Three days later.
At eight in the morning, Chen Chuan changed into student formalwear and accompanied Cheng Zitong to the Wuyi Great Auditorium.
Currently, the Weapons License Review Committee had its office located here; after all, examinations for the weapons license were presently open only to students of Wuyi.
After Cheng Zitong brought him inside, they first filled out paperwork, followed by signatures and stamps. In about half an hour, he smoothly obtained his weapons license.
Chen Chuan also learned that he was not the only one receiving a weapons license through this designated assignment; Senior Wu had received one as well.
Although the designated assignment had been reinstated on Chen Chuan's account, and he had served as the primary force in crushing Fang Dawei's gang, Senior Wu had dared to return and fight the bandits with his life on the line, even finishing off one bandit with his own hands. That alone made him worthy of being awarded a weapons license.
Not only that, through the academy's advocacy, the Review Committee had also posthumously issued a weapons license for the late Senior Liu—a measure of solace for the departed and those who remembered him.
The entire process of obtaining the license was essentially smooth and uneventful, as the vital procedures had already been completed higher up; coming here was merely to collect the document. However, just as they were about to leave, one of the committee members put forward a suggestion. He seemed keen to gather all the students who had passed the examination this time to hold a formal conferral ceremony.
Cheng Zitong found this inappropriate and firmly refused on Chen Chuan's behalf in his capacity as Chen Chuan's instructor, which left the committee member quite displeased.
Once they stepped out the main entrance of the Great Auditorium, Cheng Zitong said to Chen Chuan, "Those ceremonies are just meant to add luster to the committee members' reputations. To you, it's completely pointless besides wasting time. You aren't tools for his self-promotion, and getting your weapons license didn't rely on them anyway. Pay him no mind."
Chen Chuan nodded. He lifted the weapons license in his hand; earlier while inside, he hadn't had time to look at it, but now he could examine it properly.
It was a credential resembling a silver card, feeling like both jade and stone, slightly heavy in the hand. It could be kept in a protective sleeve for daily carry, fitting neatly into a pocket. The surface of the card bore finely engraved serial numbers and his name, written in ancient seal script, giving it an exceedingly classical, elegant appearance.
Cheng Zitong said, "Don't underestimate this small piece. It's made of a special material that ordinary blades, spears, and bullets can't damage. People used to joke that if you shoved these cards all over your body, they could serve as armor plates."
Chen Chuan thought to himself, *I've heard of people covered in medals, but I've never seen anyone stuffed with license cards.*
Cheng Zitong said, "I'll get you a decent case later. Within Yangzhi City, you don't need to carry it at all times since it's already filed with the Municipal Administration. But if you have occasion to travel outside, you'd better keep it on you. Verifying it out there takes a good while and is an immense hassle."
Chen Chuan asked, "What if it's accidentally lost?"
Cheng Zitong replied, "You can pay a fee to get a replacement, but it won't be made of this material then—just a regular card. Though the surface looks similar, the interior is entirely different. That's why people risk forging them. You'd best keep it safe. This card carries both commemorative and practical value."
Chen Chuan indicated his understanding, stowing the credential into his clothing with proper solemnity. From this day forward, whenever he went out, he could openly and rightfully carry the Xuejun Saber.
Teacher and student walked down the steps and headed toward the dormitories.
As they walked, Cheng Zitong said, "Having that saber is good, but now that you have a weapons license, you also need a gun. Out in the world, a gun has far greater deterrent power than a blade."
Chen Chuan deeply agreed. Sometimes drawing a blade might not scare someone, but drawing a gun was genuinely effective. He asked, "Does Teacher have channels for buying a gun?"
Cheng Zitong said, "As long as you hold a weapons license, you can buy from any arms company. Currently, the two best arms companies in the country are Yuangan Company and Longyin Company.
"Longyin Company has higher prices, specializing in premium services for powerful figures in the upper echelon. They do business worldwide and don't care much for small clients below. Yuangan Company, on the other hand, cooperates heavily with the military and caters to the broader market, producing many famous weapons—such as the Datuo-pattern rifle and the Type Jianzhi 15 pistol.
"I suggest you first buy a 'Wuji' pistol to practice with. It's moderately priced—less than two hundred—looks good, has a fast rate of fire, and is light to hold."
Chen Chuan knew nothing about firearms, so he decided to heed Cheng Zitong's advice and start with such a gun to get a feel for it. However, he didn't know where to purchase one; after all, he had never seen any firearm shop in the city.
Cheng Zitong smiled and said, "No need for you to look. Did you forget what your teacher does? Wuyi has its own channels. I'll have one delivered to you in a bit and get you the base price."
Chen Chuan thanked him, then asked, "Teacher, now that I have the weapons license, can I test for the armor license?"
During the clash with Fang Dawei's gang that day, the protective suit had indeed provided tremendous help and proved immensely useful; it was also why he had ended the battle so swiftly. Without the protective suit, relying solely on the Second Self, he would likely have had to rethink his combat approach back then.
Cheng Zitong said, "Yes. With a weapons license, obtaining an armor license is much more convenient. At the very least, clients will prioritize hiring someone like you. However, there's another license that is the most important of all. That depends on whether the opportunity arises. Focus on the armor license for now. As for that other license... someone should come and explain it to you in detail when the time comes."
Saying this, he patted Chen Chuan on the shoulder. "As for commissions, don't rush. It'll be the end of the month in a few days. Next month, I'll arrange something for you."
Talking as they walked, teacher and student arrived by Spring and Autumn Lake, where their paths diverged. As Cheng Zitong turned toward the administration building, he handed him a stack of tickets.
"At the end of the year, the school will hold a tournament for Class B students in the Combat Arena. It's open to the public, so your family can come watch.
"If you're interested, you can also take some time to watch. While the level of Class B students doesn't match yours, some of the upperclassmen have plenty of merits worth observing. After all, the standouts among them also developed mutated tissue through their own training and thereby mastered jin."
Chen Chuan tucked the tickets away. "Thank you, Teacher."
Cheng Zitong smiled, put on his decorative sunglasses, waved at him, and walked off toward the administration building.
***
In the center of Wuyi College's faculty district lay a lake comparable in size to Spring and Autumn Lake. Veteran instructors like Qiao Linhu lived in gardens surrounding the water. However, right in the middle of the lake stood a secluded villa manor.
There was no land bridge connecting it to the shore; every communication with the outside required traveling back and forth by boat. It was virtually isolated from the outside world.
At that moment, in the villa's enclosed training hall, a man with a sharp, narrow face and elongated eyes, whose age was impossible to discern, was lounging comfortably on a long, wide sofa. Coiled at his feet was a python.
The man wore a faint, half-mocking smile. His thin, long hair was combed back, and his slender body looked powerful. He wore a short-sleeved shirt on top and form-fitting leather trousers below, outlining the vigorous muscles of his legs.
Before him, a student was holding a strange stance: one foot planted in a lunge while the other knee pressed against the floor, lower leg raised upward. His upper body leaned backward while twisting half a turn, and both hands were positioned behind him as though cradling a sphere, fingertips facing each other, the gap aligned directly with the tip of his raised foot.
One could see that while maintaining this stance, he was also sustaining a highly intricate breathing rhythm. Waves seemed to ripple across the surface muscles of his body as sweat seeped from his pores, soon pooling into a large patch on the floor.
The man sat up slightly, resting a hand on the armrest, and watched him for a moment. "That's enough."
The student slowly drew in a breath, then gradually twisted his body back. After a series of joint-popping sounds, he returned to a normal posture. Standing straight, he was revealed to be a short-haired young man over two meters tall with a well-proportioned build. Bare-chested, his full, powerful muscles seemed brimming with vitality, coated with a glistening sheen.
He rolled his neck and said, "Teacher Tan, I can keep going."
Teacher Tan chuckled softly. "It's not about enduring as long as possible; it's about efficiency. You only benefit from practicing this stance for forty minutes a day. Doing it any longer serves no purpose other than showing off your stamina and flexibility."
The student asked, "Then how much longer do I need to practice it?"
Teacher Tan hummed thoughtfully. "Half a year. If you master this stance within half a year, you'll be qualified to accompany me to Center City."
The student said with some impatience, "Still half a year?"
Teacher Tan leaned to one side, resting his chin on his hand with an elbow on the sofa armrest, crossing his legs. "There's no need for me to explain what Center City is like; you know full well. Still, your family paid the fee, so even if you don't master it in half a year, I'll take you to Center City regardless. But do you think you can gain a foothold there?"
The student's expression grew solemn. "Half a year. I will do it."
"I certainly hope so," Teacher Tan said with a chuckle.
The student turned to leave. "I'll go wash up." With that, he departed.
A moment later, a man dressed like a butler walked in carrying a tray holding a fresh set of training clothes, which he set aside.
He then brought over several newspapers and a few magazines featuring glamorous women on their covers, placing them before Teacher Tan. He said respectfully, "Mr. Tan, here are the magazines you requested, along with the past few days' newspapers. Would you like me to read them to you, Mr. Tan?"
Teacher Tan replied, "No need."
He glanced over, pushed the glamour magazines aside, picked up a few newspapers, and casually flipped through them one by one. When his eyes caught a piece of news from two days prior, he couldn't help lingering on it for several moments, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the armrest.
After a while, he nudged the python at his feet with his toe. The python flicked its tongue and slowly slithered out of the room. Before long, a handsome young man with a somewhat pale complexion walked in, bowing. "Sir, what are your instructions?"
Teacher Tan held up the newspaper, turned it toward the young man, and tapped a finger against it. "This person—the Wuyi student mentioned here. Go find him and bring him here to see me."
The young man asked prudently, "This student wishes to clarify your intentions first, Sir..."
Teacher Tan said nonchalantly, "Nothing much. I just want to see if he's truly like what the paper says. If he is, then perhaps he might earn a qualification."
The young man bowed deeply. "Understood, Sir. This student will convey your wishes."
Chapter 94