Boundaries

Cheng Zitong led Chen Chuan up behind the man and said, "Old He, I brought my student." He Xiaoxing turned his head. The hair draped over his shoulders stirred in the wind, revealing the rugged, resolute contours of his face. Then he turned around, fixing a piercing gaze upon Chen Chuan. Chen Chuan met his gaze. The imposing physique of the man before him radiated an overwhelming sense of pressure. Now facing him head-on, Chen Chuan could feel a power ready to erupt at any moment—like a volcano that had slumbered in silence for years awaiting its release, or a deep whirlpool churning beneath calm ocean waters, tranquil yet unpredictable. Cheng Zitong said, "Little Chuan, this is Old He—He Xiaoxing. You can call him Teacher He. The school originally wanted him to be your instructor, but he didn't seem interested back then. It was only after he heard you chose Zhouyuan Jin that his attitude changed." He Xiaoxing spoke, his voice deep, resonant, and powerful, as though every word had been hammered into form. "Fighting arts are an intensely personal pursuit. If a fighter merely bends to outside influences instead of standing firm in their own choice, they won't make it very far." Cheng Zitong nodded in agreement, yet sighed with feeling. "You're right, Old He. But easy as that is to say, how many people truly know what they need? And how can anyone be certain they're in the right? After all, you can't entirely disregard the experience of those who came before. Even as someone who considers himself part of the intuitive school, I'm no exception." He Xiaoxing looked up toward Wenguo Hall in the distance. His eyes were profound and calm, but like his aura, they merely kept every raging storm buried deep beneath the surface. "Three years ago, right here, I accepted Shen Zheng as my student. Back then, he chose Xuanxiang Jin. But he chose it because it was what the school expected of him, and because I, his teacher, practiced it as well. "Yet I knew it wasn't what suited him best. "He knew it deep down too, but he carried too heavy a burden. He was never willing to let down anyone's expectations, so he made that choice anyway. Back then, I knew his path was doomed to be fraught with hardship. To climb toward the heights of power, he would either crush others or be crushed by them." Cheng Zitong said, "He was exceptionally gifted. If I remember right... you only taught him for half a semester?" "Three months, to be precise. After that, I went into the wilderness to train, leaving him with nothing but a notebook of guidance. Whatever he achieved came from his own efforts." He Xiaoxing said in a low voice, "And after that came the news of his death. I was surprised, and yet I wasn't." Chen Chuan thought for a moment before asking, "Teacher, Teacher He, I've heard quite a few upperclassmen mention this senior, but none of them are willing to speak of it in detail. What exactly happened back then?" He Xiaoxing remained silent, simply standing there without a word. Cheng Zitong said, "Well, it's about time I told you. Especially now that you've earned your weapons license, which qualifies you to test for the next one. That tragedy was connected to this license as well. Originally, I planned to let Old He explain it when he was mentoring you, but since he can't stay now, I'll lay it all out for you here." He paused and continued, "Normally, if you go through the standard assessments instead of taking the selection exam, it takes about two or three years to earn a weapons license. That leaves you with hardly any time to test for others. "But if you pass the selection exam, like you did, you have ample time to test for the rest. One of them is called the 'unlimited defense license.'" At this point, his tone grew heavier. "You can probably guess what it means from the name. Once you obtain this license, the moment you perceive someone trying to harm or persecute you, or feel your life is in danger, you automatically possess the right of unlimited defense. "Furthermore, after being granted this license, you automatically gain the authority to participate in limited law enforcement during national states of emergency. That's why some refer to it as an 'enforcement license.' "Over the past several decades, this 'unlimited defense license' has been monopolized by the recommended students. Having it in hand gives them far stronger legal standing for 'justifiable defense.' Even without it, scions of powerful families have plenty of ways to achieve the same result, yet they still insist on claiming it. Do you understand why?" Chen Chuan pondered for a moment and nodded. Defense had always been passive, but wielding power and influence could blur that boundary. In truth, for those already backed by power, the license was merely icing on the cake; whether they held it or not made little difference. What truly mattered was that by monopolizing it, no other Class A students could get their hands on it. Look deeper, and it was a safeguard designed to prevent other social classes from breaking past the constraints of the rules—while the original intent of granting such a license in the first place had likely been to give certain classes a weapon to break through those very rules. Cheng Zitong sighed. "Back then, Shen Zheng was just like you, earning his weapons license early on. In fact, before him, the atmosphere at the academy had grown foul for various reasons. Many Class A students ordered Class B students around like servants. The Mutual Aid Society constantly absorbed the top students, binding them with contracts upon graduation, while the academy's administration was constrained by the Entrustment Committee. The situation was dreadful. "To change things back then, the status quo had to be broken from within the student body first. Shen Zheng saw this and led fellow students in establishing the Fenxin Society. "He didn't confront the Mutual Aid Society head-on. Instead, he led a group of like-minded students to correct the toxic culture of Class A students oppressing Class B students. They provided guidance and help to underclassmen, and offered training to young people outside the school who wanted to apply to Wuyi. "While the Fenxin Society also charged fees, they allowed repayment after graduation without charging a single copper of interest, free of the Mutual Aid Society's harsh conditions. Even for applicants who failed admission, their repayment period could be extended to over ten years, and they were allowed to recommend any talented relatives or friends they knew to join the training." Chen Chuan thought about it. Merely correcting an unhealthy culture wouldn't necessarily have threatened the Mutual Aid Society, but guiding lower-year students and training applicants without strings attached was practically digging up the Mutual Aid Society's roots. He said with certainty, "Doing that was bound to lead to conflict with the Mutual Aid Society." Cheng Zitong said, "You're right. The Mutual Aid Society clashed with him several times over this, even escalating to arranged duels on campus." Chen Chuan had already guessed things would unfold that way. It was the simplest and most direct method. Everything Shen Zheng accomplished had undoubtedly rested upon his personal prestige and martial prowess. Yet that was equally fragile. All it took was finding someone capable of defeating him to shatter his credibility. Aside from a steadfast few, the vast majority of students were wavering followers, merely swept along by the current. Cheng Zitong sighed again. "Only, the Mutual Aid Society failed. Even among the senior recommended students qualified to head to Center City, not one could defeat him in those duels." Chen Chuan thought to himself that Senior Shen certainly had the strength to back up his actions. Yet he found little reason for optimism. An open spear was easy to dodge, but a hidden arrow was hard to guard against. If they couldn't best you in the open, they had plenty of underhanded ways to deal with you in the dark. Cheng Zitong's voice sank further. "Now comes the crucial part. The incident two years ago was most likely triggered by his decision to test for the 'unlimited defense license'—and succeeding." He paused, glanced at He Xiaoxing, who stood silently beside them, and said after a moment's thought, "As for what happened next, I only know what the official investigation concluded, though whether that's the truth, I can't say for sure. "Shen Zheng was found in an abandoned factory. By the time he was discovered, he was already dead. The report stated that all the injuries on his body were self-inflicted, and that no one had subjected him to torture or abuse. But why he did it remains a mystery to this day. "The only certainty is that he wasn't alone. Many people were present at the scene. The school could even narrow it down to a specific group of students. Yet there was no way to convict them, because they truly hadn't lifted a hand during the entire ordeal. After a single day of questioning, they were released. "The investigative report explained that Shen Zheng, in his haste for rapid progress, had driven himself mad training his jin technique and mutilated himself to death. Of course, such a feeble explanation was merely meant to paper over the case file. Everyone knew that wasn't what really happened." At this point, he turned to He Xiaoxing. "Afterward, a faction of people remained on guard against you returning as his mentor to seek revenge. Quite a few in the academy were on edge for a long time." He Xiaoxing said in a low voice, "That was the path he chose, and he had to see it through to the end himself. He took on responsibilities that were never his to bear. Some burdens were simply beyond his strength, so it came as no surprise when he was crushed. "And since those people chose to act, it meant they had prepared for every contingency. If I had stepped forward back then, I would have merely jumped straight into their waiting trap. It would have served no purpose other than adding me to the toll. But as long as I remain alive, I am a blade hanging over their heads at all times. The stronger I become, the more terrified they will be." Chen Chuan nodded. Teacher He had made the right choice. An emotional outburst back then would likely have played right into their hands. By stepping back for the time being, he kept room to maneuver. Everyone knew the matter was far from settled, and as this man continued to grow stronger, it would be an unending torment for those responsible. Just as after today, once word spread of Tan Wang being driven off, more than a few people would probably lose sleep again. Cheng Zitong remarked with both admiration and regret, "Shen Zheng really accomplished so much. It's just that his sense of justice was too fierce, and he took on far too much—carrying everything virtually on his own shoulders. "After him, no one in the Fenxin Society was able to carry the banner, causing many members to leave. Those who remain have been waiting all this time for someone to step forward and lead them back to the way things were." With that, he looked at Chen Chuan, his expression exceedingly grave. "Little Chuan, you have your weapons license now, and earning an armor license shouldn't be difficult for you in the future. If you choose to stop there, there will be no trouble. "But if you decide to test for the unlimited defense license, you will put those recommended students and the powers behind them on high alert. Especially with Shen Zheng's precedent, their reaction might be even fiercer. You wouldn't just be contesting their immediate interests—you would pose a real threat to them in the future. The greater your ability, the greater the threat. Do you understand?" Chen Chuan nodded. "Teacher, I think I understand." Cheng Zitong looked at him and asked, "So, what is your decision?" Standing beside them, He Xiaoxing turned his gaze toward him as well. A night wind blew past, rustling their clothes and hair. Gazing down at the lights scattered across the foot of the mountain, then up at the faint stars in the sky, Chen Chuan spoke slowly: "Whatever binds me, I will break free from, one by one. If I cannot even overcome the obstacles before me now, how can I speak of what lies ahead? Looking to the future, I imagine the hurdles in front of me today are probably the easiest I'll ever face, wouldn't you say?" Cheng Zitong couldn't help but laugh. "Well, Old He? What did I tell you? That's my student! Cheng Zitong's student!"