Chapter 197: Unable To Defend Himself

“There was someone else?!” Yue You was somewhat surprised. “Was it Ye Ji?”

“Ye Ji? She’s only in the early stage of the Gold Core Realm. She’s not capable of solving this matter,” said Cheng Ran. “The demon guards at the source were all in the middle stage of the Golden Core Realm. Some were even at the early stage of the Primordial Spirit Realm. How can someone in the early stage of the Golden Core Realm?”

“If it wasn’t Ye Ji or Senior Sister Ning Xuan, then who did it?”

Cheng Ran frowned. “It’s hard to say. Someone entered the house and killed the demons there. Ning Xuan and the others only found the source after a day.”

Cheng Ran shrugged. “It’s just a rumor. It’s hard to say what’s true and what’s false. There were guards at the Primordial Spirit Realm too. Besides Ning Xuan, no one else was strong enough to solve the problem unless some other seniors lent a hand. But I haven’t heard of anyone trying to claim credit for it. In any case, it’s hard to say for sure since none of us personally witnessed the situation. It’s also possible that someone might have a grudge against Ning Xuan and intentionally spread the rumors. The Hall of Merit didn’t say anything, so it seems the information might be genuine. But who would want to let go of fame or benefits after doing the work?”

Cheng Ran laughed.

‘Someone who didn’t want to claim any credit…’ Yue You thought about it.

However, when she thought about how some of the demon guards had been at the Primordial Soul Realm, she shook her head. There was no way Jiang Hao could have fought the demons in that cultivation realm.

Yue You felt that Zheng Shijiu and Xin Yuyue had influenced her thinking. However, their remarks remained in the back of her mind.

After leaving the Devil’s Den, Jiang Hao didn’t rush to go back. Instead, he went to the Law Enforcement Hall to report the end of the mission.

He received a hundred spirit stones and a robe. It was an ordinary and inexpensive robe. It was probably priced at 289 spirit stones in the market.

‘I received quite a lot this time,’ thought Jiang Hao. ‘If I was at the Golden Core

Realm, I would have received at least a thousand spirit stones.’

Jiang Hao remembered that Mu Qi had received over three thousand spirit stones on his last mission. However, he was in the late stage of the Golden Core Realm at that time.

Jiang Hao put away the spirit stones. He wanted to buy a Golden Core Collar for the spirit beast. Changing the collar every time was more expensive.

“Three thousand?!”

Jiang Hao was slightly surprised. It costs so much to buy a Golden Core Collar! If he spent that much on a collar, he would be left with only eight thousand spirit stones.

In a few months, the Immortal Peach Tree would grow and bear fruit again. He would need another ten thousand spirit stones then. He thought of Ye Ji. He should have grabbed her storage treasure before she fell.

He bought the collar for 2850 spirit stones.

After that, he bought some talisman-making materials. He planned to make talismans to earn some more spirit stones. He needed to accumulate another ten thousand spirit stones by the end of the year, just in case.

If the Immortal Peach Tree required more than ten thousand spirit stones, he might just give up on it. He would just prioritize the spirit beast because it would give him a golden bubble.

‘I wonder what I’ll get this time.’

Jiang Hao made his way toward the Cliff of Broken Hearts. Halfway there, he heard a commotion. It sounded like several people were arguing.

He decided to ignore them until he heard a familiar voice.

“No, it wasn’t me! I didn’t steal your things!”

Jiang Hao approached them to take a look. Several outer sect disciples were ganging up on a young boy and beating him.

The young boy was Lin Zhi. Senior Brother Zheng had mentioned him in the Devil’s Den.

“Still lying? You dare steal our things just because you are friends with two extraordinarily talented people? You got some nerve!”

The one who was shouting was an adult man in the third stage of the Lifeblood Refinement Realm. He kicked Lin Zhi in the head.

“You have to compensate us with spirit stones this time. At least five spirit stones. No less than that.”

“I didn’t steal anything,” Lin Zhi said as he covered his head with his hands.

“You still dare to deny it?”

The others punched and kicked him.

“Just because you know two people who are exceptionally talented, you look down on us? They haven’t even advanced in their cultivation! Besides, why would they even care about you? Who would want to associate with someone like you who hasn’t been able to improve even after a year? They would feel insulted to even be associated with you! You aren’t worthy!”

“Why are you talking to him? He stole our things! Make him pay us back first,” said another person.

They searched Lin Zhi. They found six spirit stones in his storage treasure.

“You’re quite rich,” the man at the third stage of the Lifeblood Refinement Realm said with a smirk.

He found a small bag in Lin Zhi’s pocket. The words on the bag read, “Safe and Sound.” “What is this?” asked the man.

“That’s mine! Please… it’s only a protective talisman my mother got for me,” said Lin Zhi as he tried to get it back.

“This garbage is a protective talisman?” The man flung the bag into the forest.

“No! Please…” Lin Zhi pleaded.

As the man threw the bag, it changed direction midway and flew right into Jiang Hao’s hand.

Jiang Hao had been observing the commotion for a while but didn’t intervene. He looked at the outer sect disciples. Their attire was different from Jiang Hao’s. It signified the difference in status.

The others looked terrified when they saw him.

“Greetings, S-senior.”

“Leave. Now,” said Jiang Hao.

The group of people fled the scene quickly.

Jiang Hao sighed inwardly. ‘Six spirit stones…’

That was probably Lin Zhi’s entire savings from the past year. Outer sect disciples only received one spirit stone per month. Six spirit stones were a considerable amount.

Jiang Hao had been the same as Lin Zhi, except he hadn’t saved his spirit stones. He had spent them all to improve his cultivation.

Only when his cultivation improved would he be safe from being harassed by others.

Jiang Hao always kept his head down and focused on his cultivation. The worst he suffered was getting beaten up by others because they couldn’t snatch away his spirit stones because he had none.

However, he had lived with Qi Yang for a while, and no one dared to beat him up after that.

Lin Zhi’s situation was more complicated. He was an easy target.

Jiang Hao looked at Lin Zhi. He noticed that something was strange.

He had six spirit stones, which meant he might have already advanced to the first stage of the Lifeblood Refinement Realm for at least six months. Why was it that his strength was lower than that of someone in the first stage? There was something strange about his body.

“How long have you been at the first stage of the Lifeblood Refinement Realm?” Jiang Hao walked over to Lin Zhi and handed him the protective talisman.

“Eight… eight months,” Lin Zhi said.

‘Eight months?’

Jiang Hao felt that something was strange. He had brought Lin Zhi back because he found him peculiar. He hadn’t had a chance to assess him properly because he hadn’t met him often.

He activated his Daily Appraisal ability and applied it on Lin Zhi..