Fenghe Shou did not touch the National Fish at all; it was prepared entirely to entertain Chen Chuan. He merely ate the sliced meat and rice set before him.
As they ate, neither man spoke, adhering to the old principle of silence during meals.
Chen Chuan had no such reservations himself, but since he was a guest, he respected his host's custom.
Once he finished the National Fish, a pleasant warmth suffused his entire body, and his mutated tissue seemed to settle into a relaxed indolence. This banquet dish was indeed remarkable; the combination of different ingredients seemed to elevate its nutritional value even higher.
He recalled Mr. Zhuan mentioning during a later conversation that there was a martial artist in the Purist Faction who excelled at preparing ingredients. Even when something lacked sufficient nutrients on its own, through combinations with medicinal herbs, they could adjust it above its intended efficacy, sometimes even producing a surplus.
Without such techniques, one could only rely on the intrinsic nutritional value of the ingredients themselves.
Chen Chuan was quite pleased with this meal. It was more than enough to replenish what he had expended—in truth, their duel had not lasted very long at all.
Seeing that he had finished, Fenghe Shou set down his chopsticks and had the attendant clear away the bowls and dishes. A basin of clear water and hand towels were then brought out for them to wash up.
Once both had cleansed their hands, the attendant poured each of them a cup of fragrant dew.
Chen Chuan asked, "Master Fenghe, were these ingredients all obtained from within the fissure?"
Fenghe Shou replied, "Yes. At our Langtao Arena, such provisions are typically prepared by seniors for the younger generations. Whenever a new Blade Master emerges, he inherits the position of arena master, while the previous master enters the fissure to reside there permanently, fighting and slaying the entities from the other side day after day.
"In truth, so long as it is only to supply one or two people and we are not pursuing rare delicacies, it is relatively abundant for our Langtao Arena. Any surplus can be exchanged with other arenas or sold to factions and organizations on the Outer Ocean that require them."
Chen Chuan nodded slightly. He knew that although certain ingredients lost nutritional potency over time and ceased to be of much value to martial artists, they remained immensely beneficial to ordinary fighters. Moreover, in the old era, noble lords and princes had coveted such ingredients, willing to pay exorbitant sums for them.
"The provisions I used during my past training were provided by my teacher, the previous arena master. And if my disciple becomes a Blade Master, I will step down from the seat of master and venture into the depths of the fissure. That will be for my own cultivation, but also to prepare these resources for my disciple, until the day comes when I must make my final decision."
Chen Chuan understood his meaning. Martial artists lived long lives, and after shedding worldly duties, they had ample time to undertake such a task, allowing successors to walk forward with the backing and support of preceding generations.
Yet this model was fundamentally precarious. If something went wrong in any single generation, the new master would have to gather the resources himself. If he too became trapped within, the lineage risked being severed entirely.
In this regard, the new era was completely different. Armies were stationed in the Confluence and at the Ring of the World, regularly clearing out threats. Countless martial artists also held the front lines, purging countless encroaching entities and native Confluence creatures every day.
Furthermore, the state could synthesize medicines and high-energy nutritional supplements to replenish or replace raw ingredients. Such efficiency could never be matched by a single martial artist hunting alone.
At that moment, two attendants came forward to replenish the incense in the burner and drew back the curtains on both sides, revealing the scarlet blossom trees planted outside, as well as the bamboo grove below and the distant sea.
Fenghe Shou said, "The lineage of Langtao Arena has been passed down for six hundred and thirty-two years. The earliest person to establish an arena overseas can be traced back eight hundred years to Master Hongfa of the Eastern Continent. Afterwards, early masters from the Eastern Continent crossed over to the Outer Ocean one after another to spread their teachings. Through years of winnowing and trials, twenty-one distinct traditions were eventually formed.
"Over the centuries since, that number has only dwindled, never grown.
"Over a century ago, as far as I know, seven lineages remained. Today, not even half of those survive.
"Aside from the perils encountered along the line of succession, there is also the fact that the Grand Alliance constructed the Ring of the World. While it halted the constant external invasions, it also affected our fissures.
"The quantity of ingredients we can acquire has drastically decreased, often forcing us deep into treacherous places to harvest them. Longer travel times mean that even when provisions are brought back, much of their nutritional value has already dissipated, requiring the gatherer to make far more frequent journeys.
"This has made things exceedingly difficult, causing lineages to vanish much faster over the past century than in the preceding centuries. Langtao Arena managed to hold on only because my teacher was still here a decade ago. But now, his whereabouts are unknown."
Chen Chuan glanced at him. "Unknown whereabouts" likely meant he was trapped deep within, or had set out to follow the path of the founding master.
"Of the three arenas remaining today, including our Langtao Arena, if we simply cling to the old ways, the best estimate is that we might survive for another ten or twenty years. Without aligning ourselves with a nation or an established system, the only outcome that awaits us is extinction."
Fenghe Shou looked at Chen Chuan. "And so, I must make a choice."
With that, he drew back slightly and bowed from his seat toward Chen Chuan.
"I must ask Mr. Chen to convey word to the Great Shun government upon your return: I am willing to accept their terms and join Great Shun as an affiliate."
Chen Chuan sat up straight and nodded. "I will deliver Master Fenghe's words."
Fenghe Shou bowed to him once more. "Then I leave it in your hands."
Straightening up, his gaze fell upon the Xuejun Saber beside Chen Chuan. "Since becoming a martial artist, Mr. Chen, this blade of yours has likely not yet undergone tempering."
Chen Chuan did not deny it. "I haven't had the time to attend to that yet."
Fenghe Shou said, "Across generations, our Langtao Arena has devoted itself to saber techniques and holds blades in the highest regard. We possess a fair number of methods to elevate a blade's quality.
"If Mr. Chen does not mind, I can provide you with certain materials and rare minerals, which may prove helpful to you."
Chen Chuan said, "If that is so, nothing could be better."
Since the other man offered voluntarily, he had no reason to refuse. Simply put, he had come today as a liaison and a witness.
Fenghe Shou had his own reservations about the Great Shun government's promises, and having Chen Chuan stand as guarantor would give him peace of mind. These offerings were the compensation for that assurance.
Fenghe Shou said, "In Langtao's six-century lineage, many methods for tempering blades have been developed. Broadly speaking, they fall into internal and external approaches. The internal method relies on one's own mutated tissue and spirit to nurture the blade over a long time, honing it through constant slaughter and combat without introducing any external materials.
"This approach takes a very long time and inflicts considerable wear on the weapon. Although the blade will self-repair, certain damage is difficult to mend. Hence, external tempering gradually became the predominant method, while internal tempering serves only as everyday maintenance.
"We bring various materials and minerals from across the fissure to nurture our blades—much the same principle as martial artists procuring ingredients and nutrients. Naturally, the process is far from simple and requires special techniques and conditions.
"In our arena, if nothing else, we have accumulated an abundance of such materials over the generations. I can make them available to Mr. Chen. In addition, we have a blade-nurturing room that we can place at your disposal. I hope Mr. Chen will not refuse."
Chen Chuan said, "Then I will gladly accept. Tell me, is there a telegraph on the island? I need to send word back first."
On the airship ride over, the people from the Ocean Exploration Group had briefed him: they would dispatch warships to follow and wait offshore for a single day. If things went smoothly and circumstances permitted, he was to send a message back using a prearranged telegraph code, and they would understand his meaning.
Should no word arrive from him, they would assemble the warships and bombard the entire island with heavy artillery.
"We have a telegraph," Fenghe Shou said. He gave instructions and had an attendant lead Chen Chuan to the telegraph room.
Upon arriving, Chen Chuan transmitted the encrypted message, informing them that he had business to attend to here and would return somewhat later, asking them to wait a bit longer.
A reply arrived shortly: they would wait offshore for three days.
With that settled, Chen Chuan returned. Seeing that he was finished, Fenghe Shou led him toward the blade-nurturing room. On the way, Chen Chuan asked, "Master Fenghe, do you know the situation with Anyao Arena and Fenglin Arena?"
Fenghe Shou replied, "Given the situation on the seas, Langtao Arena has had little contact with the other two. In the past, we only presented a unified front when facing external pressure. Over the last twenty years, there has been virtually no communication.
"If Mr. Chen wishes to know what choices those two will make, I can share my personal view. Fenglin Arena is deeply entangled with the Linakes Federation. Whether they wish to or not, their island's location leaves them no room to turn toward Great Shun. They made their choice long ago.
"As for Anyao Arena, I cannot see through their intentions. Their master, Xiaoyuezhai, often acts without regard for consequences. In the past, he was the most active Blade Master on the seas, showing himself publicly on many occasions, which earned Anyao Arena widespread wariness from outsiders. His primary disciples repeatedly rejected overtures from the Ferris Wheel Company, but I imagine he will ultimately have to make a choice."
Chen Chuan hummed in acknowledgment. Anyao Arena's circumstances were difficult to gauge. It felt as though they wanted to cling stubbornly to the old path, preserving their independence rather than attaching themselves to any outside power. It was likely for this reason that they had been so fixated on finding the Danliu School's fissure.
If they truly obtained it, they would hold two fissures. If they could then nurture another martial artist using complete cultivation methods, their immediate plight might indeed be eased somewhat. Yet that would not solve the problem at its root; it would merely delay the inevitable.
Moreover, Anyao Arena's elite disciples of this generation had been almost completely wiped out by him in their previous clash, so it remained difficult to say what choice they would ultimately make.
As he was thinking, Fenghe Shou came to a halt and said, "Mr. Chen, we have arrived at the blade-nurturing room." Reaching out, he slowly slid open the heavy door, then gestured inside and said solemnly, "Mr. Chen, please enter."
Chapter 808