After dealing with the two from the Heavenly Joy Pavilion, Jiang Hao steadied his cultivation, utilizing every bit of his power and blood qi. Now, he could dispatch them with ease.
In the last month within the demon cave, there weren't many encounters with demonic cultivators, so his vital qi and cultivation weren't significantly replenished. His greatest gain from this task was reaching the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, allowing him some temporary peace. Remaining here would quickly make him stronger. This confidence stemmed from the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower.
Gazing at the two-budded Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower, Jiang Hao sighed. This flower had brought him opportunities but also the imminent threat of crisis, though he wasn't sure when that crisis would arrive.
After long contemplation on the flower, Jiang Hao began to evaluate his own shortcomings. His defense was satisfactory with his armor, so he wasn't lacking in that area for now. However, he lacked both spells and offensive treasures. The power of Demonic Sound Slash was decent, but finding a master willing to teach him more was uncertain. He needed something better, ideally a new weapon.
Unsurprisingly, it would be a knife again, as it suited him. But getting one suitable for the Golden Core stage required spirit stones, amounts that were astronomical for him. He was still quite poor. For the time being, he needed to continue making talismans to earn money.
A week after returning from the demon cave, Liu Xingchen found him to deliver the cave's rewards—three hundred spirit stones—and also to ask about the missing Heavenly Joy Pavilion members. "Just a few questions, Junior Brother. Just answer truthfully so we can give an explanation to the Heavenly Joy Pavilion," Liu Xingchen spoke calmly.
"Please ask, Senior Brother," Jiang Hao replied evenly.
"Tell me about your experiences in the demon cave," asked Liu Xingchen casually as he stepped into the courtyard.
"Initially, I acted together with a few other senior brothers and sisters. After about a month, we decided to split up to hunt demonic cultivators more effectively. Meanwhile, I did nothing else but take down demonic cultivators," Jiang Hao explained.
Hearing this, Liu Xingchen looked at Jiang Hao and asked, "Did you see the two from the Heavenly Joy Pavilion at any point?"
Shaking his head, Jiang Hao replied, "I was always avoiding them, so I never encountered them."
"Sounds right," Liu Xingchen nodded before smiling, "We have nothing else to inquire. The Heavenly Joy Pavilion might suspect you, but without concrete evidence, they won't act recklessly. You can cultivate steadily at Broken Hearts Cliff for now, Junior Brother. Farewell."
With that, Liu Xingchen didn't linger further. Once alone, Jiang Hao used the Divine Appraisal Technique again on Liu Xingchen:
[Liu Xingchen: True Disciple of the Vast Heaven Sect, born with the fierce aura of a Dragon. Golden Core perfection. Bored and undercover in the Law Enforcement Hall of the Heavenly Sound Sect. Befriends you to get close to the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower, also to entertain himself. Suspects you may have killed the three from the Heavenly Joy Pavilion. Has a strong interest in you.]
Jiang Hao: "..."
Though Liu Xingchen's interest was inconvenient, at least he didn't seem dangerous. If Liu said Jiang Hao could cultivate safely during this time, there was likely truth in it. Jiang Hao breathed a sigh of relief, having the chance to continue accumulating cultivation and growing stronger.
A month after returning from the demon cave, Han Ming sought him out.
"Good to see you again, Senior Brother," Han Ming greeted with a smile.
"What's your business, Junior Brother?" Jiang Hao inquired, surprised by the growth in Han Ming's cultivation. Mid-stage Foundation Establishment—it seemed the benefits of heritage or valuable resources were indeed astounding.
"Have you forgotten? I mentioned wanting a spar with you last time. I’m all set," Han Ming said eagerly. "Would you prefer a private or public match?"
Jiang Hao remembered the proposal and replied, "Private." He had no hesitation in saying so, as a private spar meant little impact, and he didn't mind losing.
"When do we meet?" Han Ming asked.
"Tomorrow," Jiang Hao suggested after a brief thought, planning to consider a strategy to "lose" gracefully and also to sell the talismans he'd crafted over the past days and acquire new talisman manuals.
He had already mastered the dozen talismans from before. Nine of them were useful; the remaining three, like the Cleansing, Strength, and Pain-Relief talismans, were mostly auxiliary and not very practical.
For cleansing, spiritual energy could do the job of tidying up clothes directly. The Strength Talisman was overlooked by all but the weakest cultivators, and the Pain-Relief Talisman had only modest healing benefits with poor cost-effectiveness. After making some, he barely crafted more.
"Alright, I’ll come find you tomorrow morning. Is by the stream acceptable?" Han Ming asked.
After Jiang Hao agreed, Han Ming headed off. Afterwards, Han Ming thought, he wouldn't have to concern himself with this senior brother anymore. A mere defeated opponent wasn't worth attention.
Watching Han Ming leave somewhat dismissively, Jiang Hao wasn't bothered. After tomorrow, the junior brother would likely stop focusing on him, which was preferable for both parties.
"Are you planning to lose to him?" a cool yet melodious voice spoke from behind Jiang Hao. Turning around, he saw a woman in red standing in his courtyard, her gaze on the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower. Her side profile was stunningly beautiful.
It was her again. Jiang Hao approached and saluted, "Greetings, Senior."
Though he didn't relish these meetings, each encounter with her made him feel like a normal person. The gu poison was harmful yet had benefited him greatly; against the two from the Heavenly Joy Pavilion, his mind remained undisturbed, thanks almost entirely to the gu's influence.
"You seem quite afraid of standing out," Hong Yuye said, turning her gaze toward Jiang Hao.