Chapter 59: Making Advances, Overbearing? Go Sleep with Sister Qing'er

The others gathered around, clearly just as surprised that Master Kui had lost his temper so spectacularly.

“Master Kui… did you hit the wrong man?”

…

Ignoring the confusion on everyone’s faces, Master Kui looked straight at Xia He and the Thunder Marten in his hands, exclaiming, “I searched high and low for it, yet you beat me to it, young man.”

“You must be Xia He, the one the hunters around town keep talking about?”

Xia He cupped his hands and replied calmly, neither humble nor arrogant. “Master Kui, I was acting in self-defense. I had no choice. I’m sure you saw what happened.”

Master Kui gave a slight nod, acknowledging his point. He showed no inclination to make an issue of it.

His gaze fell on the Thunder Marten, its head pierced through, and a trace of disappointment slipped into his eyes.

What a pity. The Thunder Marten was dead now. No matter how rare or precious it was, it could no longer serve its purpose.

“Never mind. You were forced to fight back, and I saw it for myself, so I won’t hold it against you.”

“What are you standing around for? Get him back to town for treatment!”

Once the man whose hand had been pierced by an arrow was carried away, Master Kui turned his attention to Xia He again. Still clinging to a sliver of hope, he asked expectantly, “Do you know if there are any young inside the marten? If we can find an unborn Thunder Marten, name your price, young man!”

Adult Thunder Martens were wild and unruly. Capturing and taming one would be extremely difficult.

But if they could get one as a cub and raise it with care from the start, their chances of successfully taming it would be much higher.

At Master Kui’s words, Xia He suddenly understood what he was really after.

He shook his head and said bluntly, “You’ve all misunderstood. Thunder Martens don’t give birth to live young.”

“Huh? Did we mistake what we saw?”

A clear look of disappointment crossed Master Kui’s face.

“If that’s the case, then forget it. Still, I feel we’ve taken a liking to each other. How about we strike up a friendship?”

“I’m honored by your kindness, Master Kui. I’d be glad to!”

“As for the Thunder Marten meat…”

“I’m not selling it.”

“Then I won’t deprive you of something you treasure.”

“Farewell.”

Xia He cupped his hands and left with Wang Erpang.

Master Kui watched them for a moment but made no move to stop them.

“Master Kui!”

Zhou Chong was utterly bewildered. That brat had been so brazen, and they were just going to let him leave? That was far too easy!

And Master Kui had been much too friendly with him. He never treated anyone else that way. With everyone else, his moods were unpredictable, and he would fly into a rage and beat them at the slightest provocation.

“Idiot!”

“Do you even know who that brat is? He only recently became a military household, and he’s highly valued. Everyone knows it.”

“If we offend him, and he tells the people backing him, do you think we’ll get away with it?”

Master Kui’s face darkened.

“Huh? He really is a military household… At such a young age…”

Zhou Chong’s expression changed. They truly couldn’t afford to cross someone like that.

“I spent all that money training you lot, and searched for so long, only for that brat to get there first?”

“Are you all completely useless? A pack of deadweights!”

Master Kui flew into a rage. Spittle sprayed across Zhou Chong’s face, and all he could do was explain, “Master Kui… The brat must have some special method. How else could he have found a spirit beast so quickly?”

“Idiot! Do you think I don’t know that?”

“I’m determined to befriend him. Find out what he likes—money, women, whatever—and send it all to him!”

“Yes…”

…

On the way back, Xia He walked with his head bowed, his thoughts surging like a tide.

He didn’t want to offend Master Kui, but they had conflicting interests. There was no way he could hand over the Thunder Marten, so there was nothing to be done.

Beside him, Wang Erpang grumbled indignantly. “Brother He, the people at the weapons forge are way too arrogant!”

“Those martial arts schools are all the same—bullies who prey on the weak. Not one of them is any good. They’re just a bunch of bandits.”

Xia He gave a quiet, mocking laugh. Were the military camps full of kindhearted people?

Wherever you went, the strong preyed on the weak. It was always the big fish eating the little fish, and the little fish eating the shrimp.

At least now he was a military household, which gave him some standing and leverage.

That was precisely why Master Kui was wary of him.

Of course, part of it was also because Master Kui valued his knack for finding spirit beasts. It was safe to assume that Master Kui would come knocking again before long.

He had to break through to the Bone-Training Realm as soon as possible. Only with enough strength of his own could he effectively withstand the threats and pressures coming from outside.

By the time Xia He and Erpang returned to town, dusk was nearly upon them.

As luck would have it, they ran into the group of hunters they had met in the mountains earlier.

The moment they saw the Thunder Marten in Xia He’s hands, their eyes went wide.

“Brother Xia… Good heavens! You really caught a spirit beast!”

So Xia He hadn’t been lying when he said earlier that he hadn’t been sent by Master Kui. He really had caught one.

The hunters’ faces flushed red. They remembered how they’d mocked Xia He for being too young, and their cheeks burned as if they’d just been slapped.

As hunters themselves, they knew just how extraordinary Xia He’s tracking skills were. Envy and curiosity filled their eyes.

And this was a spirit beast! Many people had never even seen one. Catching it was the sort of thing you could boast about for the rest of your life!

“Brother He, looks like you’re going to be famous again.”

Every one of those hunters was a blabbermouth. They were sure to spread the news everywhere.

“Let them,” Xia He said with a resigned shake of his head.

Erpang insisted on coming over to mooch a meal.

At the table, he called Yang Qing’er “Second Sister-in-Law” every other breath, until the girl’s face turned scarlet.

“Second Sister-in-Law, are you sure you don’t have an older or younger sister?”

“I’m sure…”

Erpang’s face fell at once.

After dinner, Xia He and Erpang squatted by the front door. Xia He gave him a sharp smack.

“You brat. Are you so desperate for a woman you’ve lost your mind? What stage are you at now?”

Erpang wore a miserable expression, but answered promptly. “Brother He, I’m almost at the peak of Skin-Refining.”

Xia He was astonished.

How long had Erpang been practicing Skin-Refining? Not even a month, surely—and he was already close to reaching its peak?

Could the boy really be a martial arts prodigy?

After a moment’s thought, Xia He went into the room, brought out the booklet on Savage Ox Strength, and handed it to him.

“Take it and train.”

“Thank you, Father!”

Erpang nearly fell to his knees.

After seeing Erpang off, the ink-black night had completely settled over the world.

Xia He headed for the kitchen at the back, where his wife was busy at work.

A smile tugged at his lips. He crept up behind her, then suddenly wrapped both arms around her. Feeling her soft, warm body against him, he couldn’t help smiling with happiness.

“Lan’er, how was it here by yourself today?”

Xia He whispered into Li Huilan’s ear.

“Brother He, you have no idea how bored I was when you weren’t home. It’s much better now that Qing’er is here to keep me company. We can talk and chase away the boredom together. It’s lovely!”

As she spoke, she turned and gazed at Xia He with tender affection.

Her words surprised him. He had assumed that having two women under one roof would lead to some friction. He had even worried that Li Huilan might grow jealous with another woman in the house.

Instead, the two seemed to be getting along well, and the sight put his mind at ease.

“Where else could I find a wife as wonderful as her?”

Li Huilan suddenly suggested, “Brother He, why don’t you sleep in Qing’er’s room tonight?”