At Hundred Flowers Lake, the sunlight was gentle and the breeze blew softly.
Petals fell onto the lake, sending ripples across its surface.
Dressed in red, Hong Yuye sat upright in the pavilion. She reached up to smooth the hair in front of her, waiting for Bai Zhi's answer.
Facing the sect master, Bai Zhi felt fearful and dared not be negligent.
"The Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower has taken root and sprouted. During this time, Jiang Hao of Heartbreak Cliff has shown no unusual behavior. He has gone about his days as usual.
"Some people have started approaching him, but they all have legitimate reasons, and none have set their sights on the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower," Bai Zhi reported truthfully.
"So you've found nothing?" Hong Yuye asked calmly, looking at Bai Zhi.
"I have failed in my duties." Bai Zhi knelt in fear.
"Don't keep your eyes fixed on one place. Look elsewhere, then look outside." Hong Yuye turned her gaze toward the lake and continued:
"Sometimes, those farthest away have the greatest influence."
"Do you mean they're waiting to coordinate an attack from within and without? Or are they waiting for reinforcements?
"Then Jiang Hao is still a suspect." Understanding dawned on Bai Zhi.
She had been so focused on the sect master's instructions that her perspective had narrowed.
Only she knew that the sect master had suddenly emerged from seclusion, and that put her under immense pressure.
The sect master's decision to bring out the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower, in particular, meant something major must be happening, making her all the more fearful and uneasy.
If she kept making mistakes like this, she would be in danger.
"That is your concern. But merit must be rewarded." Hong Yuye extended her hand and conjured a translucent, silvery-white box with a piece of Protective Armor floating inside.
The silvery-white box descended before Bai Zhi.
"Go." Hong Yuye dismissed her.
"Yes." Bai Zhi rose and took her leave.
She examined the Protective Armor. It was meant for someone at foundation establishment.
Thus, the person who had earned this reward should be Jiang Hao, who was tending the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower.
Although it remained uncertain whether he was a traitor.
Until there was evidence, however, he was still a proper inner sect disciple.
Successfully growing the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower was indeed a meritorious deed.
What concerned her, though, was whether she should mention the sect master when the time came.
That night.
Jiang Hao looked at the fitted soft armor he wore and found it exceptionally comfortable.
This was the reward he had received when he was summoned to White Moon Lake that day.
According to Elder Bai Zhi, someone had personally bestowed it upon him after seeing how well he had grown the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower.
"Someone?" Jiang Hao considered it from several angles before realization struck him:
Elder Bai Zhi is the acting sect master of the Heavenly Sound Sect, below one and above ten thousand. Could this 'someone' be the sect master who has never shown herself?
That makes sense. Something like the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower could plausibly belong to the sect master.
Then if that woman takes the flower away, wouldn't that mean I've offended the sect master?
At this thought, Jiang Hao shook his head. The sect master was only a guess. Perhaps Elder Bai Zhi wanted to give him that impression.
In any case, he could not afford to offend anyone at present.
He could only keep buying time, and he could not deliberately hinder the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower's growth.
As for this protective soft armor, he had just appraised it.
The result surprised him. It was the finest magical treasure he had encountered in all his time cultivating.
Not a single magical treasure obtained from the bubbles could compare.
[One piece of the Nine Heavens Battle Armor set: Protective Armor. It possesses powerful defensive capabilities and can independently defend against most attacks below the golden core realm. The more pieces of battle armor gathered, the stronger its defense.]
It was even part of a set.
With this battle armor, he would be much safer.
Over the next few days, Jiang Hao devoted himself to making talismans so he could keep earning spirit stones.
Everything went fairly smoothly.
Killing Miao Qian had been a close call without lasting danger, but Liu Xingchen had warned him not to get into any more unnecessary conflicts with people from the Heavenly Joy Pavilion. If another person died, trouble would come even if there had been none before.
Jiang Hao kept that in mind and was even more cautious when selling talismans.
Seven days later, he had saved up a thousand spirit stones.
To avoid a long night breeding more dreams, he sought out Liu Xingchen.
To put him at ease, Liu Xingchen began registering the payment right in front of him, entering it into the records.
This would prevent unnecessary misunderstandings.
However, Liu Xingchen did not hand the spirit stones to the Heavenly Joy Pavilion immediately. Instead, he submitted them on the final day.
That same day, he sought out Jiang Hao and gave him the Heavenly Joy Pavilion's compensation slip, telling him to destroy it.
After that, he no longer needed to worry about the compensation, and that person from the Heavenly Joy Pavilion would have no reason to make things difficult for him again.
At least, not openly.
Jiang Hao could not help letting out a sigh of relief.
He could tell that Liu Xingchen was trying to draw him over to his side, which would surely bring him trouble later.
But right now, he truly needed the man's help.
To be on the safe side.
He used his divine ability on Liu Xingchen again to see whether he had any other motives.
[Liu Xingchen: a true disciple of the Haotian Sect, born with dragon baleful aura, with a perfected golden core cultivation base. Out of boredom, he went undercover in the Heavenly Sound Sect's Law Enforcement Hall. He is befriending you to get closer to the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower, enjoy a good show along the way, and also find out whether you killed Miao Qian.]
Perfected golden core?
Jiang Hao noticed the change in cultivation immediately, and it shocked him. Last time, Liu Xingchen had only been at the golden core late stage.
That was far too fast.
Still, judging by what he saw now, Liu Xingchen was not particularly dangerous.
That was a relief.
Although he remained under suspicion, he only needed to handle things carefully.
"By the way, a reminder, junior brother: the Inner Sect Disciple Task Assignment will begin soon.
"You may be included this time, so you had best be careful.
"But your name is still listed with our Law Enforcement Hall, so you still cannot leave the sect.
"That means you won't be assigned any tasks outside. For the others, you'll have to rely on yourself. There are still a few months left, so you have plenty of time to prepare, junior brother," Liu Xingchen reminded him kindly.
Hearing this, Jiang Hao sighed and decided to check the current state of his accumulated cultivation so he could face whatever changes came next.
Before you continue