With a burst of bright light, a figure appeared on the platform.
The participants quickly directed their gaze. The light dimmed to reveal Han Cai. He was entirely unhurt, but he was dragging his opponent whose body was entirely charred. He strolled off the platform as though he hadn't put in any effort.
The contestants were left dumbfounded, and even the incumbent opponents wore expressions of disbelief.
As for Qin Wei who stood behind the old man, his mouth hung open. It took him a while to regain his composure.
Han Cai dragged his barely conscious opponent towards the old man and left him there, before sauntering back to his original position.
Seeing this, the other contestants couldn't help but show a hint of respect.
Han Cai smirked inwardly.
It appeared that strength was the most compelling argument, no matter where he went.
It seemed that Han Cai's surprise win had sparked hope in the hearts of the remaining challengers, as they promptly chose their opponents without any further hesitation.
Yet, their swift decisions only resulted in losses and severe injuries.
Those challengers who had delayed their fights were horrified. With their competitive spirits utterly shattered, they each decided to withdraw from the competition.
After all, they realized they were outmatched. Only a fool would still choose to fight!
Thus, the old man announced that only Han Cai, representing the Zhu Clan, had successfully acquired the rights for the main grassland trade.
Afterward, the old man presented a blue jade container to Han Cai and informed him to deliver it to the Zhu Clan to conclude the deal.
Without any further ceremony, the old man dismissed the cultivators, ushering them out of the
hall with his commanding voice.
Han Cai delivered the blue jade container to Lord Zhu in the hallway.
His expressions were quite a spectacle. He went from disbelief, to shock, and finally to unbridled joy.
"Cultivator Han, I can't express my gratitude enough. Rest assured, the Zhu Clan will surely uphold our agreement with you."
By the time he said these words, Han Cai, Lord Zhu, and Liu Baihe were already seated in the carriage, heading back to the Zhu Clan Estate.
As he expressed his gratitude, his hands clutched the jade container tightly as if fearing it would suddenly fly away. It was quite a comedic sight.
Leaning back in the carriage, Han Cai spoke with a faint smile, "I trust that Lord Zhu wouldn't forsake those who aid him, particularly when the helper is a cultivator."
Lord Zhu and Liu Baihe assured him repeatedly that they wouldn't dare to do so.
Before long, Han Cai returned to his wooden hut on the hill.
Han Cai only managed to cultivate for three days before Liu Baihe came to see him.
He arrived to inform Han Cai that he could now go to the Sapphire Tri-Crested Massif's Records Pavilion and obtain a permanent residence in the Robust Bison Plateau. They would also provide him with a cultivation area.
After all, all plateau cultivators had their own caves for cultivation.
Since he hadn't participated in the Great Grassland Contest, his area was likely to have thinner spiritual energy, but it would still be sufficient for cultivation.
Han Cai accepted the guarantor's document that the Zhu Clan had given him and flew towards the center of the Robust Bison Plateau.
On his journey, Han Cai flew over seven towns and dozens of small homesteads before finally catching sight of the Sapphire Tri-Crested Massif that Liu Baihe had mentioned.
It was an enormous, sapphire, tri-peaked mountain that pierced through the clouds. The sight was truly awe-inspiring and incredibly majestic.
Countless smaller peaks surrounded the enormous mountain.
Han Cai could not determine the extent of the mountain at a single glance.
He stared blankly at this "Sapphire Crested Massif" while lost in thought.
"Hmm? Aren't you Han Cai, the cultivator?" Han Cai suddenly heard someone call out to him from behind.
Startled, Han Cai quickly turned around. The voice seemed familiar.
Not far behind him, the soft-spoken and delicate Qin Wei was looking at him with a smile, riding on his wheel magic tool.
After a moment of surprise, Han Cai responded with a laugh, "Ah, it's Fellow Daoist Qin! What a pleasant surprise!"
The young man glanced at the Sapphire Peak, then turned his head and asked Han Cai, "Oh, yes. Did Fellow Daoist Han Cai come here to deal with some formalities at the Ledger Hall?"
Since it wasn't a secret, Han Cai answered calmly, "Fellow Daoist Qin guessed right. I am here to take care of the paperwork for settling down on this plateau and to select a residence for cultivation."
Upon hearing Han Cai's destination, Qin Wei immediately offered a suggestion, "Hehe! I've been to the Ledger Hall several times already. How about I guide Fellow Daoist Han Cai there? Considering the size of the Skyblue Mist Peaks, it could be hard to find on your own."
Han Cai was somewhat surprised by his enthusiasm, but he expressed his gratitude and agreed.
So, the two flew side by side towards the large mountain.
Thus, the two companions journeyed together toward the imposing mountain.
As he guided the way, the young man provided Han Cai with a lively description of the mountain range, "On our plateau's Skyblue Mist grassland, besides the seven primary grasslands, there are an additional seven hundred sixty lesser grasslands. These grasslands are riddled with innumerable mountains and caves, many of which are apt for cultivation."
"Naturally, most of the Skyblue Mist Grassland harbor large spirit veins, but the density of Spiritual Qi fluctuates. The common belief is that larger the area, the denser the Spiritual Qi. The thirty Grasslands rich in Spiritual Qi are considered the rewards of the plateau's ten-yearly Great Grassland Contest. Any cultivator who deems their skills greater than the current lords of these thirty grasslands may challenge them openly. The winner claims the area as their own. The differences among the grasslands are not drastic. It is believed that once a cultivator enters a core Formation, they can claim one of these peaks as a cultivation area. But for those at the Foundation Establishment stage, they can only secure the remaining caves."
Han Cai shook his head. He was uninterested in living here. But he appreciated the friendly gestures of these grassland cultivators.
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