Recommendation

The night passed. Chen Chuan ate breakfast with his aunt and uncle's family. Once his uncle left for the constabulary and his aunt set off to take his young cousins to school, he tidied up, returned to the living room, picked up the telephone, and dialed a number. After a moment, the call connected, and a voice came through: "Wen Tong speaking." Chen Chuan said, "Instructor Wen, it's Chen Chuan." He paused briefly. "Instructor Wen, I've read through the booklet you gave me, and I have some questions I'd like to ask you in person. Would it be convenient for you right now?" Instructor Wen's gentle voice came from the receiver: "I happen to be free right now." "All right, Instructor Wen. I'll head over to your place now," Chen Chuan said. Once confirmed, he hung up, changed into casual clothes, straightened himself in front of the mirror, picked up the small booklet Instructor Wen had given him earlier, and stepped out the door. Following the road deeper into the family quarters, it took only seven or eight minutes to arrive before a courtyard residence. The courtyard gate was open. He walked in to find Instructor Wen standing there in loose martial arts robes, wearing a gentle smile. Chen Chuan stepped forward and greeted him politely. "Hello, Instructor." Instructor Wen smiled. "Hello to you too." Turning sideways, he said, "Let's speak inside." Chen Chuan nodded and followed him into the living room. Tea was already brewed on the table. Instructor Wen gestured toward a seat. "Have a seat." Chen Chuan thanked him, waited until Instructor Wen sat down, and then took his seat. Instructor Wen asked, "Did you understand it?" Chen Chuan knew what he meant and nodded. "I did." As he spoke, a glimmer flitted across his eyes. He clenched his fist, and with a sudden thunderous rumble, a shock wave like a crack of thunder erupted from it. A flash of surprise flickered through Instructor Wen's eyes. "Mind Jin..." He could tell that this Mind Jin was grounded in the foundation of the Cloud-Collapsing Hand. The prerequisite for mastering Mind Jin was cultivating one's mental power to a certain realm. Reaching this stage indeed meant it was time to consider the path toward the next step. Chen Chuan spoke again: "You told me back then, Instructor Wen, that if I ever encountered a bottleneck, I could open that booklet. So I opened it and read it. But seeing that the problem could only be resolved by seeking you out, I took the opportunity while on leave to come ask for your guidance." With that, he brought out the booklet and placed it on the table before them. Instructor Wen glanced at it and said with a touch of emotion, "To be honest, I thought it would take you three to four years before you came looking for me. I never expected it to be this fast. It seems I still underestimated your talent." He added, "Since you came here, you must be aware that the higher-ups have locked down pure substance?" Chen Chuan nodded. Instructor Wen said, "From the third limit to the fourth limit is a massive threshold. A fighter's destructive power increases drastically. If such an individual acts without restraint, cleaning up after them would demand an immense price even if it could be done. Neither governments nor corporations want to see such an uncontrollable situation arise, so this lockdown became an inevitability. "Yet who gets to advance, and who doesn't—who gets the final say? "In the past, it was the Grand Alliance. Under the supervision of all sides, while not entirely without loopholes, order could roughly be maintained. But the Grand Alliance collapsed not long after its creation. Those left to judge were the various national governments and corporations—more specifically, a small circle of individuals within those governments and corporations. "The underlying color of this world is violence. All order is built upon violence. Fighters are part of what constructs that order, yet they also possess the power to tear it down. Controlling violence is like controlling the lifeblood of the world; whoever grasps it will never let go easily. "Fortunately, the world is not completely static. Under the pressure of powerful external forces, that rigid barrier has been steadily loosening and developing cracks, demanding more strength to support it. This is the prevailing trend of the times, one that no one can defy. "Yet even knowing this, some who hold power still refuse to make changes, even if it might drag the world down with them into ruin. That is why someone must step forward to change things." At this point, he looked at Chen Chuan. "How much do you know about the factions?" Chen Chuan knew they were getting to the main point. After a moment's thought, he answered candidly, "Not very much. I only know the names of a few. You and Teacher He belong to the Purist Faction. Among my past opponents, there were members of the implant faction, and I've witnessed clashes between the Wilderness faction and the implant faction. "When I was in Center City, I looked up materials on the factions. Broadly speaking, factions in the old era primarily focused on passing down fighting techniques, whereas factions in the new era are composed of fighters who share identical or similar martial philosophies." "That isn't wrong," Instructor Wen said. "In the old era, a faction was simply a school for passing on techniques. Today, within Great Shun, there are roughly over a hundred factions, but only twenty or so hold real influence. Among those twenty-odd, the vast majority cling to tradition, relying on the legacy of the old era to uphold the old era's ideals. "However, a few have chosen to actively participate in the changes of the world, becoming far more than mere fighting schools. "Beyond passing down their techniques, they pursue their own objectives and political philosophies." Chen Chuan reflected on this. It aligned with what Instructor Wen had just said: violence was the foundation of everything, and if a faction wielding violence grew powerful enough, it naturally possessed the power to influence and reshape the rules. Instructor Wen continued, "These factions wield extensive influence across governments and corporations alike. Currently, there are five that hold the greatest influence, and the Purist Faction, to which I belong, is one of them. "Your teacher, He Xiaoxing—his teacher was once a senior member of our Purist Faction. Out of respect for that elder's personal wishes, He Xiaoxing was not brought in at the time. It wasn't until four years ago that he officially joined the Purist Faction under my recommendation." Chen Chuan's mind moved. Four years ago—that would have been shortly after the incident involving Senior Shen Zheng. It seemed Teacher He had likely hoped to draw on the Purist Faction's strength back then to deal with Molan Company and the local magnates of Yangzhi. Instructor Wen smiled. "The Purist Faction can help you obtain what you need. And the prerequisite, as you've probably guessed, is that you join us." Chen Chuan looked up. "Instructor Wen, are there any conditions for joining the Purist Faction?" Instructor Wen did not answer immediately. Instead, he asked, "What is your view on implants?" Chen Chuan considered this briefly before replying honestly, "Implants are an essential technology currently being developed to confront the other world. As technology advances, their role will undoubtedly grow larger in the future. "Personally speaking, however, if given a choice, I would rather not rely on implants to enhance myself. I place more trust in strength cultivated purely from my own body." Instructor Wen smiled and nodded. He then asked, "And what is your attitude toward the entities from the other world?" Chen Chuan answered cautiously, "I have had a few encounters with beings from that side, though my exposure is limited. I cannot say I understand them well, but from what I do know, I don't want them intruding into our world." Instructor Wen followed up, "If a day comes when you discover that you can harness their power to achieve your ends, what would you choose?" Chen Chuan cast a glance toward his second self standing nearby and said with firm conviction, "On the path of strength, I trust only myself." Instructor Wen nodded, smiling. "The purity of the Purist Faction lies first and foremost in the purity of the self. Its fighting philosophy is to reach the pinnacle of martial might using the purest human body, and to pursue that goal through personal practice. Anyone who agrees with this principle, possesses genuine intent, and passes our evaluation can join and become one of us." "An evaluation?" Chen Chuan nodded. That was expected; no mature organization recruited members recklessly. Instructor Wen said, "The faction evaluates and supports talented, promising juniors. If they qualify, they are granted the opportunity to be inducted. "In truth, ever since Teacher He taught you some of the Purist Faction's techniques, he was already evaluating you. Later, having me guide you was a further assessment. My willingness to give you that booklet meant we intended to accept you." He smiled. "Supervisor Chen, you are exceptional, your background is clear, and Old He serves as your guarantor. Therefore, I am more than willing to serve as your sponsor and invite you to join our faction." Here, he paused slightly. "However, one thing must be made clear to you. For ordinary members, we impose few restrictions; they are free to come and go as they please, though the assistance they receive is correspondingly limited. "If you want to obtain pure substance and greater support, then beyond having a guarantor and a sponsor, you will undergo a far more rigorous evaluation once you apply. "If you pass this step, you will be entitled to inherit the core fighting techniques of the Purist Faction and receive greater resource support. At the same time, far more demands and mandatory rules will be placed upon you. "Accepting this means becoming an inner member of the faction. Once you step inside, you cannot simply leave whenever you wish." Instructor Wen's expression grew somewhat graver. "Furthermore, you must understand: since the faction champions its own ideals, it inevitably meets with opposition. By joining us, you can obtain what you seek, but you will also inherit enemies you must confront. You must think this through carefully." Chen Chuan nodded slightly. He understood the meaning behind those words. It was only natural; if you wanted to gain something, you had to give something in return. Moreover, he was acutely aware that continuing his upward climb inevitably required leaning on the strength of a faction. Otherwise, standing alone while others banded together to suppress him would make it nearly impossible to contend against them. After a moment of thought, he looked up and smiled. "Instructor Wen, would you do me the honor of acting as my sponsor?"