Once upon a time, the rabbit was standing on the Spirit Field, sniffing around. As I write this, I hope readers remember our domain.
Seeing Jiang Hao approach, it immediately said, "Master, this place is just like that field from last time."
Jiang Hao nodded slightly and bent down to take a closer look.
The Spirit Field was severely lacking in nutrients. If left like that, it would take one or two years to recover.
"Check the Bone Flower," he said.
With the rabbit leading the way, as it was familiar with the area, Jiang Hao followed suit, though he didn't know which Bone Flower had this problem.
Soon, he stopped in front of a white Bone Flower. Its stems, branches, and leaves were all white.
It stood like white bones.
It was a medicinal herb needed for body refining, enhancing bones.
An important Spirit Herb for a technique from the Hundred Bone Forest.
Due to inadequate Spirit Fields, cultivators would often request to plant them elsewhere.
Every year was the same, without any issues, except this time something was off.
After inspecting, he realized it was indeed this flower causing the trouble.
"Appraisal."
Quietly, Jiang Hao activated his Divine Ability.
[Mutated Bone Flower: This flower has lost all Bone Flower traits, only remaining to absorb nearby nutrients mercilessly, a work of Bai Ye meant to trouble the Spirit Herb Garden caretaker, hindering them for profit, while gaining nutrients.]
Bai Ye?
Troubling the Spirit Herb Garden, profiting from it?
Reading this, Jiang Hao felt a bit helpless.
Even hiding here, he couldn't escape these trivial matters.
But who was Bai Ye? He had never heard of such a person.
The disciples he liaised with from the Hundred Bone Forest weren’t named Bai Ye.
“How many Bone Flowers are there?” Jiang Hao inquired.
“There are five Spirit Fields, roughly five hundred plants,” replied Cheng Chou promptly.
Bone Flowers weren’t greatly valuable, but five hundred were worth a good amount of Spirit Stones.
“Notify the people from Hundred Bone Forest, let them know there’s an issue with the Bone Flowers,” Jiang Hao tried to solve the matter straightforwardly.
“Yes.” Cheng Chou hesitated not a moment.
Once Cheng Chou left, Jiang Hao went to the market.
He sold twelve out of the ten thousand Sword Talismans he had, getting three hundred Spirit Stones.
After the commotion at Azure Sky Mountain, prices had returned to normal, even declining due to excessive consumption before.
Now, Jiang Hao had six hundred Spirit Stones and wondered if it would suffice for the Bone Flower issue.
Afterwards, he visited the Spirit Herb Garden. Not finding Cheng Chou’s return, he went back to his quarters.
Should anyone need him, they could come over and inform him.
Especially making sure Cheng Chou was notified.
Yet, by the next day, Cheng Chou hadn't approached.
All night, he had been polishing his blade.
Watering the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower, he returned to the Spirit Herb Garden.
“Senior Brother Jiang...” Cheng Chou lowered his gaze, feeling guilty: “I sought out the folks from Hundred Bone Forest yesterday, but they said they’re too busy at the moment, no matter how urgent, it’ll have to wait five more days.”
Jiang Hao lowered his eyes, aware it was a deliberate delay.
“Oh, I noticed other Spirit Herb Gardens dealing with similar issues,” Cheng Chou remarked.
Jiang Hao was genuinely surprised. Were they not afraid of bringing trouble upon themselves?
Yet, reflecting on it, he too was hesitant to inform his master since that could become quite a burdensome task.
Better to suppress the issue first and see if it could be rectified somehow.
The Spirit Field wasn’t beyond recovery; it just carried a certain cost.
‘It seems Hundred Bone Forest is bullying the weak caretakers of the Spirit Herb Garden, feeling fearless.’
Jiang Hao mused quietly, then instructed Cheng Chou, “Remove the Bone Flowers, keep them away from the Spirit Field.”
“Yes, yes.” Cheng Chou nodded immediately.
Jiang Hao’s orders were absolute to him.
These shortcomings were partly his responsibility.
Since they had five days to wait, Jiang Hao wasn’t in any rush and decided just to wait patiently.
Yet, after five days, there was still no arrival.
“They said they’re still preoccupied; another five days is needed,” Cheng Chou reported with a bowed head.
“What about the other Spirit Herb Gardens?” Jiang Hao inquired curiously.
“They seem to be in a bit of a panic and haven’t transplanted their Bone Flowers,” Cheng Chou thoughtfully replied: “Perhaps worried that a problem with the Bone Flowers might require compensation.”
By now, the transplanted Bone Flowers here were almost withered.
This was somewhat their responsibility, and further disputes were inevitable.
But these were Jiang Hao’s orders, so he had no choice but to obey.
Whether it was a good or bad decision, he couldn’t discern.
Perhaps they hadn’t transplanted as they felt there was still room for negotiation... Jiang Hao felt that in the Demonic Sect, the more honest you were, the easier you were to bully.
Those people were indeed adept at bullying the weak while fearing the strong.
Would the Hundred Bone Forest dare plant Mutated Bone Flowers at White Moon Lake’s Spirit Fields?
They wouldn't dare even if given a hundred chances.
Senior Sister Zhou Chan, a regular gatekeeper, possessed top-tier talent.
Elsewhere, she would be considered a True Disciple.
It was only people like him with medium to upper talents, who weren't given much attention, that faced such bullying.
“Then let’s continue to wait,” Jiang Hao said.
With the Bone Flowers removed, there was nothing left to be anxious about.
Though they were withering fast.
In another five days, they likely wouldn't delay any longer.
Two Spirit Fields were typically the limit for caretakers, and further delays would exceed their capacity, forcing a compromise.
Resolving it outside the system wouldn’t benefit anyone involved.
Jiang Hao naturally prepared for the possibility of compensation; whether the flowers withered or not was irrelevant.
Ordinarily, typical Bone Flowers wouldn't wither so easily; these Mutated Bone Flowers were withering due to a lack of absorbed nutrients.
He tried looking but couldn’t find a way to extract those nutrients.
Jiang Hao’s calm demeanor reassured Cheng Chou considerably.
While other Spirit Herb Gardens were a flurry of activity, theirs remained undisturbed.
After instructing the rabbit to continue monitoring the Spirit Herb Garden, Jiang Hao busied himself with personal matters.
Once his tasks were done, he didn’t idly wait but inspected the area to ensure no further issues.
Reflecting on this incident, he realized he must not only guard against spies but also some troublesome fellow disciples.
Two days later, Jiang Hao planted the Immortal Peach Tree Seed near his wooden table, surrounding it with ninety-nine Spirit Stones.
Only then did he begin to water it.
“Still nine more days to go.”
In nine days, it would root and sprout, with bubbles appearing by then.
Purple-gold was unlikely, and even gold seemed difficult.
After all, before nirvana at the Ninth Revolution, it wasn’t a divine tree.
In recent days, besides selling a few Talismans, Jiang Hao mainly focused on comprehending the Seven Forms of the Heavenly Blade.
Not the third form, but reviewing the first and second forms.
Hoping to unleash greater power from these two moves. Naturally, he continued nourishing his blade during this time.
Occasionally nurturing the Crescent Moon Blade, but more often the Primordial Heaven Blade Poem.
He still hadn’t traced Bai Ye, and dared not let others investigate, for fear of inviting trouble.
After all, he knew nothing of Bai Ye’s identity.
Another three days passed.
Finally, Jiang Hao saw someone from the Hundred Bone Forest—a Senior Brother in the late Foundation Establishment stage.
His forehead was wide, appearing about thirty years old.
It was Li Kai, whom he often liaised with.
“Junior Brother Jiang, that’s quite underhanded,” Li Kai greeted Jiang Hao, with a cold tone and chilly demeanor.
The late Foundation Establishment power subtly emanated from him.
“Senior Brother Li, what do you mean by that?” Jiang Hao queried.
He didn’t counter the other’s aura.
As this was within the Spirit Herb Garden, he didn’t wish to confront or incite a dispute.
“I was merely late by a few days, and you eradicated our Bone Flowers in a fit of anger?” Li Kai accused.