Rest Assured Without Worries

"Senior, why the rush? What can I do for you?"

Su Hao leaped down from the pavilion, blocking the entrance to the main hall.

Zhao Bai Jiang's eyes flickered. "I heard a commotion on the mountain and worried someone might harm Senior Brother Lin. Is he alright?"

"He's fine. Master rushed into a secret chamber and forbade anyone from disturbing him."

Su Hao stared at Zhao Bai Jiang.

"Su Hao, what nonsense are you spouting! A section of the forest by the entrance is destroyed, and the protective array formation is also damaged.

Furthermore, I saw Liu Mei from Joy Peak flying away from the southwest. Did she do it? Why would she bother Senior Brother Lin?

How badly is Senior Brother Lin injured?"

Zhao Bai Jiang's face darkened as he fired off a barrage of questions. "We're all from Heavenly Medicine Mountain, sharing honor and disgrace. Senior Brother Lin and I have had a friendship for decades. Can he trust you more than me?"

Su Hao frowned slightly. Zhao Bai Jiang seemed like a completely different person, nothing like the tranquil recluse he appeared to be just days ago.

"Elder Zhao, why all the fuss? I only know that Master has instructed me to temporarily manage Heavenly Medicine Mountain."

Su Hao glanced at the four burly men standing nearby. These men had served Lin Zhi Shan for many years, managing properties like the medicine fields and pharmacies.

Counting the time, half an hour had already passed.

"You?" Zhao Bai Jiang laughed in disbelief, "Are you joking? You've only been here a few days, and your strength is from forced growth. You lack the seniority. Even if Senior Brother Lin were confused, he wouldn't let a greenhorn who just arrived manage affairs!"

"Step aside, I'm going to see Senior Brother Lin."

He reached out to push Su Hao aside.

Su Hao remained motionless, a glint of killing intent in his eyes. "Elder Zhao, out of respect for your previous guidance, I advise you to return to the bamboo forest and enjoy your retirement honestly, without meddling in other matters."

"Ha?" Zhao Bai Jiang pushed again with all his might but couldn't budge Su Hao. He then floated back several meters. "Su Hao, you have quite the nerve. The first time I saw you, you were as anxious as a rat in a ditch. You were lucky, Senior Brother Lin might have seen some talent in you and given you a leg up, but you really think you're half the master of Heavenly Medicine Mountain?"

Su Hao sighed, seeing through some of Zhao Bai Jiang's intentions.

It couldn't be about brotherly affection.

It was most likely about taking advantage of the situation.

And Lin Zhi Shan had already turned into a pile of rotten bones in the incinerator.

"Elder Zhao, don't be so hasty. You're right, you're right. Then please, follow me. I'll take you to Master. You all, don't join the fun. Just stay in the courtyard obediently!"

Su Hao suddenly chuckled.

The four servants exchanged glances and obediently complied. They were not cultivators and had no right to challenge Su Hao.

Zhao Bai Jiang hesitated. What was this kid planning?

He stared at Su Hao's retreating back and slowly followed. After passing through the small garden in the courtyard, he produced a short, tube-like metal object from his sleeve. "Su Hao, Senior Brother Lin really did get into a fight with Liu Mei, right? Why did they fight?"

They arrived in front of a detached pavilion in the backyard.

Su Hao stopped. "Elder Zhao, if Master is dead, what should we do? Will the Outer Sect deacons be alerted?"

"Dead?!" Zhao Bai Jiang's voice sharpened. "He's dead? Liu Mei killed him?! This... that makes sense. I knew it, someone like that slut Liu Mei, so good at playing people, so many rushing to give her pills and magic artifacts, she has more advantages than Lin Zhi Shan!"

He couldn't suppress the smile on his lips. "So that's why you've been acting so strange, kid. It turns out Senior Brother Lin is in trouble. You lied earlier about him being in seclusion because you wanted to claim his inheritance as a disciple? Where is his body?"

"Elder Zhao, you haven't answered me yet?

If some people in the Outer Sect have Master's Life Token, they'll know about Master's death. Heavenly Medicine Mountain won't be ours to covet then."

Su Hao turned around to face Zhao Bai Jiang.

Before he could finish speaking.

"Then you're overthinking it.

Unless forced, any cultivator with some seniority and status will find ways to avoid placing something containing a wisp of their soul and essence blood in someone else's hands.

If it falls into the hands of cultivators skilled in witchcraft, wouldn't their life and death be controlled by others?

At least most cultivators in the Outer Sect, including Lin Zhi Shan, wouldn't have the right to have the Sect forcibly control their Life Token. Outer Sect Life Tokens are usually held by disciples, masters, servants, or family members."

Zhao Bai Jiang grinned sinisterly, and as he explained, he raised his hand.

Hidden in his hand was a barely visible iron tube with no spiritual energy fluctuations!

The moment spiritual energy touched the iron tube, a black needle as fine as a cow's hair was silently ejected.

The black light flashed and disappeared, piercing Su Hao's brow in an instant.

Clang

The black needle struck a very thin layer of crimson protective spiritual energy. The needle broke into several pieces and fell to the ground.

"Soul Extinguishing Needle for 100 spirit stones?"

Su Hao retracted his spiritual energy, glancing at the broken needle on the ground. These things were called magic artifacts, but they couldn't be used as conventional weapons; the material was too fragile! "Elder Zhao, you really went to the trouble of using this thing on me."

Zhao Bai Jiang was dumbfounded, completely unprepared for Su Hao's defenses. How could a novice who had only cultivated for a little over ten days have such strong defenses, and even know about the Soul Extinguishing Needle?

"However, what you just said puts my mind at ease. I was worried sick earlier about deacons coming to Heavenly Medicine Mountain. Telling too many lies can easily backfire.

Since no one else knows about Lin Zhi Shan's fate, I can finally rest easy for now."

Su Hao's spiritual energy erupted, and he flashed before Zhao Bai Jiang.

"You!" Zhao Bai Jiang trembled all over and took half a step back, but his head was already grabbed by a hand.

"Elder Zhao, Elder Zhao, you're merely at Qi Refining Level 4, your lifespan is at its end, and your potential is nonexistent. How dare you covet the things of Lin Zhi Shan. Can you even hold onto them?"

Su Hao sighed.

"I..." Zhao Bai Jiang pleaded with a face full of desperation, but before he could speak, The surging spiritual energy fluctuations directly broke through Zhao Bai Jiang's protective spiritual energy, his brain matter was churned to pieces, and he fell to the ground bleeding from all seven orifices.

"In a Sect like this, to live peacefully and die of old age is already fortunate. Yet you didn't cherish it."

Su Hao said regretfully.

He had initially thought Zhao Bai Jiang was one of the few good people in the Golden Light Sect, someone worth befriending, perhaps for occasional drinks and chats.

But in a Sect like this, how could there be any good people?

Those who could survive with weak cultivation and live in seclusion were merely limited by their own strength and lack of talent, forcing them to be honest and dutiful. Once an opportunity arose, their ambition would be revealed.

Su Hao let the corpse lie on the ground and walked back to the front courtyard.

"Master needs to find Elder Zhao to assist with his recovery.

He's asked me to temporarily manage all affairs on the mountain and for you to cooperate with me. Do you have any objections?"

Su Hao scanned the four servants.

The four men vaguely sensed something was wrong and exchanged glances.

"Is it that difficult?" Su Hao sent a palm strike through the air, and a ball of spiritual energy hit the stone tablet with the words 'Heavenly Medicine Residence' carved on it. The tablet shattered into more than ten pieces, scattering across the ground. "Your treatment will be doubled from the original."

"We are willing to follow the young master's orders."

The burly man with a pockmarked face in the middle immediately knelt on one knee.

The others followed suit.

Their lives had previously been controlled by Lin Zhi Shan. Now, obeying someone else wasn't a big deal. At least Su Hao was a disciple of Lin Zhi Shan, so there was no issue of betrayal.

Soon, the four presented a list of all the assets of Heavenly Medicine Mountain.