Chapter 287: Tracking
Chapter 287: Tracking
Chen Chuan's offensive was not as reckless as when he faced Hong Fu; instead, he was cautious, knowing that breaking through Zheng Tongtong's defense required strategy and skill.
After a few strikes, he realized the depth of her fundamentals. Each move she made was flawless, without any gaps or weaknesses.
He had the illusion that he was facing a round iron ball; no matter where he attacked, he couldn't find any openings.
From the start, Zheng Tongtong maintained a defensive stance, not counterattacking but waiting for the right opportunity.
Chen Chuan sensed that she had likely noticed he was holding back some of his power. At this moment, through the clashing of their blades, she was waiting for the right moment to strike during the exchange of his altered tissue.
Even with two sets of altered tissue taking turns, there was always a transition. Although the altered tissue could act independently without constraints, their strength was still based on the same skeletal and muscular system. Forcing them to pull against each other would only result in self-inflicted injury, and a slight pause was unavoidable.
If attacked during this transition, one would be extremely passive.
Chen Chuan didn't ease his offense but continued to search for the moment when Zheng Tongtong's power transitioned through the clashing of their blades.
However, he soon discovered that her transitions were incredibly elusive, as if hidden behind layers of protection, and there was no fixed pattern. He immediately realized that behind this was a sophisticated combination of breath control and power manipulation, something he had yet to master.
The only way to break through now seemed to be waiting for her to make the first move.
When she attacked, her weaknesses would be exposed, and he might find an opportunity.
After more than half an hour of sparring, Zheng Tongtong suddenly quickened her blade, and it seemed to transform into a swift shadow as she unleashed three consecutive slashes.
These strikes precisely targeted the transition of Chen Chuan's altered tissue, and instead of attacking, she channeled her power into his body with each slash.
The initial altered tissue instinctively absorbed the impact, and as the second set of altered tissue took over, another surge of power followed. It could only be temporarily deflected, but when the third slash came, the first set of altered tissue, which had initially borne the brunt, was already unable to keep up with the rhythm.
At this point, under normal circumstances, there was no way out. Even if he released the constraints of his altered tissue, it would be too late to muster sufficient power in such a short time.
However, despite seemingly unable to resist, he still made the same choice as before, not to evoke emotions and increase combat power, but to manipulate the more subtle altered tissue that was usually harder to reach. This action managed to slightly adjust the long blade that had been knocked off course.
With a loud bang, the force caused him to retreat several steps before he could steady his stance from a distance.
After Zheng Tongtong's three strikes, she seemed to struggle to follow up, momentarily unable to keep up. She looked at Chen Chuan with surprise, then gave him a thumbs-up, sincerely praising, "Well done, Junior! That was a beautiful defense!"
Teacher Zheng smiled and said, "Good job. That's enough for now."
Chen Chuan slowly exhaled, feeling the strain from the forced manipulation. Despite his recently enhanced internal organs and muscles, he still experienced a sense of soreness and discomfort, and even the subtle altered tissue seemed to have torn to some extent.
Due to the distribution and functions of the altered tissue, it was natural for there to be variations in strength. Forcing the weaker ones to activate would indeed lead to such consequences. However, this problem could be solved, especially after this experience, as he was determined to find a way to strengthen them.
Teacher Zheng approached him and said, "I saw what you did. You've grasped the essence of alternating altered tissue. That's excellent, because the offensive and defensive power techniques I taught you are designed for this purpose.
The method you devised might suit you well, but I still noticed some shortcomings. So, I'll share with you everything I know about power techniques and breath control in this area. You can absorb and study them to improve your control during altered tissue transitions."
This time, Teacher Zheng not only provided verbal guidance but also used the Interface Field to display diagrams of altered tissue on the light screen, demonstrating how each part should exert force, adjust, and change, as well as the corresponding breath techniques to make the fighter's altered tissue transitions more natural.
Only by coordinating power and breath could one utilize techniques. Previously, Chen Chuan's altered tissue transitions lacked proper breath coordination, but now, after hearing these instructions, he immediately understood. He was confident that if he fought again, he wouldn't make the same mistakes as before.
In addition to this, Teacher Zheng also taught him various power techniques, such as accumulating power, overlapping, leading, and releasing. Finally, she said:
"I've taught you almost everything about power techniques and breath control. If your goal is just to pass the assessment, you've already achieved it. But if you aim for higher goals, there's still a long way to go."
Chen Chuan nodded, fully aware that it was impossible to master all these skills at once. He was merely skimming the surface, and true understanding could only come through prolonged practice and constant sparring with opponents to experience and comprehend the techniques.
Moreover, finding a sparring partner as good as Zheng Tongtong was impossible outside, and he wasn't about to pass up this rare opportunity.
Teacher Zheng noticed the determination in his eyes and said with satisfaction, "I can see you don't want to be limited by this. That's great. The upcoming semester will focus on practical application and intensive training. I won't restrict your time; you can come anytime except on rest days."
Chen Chuan nodded. "Thank you, Teacher Zheng."
"Then let's continue the training."
Chen Chuan agreed and stepped forward with his sword, continuing to spar with Zheng Tongtong to experience and absorb the lessons from their previous session.
Over the next few days, he shuttled between Xuan Gong Mansion and Teacher Zheng's residence, and time gradually approached the end of March.
On this day, in their shared communication channel with Wu Bei and Lao Qi, Chen Chuan saw Lao Qi post a photo of himself and a little girl, presumably his daughter, in front of a birthday cake. Lao Qi looked somewhat dejected, but the little girl was adorable, making a funny face at the camera.
Chen Chuan checked the time; it was yesterday. He asked, "Lao Qi, how are you doing lately?"
"I'm doing well. I paid some money for my punishment, so it's considered settled. I can take on commissions again. I heard that the Jinxia Team hasn't taken on any of those unusual commissions recently."
Chen Chuan said, "I'm currently undergoing training, so I won't have time to take on commissions for now."
Lao Qi replied, "No problem, Little Brother Chen. I'll follow your arrangements. Just give me a call when you need me."
Chen Chuan said, "But Lao Qi, I still want you to keep an eye out for any anomalies that might have a large-scale impact. If you see anything, please let me know promptly."
Although the ghost stories weren't urgent, he wouldn't ignore them if they had a significant impact. As someone capable of handling such matters, he wouldn't turn a blind eye.
Wu Bei spoke up, "Little Brother Chen, don't worry. I'll keep an eye on things for you."
Chen Chuan said, "I'm relieved to have you on it, Little Brother Wu." At that moment, he remembered something. "Lao Qi, do you know where to buy things that kids like?"
It had been almost two months since he arrived in Central City, and he wanted to send some gifts to his aunt, uncle, cousins, and younger siblings. While he could find anything on the Interface Nexus, the recommended items were often expensive.
Lao Qi said, "I know a place, Little Brother Chen. I'll send you an address. You won't go wrong shopping there."
Chen Chuan waited for a moment, and soon, an address appeared on the Interface Nexus. It was a place called 'Treasure Fruit Market' on the outskirts of Dewy Zone.
He checked the sky; it had been raining intermittently for several days, but now, the sky was clear. He decided to seize the opportunity and get things done.
So, he changed his clothes, left Xuan Gong Mansion, and took the electric train to the market. Indeed, the market had a wide variety of goods, not just from Central City but also from surrounding cities.
This saved him from running around, and he started by buying scarves, gloves, hats for both men and women, a pipe, an ashtray, and some good cigarettes recommended by Lao Qi for his uncle.
For his aunt, he purchased a bundle of fine fabric, an exquisite porcelain tea set, and specialty food products from Central City and its surrounding areas. For his cousins, he bought several cans of candy and various toys and trinkets.
Additionally, he spotted an exquisite record player that no one seemed interested in, so he bought it too. The shopkeeper thoughtfully included many records as a bonus.
He also picked out a pair of flashy decorative sunglasses produced in Central City for Cheng Zitong and paid for everything. Then, he arranged for the items to be delivered, but for security, he didn't fill in the address, instead specifying the Preservation Zone Patrol Bureau as the delivery location.
When he left, the sky had darkened again, so he quickened his pace and managed to enter the station before the rain started. While waiting for the train, Wu Bei's voice came through the Interface Nexus, "Little Brother Chen, someone seems to be using an Interface Field to tail you."
Chen Chuan's eyes flickered, and he asked, "Are you sure?"
Wu Bei said, "The same frequency has appeared near Little Brother Chen several times; it's not a coincidence."
Chen Chuan hummed in acknowledgment. "Can you locate the person?"
Wu Bei said, "The person is cautious. They appear and disappear intermittently. I was afraid of alarming them, so I didn't rush to track them."
Chen Chuan said, "No need to rush. Just keep an eye out for an opportunity."
"Okay."
Chen Chuan's first thought was of Wei Wusheng. There was definitely a Resonator assisting Wei Wusheng, and there might even be a powerful force backing him, allowing him to carry out those deeds.
Just then, his train arrived. He stood up from his seat, carrying the Snow Lady Sword, and followed the crowd into the carriage.
...
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(End of Chapter)
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