"Tell me, how is it a sacrifice!" Lu Fan asked, nodding, even more curious.
"The Spirit Gathering Bottle is no ordinary treasure, highly valued by the royal family. If you can marry Princess Linglong, the royal family will surely bestow the Spirit Gathering Bottle as part of the dowry. At that time, the bottle will be yours!"
"Marry Princess Linglong?"
Lu Fan was slightly stunned. "But I have no feelings for her, how can I be so frivolous?"
"This is probably the only way, there is no other."
Lin Guoping stated directly, "I know you are no ordinary person, but to infiltrate the imperial palace with your own abilities would surely mean certain death."
Lu Fan fell silent, not knowing what to do. In his heart, there was only Lin Ke, but to obtain the Spirit Gathering Bottle, he had to marry Princess Linglong.
"Sir, this might be a good method!"
Duan Tianya spoke up, "If you can establish a connection with the royal family, you won't have to fear the Eighth Prince's Mansion. At that time, you might even be able to suppress the Eighth Prince's Mansion."
"I understand what you're saying, but..." Lu Fan fell silent.
"In seven days, the marriage competition will be held, and many experts will participate. If you can stand out, you will be highly regarded by the royal family," Lin Guoping smiled. "Of course, I am also one of your opponents. Becoming the驸马 of the White Dragon Dynasty is not that easy."
"Thank you, brother, for informing me!"
Lu Fan cupped his fists slightly. "But since you are also participating, why tell me this?"
"I don't have absolute confidence in becoming the驸马. If I can't, and you can, that would also be good news," Lin Guoping chuckled. "At least it would be beneficial to my Lin family."
"I see!"
Lu Fan nodded slightly. "Thank you for the information. It seems I will have to stay in this imperial city for a while!"
After a few words with Lu Fan, Lin Guoping left the shop.
Duan Tianya, however, frowned. "Sir, I don't think this matter is that simple!"
"I know that, of course, but whether friend or foe, since he intends to help me, he certainly wouldn't harm me."
Lu Fan waved his hand. "I will not miss the marriage competition seven days from now."
"It seems you have made up your mind!" Duan Tianya nodded. "With your strength, you will surely surpass all at the marriage competition. Among the younger generation, there is likely no one in the entire White Dragon Dynasty who can compare to you."
"There are always people better than you, and heavens beyond heavens!"
Lu Fan waved his hand, a wry smile appearing on his face.
Not long after, they arrived at a tavern in the imperial city, preparing to stay there. However, after only a few steps, someone called out to them, "Lu brother, is that you?"
Lu Fan paused slightly and then looked towards the side of the tavern. At a table sat a man and a woman. The man was Lin Jianyi, who looked dashing and spirited.
"So it's you!"
Lu Fan glanced at him. "Why are you also in the imperial city?"
"It has been some time since we last met at Shenxian Valley, and I didn't expect your strength to have improved so much!" Lin Jianyi chuckled. "To be honest, I have come to the imperial city for something important."
"If I'm not mistaken, it's to participate in the marriage competition, right?" Lu Fan smiled faintly.
He was well aware that Lin Jianyi was known as one of the top ten young prodigies in the White Dragon Dynasty, and was likely quite extraordinary. He wouldn't easily miss such an exciting event.
"Lu brother's news is truly well-informed. I am indeed here to participate in the marriage competition," Lin Jianyi nodded.
"Participating in the marriage competition and bringing a woman with you, you're quite the heartbreaker," Lu Fan said with a side glance.
The woman in white beside him smiled slightly. "This young master has misunderstood. I am his sister, Lin Chuchu!"
"I see!" Lu Fan chuckled sheepishly, realizing his mistake.
"I heard that Lu brother was trapped in the Fire Domain, and even the Eighth Prince's Mansion dispatched the Four Divine Guards. However, it seems the rumors are not true!" Su Dan Novel Network
Lin Jianyi said frankly, "It seems these baseless rumors cannot be believed."
"Rumors can also be true," Lu Fan said with a light smile. "The Four Divine Guards are in the Fire Domain, but they don't know that I have arrived in the imperial city! I presume brother Lin wouldn't go and report me, would you?"
"What are you saying? I'm not that kind of person," Lin Jianyi quickly replied. "Besides, I also have my reputation. If I did something like that, wouldn't I be despised in the future?"
"I was just joking, brother Lin. No need to mind,"
Lu Fan waved his hand, then opened a room in the tavern and directly began his seclusion.
Lin Jianyi said nothing more and continued to drink his wine.
"He's that person who offended the Eighth Prince's Mansion? He really looks young!" Lin Chuchu spoke up. "To have such fortune at such a young age, his strength is likely not below yours. This marriage competition, I'm afraid there's no hope."
"Are you looking down on me?"
Lin Jianyi rolled his eyes. "Until the last moment, no one knows who the dark horse is. Since I am one of the ten great prodigies of the White Dragon Dynasty, I am naturally not ordinary."
"Others might not know, but I know!"
Lin Chuchu rolled her eyes. "Among the ten great prodigies, you are the weakest. If you can become the number one in the marriage competition, it would only be if all the others don't show up!"
Lin Jianyi's face instantly turned grim. His sister seemed to give him no face at all, leaving him feeling helpless.
In the following days, Lu Fan remained in seclusion, and his strength further improved, even reaching the peak of the Soul realm. If he could break through to the Spirit Venerable realm, it would be a qualitative leap for Lu Fan.
Unfortunately, no matter how Lu Fan tried to break through, there was no movement.
Just then, the door to his room knocked. "Lu brother, are you in?"
"Yes!" Lu Fan nodded.
Lin Jianyi entered without ceremony. "It's rare to come to the imperial city, shouldn't we go and have some fun? How can you stay alone in your room in seclusion, isn't that a waste of time!"
"I am not familiar with the imperial city!"
Lu Fan smiled wryly. "And I don't know where to go and have fun."
"You don't know, but I do!"
Lin Jianyi said with a serious expression. "Tonight, there's a lantern festival, and it's right here in the imperial city. The imperial city's lantern festival is extremely beautiful. It would be a great pity to miss it."
Lu Fan pondered for a moment, then got up and smiled. "In that case, let's go and have some fun. I happen to have nothing to do, and besides, my cultivation has reached a bottleneck, and I haven't been able to break through."
"Reached a bottleneck?"
Lin Jianyi was startled. "Are you trying to break through to the Spirit Venerable realm?"
Lu Fan smiled without speaking and stepped out of the room. Lin Jianyi could only follow, helpless.