Ghost Clan

Elder Yang looked at everyone and nodded in acknowledgment.

He walked up to Qin Hao, sized him up, and asked,

"Was it you, brat, who beat this Ghost Clan member to death?"

"It was me. I had no choice—he wanted to kill me, so I could only fight for my life."

Qin Hao answered truthfully as well.

Hearing Qin Hao admit it himself, he nodded approvingly. To be able to kill a member of the Ghost Clan, such strength made him regard Qin Hao in a new light.

"What is your name?"

"Reporting to Elder, my name is Qin Hao."

Qin Hao? Hearing that name, he widened his eyes and stared intently at the boy before him. Looking carefully, Qin Hao truly did have the appearance of a child.

Could this be the person Li Kang had given a weapon to some days ago? Li Kang had said then that he was a youth.

"How old are you?"

Still somewhat uncertain, he asked.

"Reporting to Elder, I just turned twelve this year."

That answer truly startled him. It really was the youth Li Kang had spoken of.

This boy was only twelve, yet he already possessed such strength! Good heavens, his future would surely be unimaginable.

The way he looked at Qin Hao became increasingly kind.

Qin Hao felt his scalp tingle under that gaze and grew uncomfortable all over.

At that moment, Bai Ling spoke up and interrupted Elder Yang's thoughts.

"Elder, what exactly is the Ghost Clan? Why have we never heard of them?"

Elder Yang came back to his senses and glanced at Bai Ling.

"The Ghost Clan's existence has always been a secret. They began invading the Heavenly Profound World thousands of years ago."

"We do not know where they came from, but it is highly likely that they came from another world. Other than records from a thousand years ago, we have found no traces of the Ghost Clan ever existing."

"Some of the ghost creatures today were made by them from humans to invade humanity. The Ghost Clan themselves are exceedingly powerful, far beyond the ghost creatures they created."

"Then why have we never heard of them before?"

Qin Hao asked.

"Because thousands of years ago, we humans paid a grievous price to slaughter most of the Ghost Clan. Only a small portion remain, sleeping in various places."

"The ghost cultivators of today cultivate the techniques left behind by those Ghost Clan members. They seek to use the ghost path to achieve immortality and the goal of cultivating immortality."

"Those ghost cultivators even formed an organization called Ghost Immortal City. The ghost creatures and ghost cultivators you encountered all came from there!"

"Their purpose is to bring the Ghost Clan back into the human world!"

"And the one Qin Hao just killed was merely one of their most ordinary members."

"There are many whose strength far surpasses his."

Hissss—

Hearing this, Qin Hao and the others sucked in a breath of cold air. That overwhelmingly powerful Ghost Clan member had merely been an insignificant nobody?

Then just how terrifying would the entire Ghost Clan's strength be?

Qin Hao was shocked as well. He had fought Gui Wuya before, so he knew exactly how strong he was.

Yet Gui Wuya had only possessed the lowest level of combat strength!

"Enough. That is all. Boy Lin, take this Ghost Clan corpse back to the Heavenly Dragon Guard headquarters and hand it over to your master."

"Yes, Elder Yang!"

With that, Lin Ye took out a Storage Bag and put the corpse inside.

After finishing all this, Lin Ye and the others cupped their fists and said, "Elder Yang, our mission is complete. We shall take our leave."

"Go! Send this news back as quickly as possible, so those old fellows can make some preparations as well."

Elder Yang waved his hand.

"Brother Qin, are you coming with us to the Imperial Capital, or...?"

After taking his leave of Elder Yang, Lin Ye looked toward Qin Hao.

After all, although Qin Hao had not formally joined the Heavenly Dragon Guard yet, nearly everything had already been arranged. Lin Ye still had to ask—perhaps he could even draw this genius into their team.

"Hey, hey, hey, Lin Ye! Qin Hao was recruited by us. You are not allowed to snatch him away!"

Seeing Lin Ye intentionally or otherwise trying to win Qin Hao over, Bai Ling immediately became somewhat displeased.

Seeing this, Qin Hao smiled. "Brother Lin, you should head back first. I still have matters at home to deal with, so I may need some time."

"Then farewell for now! We shall meet again in the Imperial Capital!"

After saying that, he nodded to Qin Hao and Bai Ling, turned around, and left with Li Zhi and the others.

The group quickly vanished from Qin Hao and the others' sight.

Coming back to his senses, Qin Hao turned to Elder Yang.

"Senior, we have finished dealing with matters here as well. We are preparing to take our leave."

"You are called Qin Hao, right? Are you from the Qin Clan of Qinmang Mountain?"

Elder Yang looked toward Qin Hao then and examined him.

"Hm? How does Senior know of my Lineage?"

Qin Hao was a little bewildered. Why did this elder of the Heavenly Dragon Guard know of his Lineage? Given this man's status, Qin Hao felt that there should have been no connection at all with a tiny clan like the Qin Clan.

"Haha, I have basically been living in Qingcheng County these past few years, so naturally I know of your Qin Clan."

"The Black Fiend Hammers in your hands were sold by me to Li Kang. I heard Li Kang say that they were meant for a junior of the Qin Clan."

"So I guessed it must be you. After all, where in this world could there be so many teenage geniuses capable of wielding massive hammers weighing over a thousand jin?"

Learning that the old man before him knew Uncle Li Kang, and that his own massive hammers had come from this man, Qin Hao no longer felt so much unfamiliarity toward him.

"Hehe, so my massive hammers came from your hands, Old Yang. What a stroke of fate."

"May I know Senior's esteemed name?"

Qin Hao asked with a cheeky grin.

Seeing how readily familiar Qin Hao was acting, Elder Yang could not help laughing.

"You brat, haha. This old man is called Yang Tian. From now on, just call me Old Yang."

Elder Yang did not hide his name and even told Qin Hao to address him as Old Yang.

Who would not like a talented junior with a sweet tongue?

"Yes, Old Yang!"

Qin Hao promptly replied.

When it came to someone as unfathomably powerful as this, Qin Hao knew he had to seize the opportunity.

"Bai Ling, Qin Hao has already joined the Heavenly Dragon Guard, correct?"

Elder Yang looked toward Bai Ling at the side.

"Yes, Elder. Hehe, Qin Hao was even invited by us!"

Bai Ling said proudly from the side.

"You are still the same, so carefree and unruly."

Seeing Bai Ling's childish appearance, Elder Yang shook his head and laughed.

Watching the exchange between the two, Qin Hao felt that Elder Yang was quite a good person, without the airs usually carried by elders.

At that moment, Elder Yang looked at Qin Hao, produced something from thin air, and tossed it toward him.

"Here, boy Qin. This is for you. It should be helpful for someone like you who tempers the body horizontally."

Qin Hao hurriedly caught it. It was a secret manual, with four large characters written across it: Coiling Dragon Divine Body!

Qin Hao looked at the Coiling Dragon Divine Body manual before him in delight. At a glance, he could tell it was no ordinary cultivation technique.

"Thank you, Elder!" Qin Hao hurriedly said.

"Enough. Hurry back. Leave this place to this old man to handle."

"Yes, Elder! Then we shall take our leave first," Bai Ling promptly replied.

As she spoke, she tugged on Qin Hao's sleeve, preparing to leave.

"Then this junior shall take his leave first!" Qin Hao said, cupping his fists.

Elder Yang nodded.

Seeing that, the two headed toward the exit.

"Sister Bai Ling, where are the captain and the others?"

Only then did Qin Hao remember Zhong Li Dao and the others, and he looked at Bai Ling as he asked.

"Ah! I nearly forgot about the captain and the others! Come on, Qin Hao, let us go check on them."

With that, she ran toward where Zhong Li Dao and the others were resting.

Seeing this, Qin Hao hurriedly followed after her.