Chapter 287: Tracking
Chapter 287: Tracking
Chen Chuan's offense was not as reckless as when facing Hongfu, but rather, he was extremely cautious. To break through Zheng Tongtong's defense, one needed a certain strategy and skill.
After a few exchanges, he witnessed the solid foundation of Zheng Tongtong's fundamentals. Every attack and defense was flawless, without any gaps or openings.
He now had the illusion that he was facing a round iron ball; no matter where he attacked, it was the same, and he couldn't find any openings.
From the start of the fight, Zheng Tongtong had been on the defensive. She wasn't avoiding counterattacks but waiting for the right opportunity.
Chen Chuan could sense that she had probably noticed that he had some unused strength. At this moment, she was waiting for the right moment through the clashing of their double sabers, anticipating the moment when his altered organs would switch.
Even with two sets of altered organs taking turns, there was always a transition period. Although the altered organs could be used independently without restraint, their power was based on the same skeletal muscles. Forcing them to pull against each other would only result in self-injury, and a slight pause was inevitable.
If he were attacked during this transition, he would be at a severe disadvantage.
Chen Chuan did not let up on his offense. At this moment, he was also searching for the transition gap in Zheng Tongtong's strength through the clashing of their sabers.
But soon, he discovered that her transition gaps were extremely difficult to grasp, as if they were wrapped in layers of protection, and there was no fixed pattern. He immediately realized that behind this was a set of advanced breath and strength coordination techniques that he had yet to learn.
The only way to break this stalemate was to wait for her to attack.
Because when she attacked, her weaknesses would be exposed, and perhaps he could find an opportunity.
After half an hour of fighting, Zheng Tongtong suddenly quickened her saber movements. Her saber seemed to transform into a swift shadow, and she slashed three times in quick succession.
This attack fell right during the transition of Chen Chuan's altered organs. Moreover, these three slashes were not aimed at attacking but instead channeling bursts of strength into his body.
When the first altered organ instinctively dissipated the force, the other set replaced it. But as the third slash came, the first altered organ, which had initially borne the brunt, was unable to keep up with the rhythm and couldn't mobilize in time.
At this point, under normal circumstances, there would be no way out. Even if he released the constraints of his altered organs now, he wouldn't have enough time to unleash sufficient power.
However, despite seemingly unable to resist, he still made this choice. But this time, it wasn't to provoke emotions and increase combat power. Instead, through this action, he managed to activate those more subtle altered organs that were usually harder to reach, forcibly pulling back the long saber that had been knocked off course.
With a loud bang, the force caused him to retreat several steps. But even at a distance, he still managed to regain his stance.
After these three slashes, Zheng Tongtong seemed to be at her limit, unable to continue for a while. She looked at Chen Chuan with surprise, then gave him a thumbs-up, sincerely praising, "Well done, Junior Chen!"
Teacher Zheng smiled and said, "That was good. Let's stop here for now."
Chen Chuan slowly exhaled. After that intense forced activation, he could feel a sense of soreness and discomfort in his internal organs and muscles, even in those subtle altered organs that were rarely used.
Due to their distribution and functions, the altered organs were naturally not identical and had varying degrees of strength. Forcing the weaker ones would indeed result in such consequences. However, this issue could be resolved in the future, especially after this experience, where improvements would undoubtedly be made.
Teacher Zheng approached him and said, "I saw what you did. You've grasped the key to alternating between different altered organs. This is excellent because the offensive and defensive techniques I taught you are designed to prepare for this.
But the method you came up with might suit you, but I still see some shortcomings. So, I'll share with you everything I know about strength and breath techniques related to this. You can absorb and study them to improve your skills. There are many crucial aspects here, so pay close attention."
This time, she not only provided verbal guidance but also used the Boundary Token to display images on the light screen, demonstrating how each altered organ should exert force, adjust, and change, as well as the corresponding breathing techniques for a smoother transition between altered organs.
Only by coordinating strength and breathing could techniques be effectively employed. Chen Chuan's previous alterations lacked proper breathing coordination, but now, after listening to her instructions, he immediately understood. He believed that if he were to fight again, he wouldn't make the same mistakes as before.
In addition, Teacher Zheng also informed him about a series of strength manipulation techniques, including accumulation, overlapping, guiding, and releasing. Finally, she said:
"I've taught you almost everything about strength manipulation and breathing techniques. If your goal is just to pass the assessment, you would have already succeeded. But if you aim for higher goals, this is far from enough.
Chen Chuan nodded, fully aware that it was impossible to master all these skills at once. For now, he had only just begun to grasp them, and it would require a long period of rigorous training and constant sparring with opponents to gradually assimilate and make them his own.
Moreover, finding a sparring partner as good as Zheng Tongtong is nearly impossible outside of here. Of course, I won't pass up this rare opportunity."
Teacher Zheng noticed the determination in his eyes and couldn't help but feel pleased. "I can see that you don't want to be limited by this. That's great. For the rest of the semester, the curriculum will focus on practical application and intensive training. I won't restrict you by time; you can come anytime except on leisure days."
Chen Chuan nodded and said, "Thank you, Teacher Zheng."
"Then let's continue the training."
Chen Chuan said, "Okay," and stepped forward with his sword to continue sparring with Zheng Tongtong, applying and absorbing what he had just learned in the actual combat.
Over the next few days, he traveled back and forth between the Mystic Palace Tower and Teacher Zheng's residence, and time gradually approached the end of March.
On this day, in the public channel shared by Chen Chuan, Wu Bei, and Lao Qi, a photo appeared from Lao Qi's side. It was a picture of him and a little girl, presumably his daughter, in front of a birthday cake. Lao Qi looked somewhat disheveled, but the little girl was quite adorable, and she made a silly face for the photo.
Chen Chuan checked the time; it was probably from yesterday. He asked, "Lao Qi, how are you doing lately?"
"I'm doing well. I paid a bit of money for my punishment, so it's considered resolved. Now I can take on commissions again. By the way, I heard that after the Golden Shrimp team disbanded, no one seems to be taking on those abnormal commissions."
Chen Chuan said, "I'm currently undergoing training, so I'm afraid I won't have time to take on commissions for now."
Lao Qi replied, "No problem, Little Brother Chen. I'll follow your lead. Whenever you need me, just give me a shout."
Chen Chuan said, "But Lao Qi, I still need you to keep an eye out for any abnormalities that might have a large-scale impact. If you see anything, please let me know immediately."
Although there was no urgency in dealing with the strange occurrences, Chen Chuan, as someone capable of handling such matters, wouldn't ignore them if they had a significant impact.
Wu Bei spoke up, "Little Brother Chen, don't worry. I'll keep an eye on things for you."
"With you around, Wu Bei, I'm at ease," Chen Chuan said. Then, 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 local items to his aunt, uncle, cousins, and younger siblings. Although the Boundary Token could find anything, most of the recommended items were quite expensive.
In a 6-9-1 book bar, there was an error-free version!
Lao Qi said, "I know a place, Little Brother Chen. I'll send you an address; you won't go wrong there."
Chen Chuan didn't have to wait long before an address appeared on the Boundary Token. It was a place called the 'Fruit Treasure Market' in the Dewy District.
He checked the sky; it had been raining intermittently for several days, but now there was a rare clear sky. He decided to seize the opportunity and get things done.
So, he changed his clothes, left the Mystic Palace Tower, and took the tram to the market. Indeed, he found that the market had a wide variety of items, not only from Central City but also from surrounding remote cities.
This saved him a lot of running around. He first bought scarves, gloves, and hats for his aunt and uncle, a set for each gender, along with 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, a set of exquisite porcelain tea sets, and local specialty foods from around Central City. For his younger cousins, he bought several cans of candy and some loose sweets.
Additionally, he saw an unattended, beautifully crafted record player and decided to buy it as well. The shopkeeper thoughtfully included many records as a bonus.
He also picked out a pair of flashy decorative sunglasses produced in Central City for Zitong and paid for everything. Then, he arranged for the items to be sent, but for security reasons, he didn't fill in the address. Instead, he directly sent them to the Preservation District Patrol Bureau.
When he left the market, the sky had turned gloomy again. He quickened his pace and managed to reach the station before the rain started. As he waited for the tram, Wu Bei's voice came through the Boundary Token. "Little Brother Chen, someone seems to be using an interface field to tail you."
Chen Chuan's eyes flickered slightly. "Are you sure?"
"It's well-hidden, but the same frequency has appeared around you several times. It's not a coincidence," Wu Bei said.
Chen Chuan hummed in acknowledgment. "Can you tell where they are?"
"That person is very cautious. They're there one moment and gone the next. I didn't want to alert them, so I didn't rush to track them," Wu Bei explained.
"There's no need to hurry. We'll find an opportunity," Chen Chuan said.
"Okay."
Chen Chuan's first thought was of Wei Wusheng, who was known to have a Resonator assisting him, and possibly backed by a powerful force, allowing him to carry out those actions.
Just then, the tram arrived at the station. Chen Chuan stood up from his seat, holding the Xuejun Blade, and stepped into the carriage.
...
...
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
