Within the jade box was a crimson armor.
Even though the armor's aura was sealed in the box by an Inscription of Array, the crowd could still feel a scorching heat wave coming toward them.
Kylin Armor.
The armor was made of 3,671 pieces of Ember Kylin scales. Each scale could expand to nine feet or shrink to three inches in diameter. It was indeed a Holy Weapon.
When Demi-saint Lingshu, the fifth Senior sister apprentice, returned to East Region Saint City, she engaged the weapon-refining master in Sword Sanctum to cast and refine the Kylin Armor.
Although it was extremely tedious to cast and refine Holy Weapons, it was easier when it was done in Sword Sanctum. After all, the Sword Sanctum had the highest standard in weapon refinement in the entire Eastern Region. Its standard was almost on par with that of the Federation of Inscription.
They could cast and refine a Holy Weapon in a very short time as long as they were provided the highest quality materials required.
The interior of the Kyrin Armor was carved with a total of 476 inscriptions. It was a superior quality Hundred Inscription Weapon.
Moreover, there was a pair of flaming wings at the back of the Kylin Armor made from the feathers of the humanoid fish and Ember Kylin. When unfolded and injected with Genuine Qi, these wings were capable of powerful attacks.
A monk would be able to fly across the sky at high speed while wearing the Kylin Armor.
Demi-saint Lingshu, the fifth Senior sister apprentice, had given the Kylin Armor to Zhang Ruochen the night before. However, since Zhang Ruochen already had the Shooting Star Invisible Cloak, he decided to offer the Kylin Armor to Huang Yanchen as a dowry after discussing it with Demi-Saint Lingshu.
Demi-Saint Lingshu was not opposed to the idea. Since the Kylin Armor already belonged to Zhang Ruochen, he could give it to anyone he pleased.
Many people were envious upon seeing the Holy Weapon armor in the second jade box.
Not only was it incredibly difficult to refine such a Holy Weapon, even the materials needed were hard to come by.
Without luck, even a Half-Saint might not be able to find all of the materials needed to make a Holy Weapon within his lifetime.
Besides, even if one managed to gather all the materials needed, he might not be qualified to engage a master weapon refiner to cast and refine the Holy Weapon.
What's more, casting and refining a Holy Weapon armor would require many times more materials than that required to make a Holy Weapon.
This meant that the value of a Holy Weapon armor far exceeded that of a Holy Weapon.
Even an influential family like the Chens would keep such treasures in the treasure cabinet. The only ones qualified to put on the armor would be Half-Saints who have made extraordinary contributions to the family.
Huang Yanchen looked at Zhang Ruochen and shook her head. "The Xuanwu holy source you gave me already far surpasses the value of Bu Qianfan's gifts. Why are you still giving me the Kylin armor and Black Glazed Spinel? You should keep these treasures for yourself instead of giving them to me."
" It doesn't matter, they are only material things." Zhang Ruochen smiled and looked unusually calm.
The Chens heard Huang Yanchen's words and were shocked!
"What? Did Zhang Ruochen give cousin Yanchen a holy source?"
"That's impossible! The holy source is such a precious treasure, only the family inheritor is entitled to it."
"Once a Half-Saint ingests a dose of holy source and completely refines it, he would have a 50% chance of reaching the Saint Realm. How is it possible for Zhang Ruochen to give it away?"
...
It wasn't just the Chens who thought it was incredible; even the monks of the powerful Four Great Saint families were shocked.
The Saint Zuo Gentry, for example, had only ever had one pill of holy source.
One pill of holy source meant one Saint.
A family would stand as long as there was a Saint in the family.
On the other hand, if a Saint of the Saint Zuo Gentry was slain by another and the holy source in his body was taken away, the gentry would deteriorate without the Saint's protection.
If the holy source was this important to a powerful Saint family, what more to a monk? It would be a priceless treasure.
Even Half-saint Liuli and the Qianshui Commandery Prince, who were Huang Yanchen's parents, were astonished about the Xuanwu holy source. Huang Yanchen had not breathed a word about it to them.
Once Huang Yanchen ingested the Xuanwu holy source, her status in the Chen family would rise to a whole new level. She would be one of the highly-regarded descendants to be nurtured within the family.
Half-saint Liuli walked over to her immediately and asked with a somber tone, "Have you already ingested the Xuanwu holy source, Yanchen?"
Huang Yanchen glanced at Zhang Ruochen, who remained calm and composed, and decided not to keep it secret anymore. She nodded her head and replied. "Zhang Ruochen laid hold on the Xuanwu Heritage while in Xuanwu Primitive World. Instead of keeping it to himself, he gave it to me."
Half-saint Liuli immediately broke out with joy. She held Huang Yanchen's hand tightly and was so excited that she could not even utter a word.
Only a person in the Half-Saint Realm would understand how difficult it was to reach the Sacred Realm, and how valuable and precious a holy source pill was.
Half-saint Liuli was regarded as God's favored daughter in the Chen family because she had reached the Half-Saint Realm at a tender age. Yet the hope of becoming a Saint remained slim.
Although Huang Yanchen had only reached a low-level realm, she had a greater chance of becoming a saint.
Chen Ji, who was the branch head, stepped forward immediately and said, "I hereby pronounce Huang Yanchen the inheritor of the Mount Xuan Tribe of the Chen family. She will be the heir to the branch head of our tribe as of today."
Within the Chen family, apart from having an inheritor for the family leader, each tribe had an inheritor for the branch head.
Chen Ji's announcement making Huang Yanchen the branch head inheritor meant that she would become one of the high-level members of the Chens in the future.
There was no objection from any of those present.
This was no joke. Huang Yanchen had taken a dose of holy source, therefore there was a great chance of her attaining sainthood in the future.
Henceforth, the Chens would try to cozy up to her. They would at least promise her the status of the branch head inheritor, otherwise the Chens may lose a prospective Saint.
In the East Region Saint Mansions, on top of a twelve-story high tower, stood a green-robed elder and a white-robed elder who were looking at each other's eyes.
"Mount Xuan Tribe has just gained a holy source pill. The status of the Mount Xuan Tribe will move up a great deal in the Chen family." The green-robed elder sighed.
The white-robed elder snorted, saying, "I would have 90% confidence of attaining sainthood if I could get hold of a pill of holy source. I would move on to become the newest addition to the saints of the family. Unfortunately, that foreign woman has already ingested the holy source."
Although both the green-robed elder and the white-robed elder were branch heads of the Chen family, they did not have the audacity to take the holy source by force. The Chens had a set of stringent family rules and any offense was punishable by death.
The Half-saints who were present began staring intently at Huang Yanchen.
Had Huang Yanchen not been one of the descendants of the Chen family, there may already have been people who had risked snatching it.
Huang Yanchen said, "The third gift for dowry would be the Xuanwu holy source. I suppose there is no need to open the last jade box."
She took the third jade box from Lei Jing and passed it to Zhang Ruochen, motioning for him to keep it.
Huang Yanchen had given away the secret regarding the Xuanwu holy source hoping that Zhang Ruochen would stop spending so much on her. After all, Zhang Ruochen had already given up so much for her.
Everyone could guess the treasure in the third jade box was the most valuable by far.
However, Huang Yanchen had returned it to Zhang Ruochen, angering the Chens who thought she was trying to benefit outsiders.
As Zhang Ruochen took the third jade box, he saw the expressions of everyone around them, so he said, "Actually, the two preceding gifts are for Senior sister apprentice Yanchen. Only this last one is for the Chen family."
"Since Senior sister apprentice Yanchen thinks the three gifts are complete, I shall take back the last one."
"Do you have any objections, Uncle and Aunt?"
Qianshui Commandery Prince and Half-saint Liuli naturally did not have any objections to this. After all, were the three gifts from Zhang Ruochen, namely the Black Glazed Spinel, Kylin Armor, and holy source, not extremely valuable treasures?
If they had objections, they would look like covetous people.
Chen Ji, the Branch Head, narrowed his aging eyes as he looked at the third jade box, but he remained silent.
Qianshui Commandery Prince looked at Zhang Ruochen, smiled and said, "All of us have witnessed your love for Yanchen from the bridal gifts and dowry that you presented, we are in awe. We hereby entrust Yanchen into your hands. Promise us you will take good care of her."
Half-saint Liuli's eyes were filled with tenderness as she said, "Ruochen, keep this for yourself. You have just started on the journey on the holy road, you will exhaust large amounts of resources for cultivation."
Zhang Ruochen nodded his head, bowed at Qianshui Commandery Prince and Half-saint Liuli, then put the third jade box back onto the Ember Kylin's back.
At that moment, Bu Qianfan, who was standing some distance away, said, "Zhang Ruochen, since you have brought the gifts all the way here, is there any harm opening up the third jade box and letting us have a look at what valuable gift you brought?"
Bu Qianfan's words expressed the exact sentiments of everyone who was watching.
The Black Glazed Spinel and Kylin Armor had aroused the curiosity of the people.
"Could it be the legendary Buddhist Emperor Sarira?"
Someone blurted out.
All of a sudden a wave of excitement broke out and everyone's eyes were fixed on the third jade box.
Buddhist Emperor Sarira was like the Buddhist Emperor's holy source. It was classified as a legendary treasure.
It had always been a mystery whether this Buddhist Emperor Sarira was with Zhang Ruochen or not. No one had proven it with evidence.
This suggestion stirred up a great commotion.
"Zhang Ruochen has given Huang Yanchen the Xuanwu holy source, it's not impossible that he would present Buddhist Emperor Sarira as a bridal gift."
"Open the jade box, Zhang Ruochen. Let's see the treasure you brought."
As more and more people were getting curious about the content of the third jade box, they started to call out to Zhang Ruochen to open the jade box and satisfy their curiosity.
Even Branch Head Chen Ji said, "Zhang Ruochen, since everyone is curious about the content of the jade box, just open it so we can all have a look. I assure you that no matter what treasure it is, the Chens will not covet it. We will let you bring it back the way you brought it here."