Chapter 1173: Chapter 1173

Over these years, as the Spirit God Sect cultivators were eliminated one by one, Fang Chen had also gained quite a number of spirit stones. There were low-grade, mid-grade, and high-grade stones. Some were given to the Three Thousand Dao Sect, and others to his nine split souls.

However, the number of high-grade spirit stones he had wasn't much, so when Mirror of the Heavenly Universe asked for one hundred high-grade spirit stones, Fang Chen directly refused. The total number of high-grade spirit stones he had was less than a hundred. He used to have some immortal crystals as well, but those had long ago been given to Elder Xun.

"Brother, it's not that I'm asking for an outrageous price, but since it involves an immortal herb, the karmic ties are significant."

"I understand, but I'm short on funds right now, so I won't ask further for the time being."

Fang Chen had one month left. If he couldn't reach Yuxu Star in one month, there would definitely be some trouble with Huang Qingque's side.

The aura of the immortal herb can only be hidden within shadows. If it's out in the open, the Golden Sun Sect Ancestor, with his fourth transformation cultivation, will quickly sense it and come after it.

Fang Chen thought for a moment and tried to use the World Gourd to store the herb, but it didn't work. It seemed the herb had some special trait that rejected storage spaces.

"For now, I have to leave Huogui Star and find a place where there's no First Rate Sect Leader to hide the herb safely. However, during this period, the Starry Sky Great Transfer Formations will surely be strictly controlled, possibly even sealed off entirely, forbidding entry and exit..."

A few days later, Fang Chen arrived near a Starry Sky Great Transfer Formation and indeed saw that it had been sealed off and controlled by Golden Sun Sect cultivators. Both exit and entry were forbidden. Moreover, the formation was personally set by Loose Immortals. Even with the Primordial Immortal Eyes activated, it would be difficult to find flaws within a short time.

In other words, even if this route was passable, he couldn't hide in the shadows and had to leave through official channels.

Given one or two months, he might be able to find a loophole in the array and pass through easily, but he didn't have the luxury of time. He had less than one month.

Qi Tiannan mobilized the Underworld Division to investigate all the teleportation array locations on Huogui Star and brought back bad news for Fang Chen. All the Starry Sky Great Transfer Formation found had been sealed by the Golden Sun Sect. That showed just how valuable the immortal herb was to the Loose Immortals here. If it wasn't found for a single day, these arrays would be sealed.

"Interesting. Now that I have the immortal herb, I can't even transport it out..." Fang Chen murmured.

He looked at Qi Tiannan and ordered, "Go investigate the background of this immortal herb and see how the Golden Sun Sect understands it."

A few days later, Qi Tiannan appeared again and respectfully reported, "My lord, it has been confirmed. This immortal herb is called the Garan Seed of Immortality by the Golden Sun Sect's patriarch. It is an immortal herb for fourth-transformation Great Luo Immortals."

Fang Chen's eyes flickered. "The Great Luo Immortal path.... a fourth-transformation immortal herb. This means that if a third-transformation Loose Immortal takes it, they have a chance to advance to the fourth-transformation of the Great Luo Immortal path."

Among the current Underworld True Gods, only Yu Tingzhai and Xu Changshi had physical bodies in the Mortal Realm, and both were third-transformation Loose Immortals. The latter is a Spirit God Sect cultivator who had just become an Underworld True God. Even if there was an immortal herb, it was not his to use. Therefore, Yu Tingzhai is the most suitable candidate to take the herb.

Since the immortal herb cannot be taken out of this place, Fang Chen's earlier plan to use the herb to befriend Huang Qingque had to change.

He had originally thought that he could use the immortal herb to establish relations with Huang Qingque, buying time for Tuxiong Star, if he couldn't seize a chance to confer an edict on Huang Qingque during a trip to the Underworld.

Now that the herb couldn't be taken away, only one of two choices remains.

Fang Chen made a decision and didn't waste any time.

"You hold onto the immortal herb for me. I'll be right back."

Fang Chen handed the herb to Qi Tiannan and instantly vanished into the Yellow Springs.

Qi Tiannan glanced at the herb in his hand with a trace of envy flashing in his eyes. As an Underworld True God, he could not take the herb himself.

"Looks immortal herb will either benefit Yu Tingzhai or Xu Changshi..." murmured Qi Tiannan.

He then suddenly looked toward a certain direction, sensing countless auras rushing this way. The source of thɪs content is 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩⁂𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢⁂𝔫𝔢𝔱

Once the herb left the Shadow Buddha Technique, it was immediately tracked by the Golden Sun Sect's fourth-transformation Ancestor!

Chaotic Star, Yin Holy Sect.

Yu Tingzhai had been meditating quietly in his chamber, looking pale, when a figure suddenly appeared before him, nearly causing him to choke in fright.

"Don't make a sound."

Fang Chen didn't explain much, immediately used the World Gourd to take him and returned to Huogui Star. Altogether, their travel time took no more than half an hour.

In just that half hour, the Golden Sun Sect ancestor had already encircled the nearby territory.

They did not rush in immediately, seemingly afraid that the thief stealing the immortal herb would fight to the death. Instead, they sealed off the area, planning to trap the culprit like a turtle in a jar.

With Qi Tiannan holding the immortal herb, he became a very obvious target. Within a thousand miles, Loose immortals were stationed at various points, their gazes piercing the layers of void, greed flashing in their eyes as they looked at the herb in Qi Tiannan's hands.

"Not those two last time!?"

"Looks like those two were set up by this person, so the herb ended up in his hands?"

"Could be. Those two were badly injured by the Golden Sun Sect ancestor, so it's only natural someone took advantage of the situation."

"But... this person's aura... seems very low, only first-transformation..."

All eyes turned to the Golden Sun Sect ancestor. They didn't act rashly since the herb was precious. Since no one had taken it yet, this immortal herb would soon return to their hands.

The Golden Sun Sect ancestor asked kindly from a distance, "Fellow Cultivator, may I ask your name?"

Qi Tiannan thought for a moment, then replied with a solemn tone, "My name is Shentu Cang."

"Oh? So you are Daoist Shentu. I've heard much about you. May I ask if the item in your hand is the immortal herb, Garan Seed of Immortality?"

The Golden Sun Sect ancestor smiled and said, "Not long ago, the immortal herb we've cared for and nurtured finally matured, but it was stolen by some scoundrels. I believe—"

"That immortal herb does not belong to your Golden Sun Sect," said Qi Tiannan, shaking his head. He covered the Garan Seed of Immortality with his sleeve and warned the crowd cautiously, "You all may have misunderstood. Perhaps you should look elsewhere."

The ancestor's expression darkened.

Did this man think he and the Loose Immortals present today were fools?

"I've also heard about the recent event. Apparently, an immortal herb suddenly appeared here, and it wasn't cultivated by the Golden Sun Sect. Such things are beyond the reach of ordinary sects; even if they found the seed, they couldn't protect it. So this herb isn't the one lost by your sect," said Qi Tiannan calmly.

The Golden Sun Sect ancestor smiled. "You don't need to worry about that. Hand over the immortal herb in your possession to me. From then on, you'll be an honored guest of the Golden Sun Sect. How about that?"

Just as Qi Tiannan was about to speak, another figure appeared beside him. "Hand over the immortal herb."