Saibayar spoke without the slightest hesitation. "Yes, I lean toward Norland. But Norland is far enough away from us. We can borrow their strength, yet they cannot exert effective control over us. That gives us enough room for autonomy, rather than being coerced by them at every turn.
"Besides, to use us as a counter against Great Shun, they will spare no effort in supporting us, giving us far more opportunities to develop our own domestic technology and industry."
Chen Chuan pondered this in silence. In these times, to cope with the Great Impact, the major powers were concentrating resources as much as possible. Yet this had effectively fostered competition among them. To keep from falling behind or letting rivals grow too strong, the great nations were constantly tripping each other up, leaving smaller countries trapped in between as sacrifices.
Normally, these smaller states had to provide various resources to the superpowers while being pushed to the front lines to clash with rivals. Their plight was indeed precarious.
Saibayar continued, "Heh. Thinking about it now, Zhenguan might have already known I returned to the country. That's why he stayed in hiding and didn't make a move, just biding his time for an opportunity. You people won this round."
"Zhenguan" was the martial artist of Ba'erketu Center City.
Chen Chuan considered this, holding a rather different view.
Great Shun's overseas intelligence division had not known Saibayar had returned, and there was no way the one in Ba'erketu could have known either. Furthermore, even if Zhenguan truly had known, he certainly would have notified Chen Chuan beforehand rather than deliberately concealing it.
Without being certain of Chen Chuan's full strength, the man would never have dared leave him alone to face two martial artists. If something had gone wrong, Great Shun would unquestionably have held him accountable.
Just then, Saibayar spoke up again. "Do you know why Tamur was willing to die by my hand?" Without waiting for Chen Chuan to ask, he continued, "It lies in the gathering of the Three Aspects.
"In the Pushan Scripture of our Biesa people, the one who established the heavens is Shiyi. Shiyi then manifested as three aspects: Heavenly King Dabusha, Heavenly King Moli, and Celestial Maiden Pila.
"Each of the three of us cultivated one of these aspects—the two heavenly kings and the celestial maiden. When the three aspects combine into one, Shiyi can be attained, vastly elevating the original realm of power. This time, if I had obtained Tamur's power, I could have returned and forced Zhenguan to surrender his! The Biesa Khanate would no longer be just some petty little nation!"
Chen Chuan understood now. Whether the convergence of the three aspects could reach a higher realm was hard to say, but transcending their present level was entirely possible.
Martial artists came in different degrees of strength. If a truly formidable martial artist emerged, they would indeed possess considerable leverage, perhaps even expanding their nation's borders because of it.
Yet the unification of the three aspects required the sacrifice of two of them. Presumably, all three harbored such ambitions, and this time an opportunity had simply presented itself.
Chen Chuan looked down at the man on the ground. "This ought to be your secret. Why tell me?"
Saibayar said, "We are the losers of this gamble. Zhenguan will definitely take our power to fulfill himself. So what will you choose to do? Kill us, or bring us back?"
Chen Chuan understood. No wonder the man was willing to reveal this. If Chen Chuan killed both of them outright, it would create negative public opinion against Great Shun and grant other countries an excuse to intervene.
If he didn't kill them, Zhenguan might ultimately be the one to benefit. And once Zhenguan acquired sufficient power, would he still obey the Great Shun government?
Yet at its core, it was simply that Saibayar did not want to die. He did not want to be taken back, which was why he had divulged this.
Chen Chuan said, "I won't kill you, nor will I leave you here. I will bring you both to Ba'erketu. What I needed to do is done; the rest is your internal affair as Biesa people. Settle it amongst yourselves."
Saibayar was taken aback, visibly resistant. "I thought you would consider Great Shun's interests—that you would never do this."
"There's no need," Chen Chuan said.
Saibayar seemed to think he understood. "You believe that even if the three aspects unite, Great Shun will still have enough power to suppress us? In that case, you underestimate the power of the three aspects. Moreover, once power rises to a certain height, it cannot be resolved purely through armed suppression. It commands due respect. I dare say that once Zhenguan gains power, he certainly won't treat you with as much deference as before. Other nations will flock to win him over."
Chen Chuan replied, "By your logic, wouldn't that be beneficial to your country?"
Saibayar was struck speechless.
Chen Chuan continued, "Though I do not know what realm your combined power might reach, I know that if such a power emerges, it must be supported by matching resources.
"From what I know, supporting one or two martial artists already stretches the Biesa Khanate thin. Otherwise, you wouldn't have had to run abroad in the first place. Once the three aspects converge, the resources required will be even greater. You cannot possibly afford it, and will ultimately have to seek outside aid. The Biesa Khanate sits right beside Great Shun; the cost to support you is far lower for us than for any other nation. So I believe that even if that day comes, the overall situation won't change all that much."
Saibayar's expression shifted slightly, and he fell silent.
Chen Chuan looked up toward the sky. Under the impending pressure of the Great Impact, a large number of martial artists had been driven to emerge. To sustain such combat capabilities, the world had passively begun consolidating, which was why superpowers and regional factions arose following the collapse of the Grand Alliance.
Small nations like the Biesa Khanate existed merely as buffer zones between great powers. The martial artists they could support were bound to be few in number and limited in realm. If someone did rise higher, they would still have to turn to a superpower for resources. In the end, no matter how they struggled, it was futile.
He turned and walked outside. After looking around, he found an off-road vehicle with a full tank down below. Returning to the hall, he carried the two men down, loaded them into the vehicle, and began driving back.
Over two hours later, the howling gale gradually subsided. He reunited with Chaoming, and under Chaoming's guidance, he located the driver heading toward them. Upon learning that Chen Chuan had concluded his business, the driver was overjoyed. He briskly brought out a radio to transmit a report back, then accompanied Chen Chuan on the return journey.
Near dawn on the following day, Chen Chuan spotted the glow emanating from the inner city ring of Ba'erketu in the distance.
It looked like a massive basin of fire resting atop high mountains, while scattered surrounding buildings twinkled with specks of light. It appeared exceedingly prosperous, completely unmatched by anywhere else in the Biesa Khanate.
At that moment, a hot-air balloon spewing colorful smoke—which he had seen before—drifted out from the city toward them. As it drew near, it slowly descended.
Chen Chuan brought the vehicle to a halt.
Once the hot-air balloon settled, a man dressed in the traditional robes of the Biesa Khanate stepped down. It was none other than Master Zhenguan, regarded as a deity by Ba'erketu Center City.
He had an elegant, scholarly appearance with well-maintained skin, looking scarcely older than thirty. Rather than a martial artist, he resembled a religious scholar buried in scriptures.
He offered Chen Chuan an Outer Chan salute and said in gentle, impeccable Great Shun speech, "Mr. Chen, having troubled you to resolve this dilemma, I would be honored to invite you to Ba'erketu Palace as our guest."
Chen Chuan said, "No need. I have retrieved what the state entrusted me to recover, and I must take it back as soon as possible. These two are citizens of the Biesa Khanate, so I leave them to you. You may deal with them as you see fit, Master Zhenguan."
Zhenguan glanced at the two men, then bowed respectfully to Chen Chuan. "Thank you for showing mercy, Mr. Chen."
Saibayar sneered coldly. "Zhenguan, there is no need to put on such an act. The three of us took an oath: whoever defeats the other two earns the right to absorb their power and become Shiyi. Now you are the victor. Though you borrowed the strength of Great Shun, we people of the Biesa Khanate value wisdom as much as strength. Since you are the winner, the task falls to you."
"And what if I attain Shiyi?"
Zhenguan sighed.
"It would merely add to the burden of the Biesa Khanate. Our Confluence only produces enough to adequately support one person, with barely enough left over for another to scrape a share. Were it not so, you wouldn't have had to venture abroad in search of other paths."
He looked at Chen Chuan. "Mr. Chen, having claimed the benefits myself, do these words make me seem hypocritical? Yet I know full well that even with all my martial prowess, I cannot alter the top-down order of this country. To change it, one must first tear it down. Destruction is easy; rebuilding is hard.
"How could a bleeding, wounded beast ward off the covetous eyes of tigers and wolves?
"Our Biesa Khanate seeks only to lean against a great tree, to find shelter from the wind and rain. In doing so, we might endure for a few more years. Beyond that, I dare not wish for more."
Chen Chuan knew this was Zhenguan's declaration of allegiance. Whether genuine or feigned, the authorities above would weigh it themselves. "I will convey the Master's words back as they were spoken."
Zhenguan said, "Then I shall not delay Mr. Chen any further. I will arrange an escort for you. Furthermore, you have visited our country, yet I failed to properly host you—a grave lapse of etiquette. I have prepared a modest gift as an apology; I hope Mr. Chen will not refuse."
Chen Chuan did not decline. Having handed the two men over to Zhenguan, he called out to Chaoming soaring above, climbed into the car with the driver, and soon departed.
Zhenguan watched him leave, offering a deep, respectful bow that he held for a long time.
Behind him, Saibayar said mockingly, "All right, the man's already gone. No need to put on such a diligent show."
Without offering an explanation, Zhenguan walked back and untied the bindings on Saibayar and Tamur.
Saibayar was thoroughly astonished. Suspicious and bewildered, he stammered, "You... don't you plan to..."
Stepping two paces back, Zhenguan lowered his gaze. "With you out there, Great Shun will continue to support me."
Saibayar froze, then let out a scoffing chuckle. "You certainly are candid." He paused in thought. "Zhenguan, what you told him just now has some truth to it, but you needn't worry so much about those things. Cultivation resources aren't impossible to acquire. I know of one..."
Zhenguan sighed. "You've been in contact with them?"
Saibayar said, "They approached me on their own. They were willing to provide resources up front, so why shouldn't I take them? The Great Impact could arrive at any moment. Who knows what the world will become by then?"
Zhenguan said, "Neither Great Shun nor Norland can be easily manipulated or deceived by us. Do you think they couldn't manage without me?
"Over the past several decades, Great Shun has recruited and trained many people from our land. If we step too far out of line, someone will take our place."
Saibayar's heart lurched. His expression flickered through several emotions before he asked, unwilling to accept it, "So we can do nothing? We can change nothing at all?"
Zhenguan said, "The Biesa Khanate tried in the past. But even when we seized a few advantages while the Eastern Continent was in decline, what of it? In the end, we had to return them. If it is not ours to take, there is no use dwelling on it. Unless..."
He looked up toward the sky. "The heavens and earth undergo a total upheaval. Perhaps then there might be a sliver of an opportunity. But when that day comes, who can say what manner of world it will be?"
Chapter 833