The Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower Seed

Jiang Hao, of Heartbreak Cliff.

Hong Yuye's gaze lingered on the name a moment longer. Then she closed the list and said:

"No one particularly outstanding."

"Most are outer disciples. Among the Inner Sect Disciples, there are only a handful of traitors and suspects."

"None hold high positions. The other True Disciples, stewards, and elders require further investigation. We'll need more time," Bai Zhi hurriedly said.

Not finding a single important figure among the traitors left her both relieved and worried.

Logically, since even the sect master had begun to harbor suspicions, things should not have been so clean.

Yet she simply could not uncover anything in such a short time.

"Some people cannot be uncovered through investigation. Without sufficient temptation, they will remain hidden indefinitely." Hong Yuye's voice was level. She opened the list again and looked at Jiang Hao's name at the bottom, asking as if in passing:

"What is the background of Jiang Hao of Heartbreak Cliff?"

"His background is actually quite clean. He was sold to the sect as a child, and his aptitude is above average.

"It's just that he recently happened to become involved with a traitor from the Heavenly Joy Pavilion.

"His advancement has also been somewhat strange.

"Despite his above-average aptitude, his cultivation soared after an outing a few years ago. He claimed to have eaten a strange fruit and encountered a stroke of fortune.

"Then, not long ago, he broke through to Foundation Establishment outright.

"Normally, none of this would amount to much, except that a traitor died at his hands.

"There is a chance that the Heavenly Joy Pavilion disciple turned him, then willingly died at his hands," Bai Zhi answered earnestly.

"What about his usual conduct?" Hong Yuye asked expressionlessly.

"He doesn't make enemies and has a mild temperament. He never even speaks harshly to ordinary people. He doesn't seem at all like... ahem, he seems somewhat out of place in the sect." Bai Zhi had intended to say that he did not seem like someone from the Demonic Sect, but she felt that would offend the sect master and changed her wording at the last moment.

After she finished, Hong Yuye remained silent, not a trace of emotion showing in her eyes or expression.

After waiting a moment, Bai Zhi could only speak again:

"The person Jiang Hao killed belonged to the Heavenly Joy Pavilion and was naturally seductive. She very likely used that to turn him.

"Although there is no evidence, he is highly suspect."

At that, Hong Yuye suddenly said:

"Then test him. While you're at it, use him to test those still lurking in the shadows."

"I don't understand what you mean, Sect Master." Bai Zhi lowered her head, slightly puzzled.

A moment later, she sensed a faint light entering her field of vision.

When she looked up, she saw a seed fall before her. Half black and half white, it looked rather ordinary once its glow faded and was the size of a quail's egg.

After examining it for a moment, Bai Zhi's expression changed drastically:

"This is..."

Before she could finish, Hong Yuye spoke with a teasing laugh:

"Many people came for this very thing. Give it to that person from Heartbreak Cliff and have him cultivate it carefully. Before long, everyone hiding in the shadows will rise to the surface."

"Then... what if he runs away with it?" Bai Zhi's eyes were filled with alarm.

"Wouldn't that be your concern?" Hong Yuye turned to look at Bai Zhi, her face expressionless.

Faced with that gaze, Bai Zhi felt fear well up inside her and dared not ask anything more:

"I'll see to it immediately."

Once Bai Zhi left Hundred Flowers Lake, her fear and timidity vanished, replaced by confidence, nobility, and strength.

As she walked through the mountain forest, protectors and elders alike lowered their heads and saluted her whenever they encountered her, treating her with reverence.

It was not merely because she managed the sect in the sect master's stead, but also because of her own formidable strength.

Yet at that moment, she was quite bewildered.

Looking at the seed in her hand only deepened her confusion.

"A Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower seed. Is it worth using something like this to test an Inner Sect Disciple and draw out the other traitors?"

It certainly was not. The sect master must have had a deeper purpose behind this arrangement.

"Is it because there's something wrong with this person, or because someone extraordinary is hiding among the traitors?"

With a sigh, Bai Zhi stopped dwelling on it.

The sect master's emergence from seclusion this time had been unusual to begin with. She had suddenly asked about traitors.

Now she had even produced a Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower seed.

Something momentous must have happened.

"The Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower... supposedly, it's the source of the sect master's strength." Looking at the seed in her hand, Bai Zhi would have been lying if she said she was not tempted.

If she could obtain this seed, perhaps she could soar into the heavens in a single bound someday.

At that thought, Bai Zhi suddenly shuddered, cold sweat pouring down her body.

Only then did she realize that the first person the sect master intended to test by producing the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower seed was her.

In the end, she wanted to hand the seed over as quickly as possible. If she entertained any untoward thoughts, she might fall beyond redemption.

But finding a reasonable way to give the seed to an ordinary Inner Sect Disciple would be somewhat troublesome.

[Strength +1]

[Spirit +1]

[Cultivation +1]

[Vitality +1]

[Spirit Sword +1]

Jiang Hao walked through the Spirit Medicine Garden as the bubbles around him drifted toward him one by one. There were a few more blue ones than before.

"Not a bad haul today. Too bad I can't pick up spirit stones."

Bearing a debt of a thousand was no easy burden.

Although he had quite a few cheap spirit swords and pills, he could only sell a small number. Selling too many would look suspicious.

If he could pick up some good pills, that would solve the problem too.

So far, however, he had not seen any particularly good pills.

"Right now, I only have a hundred and sixty-eight spirit stones. Selling a few spirit swords and pills would barely bring that to two hundred. I'd still be eight hundred short."

"Looks like I'll have to take on some sect missions."

At noon.

After finishing his work in the Spirit Medicine Garden, Jiang Hao went straight to the foot of Law Enforcement Peak, where the sect issued missions.

"Oh, Junior Brother Jiang! It's been a long time since you came here. It's rare to see you leave the Spirit Medicine Garden." A sudden laugh rang out behind Jiang Hao.

He turned to see a man with rather refined features.

The man walked beside another man and a woman. He was young, but his cultivation was not weak.