Chen Chuan picked up the form and scanned it with his gaze. He could see that most of what was listed were restrictions and restraints placed upon national-level fighters.
"National-level fighter" was the official designation for a martial artist.
Within it, extensive provisions had been made regarding the use of power.
For instance, one clause stipulated that within cities and their surrounding peripheries, national-level fighters were prohibited from unleashing large-scale destructive power or inflicting harm and threats upon others without explicit authorization, barring emergency situations.
And what constituted an emergency?
Large-scale unrest, riots, major disasters, and severe public security crises could all be handled by local authorities. Only crises escalating to matters of national security, war, localized natural disasters, or hostile armed incursions qualified.
Furthermore, when traveling or conducting activities in urban zones such as Center City, a national-level fighter's movements had to be logged with public security and administrative oversight departments.
At first glance, the restrictions appeared rigorous in every respect, but he could tell that nearly all of the covenants concerned activities within urban areas.
In truth, most martial artists did not operate within city limits anyway. Even someone like Principal Yao, who held a post at Wuyi Academy, was stationed year-round in the Confluence.
On second thought, the Confluence was inherently the ideal place for martial artists to acquire the greater energy necessary for their cultivation. Factoring in the terms of this agreement, it was no wonder that martial artists were virtually never seen in Jibei Circuit Center City; presumably, the same held true for other Center Cities.
Yet this was not without its benefits. Martial artists possessed far too much destructive power, while most of their families and friends resided within these urban borders. Though these pacts constrained the martial artists themselves, they likewise shielded their kin and loved ones.
On the whole, when it came to coordination and security control among all parties, the pros outweighed the cons.
Moreover, the document did not consist entirely of restrictions. Taking into account the idiosyncrasies and shortcomings of national-level fighters, as well as special circumstances they might encounter, they were permitted to submit certain stipulations in advance to safeguard their interests. If necessary, these could be incorporated into local laws and covenants, and the specific details of departmental agreements could be deliberated and adjusted.
After flipping through to the end, he spotted a clause annotation listed at the back and asked, "Level Five?"
Can Miao replied, "Yes. Typically, when a national fighter signs the agreement for the first time, they begin at Level Six, which carries far stricter constraints and regulations.
"For example, national fighters must regularly submit cultivation reports on their combat abilities to facilitate government oversight and record-keeping.
"In addition, they must undergo periodic mental and psychological evaluations to determine whether they have suffered external contamination during cultivation, whether issues have arisen in their psychological state, or whether they exhibit symptoms of trans-species cognitive disorder."
"Trans-species cognitive disorder?"
Can Miao explained, "The standard explanation is that after breaking through the limit, some national-level fighters develop a conviction that they have evolved into an entirely different organism. They no longer identify with their nation or native species, and they develop feelings of contempt and disdain toward them.
"Such individuals can easily resonate psychologically with certain creatures in the Confluence, or even entities from the other side. If not intervened in promptly, they might align themselves with those forces and ultimately inflict harm upon our world.
"Over the past hundred years, there have been quite a few such cases, and throughout the deeper currents of history, people like this were everywhere. Thus, nations across the world currently pay close attention to this issue and have devised their own measures to address it."
Chen Chuan nodded slightly. Such a scenario was indeed very plausible.
This was especially true for martial artists who cultivated the 'Divine Visage' or 'Exotic Visage.' As their cultivation deepened, if they failed to anchor their 'True Form,' they might genuinely cease to view themselves as human. Even that was manageable compared to the alternative: if they came to see themselves and the entities from the other side as one and the same, the consequences would be catastrophic.
Can Miao said, "Higher-level restriction agreements like Level Six require an observational period—perhaps several months, perhaps several years—before the restriction level can be lowered.
"However, given that you, Mr. Chen, hold a position in government administration, have repeatedly rendered extraordinary service, and consistently maintained restraint in the face of external aggression after becoming a national-level fighter, higher authorities deliberated and assigned you Level Five."
Chen Chuan understood. This matched fairly closely with what Teacher Xue had told him. Looking up at Can Miao, he said, "I have a question."
Can Miao said politely, "Please, go ahead. Our purpose here today is to communicate with you. Whatever requests or proposals you have, we will do our best to coordinate and resolve them with you."
Chen Chuan set the form down on the table, looked at him, and asked, "Does the unlimited defense license I hold remain valid under the framework of this agreement?"
Can Miao smiled, then adopted a solemn expression. "I can give you a definitive answer: the unlimited defense license you possess is outside the scope of the agreement's restrictions. You may exercise that right when facing direct threats or harm."
Pausing, he added, "Meanwhile, national-level fighters who do not possess a defense license are governed primarily by the agreement and may not take actions beyond its bounds."
Chen Chuan's gaze shifted slightly. He understood: this was likely preferential treatment from the Great Shun government toward 'its own people.'
Because he was a graduate of Wuyi Academy, the government, while nominally placing restrictions on him as well, had deliberately left an opening above those constraints.
And under the premise that everyone was bound by agreements, a martial artist holding a defense license clearly held an upper hand in both internal and external conflicts.
Seeing that he had no further questions on the matter, Can Miao asked, "Mr. Chen, do you have any other questions?"
Chen Chuan replied, "None for the moment."
Can Miao said, "The form includes our detailed contact information. If you encounter any problems in the future, Mr. Chen, you may contact our council, and we will assist in answering or resolving them.
"Ah, speaking of the unlimited defense license, we can give you some advance notice: considering the outstanding contributions you made to the nation during the war in the Jibei Circuit Confluence, the state is very likely to grant you a Grade A unlimited defense license, held for life."
Hearing this news, Chen Chuan's expression shifted slightly. He nodded and said, "Thank you for letting me know." This was indeed welcome news; a Grade B certificate was only valid for ten years, whereas a Grade A certificate was held for life, sparing him the need to take further examinations.
Can Miao said, "You are welcome. Well then, Mr. Chen, since you have no other questions, we may proceed to sign the agreement. However, before that, we must ask one more thing: do you need any special circumstances written into the clauses?"
Chen Chuan knew that what Can Miao meant by 'special circumstances' was whether whatever he had relinquished or embraced when breaking the limit would pose a nuisance or hazard to the outside world. He replied, "I have no such need."
Can Miao nodded. It seemed whatever this Mr. Chen had relinquished or embraced pertained solely to himself and posed no effect on those around him. Saying nothing more, he took a scroll from his assistant, laid it on the desk, and slowly unfurled it before Chen Chuan.
As it opened, intricate, beautiful patterns of an esoteric ritual could be seen faintly surfacing across the scroll's backing, accompanied by a subtle hint of fragrance. The specific regulatory terms Chen Chuan had read earlier were transcribed onto it verbatim in neat brush calligraphy.
The assistant then handed him an ink-dipped brush with both hands, while Can Miao gestured toward a specific spot. "Mr. Chen, you need only sign your name right here."
Chen Chuan took it. Although he did not normally use a writing brush, a martial artist possessed pinpoint control over every muscle in his body, so he adapted the moment he took it in hand. He then penned his name where indicated.
The instant he finished writing, he suddenly felt as though something was permeating into his spirit, while a barely perceptible dotted pattern formed in the web between the thumb and forefinger of both hands.
It was something akin to a spiritual imprint—invisible under normal circumstances, yet easily detected when sensed with spiritual power.
Seeing him sign the agreement, Can Miao relaxed considerably. He smiled and said, "Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Chen.
"However, there is one thing to clarify beforehand: a martial artist's biological field continuously repels and dissolves the ritual, causing its effects to gradually fade. To prevent it from lapsing, this agreement must be re-signed once each year.
"If during this period you commit any violations or cross established boundaries, your restriction level may be raised according to the circumstances. Conversely, if you fully comply, render meritorious service, or perform exceptionally, your restriction level will be lowered accordingly. The authority for definitive interpretation rests with the National Supreme Security Advisory Group."
Having explained this, he added, "As for the explanation regarding the ritual itself..." He gestured toward the masked figures in the corner. "...these gentlemen will explain it to you."
One of the masked figures stepped forward. "Allow me to explain the situation to Mr. Chen. These terms cannot be outwardly obeyed while inwardly defied. Once signed, the clauses become an actual restraint; any violation will immediately inflict a degree of damage upon your body and spirit.
"At that point, your own vital energy will be spontaneously surrendered to the esoteric ritual, converting it into a force that binds you. The more clauses you breach and the more severe the infraction, the tighter the ritual's restraint will grow, and the deeper the harm dealt to you. Therefore, please make every effort not to violate them."
Chen Chuan understood. A martial artist's most vital asset was without question their own life energy. Under this sort of agreement, because it drew upon one's own power, the harder one struggled, the greater the toll.
The masked person continued, "However, you need not worry when facing critical danger. The esoteric ritual operates based on your psychological cognition. When you genuinely encounter an emergency, or if someone attempts to exploit these regulatory restrictions against you, the agreement will not restrict your power."
Hearing this explanation, Chen Chuan gave it a moment's thought, looked at the person, and asked, "If that is the case, I have a question. I know there are methods capable of deceiving one's own cognition. If such a situation arises, will the agreement still function normally?"
...
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Chapter 797