Instruction

After returning home, Chen Chuan saw that Nian Fuli was still at the bureau and had not come back. It looked like he was planning to spend the night at the office again—something that used to happen frequently. Yu Wan was still waiting up; upon seeing him return, she gave him a few reminders before heading off to sleep. After washing up, he returned to his room, took his medicine, and replaced sleep with his breathing technique. At this stage, his primary focus was consolidating his foundation and calming his mind; there was no need to actively push for advancement. Now that gathering and focusing his spirit was becoming smoother and smoother, he felt that returning to Yangzhi City had indeed been the right decision. Even though plenty of things were happening in Yangzhi City as well, it was far less turbulent than Center City. Most importantly, without any boundary credential connectivity, he was far removed from all those disturbances, making it very suitable for nurturing and tempering his state of mind. Once the night passed and daytime arrived, Chen Chuan paid a visit to the commission company he had previously worked with. The company was still at the same location, and the security staff hadn't changed either. Ren Shu happened to be at the company today. Seeing him pay a visit, Ren Shu was overjoyed and immediately notified everyone. In less than an hour, most of the original partners had arrived; even those who were busy dropped whatever they were doing and rushed over to the company. Quite a few young people among the group genuinely idolized him, to an extent hardly less fervent than his underclassmen at the academy. They were thrilled and excited by his return and brought out the commissions the company had handled over the past six months for him to see. Only then did Chen Chuan learn that they hadn't given up taking urban legend commissions after he left. Instead, based on the notes and materials he had left behind, they had hired several commissioners specifically to handle such matters. However, they acted within their capabilities. They refused any commissions clearly beyond their reach. Under these guiding principles, they had actually been doing quite well. Ren Shu also showed him the company's commission records. Fortunately, no especially large-scale urban legends had appeared over the past six months or so. For those they clearly couldn't handle, following the methods Chen Chuan had instructed, they would find ways to relocate the nearby people; with time, the urban legend would naturally dissipate. Of course, most of the time people were unwilling to leave. They weren't rigid, either; they used a mix of material incentives and coercive measures. Although doing so seemed like operating at a loss just to make a name for themselves, in reality, their commission credit rating rose very quickly. This allowed them to develop other commission businesses on the side, more than enough to cover the shortfall in this area. Chen Chuan shared a meal with them and helped resolve some difficult questions regarding urban legends while he was at it. He didn't leave until the afternoon. After stepping outside, he found a telephone booth and made a call to ask Instructor Wen when instruction could begin. The latter immediately gave him a location: "Three in the afternoon. The camp on the outskirts of Dongbao District." Hearing this location, Chen Chuan felt a slight stir in his heart. Checking his wristwatch, it was just past two in the afternoon; heading over now would time out about right. So he got into his car and drove toward the destination. Around two-fifty, he arrived at the location Instructor Wen had specified. He had come here once before with Wei Chang'an. It had originally been the base of Fatty Guo from the Blood Mark Gang. Later, when the Blood Mark Gang was wiped out, Fatty Guo hadn't managed to escape in the end either. The gang's guard posts and fences had been torn down, and the place now looked like an abandoned wasteland that probably hadn't seen visitors in a long time. As he drove in, he noticed Instructor Wen was already there, standing on a relatively level patch of dirt. He parked outside, got out of the car, approached, and cupped his fist in greeting. "Instructor Wen." Instructor Wen responded with a smile. "Hello, Trainee Chen. Before I officially begin teaching you, do you have any other questions?" Chen Chuan thought for a moment, then asked, "Instructor Wen, both you and Teacher He have mentioned the Purist Faction. What exactly is the Purist Faction?" Instructor Wen said, "Old He didn't explain it to you? Well, that makes sense. Back then, you hadn't reached the third limit yet; knowing about it would only have caused you more worries. "Let me explain briefly. Originally, this stemmed from differences in combat philosophy. "Simply put, some fighters believe that on the martial path, only by maintaining a pure and complete 'self' can one find the sole and correct choice leading to life sublimation. There is no need for extra external things to support or assist it, because those things will only be burdens and hindrances. "In the past, almost all fighters could actively or passively be classified into this faction, so in the old era, this was a widespread understanding. "Yet in the new era, things have changed. The dissemination of knowledge and advancement of technology led those who adhered to these beliefs to gradually refine its theoretical framework, forming a relatively prominent school from it—which is what you've now heard of as the 'Purist Faction.' "This faction has no absolute rules or constraints; its fighters share only a mutually recognized combat philosophy. Through prolonged collaboration, discussion, and clashes against other factions, they have achieved many fruits in combat cultivation. The Furnace Breathing Technique that Old He taught you earlier is one of them." Chen Chuan pondered for a moment, then looked up and asked, "You mentioned clashes, Instructor. So besides the Purist Faction, there are quite a few other factions?" Instructor Wen said, "Classified by perception, the one you've encountered the most would be the implant faction. These people believe that implants can compensate for human shortcomings and make up for innate human defects, and that this is the path leading to the ultimate goal. "However, merely getting a few implants transplanted doesn't make someone part of the implant faction. Only those who truly follow and embrace this philosophy, participate in organizations, and partake in their achievements can be classified as such. "Yet you must remember that every faction has its extremists. Never assume that someone with a Purist background will inevitably stand with you, or that someone from the implant faction must be your enemy. Such thinking brings little benefit other than narrowing your own perspective. "Regardless of perception, these are merely different combat paths. The routes they take in seeking life sublimation may differ, but their ultimate goal is identical." After finishing this, he smiled again. "I won't elaborate further here; you'll come to understand in time. Do you have anything else to ask?" Chen Chuan said, "Nothing for now." Instructor Wen said, "Then I will officially begin teaching you the application methods. Before I do, I need to confirm your progress with the Furnace Breathing Technique." Chen Chuan nodded and immediately took a deep breath. In an instant, his skin turned scalding hot and flushed red, and wisps of white vapor began rising from his body. Instructor Wen focused his gaze upon him. Chen Chuan could sense that the other man was not merely looking, but also sensing his biological field. He didn't know where this awareness originated, but he simply knew. At this moment, he couldn't help recalling how He Xiaoxing had observed him back then and sensed his movement techniques in the underground sewers—it had likely been accomplished by perceiving his biological field. Instructor Wen seemed to read his question and explained with a smile, "Field perception is a technique. Specific methods to harness it can be learned at the Wuyi Main Academy, though having a certain amount of aptitude is a prerequisite. If the mutated tissue in your brain is sufficiently developed, doing this is relatively simple." After a while, Chen Chuan felt that sensation vanish. Instructor Wen nodded and said appreciatively, "Trainee Chen, your biological field is exceptionally balanced. Generally speaking, such balance lacks distinct features and appears quite mediocre. But since that isn't the case outwardly, it means balance and strength across all aspects. In that case, I expect you won't have much difficulty learning the upcoming techniques." Having said this, as if wanting Chen Chuan to understand more clearly, he intentionally slowed his speaking pace slightly. "The Furnace Breathing Technique accumulates energy within your body and releases it when needed. However, how to release it requires careful nuance. A one-time outburst can drastically enhance your physical constitution, but that's merely a rudimentary method. "Through certain techniques, the application of energy can become far more efficient. This requires not only the use of the breathing technique, but also..." He tapped his forehead. "...the coordination of mental focus, and even vital essence. Do you know about mental focus and vital essence?" Chen Chuan nodded. "I've heard a teacher explain them before." "That's good. Since you're already familiar with these concepts, I don't need to explain further. Mutated tissue has greater potential than you imagine. After utilizing the Furnace Breathing Technique, with proper guidance and regulation, its potential can be brought out to an even greater degree. "For example, while maintaining the furnace state, you can produce another brief burst of speed, deliver strikes of greater power, increase your body's tolerance threshold, and so forth. "Once your technique becomes proficient, you can also rapidly form a stronger, tougher protective layer in areas dense with mutated tissue, achieving an effect akin to external conditioning jin. "Beyond that, there are unique application methods. For instance, I can vent the intense heat throughout my body and drive it into a person's body in an instant. If it enters brain tissue, it can instantly steam the brain tissue cooked, and the extreme heat will force the skull to fracture, producing a skull-cracking effect." At this point, Instructor Wen smiled faintly. "Cracking skulls isn't the objective; the purpose is to effectively regulate yourself while attacking an enemy, relieving some of the burden on bodily tissue and boosting your combat capabilities. Moreover, this method can sometimes be very effective at intimidating enemies. "For you right now, there's no need to pursue these advanced tricks. You only need to master the basic techniques; at your current stage, those are more than enough. "Now, relax your body, focus your spirit, maintain your concentration, and feel carefully..." As he spoke, his breathing grew scorching hot, and his skin began to flush faintly red. Chen Chuan immediately did as instructed. Before long, he felt a strange vibration sweep over him, and the mutated tissue in his body began moving on its own in sync with Instructor Wen's breathing. This was just like when Cheng Zitong had guided him in breathing techniques in the very beginning, except this time it required no direct physical contact; it seemed like a perception akin to field resonance. He couldn't help thinking of the method for breaking the limits in a resonance nest—could it be utilizing this kind of transmission method as well? The thought flickered away at once. He didn't dwell on it, instead maintaining his perception and receptivity. Soon, he discovered that each piece of mutated tissue was moving and transmitting in a regular, patterned manner. He made no deliberate effort to memorize it, yet his body remembered these flows and guidance methods of its own accord.