Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
In everybody’s eyes, Zhang Ruochen’s strength and ability were around the same level as Bu Qianfan’s. Zhang Ruochen should not be so complacent as to take on Bu Qianfan without weapons – he would be greatly disadvantaged.
“Boom!”
Zhang Ruochen’s Finger Sword collided with Bu Qianfan’s the palm knife, making a deafening clanking sound as if two 5,000kg metal pieces had crashed together.
“Crack!”
The jade stone floor they were standing on shattered. Thousands of closely spaced cracks appeared.
From afar, one could see that both Zhang Ruochen and Bu Qianfan were not carrying any sword or knife, however, dozens of sword and knife shadows were visible.
More amazingly, streams of golden light were emitting from two of Zhang Ruochen’s fingers.
The golden light began to spread from his finger to the rest of his body.
In the next instant, Zhang Ruochen’s entire body turned golden. He looked as if he were a gold statue of a deity.
“Second Change in the Fish-dragon Realm, Skin Refining to Gold.”
This astonished even Bu Qianfan.
How did Zhang Ruochen reach the Second Change in the Fish-dragon Realm so soon after breaking through the Fish-dragon Realm?
In a flash, Zhang Ruochen wielded the Finger Sword once again and attacked Bu Qianfan’s chest.
Bu Qianfan responded quickly, his palm coming in contact with Zhang Ruochen’s fingertips as he blocked the blow.
“Boom!”
Although his palm was protected by a glove, Bu Qianfan still felt a force penetrating and spreading from his palm.
His right arm became completely numb. He was sent ten meters backward as he lost control of his body.
Bu Qianfan slowly raised his palm and painfully closed his fist. He said in a deep voice, “I did not know that your level of cultivation has already reached the Second Change in the Fish-dragon Realm. You are indeed improving at a remarkable speed.”
The sword Qi around Zhang Ruochen gradually dispersed until it was completely gone.
“Do you still want to continue?” asked Zhang Ruochen.
Bu Qianfan shook his head and said, “There is no need to continue. You are indeed capable and strong, but I am not giving up yet.”
He glanced at the ten carriages filled with dowry and bridal gifts. He gently shook his head and said, “Are you offering a mere ten carriages of bridal gifts and dowry in order to take Miss Yanchen as your wife? How miserly of you! Bring it out!”
“Rumble!”
A group of carriages sped toward them from afar.
The procession of carriages was thirty miles long, all drawn by large brute elephants. They were filled with gifts and dowry. The entire procession consisted of 5,000 men and 1,200 carriages.
Moments later, the 1,200 brute elephants, 1,200 carriages and 5,000 family generals of Saint Bu Gentry stopped behind Bu Qingfan.
The brute elephants were also known as “war behemoths”.
The strength of one brute elephant was comparable to that of the weakest Heaven Realm warrior.
The 1,200 brute elephants pulling the carriages were like 1,200 Heaven Realm warriors. Their imposing manner was rather frightening.
Only the highly influential Saint Bu Gentry of the Ministry of War was able to mobilize 1,200 brute elephants at once to form the elephant-drawn carriage procession. This was definitely a rare sight.
Everyone was taken aback by how generous Bu Qianfan was, and how Zhang Ruochen’s gifts paled in comparison.
Bu Qianfan issued a command. “Open them.”
The family generals of Saint Bu Gentry immediately got down from the brute elephants and opened all the boxes in the carriages.
Light blazed from the boxes as streaks of Spiritual Qi came flooding out.
There were 600 carriages full of common Spiritual Crystals, 300 carriages full of medium grade Spiritual Crystals, 200 carriages full of good grade Spiritual Crystals, and 100 carriages full of top grade Spiritual Crystals.
It was rare to see so many Spiritual Crystals even in the presence of a Half-Saint. The warriors of younger generations were almost blinded by these 1,200 carriages full of bright Spiritual Crystals.
What was the most important thing in the cultivation circle?
It was definitely Spiritual Crystals.
With Spiritual Crystals, a warrior would be able to afford the manuals for top-level exercises, high-class pills, and weapons. He could even afford to buy a city, servants, and war pets.
A family possessing Spiritual Crystals would be able to nurture many masters, thereby strengthening its power.
Bu Qianfan looked at Huang Yanchen and said with a clear voice, “Miss Yanchen, these are the gifts I am offering. 600 million common Spiritual Crystals, 300 million medium Spiritual Crystals, 200 million good grade Spiritual Crystals, and 100 million top grade Spiritual Crystals. A total of 1.236 billion pieces of Spiritual Crystals.”
It was an astronomical figure that shocked the warriors of the younger generation.
Bu Qianfan, being an excellent young man himself, coupled with the extravagant gifts he brought would have easily succeeded in asking for the hand of any God’s favored daughter of the Chens. What’s more, he was merely asking for the hand of a foreign woman from the Chen family.
Chen Ji, the Branch Head of Huang Yanchen’s family, was astonished at the sight of 1,200 carriages of Spiritual Crystals. If not for the fact that Huang Yanchen was already engaged to Zhang Ruochen, he would have betrothed Huang Yanchen to Bu Qianfan.
All the young women of the Chen Family became excited and began to look coquettishly at Bu Qianfan as if they were all ready to throw themselves at him.
Talented, handsome and rich… even a man with just one of these qualities would attract the attention of many women. What’s more, Bu Qianfan possessed all these qualities.
Unfortunately, Bu Qianfan only had eyes for Huang Yanchen, and he could not be bothered with the others.
Apart from Zhu Hongtao and Wan Ke, who were unshaken, the rest of the servants escorting Zhang Ruochen hung their head in shame.
Qianshui Commandery Prince and Half-saint Liuli, the parents of Huang Yanchen, looked embarrassed as well.
Everyone felt that Bu Qianfan’s intention was to humiliate Zhang Ruochen.
All of the gifts in the ten carriages were carefully and personally hand-picked by Concubine Lin. They were by no means stingy. Unfortunately, they paled in comparison with Bu Qianfan’s gifts.
Even if Zhang Ruochen eventually married Huang Yanchen, today’s event would probably be reported in the ‘Eastern Region Report’ and circulated throughout the Eastern Region.
Most people would think that Zhang Ruochen was stingy and would feel sorry for Huang Yanchen.
Could she enjoy a blissful life if she married such a stingy man?
A materialistic woman would give up Zhang Ruochen for Bu Qianfan.
However, Huang Yanchen just rolled her eyes at Bu Qianfan like he was some kind of a moron.
Zhang Ruochen had no desire for comparison. However, when he saw the look on Huang Yanchen’s parents, he went forward and said, “Master, Eldest Brother Apprentice and Elder Brother Apprentice Chang, please bring me the three special dowry gifts.”
Lei Jing, Si Xingkong and Chang Qiqi each took down a jade box from the back of the Ember Kylin, carrying it cautiously in their hands, and walked to Zhang Ruochen’s side.
Chang Qiqi looked at Bu Qianfan and provocatively said, “Who says only 1,200 carriages of Spiritual Crystals are valuable? My junior fellow apprentice is low-key, unlike someone who obnoxiously flaunts his wealth. That’s really vulgar.”
Si Xingkong said, “The ten carriages of gifts were prepared by Old Madam for her future daughter-in-law, while these three gifts were prepared by junior fellow apprentice Zhang.”
Bu Qianfan appeared unperturbed. He touched his nose and curiously looked at the three jade boxes, saying, “Really? Let me see what gifts Zhang Ruochen prepared. Could they be more valuable than my 1.236 billion Spiritual Crystals?”
Naturally, everyone did not think Zhang Ruochen’s gifts would match up to Bu Qianfan’s Spiritual Crystals.
After all, Zhang Ruochen was a mere prince of an inferior commandry. Despite being a disciple of Sword Saint Xuanji, his net worth was still far from that of Saint Bu Gentry.
Even if he were to use up all the financial resources of an inferior commandery, would he be able to produce one million Spiritual Crystals?
Zhang Ruochen took the jade box from Chang Qiqi first and then opened it slowly while the crowd looked on.
“Swoosh!”
A dazzling black light radiated out of the box.
A cloud of concentrated Spiritual Qi of water nature diffused and humidified the surrounding air.
The water particles in the air converged toward Zhang Ruochen, forming a bubble within which it started to drizzle.
“That’s an origin treasure of water nature!” A young warrior from the Chens could not help exclaiming.
Zhang Ruochen glanced at the man and nodded, saying, “That’s right, this Black Glazed Spinel is indeed a water-natured origin treasure. It weighs 333 catty, and it represents my unchanging and everlasting relationship with Senior Sister Apprentice Yanchen.
“Boom!”
Everyone was clearly astonished.
Although some of them may have seen an origin treasure of water nature before, they would not have seen so many all at once.
Refining the nine catty and nine taels of Black Glazed Spinel had enabled Zhang Ruochen to practice and attain the Treasured Body of Water Spirit.
The Black Glazed Spinel that Zhang Ruochen brought would enable the Chens to nurture dozens of treasured bodies within a short period of time.
One could imagine how formidable it would be for a family to be able to nurture dozens of treasured bodies into maturity within a generation.
As Chen Ji looked at the Black Glazed Spinel in the jade box, his initial feeling of indifference turned into excitement.
His clan was the weakest within the Chen Family just because they nurtured very few geniuses. Their best masters could not measure up to those who were from the other clans.
Getting hold of hundreds of catties of Black Glazed Spinel would allow his clan to nurture dozens of treasured bodies immediately. At this pace, his clan would become one of the strongest in the Chen family within a few decades.
All the young warriors of the Chen family started to get really excited.
Since the Black Glazed Spinel was part of Zhang Ruochen’s dowry, it would become a treasure belonging to the Chens. Would it be possible for them to get a share of it?
Qianshui Commandery Prince and Half-saint Liuli looked at each other and smiled knowingly, breathing a sigh of relief.
Zhang Ruochen had not disappointed them. He prevailed over Bu Qianfan’s provocation and resolved this hiccup single-handedly.
By revealing the valuable treasure in just one of the jade boxes, it was obvious that Zhang Ruochen’s gifts were far more superior than the 1,200 carriages of Spiritual Crystals presented by Bu Qianfan.
What magnificent treasures would the two remaining jade boxes hold?
The crowd could not wait to find out.
The Chen family’s young descendants were a rather arrogant bunch. Even so, all of them craned their necks to see what was inside the two jade boxes.
Zhang Ruochen did not disappoint them. He hurriedly walked up to Si Xingkong and took the second jade box, opening it slowly.
