Jiang Hao greeted respectfully, not daring to delay. He quickly explained, "I caught a spirit pet today and intend to keep it."
Hong Yuye glanced at the rabbit on the ground, stared for a moment, and then withdrew her gaze, asking, "Why keep it here and not at your place?"
"I worry the rabbit might accidentally eat the Senior's flowers," Jiang Hao promptly replied.
However, as soon as he finished speaking, a fierce wind arose, as if a tranquil sea had suddenly erupted with towering waves. The pressure was overwhelming and terrifying. Jiang Hao was taken aback, but the immense wave had already reached him, crashing into his chest. With a thud, he was sent flying, hitting a tree. Leaves fell rustling to the ground.
Seeing Jiang Hao's disheveled appearance, Hong Yuye reached out to grab the rabbit, her voice cold, "Though you're full of lies, your cultivation progresses quickly."
Jiang Hao stood up, staying silent, knowing well that if he displeased this woman, it would be him who suffered. Yet, he was unsure if she had seen through his cultivation level. She didn't mention it, and he dared not ask.
Suddenly, the sound of the rabbit struggling reached his ears. Looking up, he saw the woman holding the rabbit by its neck, her slender fingers threatening to squeeze the life out of it.
"Senior..." Jiang Hao hesitated to speak but before he could say much, Hong Yuye coldly asked, "Can't kill it?"
"This..." Jiang Hao found himself at a loss for words.
"Hmm?" Hong Yuye's voice was chilling.
"Alright," Jiang Hao sighed inwardly. He had no choice but to give up.
Seeing Jiang Hao finally acquiesce, Hong Yuye applied pressure with a firm squeeze. With a crack, the rabbit fell silent.
At that moment, a bead and a map slowly emerged. In a matter of seconds, they fell into Hong Yuye's hands. With a swipe of her hand, it seemed she wiped away some markings. Finally, she put them away.
With everything done, she casually tossed the rabbit to Jiang Hao, her tone indifferent, "Keep it in the courtyard."
With that, she began to stride towards the courtyard. Jiang Hao watched as she took just a step to exit the forest and another to disappear from his view. Whether she returned home or went to observe the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower was unknown.
It was broad daylight, and Jiang Hao suspected others might be watching the woman. He glanced around but found nothing unusual, then focused on the rabbit in his hand.
"With the treasures taken, does this mean the rabbit is now safe?" he pondered. Yet, without the use of his divine abilities, he could only confirm it tomorrow. The woman's perceptiveness was undeniably formidable; he couldn’t afford to provoke her at his current strength.
Sighing with relief, Jiang Hao picked up the rabbit to return to his dwelling. The rabbit had fainted, shaken or hurt, he couldn't tell.
"I feel unusually calm in her absence. When she's around, my emotions are notably turbulent," Jiang Hao reflected on the way back. "I've advanced too quickly, my mind hasn't kept pace. Only the Heaven Extinction Gu Poison helps me manage, else I'd certainly bring disaster upon myself. I must self-reflect often, preventing my strength from blinding me to reality."
After a while, he returned to the courtyard. He found the woman seated elegantly, her gaze fixed on the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower. She sat on a wooden chair with a wooden table before her, fitting well with the myriad spirit herbs around.
The table and chair weren't his, but he was unconcerned—it was none of his business.
"How do you tend to the flowers?" Hong Yuye suddenly inquired.
Jiang Hao was taken aback, momentarily wondering if his care was improper. It didn’t seem like a rebuke, more a question, so he replied immediately, "A bowl of water each day."
"Always?" she asked.
"Always," he answered.
"Is that so?" Hong Yuye fell silent for a long time. During this, Jiang Hao set the rabbit aside and waited quietly.
Minutes passed, and seeing that Hong Yuye was still deep in thought, Jiang Hao retrieved tea from within and placed it on the table, then set boundaries for the rabbit to ensure it wouldn’t run away upon waking. Finished with these tasks, he stood by Hong Yuye's side once more.
"You practiced the Seven Forms of the Heavenly Blade?" she broke the silence.
"Yes," Jiang Hao nodded.
"How many forms have you learned?" she continued.
"I’ve only mastered the first," Jiang Hao answered honestly. The first form already cost much time, and he hadn’t completely mastered it yet. The subsequent forms grew increasingly hard, even imposing cultivation restrictions. He could barely peruse them superficially for the time being.
Hong Yuye said nothing, sipping her tea with cold airs. "Next time, brew something drinkable," she remarked icily.
"What type of tea does the Senior prefer?" Jiang Hao asked. Slowly she replied, "Heavenly Blue Crimson, September Spring."
Heavenly Blue Crimson? While unfamiliar, Jiang Hao knew it was top-tier tea, priced beyond his lifetime earnings in spirit stones. He hesitated, "Senior, this…"
But caught in her icy gaze, Jiang Hao could only nod in agreement. This woman clearly wasn't kind-hearted, perhaps a female demoness indeed.
With that, Hong Yuye rose, heading outside but not before one last reminder to Jiang Hao, "Take good care of my flowers."
Watching her departure, Jiang Hao stared at the teacup, silent for a long time. If he knew the trouble it’d cause him, he wouldn’t have brought out the tea at all.
He sighed, turning to the rabbit. At least it could be properly cared for now, which was something.
But with the female demoness gone, a question gnawed at him. Was there another who, like him, possessed the Heaven Extinction Gu Poison?
Curious, he made his way to the book pavilion.