Pathways

Leaving the fighting gym, Chen Chuan drove his car onto the street. Chen Bitong's final plea carried immense weight. Though the man hadn't asked him to do anything specific, Chen Chuan had obtained pure substance thanks to the intelligence he leaked, learned two methods for applying Chen Bitong's fist jin, and received valuable pointers and guidance. He was deeply indebted to him. Because of that, he was willing to look out for Chen Xiaojin within the scope of his abilities. Nominally, Chen Bitong had died a hero, but the higher-ups were bound to hold a grudge over his role in the pure substance leak. While the figures at the very top might not bother with a child like Xiaojin, bottom-feeders beneath them would inevitably stoop to despicable deeds. If Chen Chuan made it clear he was watching over Xiaojin, that alone would serve as a deterrence. Just then, he sensed someone looking his way. One gaze felt faintly familiar, but before he could turn to look, the person had already looked away. Chen Chuan's mind worked quickly. A few days ago, he had heard that Fang Zhixin was rescued midway through his transport after being arrested, preventing them from wringing anything out of him. He had a feeling that the person watching him just now was Fang Zhixin. Only Fang Zhixin would pay so much attention to Xiaojin. Evidently, he was also uneasy about Xiaojin coming to the gym alone and was watching over him from the shadows. Since Chen Bitong's case had already been concluded, Fang Zhixin, as his nominal assistant, had not been placed on an official wanted list; authorities were merely searching for him in secret. Furthermore, the matter was handled by the Temporary Special Operations Committee and had nothing to do with the Disposal Bureau, so Chen Chuan decided to pretend he had seen nothing. Opening his boundary credential communications, he said, "Gao Ming, I'm heading over to your place now." He had spoken to Gao Ming yesterday and agreed to meet today to discuss a few things. After leaving Shenwei District, he turned toward Weiguang District. Before the Fumu split, Chen Chuan had given Gao Ming advance warning, so Gao Ming had been staying at the legal counsel office in Weiguang District throughout that period. The defense forces here were the strongest, providing optimal security from start to finish. The worst one encountered were some fissures and omnipresent insects. Pulling up before the office building where they had met previously, he parked, rode the elevator to the seventieth floor, and stepped into the reserved parlor. Gao Ming was already waiting inside. Chen Chuan walked over to the conference table set before the floor-to-ceiling windows and took a seat across from him. Outside the glass, an airship glided past, slipping through shimmering light curtains and leaving a striking, kaleidoscopic impression. Chen Chuan glanced at the freshly brewed hot tea on the table, then looked up. "A few days ago, I went to the Crisis Affairs Center for a screening. On the surface, it was to check whether we had suffered any external contamination. But in truth, something far more important was at play. "The upper echelon was hunting for a substance locked down by governments and corporations. They strictly prohibit any leak of it to the outside." Gao Ming pushed up his glasses. "Cousin, could you be more specific?" Chen Chuan gave an affirmative hum and recounted the nature of the pure substance and the authorities' stance on it, holding nothing back regarding what he had encountered during the test. Though he didn't spell out every single detail, he trusted Gao Ming to understand once he knew the whole sequence of events. After listening through, Gao Ming said, "Because you were the last person to see Chen Bitong, Cousin, the Municipal Council—well, assuming it was only them—suspected you obtained pure substance and arranged that test. "Regardless of whether you actually got it, let's make an assumption. Just an assumption." He smiled faintly. "Assuming you did obtain pure substance and earned the qualification to advance to higher limits, the strict regulations imposed from above mean that once you break through to a higher limit in the future, you will inevitably need a reasonable explanation for the origin of that pure substance. "Perhaps by then your strength will be formidable, but I still think you will need a plausible excuse." Chen Chuan nodded. "That's true." Even if he attained the Fourth Limit and possessed power far beyond what he held now, taking on the entire world single-handedly was impossible. Where his pure substance had come from was an unavoidable question. Unless he chose to abandon Center City and never return. But that was hardly the ideal path. Nor did he believe the Fourth Limit marked the true pinnacle; he still wanted to see the views waiting from even greater heights. Gao Ming interlaced his fingers over his stomach and smiled. "Then the remaining problem is this: if you refuse to sign an agreement, Cousin, yet wish to acquire pure substance, what should you do? "From your description, could it exist in the blended territories? The specific details are unclear, and we lack the basis to judge. But it probably isn't easy to come by. That Teacher Chen you mentioned was powerful enough, yet he never obtained pure substance from there. Doesn't that suggest that path is equally fraught?" Chen Chuan agreed it was no simple feat. With pure substance being so crucial, even if the blended territories had it, they would treat it as strategic material. Anyone without the right connections wouldn't stand a chance. Still, saying Chen Bitong had never had an opportunity might not be entirely true. It was just that Chen Bitong had guarded the Ring of the World for twenty years. Bound to his duty, he was incapable of compromising with the figures on the other side. And later on, he was likely considering far more than just himself. Gao Ming continued, "On the surface, there are only two ways to obtain pure substance: national governments and corporations. "However, I recall you mentioning that outside, there are traditional schools that have endured to this day, and some of them may possess their own martial artists. "Take Langtao Gym, for example, which you encountered after returning last time. Word is that a martial artist resides there. The Outer Ocean doesn't even have a Center City right now, meaning there is no institutional avenue to obtain pure substance. Does that imply they hold reserves of their own? "You mentioned that during the old era, pure substance was scattered across the world. Following that reasoning, any school or major power that survived that era to the present day is very likely to possess such things. "Securing pure substance from them might be an alternative route. Difficult though it may seem, it should still involve fewer complications than dealing with governments and corporations. "If you have already obtained pure substance, Cousin—again, purely hypothetical—then all you need to do is find a way to get a small amount from those places. It doesn't need to be much; a tiny bit will suffice. What you need is a clear, documented record of acquisition. The rest doesn't matter." Chen Chuan couldn't help but nod. Gao Ming made total sense. There had once been over twenty gyms in the Outer Ocean, yet only three remained today. In all likelihood, it was because those three still had pure substance left. Yet with the blockade from above, that pure substance would eventually run dry. Without their own Center City or megacorporation, their decline was only a matter of time. Understanding that, he could see why those gymnasiums had more or less backed Ferris Wheel Company. Only if Ferris Wheel Company grew powerful enough and joined the coalition could they hope to secure such resources. Gao Ming said, "Aside from that, I don't think other options are entirely ruled out. "I recently came across a piece of news. Following the collapse of Ferris Wheel Company, the Government Affairs Hall wants to prop up a new enterprise to take over its former operations. "Their preference is to establish a new company or carve up the operations among other deeply established partners, rather than handing those businesses over to Canglong Company and Ocean Exploration Group. "This is to keep those two from becoming too dominant, even though they are state-owned enterprises. "If—and I stress 'if'—Convergence Boundary Company, where you are employed, could take over part of that business, or even take it all over, then as the company expands, it might gain access to allocations of pure substance. "I'm merely giving an example, of course; there are countless hurdles and uncertainties to overcome. "My point is that while obtaining pure substance appears completely blocked on the surface, if your aim is merely personal pursuit rather than some noble cause, there are still cracks to exploit." Chen Chuan gave a slow nod. That was true. In fact, there was another route many fighters had attempted: smuggling themselves across to the other side of the Ring of the World. That option was simply too perilous. Unless pushed to the absolute brink, he had no intention of taking it. Gao Ming reached out, took a sip from his teacup, and held it in his hand without setting it down. A serious expression settled over his face. "Cousin, there is one more thing I think you need to start considering. When the day comes that you achieve a breakthrough, you will certainly be granted a higher post. If you don't stop and continue climbing, you will interact with more people, competing against more factions and rivals. "Not to mention, the Great Impact lies ahead. "No matter how formidable your personal martial prowess becomes, you cannot handle everything alone. You might find yourself opposing an entire corporation or a power bloc. "To contend with them, Cousin, you will need not only support from above and beside you, but also your own power base and an extended network beneath you." He nudged his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "And Yangzhi is naturally your home turf. "Over the years, you've attained the highest post of anyone to come out of Yangzhi. Anyone arriving from Yangzhi will naturally gravitate toward you. "I suggest that going forward, you find ways to bring more people from Yangzhi into Center City and support them. "This doesn't conflict with your personal advancement. Advancing as a collective bound by shared interests and goals is always easier than walking alone." Chen Chuan considered this for a moment. "I understand. Thanks, Gao Ming. I'll give your advice serious thought." After finishing his tea and chatting about lighter topics for a while, he stepped out of the office building. Once back in his car, he rested his hands on the steering wheel and sank into thought. Gao Ming's other suggestions could be mulled over at leisure, but the most urgent issue right now was solving the origin of the pure substance. At present, the soundest and most viable approach was to acquire it from those traditional schools. And the very first one that came to mind was the Purist Faction.