Ever since obtaining that piece of fine jade the other day, Chen Chuan had asked the technical expert team within the visiting delegation to appraise it.
Now it seemed they had results.
He went straight over to the expert team's quarters, where an appraiser said, "Section Chief, we manifested the script on it using a ritual and cross-referenced the engraved patterns. We believe the writing here might have some connection to the Tianji Sect."
"The Tianji Sect?"
Chen Chuan's interest was piqued. In truth, this answer was not too surprising. After all, this was the Ying Continent, and the largest Xuan Sect faction here was none other than the Tianji Sect.
"Yes. Back when several Xuanists of the Tianji Sect arrived in Yingzhou, they established their own set of secret sigils to distinguish themselves from the homeland and to avoid certain complications. Originally, this system wasn't recognized by the orthodox Xuan Sect and was denounced as rustic talismans beyond the pale. However, after the Old Era passed, the Tianji Sect grew into the world's largest Xuan Sect organization, so this system gradually gained acceptance and came into common use."
Chen Chuan asked, "Are these their standard sigils? Can you decipher the meaning inscribed upon it?"
The appraiser replied, "Apologies, Section Chief. The Xuan Sect has always maintained dual internal and external systems—some for general circulation, and others passed down strictly within the sect. Those passed down internally usually carry ritual communicative power and have always been kept secret from outsiders. We believe this one is an esoteric transmission. As for its exact meaning, that's beyond our ability to decipher."
Chen Chuan nodded. "Anything else?"
"There is one more thing."
The appraiser grew visibly excited. "We discovered that the material of this object was likely harvested from the fine jade of Mount Mingqiu. Previously, we had only ever seen a piece of it in the archival depository. We never expected to see it again."
*Mingqiu?*
Chen Chuan pondered briefly. He had indeed heard this name. After retrieving that set of secret treasures last time, there had been quite a few Xuan Sect texts among them.
Mount Mingqiu was a fabled sacred mountain of the Xuan Sect, but it did not exist in reality; rather, it was a celestial "immortal mountain."
Looking at it from today's perspective, it might well be a Xuan Sect sanctuary existing within the Confluence, or perhaps a place where the Xuan Sect had received its name.
The jade from this mountain was extraordinary. It was said to have originated as a liquid that solidified into hard jade once gathered. It was reputed to "flow with vital energy without decaying, impervious to the ravages of time." If a ritual array relied on this material, it could essentially remain undamaged for tens of millions of years.
However, because it was exceedingly rare, it had historically only been employed in certain secret rituals of the imperial family and the Xuan Sect.
The appraiser continued, "Through our research, we also found that Mingqiu jade has another property: when paired with certain esoteric materials, it harmonizes the mind and physical body. If a martial artist possesses this, their cultivation efficiency can be improved to a degree. This wasn't recorded in ancient texts and may have only circulated within select circles. The depository only discovered this trait after prolonged research. There might be even higher, more efficient methods of utilizing it within those old sects."
Toward the end, a touch of regret tinged his voice.
Chen Chuan hummed in acknowledgment. For an entity from the other side to use this object to coalesce a mortal incarnation, having such a property was hardly surprising. Perhaps certain imperial family members and Xuan Sect practitioners had used it for cultivation.
*However, harmonizing mind and body...*
He suddenly recalled that to attain the state of absolute perfection in the Cave Mystery View, one had to break through that threshold with mind and body simultaneously.
If this object truly was useful, it was worth exploring its application.
Perhaps it was time to find an opportunity to pay a visit to the Tianji Sect. He had entertained the thought before, but had never been able to set off.
Still, he might have to wait a while longer. Having just put the Federation in check, they would hardly dare let him roam around freely now.
After thanking the appraiser, he walked out of the room. A message arrived on his boundary credential informing him that Delegation Leader Xie was looking for him, so he headed straight for Xie's residence.
It was a standalone six-story building on the north side of the manor. Armed guards and resonators were stationed inside and out, surrounded by slender, delicate silver maples whose rich layers of golden-red leaves contrasted sharply with the red rocks strewn all around.
A guard pushed open the heavy doors for him. Chen Chuan walked in and closed them softly behind him. Glancing across the room, he saw Delegation Leader Xie going through a document at a desk in the ground-floor hall.
Thanks to large floor-to-ceiling windows, natural light poured in from outside, making the hall bright and airy. At a glance, Chen Chuan noticed several envelopes marked with confidential classification seals.
Seeing him arrive, Delegation Leader Xie greeted him, singled out a dossier, stepped out from behind the desk, and handed it to him. "Section Chief Chen, this was sent from back home."
Chen Chuan took it, glanced at it, and sat down in a cushioned chair nearby. Unsealing the document, he discovered it was actually a telegram sent by the Purist Faction.
In the telegram, the Purist Faction lavished high praise on his recent actions.
Slaying an entity from the other side and forcing the Federation to seal the fissure was thoroughly to the Purist Faction's liking.
Because the delegation adhered to strict discipline, his report back home had only been submitted to the foreign affairs department; he had not informed the Purist Faction directly.
For word to reach home so quickly, it had likely been relayed by Purist Faction members here in the Federation. Toward the end of the telegram, they provided contact details for several local Purist members.
As one of the Five Great Factions, the Purist Faction did not exist solely within Great Shun; they had adherents in the Federation as well.
It was just that the faction's greatest strength now resided in Great Shun, whereas in the Federation they were relatively dispersed. On the West Coast in particular, they were almost constantly clashing with various evil cults. However, because members in different countries operated independently without unified command, and given the sensitive nature of the delegation, they had never been in contact before.
The telegram concluded with the Purist Faction mentioning that they would be sending him some items in the coming days and advised him to keep an eye out for their delivery.
He guessed these would likely be resources beneficial for cultivation.
Delegation Leader Xie waited until he finished reading, then checked his watch. "Section Chief Chen, please stay for a moment. Our delegation will be holding a meeting shortly."
He handed another document to Chen Chuan. "Mainly regarding these matters."
While Chen Chuan reviewed it, Xie placed a phone call. Before long, Deputy Delegation Leaders Lu Guangde and He Yishan arrived, along with the three martial artists: Gui Zihan, Wang Tongshan, and Bian Zhijie. This effectively constituted a high-level meeting of the Second Delegation.
After exchanging greetings, everyone took their seats.
Delegation Leader Xie instructed his aide to take minutes, delivered brief opening remarks, and got straight to the point.
"Thanks to everyone's hard work, the series of actions our delegation has taken since entering the Federation has gained the approval of our enterprises and organizations. Various parties have now sent us substantial donations and technical materials.
"We will not be taking these donations back home; every bit will be used to support our cooperative projects and related public affairs within the Federation region. A full roster of all participating enterprises, groups, and organizations, along with the corresponding financial ledgers, will be submitted back home for the record in due course once this mission concludes.
"The most precious assets among them are the technical materials and certain rare specimens. Due to their comprehensive scope, broad coverage across multiple fields, and highly sensitive nature touching upon national interests, it is inappropriate to transport them back home immediately."
He turned to Chen Chuan. "Section Chief Chen, these will be entrusted to you for safekeeping going forward." He then addressed the other members: "Should any related matters arise, members of the delegation are required to cooperate unconditionally."
He brought over a biological storage sheath and, under the watchful eyes of everyone present, walked over to Chen Chuan and handed it to him.
Chen Chuan rose to receive it, gave a nod, and secured it safely on his person.
Lu Guangde smiled and remarked, "Entrusting these things to Section Chief Chen certainly puts our minds at ease. Right now, there isn't anyone who could wrest them from Section Chief Chen's hands, is there?"
Everyone nodded in agreement. Truly, nowhere was safer than with Chen Chuan.
He Yishan asked curiously, "Section Chief Chen, we all saw you defeat Crossal. Reading your report this time, it seems you encountered another similar figure. Given that they already knew your strength, why would they still send someone like that? Wasn't that quite foolish?
"Ah, I'm only asking out of my department's professional habits. If it's inconvenient to answer, you don't have to."
"There's nothing secret about it."
Chen Chuan did not bother going into overly complex explanations, stating simply, "Martial artists possess immense confidence in themselves. Before a fight, none of them believe they will lose.
"Moreover, even if I defeated a portion of Crossal's power, that doesn't mean I can defeat all individuals of that caliber. The two cannot simply be equated."
He Yishan had an epiphany and said, "I see. Thank you for enlightening me."
Delegation Leader Xie spoke up again. "There is another matter. According to an alert from our covert intelligence department, we recently discovered that a faction within the Federation Executive Government has intensified intelligence-gathering efforts regarding Kawatua.
"A similar pattern of intelligence gathering occurred previously when forces like the New Light Cult were plotting the Kawatua incident. After Section Chief Chen dismantled their core forces, their original plan collapsed, yet a similar situation has now arisen.
"I discussed this with Delegation Leader Jiang. At present, it's very likely the Federation has not abandoned its targeting and undermining of Kawatua; the relevant factions are still organizing and scheming in secret. The covert department is closely monitoring developments."
He Yishan frowned. "The Federation backed off before. Would they really try again?"
Delegation Leader Xie replied, "Under the shadow of the Great Impact, both the West Coast and East Coast of the Federation are seeking to consolidate resources. Kawatua's existence not only hinders their exploitation and development of northern resources, but also ties down a portion of their defenses. Given an opportunity, they will undoubtedly try again and again."
Lu Guangde said in a deep voice, "Indeed. Though Kawatua isn't particularly obedient, it is still useful to us."
He Yishan nodded. If Kawatua were not standing firm there as a buffer, the Federation—or at least the West Coast—would certainly focus its attention on Great Shun.
It was a harsh geopolitical reality: supporting Kawatua was meant to disperse the Federation's internal strategic focus, saddling them with more constraints in resource consolidation and defensive deployments.
Delegation Leader Xie looked at the four martial artists present, including Chen Chuan, and said, "If the intelligence is confirmed, you gentlemen will need to mobilize. We must do everything in our power to prevent this from happening."
Chapter 1201