Preparations

Chen Chuan raised an eyebrow. This was truly unexpected. Yet, recalling the two martial artists he had encountered so far, both seemed to have certain peculiar... habits, which matched this explanation. Mr. Zhuan said, "According to the Old State Religion, this barrier is called 'Sealing the Dragon to Lock the Heavenly Gate.' It requires a martial artist to offer a sacrifice to the sealed dragon and breach the heavenly pass. That sacrificial offering can be a certain emotion, an emotional anchor, or even a personal passion of your own. All of this depends on you. This has been proven to be the most viable path. "In some records from the old era, the Old State Religion even used vast numbers of human sacrifices in esoteric cult rituals for the upper class to achieve breakthroughs. However, in the eyes of those elites, human lives were virtually worthless, so the effect was minimal. Fortunately, because of that, such methods never became prevalent. "As for abandoning their power and status, those high-ranking figures were utterly unwilling to do so. That is why throughout history, very few members of the imperial family or imperial clan who held real authority ever achieved anything. And even if they did succeed, it was impossible for them to remain on the throne or in their seats of power." At this point, his tone turned particularly earnest. "You must be cautious when considering this. While sacrificing more yields greater gains, we must remember that certain things cannot be cast aside—they must be firmly held onto. If one ceases to care about those things, one can hardly be called human anymore, and I would no longer be who I was." Chen Chuan gave a slight nod. That was only natural; a baseline had to be maintained, or else breaking through would be meaningless. If a martial artist who originally cherished familial love and friendship were to discard them, they would likely turn into the exact opposite of who they once were. Of course, those who truly valued such things might not necessarily choose to do so. Yet one could easily imagine that certain extreme mindsets might conversely garner greater power, which could also bring unforeseen consequences. Even without going to extremes, he could imagine all sorts of bizarre vows and practices. Ultimately, however, it depended on what one genuinely believed in their heart. It wasn't something where one could do whatever one pleased on a whim; you could fool others, but you could never fool yourself. Overall, though, this step was merely a technique to compensate for a mind that was not resilient enough. If one's spirit was sufficiently unyielding, then by Mr. Zhuan's words, there would be no need to go through it at all. Mr. Zhuan continued, "The reason I brought this up first is that, just as a martial artist's talent is largely determined by birth, when your spiritual power breaks through its limits, it is tantamount to being reborn. The spiritual foundation you possess at that very moment determines your future achievements. Naturally, the more substantial and complete it is, the better. "How to choose and what to let go is something you must figure out for yourself." Chen Chuan nodded once more. Mr. Zhuan said, "Next are the specific techniques and methods for entering the fourth limit." As he spoke, a gleam of light welled in his eyes. Chen Chuan immediately sensed a wave of spiritual power reaching toward him. Having experienced this when interacting with Teacher Xue, he opened his mind. In an instant, a wealth of information flooded into his consciousness. Mr. Zhuan said, "Since you have cultivated to your current stage, these methods won't pose any difficulty for you. The key lies in the preparation before reaching the threshold of this breakthrough. Therefore, I won't belabor them. Go back and review them on your own first. If there's really anything you don't understand or have questions about, you can come ask me. "There are also some items needed during the breakthrough that I brought along this time. I originally intended to hand them to you later, but seeing that you aren't far from this threshold, you can take them with you when you leave." He drew his briefcase over, unlocked it, and retrieved a square box about twenty centimeters across, sliding it in front of Chen Chuan. Chen Chuan said, "Thank you, Mr. Zhuan." Mr. Zhuan said, "No need to thank me. I only hope that when you guide future generations, you will put your heart into it as much as possible." Chen Chuan nodded solemnly. "I will." Then he added, "There is something I should inform the faction about. In a few days—perhaps within the next couple of days—I need to make a trip into the convergence zone." Mr. Zhuan said, "The convergence zone, is it? On a mission? Then you must be careful." Chen Chuan understood what he meant. While martial artists rarely appeared within the center city, there were no such restrictions on them in the convergence zone. Moreover, that traitor suspected of being a martial artist was out there in the convergence zone. However, in the convergence zone, to counter the forces of the Old Imperial House and guard against certain entities, Jibei Dao likewise had its own martial artist stationed there. According to the intelligence he had gathered, that figure was very likely the headmaster of Wuyi Academy, who had never once shown his face in public. He said, "I will be careful." Mr. Zhuan smiled and said, "I know you have official duties to attend to, so I won't keep you any longer. Remember to study what I gave you. If you want to see me before you leave, you can come straight here." Chen Chuan gave an affirmative, took the box from the table, rose, and bowed slightly. "Mr. Zhuan, then I shall take my leave." After taking his leave, he stepped outside, greeted Chang Dong and Gao Yanjun, and drove back toward the urban district. This time, he didn't return to the bureau, heading straight back to his residence in Wuding District instead. There were supplies he had ordered for entering the convergence zone waiting for him to receive. Just as he arrived in front of the house, he noticed a familiar car waiting there. Apparently spotting his vehicle as well, Counselor Pei pushed open the door, stepped out, and gave him a wave. Chen Chuan slowed down, rolled down his window, and said, "Counselor Pei? Is something the matter? Would you like to come inside to talk?" Counselor Pei smiled. "I won't go in. Commissioner Liang entrusted me to brief you on some details, Supervisor Chen. Once I'm done, I'll be on my way." Chen Chuan nodded and pushed open the passenger door. Counselor Pei walked around the front of the car, took a seat on the passenger side, and tapped his boundary credential. Chen Chuan immediately received a map of the convergence zone. It was an immense map covering a vast expanse, encompassing everything from the various entrances to the convergence zone, garrison fortresses, and airship berths, to the confrontation lines between the forces of the convergence zone and the Old Imperial House, along with several unexplored, uncharted areas. Counselor Pei tapped a spot within that uncharted territory and said, "According to reports, the relic appeared right around here. That is also the destination Captain Xu and his team are heading toward. Judging by the distance and the team's travel speed, they should be closing in on it shortly." Chen Chuan took a look. Although it appeared as merely a tiny dot on the map, the actual area it covered was vast. More crucially, the expansive surrounding territory had never undergone proper development and had no garrisons whatsoever. It was an extremely perilous and primitive region, marked on the map in vivid crimson. Counselor Pei said, "After months of clashes between our forces and the Old Imperial House's army, both sides are currently in a period of recuperation and regrouping. While open fighting has ceased, small-scale skirmishes still break out from time to time. We anticipate another engagement before the end of the year, so our window of opportunity lies within this month or so." He turned toward Chen Chuan. "According to reliable intel, the Old Imperial House is also sending personnel to search for it. The enemies out there aren't limited to the ones we've encountered so far. You must be careful, Supervisor Chen." Chen Chuan nodded. He had already anticipated this and was mentally prepared. Counselor Pei said, "If there are changes to the map once you reach the convergence zone, it can be updated again. Supervisor Chen, once you decide on your departure time, I will be in charge of seeing you off." Chen Chuan agreed. Counselor Pei said, "Then I won't keep you from your work, Supervisor Chen. I'll take my leave now." Chen Chuan said, "All right. See you." Counselor Pei bade him farewell, returned to his own vehicle, and quickly drove off. Chen Chuan drove into his compound. After getting out of the car, the representative stationed here by Fusion Border informed him that many of the items he had requested had arrived and had all been moved into the training room per his instructions. After acknowledging this, Chen Chuan first washed up, then made his way up to the training room on the third floor. The moment he stepped inside, he saw the floor packed with items. These were weapons and supplies he had prepared entirely based on the experience Chen Bitong had left him, each serving a distinct purpose. After scanning the room, he walked up to a crate and opened it. Inside lay a coiled length of white "rope," which was in fact a "dragon-hunting greatspear." This spear measured fifteen meters in total length and was a xenotissue weapon. Normally, it could be coiled up like a rope, but once jin was infused into it, it would instantly become rigid and straight. It was an essential tool for dealing with massive creatures; ordinary people without sufficient jin couldn't wield it at all. However, he felt that as long as one possessed enough strength and the right techniques, it could just as well be used against human opponents. He inspected it, and seeing nothing wrong with the weapon, closed the crate. Moving to another crate, he lifted out an oddly constructed firearm that needed to be braced against the shoulder and chest, its structure extending all the way along the arm. This weapon came from the Disposal Bureau: the "Thunder Cannon" manufactured by the Longyin Company. It boasted tremendous firepower and was exceptionally well-suited for martial artists, capable of hunting down various creatures of the convergence zone—and, naturally, shooting people. Even for a third limit martial artist, if they lacked external conditioning jin and took a hit at close range, they would be practically incapacitated if not killed outright. Beyond these, the supplies he ordered included bolases, large nets, various medicines, compact tools, and specifically some small combat organisms. This was also derived from Chen Bitong's experience. Traveling and resting in the convergence zone required more than just medicine; these small combat organisms could effectively hunt and devour various small insects in the vicinity, ensuring that one wasn't plagued by excessive nuisances. In addition, he had procured a large quantity of esoteric cult materials through the channels of the Esoteric Cult Inspection Bureau. Spending the night in the wilds of the convergence zone was extremely dangerous. He did not intend to rely entirely on the tools and supplies provided by the Defense Department; having extra contingencies was a necessity. Now he picked up the short blade he rarely used. He had the Disposal Bureau attach a long cord to the pommel. Drawing it from its sheath, the mirror-like surface of the blade clearly reflected his cold, resolute eyes. This trip to the convergence zone wasn't just about eliminating armed personnel from the Consortium and the Linakes Federation. He also recalled that the location indicated in Qi Qianyang's spirit imprint was there as well. He would see if an opportunity arose to resolve that matter at the same time.