Chapter 4

Evening.

Jiang Hao's figure moved in and out of the Spirit Medicine Garden, only leaving after confirming there were no issues.

Normally, he would participate in the processing of the spirit medicines; otherwise, there would be few bubbles to collect the next day.

When he didn't enter the Spirit Medicine Garden, he relied on luck to pick up bubbles.

This was why it took him several years to accumulate a hundred bubbles of qi and blood and cultivation.

He only occasionally touched upon mystic arts after becoming an inner disciple.

It seemed the better the spirit medicine he encountered, the easier it was to pick up good bubbles.

Returning to his residence, Jiang Hao carefully observed to ensure no one else was around, then entered the training room to begin his cultivation.

Sister Yun Ruo's appearance today gave him a sense of inexplicable crisis.

It was always better to be cautious.

Sitting cross-legged, Jiang Hao activated his qi and blood and cultivation simultaneously.

When he first entered the sect, he tested his talent, which was above average. With normal cultivation, he had a good chance of reaching the Foundation Establishment stage by his thirties or forties.

Now, at twenty, he was quite early, and there would likely be some bottlenecks. Cultivating both qi and blood and cultivation together would help him break through more easily.

After a short while.

Jiang Hao's face showed signs of pain as his qi and blood churned and spiritual energy surged within his body.

The Heavenly Sound Hundred Transformations was running wildly, absorbing qi and blood and spiritual energy.

Crack!

The sound of transformation echoed within Jiang Hao's body, as his flesh and bones underwent a thousand trials and tribulations.

Endure and he would successfully establish his foundation.

Crack!

The transformation lasted for a long time. By dawn, the sound disappeared, and his qi and blood began to calm down. The spiritual energy flowed through his meridians, returning to normal.

Everything was accomplished smoothly.

After another cycle, Jiang Hao opened his eyes. He could feel a new power surging within his body.

Looking at his hands, he murmured to himself,

"I've established my foundation. Everything went relatively smoothly, making me much safer now."

Taking a deep breath, he looked at the system panel, which had undergone new changes after he established his foundation.

[Name: Jiang Hao]

[Age: Nineteen]

[Cultivation: Early Foundation Establishment]

[Cultivation Technique: Heavenly Sound Hundred Transformations]

[Mystic Art: Nine Transformations Substitute Death (Unique) Daily Appraisal (Learnable)]

[Qi and Blood: 36/100 (Cultivable)]

[Cultivation: 41/100 (Cultivable)]

[Mystic Art: 1/3 (Unobtainable)]

"Daily Appraisal can now be cultivated, but there's no reward?"

Initially, he thought he would receive a cultivation technique after establishing his foundation, given that he had the mystic art Nine Transformations Substitute Death.

Although the Heavenly Sound Hundred Transformations was powerful, it had a limited path. He needed a powerful cultivation technique.

"Forget it. I'll learn Daily Appraisal before going to the Spirit Medicine Garden and think about the cultivation technique later."

It took half an hour for Jiang Hao to master Daily Appraisal, but he still wasn't clear about its specific uses.

Out of curiosity, he left his residence and appraised the wooden house.

He quickly received the results.

[Jiang Hao's Small Wooden House: Built three years ago, made of Green Forest Wood, sturdy and wear-resistant, personally built by Jiang Hao. It looks solid, but there are many hidden structural issues, and it could collapse at any time.]

Jiang Hao: "......"

So this was the appraisal information.

After understanding its use, he stepped towards the Spirit Medicine Garden.

Picking up bubbles and helping with the maintenance.

"I should find time to learn construction and then renovate the wooden house."

Spirit Medicine Garden.

[Strength +1]

[Spirit +1]

[Cultivation +1]

[Ordinary Spirit Sword +1]

Jiang Hao walked into the pavilion, absorbing the surrounding bubbles. This was the most pleasant time of the day for him.

After resting for a while, he began helping with the maintenance.

Most of the people maintaining the medicine garden were ordinary people.

In the past, these ordinary people feared the inner disciples who guarded the garden, as any slight mistake could lead to death.

Since Jiang Hao took over, there was no longer such danger.

Because of this, others found Jiang Hao to be more upright.

This wasn't a good reputation in a demonic sect, but he wouldn't randomly kill ordinary people.

Fortunately, it didn't bring any worse consequences.

Jiang Hao didn't tell anyone about his Foundation Establishment.

Three days later.

He encountered Sister Yun Ruo again, and only then did people realize he had established his foundation.

Fortunately, it didn't cause any trouble.

In the following days, Sister Yun Ruo often came to see him, just chatting about everyday matters.

Occasionally, she would talk about how many things in the demonic path were beyond one's control, and how she wanted to be a good person when she was young.

As her visits became more frequent, Jiang Hao's sense of crisis grew larger.

During this period, he extracted all his qi and blood and cultivation to consolidate his foundation.

One month later.

Jiang Hao left his residence. The sky was clear, but it didn't feel warm.

"Sister Yun Ruo hasn't come to see me these past few days. I wonder if it means everything is fine or if it's a sign of trouble."

After thinking for a moment, he stepped towards the library.

In this month, he discovered something very serious.

Sister Yun Ruo was from the Heavenly Joy Pavilion, born with a seductive nature, and was a prized possession of the sect.

No matter how close she got to him, he had no reaction at all.

Not only that, but his attempts to trigger a reaction were also ineffective.

This made him very uneasy.

Although he was devoted to the path and didn't want to be swayed by romantic feelings, not wanting it and being unable to do it were two different things.

This situation started after he met that woman, and the only possibility was that something he ate was problematic.

After staying in the library for two days, Jiang Hao couldn't find an answer.

Instead, he unexpectedly saw a purple bubble.

[Mystic Art Fragment +1]

A pleasant surprise.

Another mystic art fragment, and he could obtain a new mystic art.

"Recently, it seems the sect is compiling a list of disciples. Is something happening?"

Leaving the library, Jiang Hao overheard some people talking.

They said the sect was suddenly compiling a list of disciples, as if looking for someone.

"Looking for a traitor?" Jiang Hao immediately thought of Sister Yun Ruo.

After being humiliated by that peerless beauty, he knew something was about to happen in the sect.

But he didn't expect that it might involve him.

"Sister Yun Ruo has been at the Foundation Establishment stage for many years. My chances of winning against her are low."

Jiang Hao began to consider the worst-case scenario.

He hoped he was overthinking it.