At Baihua Lake, the sunlight was warm, and a gentle breeze drifted through. Petals fell onto the lake, creating ripples that spread outward.

Dressed in red, Hong Yuye sat upright in a pavilion. She casually brushed a strand of hair from her face while waiting for Baizhi to speak.

In the presence of the sect leader, Baizhi felt an overwhelming sense of reverence and dared not delay.

"The Tianxiang Dao Flower has already taken root and sprouted. During this time, Jiang Hao from Duanqing Cliff has exhibited no unusual behavior, acting just as he normally would.

Some individuals have begun to approach him, but all have legitimate reasons. No one seems to be targeting the Tianxiang Dao Flower," Baizhi reported truthfully.

"So, there’s nothing to report?" Hong Yuye’s gaze turned toward Baizhi, her tone calm.

"I’ve failed in my duties," Baizhi knelt, trembling with fear.

"Don’t fixate on a single place. Look elsewhere and beyond," Hong Yuye said as she gazed out at the lake, her voice steady. "Sometimes, the greatest influence comes from the farthest distance."

"Are you suggesting they’re waiting for internal collaboration or reinforcements? If so, then Jiang Hao is still a suspect," Baizhi realized, her perspective suddenly broader.

She had been overly focused on the task given by the sect leader, blinding her to the bigger picture. Hong Yuye’s unexpected emergence from seclusion only added to Baizhi’s pressure.

Particularly since the appearance of the Tianxiang Dao Flower suggested that something significant was happening. This realization left Baizhi anxious.

"If I keep making mistakes like this, I could be in danger," Baizhi thought.

"That’s your responsibility. Still, merits must be rewarded," Hong Yuye said, extending her hand. A silver-white transparent box materialized, with a floating piece of armor inside.

The box landed gently in front of Baizhi.

"Go," Hong Yuye dismissed her.

"Understood," Baizhi rose and departed.

After inspecting the armor, she noted it was designed for Foundation Establishment cultivators. This indicated that the recipient of the reward was likely Jiang Hao, who had cultivated the Tianxiang Dao Flower.

Even though he remained a suspect, without evidence, he was still a proper inner disciple. Cultivating the Tianxiang Dao Flower was a genuine merit.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

However, Baizhi pondered whether to mention the sect leader’s involvement when the time came.

That evening, Jiang Hao examined the close-fitting soft armor now draped on him. It felt remarkably comfortable.

This armor was his reward, delivered at Baiyue Lake by Elder Baizhi herself. According to her, someone had been impressed with his cultivation of the Tianxiang Dao Flower and personally arranged the gift.

"Someone?" Jiang Hao thought, pondering deeply.

"Could Elder Baizhi, the acting leader of Tianyin Sect, mean the sect leader who has never appeared before?

"It makes sense. The Tianxiang Dao Flower is significant enough to involve the sect leader.

"If the flower is taken by that woman, wouldn’t that mean I’ve offended the sect leader?"

Jiang Hao quickly dismissed the idea. Perhaps Elder Baizhi intended for him to believe this and be cautious.

In any case, he couldn’t afford to offend anyone at the moment. He needed to delay and maintain the flower’s healthy growth.

As for the armor, Jiang Hao had already appraised it and was astonished by the results. It was the finest treasure he had encountered in his cultivation journey.

[One of the Nine Heavens Battle Armors – Defensive Armor: Provides exceptional protection. Independently capable of resisting most attacks below Golden Core level. Defense increases with additional armor pieces.]

It was part of a set.

With this armor, Jiang Hao felt significantly safer.

Over the following days, Jiang Hao focused on talisman crafting to continue accumulating spirit stones. Everything proceeded smoothly.

The matter of killing Miao Qian had passed without issue. Still, Liu Xingchen had warned him to avoid unnecessary conflicts with members of the Tianhuan Pavilion. Another death would bring inevitable trouble, regardless of the circumstances.

Jiang Hao took this advice to heart and exercised extra caution when selling his talismans.

Seven days later, he successfully amassed 1,000 spirit stones. To avoid complications, he sought out Liu Xingchen.

To ease Jiang Hao’s concerns, Liu Xingchen immediately logged the payment and recorded it on the spot to prevent any misunderstandings.

However, Liu Xingchen didn’t hand the spirit stones to the Tianhuan Pavilion right away. Instead, he waited until the final day to submit them.

On that day, he approached Jiang Hao and handed him a copy of the Tianhuan Pavilion’s compensation record, instructing him to destroy it.

"With this matter resolved, the Tianhuan Pavilion has no further reason to trouble you, at least not openly," Liu Xingchen reassured him.

Jiang Hao felt a wave of relief.

He sensed that Liu Xingchen was trying to win him over, though it would likely lead to future complications. For now, however, he needed Liu Xingchen’s assistance for his own safety.

To be cautious, Jiang Hao used his divine abilities to reassess Liu Xingchen’s intentions.

[Liu Xingchen: A true disciple of Haotian Sect, naturally imbued with Dragon Fiend Qi. A Golden Core cultivator at the perfected stage. Currently posing as a member of Tianyin Sect’s Law Enforcement Hall. Befriending you to approach the Tianxiang Dao Flower and uncover whether you were responsible for Miao Qian’s death.]

"Golden Core perfection?" Jiang Hao was taken aback. The last time he checked, Liu Xingchen was only at the late stage of the Golden Core realm. His progress was astonishing.

Still, Liu Xingchen didn’t seem particularly dangerous.

Fortunately, while Jiang Hao remained a suspect, careful navigation should suffice.

"By the way, a reminder," Liu Xingchen said. "The distribution of inner disciple tasks is approaching. It’s possible you’ll be included, so stay vigilant.

"However, since your name is still flagged in the Law Enforcement Hall, you won’t be assigned missions outside the sect. The rest is up to you. You’ve got a few months to prepare."

Hearing this, Jiang Hao sighed and decided to evaluate his current cultivation state to better handle what lay ahead.