Chapter Eleven: Becoming an Apprentice

  "Ah Hao, go back and rest for now~~~ We'll set off early tomorrow." Yi Yang turned his head to say to Yang Hao, after all, humans need sleep.

  "Yang Hao, I'll take my leave then... I'll inform the others to conduct a thorough search and surveillance of the surrounding mountains, if anything happens just call me." Hu Tou said as he turned around and walked out... When he reached the door, he turned his head back and added another sentence. "Officer Yang, we may not be familiar with each other, but I'm not petty. I hope this time we can put aside our past differences and cooperate smoothly, also, next time when you see us animal Xian, it's not too late to ask clearly before taking action..." Hu Tou said as his body flashed and a black shadow darted out of the door.

  "By the way, Ah Hao... have you learned from a master? Judging by your movements when you blocked us today, they were completely rash and clumsy, your footwork was awkward, and your internal energy was all over the place. If it weren't for your special physique, you would probably be dead again already. And that ghostly hand of yours is quite formidable, but you have no idea how to use it properly. If you're interested, I can become your master."

  "Hehe, Master I haven't actually paid my respects yet. I only learned the Ghostly Qi Refining Technique from White-Faced Teacher in the Underworld, as for fist techniques he hasn't taught me any yet. If Uncle Yang is willing to take me on as a disciple, that would be great!"

  Yang Hao had personally witnessed the ferocity of Yi Yang Shu's moves, which were as swift as a gust of wind, leaving only a shadow behind. The golden light emitted from his punches was as formidable as small cannonballs. This must be just a tiny fraction of Yi Yang Shu's true abilities. Who wouldn't want to have such an awesome person as their master?

  "Alright... you go back and rest first... think it over and give me an answer tomorrow."

  "Okay... then you should get some rest too, Uncle Yang. See you tomorrow."

  Yang Hao finished speaking and drove away, leaving Old Man Yang to gaze at his receding figure. He felt a sense of relief in his heart. Before this, there were countless people who wanted to learn from him, but none had ever met his expectations. Either they were brainless and untalented, or they had talent but were unscrupulous. Until today, he had finally found someone worthy of inheriting his legacy. This was a way of repaying the debt he owed to his ancestors in heaven. Thinking this, Old Man Yang's mood improved significantly. After all, he had found a disciple who met his expectations, and on top of that, it was Yan Wang's envoy. How could he not be delighted? Looking out at the quiet night scene, with occasional cricket chirps and the moon hanging high in the sky, casting a silver glow over everything... Ah... A string of figures flashed across the long street, leaving behind a strong aura. Old Man Yang vanished into thin air.

  "What? You said you want me to take him as an apprentice?" Yang Shu listened in surprise as his son told him everything.

  "What's wrong, Dad?"

  "If I'm not mistaken, Yiyang is this person's Taoist name."

  "Dad, do you know him?"

  "Hmm... it's not just that. When I was a young Yin-Yang Master, I was ordered to capture two Red-Robed Mountain Goblins. I almost lost my life, but fortunately, he lent a hand and saved me, which is why you can see your old man standing here unscathed."

  "Oh... and this matter too.... So, Uncle Yang is quite formidable?"

  "It's not just that, his abilities are unfathomable, at the time the underworld sent 2 ghostly immortals and your old man, 3 people in total, but they couldn't eliminate those 2 evil creatures. But a certain Yang Dao person defeated them with just 3 punches and 2 kicks, leaving them on the brink of death. He's willing to take you as his disciple, it's your good fortune! I heard he's a very sought-after master, back in the day there were countless people who wanted to become his apprentice. But how did he end up joining the government department now? It's really strange..."

  "Alright, dad... I'm going to sleep now. Got things to do tomorrow." Yang Hao then headed towards the bedroom.

  "Hey? Ah Hao, if there's a chance, invite him to our home for a visit... I also want to show my appreciation... Did you hear that?" Yang Shu only saw his son wave his hand and then go inside to sleep.

  He woke up at 6 o'clock in the morning and Yang Hao got out of bed, had two mouthfuls of breakfast, and rushed to the bureau.

  "Ahao... I was wondering where you'd gone these past two days?!" Guo Zhi rushed over excitedly.

  "No, I'll check those two cases again..."

  "Haha, don't bother, hasn't the case been transferred already?"

  "What's going on? What happened again?" Yang Hao saw a thick stack of notes on Huang Kai's desk.

  "No. Recently, I don't know why, but there are always people coming to report missing persons... These are all statements from the people who reported the cases."

  "Missing????", Yang Hao suddenly felt a sense of unease. He picked up the phone and dialed a number.

  "Is that Uncle Yang? Have you heard about the recent frequent disappearances? Hmm...hmm...I'll go now."

  Yang Hao put down the phone and was about to leave...

  "Hey!!! You just arrived and you're leaving already???"

  "Where are you going??? Are you going to the party tonight??"

  Yang Hao didn't say a word, got in the car and rushed to the National Security Bureau. When he arrived at the entrance, he was stopped and couldn't get through... As soon as he entered the office door, Yang Hao burst out...

  "Something's not right... how come so many people have gone missing for no reason?"

  "Hmm...it's a bit suspicious...but let's put it aside for now. Have you thought carefully about what I told you?"

  "Is it about becoming your apprentice? I've thought about it long ago, and if you can accept me, it would be my honor."

  "Alright, let's make it official then. After three knocks and a request for tea, you'll be my formal disciple of the Hunyuan Danzong."

  "Can't be that old-fashioned," Yang Hao thought to himself, but he didn't dare ask anything. He knelt down on the ground and kowtowed three times, then poured a cup of tea and handed it over to Old Man Yang.

  "Master, have some tea..." Yi Yang Shu smiled as he saw this, and after taking a small sip of the tea, he took out three books from his drawer, namely "The Art of War", "The Book of Changes", and "The Analects of Confucius".

  "These three books are the secrets of our school that are not to be revealed outside. Take your time to read them carefully... The Ghost Path is based on Qi, and the Hunyuan also has Qi as its foundation. There are similarities between them. Now that you have a foundation in the Ghost Path, it won't be difficult for you to practice."

  "Master, your footwork and palm techniques that day were very powerful. Can you teach me?"

  "Heh heh... you little stinker... I knew you'd say that. The Tai Chi manual and the Heavenly Steps are the moves I used that day. You should practice them well. Even if you encounter danger and can't win, at least you'll be able to save your life. Alright, put the book away, let's go search the mountain. I just called Director Han on the phone, they'll also send people to assist."

  "Good..." Yang Hao treasured the three books and tucked them into his bosom. He followed Master out of Guo An's gate. A team had already assembled, and with a single order from Uncle Yang, they all boarded the vehicle and headed west towards the city. Meanwhile, Director Han personally led another team to head east. The south was the sea, and Uncle Yang and Director Han had discussed it beforehand - each taking one side, starting from both the east and west ends to search, and meeting at the north end.

  "Is Yang Hao still one of our team members or not? He's always following that old man from Guoan around." Huang Kai muttered to himself...

  "Who says it's not... with him being idle every day, we're all about to die of exhaustion." Guo Zhi also echoed, Han Ju indeed listened carefully and didn't say much. Afterwards, the people in the car except for the driver closed their eyes, trying to rest as much as possible.

  But Yang Hao's situation was different, Yiyang Shu drove the car, Yang Hao curiously flipped through the newly acquired kung fu manual, occasionally making a few gestures, calling out "Master" this and "Master" that without end. Yiyang Shu didn't get annoyed, answering every question he had. He thought highly of this disciple. Along the way, modern buildings gradually gave way to green grass and forests, smooth highways turned into bumpy dirt roads. The city slowly fell behind them, getting farther and farther away...

  "We're here, get off the bus." Everyone got off and changed into their training uniforms and light shoes, lining up in several rows to wait for orders. "Alright, let's start by setting up a human net. Each person should be 5 meters apart, all communication equipment should be turned on and switched to channel 301. If you find any caves, inspect them carefully, and don't forget to bring enough food and water... Get ready to depart!" Everyone started preparing after hearing the orders. Yang Hao looked at the scene before him - the mountains were green, the sky was blue, the sun was shining brightly, and birds were chirping. It seemed like they were on a tour. But over the next few days, his thoughts would undergo a drastic change...

  During the day, a group of people, spaced 5 meters apart, repeatedly climbed up and down the mountain, walking through the dense forest without a path. The thick, rotten soil made it difficult for these young people to move forward with high and low steps. At sunset, they gathered together, cleaned up a flat area, and leaned against trees to sleep. In the morning, they woke up and continued searching the mountain. For several days in a row, there was no result. Yang Hao had an extra thought, during the day he searched the mountain with everyone else, but at night after everyone fell asleep, he would sneak away to the underground chamber to practice the skills his master taught him. Three days passed, and everyone was exhausted, but Yang Hao benefited greatly. The three days allowed him to practice in the underground chamber for a full three years. Except for not fully mastering the body adjustment and form training, he had already made some progress with the Taiji diagram and the Tian Gang step method. On the fourth night, a special supply team member from Guo An arrived, bringing food, clean water, and even beer... Everyone gathered together in this deep mountain forest, eating and drinking, and the atmosphere was somewhat lively. After Yang Hao and Yi Yang Shu ate something, they pulled his master to a quiet place...

  "Master, look..." As soon as he finished speaking, Yang Hao began to circulate his qi, pouring it into his feet. The technique flashed in his mind for a moment, and then Yang Hao was like stepping on clouds, whooshing out far away in an instant, only to flash back again.

  "Oh....in just a few days you've made such progress?? Even I, as your master, feel inferior, thinking back to when I practiced this set of steps for over a year before reaching the level you're at now."

  "Haha... Master, what's next..." Yang Hao said, and then he set up a Tai Chi stance. His feet were inward, his knees slightly bent, and his hands hung down between his legs, slowly lifting up... When they reached his chest, he suddenly let out a low growl, "Hmmm...", and a 3-meter-long golden light burst out of his palms.

  "Great...not bad...very good!" Master Yang looked at his apprentice with a face full of approval.

  "Haha, Master, it's not that I'm talented, you might not know, but these 3 days haven't been idle for me. In the underworld, one day is equal to a year, so this is also equivalent to the result of 3 years later"

  "No wonder... I thought I had encountered a master, but even if it takes 3 years of practice to achieve this effect, it's still impressive"

  "Alas, the gap between me and Master is still very far. Master can strike 30 meters with one palm, but I can only manage 3 meters. Even my Heavenly Step is much slower than Master's."

  "Not bad... those are the results of decades of hard work as a master. If you practice well, you will soon surpass me."

  "Right, Master... I've come to this place and it seems like I've hit a bottleneck. No matter how I practice, my power can't be strengthened anymore, and my footwork can't get any faster either. What's going on?"

  "Hmm... your entire body's meridians were altered by White Face, and now they've reached their limit. From now on, you'll need to accumulate slowly in order to progress. Your cultivation has only reached the stage of Qi flowing through the Grand Heavenly Cycle, which is just the first step. Later on, there will be the Jade Liquid Grand Heavenly Cycle and the Golden Splendor Grand Heavenly Cycle. Don't be impatient, take it slow." First Uncle Yang and Yang Hao explained the reason for being unable to progress.

  "By the way, Master, look at this..." Yang Hao suddenly revealed his ghostly hand and with a swift movement of the Heaven Defying Step, instantly cut down a tree trunk thicker than his waist.

  "Master, this move is very powerful, but I don't know if it's effective against ghosts..."

  "Hehe... you can try pumping air into your hand..."

  "Hmm... Haha, these Japanese devils are just right for me to practice on." Yang Hao said with a confident smile.

  "One... one... one, this is Old Han... receiving, please respond, receiving, please respond..." The voice of Director Han came out from the intercom, seemingly in a hurry.

  "I am Yang, please speak..."

  "We...we found a cave on the north mountain...but...the people who went to investigate haven't come out for a whole day and night, several batches have been sent out already...it's very suspicious..."

  "Ah... calm down first, don't take any action for now, let's talk after I get there..." Yang and Yang Hao seemed to feel a hint of unease. "Full assembly... complete equipment, set off to North Mountain tonight..."

  Everyone listened... and hurriedly gathered the food on the ground and their own equipment. In less than 5 minutes, they were all assembled and ran towards the North Mountain in formation.