Looking at Xiao Bai's handsome face, Mu Yun inexplicably recalled what Jade Pot had said last night. It made her feel so sick...

Her face was just a little hot.

After resuming her pastoral female cultivator persona, the delicate-featured girl wore a proud expression and curled her lips.

"Do you think I'd fall for your trick again? The moment you learn it, you'll surpass me. What will I have left to eat?"

Xiao Bai realized the girl had become wise to him, so he stepped up his coaxing.

"It's not that I'm good at body techniques—it's that Senior Sister teaches well. Once I learn how to grow medicinal herbs, I can help Senior Sister tend the medicine garden. Then you can sit by the lake and fish. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

"Not wonderful. Leave."

Mu Yun simply would not buy Xiao Bai's act.

Thinking about it, Xiao Bai realized that in his previous life, he had never really seen a girl who liked fishing.

So, he switched to a higher-level tactic.

"I think Senior Sister's herb-growing techniques still have flaws. They're holding back the elders' pill-refining progress."

"What did you say?!"

The girl abruptly turned her head and stared at Xiao Bai. Her proud eyes sharpened, reminding Xiao Bai of the Demoness from last night, her entire body steeped in a dark aura.

With the Modifier at his side, Xiao Bai was not afraid of the Demoness at all.

"I said there's still room for improvement in your herb-growing skills."

Sure enough, the girl's gaze softened. She put down the work in her hands and asked seriously,

"Then tell me, where am I lacking?"

Xiao Bai said,

"Teach me how to farm first."

Mu Yun said,

"You don't even know how to farm. How do you know I'm lacking?"

Xiao Bai said,

"Once you teach me how to farm, I'll know."

Mu Yun said,

"How do you know something you don't yet know?"

The two fell into an egg-before-the-chicken loop of logic...

With no other choice, Xiao Bai had to raise the stakes again.

"For example, Greenhouse Cultivation, Medicinal Fruit Grafting, Genetically Modified Medicinal Herbs... If your herb-growing skills were refined enough, you wouldn't need pills at all!"

Greenhouses, grafting, genetic modification... Mu Yun was utterly lost, but Xiao Bai had gotten one thing right—

The highest realm of growing medicinal herbs was no longer needing pills, but producing pill-like effects purely by combining fresh herbs.

Long illness made a doctor of one. As the Demoness, Mu Yun ranked among the top three herb growers in the Snow Flame Sect—perhaps even first—but she was still quite a distance from that highest realm.

Especially because the more she learned, the farther away that distance seemed, so remote and unreachable that human effort could not bridge it.

That was why she spent most of her time after entering the sect farming atop the mountain, only occasionally going out to kill corrupt officials.

If Xiao Bai truly possessed absolute learning talent and could quickly surpass her, perhaps he really could help her!

With that thought, the girl stood and tucked the hair bun that had become disheveled from bending over and the mountain wind behind her ear.

Revealing a face as lovely as first love itself.

"Fine. The art of growing medicinal herbs is vast and profound. It isn't like body techniques, just a few punches and kicks. There's plenty for you to learn."

Xiao Bai had achieved Great Merit. What he wanted was exactly this effect: a vast body of knowledge that would take time to learn.

Otherwise, how could they deepen their feelings?

"Thank you, Senior Sister."

And so, Xiao Bai began learning how to clear land, plant medicinal herbs, and identify wild plants under Mu Yun's guidance.

"This is Tears of Cold Flame, a Snow Flame Sect specialty. Whenever warmth and cold alternate, dew constantly forms on its leaves."

"This is Eight-Cornered Mystic Ice Grass. Don't let its name mislead you—you need to water it with warm water, repeatedly washing and stimulating it to obtain better quality."

"This is Five-Petaled Immortal Orchid..."

The girl introduced them tirelessly, as though time itself had stopped flowing.

Suddenly, Xiao Bai spotted an unusual black-and-red flowering plant.

"What's that?"

Amid the purple-and-crimson medicine patch, a medicinal plant with black leaves and red blossoms stood out starkly.

Its petals were covered in densely packed black ring-shaped patterns, eerie to behold, like enlarged pupils at the moment before death...

Mu Yun's expression darkened. She immediately crushed the flower with ruthless hands and stored it in her Medicine Pouch.

"It's poison. Master always likes tinkering with this sort of thing."

"Got it."

Xiao Bai nodded.

Got your ass. During the last Remote Sensing scan, he had already known this was clearly poison used to suppress the Demoness's demonic affliction.

Who would have thought this Demoness was first-rate at shifting blame!

Just as Mu Yun had said, the art of growing medicinal herbs was vast and profound, with far too many details to learn. Xiao Bai studied for half a day without seeing any notification for a max-level skill appear.

And the Demoness was cold by nature, with even greater self-restraint than Jade Pot. Half a day passed without their feelings warming in the slightest.

Xiao Bai could only look at the silk and sigh, following closely behind her every step.

Noon.

Three Discipline Disciples wearing the Azure Sky Robe of the Discipline Hall rode swords to Hundred Herbs Peak.

The leader was a tall, thin Discipline Disciple with a long dark face, yellow hawk-like eyes, and a sword at his waist. He was unsmiling and meticulous—the Chief Discipline Officer of the Discipline Hall—

Zhang Yufeng.

This time, upon seeing Xiao Bai, Zhang Yufeng was far more respectful. He clasped his hands and bowed.

"Martial Uncle Xiao, Junior Sister Mu Yun."

Xiao Bai raised a brow and glanced at him.

He still remembered how this man had forced him to sign an erroneous case-closing report last time, confirming Zhao Hanwu as the murderer so Xiao Bai would not continue investigating.

This showed that the Discipline Hall truly was the Dao Alliance's lackey, running before and after them with utmost loyalty.

Thinking this, Xiao Bai curled his lips and said blandly,

"I hope this time it's good news."

"It is indeed good news."

Zhang Yufeng nodded, then took out a silver invitation stamped with gold from the Dao Alliance.

"In light of the sword-dao talent Martial Uncle displayed at the Sect Tour Ceremony, the Dao Alliance invites you to serve as a Dao Inspector at the Dao Supervision Palace. We hope Martial Uncle will not find the position beneath you."

Xiao Bai was suddenly a little stunned. He needed to sort this out carefully.

A Dao Inspector was essentially a constable under the Dao Alliance, with authority above both nations and sects.

If a Dao Inspector believed you were suspicious, a single official document could have you arrested and brought to the Dao Alliance for investigation. Neither the Imperial Court nor the sect would have the right to interfere.

For example, One Sword Fox, the chief Core Disciple of Hundred Herbs Peak, had left the Snow Flame Sect years ago and taken precisely such a position with the Dao Alliance.

Dao Inspectors belonged to the Prison Department and, in theory, were directly managed by the local Dao Supervision Envoy.

But when missions were truly carried out, they were generally divided into two teams, separately managed by the Supervisor and the State Supervisor.

Xiao Bai had sworn to kill Qi Shan!

Now they wanted him to work under Qi Shan? Not a chance.

Besides, what if Qi Shan was deliberately luring him to the Dao Supervision Palace to frame him?

Xiao Bai was not the only one thinking this. Mu Yun secretly stepped on Xiao Bai's foot in the medicine garden as well.

Xiao Bai waved a hand at Zhang Yufeng.

"I'm only at Qi Refining. I'm not fit for such an important responsibility. Please ask the Sect Overseer to find someone more capable."

Zhang Yufeng's face darkened as he continued persuading him.

"The Dao Alliance will not only grant you an exceptionally high salary, but also devote resources to helping Martial Uncle advance. And you would not be required to reside at the Dao Supervision Palace. The Snow Flame Sect is only eight hundred li from Chaoge City. Even with only Qi Refining cultivation, traveling back and forth by sword would take less than two hours."

The more Zhang Yufeng spoke, the more suspicious Xiao Bai found it. He directly waved them away.

"If I said I won't do it, then I won't do it. Zhang, Enforcer of Discipline, please return."

Zhang Yufeng smiled and took an official document from his robes.

"The Dao Alliance has repeatedly ordered Martial Uncle to go to the Dao Supervision Palace for an examination to determine whether you have been possessed. Sect Master True Person was the one who blocked those orders for you. If Martial Uncle insists on refusing this invitation now—here is a One-Star Dao Alliance Order."

Xiao Bai understood the significance of a One-Star Dao Alliance Order...

It seemed the Dao Alliance was the one harboring sinister intentions!

Still, if he could pass this trial and take the chance to infiltrate the Dao Alliance, he could walk a path to ascension that appeared to slay demons and vanquish devils.

He accepted the official document and coldly saw them off.

"I'll consider it."