Old Scars from Past to Present

After stepping outside, Mr. Zhuan walked along a metal staircase down to an awning, sat down, and said, "Old Zhan coming here shows that the higher-ups haven't reached a unified opinion yet. There is no need for you to target him like this." Mr. Mask gave a dry scoff. "The guy looks neutral, but back when that incident happened, he actually took their side. Besides, I usually never get a chance to curse at him, so now that an opportunity dropped into my lap, wouldn't it be a waste not to throw a few jabs his way? "Old Zhuan, I get annoyed just looking at the way he is now. I don't know why he keeps it around. He acts like everybody owes him something." Mr. Zhuan fell silent for a moment before saying, "Everyone has their obsessions. Perhaps that is his." Mask said irritably, "Old Zhuan, why are you speaking up for him? We're on the same side here! He probably came over just to play mediator and smooth things over." Mr. Zhuan said, "At the end of the day, our Purist Faction is still a martial school. Strength is what matters most. Whether he tries to smooth things over or not is irrelevant; what ought to be given, he must give, or else no one will follow the rules." Mask said, "That makes sense in principle, but they can give more, or they can give less. The higher up you go, the harder the path becomes. Having backing and having none makes a world of difference." Mr. Zhuan said, "This isn't the limit." "Huh?" Mr. Zhuan said, "I mean this isn't Councilor Chen's limit. The faction can no longer ignore him, which is why so much debate has arisen. If he climbs further, the faction will have to give a definitive answer." "That's exactly what worries me," Mask muttered. "Some people play dirty, underhanded tricks behind closed doors." Mr. Zhuan said, "If it's Old Zhan, you don't need to worry about that. Whatever he does, he puts out in the open." Inside the room, once the others had all departed, Zhan Jiyue said, "Councilor Chen, coming on behalf of headquarters, my first order of business is to commend you and thank you for your contributions in the past. "In our Purist Faction, so long as you achieve results acknowledged by the faction, you are certain to be rewarded. This is beyond doubt, and it is the founding principle of our faction." He continued solemnly, "This time, we have decided to raise your councilor rank. You may put forward your own views and opinions on the faction's development and strategic direction. Headquarters will grant your Jibei Dao branch Level 1 development authority. In addition, our faction possesses considerable political resources. Even if you wish to seek an office in the capital, the faction can pull strings on your behalf." He tapped his boundary credential, transmitting some files over to Chen Chuan. "The specifics are here; you can review them at your leisure." As Chen Chuan received them, he added, "Furthermore, as a martial school, our most vital function is facilitating your martial cultivation. Councilor Chen, whatever you need, you may ask me directly." Chen Chuan did not stand on ceremony. Looking at Zhan Jiyue, he stated plainly, "Headquarters should already know that I have attained the Longevity View. Therefore, what I currently need is the cultivation method for the next level." Zhan Jiyue's gaze turned serious, and he replied formally, "No problem, Councilor Chen. We can grant you the cultivation method you require. In fact, under headquarters' instructions, I have already brought it with me. And if you feel you might encounter difficulties in your cultivation, headquarters can also specially invite an instructor to guide you." Chen Chuan said, "Thank you, but the cultivation method is enough. There is no need for an instructor." Seeing how cleanly he refused, Zhan Jiyue expressed his understanding. Whether teaching or guiding someone, one had to understand the student, and every martial artist had things they had to keep hidden—they would not easily expose them to others. What was more, having reached Chen Chuan's realm, he possessed his own understanding of cultivation, and what others said might not necessarily suit him. He reached for the suitcase beside him, opened it, searched through it for a moment, and produced a thread-bound book sealed inside a transparent protective sleeve, sliding it across to Chen Chuan. "Councilor Chen, this is the martial art you require. In addition, it should also contain an esoteric transmission from 'Mystic Void True Life.'" Chen Chuan asked, "Should?" Zhan Jiyue nodded. "Yes. It is concealed within the pages. Whether one can perceive it depends on the cultivator himself." He added, "I am not deliberately trying to sound mysterious. It is simply that with certain things, if you can grasp them, you grasp them; if you cannot, no amount of trying will make you understand." After a moment's reflection, Chen Chuan understood. If one's personal cultivation had not reached sufficient proficiency, or mutated tissue had not developed to a certain stage, or one's spiritual plane was inadequate, one would be entirely unable to sense certain profound mysteries. He then asked, "Mr. Zhan, may I ask if the faction can provide support in terms of cultivation resources?" He knew full well that the further up one cultivated, the more resources one might need. Some things could not be bought even if you had the money, but the Purist Faction ought to have them. Zhan Jiyue said with a slight note of apology, "Councilor Chen, due to certain regulations within the faction, we can only provide a portion of the cultivation resources you require. You will have to seek the rest yourself." Chen Chuan said, "From your words, Mr. Zhan, it seems there are exceptions?" Zhan Jiyue did not hide it, answering frankly, "Yes, it is not universally so, and that is precisely part of what we need to discuss next. "Mr. Chen, the faction's circumstances are rather complicated. In order to prepare for the Great Impact, we have been cultivating reserve talent since long ago. The Zhao Zhenye you know of was actually one of them, and at one point was among the candidates the faction favored most. Of course, competition naturally existed within the faction, and we supported and nurtured more than one talent back then. "However, as the repository of hope for certain people in the faction, so much was poured into Zhao Zhenye that when he later defected, not only were many members who had invested in and favored him dragged down, but many people's viewpoints shifted as well. Furthermore, this later became the catalyst for an internal reform within the faction. "In truth, this did not happen suddenly; it had been brewing for a long time. "Take my own experience, for instance. During an encounter against entities from the other side, I was betrayed by a teammate proficient in psychic power, who destroyed my body. That incident nearly prevented me from ever returning." He pointed to himself. "What I currently inhabit is his body. "We are constantly on the front line of confrontation. In the past, many were seduced and infiltrated by entities from the opposite side. "Yes, our esoteric transmissions can effectively counter those corruptions and entities, but that is merely external. What lies within someone's mind cannot be guarded against, no matter how cautious you are." His voice grew somewhat heavy. "The more contact one has with those entities across the divide, the more skeptical some become about whether we can achieve victory. Some even fall into despair. "Incidents like this cropped up incessantly within the faction over the years, and most of them involved members who joined from outside. That is why many members raised from within the faction have never placed full trust in them. "It was just that in the earlier days, the faction embraced all streams, and trust and tolerance remained mainstream—until the Zhao Zhenye affair took place. Yet that was merely the final weight placed upon an already tilting scale. "Now, the faction has completely reversed course." He said earnestly, "And once rules are set in motion, they carry tremendous inertia. Unless a force is great enough to seize and right them, it is very difficult to make them turn back on their own. That is something neither of us can easily fight against." Chen Chuan nodded. Mr. Zhuan had mentioned similar matters to him before. The incident with Zhao Zhenye had merely touched upon the contradictions long hidden within the faction. Even so, he had no major complaints about the Purist Faction. As long as you did the work, they provided genuine support—something he believed many schools could not match. As for whether they gave more or less, that was another matter. Zhan Jiyue said, "Councilor Chen, actually, if you wish to receive that kind of treatment, it is not impossible. I can explain it to you clearly." He produced a paper document from his suitcase and placed it on the table. "I have an agreement here. If you are willing to sign it, then certain people within the faction will be able to trust you completely. Of course, this is by no means mandatory. Councilor Chen, once you review it, whether you accept it or not rests entirely with you." Chen Chuan glanced at the agreement. It was easy to understand: if he signed this document, it would eliminate certain perceived risks for some people in the faction. Naturally, there were likely other considerations behind it as well—such as: if you aren't even willing to sign, why should I trust you and grant you corresponding support? As for what was written inside, he would only know after reading it. Zhan Jiyue said, "Councilor Chen, you can take your time reviewing the agreement. I will be staying here for the next few days, so if you have any questions, you can contact me at any time. Councilor Chen, aside from this, is there anything else you wish to ask?" Chen Chuan said, "Nothing for now." Zhan Jiyue said, "Then I need to speak privately with Mr. Xu, if that's all right?" Chen Chuan said, "Of course." Picking up the items on the table, he rose, walked outside, and spoke a few words to Xu Chan, who was waiting there. The latter nodded and walked inside. Mr. Zhuan looked down from above at this moment and walked toward the stairs. Once he drew near, Mask asked, "How did it go? How did it go?" Chen Chuan explained the situation, and Mask snorted. "That old Zhan head is just trying not to offend either side. He has no spine." Mr. Zhuan offered no comment on that, saying to Chen Chuan instead, "In a few days, I need to make a trip back to headquarters. Once I'm there, I will try to reach out to some faction seniors to see if we can get you a bit more support." Mask said, "That's right, don't refuse. There's a bunch of people in the faction who don't feel at ease with you, but we trust you completely. What right do they have to doubt you? Just look at them—how many of them have achieved as much or done as much work as you?" Chen Chuan knew that no faction could speak with a single voice from top to bottom; differences in philosophy and friction were inevitable. But as long as the overarching direction aligned, there was no major problem. For now, the cultivation method he needed most was already in his hands, and he could find ways to acquire the rest on his own. As for the support offered by the two seniors, he did not decline, saying sincerely, "Then thank you both in advance, seniors."