After a terrifying experience no living being wants to encounter, Jiang Hao was finally able to move. The fact that he had to lie in bed for four more days without moving after experiencing a trauma-inducing couple of days was not helping matters.
On the fifth day, he crawled out of his bed and limped his way into the washroom as quickly as he could to wash off the filth and he changed into new robes.
After coming out of the washroom, he was once again assaulted with a smell he didn't want to smell and he gritted his teeth and collected the bed sheets and the mattress. Then he went downstairs to the courtyard and burned them to make sure the world forgot something like this ever happened.
[Are you happy now?]
"Shut up, will you? Nobody told you to die from fucking poison and stuff my soul into your handicapped ass"
[....]
"Anyway, forget about this and never mention it again"
[Why would you even think I would mention such a terrifying moment again?]
"Just making sure... haaaahhhhhh"
He was going to breathe a lungful of air when he remembered that the poison was still in the air. Earlier when he appraised himself again he got an accurate answer of how he was poisoned, so therefore he knew now what herbs to take out to remove the poison from the air.
After taking the flowers of a certain herb and burning them, he utilized the powerful qi of his Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation, and with a powerful wave of his Qi-induced hand and a "whoosh," he made sure the poison in the air was carried outside with the wind.
He didn't have to worry about someone else being paralyzed as one needed to constantly inhale the poison contained in the air to be paralyzed. Only the Turtle is unlucky like that.
After calming himself down, he started to remember what he had to do to get himself out of the predicament he found himself in.
A couple of days before the turtle fell into the paralyzing poison, the law enforcement hall sent three people to declare his punishment.
Flashback
Knock Knock Knock
Turtle Hao was doing his everyday little 'close-door cultivation' and was going to go out to calm his mind when he heard someone knock on his gate.
He started wondering if he had done something wrong and started to get scared. But he knew that if he didn't open the door, the people would think that he was being arrogant and be enemies with him.
Which would lead to more troubles and his peaceful life as a cowardly rat would end. So even though he was scared and his legs were trembling he started walking slowly and opened the gate to greet whoever was outside.
He even wanted to take his storage pouch with him so he could 'gift' some spirit stones when he remembered that he only had 3 spirit stones left after he 'gifted' some spirit stones to a senior brother when they wanted to humiliate him.
As he opened the gate he saw three people, all of them stronger than him, with thick life-blood aura tinted with a faint crimson murderous aura. They stood with indifferent faces.
The turtle was about to crap his pants after seeing three strong cultivators outside his gates and his trembling legs nearly went limp.
He didn't take any guesses about who they were and directly initiated his
[Liu Xingchen:
He was born with the aura of a dragon and is blessed. Late-stage Golden Core realm.
A true disciple of the Heavenly faction that infiltrated the Heavenly Note sect. He was bored so he decided to spy on the Law Enforcement Hall.
He is currently looking for you to calm down the Heavenly Joy Pavillion anger.]
The turtle shivered when he remembered that the Heavenly Faction is one of the most powerful Immortal Sects and wondered why such a powerful true disciple would spy on the Heavenly Note sect just because he was bored.
He bowed his head deeply showing the other party that he was nothing more than an ant unworthy of their attention, but alas he was today's topic so he could not escape the troubles.
"We are from the law enforcement hall. We are here to question you about the recent murder of Yun Ruo, a junior disciple of the Heavenly Joy pavilion". Liu Xingchen said in a heavy voice, his face emotionless.
"Of course, senior brother. Please ask way". The turtle was even more terrified when he heard the indifferent voice of the law enforcement hall member but tried his best to keep his composure.
After all, the other party has not come here to enact 'justice', but to appease Heavenly Joy Pavilion's anger after all.
"Did you kill Yun Ruo?".
"Yes". The turtle nodded.
"Why did you kill her?"
"She betrayed the sect and was coercing me to betray the sect too. I didn't want to kill her, but I had to".
The turtle answered. He could have worded the answer in a better way, but he answered in the dumbest fucking way... so dumb that anyone can realize that Yun Ruo didn't attack him first, but he did.
"It is not up to a mere inner-sect disciple of the Cliff of Broken Hearts to judge her death, but up to the law enforcement hall and the Heavenly Joy Pavilion". Liu Xingchen continued.
"However, on account of the reason for the betrayal, you will only be deprived of five years of cultivation resources and will be charged a total of 1000 spirit stones that must be paid in 6 months time as compensation to the Heavenly Joy Pavilion".
The turtle at that time didn't realize that this was not a punishment but a strategic move to cover up the sect's fault for harboring a traitor.
After all, who would ask a beggar like him who stayed low-key all year round to pay a mere 1000 spirit stones when a traitor was killed? Even though there was not enough proof to prove that she was a traitor, will 1000 spirit stones be enough to compensate an extremely talented disciple who reached the Early stage Foundation Establishment before 25 years old?
"In addition to the fines, you are not to leave the sect under any circumstances until you are successfully off the watch list. You are considered to have connections with traitors as you are the last person to interact with Yun Ruo and if we find any suspicious activities, you will be deemed guilty".
The turtle felt like he had fallen into a frozen abyss when he heard that he had to pay 1000 spirit stones. He had no qualms about cooperating with the investigations but how could a talentless and a low IQ waste like him pay 1000 spirit stones within 6 months?
Upon seeing that the turtle was frozen on the spot Liu Xingchen asked if he had any more questions. The turtle could only shake his head looking helpless.
He turned around and came back inside his shack to calm his nerves and change his robes because he had peed a little earlier.
He of course started to doubt his life afterwards. He wondered if he should expose the man as a spy of the Heavenly Faction, but realized that he had no evidence to back up his claims and he had already been marked as a potential threat.
Flashback end
Now that Jiang Hao collected his thoughts he made some rough plans in his mind on how he should tackle this situation.
'So the sect decided to cover up the traitor situation with 1000 spirit stones. And it probably aligns with the intentions of the Heavenly Joy Pavillion too. After all, they are the ones mainly responsible for harboring a traitor. Hmm... an above-average waste like the Turtle definitely can't pay 1000 spirit stones within 6 months as his salary is merely 15 spirit stones a month.
Now that he is deprived of resources, that income stream is also gone. He can't take missions because he is not allowed to go out of the sect. So, after not being able to pay the fine he will be crippled and thrown into the deep mines.
Damn... this is basically saying "You have to kill yourself, or you have to die". The Turtle probably never saw the depth of what they were doing.'
First, he has to find an additional income source.
Second, he has to find a way to increase his strength fast.
Third, he should elevate his status. But, he has to do it in a way that makes people believe it is natural.
With that thought in mind, he opened his interface again with a gleeful smile and took a look at the system again. More specifically at the new system granted to 'him'. Not to the turtle.
.....
At the highest peak of the Heavenly Note sect.
Hundred Flowers Lake.
It is self-explanatory. There were hundreds of flowers in the lake, hence the name. The lake water is crystal clear with a thick spiritual misty aura on the surface. Occasionally, some Spirit Beasts appeared on the surface and caused the surface to ripple.
There was a small island in the center, the Crimson Flower Pavilion. On this pavilion was a beautiful woman dressed in red sitting at the table. She looked at her hand that held the sword to threaten that man and a trace of disgust flashed through her eyes.
A gentle breeze blew, causing the calm lake to ripple and the flowers to sway. A woman wearing a luxurious white dress landed on the pavilion. She looked at the woman dressed in red with admiration and respect.
The woman dressed in red moved her head slightly and looked over her shoulder. She was incredibly beautiful and her eyes would always remain cold in the face of everyone, but in front of the woman in red?
The woman dressed in white lowered her head in respect and fear.
"Baizhi, does no one remember the glory of Heavenly Note Sect anymore?"
The woman in red was the Sect Master of the Heavenly Note Sect, Hong Yuye.
Before she took over, the Heavenly Note Sect used to be a second-rate sect. It was only because of her that the Heavenly Note Sect had claimed the heights to become one of the topmost sects in the world.
In the very first year when she became the Sect Master of the Heavenly Note Sect, she launched a great war and subdued all the scattered forces around her. The Great War lasted for thirty years, and the earth was dyed red.
In those thirty years, the Heavenly Note Sect continued becoming stronger and stronger, and the resource streams increased. The Heavenly Note resounded in every direction, forcing all prominent forces to pay attention to this new and upcoming sect.
After the great battle, Hong Yuye began to manage the operations of the sect, taking the role of a dictator, true to its name as a demonic sect. In just ten years, she distributed the resources evenly among the various sub-braches, allowing the sect its own freedom and letting the Devil Sect operate on its own.
She had then entered the closed-door cultivation and lived in seclusion for sixty years.
"Please enlighten me, Sect Master." Baizhi immediately knelt on the ground with her head banging on the floor in a kowtow.
Baizhi was one of the four guardian elders of the Heavenly Note Sect. She had gained the trust of the Heavenly Note sect leader during the warring times and had taken over the management of the Heavenly Note Sect temporarily.
If the Heavenly Note Sect had somehow regressed in recent years with no developments, she would be the one at fault. She was terrified.
Hong Yuye's divine sense locked on Baizhi and the guardian elder felt like she was in front of something that should not exist. Something dreadful. Something that defined the concepts of horror.
She closed her eyes and did not utter a word. She did not move a muscle.
Aside from the sound of the gentle breeze blowing in the lake and the occasional sounds of the spirit beasts, there was Baizhi's unsteady breathing. After a while, Hong Yuye withdrew her aura lock on Baizhi.
She had been in seclusion for sixty years. Everything should have gone smoothly and there no was she should be interrupted, but at the critical moment… she was ambushed. It wasn't a member of a demonic sect...no, the attack technique that was used to attack her was the Azure Mountain's Three Pure parts.
The method had been despicable on the ones cultivating the demonic arts, to say the least.
The woman had hidden toxins in her body. If she had been killed, the suppressed toxins would have erupted and would have invaded everything around her. It would have been impossible to contain it. That was why Hong Yuye had gone to the nearest and least populated cliff, the Cliff of Broken Hearts.
That was how that night had come to pass.
That was a method she couldn't defend against. Not at that critical moment.
"Have there been any unusual movements from other famous sects recently?" Hong Yuye asked calmly.
"No." Baizhi shook her head. "Azure Mountain is the most reputable sect closest to us, but they've been busy with the Dao conference recently and don't seem to have the time for anything else. Besides, Sect Master, you fought the righteous sects before, so they wouldn't dare to do anything reckless". Baizi finished speaking in one breath.
"Is that so?" Hong Yuye smiled coldly.
Baizhi didn't dare speak in fear.
"Keep the matter of me coming out of seclusion a secret for now. You can continue to take care of the Heavenly Note Sect for now. Also, investigate the disciples of our sect and see if we have any spies from other sects within our walls."
"Yes. Understood," said Baizhi quickly.
After a moment of pause, Hong Yuye asked, "Baizhi, you aren't a spy for the other sects, are you?"
Baizhi again banged her head to the ground, intentionally suppressing her cultivation and hurting herself in the process, and pleaded in fear.
"Sect Master, how could Baizhi ever even think of such a thing?!"
Hong Yuye didn't speak for a long time. Then nodded and softly said, "You may leave."
Baizhi stood up shakily and turned around to leave. Just then she heard the Sect Master's voice again.
"Have the sect's information ready. Mark out the new developments. I want to see what you have achieved in recent years."
"Yes, Sect Master," said Baizhi and left the pavilion.
Watching Baizhi leave, Hong Yuye raised her hand slightly and pressed the back of her hands to her lips, and coughed.
Sixty years ago, she had believed in Baizhi, and sixty years later, she still chose to believe in her, but…
Only Baizhi knew where she was during her seclusion. But, now there could be many things she wasn't informed about, so she chose to wait.
When she was attacked, the first thought that came to her mind was that Baizhi had betrayed her. But so far, she felt that Baizhi could still be of use.
Hong Yuya closed her eyes and the peaceful silence again engulfed the peak.
.....
In the cultivation world, Jiang Hao has transmigrated to, or more accurately according to the standards of the continent he lives in strength realms are as follows.
Lifeblood refinement realm
Foundation Establishment realm
Golden Core realm
Primordial Spirit realm
Spirit refinement realm
Return to the void