Wuyi Academy had previously organized a nationwide tournament, and Yao Zhiyi had invited Chen Chuan to attend as a guest, an invitation he had accepted.
Chen Chuan had subsequently been occupied with the downfall of the former dynasty, and amidst the turmoil of the war, the tournament had apparently been suspended halfway through.
Now that the conflict was largely over, the Main Academy had relaunched the tournament and sent him an invitation, though the event would not take place until after the New Year.
As the frontline commander, he could only hand matters over to a successor once the convergence zone was broadly stabilized.
He gave it some thought. When the Main Academy had chosen to host the tournament at this juncture, they were likely responding to the Skyline Project, seeking to foster change from within.
This was obvious enough. The Skyline would usher in an overwhelming wave of transformation, one capable of sweeping away everything that had obstinately stood firm. Under the force of that tide, whatever remained stubbornly fixed would either be broken or forced to change and proactively embrace the new.
Clashes along the way were inevitable. In the past, perhaps they could have spent years, decades, or even generations gradually smoothing out the transition, but now time was running out.
It was not hard to foresee that over the final six months to a year, the friction between the two factions would grow exceptionally sharp, and open conflict would be unavoidable.
Leaving the telegraph room, he returned to the fortress. After drinking a warm beverage, he laid down a simple ritual array and picked up the Xuejun Saber.
Only a few days had passed since he had slain Emperor Wenguang, and the Xuejun Saber remained in slumber, though it could be awakened at any time if needed.
He drew the blade and gave it a gentle flick. Once a radiant sheen spread across the edge, he struck forward, instantly carving a fissure through the empty air before him.
A searing, brilliant light surged out from within, accompanied by a gust of wind that whipped his hair and clothes, though the draft was kept strictly bounded by the ritual behind him.
Because Hongfu was still locked in contest with the divine embryo, he did not bring her along this time. He set the scabbard housing her onto the weapon rack and stepped into the fissure alone.
In truth, he could feel that whenever he focused his intent now, he could perceive the fragility of the world's barrier even without using the Xuejun Saber, capable of opening it with a gentle nudge.
Yet the difference between pushing it open by hand and using the Xuejun Saber lay in the latter's exceptional stability. Furthermore, it invariably opened near the World Ring, as though the saber instinctively knew what he required.
If he opened it himself, there was a chance he might delve too deeply into the opposite side. While he was curious to explore, doing so demanded proper preparation; his current goal was cultivation, and there was no need to invite unnecessary trouble.
Stepping through to the other side, he saw a ring floating there. This was the relic Elder Liefeng had given him, useful for storing non-critical items.
Thrusting the Xuejun Saber into the ground, he sat down cross-legged and focused his thoughts. The immense Visage of Man manifested around him, its platinum radiance streaming outward.
Because he was far stronger than during his last visit, his field naturally expanded, halting only after reaching far into the distance of his sensory awareness.
*Inquiring Within...*
Holding this intent, he closed his eyes and gradually settled into deep tranquility. He did not employ any known techniques or mental contacts, engaging merely in pure seated meditation, confident that his own body would provide the answers.
If one did not even trust oneself, nothing could ever be gained from inquiring within.
He lost track of how much time passed. Savoring the resonance with this world, he seemed to sink steadily deeper, while an inscrutable sensation rippled through his heart.
Just then, he caught faint rustling sounds, and the Xuejun Saber stuck beside him began to hum and vibrate.
He opened his eyes, a sharp glint flickering within them.
Something was drawing near. This was inevitable; the process of Inquiring Within required profound communion with this world, even generating a form of resonance, which easily attracted outside entities.
Countless contorted shadows appeared around the perimeter of his field, exuding a clammy, sinister chill that felt as though it might seep inside at any moment.
He took up the Xuejun Saber and swung it outward. A beam of light flashed forth, and the things outside dispersed almost instantly.
They were frailer than he had anticipated, though this was likely only the initial wave—the ones most easily drawn in. More were bound to follow.
Sure enough, after a short while, another entity appeared, seemingly large enough to swallow him whole.
He immediately swept his saber across. The Grand Radiant Light Forms burst forth, disintegrating the unknown entity in an instant.
Yet this was by no means the end. Over the next several hours, entities arrived one after another, and he dispatched or scattered them in turn until dawn broke, at which point he finally withdrew from the fissure.
Reflecting on the experience, he noted that hardly any of the entities he encountered were alike. Most had congregated within the first hour, after which they appeared only intermittently, and during the final stretch none had shown up at all.
It felt much like an intruder suddenly stepping into a territory and declaring their dominion, which provoked a fierce reaction at the outset. It seemed that so long as his mental strength did not experience a sudden spike, any future disturbances would not exceed the intensity of what he had just faced.
He could also set up measures to forestall them, and once Hongfu finished assimilating the divine embryo, she could stand guard in his stead.
Nonetheless, this session of meditation had given him some initial clues; next time, he might uncover even more.
Reaching out, he pulled the fissure closed behind him, stepped out of the room, retrieved provisions, summoned Chaoming, and released the civet strange tale to feed them.
He then sat down on the other side, using his boundary credential under the sunlight simulated by his field to review the daily reports and documents submitted by the troops.
Less critical matters were forwarded directly to the staff officers and decision-making team, leaving only those that required the commander's personal review and signature.
Once he finished handling them, he checked the news and communications sent from Da Shun, where an internal briefing caught his eye.
Reports from Chirgata indicated that the massive anomaly was moving toward the northern border. If it continued at its current pace, it would cross into Da Shun's territory within a day.
Though that region was uninhabited wilderness, Da Shun could not ignore it entirely.
Due to Chirgata's deliberate concealment and the region's isolation, complete intelligence on the anomaly remained unobtainable, but it was confirmed to be a growth-type entity.
A staff officer handling border affairs analyzed that Chirgata had likely mishandled the situation and missed prime containment opportunities, causing early casualties to serve as fuel that fostered the anomaly's growth.
The officer proposed dispatching a specialized esoteric ritual team to attempt capture once it entered Da Shun territory, or to seal it on the spot if capture proved impossible.
After reading the report, Chen Chuan reviewed other international news and found that Chirgata was not alone; issues had surfaced across major countries and regions.
In the West Continent, the Emperor of East Yono who had fled the Federation had reportedly returned, prompting the nations of the West Continent to launch a joint encirclement campaign.
Old banes had surfaced in the Noros Theocracy, and multiple ancient fissures had been discovered across the Palanio Faith Region. It seemed that as the Great Impact approached, all manner of complications were cropping up, and the outcome would depend on who could best integrate their strength in this final window.
Checking the time, he saw it was already the twenty-seventh, only a few days before the New Year.
As the frontline commander, he could not leave his post for the moment.
In theory, he could send an avatar back, but that felt improper. Did the soldiers and officers on the front lines not wish to return home for the New Year as well? They stayed simply because duty bound them.
As the superior officer of the entire force, he ought not to make an exception of himself; he would spend this New Year's festival in the military camp.
He then remembered the telegram he had sent to Gao Ming a few days earlier. Calculating the time, he should just about be arriving today.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, he sensed something and looked to the side. Flying in from due north was an airship.
Even from a distance, he recognized it as an airship from Zhongjing, bearing the insignia of the Temporary Operational Headquarters. It possessed very high clearance, which allowed it to maintain radio silence along its entire route.
Yet no telegram had preceded its arrival. Ordinarily, if Zhongjing dispatched personnel here, they would not fail to coordinate with the forward commander in advance.
If they had not, it meant either a special military operation requiring strict secrecy, or a matter of high confidentiality restricted to very few individuals.
As the airship drew nearer, Mr. Fan's voice sounded over the boundary credential:
"Commander Chen, acting on orders from the advisory group, I have arrived alongside a colleague from the group to deliver an official notice. We will inform you of the details in person shortly."
Chen Chuan's interest was piqued. "Understood. If convenient, the airship may moor at the tower by my station."
"Very well."
The airship glided closer, the roar of its propellers growing deafening, before coming to a stop at the mooring tower nearest Chen Chuan's fortress.
Mr. Fan stepped down alongside a burly officer around forty years of age who possessed an honest, solid demeanor.
Spotting Chen Chuan, the man stepped forward and took the initiative to shake hands. "Commander Chen, greetings. I am Fang Yanxing, an advisor of the Supreme Advisory Council. Entrusted by the advisory council, I have come specifically to deliver a notice to you."
With that, he straightened his posture, his expression growing solemn.
"By unanimous resolution of the Supreme Advisory Council, it is proposed that the current general commander of the convergence zone front lines and Affairs Commissioner of the Ministry of National Security, Chen Chuan, be appointed as an advisor to the Supreme Security Advisory Group. This is the provisional letter of authorization."
Reaching into his briefcase, he drew out a notice of nomination, opened it, and presented it with both hands.
He then added, "Commander Chen, the formal appointment ceremony must await your return. Over the next two days, please make time to return to Zhongjing as soon as possible."
Chapter 1463