Liu Xingchen entered the main room, and Jiang Hao invited him to sit.
This time, Jiang Hao followed him inside and did not see Liu Xingchen examining the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower.
That puzzled him.
Perhaps Liu Xingchen had already confirmed its identity and did not need another look, lest he be discovered.
"Do you know why I came to see you this time?" Liu Xingchen asked first as he sat down.
"Is it still about the Heavenly Joy Pavilion?" Jiang Hao asked tentatively.
His visit this time was as different from the first as heaven was from earth. He probably wanted to win Jiang Hao over.
Of course, Jiang Hao had more or less guessed why he had come.
In all likelihood, it was about Miao Qian.
As he spoke, he poured a cup of tea and handed it over.
"Yes, but also no." Liu Xingchen accepted the cup and took a sip before continuing:
"Junior Brother, do you know Miao Qian of the Heavenly Joy Pavilion?"
"Yes. He bought my talismans yesterday and said he would give me the spirit stones today," Jiang Hao answered truthfully.
So it really was about that.
"Were you planning to ask him for them today?" Liu Xingchen set down his cup and stared at Jiang Hao.
Jiang Hao shook his head gently, then said with a hint of helplessness:
"He did it deliberately. There's no way he would give me the spirit stones. If I went again, he would just take more of my talismans and keep making me wait.
"Otherwise, he would tell me to go to the Heavenly Joy Pavilion."
"He's dead," Liu Xingchen said bluntly.
Sitting beside him, Jiang Hao frowned slightly and remained silent for a while.
Liu Xingchen sipped his tea without saying anything more.
A short while passed.
Jiang Hao broke the silence:
"They think I did it?"
"Yes." Liu Xingchen nodded almost imperceptibly and continued:
"After looking into it, I went to the market. I did indeed hear that he had a grudge against you.
"But with your strength, you couldn't possibly have been his match, especially since the killer left quite a few things behind.
"By all rights, you shouldn't be able to afford such extravagance."
"What did he leave behind?" Jiang Hao asked deliberately.
"A pile of Spirit Swords. But the method bore some resemblance to yours.
"A single strike through the neck, too." Liu Xingchen seemed casual, but he had been watching Jiang Hao's reactions all along.
So far, though, he had seen nothing.
After another stretch of silence, Jiang Hao once again broke the quiet:
"Was someone framing me?"
"It's hard to say. But without evidence, the Heavenly Joy Pavilion can't do anything to you. Of course, that also means something else." Liu Xingchen's expression grew serious. He raised his brows and fixed his gaze on Jiang Hao.
"Without evidence, if you died, your death would go unanswered too."
At those words, Jiang Hao broke out in a cold sweat.
If he could kill someone, others could kill him as well.
For a moment, he felt that remaining here was dangerous in the extreme.
"Don't worry too much." Seeing the slight change in Jiang Hao's expression, Liu Xingchen continued:
"Although we're called a Demonic Sect, our discipline isn't lax.
"Killing fellow disciples is forbidden, unless someone can do it like last night's killer and leave nothing for anyone to uncover.
"That shouldn't happen, as a rule. So far, there hasn't been a murderer in the sect that the Law Enforcement Hall couldn't track down."
Jiang Hao relaxed at those words, though he also felt fortunate. It was the Primordial Chaos Purple Qi that had concealed his traces.
Without it, he would not have dared to act.
He had heard that the Law Enforcement Hall possessed all sorts of formidable magical treasures.
"I've heard the punishment for killing fellow disciples is severe," Jiang Hao said.
"You're sent into the Heavenless Tower." Even speaking of it left Liu Xingchen a little shaken:
"The Heavenless Tower is the sect's cruelest punishment. Once you enter, the tower absorbs your cultivation. Anyone who makes it out alive will have dropped by at least one major realm.
"If you aren't afraid of that, then you certainly can kill someone.
"You might not understand what that means. Put it this way: a Golden Core cultivator could go in and come out weaker than you. Tell me, how is that any different from being dead?
"Their position falls, their benefits shrink, and their enemies torment them within the sect. If they leave, they might be killed in an instant.
"If someone ordered the killing, the person who gave the order has to go in too."
"What if they're at Qi Refining?" Jiang Hao asked.
If someone at Qi Refining went in and came out still at Qi Refining, wouldn't they be fine?
"Everything is confiscated, and they're thrown into the Mining Grounds to mine. Whether they live or die is their own affair," Liu Xingchen said casually.
"Do the Mining Grounds police people killing one another?"
"No."
Jiang Hao nodded. He had known a little about this before, but not the specifics.
As things stood, he was safer within the sect. Going outside really would mean certain death.
Here, anyone who wanted to act had to think twice.
But since he had already killed someone himself, he kept feeling that others might strike on a moonless, windswept night too.
"As long as you're careful, Junior Brother, your life shouldn't be in much danger within the sect.
"You're a suspect, so I've put your name on our current watchlist.
"If anything happens to you, the Law Enforcement Hall will uncover the truth at any cost.
"No matter who it is, they'll face a lethal punishment. After all, they would be interfering with our sect's enforcement of its laws." Liu Xingchen lifted his teacup as he reassured him.
"Thank you, Senior Brother," Jiang Hao said gratefully.
He had been put on the Law Enforcement Hall's watchlist, yet he had to thank them for it. What a strange feeling.
"You're too polite, Junior Brother. If Yun Ruo's death hadn't caused such a stir, you wouldn't have been put in danger.
"Speaking of which, the deadline is approaching for the compensation the Heavenly Joy Pavilion demanded," Liu Xingchen kindly reminded him.
"That shouldn't be a problem," Jiang Hao said quickly.
"Good. When the time comes, if you trust me, you can come straight to the Law Enforcement Hall and find me. I'll pass it on to the Heavenly Joy Pavilion for you," Liu Xingchen said with a smile.
After chatting a little more, Jiang Hao learned that the reason he had not been subjected to excessive harassment lately was that Heartbreak Cliff carried considerable clout.
That person from the Heavenly Joy Pavilion was furious, but did not want to fall out with Heartbreak Cliff.
He could only wait for an opportunity to act with proper justification.
As he saw Liu Xingchen out, Jiang Hao asked a question that had been weighing on him:
"If someone attacks me, and it turns out they're a rare genius, would the punishment still be the same?"
Geniuses usually enjoyed exemptions.
At his question, Liu Xingchen smiled, then said with a hint of admiration:
"That depends on whether you die, Junior Brother. If you do, then we have to talk about our Sect Leader. Apparently, something like this happened before, and this was her answer: 'However gifted they are, can they be more gifted than me? Interfering with the sect's enforcement of its laws is the same as shaking its foundations. Kill them.'"
After Liu Xingchen left, Jiang Hao marveled at how arrogant the Sect Leader was.
At the same time, he worried that his own killing would be discovered.
Hundred Flowers Lake.
Hong Yuye's brows were slightly furrowed. Beside her, Bai Zhi was too frightened to even breathe loudly.
"Tell me what you've learned lately," Hong Yuye said expressionlessly.
Before you continue