Chapter 1368: Fee For Your Troubles

Xiao Chenghe's expression remained calm as his fingers gently rubbed the jade token in his hand.

The token was a special magic treasure that Wang Xuan had exchanged with merit points at the Enlightenment God Palace. It had only one purpose—to detect immortal herbs.

Its function was significant, but its grade was rather low. It had a range of only a single mile.

Whenever an immortal herb appeared within one mile of the token, it'd heat up. And right now, the moment Fang Chen had appeared, the token turned scorching hot.

What did that mean? It meant the man before him carried an immortal herb!

"A newcomer, on his very first exploration of an Ancient Forbidden Zone, and he's already found an immortal herb?"

It would have been a lie to say Xiao Chenghe didn't feel jealousy. What made it worse was that Fang Chen wasn't just any newcomer. He was someone who had earned a bronze jade token and been accepted as Lin Dong's personal disciple, a recognized prodigy.

His background already eclipsed Xiao Chenghe's by far. If he had such a start, he would probably be on equal footing with Wang Xuan by now.

A cold gleam flickered in Xiao Chenghe's eyes.

No matter. Now that I am here, his opportunity is now my opportunity. If I can get that immortal herb, I won't need Wang Xuan's support anymore. I could buy the Mysterious Ice Cicada Grass myself and start my own team.

When Fang Chen saw Xiao Chenghe, his expression shifted slightly.

What a coincidence. This was one of the three Ascension Realm cultivators from the Mysterious King Expedition Team, the very one who had suggested giving their team a small lesson.

Yu Wuxia and the others exhaled softly in relief but quickly sent a sound transmission to Fang Chen.

Captain, they aren't friendly.

He's from the Mysterious King Expedition Team. Since you rejected their recruitment last time, they've probably come to cause trouble.

"Fellow Daoist Fang," Xiao Chenghe said with an affable smile, "I am Xiao Chenghe of the Mysterious King Expedition Team. Your Senior Sister Xu Qian is one of our members as well. Our captain, Senior Brother Wang Xuan, is also your fellow disciple. You've met him since arriving, haven't you?"

"I haven't," Fang Chen said flatly. "We're not particularly familiar. We'll be on our way."

He waved a hand, signaling Yu Wuxia and the others to open a gap in the defensive barrier to let him in.

Xiao Chenghe froze for a moment. He hadn't expected the man to skip even the most basic pretense of courtesy. When he saw Fang Chen preparing to board the Immortal Boat and depart, he raised a hand.

A wave of immense spiritual energy surged out, blocking Fang Chen's path in an instant.

"Fellow Daoist Fang," Xiao Chenghe said, smiling thinly, "since fate has brought us together, why not have a little chat before you rush off?"

"Don't go too far," Meng Qingling said sharply. "We're all expedition members under Senior Lin. If you're targeting us just because our captain refused your team's invitation, and Senior Lin finds out, you can kiss your future goodbye."

Xiao Chenghe couldn't help but laugh. "Did no one tell you before you came here? In the Ancient Forbidden Zones, or rather, in Qingming, there won't be any evidence."

"Even if you all die here, when Senior Brother Lin finds out, he won't say a word. Expedition teams disappear every year, after all."

By now, Yu Wuxia and the others had realized that Xiao Chenghe intended to kill them all. It wasn't about teaching them a lesson anymore.

But what they couldn't understand was why the sudden aggression.

A suspicion rose in everyone's heart, and they collectively glanced at Fang Chen.

"You want this?" asked Fang Chen, retrieving the Bone Birth Azure Lotus and holding it in his hand.

The palm-sized flower looked almost like an ordinary lotus, except that its veins resembled tiny white bones.

The jade token in Xiao Chenghe's hand grew even hotter.

Xiao Chenghe gulped.

He couldn't help cursing Fang Chen inwardly. Now that he had revealed the herb to everyone, he wouldn't be able to rob him in silence.

"This is the Bone Birth Azure Lotus, a fourth-transformation immortal herb on the Corpse Transcending Immortal Path," said Fang Chen casually. "I am guessing you have a treasure that can detect immortal herbs? Even if you can't recognize it, that thing in your hand can."

He continued, "You got that treasure from the Enlightenment God Palace, didn't you?"

A fourth-transformation immortal herb!?

Yu Wuxia and the others all sucked in sharp breaths, cursing under their breath.

"Mother of..."

Lin Yuan felt the Gu worms inside him stir, roused to restlessness by the surge of emotion in his chest.

They had found a fourth-transformation immortal herb on their first expedition?!

Was this luck? No.

They all realized in shock that this was not luck at all. From the very beginning, they hadn't taken a single wrong turn. And Fang Chen had gone down and returned in less than a quarter of an hour. Their captain had known all along that the immortal herb was there.

"What kind of background does he have!? Could he be the illegitimate son of some high-ranking elder from the Enlightenment God Palace? He came from the Lower Six Realms, didn't he? To ascend from there to the Upper Three Realms is already incredible! Maybe it really is possible..."

Yu Wuxia and the others' minds raced through countless possibilities.

However, they knew now it was hardly the time for that.

"You... you said this is a fourth-transformation immortal herb!?" Xiao Chenghe stammered, eyes wide.

The members of the Xunyou Expedition Team exchanged looks, eyes turning red with greed.

They could tell Xiao Chenghe had some sort of treasure that could detect immortal herbs. That was why he wanted to keep Fang Chen here. But since he hadn't mentioned it, he clearly intended to hog it all for himself.

"Fellow Daoist Xiao," said the captain of the Xunyou Expedition Team coldly, "we agreed before setting out. Our team provides the Immortal Boat, and you provide your strength. Whatever we gain, after turning in our share, we split equally."

The Xunyou Expedition Team's captain and his members spread out warily, putting some distance between themselves and Xiao Chenghe.

A dozen Tribulation Realm cultivators together might not be enough to defeat an Ascension Realm expert, but they could certainly make him bleed.

"Relax," Xiao Chenghe said with a snort. "Do I look like someone who breaks his word? It's a fourth-transformation immortal herb. Even after the required tribute, our shares will still amount to an unimaginable fortune."

Then his gaze shifted back to Fang Chen. It was hungry and feverish, almost bestial.

"Fellow Daoist Fang, give me that, and you may all leave safely. I won't let you go empty-handed." He produced three immortal crystals and held them out. "These three will serve as your compensation."

Shameless,

Yu Wuxia and the others thought, furious.

A fourth-transformation immortal herb was worth an astronomical sum! Yet, he wanted to buy them off with just three immortal crystals?

"Fine," Fang Chen said evenly. "You understand its value, so this will be simple. We'll send the Immortal Boats away. Stay behind, and we'll talk.

"If we reach an agreement, the herb is yours. If not..."

He squeezed lightly, and the Bone Birth Azure Lotus creaked faintly between his fingers.

It was as though he'd clamped his hand directly around Xiao Chenghe's heart. A sharp pain stabbed through the man's chest, and he blurted out hastily, "Fellow Daoist Fang, we can talk! Don't ruin it!"

Then he turned to the Xunyou Expedition Team. "You all... wait out there."

"This..."

"Without the Immortal Boat, how will I return? Do you really think I'd run?"

Xiao Chenghe waved irritably, and the others, after a moment's hesitation, piloted their Immortal Boat away into the distance.

"Captain, what about us?" Yu Wuxia asked quietly.

"You go too," Fang Chen said. "Wait outside and be ready to pick me up. It will take half an hour at most."

"Understood."

Both Immortal Boats departed one after another.

Watching them vanish, Xiao Chenghe put on his best conciliatory smile. "Fellow Daoist Fang, they've gone. Now then... Tell me, how do you want to negotiate?"