Chapter 566: The Old Aristocracy
Chapter 566: The Old Aristocracy
The barrage of gunfire from the airship above prevented the White Plague creatures from blocking the road, so they kept pouring into the rift in a relentless wave.
Among them were some carrying explosives in their abdomens, and when a few of them charged forward, Chen Chuan and Chen Bitong, from a distance, took them out with thrown stones.
But some, upon seeing the two men, detonated their explosives immediately, causing a series of powerful explosions and shockwaves to ravage the area.
This onslaught continued for half an hour, likely because the military's supply of White Plague creatures had been exhausted, or perhaps they believed the humans had retreated.
The sound of the propellers overhead remained clear, indicating that the airship hadn't left and was still hovering nearby.
Chen Chuan and Chen Bitong sat on two broken concrete pillars just a few steps away from one of the exits.
In front of them was a partially collapsed building wall, which had been pulled in by the expanding rift earlier, providing them with cover.
Chen Chuan waved away the ash carried by the air currents, saying, "If they had used this method earlier, they might have forced us to retreat."
Chen Bitong responded, "They wouldn't do that. They don't want us to fall back because it would make it harder for them to deal with us.
And they avoid such concentrated firepower because it diminishes the presence of many samurai, which they strongly oppose. They won't use it unless they've tried repeatedly and failed.
When Captain Chen went down, he probably saw them organizing an attack on us. Even if they failed this time, they wouldn't do this unless they could retreat safely. They must have gathered forces from elsewhere."
Chen Chuan nodded.
So their earlier decision was correct.
If they had waited for the enemy to charge, they would have been fully prepared. The two military commanders were not weak, and with their subordinates, they had a significant advantage.
Even if they couldn't defeat them immediately, they could retreat as they did before, and the enemy might not be able to stop them.
By the next time, they would gather even stronger forces, making it increasingly difficult to deal with.
Fortunately, they took out the enemy in advance, creating a gap in the opposing forces. The machine guns and cannons were fierce, but not as threatening as they seemed. The earlier attack seemed more like a vent of anger and frustration.
Chen Bitong looked outside and said, "It seems we have some time. I'll tell you something, Captain Chen."
Seeing Chen Bitong's solemn expression, Chen Chuan said, "Please, Teacher Chen."
Chen Bitong explained, "Once the barrier to pure essence is torn by the split bodies, a new opening will form. As long as the World Ring's opening remains, the gap will gradually expand, and pure essence will continue to disperse outward for a while.
The Jinbei Province Central City and its surrounding areas will be the first to bear the brunt, as the opening is right here.
If Captain Chen's psychic power is strong enough, he can sense the dispersing pure essence. If you react quickly, you can grab some of it, but if you miss it, you might lose the opportunity.
Let me give you an example, pure essence is like fish in a turbulent stream. You need to find a way to capture it.
But pure essence disperses quickly, spreading to Great Shun and eventually the whole world. Others will compete with you for it, so if you want to obtain it, you must act swiftly.
The Central City, upon discovering the situation, will try to seal the opening and send people to collect the pure essence. The longer it takes, the less chance you'll have to obtain it.
Therefore, the initial period is the best opportunity, as there will be almost no one to stop you. You must seize this chance.
The amount of pure essence a martial artist needs is proportional to their strength. If you miss this chance, you might have to wait a long time for another."
His voice grew grave, "Making an agreement with those people is the last resort, but by then, you might lose your autonomy."
Chen Chuan thought that Teacher Chen was still at the limit of a martial artist and hadn't taken that final step, perhaps for this very reason.
He didn't want to take that step.
At that moment, the intense light around them flickered, and the powerful air currents seemed to weaken slightly.
Chen Bitong glanced at it and said, "Without the split bodies, the rift can no longer support this size. It's closing on its own now, and its closure will be faster than its expansion. Remember to leave in time, Captain Chen, or you might get trapped here."
As they spoke, they heard the sound of the propeller blades gradually moving away, indicating that the airship had withdrawn.
The two men exchanged a glance, knowing that something new had happened.
They stood up from the concrete pillars, stepping over the scattered biological debris and craters on the ground, and made their way to the edge of the rift.
(End of Chapter)Standing there, Chen Bitong gazed outward and noticed the mist on the mountain path had dispersed significantly, revealing a clearer view of the departing airship.
However, in the distance, at the former military camp's location, an even larger airship appeared, with a prominent "Gai" character on its airbag, surrounded by intricate patterns.
Upon seeing this character, Chen Bitong's expression changed slightly, filled with vigilance and caution. His body tensed momentarily, and he spoke in a solemn tone, "It seems I might encounter my old rival this time."
Chen Chuan glanced at him and asked, "What does the 'Gai' character represent?"
Chen Bitong explained, "When the Former Imperial Court retreated to the Convergence Lands, they were accompanied by approximately thirty noble families.
These families held immense power in the old era, and the Gai Clan was one of them. The Gai Clan had a long history of producing high-ranking military officers in every dynasty, with a lineage dating back generations.
Chen Chuan nodded, recognizing the significance. During dynastic changes, new regimes typically inherited many things from their predecessors, including scriptures, imperial collections, medicinal treasures, and more. When the Great Shun Republic was established, many of its initial assets were seized from the Former Imperial Court.
These nobles, closely tied to the Former Imperial Court, had enjoyed substantial benefits in the past. Even in the Convergence Lands, they likely retained much of their ancestors' legacy.
Chen Bitong continued, "In this generation of the Gai Clan, there's a man named Gai Shuhe, a few years younger than me. Since I started serving in the Convergence Lands and later guarding the World Ring, I've crossed paths with him numerous times.
We've fought each other over twenty times, mostly ending in stalemates. Our last encounter was seven years ago, when I won and severely injured him.
I heard he vowed never to appear on the front lines again unless he mastered the Beyond-Limit Technique. And the emblem around the 'Gai' character on that airship is his unique emblem..."
His expression turned grave as he said, "It seems he's come because I'm here. If so, he must have gained the confidence to truly defeat me, or perhaps...he's mastered the Beyond-Limit Technique and become a Martial Artist."
On the other side, the massive airship hovered above the military camp's anchoring point, while below, soldiers formed a neat formation.
Up ahead, the devoted guards and military advisors dismounted, removing their helmets and holding them in their arms, their expressions stern and solemn, as if awaiting someone important.
When the hanging ladder was lowered, a figure emerged from the airship, with pale skin, high nose and deep-set eyes, a narrow nose bridge, thin lips, a mustache on his chin, and eyebrows filled with a dark and fierce aura.
He appeared to be in his thirties, with a scar from his chin to his cheek. Standing over two meters tall, he wore a hairnet and a black-violet martial arts suit embroidered with silver threads.
Behind him was a young woman in her twenties, with bright eyes and white teeth. She wore a waist-cinched martial arts suit, her hair in a high ponytail, holding a long spear. Her features resembled his.
As this figure descended, he suddenly turned and faced the mountain peak several kilometers away, then abruptly punched in that direction. As he punched, a faint glow emanated from him.
In the rift, both Chen Chuan and Chen Bitong sensed an ominous omen, followed by the powerful aura in front of them being split apart. It seemed a formidable force was rushing towards them.
Chen Bitong stepped forward and punched out, his fist also glowing faintly.
At the tip of his fist, a resounding explosion erupted, and the aura in the rift whistled outward.
Chen Chuan's gaze intensified. If he wasn't mistaken, this was a punch delivered through rift teleportation.
In his mind's eye, he even saw a pair of piercing eyes, penetrating the mist and rift to fixate on the two of them.
The puncher was likely still on the mountain, yet he could transmit his physical force and fist aura from such a distance. This wasn't merely a matter of skill; it signified power beyond limits.
Chen Bitong's expression grew grave. "It seems my fears are confirmed. His ability to transmit his punch so easily proves he's a Martial Artist. Just now, he was merely greeting me.
Captain Chen, we can't afford a direct confrontation."
As he spoke, the bright light in the rift flickered again, shrinking further.
He turned and glanced back. "The rift is almost closed. He can't rush in to do anything, and he won't take such a risk. This time, he's probably here for me, Captain Chen. You should leave.
From here on, it's my battle."
...
...
End of Chapter.
Chapter end
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