Seeing him say this, Cheng Zitong gave him a reminder. "Think it through carefully. There's a certain amount of risk involved. If you fail, you'll be demoted back to a Class B student, and everything you've fought for so far will be lost."
Chen Chuan said, "Master Cheng, there are bound to be gains and losses on the martial path, but what I've already learned won't be lost. Besides, I have confidence in myself."
Cheng Zitong said, "Good! No matter what happens in the future, right now you are my student—Cheng Zitong's only student. Since you've made this decision, I'll provide every bit of help I can offer."
Chen Chuan said with heartfelt sincerity, "Thank you, Master!"
Cheng Zitong said, "In that case, let's examine this carefully and tackle it one issue at a time.
"This exam doesn't include third-year students; it's open only to the first and second years. Even so, I don't think there are many first-year students with your kind of ability, so your primary competitors will be the second-years.
"From registration to the examination, there are six months in total. The registration window is open until the end of the year, which means over these next three months, you must complete at least three major assigned missions with a rating of excellent or higher to qualify for registration. I'll figure out a way for you on that front—your master still carries some weight around here.
"However, the other requirement for registration is mastering jin. There's no need to mince words on this—if your mutated tissue keeps growing like this, your life will be in jeopardy within three months, so we must find a way to rein it in."
Chen Chuan thought to himself that this was indeed true. This was the most critical factor right before him, the prerequisite for everything. If he couldn't master it, nothing else mattered.
Cheng Zitong looked at Chen Chuan and continued, "Now that you have the determination, it's time for action. Our main focus next is teaching you how to master jin. Go change into your training robes now, and come with me to a certain place."
Chen Chuan said, "Understood. Please give me a moment, Master."
He stood up and returned to his bedroom. After a moment's thought, he changed into that teal training suit and tied the matching teal forehead band around his brow.
When he walked out, Cheng Zitong couldn't help nodding in approval. The lad was naturally handsome to begin with, and dressed like this, he stood tall and graceful as a jade tree, looking sharp, refined, and striking. Walking alongside him out in public would certainly reflect well on him as a master.
With a wave of his hand, he said, "Let's go."
He led Chen Chuan downstairs. Once outside the main entrance, he walked up to a white Perry sedan, opened the door, motioned for Chen Chuan to get in, and took the driver's seat himself.
Once both of them had fastened their seatbelts and settled in, Cheng Zitong started the car and drove toward the eastern side of Wuyi Academy.
After about ten minutes, the surrounding buildings gradually thinned away, and two small mountains three to four hundred meters tall came into view ahead.
Wuyi's campus was vast, containing three small peaks within its grounds. These two were known as North Peak and South Knoll, positioned to the north and south, respectively.
The sedan reached the foot of the hill and continued winding upward along the mountain road. Before long, they arrived before a building perched atop the summit. Its exterior exuded a distinctly ancient style, complete with upturned eaves, white walls, and dark gray roof tiles. The square out front was paved with gray flagstones, bordered on either side by a few tall, upright pines and cypresses.
Once the car was parked, the two got out. Standing there, Chen Chuan could clearly see the stream winding around North Peak opposite them and a sprawling estate of garden villas—the residence of the recommended students.
Neither Class A nor Class B students ever interacted with them under normal circumstances, rarely crossing paths. Though they attended the same academy, they might as well have lived in two completely different worlds.
Cheng Zitong stepped forward, exchanged greetings with the guard at the entrance, and called Chen Chuan to follow him inside. They passed through the front courtyard, crossed a martial training ground paved with square stones, and proceeded straight to the main building at the rear.
It was evident that the structure had been built entirely with modern construction materials, merely finished in an antique style. Academy security guards patrolled back and forth nearby.
Cheng Zitong climbed the steps up to a pair of thick doors, inserted a key, and unlocked them. With a push of one hand, the heavy double doors slid inward. He looked back and beckoned, "Change your shoes and come in."
Chen Chuan walked over, switched into a pair of layered-cloth shoes at the entrance, and stepped inside. Past the entryway, he found himself in a spacious training hall. The floorboards were polished to a mirror shine. High on the far wall hung a plaque inscribed with three characters: "Wenguo Hall." Along both side walls stood rows of antique bookshelves, stacked with bundles of old-fashioned bamboo slips that were rarely seen in modern times.
Cheng Zitong waited until he came over, then said, "Stand still and don't move."
Chen Chuan stood still as instructed.
Cheng Zitong moved behind him and used a specific technique to tap lightly along his spine. "Feel any stabbing pain, numbness, aching, or swelling?"
Chen Chuan answered, "None at all."
Cheng Zitong looked slightly relieved. "You haven't shown any of the symptoms I warned you about earlier, which means you've adapted fairly well to the Aperture Breathing Technique. For now, the mutated tissue hasn't begun encroaching on your body. But as long as it keeps growing, that's only a matter of time. The previous breathing technique was just to lay a foundation for you; what comes next is the real start. Wait here for a moment."
Chen Chuan gave an affirmative nod.
Cheng Zitong walked into a side door nearby and returned a moment later, having changed into a dark brown training suit. Though his face was rather round, donning this outfit gave him a distinct, dignified presence.
He walked to the center of the hall, sat cross-legged on a cushion, and said, "Sit."
Chen Chuan found a cushion opposite him and sat down cross-legged in the same manner. Just then, he caught a whiff of fragrance. Looking over, he noticed an incense burner had been lit there at some point. The scent was delightfully soothing, bringing calm and stillness to the mind. He couldn't help thinking to himself, *Master, you really appreciate a sense of ritual.*
Cheng Zitong pointed toward the plaque high up behind them. "Do you know why this place is called Wenguo Hall—the Hall of Inquiring Faults? Because learning knows no bounds, and one must maintain reverence and vigilance. A student may make mistakes, but a master is not free of error either. Constant self-reflection is essential. In the past, fighters would sit beneath this plaque to exchange questions and answers as master and apprentice, probing one another's shortcomings."
Chen Chuan nodded. He had already realized that although his master's speech and demeanor were casual, giving the impression that he didn't care at all about antiquated rules, the marks of the old era were deeply ingrained in his bones.
Cheng Zitong said, "So between master and student, we don't do the one-man show. If you're wrong, I'll definitely call you out. But if I'm wrong, if I say something incorrect, or if you believe I'm mistaken, you're just as welcome to point it out. That's for my benefit too. Understand?"
Chen Chuan shook his head and said, "There's no need. Master Cheng is very good."
Cheng Zitong waved a dismissive hand. "Don't say that! People always make mistakes. If I do something wrong, you must bring it up—you absolutely must."
Having settled this, he straightened his expression and said, "Starting today, I will guide you in the cultivation of jin. Before teaching you, however, we must make clear what jin is.
"You already know that jin is activated through mutated tissue. This is the first stage in which a fighter actively channels and utilizes mutated tissue. This entire process—from its onset until it is brought under control—is what we now call the 'First Limit.' In the old era, this step was known as 'Nurturing the True Seed.'
"Of course, there were also certain obscure religious sects in the old era that called it 'Nurturing the Demon Embryo.' Regardless of the name, this hurdle has been held in immense regard since ancient times. It marks the true beginning of utilizing mutated tissue, and it is the real foundation supporting your climb into high-level martial arts. Well, do you have any questions?"
Chen Chuan thought for a moment and said, "Master, I was wondering: nowadays we can use surgery and drugs to stimulate or suppress mutated tissue. How did they solve this problem in the old era?"
Cheng Zitong replied, "Put it this way. According to surviving records, instances of mutated tissue growing continuously and without pause were actually not common in the past; most of the time it grew in fits and starts. The situation we see today only began to appear more frequently after the Algae Solution Revolution.
"As for the cause, some believe it was triggered by the frequent use of various drugs and biotechnologies after the Algae Solution Revolution. Others think it's simply that communication channels expanded, so people naturally became more aware of such occurrences. Still others argue that it's merely because more people practice martial arts now. All these theories have some merit.
"However, you should keep in mind that prior to the advent of firearms, conflicts were frequent in the old era. Whether in the military or among the populace, skilled martial fighters were always thrown into the fray. The higher one's skill, the faster one tended to die, so very few ever lived to a ripe old age. Some lost their lives long before problems ever had a chance to arise.
"Another factor is that in the old era, both the Imperial Center and civilian pugilists had effective, time-tested methods developed over generations. They would seek out successors compatible with their martial arts; those who could adapt were kept, while those who couldn't were weeded out early on—or had their martial path severed through special techniques, which indirectly prevented such issues from happening."
Chen Chuan nodded. "Thank you for explaining, Master."
Cheng Zitong asked, "Do you have anything else to ask?"
Chen Chuan looked at him, rose from the floor, and said seriously, "I understand. I ask Master to impart the methods of jin to me." With that, he cupped his hands together and bowed deeply forward.
Chapter 50