(End of chapter)