Communion

The moment the Xuejun Saber settled into his grasp, Chen Chuan felt a profound connection form between them. If before it had merely been an affinity born of the mutated tissue inside the blade matching his own, now there was a genuine spiritual bond—as though the weapon had become an extension of himself. As their spirits communed, certain information flowed from the saber directly into his consciousness, causing his eyes to flicker faintly. In that instant, he understood what the blade was now capable of. He reached out with his other hand and grasped the hilt. But just as he was about to draw the saber, he paused. If it truly possessed such power, this was not the place to test it. After a moment's thought, he removed his Disposal Bureau boundary credential, dug out his old-model boundary credential, and put it on. He then went downstairs alone, found his Jiade car in the parking lot, drove out of Wuyi Academy, and merged straight onto the elevated expressway. More than an hour later, he descended from the expressway and drove out of the city along the western stretch of National Boulevard. He continued for another three-quarters of an hour until he was certain he was far enough from Center City before finally pulling over. Stepping out of the vehicle, he looked around. The surroundings felt somewhat familiar; this was the very place where he had slain Zhao Qian and Chan Dao. Out here, no surveillance from any field could reach him. At this hour, neither people nor vehicles passed by. The north and west of Center City were unlike the south and southwest, which were dense with industrial zones and factories. The flanks of National Boulevard here were bordered by vast wilderness where armed bandits lurked. Aside from transport convoys, very few vehicles traveled this route; most travelers preferred airships. For his current purposes, however, it was ideal. He returned to the car, brought out the Xuejun Saber, gripped the hilt, and brushed his hand lightly along the scabbard. The sheath slid free, and a brilliant, snow-white gleam flashed in the sunlight. Almost in the very next instant, wisps of luminous mist burst outward as though breaking free from constraints, spreading across an area four to five meters around him. At that moment, Chen Chuan felt that through the saber, his spirit had formed a faint, tenuous link to somewhere else. It remained indistinct, however, as if a thick, solid barrier stood in the way, preventing any direct connection between the two. This barrier was ubiquitous. Though his physical body could move freely within it, his spirit seemed firmly confined on this side. He carefully felt out that hazy realm. Holding the saber in one hand, he leveled it across his body, gathered his power for a moment, and then slashed down diagonally with sudden force! Instantly, a gleaming arc of blade-light sliced through the air, and a faint slash mark appeared right before him. That strike seemed to cleave a slit through the dense barrier. Immediately, intermittent motes of light seeped out from within like broken threads. He could not help but stare at the luminescence, sensing a familiar presence drifting from the other side. Yet this fissure was merely a shallow scratch upon the surface. It did not last; after just a few breaths, it slowly sealed shut like a healing wound. Chen Chuan closed his eyes, drew a deep breath, and raised the Xuejun Saber overhead once more, this time gripping it with both hands. After a brief pause, a shout tore from his chest as he delivered a massive downward cleave into the empty air ahead! This time, he poured most of his spiritual power into the strike. As the blade-light traced an arc through the atmosphere, a sound like the tearing of something dense and solidified reached his ears. Immediately afterward, a far brighter and wider rift broke open before him, casting a brilliant glow over his face. Radiance surged out from the gap in a desperate rush. Even though an outside force bore down to seal it, an opposing power within struggled to expand outward. Holding his follow-through stance, Chen Chuan glanced aside and saw his second self showing pronounced signs of blurriness. Spiritually, he could feel an endless stream of quintessence gushing across from the other side. Behind that blade mark lay the world beyond! Uniting his spirit with the Xuejun Saber had successfully cleaved open a fissure! Yet due to the binding pressure of the Ring of the World, he sensed this rift would not remain open for long and would likely fade before long. If he wished to use such a fissure for extended cultivation, there was only one way: to step through to the other side. However, once there, would he be able to return smoothly to his original position? He could not be certain. Moreover, many beings might dwell on that side. If he crossed over, there was no guaranteeing he would not encounter them, making peaceful cultivation almost impossible. Recalling the fissure on Feiguang Island, had it not been for a senior holding back the entities emerging from the other side, he would never have been able to sit there in peace; he would have faced relentless interference. Not to mention that the other side might also be patrolled by joint surveillance forces established by the government and corporations—crack operatives tasked with intercepting unauthorized crossings. There were simply too many unknown variables. Even if he truly chose to take that step, he would need to be fully prepared. For now, he harbored no such intention. Standing before the rift, he waited quietly, channeling and refining the quintessence flowing across. Eventually, the force holding the fissure open could no longer resist the absorption and consolidation exerted by the Ring of the World. As time passed, the rift was gradually pressed shut, vanishing entirely after roughly an hour. Watching the fissure disappear before his eyes, Chen Chuan considered the matter. Theoretically, he could deliver another strike to maintain continuous cultivation. However, he could sense a deep exhaustion radiating from the Xuejun Saber, and the wisps of luminous mist lingering around it slowly retreated into the blade. This proved that cleaving a fissure came at a cost; it could not be sustained repeatedly in the short term. Gauging its state carefully, he estimated the saber would need a day or two to recover. At that rate, he could cultivate for an hour or so every two days. Though the duration was brief, it far surpassed cultivating with aromatic medicine. Furthermore, he realized that with the right supplements, that recovery time might be shortened. One possibility immediately came to mind. Both the Fumu and active conscious entities relied heavily on high-energy nutrient solution for daily maintenance. Perhaps that would prove effective; he could test it once he returned. Judging by current circumstances, whatever had merged with the Xuejun Saber was still capable of growth. Once it grew more robust, it should be able to carve out larger rifts and sustain them for longer. The only drawback was that he might need to travel out here every day or two to cultivate, though for now, that was hardly a major inconvenience. He surveyed his surroundings to ensure no traces remained, walked a few paces, bent down to retrieve the scabbard, and sheathed the Xuejun Saber. Returning to the Jiade car, he started the engine and drove back toward Center City. By the time he returned to Wuding District, it was already past three in the afternoon. He intended to stop by Lu Fang's place to check on Xiao Jin, but while still en route, his boundary credential chimed. Seeing that the call came from the academy, he accepted it. Assistant Ling's voice sounded on the line: "Teacher Chen, this is Ling Jianxing. Do you have a moment right now? There are a few matters I would like to discuss with you." Chen Chuan asked, "Is it concerning the academy?" "That is correct," Assistant Ling replied. "Very well. I will head over now." He immediately turned the wheel, heading toward the Xuangong Building. Ten minutes later, he entered the underground parking garage via a dedicated access lane and took the elevator up to the ninetieth floor as instructed. When the elevator doors parted, a female assistant instructor guided him into a sky garden beneath an immense dome. The moment he stepped inside, the air felt remarkably fresh, accompanied by the gentle murmur of a stream and the pleasant chirping of birds. Assistant Ling stood waiting ahead. Streaks of white touched his temples, his beard was trimmed impeccably, and a smile rested on his face. Dressed in a dark gray imported formal suit, he presented the appearance of a thoroughly mature and charismatic man. He dismissed the female assistant instructor, then gestured toward a bench set against a backdrop of greenery. "Teacher Chen, please, have a seat." Chen Chuan walked over. Ling Jianxing brought over a cup and handed it to him. "This is Guzhen nectar, a rare delicacy from the Melded Lands. I am quite fond of it. Please, give it a try." Chen Chuan accepted it and took a sip. A surge of vitality filled him, invigorating his mutated tissue, which seemed to relish the substance. He remarked, "It is indeed excellent." Assistant Ling smiled, walked a couple of paces, and sat on the bench opposite Chen Chuan. Holding his cup, he said, "Today is already September tenth. In just a few days, the Linax diplomatic delegation will arrive, as I am sure you are aware. "Among the delegation is an academy contingent consisting of dozens of faculty members and students. Our academy has already received notification. During their visit, they are likely to hold a friendly exchange with us." Taking a sip from his cup, he continued, "It will primarily be an exchange between students, though faculty exchanges are by no means off the table. Frictions between our Great Shun and the Linax Federation have always existed; the contest between us, both in secret and in the open, has never ceased. Since this exchange will take place on our own soil, we cannot afford to lose." He looked at Chen Chuan. "Therefore, I would like to add your name to the roster of exchange instructors. Would you be willing, Teacher Chen?" Chen Chuan replied, "That is not entirely up to me. Besides being an instructor at Wuyi, I am also an Investigation Supervisor for the Disposal Bureau. My official duties take priority. I can only say that if time and circumstances permit when the moment comes, I do not mind having an exchange with them." Assistant Ling smiled and said, "That is more than fair." He tapped his boundary credential. "Here is a list of participating students. Supervisor Chen, please take a look and see if there are any issues." Chen Chuan glanced at the transmitted list and found that it was composed of top-ranking students from Wuyi Academy, including Wei Dong's name. He said, "I have no objections. In truth, you need not consult me on this, Assistant Ling. Here at the academy, I am merely an instructor. And in my capacity as an Investigation Supervisor for the Bureau, my responsibilities do not cover academy affairs." Assistant Ling set down his cup and smiled warmly. "In that case, I will not trouble you further with academy business. However, on a personal note, there are still a few matters I would like to discuss with you."