The man sitting opposite him wore a refined, gentle smile. "Allow me to introduce myself. Wen Tong, Chief Combat Instructor of the Yangzhi City Constabulary. The constables like to call me Mr. Wen. I have been ordered to ensure Administrator Zhu's protection.
"We have already confirmed that many members of your security detail were plants placed by major corporations. I have already dealt with them on your behalf. You may rest easy."
Zhu Xian frowned. "Are you certain?"
"Quite certain," Mr. Wen said with utmost sincerity. "These corporations delusionally sought to influence and sway your decisions. Placing personnel at your side was meant to guarantee their business deals went through."
Zhu Xian's expression turned solemn as well.
Mr. Wen smiled and rose from his seat. "I won't disturb your meal any longer. Rest assured, I will personally handle your security from here on, and ensure you arrive in Yangzhi City without incident."
Zhu Xian's vision seemed to blur for a fleeting instant. When he came to his senses, the man sitting across from him was gone. Beside him, there was only the rhythmic clatter of the train wheels and the sound of his assistant swallowing hard. He glanced outside, confirming that he was indeed still on the moving train.
After a moment's thought, he stood up, walked to the carriage door, gripped the handle, waited a beat, and slowly opened it. Outside, the security guards were slumped against the carriage walls one after another, the skull of every single one split wide open.
Furthermore, the brain tissue inside looked scorched, shriveled, and was still giving off scalding steam—clearly the result of sudden, intense heat boiling the brain tissue and rupturing the cranium.
The assistant, a Yangzhi local, went weak in the knees at the sight. In sheer horror, he stammered, "The... the Skull-Splitting Demon..."
Zhu Xian took a few steady looks, closed the door, and returned to his seat. After a moment of contemplation, he pulled out the application form he had tucked underneath, swiftly signed his name, and said to his assistant, "Send it back."
Half an hour later, inside Wuyi Academy, Cheng Zitong called Chen Chuan the moment he received word. "Little Chuan, the processing for your application is complete! To think the Civil Administrator approved your application while still on the train. It seems this new Civil Administrator strongly supports Wuyi's work and thinks very highly of you."
He chatted for a few more moments before hanging up. Turning around, he saw his uncle, Cheng Shang, sitting there sipping tea, and said, "Second Uncle, you see..."
Cheng Shang looked up and said, "I'll be heading back to headquarters in a couple of days and will take his file and application back with me. Zitong, you might not have amounted to much yourself, but this student you're teaching isn't half bad. It seems your old man overlooked your talent in this area before. How about coming back with me this time?"
Cheng Zitong returned to his seat and scoffed. "Whatever I do, the old man always finds fault, as if he's the most capable man in the world. Now he manages his students, and I manage mine. It's best we keep out of each other's way."
Cheng Shang shook his head. "You two have the exact same temper—neither willing to bow your head first. Forget it, I won't meddle with you two."
He took a slow sip of tea and mused with a sigh, "Tea brewed with Yangzhi water really is the best." He shook his head again. "That filtered water in Center City has no flavor at all."
Cheng Zitong chuckled. "Second Uncle, you're like someone who eats meat every day complaining that meat doesn't taste good."
Cheng Shang glared at him, then said in a deep voice, "Center City has plenty of opportunities, but it demands just as much from you. It feels like an invisible hand is constantly shoving you forward from behind, never letting you stop. Even having arrived here, my mind is still turning over Center City affairs, terrified of missing out on something during my few days in Yangzhi—wondering if there's information everyone else knows that I don't."
Cheng Zitong was unconcerned. "A place like that is just right for my student. I believe he can adapt."
"All right, all right, how many times have I heard you praise him?"
Cheng Zitong said indignantly, "I finally trained one outstanding student—am I not even allowed to brag a bit? The old man gets to praise his students, but I can't?"
Cheng Shang snapped back, "Have it your way, I'm not stopping you. I'm heading back in two days anyway, so brag to your heart's content. Still..." He spoke slowly, "The Main Academy is no easy place to survive. Whether he can gain a firm footing will be entirely up to him."
Inside the Class A student dormitory, Chen Chuan returned from lunch with Luo Kaiyuan and Wei Dong. Seeing that his internal delivery box appeared full again, he casually took out the mail inside.
Back in his room, he flipped through them. Most were invitation letters to invitation classes, except for one letter sent by an assistant instructor surnamed Qiu.
Thinking about it, he recalled that this was the assistant who stayed by Old Lady Ni's side. Tearing it open, he saw that Old Lady Ni had a few matters to discuss with him and asked him to drop by whenever he was free.
Why was Old Lady Ni looking for him? Could it be about the Xuejun Saber? Considering everything, that was the only likely topic. If so, he ought to pay close attention.
In the afternoon, picking an appropriate time, he went to the training hall where Old Lady Ni usually stayed. Once inside, he found Assistant Qiu, who ushered him into a reception room, served him a cup of tea, and told him to wait while she fetched the old lady.
After waiting barely five or six minutes, Old Lady Ni walked in leaning on her cane, supported from behind by Assistant Qiu. Seeing her enter, Chen Chuan stood up from his seat.
Old Lady Ni said, "Sit, sit. Xiao Qiu, keep watch outside. I have a few things to say to this young man."
"Yes, ma'am."
Once Assistant Qiu stepped out, Old Lady Ni took a seat and said unhurriedly, "Young man, your mother's name is Yu Zhen, correct?"
Chen Chuan glanced at her and nodded. "Teacher Ni, did you know my mother?"
In truth, it wouldn't be surprising if she did. His predecessor's mother had also been a martial artist and a native of Yangzhi City who spent her youth here. But calling him over out of the blue to bring this up—was there some connection between them?
Old Lady Ni said, "I did. There's a bit of history to it. The master she trained under back then was my junior martial sister. Roughly ten years ago, your mother entrusted an item to her, instructing that if her child were to get into Wuyi in the future and had a chance of going to Center City, she should pass it to him; if not, to simply forget about it.
"My junior sister, though advanced in years, couldn't bear to stay idle and has spent the past ten years abroad, so she left this item with me. Since you now have good prospects of entering Center City, I'm returning what was left in my care to you today. That settles a piece of business on my mind."
With that, Old Lady Ni placed a modest package on the table. "Take it and have a look."
Chen Chuan stepped forward, picked up the item, and found it very light in his hands. Judging from its shape, it was a notebook or something similar.
Teacher Ni said, "I haven't flipped through anything inside, so you needn't worry. I've lived long enough that I have no interest in the affairs of you youngsters."
Chen Chuan said earnestly, "I trust you, Teacher Ni." He then asked, "Did you ever meet my mother?"
Old Lady Ni nodded. "I met her once. A pretty girl with plenty of character. Very sharp-witted, but quite stubborn. I watched her spar with her fellow disciples—she lost over a dozen times, yet gritted her teeth and stood back up every time, gaining a bit more ground with each bout. Though she still didn't win that day, I heard she won a later rematch, but I didn't get to see it. A bit of a shame."
Chen Chuan nodded and said solemnly, "Thank you, Teacher Ni, for safeguarding it all these years."
"No need for thanks. My junior sister paid a safekeeping fee. Had the time limit passed without you going to Center City, I would have destroyed it as agreed."
Chen Chuan said, "Teacher Ni, if you ever see that senior again, could you please pass along my gratitude?"
Old Lady Ni said, "If I see her again, I'll pass it along. All right, I know you youngsters are impatient and don't care much for chatting with an old woman like me. Head on back."
Chen Chuan nodded, took his leave of Old Lady Ni, and exited the training hall. Standing outside, he reflected on the past. Looking back now, Old Lady Ni gifting him the saber probably hadn't been entirely because of the monthly exam.
He hurried back to his dormitory. After closing the door, he unwrapped the small package and found that the object was indeed a notebook. Inside were fragmentary, damaged pages with no apparent connection between them, offering no decipherable content.
At that moment, an idea struck him. He remembered that in the old residence, there seemed to be a similar item. It seemed he would have to make a trip back to the old residence.
Before, he hadn't returned because his predecessor's cause of death remained unknown, and he hadn't possessed enough martial strength to protect himself. But now, he had just obtained a new protective suit, as well as...
Having made his decision, he did not act immediately. Instead, he waited until his rest day early in the month. Donning all his protective gear and informing those close to him—including Cheng Zitong—in advance, he strapped the Xuejun Saber to his back and pedaled out on his bicycle.
After leaving the city, he rode north for over an hour before reaching the vicinity of a small river bend. Across the water, he spotted a house—the old residence left behind by his parents.
About half a kilometer away stood another grand manor where Meng Shu had once lived. However, her household had only servants and no adult masters; with few neighbors around, the two children had often played together back then.
The location appeared remote, but the terrain was relatively flat, and a wide road ran outside, constructed during the Great Expansion and still in usable condition today.
Judging by the surrounding traces, however, no one had visited this place for more than a year.
He detoured toward the downstream section of the creek, found a path paved with river cobbles at a shallow bend, and rode across. He stopped right in front of the house and looked up.
It was a fairly sizable residence, boasting five rooms and a large central hall, fronted by an eaved veranda. In his memories, his predecessor had often walked along the railings during childhood.
And it was on that very veranda that his predecessor had been struck and killed by a pebble, followed by his own arrival in this world.
He wheeled his bicycle over, kicked down the kickstand outside, and walked across the creaking wooden porch steps to the front door. Taking out his key, he unlocked the door, pushed it open gently, glanced inside, and stepped into the house.
Chapter 211