Jiang Hao looked at the rabbit without saying much.
He just checked the collar and didn't find any storage artifact. He didn't ask further. Instead, he began watering the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower. The Immortal Peach Tree had grown a bit in the days he was away. Growing quite fast.
"I'll buy you a collar in a month. We'll discuss other matters in a month too," Jiang Hao instructed before heading to the Spirit Herb Garden.
The rabbit pointed at the collar and said, "It's cracked a lot. Master, could you fix it for me?"
Jiang Hao glanced at the now-useless collar and said calmly, "You fix it yourself."
Then he went to the Spirit Herb Garden. Cheng Chou seemed pleased to see Jiang Hao return. Everyone else seemed relieved too.
‘Looks like they temporarily had someone watch over things when I was captured,’ Jiang Hao thought. The other senior brothers and sisters were not easy to talk to, except for Han Ming, who was more approachable as long as you showed enough respect. He wouldn’t lower himself to argue with ordinary or outer sect disciples.
"Oh, right, I've asked around, and I heard that similar things happened a few years back with the Bone Flower. An inner sect senior brother was used as leverage by the Hundred Bone Forest because of it," Cheng Chou whispered cautiously after looking around, "It happened over ten years ago too."
Jiang Hao frowned. Seems it happens every few years. The deaths of Li Kai and Ming Zuoqian couldn't put a stop to it. The real mastermind seemed to be Bai Ye. Jiang Hao sighed inwardly, not knowing who Bai Ye was.
According to Liu Xingchen, Bai Ye might have his eyes on him.
"I need to get stronger fast," Jiang Hao felt the urgency and asked Cheng Chou, "What stage are you at in Qi Refinement, Cheng Junior Brother?"
"Just reached the eighth stage," Cheng Chou said sheepishly, "Already over thirty years old. Foundation Establishment seems out of reach."
Cheng Chou was in his thirties, whereas Jiang Hao was in his twenties. Due to his status in the inner sect, Cheng Chou called him senior brother. They hadn't known each other before, so it didn’t really matter.
Han Ming, as a true disciple, would probably call Jiang Hao junior brother if not for losing to him. The status gap was quite significant.
"What techniques are you cultivating?" Jiang Hao asked.
"The Hundred Revolutions of Heavenly Sound," Cheng Chou replied honestly.
The Hundred Revolutions was a top-tier technique available to everyone in the Heavenly Sound Sect. It was said that the sect didn't originally have twelve main lines and only formed them by destroying another sect. Those who remained joined other branches, with the majority residing at the Law Enforcement Peak. Therefore, the Hundred Revolutions became a technique for all to learn.
When he had spare time, Jiang Hao would guide Cheng Chou a bit. Although his understanding of the Hundred Revolutions wasn't profound, being a Golden Core cultivator made his guidance more than sufficient for a Qi Refinement stage cultivator. Cheng Chou was overjoyed, absorbing the insights eagerly. To him, this was a rare opportunity.
A month went by without Jiang Hao being summoned back to the Law Enforcement Hall. He hadn't seen any suspicious people either, and Bai Ye was nowhere to be seen. The Hundred Bone Forest incident seemed to slowly fade away. People from the Spirit Herb Garden were also released. Even though it was significant, it caused no major uproar.
For safety reasons, Jiang Hao waited another two weeks. It had been over two months since Li Kai and Ming Zuoqian were killed. Once he was sure everything was okay, he asked the rabbit to bring back the storage artifact.
"Master, can I get a collar now?" the rabbit asked, handing Jiang Hao the storage artifact.
After confirming everything was intact and moving it, Jiang Hao asked, "Where did you hide it?"
"I raised a turtle in the river, an old one that doesn’t move much. I hid it in its shell," the rabbit said, retrieving its storage artifact.
Jiang Hao admired the rabbit's courage.
"I'll bring you a new collar tomorrow."
The assurance had the rabbit excited. It had been looking forward to a new collar for a while.
Back in his room, Jiang Hao checked the numbers on the status panel.
[Vital Qi: 67/100 (Can Cultivate)]
[Spiritual Power: 70/100 (Can Cultivate)]
“Over half. If absorbed now, there's a high chance of advancing to the Golden Core late stage.”
The conversion rate over one hundred was different. Even though he absorbed seventy points last time, he’d need about seventy more this time. If it was a hundred, eighty points might suffice. The current rate was less efficient than before.
About a hundred and thirty or forty should do it.
“It feels wasteful to wait. But the Hundred Bone Forest might be watching. Perhaps they're waiting for the attention from my ranking in the merits to die down as well.”
Jiang Hao hesitated over waiting for the merit buzz to fade, just as those against him might be.
“Guess I'll just go ahead. This past month, I've been meticulously refining my spiritual power, sensing the breakthrough on the horizon.
“No chance of failing."
That night, Jiang Hao sat cross-legged, drawing power from his Vital Qi. Aiming to break through to the late phase, he infused his body with energy right from the start.
As the Primordial Chaos Heart Scripture activated, purple qi engulfed Jiang Hao, swirling like a vortex around him.
He felt the immense power within, pushing against the door to the late Golden Core stage. But it met resistance at the threshold.
His vitals drained steadily. Jiang Hao dared not lose focus.
By dawn, his tense brow relaxed. The purple qi gathered in his dantian like a whirlpool. As everything settled, new power began to flow outward. His surroundings were soon permeated with powerful energy.
Golden Core late stage.
Finally, Jiang Hao opened his eyes, exhaling deeply.
“That was close; nearly failed the breakthrough.”
Glancing at the panel, he was a bit startled.
[Name: Jiang Hao]
[Age: Twenty-One]
[Stage: Golden Core Late]
[Techniques: Hundred Revolutions of Heavenly Sound, Primordial Chaos Heart Scripture]
[Divine Abilities: Nine Revolutions Death Substitution (Unique), Daily Appraisal, Clear and Tranquil Heart, Hidden Spirit Manifestation]
[Vital Qi: 7/100 (Cannot Cultivate)]
[Spiritual Power: 0/100 (Cannot Cultivate)]
[Divine Abilities: 0/3 (Cannot Obtain)]
“Used up everything just to barely advance. Still need time to stabilize.”
“The conversion rate's inefficiency left me underpowered during the breakthrough.”
“Better to wait until reaching a hundred next time.”
Yet being at the Golden Core late stage was undoubtedly a delight.
Feeling the new strength, Jiang Hao thought he might be able to compete with Senior Brother Mu Qi now. Once he reached the pinnacle of the Golden Core, he’d feel less threatened by Liu Xingchen.
Over the past month, Jiang Hao had kept an eye on Liu Xingchen, who hadn’t changed. When something occurs, he didn't know.
As for the residual dragon soul, Jiang Hao didn’t understand how Liu Xingchen had attracted attention.
In the courtyard, the rabbit was waiting eagerly, ready to go out.
“You go to the Spirit Herb Garden first. I’ll be back soon,” Jiang Hao instructed.
The rabbit agreed cheerfully.
“Master, hurry and don’t get distracted on the way. Make sure to buy one fitting for me,” the rabbit said as it hopped to the Spirit Herb Garden, hoping that arriving sooner meant getting the collar faster.