Chapter 598 - 594: Bountiful Rewards

Chapter 598: Chapter 594: Bountiful Rewards

"There are still two days until the Martial Arts Assembly begins."

Fang Han walked to the window, pushed open the lattice, and looked outside.

The sun was bright, spilling onto the flowers and trees in the courtyard and casting mottled shadows.

In the distance, he could faintly hear the clamor from the streets.

The improvement in his strength had put him in an excellent mood, but it was impossible for him to make any more major breakthroughs in the short term.

After all, it would be difficult to improve his other skills—his Swordsmanship, Body Technique, or Horizontal Training—any further in such a short time.

’Since I can’t improve my strength for now, I might as well go for a walk.’

Fang Han thought to himself. He had been in the Imperial Capital for several days but had stayed in his residence the whole time, never once stepping out. His curiosity about this magnificent city had been building for a long time.

’Wandering around alone would be too boring. I should ask Luo Yuntian to come with me.’

Having made up his mind, Fang Han quickly washed up, changed into a clean green robe, and pushed open the door to leave.

He first walked a few steps through the corridors of the Royal Villa, then turned and headed toward Luo Yuntian’s quarters.

Luo Yuntian’s residence was not far from his own; it could be reached by passing through two corridors and turning past a flowerbed.

However, unlike his own residence, it was a suite without a private courtyard or a Cultivation Field.

If he wanted to practice his cultivation, he had to go to the public Cultivation Field.

Arriving at Luo Yuntian’s residence, Fang Han saw rows of houses. He stopped in front of one and gently knocked on the door.

"Junior Brother Luo, are you there?"

Luo Yuntian opened the door. Seeing Fang Han, a flash of surprise crossed his eyes.

"Senior Brother Fang, what brings you here?"

"The Martial Arts Assembly is only two days away, and it’s hard to make any major improvements to our strength in such a short time," Fang Han smiled and said.

"I’ve been cooped up in my residence cultivating ever since I arrived in the Imperial Capital a few days ago. I haven’t been out at all. I was hoping to invite you for a walk to experience the sights of the Imperial Capital."

Hearing this, the surprise in Luo Yuntian’s eyes was replaced by a smile, and he nodded.

"Perfect. I was just thinking of going out for a walk myself."

He turned back to lock his door, then stepped out.

"Let’s go. I also want to see for myself just what’s so stunning about the capital of the Great Chu Dynasty."

The two walked side by side, passing through the wide passages of the Royal Villa and heading toward the main gate.

Sunlight fell upon them, casting two parallel shadows on the bluestone ground.

「An hour later.」

The sun was bright, spilling onto the wide, bluestone-paved streets of the Imperial Capital and casting mottled shadows.

Fang Han and Luo Yuntian walked side by side down a bustling main street. The road was lined with shops, and the cries of vendors, the sound of laughter, and the clamor of haggling all mixed together, forming a lively urban symphony.

In stark contrast to the tranquility of the Royal Villa, the hustle and bustle here had a vibrant Life Force that naturally put one at ease.

"Junior Brother Luo, have you found out anything about the specific rewards for this Martial Arts Assembly?" Fang Han asked, turning his head to the side.

He knew the rewards for the Martial Arts Assembly would be generous, but he wasn’t clear on just how generous they would be.

The reason he was willing to participate in the Martial Arts Assembly was precisely for these incredibly generous rewards the Sect Leader had mentioned.

At Fang Han’s words, Luo Yuntian’s gaze swept over the shops lining the street. "I did manage to find out a few things," he said.

He paused for a moment before continuing,

"Besides the Low-grade Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure you get just for participating, you get another one for each round you win."

Fang Han nodded slightly. Receiving a Low-grade Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure for every victory was already a generous reward system, especially since such treasures were always in demand but rarely on the market.

"On top of that," Luo Yuntian continued, his voice steady,

"winning the third round gets you an additional Low-grade Mental Realm Martial Arts as a reward. Winning the sixth round gets you an additional Mid-grade Mental Realm Martial Arts."

A look of astonishment flashed in Fang Han’s eyes.

Mental Realm Martial Arts, also known as Grandmaster Martial Arts, were far more precious than ordinary Martial Arts. Even a Low Grade one was enough to make numerous factions fight over it, compelling even Sects like the Seven Sects to get involved.

And Mid-grade Mental Realm Martial Arts were precious techniques that even an influence on the level of the Qingxuan Sect would covet.

"Is there more?"

"Winning the ninth round gets you an additional Mid-grade Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure. Winning the tenth round gets you an additional Top-grade Mental Realm Martial Arts."

Fang Han’s steps faltered for a moment before he continued walking, but his heart was in turmoil.

"Mid-grade Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures... Top-grade Mental Realm Martial Arts..."

He repeated in a low voice, his tone filled with unconcealable amazement.

"The Royal Family’s generosity is truly staggering."

Luo Yuntian nodded, his voice also tinged with emotion. "It’s true. The sheer number of Low-grade Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures and Low-grade Mental Realm Martial Arts is astonishing enough, to say nothing of Mid-grade Mental Realm Martial Arts, Mid-grade Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, and even Top-grade Mental Realm Martial Arts."

He paused, his gaze shifting to the towering city gate in the distance as he continued,

"But that’s precisely why it can attract the prodigies from all One Hundred and Eight Counties. If the rewards weren’t so generous, why would those prodigies from the Central Thirty-Six Counties, who are backed by Overlord-level Influences, travel thousands of miles to be here?"

Fang Han was silent for a moment, then slowly exhaled.

"You’re right. If the rewards weren’t so great, I probably wouldn’t be here either."

He paused, his voice taking on a more solemn tone.

Among all these rewards, the ones that tempted him most were, of course, the Mid-grade Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure and the Top-grade Mental Realm Martial Arts.

However, obtaining them would be no easy task. Even with his current strength, it would be quite difficult.

After all, to get the Mid-grade Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure and the Top-grade Mental Realm Martial Arts, one had to win at least nine consecutive rounds.

And based on the calculation of ten people from each of the One Hundred and Eight Counties, for a total of 1,080 participants, in a two-by-two knockout format, by the ninth round, he would inevitably face prodigies who had already stepped into the First Grade. The difficulty of winning against them was easy to imagine.

"I can’t hope for any rewards beyond the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures," Luo Yuntian said.

"I just hope to win a few rounds and get a few more Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. Then this trip won’t have been for nothing."

"True enough," Fang Han nodded.

It would be a lie to say he didn’t desire the rewards from the ninth and tenth rounds, but even with his current strength, he wasn’t confident he could make it that far.

Whether or not he could was something he would only find out when the time came.

The two continued walking, and after passing several streets, the shops along the way became increasingly exquisite.

Suddenly, Fang Han’s gaze was drawn to a shop on the side of the street.

The shop had a large storefront and was exquisitely decorated. It had a vermilion-lacquered door, and a small plaque hung beneath the flying eaves, inscribed with two elegant words: Linglong Pavilion.

Through the brightly polished display window, he could see exquisite pieces of jewelry arranged inside, refracting a gentle luster in the candlelight.

"Want to go take a look?"

Thinking of Yun Qianyue and Lan Yuexin, Fang Han stopped and asked Luo Yuntian.

Luo Yuntian followed his gaze and nodded slightly.

The two pushed open the shop door and stepped inside.

A faint scent of sandalwood washed over them. The lighting inside was soft, and the walls were covered with elegant brocade.

Many mahogany counters were arranged on either side, their tops covered with dark velvet cloth, upon which all sorts of jewelry were displayed.

There were golden hairpins, Jade Hairpins, pearl hairpins, earrings, bracelets, and more.

The craftsmanship was extremely fine, and one could tell at a glance that they were not cheap.

A Shopkeeper in a long, gray-green robe was fiddling with an abacus behind the counter. Seeing customers enter, he looked up, a professional smile spreading across his face. "Are you two young masters looking to choose some jewelry? All the pieces in our shop are crafted by the most top-level artisans in the Imperial Capital. The materials are exquisite, the workmanship is meticulous, and they are all Top Grade, whether for a gift or for personal use."

Fang Han gave a slight nod, his gaze sweeping over the various pieces of jewelry.

His eyes fell upon a purple Jade Hairpin.

The body of the hairpin was carved from some kind of warm, lustrous purple jade. It was translucent all over, with a faint shimmer of light moving within. The head was carved into a budding magnolia flower, its petals layered and lifelike.

"Let me have a look at this hairpin."

The Shopkeeper acknowledged him and carefully opened the cabinet, took out the purple Jade Hairpin, and placed it on the velvet cloth.

Fang Han reached out and picked it up. The moment his fingertips touched the Jade Hairpin, a cool sensation spread through them.

The quality of the jade was superb, and the carving was flawless.

"This hairpin is made of Purple Cloud Cold Jade. Wearing it not only keeps you cool but also nourishes your qi and blood. Long-term wear is beneficial to the body. The price is 1,300,000 taels," the Shopkeeper explained.

Fang Han nodded. He examined the Jade Hairpin carefully for a moment, already knowing who he would give it to.

Yun Qianyue usually liked to wear light purple dresses, and this purple Jade Hairpin would match her temperament perfectly.

"I’ll take this hairpin."

The price was fair, so he didn’t haggle. He gently set the Jade Hairpin down and continued to scan the display cases.

A moment later, his eyes landed on a pair of blue earrings.

The earrings were crafted from some kind of azure gemstone, shaped like two clear teardrops, refracting a deep blue light in the candle’s glow.

These earrings would perfectly complement the aqua-blue brocade cloak that Lan Yuexin had worn that day.

"And this pair of earrings?"

"This pair is also made from polished blue moon gemstones. The material is pure and the color is translucent. The price is 1,800,000 taels."

Fang Han didn’t hesitate and nodded again. "I’ll take them."

Hearing this, the Shopkeeper’s smile grew even wider. He quickly took out two Brocade Boxes, carefully placed the purple Jade Hairpin and the blue earrings into their respective boxes, and tied them with fine string.

"Young Master, that will be 3,100,000 taels in total, if you please."

Fang Han took a stack of silver notes from his robes and placed it on the counter.

The Shopkeeper took the notes, inspected them, and put them away. Beaming, he presented the two Brocade Boxes with both hands.

Fang Han accepted the Brocade Boxes and turned to look at Luo Yuntian.

He saw Luo Yuntian standing in front of another counter, his gaze fixed on a White Jade Hairpin.

The body of the hairpin was flawless white and gleamed with a gentle luster. Its head was carved into a butterfly with wings spread as if about to take flight. The wings were delicate and the patterns on them were clear, looking as if they would tremble at the slightest touch.

"Wrap this hairpin up," Luo Yuntian spoke, his voice calm but with a subtle, almost imperceptible change in it.

"Right away!"

The Shopkeeper quickly complied, deftly retrieving a Brocade Box, packing the White Jade Hairpin inside, and handing it over.

Luo Yuntian paid with silver notes, took the Brocade Box, and tucked it into his robes with a natural movement.

Fang Han raised an eyebrow, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes.

Ever since he had known Luo Yuntian, he had never seen his junior brother get close to any woman.

Now, seeing him buy a White Jade Hairpin, it was obvious it was a gift. He wondered who it could possibly be for.