Duty

Chen Chuan stood at the edge of the fissure with saber in hand. After waiting a short while, he saw three mounted warriors ride up to the mountain summit. Reaching the outside of the fissure, they dismounted and approached on foot. The lead figure was clad in a full suit of armor with a visored helm, holding a white-tasseled spear in his grasp. One glance was enough to tell he was an elite commissioned warrior. In rank, this man was likely comparable to the Iron Demon he had faced in the past; judging by the sense of spiritual threat he projected, his strength might be even greater. The two behind him were attendant warriors. Upon entering the fissure, the commissioned warrior immediately spotted Chen Chuan. The gaze behind his visor seemed to shift slightly. Without the slightest hesitation, he underwent self-metamorphosis directly, white tendrils of mutated tissue sprouting from his body in an instant. This was no chance encounter. Knowing in advance that trouble had arisen on the mountain, he had come specifically to handle it, so he held nothing back and immediately entered his peak state. Chen Chuan stepped forward with his saber in hand, his pace calm and composed, seemingly indifferent to his foe's transformation. At the very instant the man's spiritual power began to convert—before it could completely harmonize with his original physical body—a glint flashed in Chen Chuan's eyes. Channeling the Spirit-Shaking Hammer, he slammed it straight across the distance! Previously, employing such a technique might have required a weapon or some other physical medium, but now he was fully capable of striking across empty air. Jarred by this blow, the commissioned warrior's spirit instantly fell into a momentary daze. In that split second, Chen Chuan had already closed the distance swiftly and steadily. He raised his blade and slashed diagonally. A flash of blade light sliced past, and the tall, imposing figure before him—armor and all—was cleaved clean in two. His entire movement was clear for all to see, exceptionally rhythmic, carrying an unhurried, effortless grace from start to finish. To the two cavalry warriors behind, it seemed Chen Chuan had merely stepped forward and delivered a single, simple slash, and their commander's spear and upper torso had gone flying. Before that severed torso could even hit the ground, the blade light snapped back, and the head originally attached to it flew off as well. Chen Chuan held the finishing posture of his strike. A violent current swept through the fissure, stirring the ends of his hair and his clothes, while in the distance, a severed head rolled tumbling across the ground. The two warriors were horrified. They had never imagined their commander would be cut down in a single exchange; the opponent they faced was unquestionably far beyond their ability to handle. Yet under the military system of the former imperial house, retainers like them shared glory and ruin alike with their commander, leaving no possibility of flight. Dying in battle alongside their commander meant their families would still be properly cared for. If they fled back, not only would they face execution under military law, but their kin would also be implicated. With no path of retreat left, both men charged forward with red-rimmed eyes, spears leveled. Chen Chuan did not care what their intentions were. Since they were enemies, he would show no mercy. He stepped forward to meet them. With two swift turns of blade light, the two men rushing him were cut down on the spot. Having dispatched the three of them, he flicked the blood from his blade and straightened up once more. A faint sigh of reflection rose in his heart. Had this been back during his time in the Confluence, facing three such enemies alone would have likely demanded a bitter struggle. Yet now, it was over in the blink of an eye. Aside from mastering more techniques, this was also due to the remarkable growth in his overall strength. He then examined the weapons in their hands one by one. Aside from the side sword on the commissioned warrior, which had some value, the rest were not worth keeping. Feeling a touch of regret, he stepped forward, unfastened the sword, and walked back carrying it, returning before Chen Bitong, who remained leaning against the wall. "Teacher Chen, they won't be coming up for a while. We can continue our talk." Chen Bitong looked up at him. "Captain Chen, what else do you want to know?" Chen Chuan said, "What I want to know is this: Teacher Chen, how did you know the fissure would open here? And why was an army of the former imperial house from the Confluence stationed right on the other side? Is there some connection behind this?" Chen Bitong made no attempt to hide anything, answering his questions directly. "Because for the split sub-body to find the place where 'pure substance' exists, the fissure must be expanded to a certain scale. "Relying solely on the fissure naturally created after Fumu's division would be far too unstable. "However, if someone on the opposite side of the fissure cooperates with us and provides guidance, we can find a way to stabilize it. "So this time, we capitalized on the former imperial house's desire to seize the opportunity of Fumu's division to break into Center City. We sent people to communicate with them in advance, and at the designated hour, simultaneously activated the iron-clad jade stakes originating from the same incubation burrow, thereby guiding and opening a stable fissure." Chen Chuan looked at him and said slowly, "In other words, Teacher Chen, you were in contact with the former imperial house beforehand?" Chen Bitong said, "The other side knew the approximate timing of Fumu's division and reproduction. Once a breach appeared in the Ring of the World, the former imperial house was bound to take advantage of it and attempt to push into Center City. "Rather than letting them breach a path on their own, it was better to determine a specific location in advance. That way, we could keep it under control and block them right at the threshold of the fissure." Chen Chuan understood. They had essentially used the former imperial house, and this entire operation was certainly not something Chen Bitong could have accomplished alone; there had to be others cooperating with him. Chen Bitong then said in a solemn voice, "Captain Chen, I will not let these people push through this fissure. From the moment it opened, I resolved to hold this ground to the death until the fissure closes." Chen Chuan knew he was not boasting. If no martial artist appeared, Chen Bitong could indeed accomplish this. In front of the fissure, he could perform evasive transits, and with his ability to channel that power spiritually, even those at the same level of strength would likely be no match for him. At the very least, none of them could counter the Flying Dragon Fist Jin he unleashed before the fissure. "It isn't just me," Chen Bitong said, turning his gaze outside. "Do you see those people who followed me out there? "They were all once my subordinates. Every single one of them suffered severe, crippling injuries, so they voluntarily underwent bodily modification. Of everyone who followed me here today, not one expects to return alive." Chen Chuan asked, "What about Assistant Fang?" Chen Bitong said, "His father was once my comrade-in-arms, and he died from that same infection. I urged him not to follow, but he insisted on coming, hoping to bring about this change together with me." Chen Chuan nodded. After a moment's thought, he asked, "I still have one more question. Even if the fissure's location could be controlled, Teacher Chen, how did you know the split sub-body would end up in this exact spot? "From what I know, the appearance of the split sub-bodies is mostly disordered. Beyond the first wave, even the Defense Department can hardly determine where the subsequent ones will go." Chen Bitong shook his head. "In truth, I didn't know. But there is a way to guide it. Do you remember when I borrowed Fumu's field resources during the training course? "After borrowing those field resources, I used a certain object to establish a spiritual connection with Fumu. Over the course of an entire month, that connection grew deeper and deeper. "While it couldn't affect Fumu itself, when it divided, the probability of a split sub-body carrying that object's resonance being born became very high. "And even if a split sub-body didn't appear nearby, as long as a near-stable fissure existed here, it would easily attract them toward this location." Now Chen Chuan understood. So Chen Bitong had already begun making preparations back then. He looked at Chen Bitong and said slowly, "Then one final question. During our battle just now, what was that condition that manifested on your body?" Chen Bitong looked up at him and said in a heavy voice, "Captain Chen, I know what you want to ask. I have never struck any deal with the entities on the other side. That is my bottom line. "Captain Chen, you must remember this: under no circumstances should you ever strike a deal with the entities from the other side. Even if it seems advantageous to you on the surface, the hidden price behind it is far more than anyone can bear." Pausing for a moment, he continued, "This time, while I was confident I could defeat many foes, I knew the strength I currently possessed would not be enough to carry out the plan smoothly. I might not have held out to the end, so I made another choice. "Do you remember the 'Imprinter' I told you about?" Chen Chuan nodded. Chen Bitong said, "I told you that an Imprinter can infiltrate a person's consciousness and alter them. "What I didn't tell you is that someone with an unyielding will and awareness—especially someone whose spiritual strength is sufficiently stable—can choose to be infected deliberately and harness its power for their own use. "Yet an Imprinter is not an isolated entity; it is linked to a certain higher being, and its power originates from there. "Doing this is essentially borrowing power from that being. "And that being can come to reclaim Its power at any time. "So when I channeled power from that other world within the fissure, It was drawn here in turn. If I could not suppress the power of the Imprinter, I would become someone else entirely." His voice dropped low. "Though my fixation might ensure that person shared the same goal as mine, he would no longer be me. I don't know what else he might end up doing. That is why I would rather have someone stop me before that could happen." With that, he pushed against the ground with both hands and slowly rose to his feet. Once standing straight, his previous injuries were hardly noticeable. Looking at Chen Chuan, he spoke candidly. "We prepared a catalyst in advance. The moment the split sub-body enters the fissure, it will seek out the place where 'pure substance' resides. When the fissure expanded earlier, barring any unexpected mishaps, the rift where pure substance exists should have already been torn open. "Captain Chen, I have done what I needed to do. How you choose to deal with me now is entirely up to you. Only..." He turned his gaze toward the side of the fissure, his spine straight as an arrow. "I have guarded the Ring of the World all my life, and I have never let an enemy I was capable of facing slip past—even when breaches formed in the Ring. I hope you will give me the chance, Captain Chen, to fulfill my final duty."