# Chapter 572: Three Betrothal Gifts
In everyone's eyes, Zhang Ruochen and Bu Qianfan were evenly matched in strength. Zhang Ruochen shouldn't have been so arrogant, fighting Bu Qianfan with bare hands—he would suffer greatly.
"Boom!"
Zhang Ruochen's finger sword collided with Bu Qianfan's palm blade, like two ten-thousand-jin divine metals striking each other, producing a deafening sound.
"Crack."
On the ground beneath their feet, the jade floor tiles shattered and split apart, dense cracks spreading outward.
Standing at a distance and looking over, Zhang Ruochen and Bu Qianfan held no blades or swords in their hands, yet dozens of sword shadows and dozens of blade shadows appeared nonetheless.
What was even more astonishing was that Zhang Ruochen's two fingers actually emitted a golden light.
The golden light spread from his fingers to his entire body.
The next moment, Zhang Ruochen's body had completely turned golden, like a golden-cast divine statue.
"Fish-Dragon Second Transformation, Skin Refined to Gold."
Even Bu Qianfan was somewhat shocked.
How long had it been since Zhang Ruochen broke through to the Fish-Dragon Realm? How could he have already reached the Fish-Dragon Second Transformation?
Without allowing him to think further, Zhang Ruochen struck again, his finger sword aimed at Bu Qianfan's chest.
Bu Qianfan's reaction speed was also extremely fast. He quickly extended his palm to block, his palm center colliding with Zhang Ruochen's fingertip.
"Boom!"
A penetrating force transmitted from his palm center. Even though the glove blocked some of it, Bu Qianfan still felt uncomfortable.
His right arm had become completely numb, and his body uncontrollably retreated backward, sliding thirteen zhang away.
Bu Qianfan slowly raised his palm, struggling to clench his five fingers. His expression shifted continuously, somewhat gloomy. "I truly didn't expect your cultivation to have already reached the Fish-Dragon Second Transformation. Such fast cultivation speed."
The sword energy around Zhang Ruochen's body gradually dissipated, becoming formless.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Do you still want to fight?"
Bu Qianfan shook his head. "No need to fight anymore. You are indeed very strong. But I won't give up."
His gaze shifted to the ten carts of betrothal gifts Zhang Ruochen had brought, and he gently shook his head. "A mere ten carts of betrothal gifts, and you want to marry Miss Yanchen? Zhang Ruochen, the gifts you sent are far too meager. Bring them up!"
"Rumble!"
In the distance, a convoy rapidly approached.
That convoy stretched for thirty li, all pulled by enormous barbaric elephants carrying the betrothal gifts, escorted by five thousand people, totaling one thousand two hundred carts.
In moments, one thousand two hundred barbaric elephants, one thousand two hundred gift carts, and five thousand family soldiers of the Bu Holy Clan had arrived imposingly behind Bu Qianfan.
Barbaric elephants were known as "war beasts."
The strength of one barbaric elephant was comparable to a martial artist at the weakest Heavenly Extreme Realm.
Not to mention anything else, just the one thousand two hundred barbaric elephants pulling the carts were like one thousand two hundred Heavenly Extreme Realm martial artists. The aura they emitted was already quite frightening.
Only the Bu Holy Clan, which had enormous influence in the Ministry of War, could mobilize one thousand two hundred barbaric elephants at once to form a cart-pulling convoy. Such a sight was absolutely rare.
The crowd present was shocked once again, having to admire Bu Qianfan's grand gesture—he had completely crushed Zhang Ruochen's betrothal gifts into dust.
Bu Qianfan gave an order: "Open them."
The family soldiers of the Bu Holy Clan immediately jumped down from the barbaric elephants' backs and opened the boxes on all one thousand two hundred carts uniformly.
From the boxes, dazzling light radiated, and wisps of spiritual energy and multicolored light surged out.
Among them, there were six hundred carts of ordinary spirit crystals, three hundred carts of medium-grade spirit crystals, two hundred carts of high-quality spirit crystals, and one hundred carts of top-grade spirit crystals.
Even Half-Saint level existences rarely saw such a massive quantity of spirit crystals at once. The younger generation of martial artists was even more blinded by the one thousand two hundred carts of spirit crystals.
In the cultivation world, what was most important?
Of course, it was spirit crystals.
With spirit crystals, a martial artist could purchase top-tier techniques, high-grade pills and battle weapons, and even buy cities, slaves, and battle pets.
With spirit crystals, a family could train a large number of experts and continuously expand the family's power.
Bu Qianfan's gaze fixed on Huang Yanchen, and he declared loudly, "Miss Yanchen, my betrothal gifts are here. Six million ordinary spirit crystals, three million medium-grade spirit crystals, two million high-quality spirit crystals, and one million top-grade spirit crystals. Total value: one billion two hundred thirty-six million spirit crystals."
One billion two hundred thirty-six million spirit crystals—it was like an astronomical number, stunning the younger generation of martial artists into a daze.
With Bu Qianfan's own excellent qualities, combined with such generous betrothal gifts, even if he proposed to the number one proud daughter of the Chen Clan's younger generation, the Chen Clan would probably agree readily. Moreover, he was only proposing to an outer clan woman of the Chen Clan.
Chen Ji, the vein master of Huang Yanchen's lineage, was also quite shocked when he saw the one thousand two hundred carts of spirit crystals. If Huang Yanchen hadn't already been engaged to Zhang Ruochen, he would have agreed to Bu Qianfan's proposal long ago.
The young women of the Chen Clan were also very excited, their beautiful eyes sparkling as they looked at Bu Qianfan, as if they wanted to throw themselves into his arms.
Extraordinary talent, handsome and elegant, young and wealthy... if an ordinary man had just one of these qualities, he could attract countless women. Moreover, Bu Qianfan possessed all these advantages.
However, Bu Qianfan seemed unable to see them; his eyes were only on Huang Yanchen.
Zhu Hongtao and Wan Ke were still somewhat composed, but the other servants who had come with Zhang Ruochen to deliver the betrothal gifts all lowered their heads in inferiority.
Huang Yanchen's parents, Qian Water Commandery King and Liuli Half-Saint, also had rather embarrassed expressions.
Everyone felt that Bu Qianfan was deliberately humiliating Zhang Ruochen.
The ten carts of betrothal gifts were all carefully selected gifts from Consort Lin. They weren't shabby at all originally, but compared to Bu Qianfan's betrothal gifts, they became utterly lackluster.
It could be imagined that even if Zhang Ruochen ultimately married Huang Yanchen, today's events would surely make it onto the "Eastern Domain Wind and Cloud Report" and spread throughout the entire Eastern Domain.
By then, countless people would think Zhang Ruochen was too stingy, and might even feel it wasn't worth it for Huang Yanchen.
Marrying such a stingy man—could she be happy in the future?
If she were a calculating, worldly woman, she would probably abandon Zhang Ruochen immediately and throw herself into Bu Qianfan's arms.
But Huang Yanchen's eyes instead showed a look as if she were looking at an idiot, giving Bu Qianfan a cold glare.
Zhang Ruochen hadn't wanted to compete with anyone, but when he saw Huang Yanchen's parents' embarrassed expressions, he stepped forward. "Master, Senior Brother, Brother Chang, bring my three betrothal gifts over."
Lei Jing, Si Xingkong, and Chang Qiqi each took a jade box from the back of the Earth Fire Qilin, carefully held them in their hands, and walked to Zhang Ruochen's side.
Chang Qiqi somewhat provocatively glanced at Bu Qianfan and laughed. "Who says one thousand two hundred carts of spirit crystals are necessarily valuable? My junior brother is low-key; he won't show off like some people, which only reveals their vulgarity."
Si Xingkong said, "Those ten carts of betrothal gifts over there are just gifts from the old madam to her future daughter-in-law. Zhang Junior Brother's betrothal gifts are these three items."
Bu Qianfan's expression didn't change. He gently scratched the tip of his nose with his finger, curiously looking at the three jade boxes, and laughed. "Is that so? Let me see what Zhang Ruochen has sent. Could it possibly be more valuable than the one billion two hundred thirty-six million spirit crystals I sent?"
Naturally, no one present thought Zhang Ruochen's three gifts could compare to the massive amount of spirit crystals Bu Qianfan had sent.
After all, Zhang Ruochen was just a commandery prince from a lower commandery. Even though he had become a disciple of Xuanji Sword Saint, his personal foundation was still a hundred thousand li behind the Bu Holy Clan.
Even if he exhausted all the financial resources of a lower commandery, could he come up with one million spirit crystals?
First, Zhang Ruochen took the jade box from Chang Qiqi's hands. Under the gaze of countless doubtful eyes, he slowly opened the box.
"Whoosh!"
From the box, a dark black radiance emanated.
A rich water-attribute spiritual energy spread out, making the surrounding air very moist.
Water particles in the air converged toward Zhang Ruochen, and within a certain range, a misty rain descended.
A young martial artist of the Chen Clan exclaimed, "That's a water-attribute origin treasure."
Zhang Ruochen glanced at that person and nodded. "That's right, it is a water-attribute origin treasure—Black Water Glazed Crystal. A total of three hundred thirty-three jin, representing the bond between me and Senior Sister Yanchen—three lifetimes, three reincarnations, three cycles of rebirth, unchanging."
"Boom!"
Everyone present was shaken.
Water-attribute origin treasures—everyone had seen them before, but never in such quantity.
One must know that by refining nine jin and nine liang of Black Water Glazed Crystal, one could cultivate a Water Spirit Treasure Body.
The Black Water Glazed Crystal Zhang Ruochen had sent was enough for the Chen Clan to cultivate dozens of Treasure Bodies in a short time.
One could imagine, in the same era, a family giving birth to dozens of Treasure Bodies—once they grew up, how terrifying would that be?
Chen Ji looked at the Black Water Glazed Crystal in the jade box, and his originally calm heart became somewhat excited.
His vein was the weakest in the Chen Clan. This was precisely because too few geniuses had been cultivated, talents were scarce, and top experts couldn't compare to other veins.
If he could obtain several hundred jin of Black Water Glazed Crystal, he could immediately have his vein cultivate dozens of Treasure Bodies. In a few decades, his vein would surely become one of the strongest in the Chen Clan.
The young martial artists of the Chen Clan were all excited.
Since the Black Water Glazed Crystal was a betrothal gift from Zhang Ruochen, it would become the Chen Clan's treasure from now on. Could they also get a share?
Qian Water Commandery King and Liuli Half-Saint exchanged glances, revealing knowing smiles, and both breathed a sigh of relief.
Zhang Ruochen hadn't disappointed them. He had independently overcome the difficulty and blocked Bu Qianfan's provocation.
Zhang Ruochen had only opened the first jade box, and the value of the treasure displayed already rivaled the one thousand two hundred carts of spirit crystals Bu Qianfan had sent.
What extraordinary treasures were contained in the remaining two jade boxes?
Everyone present couldn't help but anticipate it.
The young disciples of the Chen Clan, who were usually quite self-important, were now craning their necks, their gazes uniformly fixed on the remaining two jade boxes.
Zhang Ruochen didn't disappoint them either. He soon walked to Si Xingkong's side, took the second jade box, and slowly opened it.