The Genius Disciple

Jiang Hao understood what Liu Xingchen meant.

Sect missions mostly required traveling with others, and he could not refuse. Such an opportunity would certainly be exploited.

Once he encountered people from the Heavenly Joy Pavilion-no, he would definitely encounter them.

Then he would be in danger.

He had to advance as soon as possible to ensure his safety.

[Name: Jiang Hao]

[Age: Nineteen]

[Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Middle Stage]

[Cultivation methods: Heavenly Sound, Hundred Turns; Primordial Chaos Heart Scripture]

[Divine abilities: Nine-Turn Substitute Death (Unique), Daily Appraisal, Clear Mind, Pure Heart]

[Vitality: 49/100 (Can cultivate)]

[Cultivation: 50/100 (Can cultivate)]

[Divine abilities: 0/3 (Cannot obtain)]

Only halfway there. I still need quite a bit of time before I can advance.

I need to find a way to grow more spirit herb seeds. That makes it easier to get blue bubbles.

With a Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower, he had been accumulating cultivation faster than ever before.

Although the danger had also shot straight up, he had gained plenty of good things. It was well worth it.

The Primordial Chaos Heart Scripture, a concealment technique, the Nine Heavens Set, and daily blue bubbles.

He was practically feeding from three tables, though he could easily end up dying without a place to be buried.

After all, he would have to offend either Elder Bai Zhi or that woman.

"By the way, Senior Brother, do you know when the mission will be assigned?" Jiang Hao asked tentatively.

"I'm not supposed to say, but you really have been treated unfairly, Junior Brother." After hesitating for a moment, Liu Xingchen said:

"Three months at most, two months at least."

Then he added:

"There are actually two ways to escape this predicament. The first is to avoid the Heavenly Joy Pavilion. Given enough time, things should be fine. If you can help that person find another charm physique, there will be even less to worry about.

"The second is to demonstrate your value, so your master will protect you at any cost. That person from the Heavenly Joy Pavilion will weigh the gains and losses, and ultimately turn a major matter into a minor one, then let the minor matter vanish altogether.

"But the second is too difficult. I heard Heartbreak Cliff recently accepted a disciple with exceptional talent. Do you know about that, Junior Brother?"

Jiang Hao shook his head. He knew nothing about it.

But neither path was easy.

For now, he could only choose the first. The second was unlikely; he did not dare display that kind of value.

Besides, proving such value would take time.

And time was precisely what he lacked.

As for Heartbreak Cliff accepting an exceptionally talented disciple, he did not particularly care. After all, there was no grudge between them.

He just had to go about his work as usual.

Afterward, he asked about the cultivation of whoever would lead the group. Liu Xingchen told him that, barring any surprises, it would be someone at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage. If something unexpected happened, it would be someone at Foundation Establishment Perfection.

Jiang Hao lowered his head and fell silent for a while. He could still catch up to the Foundation Establishment Late Stage fairly soon, but Foundation Establishment Perfection was beyond his reach for now.

He could only find a way as quickly as possible.

After exchanging a few more words, Liu Xingchen left. Before leaving, he told Jiang Hao that the day that person from the Heavenly Joy Pavilion stopped holding this against him would be the day he was cleared of suspicion of being a traitor.

Watching him leave, Jiang Hao could not help feeling that Liu Xingchen treated him far too well.

The appearance of the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower had improved his situation considerably.

Because he had offended the Heavenly Joy Pavilion, he did not dare get too close to his old acquaintances anymore. With a traitor, however, he had no such concerns.

They were all simply using one another.

"Two months, sixty days. One point of cultivation a day would only be enough to cultivate once.

"I need to earn some money to buy spirit herb seeds."

That was the only solution he could think of for now. But he did not have many spirit stones; even including his recent earnings, he only had a little over ninety.

Buying a few stacks of better-quality talisman materials would use up nearly all of them.

He did not know how many spirit herb seeds he could buy.

The next day.

At the entrance to the Spirit Medicine Garden.

Jiang Hao saw a young man around his age, perhaps a little younger.

He was neatly and conservatively dressed, with a trace of youthful innocence still lingering on his face.

A middle-aged man stood beside him.

The two seemed to be discussing something. The young man nodded from time to time, humbly taking in what he was told.

The middle-aged man was Jiang Hao's master, Ku Wuchang, the lord of Heartbreak Cliff.

Seeing this, Jiang Hao did not want to disturb them and intended to avoid them.

But the young man spotted him, leaving him no choice but to stride over to his master and bow in greeting.

"Greetings, Master."

At his words, Ku Wuchang turned his gaze toward Jiang Hao. He lowered his eyes as though considering something, but in the end merely said quietly:

"You've come at just the right time. Show your junior brother around the Spirit Medicine Garden.

"He only arrived recently and isn't very familiar with it."

"Yes." Jiang Hao nodded in agreement.

He managed almost everything in the Spirit Medicine Garden, so it was perfectly natural to ask him.

As for whether his master had just been thinking about the thousand spirit stones, he did not concern himself with it.

He only needed to do his best to stay alive. He asked for nothing more.

Within the Demonic Sect, not getting stabbed was already good enough.

He had to see the situation clearly.

"My surname is Jiang, and my full name is Jiang Hao. I'm helping out at the Spirit Medicine Garden for now." Once his master left, Jiang Hao introduced himself.

He knew this was the genius disciple Liu Xingchen had mentioned.

Foundation Establishment Early Stage, eighteen or nineteen years old. If he had gotten there through talent alone, that was indeed impressive.

Curious, he activated his divine ability to perform an appraisal.