Ascending from the mortal realm to become an immortal begins with taking charge of a grotto-heaven.

The sect acted even faster than Zhang Li had imagined.

As evening approached, just as Zhang Li finished eating two bowls of spiritual rice and was about to meditate and refine the spiritual energy, a knock on the door suddenly sounded from outside the courtyard.

"Junior Brother Zhang, Lu Ying has come to visit."

Zhang Li paused slightly. Lu Ying's visit at this time could only have one purpose.

"Could it be that there's been a resolution to the fake pill-selling case?"

He suppressed the turmoil in his heart, got up, and took a few steps to open the courtyard gate.

"Senior Brother Lu." Zhang Li stepped aside to let Lu Ying sit down at the stone table in the courtyard.

"Please wait a moment, senior brother, I'll go get some tea."

Lu Ying raised her hand to stop Zhang Li, saying, "No need to trouble yourself. I'm just passing by to deliver a message. I'll be leaving soon."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Li sat down opposite Lu Ying, appearing all ears.

"The matter of disciples in the sect selling fake pills has been resolved, and all accomplices have been apprehended."

At this point, Lu Ying frowned slightly, and her tone became a bit more serious. "Only Wang Hao was not in the courtyard when the Enforcement Hall led people to the courtyard at No. 73, Lingze Peak."

"Not in the courtyard? What a coincidence?" A hint of surprise flashed across Zhang Li's eyes, and his hand unconsciously rested on the edge of the stone table.

"It was indeed a coincidence." Lu Ying shook his head helplessly and said, "Later, the Enforcement Hall checked Wang Hao's records of entering and leaving the sect. He had already left the sect five days ago and has not returned since. At that time, the sect did not know that someone was selling fake pills."

A strange feeling crept into Zhang Li's heart: "So, he didn't sense something was up beforehand and flee, but just happened to be out?"

"That's the only way we can deduce for now." Lu Ying sighed softly. "The Enforcement Hall found a storage bag containing spirit stones in a hidden compartment under the bed. If they had sensed something was amiss beforehand, they wouldn't have abandoned the spirit stones. It's more like they went out on business and planned to return in a few days."

"But he's been gone for five days, and hasn't returned yet. Isn't that a bit too long?" Zhang Li said in a low voice.

Then, as if remembering something, Zhang Li added, "It couldn't be that he was targeted by some rogue cultivator from outside the sect and died, could it?"

"That's possible." Lu Ying tapped the stone table lightly with her fingertips. "There are plenty of rogue cultivators outside the sect who would kill for a few spirit stones. Wang Hao was alone outside, and it's not impossible that he accidentally revealed his wealth and was being targeted."

Zhang Li nodded silently, weighing the options in his mind.

Wang Hao's cultivation level was only at the mid-stage of Qi Refining. He made a lot of spirit stones by selling fake pills. If he were to actually show off his wealth in the market, it wouldn't be surprising if he were to be targeted by rogue cultivators who wanted to kill him for his money.

"But junior brother, don't worry. The Enforcement Hall has already sent cultivators to search the markets outside the sect and posted his portrait everywhere. If he is still alive, as long as he dares to show his face, he will definitely not be able to escape."

Then Lu Ying changed the subject, her tone softening considerably, "The fact that we were able to capture all the criminals involved in selling fake pills and eradicate the cancer that was eroding the foundation of our sect was largely due to the courtyard clue you provided that day. Although I did not report your name to the Enforcement Hall, you still deserve your share of the reward."

As she spoke, Lu Ying took out a storage bag and placed it in front of Zhang Li, saying, "This storage bag contains two hundred spirit stones, a mid-grade magic weapon, three bottles of Qi-Nourishing Pills, and a spirit fire technique. I remember that among your spiritual roots, fire is the best, followed by wood. This technique is just right for you."

Zhang Li's gaze fell on the storage bag, and his heart trembled slightly. He immediately stood up and declined, saying, "Absolutely not. This is my duty. Helping the sect find the fake pill dealer is already my responsibility. How could I dare to accept such a generous reward? Besides, all the investigation and capture of the accomplices was done by Senior Brother. This should be given to Senior Brother."

Although I don't know the grade or value of that spirit fire technique, a mid-grade magic artifact is not cheap. All the items in this storage bag are worth nearly a thousand spirit stones.

Lu Ying pressed down on the storage bag, preventing him from pushing it back, and her expression became more serious: "You don't need to refuse. I have my own merits, and the sect will not treat me unfairly. To be honest, these are the only things that have been done unfairly for you, Junior Brother. If you are willing to step in, in addition to these, you will definitely receive a reward of contribution points, which is the hard currency in the sect."

Having said all that, it would be ungrateful of Zhang Li to refuse any longer. He hesitated for a moment, then bowed deeply to Lu Ying: "Since Senior Brother is so considerate, then Junior Brother will accept this without hesitation. I will remember this kindness, and I will be at your service in the future."

"The matter has been explained, and the items have been delivered to you. I should go back and report now." Lu Ying stood up, straightened his robes, and without lingering any longer, turned and walked out of the courtyard.

Zhang Li escorted Lu Ying all the way to the fork in the mountain path, watching her figure disappear into the woods before quickly returning to the courtyard, closing the gate, and sitting down at the stone table.

"Why is Wang Hao the only one missing?"

Zhang Li tapped the stone surface lightly with his fingers and whispered the doubts in his heart.

What he said earlier was meant for Lu Ying, so he naturally wouldn't draw conclusions so easily.

What troubled Zhang Li the most was the storage bag containing spirit stones that Lu Ying had found in a hidden compartment under the bed.

No matter what, whether it's buying cheap pills or selling fake pills, it's all for spirit stones. Such cultivators would definitely keep all their spirit stones close to their bodies, so why would they hide them in a secret compartment under their bed?

It should be noted that the courtyards where outer disciples live have no protective formations. In the eyes of cultivators, these courtyards are like sieves that leak air from all sides, and they can't keep people out at all.

"Either there was an unexpected accident that left no time to go back and retrieve the items...or he simply no longer needs these things."

Zhang Li's gaze darkened slightly as he murmured to himself.

If it were the former, Wang Hao would already be dead and gone, and a hidden danger would be resolved without a trace, which would be a happy ending for everyone. But if it were the latter...

"What a hassle, what a hassle. You'd better really die outside the sect."

With a long sigh, suppressing his worries, Zhang Li stopped dwelling on the unresolved issues, reached out and took the blue cloth storage bag from the stone table back into his hand, carefully counting the generous reward.

Two hundred spirit stones were laid out and piled up on the entire table. If Zhang Li didn't have his personal cave heaven and the black field that could accelerate the growth of spirit plants, he might have been very excited.

But right now, he just glanced at them and put all the spirit stones and several bottles of Qi-Nourishing Pills into the storage bag at his waist.

In an instant, only a blue jade slip and a three-foot-long red sword remained on the bluestone table.

"A mid-grade magic artifact, a jade slip."

He murmured to himself, picked up the red longsword, and slowly infused it with a wisp of magic power.

hum-

A clear, melodious sword cry rang out, and the red sword instantly lit up with a translucent, fiery red halo, radiating a slight, scorching heat.

"Not bad, it's still fire attribute, so from now on let's call it the Heavenly Sun Sword."

Nodding slightly, Zhang Li put away the Heavenly Sun Sword.

Although a mid-grade magic weapon is good, it's not something he can activate right now. His cultivation level is still too low, and he can't learn the art of object control, so he can only use it for close-range slashing.