Chen Chuan pondered for a moment. Although the Wansong Platform offered Six-Yang Gold, it did not state the specific source of the material, saying only that it originated from the other side.
This in itself was actually a form of monopoly—a monopoly on information.
Even so, some information still leaked through. Six-Yang Gold cost only two platform coins, which implicitly indicated that despite seemingly being difficult to obtain, it certainly was not exceptionally rare—unless the platform was intentionally subsidizing martial artists.
Such a possibility could not be completely ruled out, yet he felt that was not the case. There were no declarations or notes under the service listing; without an explicit explanation, one could hardly expect martial artists to feel grateful. Instead, they would only suspect an ulterior motive, and the platform had no reason to court such needless trouble.
It seemed impossible to obtain information about its origin from the platform, and conducting public inquiries would easily leave traces. Fortunately, he still had another avenue.
After giving it some thought, he emerged from the meditation room and first made a phone call. Then, heading to the parking lot, he picked an ordinary sedan, drove out of the villa, headed straight out of the urban district toward the southern industrial zone, and finally pulled up in front of the warehouse where Mr. Zhuan resided.
Chang Dong had hired a few dependable hands here to handle daily maintenance and cleaning, and evergreen flowers and ornamental plants had been planted outside the warehouse—evidently arranged by Gao Yanjun.
Chen Chuan got out of the car, pushed open the door, and walked inside. Looking in, he saw Mr. Zhuan holding a book and reading. Upon spotting Chen Chuan, Mr. Zhuan immediately picked up the mask resting beside him and put it on, his entire demeanor springing to life at once. He made an inviting gesture and said with a chuckle, "Councilor Chen, take a seat. I thought you would be seizing every moment to cultivate lately. What brings you to see us all of a sudden? Do you have questions about your cultivation? Tell me."
Chen Chuan did not stand on ceremony and sat down opposite him. "The reason I came to see you today, Mr. Zhuan, is that I've been gathering Six-Yang Gold recently."
Mr. Zhuan asked, "You're preparing for the Longevity View?"
Chen Chuan nodded.
Mr. Zhuan said, "It is indeed time to prepare. Members of our Purist Faction who require Six-Yang Gold generally need two or more pieces. Given that your foundation is sturdier than others', I think you'll need at least four to five pieces of Six-Yang Gold, and perhaps even more."
He looked at Chen Chuan. "You can submit an application within the faction, and now happens to be the right time. Ah, speaking of which..." He retrieved a file folder from the organizer on the side and handed it to Chen Chuan. "Take a look at this first. Even if you hadn't come to see me, I was planning to look for you in the next few days."
Chen Chuan took it and opened the folder. It had been sent from the Purist Faction headquarters. Unsealing it, he found a letter inside. The gist of the letter was that the higher-ups of the Purist Faction highly commended his actions in Jibei Dao, being particularly satisfied with his elimination of the entity from the other side. Consequently, they had granted him the additional title of Special Appraiser and sent along an internal publication for him.
Removing the letter, he found the publication beneath it. On the first page was an inscription written by a member of the Supreme Security Advisory Group.
Browsing through it briefly, he saw that it was a publication discussing various factions as well as international martial techniques and esoteric arts. Looking at the table of contents, he noted that even the relative strengths and weaknesses of certain secret techniques within the Purist Faction itself were compared and discussed.
After reading it, he could send in his own suggestions and commentaries. If there were no issues and his insights were original, they would be accepted and published.
However, not all councilors in the Purist Faction were qualified to contribute commentary. He had been awarded this title mainly because he had re-established the Jibei Dao branch, assisted the Government Affairs Hall in overthrowing the Municipal Council that had colluded with foreign forces, and eliminated an entity that had crossed over from the other side.
Aside from that, there was a complimentary biographical issue featuring martial artists from various factions and nations who warranted attention. What set them apart was their relative youth, virtually all being under forty years of age; anyone able to become a martial artist before turning forty possessed extraordinary innate talent.
Chen Chuan flipped through it casually and found that the majority were foreigners, with only a small number from Great Shun.
Mr. Zhuan said, "Councilor Chen, if you wish to be featured in it, you certainly can be. You are young enough, and with your current achievements, many older, mature martial artists cannot even compare. Hmm, this publication isn't exclusive to our faction either—many schools and international organizations subscribe to it."
Chen Chuan had no interest in that. However, the figures listed within were bound to be formidable, and he might cross paths with them in the future, so it would be worth taking it back to examine carefully.
Mr. Zhuan continued, "Councilor Chen, your recent performance pleased the higher-ups enough to warrant an application for Six-Yang Gold within the faction. These items are usually claimed as soon as they become available, so it's best to secure them while you can.
"However, this means you will likely have to wait a while before applying for the specific methods to cultivate the Longevity View, and I wouldn't recommend applying for them right now either."
His tone grew slightly solemn. "As you know, ever since that incident with Zhao Zhenye, the higher-ups have been keeping a close eye on anyone with rapid cultivation progress, especially members who haven't been in the faction for very long. If you submit that application, they will send people to inspect you. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with the procedure, but certain personnel in charge of this within the faction tend to overcorrect. Sometimes they intentionally impose observation periods, which would work against you."
Chen Chuan nodded. It was precisely because he knew about this factor that he had not considered going through the Purist Faction in the first place. Moreover, the faction had already provided him with a great deal.
He had also faintly sensed that Mr. Zhuan giving him all of the two major styles as well as secret teachings like the Heaven and Earth Furnace breathing method had not been standard procedure.
Mr. Zhuan added, "If there are other avenues for you to obtain the techniques, try to acquire them from those sources, or just wait a bit..." He paused. "I think an opportunity will arise within the year."
Hearing this, Chen Chuan could not help glancing up at him. Yet he did not press the matter, asking instead after a moment's thought, "Mr. Zhuan, do you know what Six-Yang Gold actually is, and where it comes from?"
The mask on Mr. Zhuan's face twitched. "Old Zhuan rarely cares about such things—you're asking the wrong person if you ask him. But I know."
Chen Chuan looked over. "I would be grateful for Senior's guidance."
The mask said, "Ah, what's there to seek guidance on? You'd find out sooner or later anyway, so I'm just showing off for now. As for this Six-Yang Gold, it's essentially a byproduct of the collision between the two worlds, except most of it is concentrated on the far side of the Ring of the World.
"This stuff can appear anywhere in the world on the other side, but it has a quirk: once it appears, it quickly vanishes. Only martial artists with potent mental strength can perceive it. When we need it, we usually rely on martial artists of the Visage of the Divine to bring it back when their spirits roam the other side. Their mental strength is formidable, and they spend considerable time over there, so doing this is relatively easy for them.
"However, martial artists of the Visage of the Divine always prioritize their own cultivation, and over on the other side, others might come to collect these items too. So even if they can get hold of it, to be safe, they can't bring back too much at once. That's why, although this material is scarce on the market, a steady stream always trickles in. Anyone backed by national governments, mega-corporations, or major martial factions shouldn't be particularly short of it."
Chen Chuan grew thoughtful. That would explain why it was valued at only two platform coins by the Wansong Corporation. If one was willing to wait, it could always be acquired. As for the purchase limits, he surmised it was likely out of deference to the stance of the government and mega-corporations, preventing too much from being released onto the open market.
Yet according to this rationale, the substance seemed to exist everywhere beyond the fissure. If so, a thought stirred in his mind: perhaps he could use another method...
Except he had just noticed another piece of information nestled within Mr. Mask's words. He asked, "Senior, you just mentioned 'people on the other side'?"
The mask said, "Those are martial artists who crossed over earlier—some from the present era, some from ancient times, and some who have mutated. Just as we need the Confluence, they have even greater need for certain things beyond the fissure. Six-Yang Gold, for instance, seems to be of use to them."
Chen Chuan hummed in acknowledgement. This was something he could understand. He remembered that Master Hongfa, founder of the An'yao Arena and the Danliu School, had ultimately stepped over to the other side. Among the predecessors of the other two schools, there were also those who had entered it, likely venturing there in pursuit of a higher realm.
Mr. Zhuan said at this moment, "I will submit the application for Six-Yang Gold for you shortly. It should arrive within the next two weeks. I'll give you a call then."
Chen Chuan said, "Thank you, Mr. Zhuan." Turning to the mask, he added, "And thank you, Senior."
The mask chuckled. "Don't mention it, don't mention it."
Afterward, Chen Chuan chatted with Mr. Zhuan and the mask about cultivation and internal affairs of the faction. After staying for over an hour, he took his leave.
Once he had departed, Mr. Zhuan said, "His progress is remarkably swift. I sense he may have already mastered all the techniques of one of the major styles."
The mask said, "His foundation is sturdier than anyone's, and his talent is extraordinary—rare even within our Purist Faction. Isn't rapid progress only natural? I also suspect he might have mastered a major style. How much time has it been? No wonder he's started seeking Six-Yang Gold; he has absolute confidence in his cultivation progress."
It remarked with feeling, "Young people these days are more formidable than the last. Although every faction has plenty of outstanding juniors, I personally think more highly of Councilor Chen. Judging strictly by age and achievements, not one of those listed in that publication can hold a candle to him. Still, precisely because he is so exceptional, it might make people draw certain associations, sparking needless concerns."
Mr. Zhuan said in a low voice, "If that mistake from back then isn't corrected, a knot will always remain. That is why I must resolve it."
The mask said helplessly, "Old Zhuan, why can't you understand? What I mean is, Councilor Chen is improving so rapidly that you could simply wait a bit. Wouldn't that give you far better odds?"
Mr. Zhuan raised a hand, making as if to take the mask off right then and there. The mask quickly said, "Fine, fine, I won't bring it up! I won't bring it up!"
Mr. Zhuan said, "Trouble we made will be settled by us, without dumping it on the young. They have their own matters to face." He paused and looked into the distance. "I will find a way to resolve this matter within the year."
Chapter 935