Chapter 879 - Three Spirit Herb Options

Elder Pigu took out a scroll from his spatial storage tool and opened it on the table.

"Like I said there are three such sentient spirit herbs that we know of right now. We don't know what their strength is though, and that will be a potential point of caution for you.

For Brother Lin Mu, I reckon something at the Shell Expansion stage of Dao shell realm will be manageable, but I doubt you would want something at the Dao Treading realm." Elder Pigu spoke.

"Indeed. I would like to avoid that." Lin Mu nodded his head. "Though are there really such spirit herbs there in the forest?" he asked.

"There are yes. The most famous one in recent times was a Two faced Poplar that is now reared by the Rainbow pill sect. It has the strength equivalent to that of a Dao Treading realm cultivator.

This was obtained by the Rainbow Pill sect about six hundred years ago, so its current strength has probably increased." Elder Pigu spoke.

"Hmm… they haven't refined it for pills?" Lin Mu asked.

"No. Since the Two Faced isn't a usual Spirit herb and is an entire tree, it is best used in a different manner. The leaves of the tree are used in pills, its wood and branches are used for the creation of spirit tools and its flowers are used in special inks that are used for talismans.

It is far more beneficial for the Rainbow pill sect to make use of it in this way. The value of the Two Faced Poplar is also far higher than the usual sentient spirit herb because of all this." Elder Pigu explained.

"I see." Lin Mu understood.

"Now for the spirit herbs. The three that I'm talking about are located beyond the second border of the Great Southern forest." Elder Pigu spoke.

Lin Mu knew about the borders of the forest. The borders were not actual demarcation, but just something the people had set as a way to determine the danger level. The very first border was the place where the Noon Grass sect was located.

The second border was located several hundred kilometer beyond the Noon Grass sect while the third and final border was located half way to the end of the forest. The area beyond the third border was the largest and also the most dangerous. 

It was said to have never been fully explored and only those at the Dao Shell realm would dare to enter it. Anyone below that had a great chance of dying before they even reached the border.

Of course, the number of Dao Shell realm cultivators in the empire was limited, and they were all people of great status, being either the elders of sects or heads of various organizations and clans.

"The first one that is the closest is located in a forbidden area called as the Rust Wood Bog. It is an area filled with wet soil that can corrode you skin if you are not careful enough. The beasts that live in the area have similar properties and can easily kill most creatures. 

The second one is the safer option that is not located in a forbidden area. This is located further in from the Rust Wood bog but is filled with Bile Cask Beetles. We don't know what these three spirit herbs are but they were seen moving around, so we do have confirmation that they are sentient.

The second herb is likely being protected by a guardian beast, seeing as how it still exists despite the many Bile Cask Beetles that live there. Those beetles have a tendency to chew up most trees and plants they come across.

The third spirit herb is located five hundred kilometers from the second spirit herbs locations and is in another forbidden area. It's called as the Black Spire Tar fields and is dangerous for obvious reasons.

Even breathing there is difficult, as the air is filled with toxic gases. The spirit Qi there is contaminated and thus staying there for long periods is also not possible." Elder Pigu explained in detail.

Having listened to all three options, Lin Mu knew that this would not be an easy task.

"Hmm… how long does it take to reach the spirit herb, the Rust Wood Bog?" Lin Mu asked.

"If you fly there, it will take you about two days." Elder Pigu answered.

'Hmm, so for Little Shrubby it will take a little less than half a day. That's doable.' Lin Mu thought.

While it was fine for Lin Mu to go and find the spirit herbs, he also didn't want to be away for too long. He wanted to be here for the arrival of patriarch Hua, so that they could get started on the other parts.

"And what about the second location?" Lin Mu asked.

"That location doesn't have a particular name, but is just identified by the Bile Cask beetle nest. It's about a day's travel from the Rust Wood Bog." Elder Pigu replied.

Lin Mu felt like that was a very viable option as well and had already decided on that one, but still decided to ask for the final option.

"How far is the third one?" Lin Mu questioned.

"That… will take a month to reach." Elder Pigu answered.

"What? Isn't that too much of a difference?" Lin Mu asked, feeling surprised.

"Yes, the first two locations are barely in the first five percent area of the Great Southern forest but this one is at the fifty percent mark." Elder Pigu replied.

"Ah, so that's why. Yeah, that one is definitely out of option." Lin Mu confirmed.

"Well then… which one will you go to? I'll send someone to guide you. Finding it on your own will take you longer." Elder Pigu suggested.

Lin Mu thought over the option and reckoned that having someone guide him there would be a better option, even if he wanted to go there alone first.

"Sure, but they will have to be strong enough to keep up with me." Lin Mu stated.

"Haha, you won't have to worry about that.." Elder Pigu said with a laugh.