"There is no choice."
The Spirit Venerable looked at Qin Hao.
Although he admired Qin Hao quite a bit, the facts lay before them.
Qin Hao had no say in the matter.
Before Qin Hao, the Spirit-Character Jade Plaque and the Heavenly Spirit Battle Armor floated in the air. The Heavenly Spirit Battle Armor in particular radiated streaks of light, looking extraordinary at a glance.
Anyone else would have been deeply tempted.
Yet Qin Hao did not move.
A long, long time passed.
"Thank you for your kindness, Spirit Venerable." Qin Hao exhaled softly, raised his head to look at the Spirit Venerable, and shook his head slightly. "I have no use for them."
"Oh?" The Spirit Venerable was surprised.
He had already told Qin Hao how serious the situation was.
Yet he still refused?
"Qin Hao, are you certain?" the Spirit Venerable asked.
Qin Hao nodded. "My answer remains the same. If I cannot even protect my family and friends, then... so-called cultivation has no meaning at all."
"Abandoning my family and friends to flee alone..."
"Sorry, I cannot do that."
Qin Hao's expression was utterly calm, as though he had merely made an insignificant decision.
And that was indeed the case.
Why did Qin Hao cultivate?
Certainly.
Reaching the martial dao peak was itself Qin Hao's dream.
But at the same time...
It was also to protect his family and friends.
Imagine that Qin Hao reached the martial dao peak and attained the realm of a powerhouse like the Spirit Venerable.
What of it?
His family, his friends, and everyone he knew would die one after another.
What meaning would it have?
The Spirit Venerable stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze blazing like a torch as he regarded Qin Hao impassively.
It was as though