Third Limit

Chen Chuan could feel that as this warm current spread, the mutated tissue throughout his body seemed to break through a shackle, bursting into activity one after another, continuously generating a stream of vital essence from within. It was as if this vital essence had always been stored in his body, residing within all the mutated tissue, only he had never been able to perceive it. It was not until this moment, having crossed that boundary, that he finally unleashed it for his own use. With each breath he took, this vital essence grew a fraction stronger, continuously strengthening the areas through which the warm current flowed. At the same time, he felt that power extend upward along the back of his spine, climbing past the occiput, traversing the crown of his skull, and ultimately sinking into the space between his brows, seeping inward. With a boom, it felt as though some restraint had burst open. At this moment, just like when he— The difference was that he felt his spirit constantly rising, seemingly detaching from his physical body. He saw an infinitely vast vortex appear in the sky, appearing to harbor countless things indistinct and indiscernible. Various clamorous, indistinct sounds and lights swirled around him, desperately trying to squeeze into his consciousness. Yet he remained untouched by them, maintaining a calm grasp of himself, his emotions completely steady. This was something Cao Guixi had once cautioned him about: when breaking through via the old method— It felt as if a long time had passed, but in reality, it had only been a few breaths. The commotion and disturbances vanished all at once, and everything around him returned to normal. Only in that instant did a gleam flash deep within his dark eyes. Bathing in the dazzling sunlight shining down from above, he felt the abundant power surging within him, understanding that at this moment, he had truly entered— Right now, inside the arena venue, the entire audience watched the scene on the giant screen in sheer shock. Across the entire screen, Chen Chuan stood alone and steady, facing the piercing sunlight. The wind blowing across the intersection fluttered his collar and the tips of his hair as wisps of white steam rose from his body. Behind him, dark red blood overflowed from the shallow crater, trickling to his feet as if merging with the shadow cast behind him. The broadcast on the giant screen ended as the Disposal Bureau entered the scene, freezing finally on this image. A collective sigh, mingled with both satisfaction and regret, swept through the arena. Although the clash had not lasted long—a mere few minutes—it had— However, Chen Chuan wore a Disposal Bureau uniform, and some had caught sight of the peaked cap set aside nearby, guessing that he was an expert dispatched by the bureau to deal with Wei Wusheng. Why hadn't they deployed such a skilled fighter earlier? Then again, perhaps it wasn't a bad thing. Otherwise, how could they have witnessed such a thrilling battle? Just then, the screen above jumped, returning to the arena. The host's impassioned voice echoed across the venue once more, and only then did the audience realize there was still a match scheduled here. Yet most of the crowd remained immersed in the fierce clash from earlier, showing little interest in the match before them. Only with the host's strenuous efforts to hype them up did the atmosphere slowly recover. Yu Shen and Huo Yucheng stepped into the ring amidst this lukewarm atmosphere. Their performances were actually quite solid, particularly Huo Yucheng, who seemed largely unaffected by his surroundings. Yu Shen, on the other hand, appeared somewhat irritable, though he still performed above standard. Yet no matter how brilliantly the two fought, the audience's response was muted. Having watched— The organizers had also noticed this dampening effect, but they had naturally anticipated it beforehand. Once they served drinks spiked with a little something extra, most of the spectators' emotions could be easily stoked, quickly returning them to the previous fervor. And right at— According to post-event statistics gathered by numerous corporations, an enormous number of people inquired about implant services during this period, asking whether high-end implants could achieve— At the same time, inside a secret underground facility elsewhere, several figures stared at the light screen showing the battered, lifeless Wei Wusheng. One of them said with regret, "In the end, Wei Wusheng still fell a bit short. Fortunately, our people on the organizer's side coordinated well, allowing most of Center City to witness it. The convergent sublimation briefly approached our requirements. A pity the duration was far too brief; if only it had lasted a little longer." "Wei Wusheng actually died just like that. How can this student be so strong?" "From Wuyi, is he... a reserve law enforcer from the Disposal Bureau?" Another spoke up, "This person seems to fit our requirements even better than Wei Wusheng. I suggest sending someone to make contact, to see if he could..." Right at that moment, the light screens of several resonance nests in the hall suddenly went dark. Not only that, their boundary credential communications were severed simultaneously. Only after a moment did the light screens light up again, and the boundary credentials gradually returned to normal. The leader asked in a deep voice, "What just happened?" One of the resonators hurriedly answered, "We initiated an emergency field blackout on our own..." The leader frowned. "Why?" The resonator hesitated, saying, "Earlier, following your instructions, we dug deeper into that student. We did uncover something, but it seemed to involve... uh..." "Involve what?" "The State Administration Bureau..." Silence fell over everyone present. After a while, someone asked, "Were the traces wiped?" The resonator hastily replied, "Wiped clean. We severed the pathway and blacked out the field connection before confirmation could take place. The other side won't be able to detect us." The leader said decisively, "From now on, regarding this student, pay attention only to surface-level information. Do not investigate any deeper." In Changsheng Hall of the Tianshu Gang, Elder Yu Hongming had likewise watched Wei Wusheng's death unfold through a resonator's light screen. Even though the one who died was his own disciple, his face remained calm from start to finish, betraying no emotion. Only at the very end did he cast a deep, lingering look at Chen Chuan standing there. Lowering his gaze, he looked at Guan Chengqi, who stood beside him with fists clenched tightly, and said, "Boy, no need for that look. This is the fate of us fighters: continually vanquishing formidable adversaries, or being beaten to death by someone stronger. This was the path Xiao Wu chose for himself, and he must bear the consequences alone. Hatred is a useless thing. You must understand whether you train for yourself or for someone else." He waved a hand, and an attendant stepped forward to lead Guan Chengqi away. Taking two paces, he told a disciple following behind him, "Xiao Guang, go bring Xiao Wu's body back. Although he was no longer a disciple of the Tianshu Gang, he was still my student. Charge any expenses to my account." The disciple replied in a low voice, "Rest assured, Master. I will handle Senior Brother Wei's affairs properly." At the intersection, Chen Chuan heard the sound of approaching vehicles from the distance, followed by a succession of sharp, screeching brakes and hurried, chaotic footsteps closing in. From behind the mangled, wrecked vehicles, members of the Disposal Bureau stepped out. Upon reaching the scene, they slowed their pace in unison, many looking at Chen Chuan with eyes full of astonishment and admiration. The captain leading them approached Chen Chuan and gave him a solemn nod, then hurried over to Wei Wusheng. Glancing at the corpse and bending down to inspect it, he breathed a sigh of relief. Placing a hand on his boundary credential, he reported to the bureau: "Reporting, Wei Wusheng has been confirmed deceased..." Waiting a moment, he glanced at Chen Chuan in the distance and added, "Confirmed!" Seeing that they had taken over, Chen Chuan did not linger. Nodding to the crowd, he turned and left. Just then, Ni Xixi contacted him. Her voice was ringing clear, unmistakably in high spirits. "Brother Chen, truly magnificent! You really saved face for me and our Disposal Bureau this time. Let those big talkers try catching a Wei Wusheng themselves!" Chen Chuan said, "I didn't cause Sister Ni any trouble, did I?" "What trouble could there be? Right now, they can't praise you enough," Ni Xixi scoffed lightly. "You have no idea—in just this short while, several old-timers from higher up reached out to me, telling me to keep in close contact with you." Chen Chuan said sincerely, "It seems Sister Ni is very popular in the bureau." Hearing this, Ni Xixi couldn't help but giggle. Chen Chuan waited patiently. Only after a good while did Ni Xixi calm down, saying, "Speaking of which, someone from above wants to meet you. Find some time over the next few days to come by the Disposal Bureau, Brother Chen. Well, prioritize your own affairs first; don't let outside noise bother you. I'll deflect things at the bureau for you for now." Chen Chuan nodded and said, "I indeed have things to take care of. Thank you, Sister Ni." "No need for thanks," Ni Xixi laughed. "What can I say? I'm just popular." Ending the call with Ni Xixi, Chen Chuan stepped aside. He first retrieved the Xuejun Saber and its scabbard, sheathed the blade, and then went to gather his clothes. At that moment, he noticed someone walking over with his coat and cap in hand. He recognized him as Teacher Bai, who had accompanied the Wuyi transport. The latter gestured toward him: "Student Chen, your belongings are here." Chen Chuan took two quick steps forward, reached out to take them, and politely thanked him, "Teacher Bai, thank you." Teacher Bai smiled faintly and said, "You're welcome." Looking him up and down, he sighed in admiration. "Truly exceptional. You aren't even twenty yet, are you? Yet you're already—" "Some students, upon reaching—" Chen Chuan knew that this option existed. However, those students had usually spent several years at the academy, whereas he was in no hurry. He had been in Center City for less than a year, and inside the school, he could enjoy many resources unavailable outside. He said, "I still have much to learn." Teacher Bai said, "Indeed. You've only been at the school for about half a year, haven't you? My recommendation as your teacher is to stay a while longer and see." He added with deep meaning, "And there are certain things that can only be conveniently known and acquired within the academy. It won't be long before you understand."