My best friend asked me if I was still doing system tasks.

Regarding the extra item in the Golden Leaf Sycamore fertilizer, in June of this year, the steward Lu Zhifu failed to overcome the Nine Heavens Tribulation and soon passed away. Subsequently, all matters were taken over by Lu Yanxin.

Lu Yanxin said she didn't know what it was. When she took over the project, she had already decided which raw materials to use to make fertilizer. She thought it was because she was ignorant that she didn't recognize it. She carried out all other work according to Lu Xiwan and Lu Zhifu's standards.

Lu Yanxin insisted that she knew nothing, and the trail ended there.

Since Ji Daoyun confirmed that Lu Yanxin had instructed others to assassinate Luo Hanying and that Lu Yanxin had an inseparable relationship with Taibai Pavilion, he interrogated Lu Yanxin separately and isolated her to prevent her from passing on any more information.

The investigation revealed that Lu Yanxin had frequent private contact with Lu Ze, but the investigation followed Lu Ze's lead and found nothing amiss.

According to Lu Ze, they only had mutual feelings for each other, and Lu Ze claimed that he was completely unaware of Lu Yanxin's schemes.

Lu Yanxin stated that her feelings for Lu Ze were genuine and that there was no question of exploitation or deception. She asserted that Lu Ze was innocent and knew nothing about the matter.

The two protected each other, and Lu Ze was temporarily placed under house arrest until the truth was revealed.

Regarding the formations in the forest farms, the Lu family asked Luo Hanying to confirm whether formations existed in each forest farm. After receiving a positive reply, the Lu family conducted a thorough investigation to find out exactly which people entered and exited each forest farm and stayed there for extended periods.

After suspicious individuals investigated their superiors, the investigation ultimately pointed to Kong Lianghe, the son-in-law of the second wife.

Meanwhile, new news arrived—

First, there was an epidemic in Luanyang County. It was Lian Jiaping who worked tirelessly to find a cure for the epidemic, saving the people from suffering. However, even so, a large number of people in Luanyang County went missing.

There was indeed an epidemic in Shuainan County, but it was not as serious as in Youlin County and Luanyang County. According to the people, they recovered in less than a month. The symptoms were not particularly severe and were more like a cold. There were basically no missing persons.

Shanliang County, on the other hand, has not experienced any epidemic or missing persons cases, but it is not as severe as Youlin County and Jinwu County.

Thus, the epidemic in Yulin County seems more like a premeditated scheme to make the disappearances seem more plausible.

"Therefore, Lu Ze, Lu Yanxin, and Kong Lianghe are currently the most suspicious individuals, and the Lu family is investigating the relationship between the three of them."

Luo Hanying told Ruan Chayan about her situation, saying, "We are investigating the reason why the golden parasol tree withered and Lu Ze's true colors. This task is indeed very difficult."

Back then, I thought seeing the formation in the forest meant I'd completed my mission, but now it seems I need to find a deeper reason.

Ruan Chayan indicated that she understood, then asked, "Did you tell Ji Daoyun that I still can't rejoin the team?"

"I told you, you don't need to worry. Ji Daoyun has no complaints whatsoever."

Luo Hanying recalled Ji Daoyun's reaction and said, "[He even told me that if I encountered any problems I couldn't solve, I could tell them, and they would definitely help me if they could.]"

As for the dissatisfaction of the other disciples of the Shiren Sect and the Lu family, she didn't need to tell Ruan Chayan, lest she cause her unnecessary trouble.

Ruan Chayan told Luo Hanying about Lian Jiaping's possession of the Qiongling Bone. Regarding the hidden quest, Luo Hanying did not receive any notification from the system about the quest being assigned or the quest failing.

"Jin Si is a ferocious beast at the mid-stage of the Void Refinement Realm, and he's lived for over a thousand years. If he's set his sights on the Qiong Ling Bone, that thing must be something valuable."

Luo Hanying comforted her, saying, "Since it's a good thing, and the other party is unwilling to take it out, our combined cultivation levels are not enough to impress him. If we can't do this task, then we can't do it. Aren't there any new, simple tasks that have been issued?"

We're not afraid of itching from having too many lice anyway, since we're already heavily in debt.

Are you on your way to Changshui County right now?

Ruan Chayan looked at the scenery rushing past and said: "Yes, I asked the system, and it said that if Jin Si travels at full speed, it will take us at least three days and two nights to reach Changshui County."

Changshui County is close to the Western Barbarian Continent, within the jurisdiction of the Western Qing Kingdom, spanning a significant portion of the Central Han Continent. If I were to travel by sword day and night without stopping, it would take at least eight days and seven nights to reach it.

Luo Hanying sighed, feeling deeply troubled: "The system's task was assigned too quickly. If we don't separate, there's no way we can complete it within the allotted time."

"What exactly are you going to Changshui County for? That damn system won't even tell me. I'm really worried about you."

"Who can argue with that?"

Ruan Chayan said with a worried look, "If it weren't for the fact that Changshui County is too far away and time is of the essence for this mission, I would have liked to go to Jinwu County and act with you."

Hua Shiqing and Li Shuhe asked me and Ji Daoyun to go out on a mission together, but I was like an invisible person and didn't participate in anything on your side.

If I were Ji Daoyun, I'd definitely be cursing this disciple in my heart for causing so much trouble. What could be more important than a matter of life and death?

"What you need to do is of course important! The side quest is to stop the war between good and evil!"

If a true war between good and evil were to break out, far more people would die than we are now!

Luo Hanying understood Ruan Chayan's feelings and advised her: "You don't need to think too much. Don't worry. Even if you come, we can't know Lu Ze's true colors all at once, can we?"

And even the golden-leaved sycamore—it's not something a few people can immediately determine why it withered.

Ruan Chayan sighed and said helplessly, "Even so, I still feel guilty."

"I need to go with them to conduct a second search of Lu Ze and the others' residences and storage spaces, so I'm leaving now."

Luo Hanying stood up and followed behind her fellow disciple. "Tea Mama, I beg you, please don't worry too much about what's happening here, don't take it to heart."

You don't have three heads and six arms, so it's normal that you can't take care of everything. We're all just ordinary people; we can't handle so many things. Don't overthink it.

Ruan Chayan rallied her spirits and said, "I know, I know. Go quickly, your mission is very important too. Good luck!"

Luo Hanying shouted twice: "Go! Go!"