"Back then, that senior personally scouted Zhao Zhenye and kept him by his side for a time, nurturing him with the utmost care."
Mr. Zhuan's voice was low and heavy. "Zhao Zhenye was groomed as the successor of the new generation. That senior even broke the rules several times to teach him the Purist Faction's secret arts ahead of schedule.
"Zhao Zhenye was indeed exceptionally gifted, living up to expectations. Whatever was placed in his hands, he grasped instantly and applied with ease."
Mr. Mask couldn't help chiming in. "That senior has always been like that—once he takes a liking to someone, he'd dig out his very heart for them.
"Still, Zhao Zhenye was truly formidable back then. After learning something, he would share his own insights with the others, and many people actually made progress because of it.
"That was why plenty of people in our generation genuinely respected him and quietly saw him as the next leader. Well, no one said it out loud, but everyone believed it in their hearts.
"Even compared to the younger generations of other styles back then, very few could hold a candle to him.
"As for what happened later, Commissioner Chen, you already know.
"When the news reached us, we were utterly shocked. None of us imagined he would choose that path. He had such a bright future ahead of him—we simply couldn't fathom why he did it.
"Perhaps he was chasing power?
"When that senior learned what had happened, he was consumed by self-reproach. The fall of the Jibei Dao branch filled him with even deeper guilt. He believed it was entirely his fault for misjudging someone. Because of that, he virtually went into seclusion afterward.
"And then there was Mr. Zhuan Sheng..."
He sighed softly. "Later, he went to guard the Ring of the World. During one battle against an entity from the other side, he went missing, and there has been no word of him since."
Mr. Zhuan said slowly, "Because of Zhao Zhenye's betrayal, the conservatives seemed vindicated. The entire faction swung right back to its original conservative stance, and everyone who had stood by that reformist ideal was thoroughly dispirited."
Mr. Mask added, "So everything regressed, and the reformist momentum was shattered. Even so, a few remnants of that era were preserved—such as continuing to recruit talent from outside the faction and granting them certain resource subsidies.
"However, these outsiders are usually not seen as core members. The higher-ups only extend limited trust to them. Any approval for secret arts or resources is treated with extreme caution; unless someone achieves extraordinary merit, getting approval in a timely manner is next to impossible.
"Commissioner Chen, the reason we were able to secure those resources for you last time was entirely because of your own record. Everything you did was beyond reproach, which made it possible for the senior we approached to speak on your behalf."
Mr. Zhuan said, "We are telling you this because, with your growing strength, it is no longer possible for the faction to overlook you. Since I am your guide, the conservatives will inevitably view you as part of the reformist camp and remain on guard against you repeating what the reformists once did.
"They might even fear that you will become the next Zhao Zhenye and inflict even greater devastation on the Purist Faction.
"Though they will not openly oppose you and may even support you in certain respects, that wariness will always be there. If you are unwilling to accept this, whatever choice you ultimately make, we will stand behind you."
Chen Chuan thought it over. In his view, this was not actually a major issue. As long as the Purist Faction stood firm against otherworldly entities, they were on the same side.
Compared to other factions, the Purists truly fought without regard for their own casualties. If their sole concern had been preserving their strength, none of those past tragedies would have occurred.
Even so, when resources were due, he would still fight for them. While it was true that everything he had done stemmed from his own will and convictions, within the Purist Faction, his achievements rightfully merited their proper reward.
In fact, on this point, he agreed with Cheng Zhou's philosophy. It was perhaps inevitable that some members nurtured with great effort might turn out flawed.
The key was that when problems arose, you had to have the means to resolve them. If you had the ability to give, you also needed the capability to take it back.
No organization or faction was entirely free of flaws. As long as one possessed the capacity to correct the course, one could continue marching forward. One could not starve oneself simply for fear of choking.
He said earnestly, "Mr. Zhuan, Mr. Tang, thank you both for telling me this. You are my guides, but this path is also my own choice. There may be disputes within the faction, but our stance against the other world ought to remain aligned."
Both Mr. Zhuan and Mr. Mask nodded.
Chen Chuan's gaze was calm and profound. "As for whatever problems we might face down the road, we can find ways to resolve them one by one."
Mr. Zhuan looked at him, then gave a silent nod.
Chen Chuan glanced outside at the buildings clustered around the central tower.
"Since the branch was completed, I haven't visited much. It's still undergoing expansion. As more comrades join us, I believe its scale will only grow.
"This is also your first time here, seniors. Why don't you join me for a tour? In a sense, this is our new starting point."
Mr. Mask said loudly, "Well said! Exactly! This is our new starting point."
Chen Chuan smiled and stood up, descending from the central tower alongside them. When Chang Dong heard of their intention, having built the branch virtually with his own hands, he stepped forward to serve as their guide.
The group chatted casually as they spent over an hour touring the branch's facilities. By then, it was mealtime, so they simply ate at the branch. After the meal, Mr. Zhuan and Mr. Mask settled into temporary quarters there.
Chen Chuan handled some branch affairs and met a few newly joined comrades. It was already afternoon by the time he took his leave.
After returning home, he sat down and brewed a cup of tea. Just as he prepared to continue writing his article, a message from the government-assigned security personnel appeared on his boundary credential:
"Section Chief Chen, two officials from the National Temporary Special Operations Committee have arrived at the gate. Their identities have been verified by City Hall. They request a meeting with you regarding an official matter."
Chen Chuan replied, "Have them wait a moment."
"Understood, Section Chief!"
Informed by the security personnel, the two envoys from the Operations Committee had no choice but to wait outside.
They felt helpless. Given the extraordinary nature of their department, ordinary government officials would never dare treat them this way. But a world-class martial artist like Chen Chuan derived his power from within; it was impossible to treat him like any ordinary official.
Chen Chuan did not stop until he finished everything he intended to write for the day. Checking the time, he saw that over an hour had passed. Only then did he instruct the guards to let them in.
When he came downstairs, the two men were standing in the parlor. Seeing him, they immediately snapped to attention and saluted.
"Section Chief Chen!"
Chen Chuan nodded, walked over to the sofa, and sat down. "Take a seat."
Only after he sat did they seat themselves.
The pair studied Chen Chuan. They had dealt with many martial artists before, all of whom exuded a tangible aura of pressure. Yet before Chen Chuan, they felt nothing of the sort. It was as if he were merely an ordinary person with a slightly better build. But in their hearts, they knew that made him all the more terrifying.
Chen Chuan did not ask for their names, saying directly, "What brings you here? Please, speak."
"It is like this," one of them began carefully. "We have been commissioned by the committee to inquire about your views and stance regarding the recent rapid expansion of Skyline."
The other picked up the thread. "Currently, some believe that pushing Skyline forward too quickly could trigger a series of unpredictable issues. In an extreme scenario, it might even provoke internal unrest, leaving us unable to concentrate our forces against the Great Impact.
"How do you view this matter?"
Chen Chuan said, "Since you ask for my opinion, I will say this: the expansion of Skyline is far too slow. I believe it should be accelerated.
"If possible, I wouldn't mind lending my own strength to push it further."
The two exchanged a glance, took out pen and paper, and recorded his words. They proceeded to ask several more questions, every single one related to Skyline.
Chen Chuan answered each in turn. Just like his first response, he voiced his stance and opinions without the slightest reservation.
After a few more questions, they handed over the notepad. "Section Chief Chen, please review this. If everything is accurate, could you please sign your name here?"
Chen Chuan took it, signed, and handed it back. After reviewing the signature, they put it away, stood up, and bowed slightly.
"Then we will not take up any more of your working time, Section Chief Chen."
Chen Chuan nodded. "I won't see you out."
Bowing once more, the pair departed.
They walked out in silence. Only when they were seated inside their car, leaning against the seat backs, did they finally exhale in relief.
For reasons they could not explain, even though the man had displayed no overt pressure, sitting before him had left them on edge, their backs soaked in cold sweat before they even realized it.
After a moment, one of them said, "At least it's over. We have something to report back."
The other agreed, "Yeah, let's go. I don't ever want to come back. If they ask why we didn't press with more questions, let the higher-ups send someone else to try."
With lingering dread, they started the engine and drove swiftly away.
Chen Chuan gave the matter no further thought. In the past, such departments might have carried weight against him, but now he cared nothing for them.
Returning upstairs, he entered the training room, sat down, and began contemplating techniques to refine his Xuankong Fire.
The day slipped by quickly. Early the next morning, he left by private car and returned to Wuyi Academy.
Taking the elevator to Chen Xiaojin's training chamber, he looked at the boy, who had arrived early and was waiting in his training uniform.
"Have you found a way?" Chen Chuan asked.
Chen Xiaojin turned to look into the arena, where the towering figure of Yun Kui materialized once more.
Under Chen Chuan's watchful eye, Chen Xiaojin walked up to the figure, then suddenly burst into motion, charging forward.
According to his previous routine, he should have leaped forward in a single bound. This time, however, he stayed low, his body ducking sharply downward.
The opposing fist smashed down straight toward him. Timing it precisely, Chen Xiaojin drove a punch upward. The collision rocked Yun Kui's massive frame backward, forcing him half a step back.
As Yun Kui extended both arms to snatch him in a grapple, Chen Xiaojin used the residual force of the clash to execute a tight roll across the floor, successfully evading the grab.
He exhaled a long breath, then looked at Chen Chuan, his eyes blazing with excitement and fighting spirit.
"Teacher, I dodged it! Give me a little more time, and I can defeat him!"
Chapter 1347