Chapter 599 - 595: The Martial Arts Assembly Begins

Chapter 599: Chapter 595: The Martial Arts Assembly Begins

"Junior Brother Luo, who is that hairpin for?"

Fang Han asked, his tone teasing.

At his words, Luo Yuntian froze for a moment. He then nonchalantly tucked the Brocade Box into his robes, avoiding Fang Han’s gaze.

"I just bought it on a whim."

His voice was flat, but it held a hint of imperceptible evasiveness.

"On a whim? I don’t believe you."

Fang Han chuckled and pressed on.

Luo Yuntian coughed lightly and turned his gaze outside, as if watching the pedestrians on the street. He only managed a vague reply.

"Erm... I really did just buy it on a whim."

Seeing him so flustered and evasive, Fang Han couldn’t help but find it amusing.

’So the usually serious Luo Yuntian has a side like this, too.’

Just as he was about to tease him a bit more, a clear bell chimed, and several figures walked in.

It was a group of young women in their twenties, all fashionably dressed and each with a unique air about them.

They chatted and laughed as they entered the shop, their eyes scanning the display counters.

Fang Han’s eyes swept over them casually. Just as he was about to look away, his gaze froze.

The woman at the front was exceptionally beautiful.

She wore a pink, gossamer-thin long dress, cinched at her slender waist with a pale pink sash.

Tucked into her jet-black hair was a gold pearl hairpin accented with jade green, from which hung several fine, golden tassels. They swayed gently as she walked, making a soft, tinkling sound.

Her eyes were bright and full of spirit, her nose was high-bridged, and her lips were full. Her skin was so fair it was almost translucent, making her pink dress appear even more vibrant and lovely.

Her beauty was different from Yun Qianyue’s cold aloofness or Lan Yuexin’s gentle grace.

Yun Qianyue was distant and indifferent, and Lan Yuexin was gentle and poised. This woman, however, possessed a bright and ostentatious beauty, like a red peony in full bloom—passionate and dazzling.

Fang Han’s gaze lingered on her stunning face for a moment, a flicker of surprise in his heart.

’This is the third woman I’ve seen with such breathtaking beauty.’

The first two were Yun Qianyue and Lan Yuexin.

And the woman before him could rival them both.

Luo Yuntian had clearly noticed her as well. His gaze swept over the woman’s face before he quickly looked away and lowered his voice to speak to Fang Han.

"Senior Brother Fang, do you know who that woman is?"

Fang Han shook his head.

"No. I just arrived in the Imperial Capital. How could I possibly know?"

Luo Yuntian’s voice dropped even lower.

"In the few days since I’ve been in the Imperial Capital, I’ve heard people mention that some enthusiasts have ranked the top ten beauties. The one before us is one of them."

He paused, then continued.

"She should be one of the Imperial Capital’s top ten beauties—Zhen Feixuan. She’s a disciple of the Zhen Family, an Overlord-level Influence."

Realization dawned on Fang Han.

As the greatest city in the world, the Imperial Capital was a gathering place for talent of all kinds, and that included women.

’To be ranked among the top ten beauties, her looks must be extraordinary. No wonder she’s so stunning.’

However, he was more surprised by something other than her appearance.

Zhen Feixuan’s aura was completely concealed; she must have practiced some kind of Breath Concealment Secret Technique.

If not for the fact that his Netherworld Guide had reached the Minor Achievement Realm, making his perception incredibly sharp, he likely wouldn’t have noticed it either.

This woman, whose beauty was no less than that of Yun Qianyue or Lan Yuexin, was actually a First Grade Martial Artist.

’A First Grade Martial Artist...’

A chill ran through Fang Han’s heart.

He had long known that besides Qin Yuan, Lin Qingyin, and Chu Jinghong—the three prodigies widely considered the most likely to take first place—there were surely other prodigies from the various counties who had also broken through to First Grade.

But he hadn’t expected to meet one so soon.

And a stunning beauty ranked among the top ten, no less.

Fang Han retracted his gaze and said to Luo Yuntian in a low voice,

"That woman is already a First Grade Martial Artist."

Luo Yuntian’s expression changed, utterly shocked.

Zhen Feixuan seemed to notice their gazes. She turned, her limpid eyes sweeping over Fang Han and Luo Yuntian before a polite smile graced her lips.

"Is there something I can help you with, gentlemen?"

Her voice was clear and pleasant, carrying a hint of magnanimous amusement.

Fang Han cupped his fist and spoke.

"We were just taken by your elegance. Please forgive our rudeness."

Hearing this, Zhen Feixuan smiled faintly and said nothing more. Her gaze lingered on them for a moment before turning back to the counter.

Fang Han and Luo Yuntian exchanged a glance, then turned and left Linglong Pavilion without another word.

Sunlight once again fell upon their faces, and the clamor of the streets rushed back into their ears.

"So besides the three who are acknowledged as the strongest, there really are others who have broken through to First Grade."

Luo Yuntian’s voice was heavy.

Besides those three, there really were others who had reached First Grade.

He had been quite confident that Fang Han would achieve a high ranking, but now he wasn’t so sure.

「Two days passed in the blink of an eye.」

In the morning, Fang Han’s eyes fluttered open to the faint sound of birdsong.

He didn’t get up immediately. Instead, he sat quietly on his bed and let his Inner Qi circulate smoothly through his meridians for three full Circulations.

Although two days weren’t enough to advance his Cultivation further, it was enough to solidify his standing at the Late Stage of Second Grade.

"Today is the Martial Arts Assembly," Fang Han murmured to himself.

He got up, washed up briefly, changed into a clean white robe, and hung the Cloud Splitting Sword at his waist.

Pushing open the door, a cool morning breeze washed over him.

He stood at the doorway and took a deep breath. The fresh air filled his lungs, waking him completely.

After breakfast, he strode out of his courtyard, passed through the corridors of the Royal Villa, and headed toward the designated meeting point.

Along the way, young men and women passed by him one after another.

Some looked calm, some were nervous, and others were visibly excited, clearly having long anticipated this grand event that brought together the prodigies of the One Hundred and Eight Counties.

When Fang Han arrived at the gates of the Royal Villa, Luo Yuntian, Liu Bai, Mad Saber, and the others were already waiting. Meng Xian, the True Inheritor from the Netherworld Pavilion with whom Fang Han had clashed, was also among them.

Including Fang Han, all of the top ten from the Qingyang County Celestial Pride List had accepted the invitation and chosen to participate in the Martial Arts Assembly.

Mad Saber was shouldering his door-panel-sized greatsword, looking around boredly. When he saw Fang Han approaching, he broke into a wide grin.

"Brother Fang, you’re finally here."

Fang Han said apologetically.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

Liu Bai was still dressed in his moon-white long robe, his bearing as elegant as ever, the Seven-Color Gemstone Longsword still at his waist.

Wu Xiang stood with his palms together, his expression peaceful, showing no signs of nervousness.

Hua Jieyu still had a smile in her eyes. Seeing Fang Han arrive, her gaze swept over him, a trace of surprise flashing in her eyes.

"Brother Fang, it’s only been a few days. Has your Momentum grown stronger again?"

Fang Han didn’t deny it, simply smiling.

"I did have a bit of a breakthrough."

Hearing this, everyone’s gaze sharpened slightly.

A flash of amazement crossed Luo Yuntian’s eyes.

He had known Fang Han the longest and was most aware of how astonishing his senior brother’s Cultivation speed was.

From the Qingxuan Sect’s Junior Courtyard to the True Inheritance Courtyard, and now to standing here today, every step he took was both swift and steady.

"Let’s go."

Fang Han didn’t dwell on the matter and took the lead, striding forward.

The group crossed the wide main street of the Imperial Capital, heading toward the Martial Arts Assembly venue, which was located near the Imperial Palace.

Along the way, the number of Martial Artists in various attire grew. Some traveled in groups, others alone, but without exception, all were heading in the same direction—

The Martial Arts Assembly venue.

About half an hour later, a magnificent building came into view.

It was a vast, circular structure built entirely of some kind of grayish-white stone. From a distance, it looked like a dormant behemoth crouching in the heart of the Imperial Capital.

The building was surrounded by thick stone walls several zhang high. At regular intervals, crimson flags were planted on the walls, each embroidered with the golden character for "Martial," snapping loudly in the morning breeze.

The main entrance was a massive archway wide enough for ten people to walk abreast. Carved on the lintel in a powerful script were three large words—

"Martial Arts Assembly."

In front of the archway stood dozens of armored Imperial Guard soldiers. Each had a solid aura, a standard-issue longsword at their waist, and sharp eyes that scanned the passing crowds.

Fang Han’s gaze swept over the Imperial Guard soldiers, and his heart tightened slightly.

The weakest of these guards was a Fourth-Grade Martial Artist.

This alone was a testament to the profound depth of the Great Chu Royal Family’s foundation.

"Check-in for entry! Please present your contestant Jade Token or spectator invitation!"

A Colonel of the Imperial Guard, clad in Profound Armor and with a clearly stronger aura, stood before the archway, repeating the same sentence in a booming voice.

Fang Han and the others took out the Jade Tokens they had received upon checking into the Royal Villa and presented them.

The Colonel took them, inspected them carefully, and after confirming they were authentic, returned the Jade Tokens with a slight nod.

"All clear. Please enter."

Fang Han and his group took back their Jade Tokens and stepped through the archway.

Following the flow of people through a wide corridor, they headed deeper into the venue as the distant clamor grew louder.

A moment later, the view opened up before them.

A massive circular arena appeared before their eyes.

Surrounding the arena were ring after ring of spectator stands, rising tier upon tier, large enough to accommodate a hundred thousand people.

The stands were already filled with many spectators. Some were talking in low voices, while others stared intently at the center of the arena. The air was thick with a fervent atmosphere, a mixture of anticipation and excitement.

And in the center of the arena were twenty Battle Platforms.

Each Battle Platform was a square, roughly thirty zhang on each side, built from the same grayish-white stone. Their surfaces were as smooth as mirrors, glowing with a soft luster in the morning light.

"It’s the same material as the Martial Arts Stele..."

Fang Han’s eyes fell on the Battle Platforms, and he couldn’t help but murmur to himself.

This stone was the same material as the Martial Arts Stele within the Qingxuan Sect. It was astonishingly hard; ordinary blades could not leave a mark on it, and even a Grandmaster Powerhouse attacking with full force could not damage it.

"With twenty Battle Platforms operating simultaneously, the first round of the competition should be over by the end of today."

Luo Yuntian stood beside Fang Han, his gaze sweeping over the twenty Battle Platforms as he spoke.

"Let’s go. We need to find our assigned Battle Platforms first."

Fang Han nodded and scanned the announcement boards set up at the edge of the arena. They clearly listed the number of each Battle Platform and the corresponding contestant rosters.

He found his Jade Token number on the announcement board labeled "Number Ten."