The grand hall was bustling with activity, as the people inside had important discussions.
As Fang Chen and Fairy Yu entered, the hall quieted abruptly, and numerous eyes turned and fixated on them with curiosity and wariness.
There was a green-robed elderly man seated prominently in the center. He was likely Elder You whom Shentu Chun had spoken of, one of the nine stewards of the Greenwood Sect. Elder You's cultivation aura was even weaker than that of Gai Hong or Xu Qingsong.
"Greetings, Elder You," Fang Chen respectfully called out, with a bow and a clasped fist.
Elder You smiled softly and stroked his beard. "Young friend, there's no need for formalities. I presume you've come for the Vast Origin Fruit?"
Seeing that the elder was direct, Fang Chen didn't beat around the bush. He nodded lightly and responded, "Indeed, that's why we're here."
Elder You sighed softly. "Young friend, you're a step too late. The Vast Origin Fruit has already been reserved."
"Reserved?" Fang Chen couldn't tell whether Elder You was lying or not. "May I know who has reserved the Vast Origin Fruit and what price they offered?"
"I'm sorry, I can't disclose their identity, but I can tell you the price they offered," Elder You replied, flipping his palm. "They offered a thousand mid-grade spirit stones."
Fang Chen was not resigned and probed further, "Elder You, I wonder, how many low-grade spirit stones can one thousand mid-grade spirit stones be exchanged for?"
He had hundreds of thousands of low-grade spirit stones in his storage ring. Perhaps that amount was enough for Elder You to change his mind.
Many people in the hall smiled knowingly.
Low-grade spirit stones?
Elder You showed a smile too. "If it was any other ordinary spirit fruit, our sect would settle with low-grade spirit stones. But when it comes to a treasure like the Vast Origin Fruit, even bids of high-grade spirit stones wouldn't be excessive, let alone mid-grade.
"As for how many low-grade spirit stones can be exchanged for one thousand mid-grade spirit stones, it depends on the demand. In our case, even five million low-grade spirit stones wouldn't be enough."
Feng Chen sighed inwardly. He understood the true meaning behind Elder You's words. It wasn't that five million low-grade spirit stones couldn't be exchanged for one thousand mid-grade spirit stones; rather, Elder You was emphasizing the importance of mid-grade spirit stones.
"My lord, shall we leave?" Fairy Yu whispered. "Perhaps there are Vast Origin Fruits elsewhere."
"Young lady, that wouldn't be correct." Elder You smiled. "As far as I know, there is only one living Vast Origin Fruit tree in the entire Central Continent Empire, and it's with the Greenwood Sect. You won't find a second Vast Origin Fruit tree elsewhere."
"Elder You, I once met a senior from the Greenwood Sect. I wonder if that senior is still around?" Feng Chen suddenly asked.
"You have met an elder from the Greenwood Sect? Is he one of the nine stewards?" The elder smiled and shook his head. "Since the Vast Origin Fruit has already been sold, none of the stewards can have a say in this anymore. This is the foundation of the Greenwood Sect. If we break this rule ourselves, how can the Greenwood Sect continue its legacy in the Central Continent Empire?"
"Today, Elder You has been patient enough to specially instruct someone to bring these two here."
"As for the girl, the Void Immortal Sword Sect expelled her. However, they say she's expelled, but looking at how the Void Immortal Sword Sect treats her, they don't actually treat her as an expelled disciple. But as for the Inverse Immortal Demonic Embryo... There's really no way to save her. Unless she truly falls into demonic ways. But the Void Immortal Sword Sect won't allow such a thing to happen."
People in the hall exchanged messages in secret.
"Junior doesn't know if that elder is one of the nine stewards, but I still want to meet him. Perhaps that elder can help," Fang Chen said.
Elder You hesitated for a few seconds and asked, "Do you remember what he looked like?"
Fang Chen briefly described the old man's appearance. After that, he added, "In addition, when I met this elder, he had his granddaughter accompanying him."
"It seems... You've met the ancestor of our Greenwood Sect," Elder You said with surprise. He turned to those beside him and said, "Let's temporarily keep the Vast Origin Fruit and have our guests wait a bit."
"Elder You, isn't that against the rules?" one of the people nearby said with a complex expression.
"Rules or not, let's set that aside for now. I need to consult the ancestor before making a decision on this matter," Elder You said calmly.
With that, Elder You smiled at Fang Chen. "Young friend, please stay in our Greenwood Sect for a few days. The ancestor's seclusion residence is quite a distance from here. It will take me at least seven days for the round trip."
"Thank you, Elder You," Fang Chen said, bowing respectfully.
He could afford to wait seven days. During this time, he planned to thoroughly study the immortal blood. If he could harness the power of their consciousnesses, they would be his strongest trump card. At this stage, they were at least stronger than the Eight Desolation Supreme Sword Scripture and the Radiant Divine Eyes.
When Shentu Chun received the news that Elder You had arranged for Fang Chen and Fairy Yu to stay in the sect for seven days, he was somewhat surprised. He had expected Elder You to refuse outright and ask the two to leave, but instead, Elder You went to consult the ancestor of the Greenwood Sect.
An hour later, Shentu Chun led the two to a cave mansion located on an immortal mountain. Similar cave mansions dotted the mountain, numbering in the hundreds.
Shentu Chun smiled and introduced the two to the place. "This place is specially prepared for guests. The surrounding caves are all occupied by visitors who come seeking spiritual herbs and fruits from the sect. You two can stay here for seven days. If you need anything, just ring the bell in front of the cave, and a celestial crane will come to guide you."
Curious, Fairy Yu touched the bell in front of the cave.
A clear bell rang out, followed shortly by a cry, and a celestial crane hovered in the air before descending. "What's the matter?"
Shentu Chun smiled. "Crane Nine, you're the one on duty today?"
"Oh, it's Senior Shentu Chun. Yes, it's my turn." Crane Nine recognized Shentu Chun and spoke with a slightly improved tone. "Senior Shentu, what can I do for these two guests?"
Seeing this, Shentu Chun tactfully brushed off the question. After seeing Crane Nine off, he turned to Fairy Yu with a wry smile.
Fairy Yu nodded quickly with a smile. "Understood, understood."
After Shentu Chun left, Fang Chen led Fairy Yu into the cave. They each sat down in the hall, exchanged a look, and let out a sigh of relief.
It had been several years since they met at sea, and for the first time, they didn't have to face an almost endless pursuit.
Fairy Yu looked at Fang Chen with a smile. "Young Master, you said earlier that if I were to listen to you about the Vast Origin Fruit, you'd listen to any of my requests. Does that still hold?"