Inside the Cheng family estate, Cheng Shang was demonstrating fist forms before a crowd of junior kin and disciples.
Even though he was over eighty years old, whenever he circulated his body's energy, his breath billowed like a bellows, and every burst of power from his fists and feet unleashed resounding sonic cracks.
Cheng Zicheng came over at that moment and said, "Second Uncle, you have a phone call."
Cheng Shang knew that no one would interrupt him unless it was urgent or from someone important. He slowly withdrew his stance, settling his breath, and stepped down. Cheng Zicheng whispered, "It's Section Chief Chen."
Cheng Shang nodded, took the clothes Cheng Zicheng held out, and said, "Take over for me."
He walked into the parlor and picked up the receiver resting on the stand. "Section Chief, Cheng Shang speaking."
Chen Chuan's voice came through: "Senior, there is a matter I'd like to ask you about."
Cheng Shang replied in a deep voice, "Please go ahead, Section Chief. I will tell you everything I know."
Chen Chuan said, "When I chatted with Old Master Cheng earlier, I learned that Master Cheng's eldest brother, Cheng Zishun, disappeared around Mount Jiao years ago?"
"Yes, that's true," Cheng Shang said. "In the blink of an eye, it's been about forty years." He sighed. "My eldest nephew had no faults other than being a bit proud. But who could have imagined that a perfectly fine person would just vanish? That matter has always been an unhealed wound in the hearts of our Cheng family."
Chen Chuan asked, "I heard that the Cheng family sends people there every year to search for his whereabouts?"
Cheng Shang answered, "Yes. Even though so many years have passed, our Cheng family never gave up. Alive, we want to see him in person; dead, we want to see his remains. For the first ten years or so, my third brother and I went searching every year. In later years, we started having the younger generation go instead."
Chen Chuan said, "Senior, so the people around Mount Jiao are familiar with your family?"
Cheng Shang replied, "We know quite a few. After all these years, we have built some friendly ties with the locals there. Life is hard for them, so we bring along some supplies each time.
"However, the region is vast, with numerous villages and fierce folk customs. We can only stay in a few friendly settlements and can't linger elsewhere. Whenever we stay too long, people come to drive us away. It is their home, after all, and bound by propriety, our Cheng family cannot use martial power to bully others."
Chen Chuan nodded and asked, "Senior, what time of year do you usually go?"
"There's no set date. Most of the time it's July or August, because people have free time then, and the weather is just right."
July and August were the hottest months, but in Mount Jiao the temperature was just right, even pleasantly cool. Therefore, they had not yet set out this year.
Chen Chuan said, "Senior, there might be developments around Mount Jiao, so I need your family's cooperation on some matters."
As a consultant for the Disposal Bureau, Cheng Shang knew that Section Chief Chen had not shown himself for half a year. For him to inquire about this matter the moment he returned meant it was certainly no trivial affair. He said solemnly, "No problem. The Cheng family is ready to cooperate with all actions of the Security Section."
Chen Chuan said, "Then I must trouble you to visit the Disposal Bureau in person, Senior. Supervisor Xu will brief you on the details. In addition, this matter has been escalated to Security Level 1. Please be careful not to disclose it to anyone."
Cheng Shang's heart jolted. A Level 1 security classification meant it practically concerned the security of the entire Center City. He answered with gravity, "As a consultant of the Disposal Bureau, this old man will naturally abide by the confidentiality agreement."
Chen Chuan hung up the phone. While it remained unclear where the fissure was located, preparations had to be made on multiple fronts.
The terrain around Mount Jiao was peculiar. Though it could not rival the Three Mountains territory, if occupied, it would become a stubborn thorn that would be exceptionally difficult to root out. Thus, it definitely required close attention.
Next, he prepared to depart for Yangzhi. Since he was sending people there, he had to find ways to ensure their safety. Only by going there in person could he guarantee that.
Furthermore, the Government Affairs Hall had already informed him that they were accelerating the deployment of field creatures. Within three days at most, the field within the Three Mountains region would connect with the Center City.
He packed his belongings, intending to leave today. At that moment, a prompt sounded from his boundary credential. He checked it and connected the call. The voice of Secretary Qiao Yang came through: "Section Chief Chen, this is Qiao Yang."
Chen Chuan said, "Secretary Qiao, is something the matter?"
Qiao Yang said, "It's like this. Do you recall, Section Chief, that the Linakes Federation previously expressed an interest in inviting you for a visit?"
Chen Chuan nodded. "I remember."
Qiao Yang said, "The official invitation has arrived. They have invited you to visit the Linakes Federation this year, and the invitation remains valid through next year. The first batch of invited guests has already set off. I wonder if you would be willing to go?
"If you are willing, the Government Affairs Hall will place your itinerary among the visiting delegation for the latter half of the year. Would that arrangement suit you?"
Chen Chuan considered it. Progenitor Company's headquarters was in the Linakes Federation. He had always wanted to look into his parents in this life, but his strength had been insufficient, and the complicated situation in the Center City had kept him from leaving. Consequently, the trip had never materialized.
Now, however, he had achieved the realm of the Longevity View, and Xu Chan had become a martial artist in the Center City. Even if he left, there would be no problems. Once he handled the matter at hand, he could make the journey.
Traveling with an official visiting delegation was the most convenient option. As a martial artist, his movements would be restricted wherever he went; possessing a legitimate status would undoubtedly make things far simpler.
He said, "Secretary Qiao, I have no objections. Let's arrange it that way for now."
Qiao Yang said, "Very well. If you have any other requests or need to change your itinerary, Section Chief Chen, please feel free to contact me at any time."
Chen Chuan said, "Understood. Thank you, Secretary Qiao."
Qiao Yang hastily exchanged a few polite pleasantries, offered an apology for the intrusion, and ended the call.
Chen Chuan looked outside. The evening sunlight was gentle and calm. After packing his things, he said goodbye to his aunt, took the elevator down to the underground garage, and before long drove an off-road vehicle out through a concealed route leaving the villa district. He then headed north toward the National Highway.
Traveling by airship or flight was far too conspicuous, and the former imperial household likely had informants inside the Center City. He had deliberately chosen an off-road vehicle he had never driven before, and its field signal had been masked, preventing his whereabouts from being detected.
Because Chaoming was too noticeable, it did not fly alongside the car this time either, but instead lay obediently in the back seat.
He suddenly thought of the two little kids. They had originally intended to show off at school the gifts he had brought back, only for Nian Fuli to forbid them from taking them out or mentioning that their cousin had returned. Fortunately, the little ones were sensible now, both shouting out promises never to breathe a word or act as traitors.
He smiled, turned the steering wheel, and merged onto the main road. In less than an hour, he exited the Center City and got onto the National Highway. As the city's field faded into the distance, he reached out and turned on the radio, listening to music programs he had not heard in a long time.
All along the road, at regular intervals, roadside field information stations came into view, though they were not yet officially linked.
Soon, however, they would be.
He fixed his eyes ahead and focused on driving. Late into the night, the vehicle cleared the checkpoint without issue and entered Yangzhi City. But this time, he did not stop in the city or visit any government department. Instead, he drove straight through the urban area toward the north, all the way to his old residence.
In previous years, he would visit here once annually. Last year, because he had spent the New Year in the Center City and later went directly to the convergence zone, he had not come. This trip offered a good opportunity to clean the place up, and he would stay here for the next few days.
Hardly anyone frequented this area. Ever since Meng Shu departed, she had never returned. As for the other neighboring households, aside from a few residents in the more distant spots, virtually no one remained nearby.
Entering the house, he refueled the algae oil generator in the basement, started it up, and turned on the lights throughout the building. After giving the house a quick cleaning, he brought in several tins of tea and some non-perishable food from the car.
Once he finished tidying up, he did not cultivate. Instead, he leaned back on the sofa and opened a book to read. The volume was the Comprehensive Geography of the Xuan Cult, which cataloged grotto-heavens and blessed lands marked by the Xuan Cult around the world.
Indeed, these locations were not limited to Great Shun's borders, but spanned the entire globe.
As early as high antiquity and middle antiquity, masters of the Xuan Cult and Chan Cult had already stepped out of the Eastern Continent, searching in all directions for fissures and sites suitable for establishing cults and cultivating.
This had left deep influences across the world. For instance, in the Ying Continent—presently within the Linakes Federation—several lineages of the Xuan and Chan Cults still existed to this day. They were said to trace back two thousand years and held tremendous local influence.
Since he planned to travel to the federation, he intended to look around there when the time came. Flipping through the book now would give him an early overview.
Meanwhile, another off-road vehicle was heading toward Mount Jiao. Ren Xiaotian sat in the driver's seat, with Lu Ke seated beside him.
Because Ren Xiaotian was relatively familiar with the conditions at Mount Jiao, Chen Chuan had asked him to scout the area this time. Chen Chuan had also informed him of Lu Ke's background, telling him to learn what he could from Lu Ke about the specifics of the place.
However, upon meeting Ren Xiaotian, Lu Ke insisted on coming along, saying he was a native of Mount Jiao and knew the region well. Considering that having a local along would make their movements much easier, Ren Xiaotian brought him along as well.
Silence had hung inside the car throughout the journey. Lu Ke had been listening to music through his boundary credential. After holding it in for a long time, Ren Xiaotian finally asked, "You... did you go back last time?"
Lu Ke glanced at him, switched off the music in his boundary credential, and replied, "I went back last year to bring my sister and mother out. That place is simply not fit for human living."
"Do you have people you know and trust there?"
Lu Ke said, "Yes. I have plenty of brothers there who grew up with me. I wanted to bring them out too, but the local headman wouldn't let them go."
His voice held resentment: "The village head treats the people of the village as his personal property. When I went back, if I hadn't brought supplies he needed and strapped explosives to myself, he might have tried to keep me there too."
Ren Xiaotian glanced at him, then looked toward the dark, heavy silhouette of Mount Jiao in the distance. After a moment, he said, "We'll carry out our mission first this time. Once the mission is over, I'll help you bring your people out."
Chapter 1019