"Aunt Lian, look at what you're saying," Ning Xue said shyly.
Li Qinglian then looked at Gao Xinyu, Yun Qiuyu, and Song Sitian, and asked Zhang Hao, "Zhang Hao, are they your friends?"
"Madam, Sitian is Young Master's maid," Song Sitian said, blushing.
Li Qinglian was slightly surprised. She looked Song Sitian up and down and smiled, "It's a pity for such a lovely girl to be Zhang Hao's maid."
Song Sitian quickly said, "No... this was Sitian's choice."
"Your name is Sitian?" Li Qinglian asked kindly.
Song Sitian nodded quickly.
Zhang Hao then pointed to Yun Qiuyu and Gao Xinyu and said, "Mother, they are all my friends and classmates."
"So, you are all geniuses from Tianwu Academy. Please, quickly take a seat," Li Qinglian said quickly.
"Madam is too kind."
Yun Qiuyu and Gao Xinyu said quickly.
Because Ning Xue was more familiar with Li Qinglian, she sat beside her and occasionally whispered to Li Qinglian. This made Yun Qiuyu and Gao Xinyu somewhat envious.
"Zhang Hao, half a year ago, you sent back a letter saying you entered Tianwu Academy. Your Grandpa was overjoyed. He praised you to everyone he met. Now you are the undisputed number one Genius in Watt Country," Li Qinglian said proudly.
Zhang Hao shook his head and smiled, "I don't care for the so-called number one Genius."
"That's true. As long as you are strong, all these empty titles are like floating clouds," Li Qinglian nodded in agreement.
Zhang Hao looked at Li Qinglian and asked, "Mother, has something happened at home? Why have the guards outside been changed?"
Li Qinglian said with a solemn expression, "Yes, seven days ago, strange things happened to our Zhang Family. Family members were repeatedly killed, some were outside, and some were within the Family. Even within the Family, despite taking sufficient defensive measures, five people were killed on some days, and at least one person every day. Originally, I was staying within the Family during this time, but your Grandpa told me it was safer to stay outside. After all, even the high-level Family members don't know much about this place."
"What? How could this happen? Who exactly did this?" Zhang Hao slammed the table and stood up, his expression extremely angry.
Li Qinglian said helplessly, "They didn't say, but a few days ago, a Family member seemed to vaguely hear one of the attackers say, 'This is the consequence of offending our Nangong Family.'"
Nangong Family?
Zhang Hao was instantly enraged. His expression was extremely gloomy. The Nangong Family had previously sent assassins to kill him, but he had killed them instead. He didn't expect them to still not give up now. This was simply unbearable.
"Zhang Hao, do you know who it is?" Li Qinglian looked at Zhang Hao and asked.
Zhang Hao nodded slightly and said, "Of course I know. If I'm not mistaken, it should be the Nangong Family from the Balong Empire."
"Nangong Family?"
Li Qinglian's expression immediately changed.
The Nangong Family from the Balong Empire is a major Family. They are far stronger than the Zhang Family of Watt Country, a hundred times over. They are simply incomparable. The Clan Leader of the Nangong Family, Nangong Ao, is a Martial King (high stage) cultivation. It is said that he recently advanced to Half-Step Martial Ancestor. Furthermore, the Nangong Family has over twenty Martial Kings. Their strength could easily annihilate small countries like Watt Country. Their strength even surpasses medium-sized kingdoms like the West Wind Kingdom.
"Zhang Hao, then you should leave quickly! They are here this time to deal with you," Li Qinglian quickly said to Zhang Hao.
Zhang Hao said calmly, "Don't worry, Mother, your son is not afraid of the Nangong Family anymore. If the Nangong Family doesn't come, so be it. If they do, I will make them vanish into thin air."
"Zhang Hao, aren't you going to reconsider? After all, this is the Nangong Family," Li Qinglian looked at Zhang Hao with some worry.
"Mother, I have made up my mind," Zhang Hao said to Li Qinglian.
Li Qinglian was helpless. She knew her son's temperament; once he made a decision, it was difficult for anyone to easily change his mind.
"Mother, I'm going to see Grandpa. Let Sitian and Xue'er stay with you," Zhang Hao said to Li Qinglian.
"Alright! Your Grandpa misses you very much too," Li Qinglian nodded and said to Zhang Hao.
Night
Inside a room in the main courtyard of the Ninghai City Zhang Family. The Grandpa and grandson finally met.
Zhang Hao and Zhang Yaobang spoke solemnly, "Grandpa, that's how the matter unfolded."
"Yes, I was wondering which Family was causing us trouble. So it was the Nangong Family from the Balong Empire. At the time, Grandpa suspected it, but since the Balong Empire is quite far from us, it was just a suspicion," Zhang Yaobang sighed with emotion.
Zhang Hao looked at Zhang Yaobang and asked, "Grandpa, what are your thoughts?"
Zhang Yaobang looked at Zhang Hao and said solemnly, "Zhang Hao, you are the hope of our Family. Grandpa hopes you can leave immediately and go as far as possible. After all, this time the enemy is too powerful. Even our Zhang Family's main branch cannot contend against them."
"What about you, Grandpa?" Zhang Hao was somewhat speechless.
"Since the other party has targeted us, we can't escape even if we run. We might as well fight back," Zhang Yaobang said through clenched teeth.
Zhang Hao was a little moved. It seemed Grandpa truly cared about him.
"Don't worry, Grandpa. This time, if the other party dares to come, your grandson is confident he can keep them all here. The Nangong Family shouldn't have existed long ago," Zhang Hao emitted a sharp killing intent.
"Zhang Hao, you..." Zhang Yaobang looked at Zhang Hao with some surprise.
Zhang Yaobang knew the strength of the Nangong Family. With over twenty Martial Kings and one Half-Step Martial Ancestor within the Family, this kind of strength could easily sweep through a medium-sized kingdom without any problem. Didn't he know that the highest martial power in Watt Country was only a Half-Step Martial King? The Murong Old Ancestor had only just broken through to Martial King.
"Grandpa, Zhang Hao is no longer the same as before."
After speaking, Zhang Hao's body emitted the aura of a Martial King.
Zhang Yaobang's breathing hitched, feeling a pressure like a mountain. Fortunately, this pressure came and went quickly.
"Zhang Hao... you... you broke through to Martial King?" Zhang Yaobang said in surprise.
Zhang Hao smiled and nodded.
Zhang Yaobang took a deep breath. This was simply incredible. Some people struggled in the Great Martial Master Realm for decades, unable to break through. And Zhang Yaobang was only at Great Martial Master Fourth Heaven at this moment. The Supreme Emperor of the Royal Family had been stuck at the Half-Step Martial King Realm for many years, unable to take the final step. Of course, recently, the Supreme Elder of the Murong Family, because of Murong Ziqian, received a Dan bestowed by the Heaven Sword Sect and has now advanced to the Martial King Realm.
"Excellent! The Family's rise is hopeful. Thank you, ancestors of all generations," Zhang Yaobang cried tears of joy.
Zhang Yaobang naturally knew what it meant for the Family to have a Martial King appear.
Of course, Zhang Yaobang still thought Zhang Hao was only a beginner Martial King and didn't know that he had actually broken through to Martial King (high stage). Otherwise, he would have been even more shocked, his jaw dropping. The strength of a Martial King (high stage) and a beginner Martial King is like the difference between clouds and mud, completely incomparable.