The Treasured Masterpiece  

Fan Li was focused on admiring the merchandise, but was startled by Han Yue's shrill scream. He thought she was about to attack him. After hearing the words 'so expensive', he felt both exasperated and amused.

Expensive?

Only 999,000 spirit stones.

What were spirit stones? Just a common currency for cultivators, but if accumulated to a certain extent, they would severely depreciate in value.

Just like in Fan Li's previous life, those core technological patents that were monopolized were the true treasures that money couldn't buy!

In Fan Li's eyes, these spirit treasured garments with the prices clearly marked were nothing more than ordinary merchandise.

Suddenly, a thought crossed Fan Li's mind, and he guessed something. He turned to look at Sage Ruler Han Yue, seeing her extremely embarrassed from her lack of composure, even turning her back unable to face him.

"How do you like these five outfits, Sage Ruler? If you like them, this duke can buy them all..."

"No!" But Han Yue misunderstood. She thought Fan Li wanted to buy them all, leaving none for her. Although anxious, she was also helpless. Han Yue simply couldn't afford enough spirit stones to buy any one of the five outfits. Just now during her shopping spree, she had already spent most of her savings.

No one would believe that the Brahma Sound Pure Land, known as a holy realm detached from the world, claims to shelter all suffering women, treating all as sisters, sharing honor and hardship alike. But most cultivators in the Pure Lands lived exceedingly simple and frugal cultivation lives.

How much wealth and savings did the Pure Lands have?

Han Yue didn't know.

The Supreme Sage Ruler Yao Guang alone managed the Pure Lands' treasury.

As a fellow Sage Ruler, Han Yue could only receive a fixed allocation of resources each year, including treasures, pills, and spirit stones.

Moreover, since she only cultivated the Way of the Sword and did not engage in business or go out treasure hunting, the resources distributed by the Pure Lands were her entire fortune.

"No?" Fan Li scratched his head. "This duke intended to buy all five outfits and gift them to the Sage Ruler, but it seems you don't appreciate them?"

"Ah..." Sage Ruler Han Yue was also dazed.

For Fan Li to gift her such expensive treasure garments?

What's this?

She shook her head. Fan Li was someone she had to kill, how could she accept his gifts?

'He must have ulterior motives, could he be trying to bribe me to betray the Pure Lands?' Sage Ruler Han Yue felt indignant.

The sisterly feelings she shared with the other Pure Land Sage Rulers over many years, how could a few Earth-grade treasure garments compare? She even felt that Fan Li was deliberately humiliating her!

"Hmph! This Sage Ruler, the Sword Sage of the Pure Lands, would I covet such worldly possessions? Duke Jin, buy whatever else you want. This Sage is a little tired and will return to Honglu Temple first. Farewell!"

After speaking, Sage Ruler Han Yue swept her sleeves and left. The old shopkeeper of Yun Xiu Fang was dumbfounded.

A Pure Land Sage Ruler?

Could it be the legendary Brahma Sound Pure Land that gathered the strongest female cultivators in this world?

That extremely beautiful lady who just lost composure was actually a Pure Land Sage Ruler, a Great Vehicle Realm expert? No wonder his barrier was effortlessly broken by her.

As for the young man...Duke Jin?

The old shopkeeper had also heard that the Great Chu envoy had arrived in Chang'an, with the Duke of Jin and Prime Minister Fan Li as the chief envoy.

He never expected that Yun Xiu Fang would receive two such prestigious guests, almost causing him to be disrespectful!

"Honored guests." The old shopkeeper dared not explicitly state Fan Li's identity, only maintaining an even more humble posture to serve him, even though Fan Li was merely at the Qi Refinement realm.

"We are greatly honored by your visit, honored guests. If the honored guests are interested in these few Earth-grade top-quality treasure garments, our shop is willing to sell them at a 50% discount."

Upon hearing this, Fan Li was stunned. "Oh?"

A 50% discount?

This preferential treatment was quite substantial, even potentially at cost price with no profit. But given his status, it was understandable for Yun Xiu Fang to take the initiative to establish a relationship.

After all, Yun Xiu Fang's business in Great Chu depended entirely on the Fan Clan's commercial firm.

"Very well." Fan Li nodded. "Package them all up."

"Yes." The old shopkeeper wasn't surprised at all by Fan Li's strong spending power. If he had hesitated in choosing between the five Earth-grade treasure garments, he wouldn't have been worthy of the prestigious status of Duke of Jin of Great Chu.

"Apart from these five, your shop must have other treasures that haven't been brought out, right?" Fan Li asked with a smile. "Am I correct?" He stared at the old shopkeeper, his confident gaze having seen through everything.

"You are perceptive, honored guest." The old shopkeeper quickly admitted, not daring to hide anything.

He still couldn't help feeling secretly amazed. So young yet holding the power of an entire state despite such a low cultivation? This Duke of Jin of Great Chu was truly no ordinary person!

The third floor still concealed the shop's treasured masterpiece, yet he saw right through it?

Seeing the other party's surprise, Fan Li didn't feel arrogant. After all, this was Yun Xiu Fang's headquarters, with an old shopkeeper at the late-stage Divine Transformation realm personally managing it.

A few mere Earth-grade treasures were unfit to be considered a treasured masterpiece. Heavenly-grade, that should be possible.

Previously offering Han Yue the five treasure garments, he had other considerations. As for the true treasured masterpiece, Fan Li was determined to obtain it!

"Please allow me to explain, honored guest." The old shopkeeper said somewhat nervously. "There is still one remaining treasure on the third floor, but it cannot be purchased with spirit stones."

Upon hearing this, Fan Li laughed heartily. "It is precisely a treasure that cannot be bought with any amount of spirit stones that this duke desires!"

"Then..." The old shopkeeper gulped, tentatively asking for a price. "The Heavenly-grade Rank 1 Purple Sash Robe. Below the Merged Realm, it is indestructible. At the Merged Realm, it is damaged but not broken. It can even withstand three strikes from a Great Vehicle Realm Rank 1 expert, guaranteeing the wearer is completely unharmed. May I ask the honored guest, what price do you offer?"

After hearing the product description, Fan Li inwardly exclaimed 'Wow!'

Befitting a Heavenly-grade Rank 1 treasure, the Purple Sash Robe's defensive capabilities were amazingly powerful!

It's just a pity that it was women's clothing. If Fan Li could wear the Purple Sash Robe, even that Lord Chen from the Great Chu royal palace who wanted to kill him would find it extremely difficult. Such a treasure was a rare find!

Fan Li didn't even hope that there would be a men's version of the Purple Sash Robe.

'I must buy it no matter what! Gift it to my little sister Yue Hua, Wu Gang... or Xing Ning?" Damn it, the Purple Sash Robe is the only one of its kind. The system reward Robe of the Emperor is also a Heavenly-grade treasure, probably not inferior to the Purple Sash Robe, but the mission isn't completed yet.'

While Fan Li was inwardly grappling with this, he calculated the cost. He told the old shopkeeper word for word: "For the next ten years, the Fan Clan's commercial firm can procure unlimited raw materials and supplies from Yun Xiu Fang."

"Really!?" The old shopkeeper was instantly moved.

What Yun Xiu Fang possessed was top embroidery skills and embroiderers with profound cultivation realms. What it lacked were various rare materials. Some of those materials were not even produced within the borders of Great Han!

If the Fan Clan's commercial firm opened procurement rights, Yun Xiu Fang was confident it could weave at least three Heavenly-grade treasure garments not inferior to the Purple Sash Robe within ten years!

"Excellent!" The old shopkeeper didn't even need to consult his superiors, immediately deciding. "The honored guest's words are as good as gold, Yun Xiu Fang accepts this deal!"

***

After leaving Yun Xiu Fang, Han Yue did not return to Honglu Temple. Her mind was in turmoil as she aimlessly wandered the streets of Chang'an.

Yet at this moment, she no longer had the mood to appreciate the sights. It wasn't until a new crescent moon hung in the sky that Sage Ruler Han Yue realized she had lingered too long and hurriedly returned to her residence.

"What is this!?" Upon entering her room, she was surprised to find five sandalwood boxes placed on her bedside.

Opening each one to examine the contents, the Sage Ruler's expression became extremely strange; Sometimes joyful as if obtaining a great treasure, sometimes regretful and vexed.

It was because the five Earth-grade treasure garments from Yun Xiu Fang were all contained within the wooden boxes.