Inquiring into the Past

The unusual shifts occurring outside had clearly been felt by the person deep within the bozhang. The partition curtains across the wide corridor parted to either side, and a tall figure appeared there. Chen Chuan saw a woman who appeared to be only in her twenties. Her hair was bound in a single ponytail that cascaded all the way down to her heels. She stood well over 2.2 meters tall, yet her physique was athletic and well-proportioned. The muscles and sinews of her frame clearly bore the polish of relentless tempering, and beneath her skin flowed a power akin to running water. This woman was the very one who had appeared in the memory potion. She looked no different from how she had back then, indicating that her physical vitality and strength had remained steadily at their peak. Out of politeness, he did not continue to observe her with a martial artist's field or spirit. After that single glance, he withdrew his gaze, nodded in greeting, and said, "Senior Fang." Fang Zhuoying, meanwhile, appeared exceptionally astonished. Chen Chuan had previously sent a telegram to her, identifying himself as Yu Zhen's son and explaining that he had learned of her whereabouts from her Senior Sister Ni, wishing to pay a visit and consult her on some matters. She had initially assumed this junior was coming to learn martial techniques from her. She remembered that her disciple Yu Zhen had been quite talented, with a fiercely competitive and proud disposition that she had deeply admired. For Yu Zhen's son to seek her out all the way abroad suggested he might share that same pursuit of martial arts. She had thought to herself that if he truly possessed talent and perseverance, she would offer him guidance and look after him. Yet now that the young man was standing right before her, she realized she had been completely mistaken. Though he concealed his field, she could still sense an immense oppression radiating from him, sending a tremor running through the depths of her body and mind. This was a warning triggered by her mutated tissues, urging her to get away from this person who posed an extreme threat to her existence. This was not something her conscious will could control; in fact, the more deeply conditioned her mutated tissues were, the more acute this perception became. Having encountered similar figures before, she knew exactly what this signified. She stared at Chen Chuan's young, handsome face and those obsidian eyes like drops of black lacquer. Taking a deep breath, she spoke with utmost solemnity: "I truly never expected that Yu Zhen's son would actually be a martial artist!" "Had I known a martial artist was visiting, I would have prepared properly," she said. "Pardon my discourtesy." With that, she cupped her hands and bowed toward him. Chen Chuan turned slightly aside and cupped his hands in return. "Senior is being far too formal." Fang Zhuoying, however, replied in earnest, "Every martial artist deserves proper courtesy. It is our respect for the craft and for martial might." In the Old Era, martial artists had held an extraordinary status. Folk traditions often referred to them as Martial Masters or Earthbound Immortals; they were the supreme aspiration pursued by countless martial arts schools of that bygone age. Those who attained this realm had, without exception, subjected both body and spirit to tempering and refinement unimaginable to ordinary people, achieving true perfection. To cross that threshold meant reaching a superhuman tier, pulling completely away from the level of common people to become what could even be called another kind of organism entirely. Conventional rules no longer applied to such individuals, and before them, the status of an elder or an old family acquaintance meant nothing at all. She and Yu Zhen had shared a master-disciple relationship, but she had no such bond with Chen Chuan. He had never received her favor or care. Though Chen Chuan showed her courtesy and respect, she could not take it for granted. As someone dedicated wholeheartedly to the pursuit of martial arts, she could least of all permit herself the slightest discourtesy before someone of his caliber. She immediately thought to close the boguan, turn away all other guests, and light all the bozan flowers within the hall—blossoms that bloomed only once every fifty years, used specifically to show veneration and honor to distinguished guests. Chen Chuan perceived her intention and immediately said, "Senior Fang, I've come here on private business and do not wish to draw widespread attention." Fang Zhuoying paused in thought and said apologetically, "Forgive my lack of consideration." With her experience, it was not difficult to deduce that a martial artist would not appear here without cause. Perhaps visiting her was merely a pretext. She had recently heard that certain unresolved matters existed between the Biesa Khanate and the Great Shun government, so his business might well pertain to state dealings between the two nations. She said solemnly, "Please, Mr. Chen, step inside the tent so we may speak." Chen Chuan nodded and, under her escort, entered the inner tent, taking a seat on a carpeted cushion with low armrests. Fang Zhuoying clapped her hands, and someone immediately brought forth silver flagons of wine and pots of tea, setting them aside and lighting incense. In Ba'erketu, mare's milk wine and safflower tea were customary offerings for entertaining guests, appearing even at the most prestigious banquets. Of course, fighters generally did not drink alcohol, so she picked up the teapot, poured Chen Chuan a cup of sweet-honeyed safflower tea, and raised her cup in a toast. Chen Chuan took a sip from his teacup, set it down, and said, "Senior Fang, the reason I came here today is to inquire about my mother's past." Fang Zhuoying asked, "Xiao Zhen's past? Do you mean her disappearance?" "Senior knows about it?" Fang Zhuoying replied gravely, "If that is what you wish to ask, Mr. Chen, I'm afraid you will be disappointed. Although I was still in the country at the time and heard of it, I don't know the full story behind it. "I have taught many students, but I only guide them onto the path of fighting. As for the paths they choose to walk afterward, I never pry or meddle excessively. Back then, I heard Xiao Zhen was handling a security assignment, seemingly escorting an important figure whose identity I never learned. All I know is that she vanished together with that prominent person. Even that was merely what I heard from other students, so the details might well be distorted." Chen Chuan nodded. Unraveling the disappearance was indeed something he needed to do going forward, but for now, he had to pursue another clue first. He said, "From certain information left behind in the past, I learned that my mother once engaged a teacher to instruct me in martial techniques, but that person never appeared. I believe that if this person is still alive, they might know something. "And based on that information, this teacher was close with my mother and very likely a fellow disciple from the past, meaning they would have studied under Senior's tutelage as well. Thus, I would like to consult Senior on whether you recall which fellow disciples my mother was closest with." Fang Zhuoying searched her memory for a moment before speaking. "Xiao Zhen had a strong, competitive nature and was only on average terms with most of her fellow disciples. However, there were two people she shared a close friendship with. They were a brother and sister—the elder brother named He Ruihai, and the younger sister He Zhilan. The He girl's natural talent was ordinary, but her perseverance was a match for Yu Zhen's, marked by a fierce stubborn streak. "Her brother, He Ruihai, possessed greater talent, trained diligently, had a solid foundation, and was an honest, steady individual. The siblings were very close with Yu Zhen, and from what I know, they remained in frequent contact afterward. So if Xiao Zhen ever sought a teacher for you from among my disciples, it should be them, or one of the two." Chen Chuan pondered this. Regardless of whether either was that teacher, the mere fact that they were close friends with his host's mother, yet had never once visited him after his parents' disappearance—and that his aunt had never mentioned them either—meant there had to be more to the story. Had they simply been unwilling to come, or had they stayed away to avoid some danger? "Does Senior know where the two of them are now?" he asked. Fang Zhuoying said, "Before leaving the country, I heard they had also gone abroad for a time. But according to letters from some of my disciples, they seemed to have returned to Great Shun later on. I haven't been in touch with them for roughly a decade or more." She was devoted to promoting her martial techniques and philosophies. Over the past several decades, she had taught at least a hundred disciples, and she never paid much attention to how they developed later in life. Although Chen Chuan had not obtained their precise whereabouts, knowing their exact names was enough. With a clear target, finding people became vastly easier. "Thank you, Senior," he expressed his gratitude. Fang Zhuoying said, "You are too kind, Mr. Chen. I have only told you what I already knew. However, there is an item you may take with you. Please wait a moment." She rose, went into the inner room behind her, and emerged a moment later to hand a softcover notebook to Chen Chuan. "These are the insights and reflections on fighting that your mother, Yu Zhen, wrote while studying under me back then. When we parted ways, she left this notebook as a keepsake. But I believe it is more fitting in your hands." Chen Chuan accepted it and flipped it open. Inside, written in neat, elegant strokes, were characters traced with meticulous care and deep indentations. From the handwriting alone, one could sense that the writer had been a girl who took everything with earnest, uncompromising seriousness. Tracing the indented traces of the ink with his fingertip, he felt the force behind the strokes and the emotion and will they conveyed. A heartfelt closeness and resonance naturally welled up within him. He looked up and said, "Thank you, Senior. Then I shall shamelessly accept it." Fang Zhuoying replied seriously, "It rightfully belonged to you in the first place, Mr. Chen." At this point, Chen Chuan said, "When I arrived just now, I noticed Senior's disciples employing a form of adversarial conditioning. That technique possesses great depth and must have been refined and distilled by predecessors. When practiced to an advanced level, a fighter will attain an immensely powerful physique and unyielding mental fortitude. "Yet its myriad variations ultimately revolve around a single core tenet: leaving no 'gaps.' A 'gap' refers to fluidity in martial technique as well as inner spiritual cultivation. Eliminating all 'gaps' allows one to break through the barrier between body and mind, ultimately reaching a state of flawless perfection." Hearing Chen Chuan speak of martial matters, Fang Zhuoying's spirits lifted. Her demeanor became noticeably more animated, carrying a faint, latent fanaticism. "You truly live up to your standing as a martial artist, Mr. Chen," she said from the heart. "To discern the core essence of our school at a glance! Indeed! The tenet of our Wujian School lies precisely in the word 'Wujian'—without gap." Chen Chuan said, "Yet in my view, it still lacks something." ... ...