The Qin family ancestral home was a rather ancient manor-style residence. Entering the main gate, one was greeted by a courtyard filled with the chirping of birds and the fragrance of flowers. Passing through the courtyard, everyone entered a vast hall.
Qin Tuyi sat in the seat of honor, looking at the Zhang family seated below. Having weathered countless storms, he found himself at a loss for words.
“Today, Mr. Qin, you surely know the purpose of our visit. This is our Zhang family’s betrothal gift. Please accept it, Mr. Qin.”
Zhang Xing’an gestured grandly, and Lin Haotian carried forward a sandalwood chest, no more than three feet in length and width, placing it in the center of the hall.
As soon as the chest was opened, a rich medicinal aroma wafted out, filling the hall.
“One bottle of Rejuvenation Pill, one bottle of Foundation-Building Pill, one bottle of Qi and Blood Pill, one bottle of Great Foundation-Building Pill, one bottle of Serenity Pill…”
Within the wooden chest lay exquisite jade bottles, each filled with elixirs refined by Zhang Fan.
These elixirs, though of too low a grade for Zhang Fan to be of much use, were priceless treasures for the Qin family.
Since being deceived by the Bai family last time, the Qin family had learned their lesson, strengthening their ties with the martial arts world of Huaxia and keeping abreast of its affairs.
It was precisely because of this understanding that they knew how invaluable the contents of this small sandalwood chest were.
A single Great Foundation-Building Pill was enough to make a seasoned innate grandmaster fight desperately for it.
And this was an entire chestful!
Qin Tuyi gazed at the wooden chest below, deeply moved, and could not help but marvel at how worthy of his reputation Grandmaster Zhang truly was.
He had casually tossed out elixirs that could cause innate grandmasters to spill blood fighting over them, yet Zhang Fan had given an entire chest.
And from their demeanor, it seemed this chest of elixirs was no big deal.
The Qin family members, witnessing this scene, were also filled with excitement, marveling at Grandmaster Zhang’s generosity. This betrothal gift was more precious than billions in wealth.
As one of the four great families of Yanjing, the Qin family lacked neither money nor power. Even if Zhang Fan were to bestow upon them a Fortune Global 500 company or help them elevate a general, it would not evoke such surprise.
However, elixirs from Grandmaster Zhang were truly rare.
Originally, Qin Tuyi, aged decades by the harm inflicted by the Bai family, had not only regained much of his youth after consuming a Great Foundation-Building Pill but had also cultivated true qi within his body.
The miraculous efficacy of these elixirs was evident for all to see.
If one were to attempt to measure their value in monetary terms, the combined fixed and liquid assets of the Qin family would still fall short of this single chest of elixirs.
“Brother Zhang, I am truly unworthy of such a generous gift!”
Qin Tuyi’s heart raced, his arms trembling involuntarily. This betrothal gift was simply too precious.
Even with his considerable composure, Qin Tuyi felt a sense of unease, as if the gift were too hot to handle.
“These elixirs are nothing to our Zhang family. Please accept them, Mr. Qin. This is our Zhang family’s sincere intention. Moreover, in the hearts of our Zhang family members, your granddaughter is beyond the value of this chest of elixirs.”
Zhang Xing’an said this with immense pride, waving his hand dismissively as he observed the excited expressions of the Qin family.
“In that case, I shall gratefully accept.”
Upon hearing this, Qin Tuyi quickly made arrangements. “Zhengwen, accept the betrothal gift. Zhengming, go and invite Luoshui out.”
Following Qin Tuyi’s instructions, Qin Luoshui appeared in the hall shortly thereafter.
Today, she was clad in a white gown. Since cultivating to the Divine realm, her demeanor had become even more ethereal and indistinct, imbued with an unassailable divine aura, like a celestial maiden from the Ninth Heaven, captivating all who beheld her.
“Luoshui, I have come to propose marriage.”
Seeing Qin Luoshui, Zhang Fan grinned.
“This is the betrothal gift I prepared for you,” Zhang Fan said, with a wave of his hand. A garment radiating a colorful glow appeared before him, floating in mid-air.
The garment was of an ancient style, resembling a royal court robe. It was woven from countless fine threads, each stitch imbued with exquisite beauty. The collar was adorned with a graceful phoenix motif, exuding an aura of nobility.
“This, could it be a spiritual treasure?”
Zhang Xing’an and the others could only sense the extraordinary nature of the garment but could not discern its true identity.
However, Xue Jing and Sword Immortal Wuchen, among others, could clearly perceive that this garment was a magical artifact, and moreover, one that had already birthed a spirit.
Xue Jing was astonished. He was certain that this spiritual treasure had been personally refined by Zhang Fan.
Although Xue Jing did not understand the art of artifact forging, he had, in his lifetime, witnessed numerous spiritual treasures. He could tell that the craftsmanship involved in forging this garment surpassed that of any master artifact forger he had ever encountered.
Furthermore, he had never heard of an artifact forger who could create a spiritual treasure before condensing a Golden Core.
Given Zhang Fan’s current strength, it was not difficult for him to forge a spiritual treasure if provided with sufficient time and raw materials.
However, to forge a spiritual treasure within a single day was almost impossible.
This Thousand-Thread Robe was crafted by Zhang Fan by smelting three low-grade spiritual treasures, extracting their essence, and infusing the spirit of one of them into it. This ingenious method allowed him to complete it within a day and a night.
“It’s so beautiful!”
Upon seeing the Thousand-Thread Robe, Qin Luoshui’s bright eyes were filled with surprise. She had never imagined that clothing could be so beautiful; it was truly like a celestial robe.
“It is yours.”
Zhang Fan gently tossed the robe, and it floated down into Qin Luoshui’s hands.
Qin Luoshui’s slender fingers caressed the garment, its texture incredibly soft, like stroking celestial feathers, making her eager to try it on immediately.
“Thank you, Brother Zhang Fan.”
Qin Luoshui, suppressing her excitement, carefully put away the robe. She then walked to Zhang Fan’s side, gently linked her arm with his, and with a sweet smile on her exquisite face, softly said, “Thank you, Brother Zhang Fan.”
The two stood together, like an immortal couple, inspiring envy in all who witnessed them.
“Haha, since the betrothal gifts have been presented, the next step is to set the wedding date,” Zhang Xing’an said with a satisfied nod, laughing heartily.
“The date should indeed be set. May I ask if our in-laws have a decision?” Qin Tuyi nodded, turning his gaze to Zhang Xing’an.
“How about three days from now?” As Zhang Xing’an spoke, everyone in the hall held their breath.
Although Zhang Fan was eager to marry Qin Luoshui, he hadn't expected his father to be even more impatient, directly setting the date for three days later.
“Good!”
Qin Tuyi readily agreed. Looking at Qin Luoshui standing beside Zhang Fan, his aged face bloomed with a smile.
…
ps: Third update!