Immortal of the Nine Realms-Chapter 1251: Immortal Herb Houtu

As Xie Luo and Xie Feng knelt and kowtowed, the cultivators of the Xie Clan also dropped to their knees.

"Greetings, Immortal Xingyu!"

The native cultivators who had not yet left trembled at the sight and immediately pressed their heads hard to the ground, not daring to look up.

They were terrified. A figure whom even immortals had to kneel before—what kind of existence was that?

They had already engraved the name "Immortal Xingyu" into their hearts. Such a title could only belong to the greatest among immortals.

Immortal Xingyu did not bid the crowd rise, but slowly paced to the spot where Xie Zian's corpse had disappeared.

She could sense the traces of his aura before death, as well as some special signs that Xie Luo and Xie Feng could not detect.

"Master!" Xie Zian suddenly called out.

The Day Walker Lieutenant cursed under his breath and was about to seal his mouth, but saw Fang Chen smiling and waving him off, so he stopped.

"Immortal Xingyu cannot hear you, after all, the paths of the living and the dead are different," Fang Chen said lightly, "In the Nine Mortal Realms, there are few who possess the Yin-Yang eyes."

Xie Zian's expression was a storm of shifting emotions. In the end, seeing that Immortal Xingyu really couldn't seem to notice him, he finally shut his mouth.

The fourth-transformation Immortal that Xingyu had brought probed the void, sensing the remnants of the aerial battle that had yet to fade. "Immortal, there is a strong sword intent in the air."

After finishing his inspection, he immediately came to report. "I suspect that Fellow Daoist Xie was besieged. Among the assailants was a remnant immortal of the Sword Path."

"Is that so?"Immortal Xingyu gave a faint nod, then looked at Xie Luo and the others. "Describe for me what happened at the time."

Xie Luo hurriedly recounted the events in detail, without any errors, including the terrifying sword wound on Xie Zian's body before death.

"If the sword cultivator was only a remnant immortal, perhaps it was a fourth-transformation Immortal who had mastered some sword techniques and used them to slay Fellow Daoist Xie," the fourth-transformation Immortal said in a low voice. "They would not have sent only one person if they wished to ensure keeping Fellow Daoist Xie here. There must have been at least two fourth-transformation Immortals who attacked."

"Fellow Daoist Mu, sense more carefully, what else can you detect?" Immortal Xingyu asked calmly.

The fourth-transformation Immortal was slightly startled, but immediately started carefully scanning the void again.

After a while, a frown crossed his brow. He hurried back to her side and cupped his hands. "There is a trace of a Blood Flesh Demon Immortal."

"Indeed. Though very faint, it is there. We arrived early. Had we come a few days later, the trace would have dissipated entirely." Immortal Xingyu smiled. "It seems someone means to fight us to the bitter end."

"Blood Flesh Demon Immortal.... there are not many in the world. Palace Mistress, who do you think it could be?"

Immortal Xingyu said, "Your earlier guess was right. There were at least two who struck. One was either at the fourth transformation or the third transformation, present only to mislead me. As for the other, however, that's where you guess wrong. He was not a fourth transformation, but a fifth transformation."

Xie Zian was confused.

Fellow Daoist Mu was also confused.

A fifth-transformation Immortal?

"One of those who killed me was a fifth transformation Immortal?"

Xie Zian instinctively looked toward Fang Chen, remembering that the Great Desolate Immortal was also a fifth transformation.

A chill of realization flashed in his eyes.

The trace of a Blood Flesh Demon Immortal—that was the key. Because of it, Immortal Xingyu had made her deduction.

He could almost be certain: the Great Desolate Immortal walked the path of the Blood Flesh Demon Immortal!

"The Great Desolate Immortal indeed walks that immortal path. Few know it, but I happen to be one of them." Immortal Xingyu smiled. "Years ago, a distant relative of his opposed us, and I paid dearly to buy this information from the Immortal Worshipping Palace.

Not long ago, his envoy Song Zhili went to Creation Star and made an affront, which resulted in his death. And now, my disciple Xi Zian was slain during the ancestral rites."

She said, "Fellow Daoist Mu, how do you think we should handle this?"

The fourth-transformation Immortal was both shocked and furious. Could someone truly be declaring open war on the Myriad Immortal Palace?

Even if the other was a fifth transformation Immortal, even if he was a cultivator of the Spirit God Sect—so what?

The fourth-transformation Immortal saluted. "I will follow the Palace Mistress's orders. Even if it means rivers of blood, I will not retreat a single step."

"Then kill. The Myriad Immortal Palace has not fought such a hard battle in a long time. Remember, we do not target the Spirit God Sect, only the Great Desolate Immortal."

***

After Immortal Xingyu and her group left, Xie Luo and the others began packing to leave their ancestral land.

Xie Zian had watched from beginning to end, seeing with his own eyes how they had been led in the wrong direction.

The culprit now stood beside him, while Immortal Xingyu was off to challenge the Great Desolate Immortal.

Two fifth-transformation Immortals clashing... either the stronger would annihilate the other swiftly, or a stalemate would form—a battle lasting a hundred, perhaps a thousand years!

The Great Desolate Immortal was no simple figure. The Myriad Immortal Palace could not defeat him quickly. This fight was bound to become a deadlock!

Over time, both the Great Desolate Immortal and the Palace would be exhausted. By the time the battle ended, both sides' losses would be incalculable.

Yet he was now a wandering soul, unable to convey the truth, only able to watch the Myriad Immortal Palace stray onto the wrong path.

"What a vicious trick!" spat Xie Zhan, glaring at Fang Chen with eyes full of resentment. "Why would you do this? My Myriad Immortal Palace has no great enmity with you. Is it just for those immortal citizens of Nine Immortals Mountain? You are truly ruthless!"

"You're already dead. What does the world of the living have to do with you? A fourth-transformation immortal medicine can spare you a hundred years of torment, have you decided?" Fang Chen said lightly.

Xie Zian nodded, the resentment fading from his eyes. "I've decided. You'll get the herb. Can you ensure I live comfortably in the Underworld?"

"Of course."

"How can I trust you?"

"You have no choice but to."

Indeed, Xie Zian had none. The location of the fourth-transformation herb had been told to no one, not even the main branch of the Xie Clan. Thus, he could only use it to bargain for some benefit for himself.

After Xie Zian gave the location, Du Yunxu personally went to verify it.

"Rest assured, it is an immortal medicine of the Earth Immortal Path, named Houtu. You'll know if it's genuine once you have a third-transformation Immortal take it," Xie Zian said coolly.

Fang Chen ignored him.

A while later, Du Yunxu returned. "The medicine matches his description, but I cannot confirm if it's truly an immortal medicine."

Fang Chen smiled. "Then, as he said, we'll have a third-transformation Immortal take it to find out. Time to go."

***

Before the Forgotten River, Xie Zian stared at Fang Chen in disbelief. "With your cultivation, you'd go back on your word?"

Fang Chen smirked. "I said I'd spare you 100 years, not 1,000. Spend 900 years here in the river, and then you can live a peaceful life."

Du Yunxu grabbed Xie Zian like a chicken and hurled him straight into the Forgotten River before the man could even curse.

Countless snakes, insects, rats, and ants swarmed forth, dragging him down into the depths.

Xia Ji walked over from a distance, looking at the river with schadenfreude. "Xie Zian's been thrown in?"

After a moment, he turned to Fang Chen and shared, "I've got two pieces of news. First, the invitation to the Upper Three Realms has been settled. Second, Huang Qingque has been freed and is summoning Xie Zhi for a meeting. He thinks his information channels aren't secure enough, so he's asked our Hidden Guard Division to relay messages for him."