"Don't... it's so scary!"
Jiaojiao clutched He Pingsheng with both hands, refusing to let him go over.
The beast in the darkness looked enormous, a full ten feet long.
Meanwhile, Blacksmith Kong had also scrambled over to He Pingsheng, practically wetting himself in terror.
"Let's go..." Blacksmith Kong said. "We should be all right if we go home and shut the door!"
"That won't help!" He Pingsheng shielded Blacksmith Kong and Jiaojiao behind him. "This creature is called a Heavenly Spirit Dog. It's a Demon Beast... far stronger than an ordinary dog!"
"It's timid by nature. As long as you don't attack it first, it won't attack you!"
"Then that doesn't add up," Blacksmith Kong said. "Why did it keep chasing me when I never attacked it?"
He Pingsheng smiled. "Father, this Heavenly Spirit Dog didn't hurt you, did it? If it had attacked you, how could you possibly have run all the way here from the back mountain? It might have chased you here because it was hungry and wanted you to give it something to eat!"
"Huh?" He Pingsheng couldn't see Blacksmith Kong's expression in the darkness, but he imagined his father-in-law's face must have gone black at that moment. He heard him say, "How could we possibly afford to feed such a big dog?"
"If we feed it today, what happens when it comes back tomorrow?"
"Father, don't be afraid," He Pingsheng said. "If we can tame this Heavenly Spirit Dog, it'll be a useful asset. Hunting in the mountains, catching fish in the water-it'll be a good helper for both!"
"Here, step back a little and watch me subdue it!"
Without wasting any more words, He Pingsheng pushed lightly off the ground, leaped into the air, then descended on the Heavenly Spirit Dog from above.
"This..."