Echoes

On the top floor of the Hoa Van Treasure Pavilion, Luu Van stood by the window, the tea in his hand long since gone cold, yet still untouched.

His gaze moved repeatedly across the arena, the sea of people, and the rows of shops below packed with customers. Sa Binh had conceded, and the first challenge match had officially ended, but in Luu Van's eyes, what Hao Nhien truly wanted to achieve had only just begun.

A manager hurried into the room and bowed.

“Senior Manager, registrations for tonight's auction have increased again. All the VIP rooms are full, and three merchant associations from the Eastern Plains want to meet with you to discuss opening permanent shops in Hoa Van.”

Luu Van stroked his beard and thought for a moment.

“Record the full list. There is no need to accept anything immediately. Send the information to Quan Lam and Quan Can first. Have them check each party's background, what they want, and what conditions they are asking for.”

The manager looked slightly surprised.

“You don't intend to meet them right away?”

Luu Van looked down at the people still pouring into the commercial district and laughed.

“In the past, Hoa Van had to think of ways to invite people here. Now too many people want to enter. The important thing is no longer opening the gates as wide as possible.”

His smile deepened slightly.

“It is choosing the right people to keep.”

The manager immediately understood, bowed, and withdrew.

Luu Van remained at the window, his gaze settling on the white-robed figure still standing on the arena.

“Clan Leader Hao Nhien, you truly know how to turn one fight into a very large business.”

Elsewhere in the stands, Quan Lam and Quan Can had yet to leave.

The cheers below had not completely faded. Quan Lam had maintained a calm expression throughout the match, but only now did the hand resting on the railing finally relax.

“He's stronger again.”

Quan Can slowly nodded.

“The clearest change isn't even his cultivation. His control over the rhythm of battle is much better than before. The longer Sa Binh fought, the more he wanted to force the result with raw strength, while Hao Nhien still knew when to retreat, when to advance, and when to change his approach.”

Quan Lam looked down at the arena.

“After today, there should be far fewer people saying he only got lucky because Doc Hanh gave him the ranking token.”

Quan Can stroked his beard.

“But the opponents who come next will certainly be stronger than Sa Binh. The factions that have always wanted to suppress the Quan Clan will also pay more attention to him.”

Quan Lam fell silent for a while before speaking.

“The Quan Clan has depended on too few people for too long. Hao Nhien has already opened the road this far. If the rest of us simply stand behind him and enjoy the benefits, sooner or later we'll become a burden.”

Quan Can turned toward him.

Quan Lam continued:

“The younger generation needs to be pushed forward faster, and those already responsible for affairs must truly do their part. If we want to stand behind Hao Nhien, then at the very least we need enough strength to hold the ground he has opened.”

Quan Can remained thoughtful for several breaths before slowly nodding.

“Then we start with the younger generation.”

Below the stands, the people of the Hoa Ky Tribe had gathered in a large section of their own.

When the presiding cultivator announced Hao Nhien's victory, Hoa Duong did not shout.

He simply raised his saber, then struck his left fist hard against his chest.

A deep thud rang out.

The Hoa Ky warriors behind him immediately followed.

Hundreds of fists struck armor in heavy, measured beats, completely different from the chaotic cheering around them. It sounded more like a ritual belonging only to those who had once crossed a battlefield together.

Hao Nhien saw them.

He lowered his head slightly in acknowledgment.

Between him and the people of Hoa Ky, there was no longer any need for too many words.

They had survived the threat of their clan's destruction together. They had fought together. They had built Hoa Van from land that had once been little more than empty ground.

Today's victory merely confirmed their choice from back then one more time.

On the western side of the square, Cat Thanh was laughing loudly.

He turned toward the elders beside him.

“Well? I didn't choose the wrong Grand Elder, did I?”

A silver-haired elder coughed softly.

“The Clan Leader was simply a little faster than the rest of us.”

Cat Thanh immediately glared.

“Who was still sitting there hesitating that day?”

The elder turned his face away, causing several people around them to laugh.

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In the end, Cat Thanh cupped his hands toward the arena, and the elders beside him followed.

“Grand Elder.”

Hao Nhien looked over and gave a slight nod.

Quite a few Eastern Plains cultivators immediately turned toward the Cat Loi section.

By now, the fact that Quan Hao Nhien had become Grand Elder of Cat Loi was no longer merely a rumor passed from mouth to mouth.

Among the civilian sections, the reaction was much simpler.

Some had arrived in Hoa Van less than a month ago. Some had already been protected by the town's laws when facing stronger cultivators. Others were merchants crossing part of the Western Wastes for the first time without constantly paying protection fees to every faction along the road.

To them, whether Hao Nhien ranked first or tenth on the Huyen Bang was not the most important matter.

What mattered more was that the man who had helped establish the rules here was still strong enough to defend them.

The cheering continued to spread.

“Hao Nhien!”

“Alliance Leader of Hoa Van!”

“Hoa Van Town!”

Hao Nhien stood in the center of the arena and listened quietly for a while before walking toward the edge.

Those closest to him quickly noticed the movement.

The shouting began to fade from the area directly before the arena, then spread outward until the entire square gradually quieted.

Hao Nhien looked across the sea of people.

“The first match is over.”

With the help of the arena formation, his voice carried clearly throughout the square.

“I thank everyone who came to Hoa Van today, and I also thank Sa Binh. He stepped onto this arena, fought openly and honorably, and used everything he had.”

Hao Nhien paused before continuing.

“I won this match, but one victory cannot prove that I am stronger than every Foundation Establishment cultivator under thirty in the Eastern Plains. If I want to keep first place on the Huyen Bang, then there will be more battles ahead, and I will have to continue becoming stronger.”

Many of the younger cultivators below listened in silence.

Hao Nhien's gaze passed over the Hoa Ky section, then Cat Loi, and finally the entirety of Hoa Van Town.

“But there is something more important than that.”

His voice slowed slightly.

“For a town to stand, it needs people who guard the roads, people who uphold the rules, merchants, alchemists, artifact refiners, herb growers, and people who still obey those rules even when no one is standing beside them to watch.”

His gaze moved across the square.

“All of those people together are Hoa Van.”

The square grew even quieter.

Hao Nhien raised a hand.

The exceptional-grade spirit stone he had just won from Sa Binh appeared in his palm. Its pure spiritual energy immediately spread outward, drawing countless eyes.

“This is the prize from the first match.”

He looked at the spirit stone before continuing.

“I am putting this one into Hoa Van's public treasury. Part of it will be used to reinforce the defensive formations. The remainder will be prioritized for cultivation facilities for the younger generation.”

Many expressions below immediately changed.

For most Foundation Establishment cultivators, a single exceptional-grade spirit stone was already a resource worth risking their lives for.

Hao Nhien had just won one and was placing it directly into the public treasury.

At the same time, he had made it very clear that this was the prize from the first match, not a rule that would bind every future victory.

Hao Nhien looked across the square again.

“One day, first place on the Huyen Bang will change hands. But if Hoa Van can become a place where people want to live, want to do business, and are willing to protect together, then today's match will have truly meant something.”

A brief silence followed.

Then Hao Nhien looked down at the Huyen Bang token in his hand.

“As for those who still want to challenge me, I will continue accepting.”

Many young cultivators immediately paid closer attention.

The corner of Hao Nhien's mouth lifted slightly.

“But remember to bring one exceptional-grade spirit stone.”

He paused before adding:

“Hoa Van really is short on construction funds right now.”

The entire square fell silent for one heartbeat.

Then laughter erupted.

Even several elders who had maintained serious expressions could not hold back.

Cat Thanh slapped the railing hard. Lieu Thien Van shook his head while laughing, and high above them in the Hoa Van Treasure Pavilion, Luu Van nearly spilled the tea in his hand.

Tieu Nhan immediately jumped to her feet.

“Exactly! If you want to fight, bring the spirit stone!”

Tieu Lan laughed as she pulled her back down.

Quan Nha's lips also curved faintly.

After the laughter, applause began in one corner and rapidly spread across the entire square.

This time there were almost no cries of “invincible” or exaggerated praise.

Only applause.

Hao Nhien stood in the center of the arena and listened quietly.

A victory could bring reputation.

An exceptional-grade spirit stone could bring resources.

But what Hoa Van truly needed was for the people who had come here today to still want to return in the future.

By afternoon, the square had still not completely emptied.

Spectators dispersed into groups, tea houses filled to capacity, the Hoa Van Treasure Pavilion had to open an additional temporary trading area, and communication jade slips continuously flew out of town.

News that Quan Hao Nhien had defeated Sa Binh quickly spread back toward the Eastern Plains.

But this time, the Huyen Bang was no longer the only thing traveling alongside his name.

People had also begun talking about Hoa Van Town.

A place many of them had never even heard of before.

When night fell, Hao Nhien returned to the upper floor of the Hoa Van Treasure Pavilion.

Luu Van was already waiting.

In front of him lay a stack of jade slips considerably thicker than it had been that morning.

“Three merchant associations want to open shops. Two clans are asking about warehouse rental prices, and one sect wants to lease a small courtyard long-term as a stopping point for disciples entering the Western Wastes.”

He paused, then smiled.

“Revenue at the Hoa Van Treasure Pavilion today was more than six times the usual amount.”

Hao Nhien sat down.

“Don't accept all of them.”

“I know.”

Luu Van stroked his beard.

“Quan Lam and Quan Can are reviewing them one by one. There are too many people who want to come now, which means we need to be even more selective.”

Hao Nhien nodded, then took out the Huyen Bang token and sent a thread of spiritual power into it.

Pale golden light quickly appeared.

The list of challenges emerged within his mind, much longer than it had been that morning.

Hao Nhien moved through the names one by one before stopping at one.

Duong Han.

Huyen Bang, rank fifty-one.

Hao Nhien narrowed his eyes slightly.

“The Duong family.”

The smile on Luu Van's face slowly faded as well.

“Duong Han?”

“Yes.”

“Rank fifty-one.”

Luu Van looked at the token in his hand.

“After the match, people from the Duong family repeatedly pressured Thien Bao Pavilion to move their challenge forward. I had them investigated. Three members of the Duong family arrived here several days ago. The youngest among them is Duong Han.”

Hao Nhien laughed softly.

“They came prepared.”

“Very clearly.”

Luu Van stroked his beard.

“The Duong family already wanted to pull you down from first place themselves. Now that Sa Binh has lost and Hoa Van has become even more famous, they have even more reason to act early.”

Hao Nhien looked at the name on the token.

Rank fifty-one.

Considerably higher than Sa Binh.

More importantly, this was no longer merely a personal challenge.

The Duong family and the Quan Clan had opposed each other for years. If Hao Nhien delayed too long, the Duong family would certainly use it to shape public opinion. If he accepted, however, the attention directed toward Hoa Van would only grow beyond what the first match had produced.

He also needed an opponent strong enough to continue testing his current strength.

From both perspectives, Duong Han was a suitable choice.

Luu Van looked at him.

Hao Nhien studied the name on the token for several more breaths before sending his intent into it.

Accept.

Golden light immediately flared.

Luu Van raised an eyebrow.

“You decided that quickly?”

“We would have to meet sooner or later.”

Hao Nhien placed the token down.

“The Duong family wants to use the Huyen Bang to drag me down. Then let them try.”

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly.

“Sa Binh opened the first match for us. If the Duong family takes the second, the momentum will only grow.”

Outside the window, Hoa Van Town remained brightly lit, and the noise from the trading district below still carried upward without pause.

At the same time, inside a small courtyard in the northern district, a jade token suddenly lit up.

Duong Han, seated in the middle of the room, slowly opened his eyes.

The two people standing behind him immediately looked over.

He lowered his gaze toward the newly appeared light on the token, and the corner of his mouth slowly curved upward.

“He finally accepted.”

Outside, the noise of Hoa Van still filled the night.

Duong Han stood.

“Prepare.”

“The next match, I'll drag him down.”