Chapter 754: The Tai Chu Xuan Su Jing

"Don't… it's terrifying!"

Jiaojiao grabbed He Pingsheng's arms, stopping him from going forward.

Because the beast in the darkness looked enormous, fully one zhang long.

On the other side, Kong the Blacksmith had also come crawling, panting and trembling, to He Pingsheng's side.

"Run fast…" Kong the Blacksmith said: "Go home, shut the door—it should be fine!"

"Useless!" He Pingsheng shielded Kong the Blacksmith and Jiaojiao behind him: "This demon beast is called Tianling Dog—a type of demon beast… far more formidable than ordinary dogs!"

"It's naturally timid; as long as you don't attack it first, it won't attack you!"

Kong the Blacksmith said: "Then that doesn't make sense—why is it chasing me if I didn't attack it?"

He Pingsheng smiled and said: "Father, this Tianling Dog hasn't harmed you, has it? If it had attacked you, how could you have run all the way from the back mountain here? It chased you here—maybe it's just hungry and wants you to feed it!"

"Huh?" In the darkness, Kong the Blacksmith's face was unseen, but He Pingsheng imagined his father-in-law's expression had turned black—he heard him say: "How could we possibly feed a dog this big?"

"What if it comes back tomorrow after we feed it today?"

He Pingsheng said: "Father, don't worry—if we can tame this Tianling Dog, it'll be a great asset. It can help us hunt in the mountains and fish in the rivers!"

"Come on, step back—I'll subdue it!"

Without wasting words, He Pingsheng lightly pressed his foot and leapt into the air, then descended from above onto the Tianling Dog.

"This…" Jiaojiao and Kong the Blacksmith were stunned at He Pingsheng's three-zhang leap.

How was this possible?

Was he a martial arts master?

"Ahh… wu wu wu…"

He Pingsheng clashed with the one-zhang-long black dog.

After half a stick of incense, the demon beast lay whimpering on the ground, subdued.

He Pingsheng, panting, said: "Done… I've broken its spirit!"

"Take it home—I'll take it hunting tomorrow!"

"Winter's coming soon—we should still be able to hunt plenty before then!"

"Hmm… good for guarding the gate too!"

He Pingsheng grabbed the black dog's ears and brought it right before Jiaojiao and his father-in-law.

His father-in-law was so terrified his legs had gone weak and he sat on the ground.

Jiaojiao, seeing the dog's ferocious appearance, stepped back two paces.

"Don't be afraid!" He Pingsheng said: "I've tamed this dog!"

Jiaojiao took two deep breaths and forced calm: "This dog is huge!"

He Pingsheng said: "It's still young—when it matures, it'll be even bigger!"

"Come on, I'll chain it up as soon as we get home!"

The blacksmith's shop certainly wouldn't lack iron chains.

As soon as they got home, He Pingsheng chained the Tianling Dog to the front gate.

The big dog was obedient—whimpered a few times, then lay down.

Jiaojiao brought out leftover food from the kitchen, and the dog devoured it all in seconds.

"Let's go inside!" Old Kong pointed to the main hall.

The three entered and sat down in order of status.

A single candle flickered, its flame wavering.

Long moments passed without anyone speaking.

He Pingsheng couldn't hold back and spoke first: "Father, you're asking about my origins because you saw I can fight, right?"

"Mm!" Kong the Blacksmith's face was grim: "You've lived in our home for years and never let slip a word—how did you suddenly learn martial arts? Did you train before?"

He Pingsheng nodded.

Beside him, Jiaojiao gripped his arm: "Father… why ask this? Pingsheng's already married me—we're family now!"

"Foolish!" Kong the Blacksmith roared: "If I'd known he could fight, I never would've agreed to let you marry him!"

But it was too late now.

The deed was done.

They were already married.

"Father, don't worry!" He Pingsheng said: "I haven't lied to you—I really am from the capital. My parents are both gone."

"The only thing I never told you was that I can fight."

"But I had no choice—my late mother told me never to reveal I could fight."

"Now that you're my family, I'm telling you the truth."

"I do know martial arts—my father was once a high general of the imperial court, killed on the battlefield against the Gui Fang Tartars."

"Because we lost the battle, he earned no military merit; after he died, our family fell into ruin."

"Then my mother passed away, and many in the court couldn't tolerate a lowly figure like me—they seized our property and wealth, so I came to the frontier."

"That's the truth—I haven't deceived you."

"Father… I just never told you I could fight."

There was one thing He Pingsheng didn't say: since childhood, he had cultivated the family's secret technique—a peerless scripture called the Tai Chu Xuan Su Jing. Unfortunately, he had only mastered the first half—the second half had been lost by his father on the battlefield.

To find that lost half, he had to come to the frontier.

That was why He Pingsheng came.

That was his true reason for arriving here.

"Enough—nothing matters now!" The father-in-law pulled out a wine jug from somewhere, took a deep swig, then waved his hand: "I'm going to sleep—you two go rest too!"

"We've got work early tomorrow—get some rest!"

Kong the Blacksmith directly dismissed them, driving his daughter and son-in-law out of his room.

…

"This damn dog… eats more and more!"

Unnoticed, heavy snow began to fall!

Kong the Blacksmith dumped all uneaten leftovers beside the black dog.

The black dog had grown a full circle larger.

And a full circle fatter.

The north wind howled as an old man in a tattered sheepskin coat passed by: "Old Kong, don't be ungrateful—if you don't want it, give me this big dog—I'll raise it!"

"That's right!"

Someone nearby added: "Who in town doesn't know? Your dog eats a lot and works hard—look at your yard, your cured meats are nearly overflowing!"

"Hehehe…" Kong the Blacksmith turned, gazing at the eaves of the main hall, hung thick with cured meats, his mouth stretching into a grin.

True enough—the black dog ate a lot, but it worked hard too.

Over the past few months, his son-in-law and the black dog had nearly emptied the mountains of game.

"Jiaojiao… you're showing already… are you close to giving birth?" The man in the sheepskin coat asked as Jiaojiao stepped out into the snow from the house.

Jiaojiao's pale face glowed with happiness: "Uncle Yuan… not yet—it's only been less than four months!"

"That's right… I show early!"

"Oh!" Uncle Yuan nodded: "Since you married, you've grown even prettier. When the baby comes, will it take the He surname or your Kong family's surname?"

"Of course the He surname!" Jiaojiao's eyes widened: "Uncle Yuan, what are you saying? Pingsheng isn't a son-in-law who moved in—he's our husband! The child won't take the Kong name!"

"Hehehe…" Uncle Yuan chuckled and turned away: "When the baby arrives, I'll find you a good midwife—let Yu Po help you…"