Chapter 586: Nanping City

Nanping was a tier one city in the Southern region of the immortal realm.

At a glance, the city had countless vegetable stalls, and the streets were crowded with cultivators especially spiritual chefs.

"As expected of Nanping." Shen Xu said with an excited face.

"Mmh." Zhen Yuan agreed.

Nanping city was near the territory of the lop-eared white rabbits clan.

As a result, most of the clan's produce was sold in Nanping which earned the city the reputation of having the widest variety of vegetables in the immortal realm.

At this time, Shen Xu and Zhen Yuan walked to a random stall and began looking around.

"Red-vein kale." The double muttered and began examining the greens.

"This fellow immortal has a good eye." The stall owner said and quickly continued.

"Red-vein kale are hard to grow and even the rabbit clan can only produce a few leaves every year. These ones have just arrived and I only got them because my brother-in-law is a son of the lop-eared white rabbit clan." He bragged and Shen Xu nodded.

He knew that the red-vein kales were rare and expensive.

However, he didn't care about the cost and couldn't wait to buy them.

"I want all of them." He said but the stall owner shook his head.

"One person can only buy two bunches." He said and Shen Xu frowned before turning to Zhen Yuan.

"In that case, we will take two bunches each." He said.

Each bunch had five kales and with four bunches, he would have twenty leaves.

Although twenty leaves were not much, Shen Xu didn't mind because they had the space and Xiaoren.

"One bunch is twenty thousand; four is eighty." The stall owner said and Shen Xu didn't bargain.

After paying, he packed the kales and sent them to the space.

At the same time, he messaged Xiaoren and asked it to replant the kale.

"Do you need other vegetables?" The stall owner asked but Shen Xu shook his head.

Excluding the red-vein kales, the stall only had common vegetables which Shen xu already had in the space.

"Come again." The stall owner said and Shen Xu nodded before he and Zhen Yuan left the stall.

"What are red-vein kales good for?" Zhen Yuan asked.

"Blood replenishing." The double answered and quickly continued.

"They are one of the best go-to when preparing blood replenishing meals." He said and Zhen Yuan nodded in understanding.

"Maybe you will have a chance to use them in the coming competition." He said.

"Maybe." Shen Xu agreed.

Over the next few days, the double bought one rare ingredient after another including soft-pulp carrots and rainbow cabbages.

On this day, the two were walking on the main street when they heard a commotion.

"What's going on?" Someone asked.

"I don't know. Let's go and check." Another said.

Hearing this, Shen Xu and Zhen Yuan exchanged a glance and followed the crowd to see what was going on.

The commotion was coming from the task hall.

Unfortunately, too many people had arrived at the task hall so the two couldn't go inside.

"Does anyone know what is going on?" A female cultivator asked.

"I know." A male cultivator said and began explaining.

"The Flame Palace has issued a task. They want a vitality fruit." He said and most of the surrounding crowd gasped in surprise.

"Vitality fruit? How rare is that? Why would anyone use such a priceless treasure to complete a task?" Someone asked.

"What is the reward?" Another asked.

After all, even if they didn't have the fruit, it was always good to know.

"Ten billion high-grade immortal stones, one kilogram of qi cloud essence, and one origin stone." The female cultivator answered and everyone couldn't help but be shocked.

Even Shen Xu and Zhen Yuan were shocked.

After all, the Lower Heaven barely had high-grade immortal stones and yet the Flame Palace had offered ten billion.

Additionally, qi cloud essence was a precious resource that could not only improve cultivation but also cleanse and condense qi.

Finally, the origin stone was an invaluable treasure that contained heavenly laws. With it, an immortal emperor could comprehend heavenly laws, increasing their chances of ascending to the god realm.

"What's going on? Why would the Flame Palace offer such a high price for a vitality fruit?" Someone asked but the surrounding people didn't know the answer.

"Could it be..." Shen Xu muttered with a solemn expression.

[It's highly likely that an important cultivator in the Flame Palace has been afflicted with the Five Decays of Man and Heaven.] Zhen Yuan said.

The Five Decays of Man and Heavan was considered a terminal affliction.

However, in actuality, it had one cure: the Vitality fruit.

That said, the Vitality tree was a primordial plant and its fruits were not only difficult to find but also priceless.

Because of this, those afflicted with the Five Decays of Man and Heaven could only accept their fate and helplessly watch as their life slipped away.

[Xiaoxu, I am afraid that this task was not issued by the Lower Heaven's Flame Palace, but by the Upper heaven's.] Zhen Yuan said and Shen Xu frowned.

[The rewards are good but the risk is astronomical.] The double added and couldn't help but worry about the others.

After all, before ascending, he had given each of Yang Shi and the others a Vitality fruit.

If one or more of them rashly accepted the task, they would likely be hunted and the trail may even lead to Shen Xu and Zhen Yuan.

[All our people are smart and know how to protect themselves. They won't do something reckless unless they are at the end of their rope.] Zhen Yuan comforted and quickly continued.

[Xiaoxu, one kilogram of qi cloud essence is enough to push a peak-stage immortal emperor realm cultivator to half-a step into the god realm. Similarly, an origin stone, even a low-grade stone has enough laws to advance to the god realm. These two things are precious treasures that only an immortal emperor would have.] He said and Shen Xu nodded.

[It's likely that the person who has been afflicted with the Five decays of man and heaven is an immortal emperor.] The double said and couldn't help but sigh at the helplessness of it all.

An immortal emperor was built on countless resources, time, and blood.

Unexpectedly, such a powerhouse was afflicted with the only terminal disease in the immortal realm and there was nothing they could do about it!

[Ayuan, let's leave this matter to fate.] Shen Xu said and quickly continued.

[We will accept this task if it's still there when we ascend to the upper heaven.] He said and Zhen Yuan nodded.

Although the Five Decays of Man and Heaven was a terminal illness, pills like the five essence pill and other resources could slow its progress. With good resources, the afflicted person could even survive one million years before succumbing to the affliction.

[Okay. Let's do that.] Zhen Yuan agreed.

Since they had already learned the ins and outs, Shen Xu and Zhen Yuan left the area and continued to look around.

Three days passed and the two encountered another commotion.

"The granddaughter of the lop-eared white rabbit clan's patriach has been poisoned with a strange poison. He is offering some rare and precious ingredients in exchange of an antidote." Someone said.

"What rare and precious ingredients?" Another asked.

"I dont know the specifics but I heard that one of them is a one million years old golden jade radish."

Shen Xu gasped when he heard this.

Golden jade radish was a precious body refining ingredient.

Unfortunately, it was extremely precious and even the rabbit clan couldn't cultivate a few every ten thousand years.

[I want it.] Shen Xu excitedly said and Zhen Yuan smiled.

He knew that the double wanted the golden jade radish not because of the competition, but because he wanted them to eat it.

After all, they were body refiners and needed such resources especially because their body cultivation had regressed to level ten.

[Do you want to send a puppet or go there ourselves?] Zhen Yuan asked.

[Go ourselves.] Shen Xu immediately answered.

Although it was risky to go to the rabbit clan, the double was determined because he wanted to see if he could get more rare ingredients.

[Okay. We will go after we learn the details.] Zhen Yuan said and Shen Xu nodded.

As expected, the task was listed in the task hall.

"Twenty million immortal stones, a one million years golden jade radish, and a one hundred thousand years old sun-drop tomato. They will also provide ten thousand kilogrammes of other common vegetables." Shen Xu said and couldn't help but be excited.

"The sun-drop tomato is just right for you." Zhen Yuan said and the double couldn't agree more.

Soon after, the two took the task and left the task hall.

Because the rabbit clan lived near Nanping city, the two didn't need to prepare much and left the city three days later.