Selling a newly discovered Heavenly Being secret diagram to outsiders was something perhaps only members of the Nature faction would dare to do.
Within the bounds of basic rules, they generally did whatever they pleased, acting entirely according to their personal whims and mood. Beyond that, they cared for little else.
Cheng Gao said, "At present, only a handful of people know this news. I am one of them, and he deliberately disclosed it to me.
"I asked him why, and he said it was because I am from the East Continent and he knew I still had connections in Great Shun. He hoped I could find a good buyer for this item in the East Continent.
"As for Norland, well, he has always held it in disdain. He doesn't even consider himself a Norlander, identifying only as an Acharakan."
Chen Chuan considered this and found the reasoning understandable. Localist sentiment ran strong throughout the Western Continent, and people there were notoriously indifferent toward governments.
The Norland Northern Alliance had existed for barely a century. Formed after the Grand Alliance disbanded, it was a coalition established by multiple regions and nations to protect themselves in preparation for the Great Impact.
Some of the older martial artists had already formed their worldviews long before the alliance existed, feeling not the slightest sense of identity with it.
Moreover, even if he were willing to hand it over to Norland, the rewards he received might not amount to much, whereas distant nations across the sea were far more likely to offer substantial benefits for what he held in his hands.
From his personal standpoint, it was indeed a clever choice.
Of course, all of this rested on the prerequisite that he had already been a Throne martial artist back during the era of the Grand Alliance. That gave him the standing to indulge his whims and the power to disregard any retribution from Norland.
"What does he want?" Chen Chuan asked.
Hearing the question, Cheng Gao straightened up and replied earnestly, "Commissioner Chen, he said he doesn't need money, cultivation resources, or anything of the sort. He needs an affirmation."
"An affirmation?"
Ren Xinshan repeated the word, sounding somewhat surprised.
"Yes, an affirmation!" Cheng Gao turned to Ren Xinshan. "Those were his exact words.
"At the time, I didn't know what he truly meant. On the way to Great Shun, I thought about it and wondered if he simply wanted acknowledgment from others?"
As he spoke, he shook his head, as if unsure of his own conjecture.
Chen Chuan pondered for a moment and said, "That isn't impossible. Perhaps he is looking for someone of like mind, particularly someone who shares an interest in that story."
"A kindred spirit? That is indeed possible."
Cheng Gao mused on this, recalling Glaesim's usual demeanor, and felt the guess held merit.
Yet if that were truly the case, it would be quite difficult.
Whether someone was merely paying lip service or genuinely agreeing from the bottom of their heart was readily discernible. Even without meeting face-to-face, a martial artist's spirit could clearly convey it.
Most likely, only someone who truly sympathized with his actions could earn his approval, which made things tricky.
Chen Chuan said, "This is merely my speculation, not necessarily the truth. There could be other answers.
"However..." He smiled. "I do agree with him."
Both Ren Xinshan and Cheng Gao could not help looking over. In their eyes, the whole matter was nothing more than an insubstantial legend. While they admired Glaesim's persistence, in their hearts they did not endorse his actions, viewing them as wasting his life on a meaningless endeavor.
Chen Chuan, however, said, "Provided one has the capability, dedicating everything to pursue an unresolved answer without harming others—I see nothing wrong with that.
"Furthermore, I find myself somewhat intrigued by the story. I would like to know whether it is true or false, and what the ending of that tale might be. In that sense, I quite agree with what he did."
Cheng Gao grew slightly energized. "If that's the case, then if you write the letter, Commissioner Chen, we might actually obtain this Heavenly Being secret diagram from him—assuming it truly is one, that is."
Chen Chuan said, "Very well, I will write a letter. Beyond this 'affirmation,' does he have any other conditions?"
He was genuinely curious about the Heavenly Being secret diagram. He had never seen one to this day, nor did he know how the various nations and megacorporations extracted bloodline power or knowledge from them, or what they truly saw within.
Perhaps only by obtaining it and seeing it for himself would he know.
Cheng Gao said, "If our analysis is correct, then I believe that is all he requires. For us in the Nature faction, that is the greatest fulfillment there is."
Ren Xinshan said, "Let's do this: I will have Shenyu analyze it for me. If the conclusion matches, we won't take any superfluous actions."
He tapped his boundary credential. As a vice minister, he had access to a dedicated subsidiary Shenyu unit that served him alone, completely decoupled from others.
When he retired or was promoted, so long as there were no acts of treason or other severe threats to national security, he could choose to destroy it without leaving behind a single trace of his past operations.
After a moment, he looked up at the two men. "Shenyu's assessment concurs with Commissioner Chen's judgment."
Cheng Gao rubbed his chin. "So, optimistically speaking, a single letter might be enough to secure a Heavenly Being secret diagram?"
It sounded simple, but in truth, it was anything but easy. As a Throne martial artist, if someone beneath his level attempted to validate Glaesim, he would undoubtedly dismiss them with contempt.
It would have to be someone on the same level or possessing greater capability. Yet figures of that caliber usually held firm convictions of their own; finding someone like Chen Chuan, who genuinely saw nothing wrong with Glaesim's pursuit, was rare indeed.
Moreover, though Chen Chuan was young, his status and credentials were indisputable. A martial artist ranked among the top five in global influence, backed by the undeniable weight of his victory at Tianji Peak—his standing required no elaboration.
Chen Chuan took up paper and pen, wrote a letter on the spot, folded it, and handed it to Cheng Gao.
The moment Cheng Gao took it into his hands, he felt a wisp of exceptionally condensed spirit clinging to the surface. It conveyed an impression of indestructible resilience while carrying an aura of profound mystery.
He could not help but marvel inwardly.
Taking a soft breath, he produced a protective sleeve and placed the letter inside with the utmost care.
He looked up and made a firm promise. "I will deliver it."
Ren Xinshan said, "Mr. Cheng, thank you for this intelligence."
Cheng Gao replied, "Vice Minister, as a special commissioner for the Department of Security Affairs, this is merely my duty."
He stood up. "I believe it is time for me to undergo the screening."
Ren Xinshan gave an affirmative nod, stepped outside to instruct Secretary Pei, and had him escort Cheng Gao through the testing protocols.
He then said to Chen Chuan, "Cheng Gao was also invited to attend a meeting of the domestic Nature faction, scheduled for two days from now. That meeting is reportedly meant to decide their recommended candidate—whether they will back us or put forward their own choice will become clear then.
"We should be mentally prepared for either outcome.
"Still, the information Cheng Gao brought arrived at an opportune time.
"If we can secure that item and confirm it is indeed a Heavenly Being secret diagram, it can be counted as your personal acquisition, Commissioner Chen.
"A Heavenly Being secret diagram is of paramount importance to the upper echelons of various nations and all martial schools. If it is genuine, it can be leveraged in exchange for substantial interests from the state or schools.
"Should you obtain it, you might use it to secure a recommendation slot for the Supreme Advisory Council. The various schools and the government place far more value on such items than we might imagine."
He agreed with his faction's assessment: Chen Chuan was the most suitable candidate among them to enter the Supreme Advisory Council. Thus, he was willing to spare no effort, seizing every possible opportunity to propel Chen Chuan forward.
Chen Chuan could feel Ren Xinshan's steadfast support and said gratefully, "Senior, thank you."
He would make an attempt to enter the Supreme Advisory Council. But truthfully speaking, before making his earlier choice, he had already prepared himself mentally and harbored no regrets. Just as Ren Xinshan had observed before, to compromise once was to compromise forever.
Moreover, his sights had always been set on higher limits. He believed the Former Imperial House held what he required; if he could obtain it, he would have an opportunity to break through to the next level.
Once he reached that realm, certain honors and positions would follow as a matter of course, without any need for calculated pursuit.
After their conversation concluded, he emerged from Ren Xinshan's office and returned to the training hall to continue his practice, quietly awaiting the impending battle.
Meanwhile, Cheng Gao cleared the full battery of Department of Security Affairs screening protocols, confirming that no issues existed.
Just as quietly as he had arrived, he departed the department and checked into a prearranged residence.
Two days later, shortly before the Nature faction convened its internal meeting, a member of the faction arrived at his residence ahead of schedule to escort him to the venue.
The Nature faction's headquarters was situated near the former site of the Puyan Pagoda Temple.
Though the Xuan Sect and Chan Sect had contended against one another for thousands of years, both tacitly observed the rule of 'debating doctrine without harming external structures,' refraining from wanton destruction of each other's religious architecture. As a result, this Chan Sect structure remained preserved to this day.
Directly across from it stood the Nature faction's 'Seven-Pointed Starfish Hall.' Viewed from the outside, it possessed a magnificent, brooding blue-violet hue that immediately caught the eye.
When the private car arrived, Cheng Gao saw crowds of young men and women gathered across the plaza before the hall. The atmosphere was boisterous, and people from nations across the world mingled together.
All manner of bizarre bodily implants were on full display here—installed not for utility, but purely for novelty, presenting a dazzling spectacle.
As the car drove past a young girl, he saw colorful fleshy tentacles replacing her hair. With every subtle turn of her head, the tendrils moved on their own like serpents, shifting through a brilliant gradient of colors.
A dark shadow suddenly darted across the front of the vehicle, scaling swiftly to the upper ledge of the opposite wall.
Cheng Gao turned to look. The young man was covered in scaly, keratinized skin, his limbs bearing unmistakable reptilian traits. Noticing the gaze from within the car, he flicked a forked tongue in their direction.
Upon entering the parking area, he spotted an adolescent adorned in cosmetic implants, styled like a bird and hanging upside down from an overhead fixture. As the car passed beneath, the youth poked their head down and made a grotesque face.
During his time in Norland, Cheng Gao had witnessed scenes far more exaggerated than this, so he remained thoroughly unperturbed throughout.
The Nature faction member accompanying him noticed his subdued mood and remarked, "The youngsters call this Novastarism. Do you not care for it, Mr. Cheng?"
Cheng Gao spoke bluntly, "Indeed, I dislike this style."
For those of the Nature faction, like was like and dislike was dislike; they spoke their minds plainly, though they also had to bear the risks of speaking the truth.
And as it happened, he possessed the standing to pass judgment.
The escort nodded and added, "Truth be told, I am not particularly fond of it either. However, each of them represents themselves, and they hold the right to express their own nature."
Cheng Gao said, "Naturally."
In his view, this was merely frenzy bred by suppression. True expression of nature meant collective advancement—leading the entire species forward rather than chasing pure self-indulgence.
It was precisely for this reason that he had been willing to become an intelligence operative, though few shared such convictions.
Just then, the vehicle pulled slowly into a parking space. Through the transparent walls ahead, one could look directly down onto the massive interior grounds of the hall, expansive enough to host large-scale athletic events.
The accompanying faction member said, "Mr. Cheng, we have arrived." He touched the boundary credential by his ear and added, "The president and councilors just sent word, welcoming you to join our meeting as the representative from Norland."
Chapter 1383