Chapter 426: Chapter 424: The Secret of Genius

Qin Hao heard this and gave a cold smile, then said, “Heh, you set this Hongmen Banquet, and I come alone, naturally as the unwanted guest.”

As Qin Hao spoke, he walked toward the old man, looked around the elm forest, and continued, “Elms are of the yin element. You live in such a wooden house among these elms. Are you preparing to enter a coffin early?”

Elder Jin was startled upon hearing this.

The cultivation technique he practiced was extremely rigid and yang, and naturally needed a place with heavy yin to harmonize. Elms gather yin, and a wooden house is cool. This combination of yin and coolness perfectly harmonized the raging Power of Gold and Stone within him.

However, the consequence was evident. Living in high yin akin to a coffin, of course, didn’t promise longevity.

“Hehe, kid. You have some keen eyes. But I worry, this place might become your coffin. If so, that would be a pity.”

Elder Jin finished speaking leisurely, and Qin Hao sneered, saying, “No need for your concern. This place will surely be your coffin!”

Qin Hao’s attitude was disdainful, and Elder Jin, seeing this, immediately snorted coldly and said, “Hmph! Qin Hao, I’ve investigated you. Among the mundane world, talents like you are indeed rare. In this world, those who surpass you are fewer than the fingers of one hand. Your arrogance is understandable.”

“However, no matter your achievements, they’re limited to the mortal world. Our Hidden Sects and Ancient Martial Families are beyond your imagination. Your shallow origins will forever limit your vision; you ought to see a higher sky.”

His words bewildered Qin Hao somewhat.

For a moment, Qin Hao remained silent, calmly waiting for Elder Jin of the Golden Stone Sect to continue.

After all, he had felt something was off from the start. The Golden Stone Sect expending such great cost couldn’t just be to inflict Lin Yuhan with the Cold Ice Vein Poison and lure him here.

As expected, Elder Jin, seeing Qin Hao silent, continued, “Let me speak plainly. I’m not here to kill you today but to offer you an unimaginable opportunity!”

An unimaginable opportunity?

Qin Hao smirked with a hint of sarcasm and said, “Heh, enough with the nonsense. Besides the antidote, even if you wanted me as a father, I wouldn’t agree.”

Upon hearing this, anger flashed across Elder Jin’s face, and his voice rose.

“Arrogant and foolish!”

After yelling angrily, he seemed to think of something, and sneered, saying, “Fine then, with your temperament, once you enter the Golden Stone Sect, there’ll be plenty of people to tame you!”

Hearing this, Qin Hao raised his eyebrow and asked, “Quite the boast, wanting to capture me to your Inner Sect?”

Elder Jin shook his head and said proudly, “Not capture, but you’d be crying and begging, knocking your head to be our disciple, and joyfully return with us to the Golden Stone Sect, thereby becoming a part of it.”

Qin Hao immediately laughed mockingly, but Elder Jin shook his head nonchalantly and continued, “Why, don’t you believe? Do you think in this mortal world, why are peerless geniuses and powerful techniques so rare?”

“Do you think, with just you and some ragtag mercenaries, you can truly be invincible?”

“Ha! Ridiculous!”

Elder Jin laughed heartily, his expression full of arrogance.

“This world’s top-notch, most powerful cultivation resources, and the most gifted geniuses, are monopolized by us Noble Sects. So, in the mortal world, the sky you see is merely a curtain we’ve placed over your head.”

“Only we can see the true sky.”

“Qin Hao, your talent is exceptional, and your skill in close combat nicely complements the shortcomings of our Golden Stone Sect, so you are destined to be one of us.”

Upon hearing Elder Jin’s words, Qin Hao quickly pondered, then said, “According to you, all the geniuses in our mortal world eventually get taken in by your Noble Sects?”

Elder Jin nodded with satisfaction, saying, “Exactly. No matter what grievances these geniuses had with us before, it doesn’t matter, as long as their worth is great enough.”

“For example, you only killed a failure among our mundane protectors, who, having lost all hope for cultivation progress, was sent down the mountain to do chores.”

“Trading a failure for a highly talented individual is indeed worthwhile.”

Hearing this, Qin Hao nodded thoughtfully and slowly said, “Heh, so you inflicted Lin Yuhan with the Cold Ice Vein Poison to control me. This way, there’s no issue of loyalty, and once at your mountain gate, after cultivating in your Golden Stone Sect for a decade, I naturally become one of you, right?”

Elder Jin laughed even more satisfied: “Hahaha! Talking to a smart person is truly effortless! Indeed, those few mortal geniuses are all taken by us like this.”

“Enlightening with emotion, persuading with reason and tempting with benefits; if it fails, we Noble Sects have countless Poisonous Elixirs, endless means of control.”

“No one can refuse, including you.”

Elder Jin spoke with strong confidence, and after speaking, stood with hands behind his back, quietly observing Qin Hao before him. From behind him, another young man emerged from the wooden house, precisely the disciple from the Golden Stone Sect whom Qin Hao had severely wounded during his training!

This disciple, now fully recovered from his injuries, looked at Qin Hao with contempt and shouted arrogantly, “Qin Hao! Kneel and greet your master!”

Qin Hao slightly frowned; this disciple had sustained injuries that should have left him weakened for life. Yet, his voice was vibrant, showing no signs of foundational damage.

The Ancient Martial Family, Hidden Sects, their reputations are indeed well-earned!

Qin Hao marveled internally, while the person continued to shout disdainfully, “Come on, what are you standing there for? Quickly bow and take Elder Jin as your master. If he’s happy, he’ll not only grant you the antidote to save your woman but might give you a generous disciple gift!”

“Today, you’re truly fortunate, for anything from Elder Jin is a rare treasure worth a fortune in the mortal realm!”

The disciple of the Golden Stone Sect spoke with a hint of jealousy. Although his master was also an elder, he couldn’t compare in status or wealth to Elder Jin. Seeing Qin Hao possibly taking Elder Jin as his master made it challenging for him to seek revenge in the future.