At the bottom of the Broken Hearts Cliff stood Jiang Hao.
Hong Yuye's gaze lingered briefly on this name on the list before closing it and said:
"There's no one particularly outstanding here."
"Most are outer sect disciples. Among the inner sect disciples, only a few are traitors, or under suspicion. Their status isn't high; other true disciples and elder deacons will need further investigation, which takes time." Bai Zhi quickly added.
Not finding any significant figure among the traitors was both a relief and a worry for her.
Ideally, since even the Sect Master began to doubt there would be more evidence, it shouldn't be this clean.
Yet, they couldn’t find anything in a short time.
"There are some who can’t be found unless there's enough temptation. They will only keep hiding." Hong Yuye’s voice was calm as she opened the list again, her eyes falling on Jiang Hao’s name as she asked casually:
"What’s the story of Jiang Hao at Broken Hearts Cliff?"
"His background is very clean, sold to the sect at a young age, with above-average talent. He has recently been linked to a traitor from the Heavenly Joy Pavilion. His promotion is a bit strange too.
Despite his talent, he suddenly advanced after an outing a few years ago, claiming he ate a strange fruit and had a fortuitous encounter. Recently, he broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage. Normally, this wouldn’t be much, except a traitor died at his hands.
There's a possibility he was turned by Heavenly Joy Pavilion and the traitor willingly died to him," Bai Zhi answered earnestly.
"How does he act usually?" Hong Yuye asked expressionlessly.
"He doesn’t make enemies, has a gentle demeanor, and never speaks harshly to common people. He seems out of place in the sect," Bai Zhi paused, initially wanting to say he didn’t seem like someone from the Demonic Sect, but changed her wording out of respect for the Sect Master.
Hong Yuye remained silent as Bai Zhi spoke, her face devoid of any emotion.
After waiting a moment, Bai Zhi continued:
"Jiang Hao killed someone from Heavenly Joy Pavilion, who was naturally alluring, possibly using it to turn him. Although there’s no evidence, he is highly suspect."
Upon hearing this, Hong Yuye said:
"Let's test him, and while doing so, we can also flush out those still in hiding."
"I don’t understand your meaning, Sect Master," Bai Zhi lowered her head, slightly puzzled.
After a moment, she noticed a faint light entering her sight.
Looking up, she saw a seed landing in front of her, half-black and half-white, ordinary after the glow faded, the size of a quail egg.
After examining it for a moment, her expression changed drastically:
"This is..."
Before she could finish, Hong Yuye chuckled and said:
"Many people are here for this very thing. You hand it to the person at the bottom of the Broken Hearts Cliff, have him plant it carefully, and soon, those in the shadows will reveal themselves."
"What if that person runs off with it?" Bai Zhi asked, her eyes filled with shock.
"Then it becomes your problem, doesn’t it?" Hong Yuye replied, turning her gaze towards Bai Zhi without a hint of emotion.
Faced with this look, Bai Zhi felt frightened and didn’t dare question further:
"I will proceed right away."
...
Leaving the Hundred Flowers Lake, Bai Zhi's earlier fear and timidity vanished, replaced by confidence and strength.
As she moved through the mountains, both protectors and elders lowered their heads and showed respect whenever they met her.
Not only because she stood in for the Sect Master but also because of her own strength.
However, she was feeling quite puzzled.
Especially as she looked at the seed in her hand, filled with confusion.
"A seed of the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower, using something like this to test an inner sect disciple and draw out other traitors—is it worth it?"
It surely wasn't worth it. The Sect Master must have some deeper intentions in this arrangement.
"Could it be about that person, or because of a significant traitor among them?"
Sighing, Bai Zhi stopped overthinking.
The Sect Master’s emergence was unusual, suddenly inquiring about traitors.
Now gifting a seed of the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower.
Surely, something extraordinary is happening.
"The Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower... rumored to be a source of the Sect Master’s power." Gazing at the seed, Bai Zhi couldn't help but feel a twitch of desire.
Obtaining this seed might allow her to soar someday.
With this thought, Bai Zhi trembled suddenly, sweat pouring down.
She then realized that by handing her this seed, the Sect Master aimed to test her first.
Determined to deliver the seed immediately, she knew any excess thought could lead to ruin.
Nonetheless, figuring out a reasonable way to entrust the seed to a mere inner sect disciple proved to be a bit tricky.
...
...
[Strength +1]
[Mind +1]
[Cultivation +1]
[Vital Qi +1]
[Spirit Sword +1]
Jiang Hao walked within the Spirit Herb Garden as bubbles floated around him, noticeably more blue ones than before.
"Today’s harvest is not bad; too bad I can’t collect spirit stones."
Owing a debt of a thousand stones was hardly easy.
Although he possessed many cheap spirit swords and pills, selling too many at once would be suspicious.
If he could collect some good pills, it might solve the problem.
So far, he hadn't found any notable pills.
"I currently have one hundred sixty-eight spirit stones, selling some swords and pills lets me barely reach two hundred, still eight hundred short."
"Looks like I’ll need to take on some sect tasks."
By noon, after handling things in the Spirit Herb Garden, Jiang Hao headed straight to the foot of the Law Enforcement Peak, the sect's task assignment location.
"Ah, Junior Brother Jiang, long time no see here, rarely do I see you leaving the Spirit Herb Garden." A sudden voice called behind him.
Turning around, he saw a clean-looking young man.
The young man followed alongside another man and woman, not very old but already quite advanced in cultivation.