Chapter 624: Exchange
Chapter 624: Exchange
As Chen Chuan approached, he noticed that Talu was only slightly shorter than him, and her gait was graceful and rhythmic. Combined with her earlier display of skill, it was evident that she was no ordinary opponent.
Talu spoke with a confident tone, "So, you're the one Specialist Zhan recommended?" Her voice was clear and cheerful, revealing a straightforward and open personality.
"Yes, I'm Chen Chuan. Nice to meet you, Ms. Talu," Chen Chuan replied.
Talu laughed, "Just call me Talu." She continued, "Since Specialist Zhan recommended you to come here, I assume you're here to enter the Rift for cultivation, right?"
Chen Chuan nodded, "Indeed."
Talu spoke with seriousness, "Mr. Chen, I need to be upfront. Entering the Rift is extremely dangerous, so I must first confirm your ability to handle it."
The elder beside her explained, "Mr. Chen, it's not that we don't trust you. In the past, we never hindered anyone who wished to cultivate in the Rift. However, during the previous Talu's tenure, an incident occurred. One of our sect members secretly came here, claiming to be recommended by a recommender. At the time, we trusted his words due to our faith in our sect members. But due to his insufficient strength, an accident happened, and we later heard that he even left the Sect, causing the recommenders to retire as well."
The elder continued, "The consequences of this incident were significant. The previous Talu felt deeply responsible, so she established this rule."
"I understand," Chen Chuan said, turning to Talu. "Shall we begin now?"
Talu was straightforward and didn't waste any time. She immediately agreed, took a sip of coconut milk from a nearby can, wiped her mouth, and walked towards the open space.
Once she reached the spot, she tightened her clothes and assumed a stance, stretching her arms back and forth, creating a series of afterimages with her fingers and palms. Crisp cracking sounds filled the air.
Talu took her opponent seriously, knowing he was recommended by a combat master.
Chen Chuan placed the Snow Lady Saber aside and emerged from the grass-covered corridor. He stepped into the open space and stretched a bit.
Talu was no weakling, as Chen Chuan had already noticed. Although she had undergone spiritual cultivation, she hadn't reached the level of Heart Power. This meant that the outcome of the fight was already predictable.
However, it was still an impressive feat.
In the Central City, even with abundant resources, many strong cultivators at this age had yet to embark on the path of spiritual cultivation. Talu, living on a remote island, faced challenges in communication and resource acquisition. Her progress was likely a testament to her innate talent.
It was clear to everyone that they were about to spar. The children and young people had dispersed but remained nearby, eagerly surrounding them, anticipating the fight.
Strangely, everyone present emotionally favored Talu, hoping for her victory. Yet, they inexplicably felt that Chen Chuan would be the one to triumph, leaving them with an uncomfortable feeling.
Talu, unaffected by these sentiments, waited for Chen Chuan to approach. She performed the Single Stream Pavilion's salute and then assumed a stance, entering a state of extreme focus.
Chen Chuan responded with a fist salute, followed by a relaxed hand stance.
The two faced off for a moment. Talu shouted, and her figure flashed, instantly closing the twenty-meter distance and kicking towards Chen Chuan.
The kick was swift, decisive, and powerful.
Chen Chuan raised his hand to block, accurately intercepting the kick. He immediately felt a surge of force, followed by another wave of force.
A double force?
Typically, a double force was reserved for critical moments, as excessive use could slow down one's attack rhythm, an almost inevitable consequence. It was usually employed when an opportunity presented itself, and using it from the start was uncommon.
However, Chen Chuan quickly realized that this force was more complex. As the force entered his body, his altered tissues produced a slight sense of stagnation.
He understood that this force wasn't intended to cause harm but to target the altered tissues. If these tissues didn't function smoothly, any movement or technique would be clumsy and uncoordinated.
The initial force likely aimed to establish a connection between their altered tissues, not to harm the opponent. The subsequent force then caused a resonance between their altered tissues, putting the opponent at a disadvantage.
This was a clever use of force, not entirely reliant on technique. Chen Chuan could sense the strength in Talu's palms. If she had mastered Heart Power, those unaware of her skills might be suppressed from the start. Without a countermeasure, the fight could be over before it began.
This realization gave Chen Chuan some inspiration as he explored his own Heart Power.
Talu's second kick came swiftly, and the Single Stream Pavilion's combat style was relentless once initiated. However, this kick was also blocked, and Chen Chuan didn't feel any delay or hindrance.
She realized that her previous attacks were ineffective, but instead of being discouraged, she let out a determined cry and spun around, swinging her arm to strike with a palm. This attack was even more powerful than before, as she had decisively activated her secret technique and entered a burst state.
Chen Chuan nodded to himself, acknowledging that this decision was correct. Many people, when faced with resistance to their preferred method of attack, would stubbornly persist with the same approach. This was a result of both path dependence and a reluctance to abandon their preferred strategy due to a lack of confidence.
However, what they didn't realize was that against an experienced fighter like Chen Chuan, if their attack rhythm and techniques were not significantly different from the previous attempt, it was almost impossible to achieve better results. Increasing speed and strength was undoubtedly the best strategy.
Talu executed this perfectly, a decision that most people would not have the courage to make.
As Talu's palm strike, sharp as a blade, sliced towards Chen Chuan's left temple. Despite her increased speed and strength, it still appeared slow in Chen Chuan's eyes, and he effortlessly lifted his arm to block it.
The surge of power caused her to lose control momentarily, and the fabric on Talu's arm ripped open, revealing a muscular, tanned arm.
After this unsuccessful attack, Talu did not continue but instead stopped and retreated a few steps, expressing admiration. She bowed to Chen Chuan.
"Mr. Chen, your combat skills far surpass mine, and there's no doubt you can enter the Rift for cultivation."
Chen Chuan returned the bow, knowing that the fight could have continued as the outcome was not yet decided. As the heir to a Pavilion, and with many disciples watching, he, as a guest, would not want to embarrass her.
However, Talu seemed to have a straightforward and honest way of thinking. She took defeat in stride, considering it a normal occurrence.
The elderly man approached and asked, "Mr. Chen, you've come a long way. Before heading to the Rift, would you like to rest first?"
Chen Chuan replied, "That's not necessary. I've already rested for two days on Ro Wang Island, and now I just want to start cultivating as soon as possible."
Talu agreed, "Alright, Mr. Chen, please follow me."
The elderly man bowed slightly and said, "Talu, I'll take care of things here while you're away."
Chen Chuan retrieved his Snow Lady Saber and, after a nod to the elderly man, followed Talu.
As they left the clearing, the trees ahead became sparse, and they walked along a narrow path until they reached a sea cliff. Below, the waves crashed and surged against the cliff.
Talu stood at the edge, her hair blowing in the sea breeze. She explained, "You can reach the Rift by jumping from here. But recently, the Rift has become unstable and shows signs of expansion. This situation hasn't been seen in a long time, and neither I nor my teacher have encountered it before. So, be cautious when entering."
"Unstable?" Chen Chuan inquired, his eyes lighting up with a thought. "May I ask when this instability started?"
"There's no secret about it," Talu replied. "The situation began at the end of last year."
Chen Chuan nodded slightly. The timing was very close to when the World Ring had a breach, so it was likely that the Rift's changes were influenced by the same event.
However, for his cultivation, this might not be a bad thing. It meant that his spiritual power could directly connect to the other side, just like when the Heaven Splitting Gate opened.
Talu continued, "The Rift's instability also affects the surrounding seas. In the past two years, many fighters and trained individuals have appeared around our islands and Ro Wang Island. They might have sensed the anomaly and are being directed by some force to find the Rift. After all, our Single Stream Pavilion has been here since the Ancient Era, and everyone knows about our connection to the Rift."
Chen Chuan remembered the tremors in the sea when he arrived and the people searching for the ring. Perhaps they were not looking for a ring but using it as an excuse to investigate the true reason.
"I'm not worried about them," Talu said. "The Rift is well-hidden, and they won't find it no matter how they search. Even if they land on the island, I can handle them. I'm more concerned about the An Yao Pavilion."
"The An Yao Pavilion?" Chen Chuan's eyes narrowed as he asked, "Is it the An Yao Pavilion, one of the three major lineages in the Oceanic Expansion Group?"
"Yes," Talu confirmed. "The Single Stream Pavilion and the An Yao Pavilion were both founded by disciples of the Grand Master Hong Fa. The An Yao Pavilion was founded by his second disciple, He Miyue, while our Single Stream Pavilion was founded by his first disciple, Zhuan Tuo.
Both pavilions inherited a portion of Grand Master Hong Fa's secret teachings, and these teachings complement each other. Over a hundred years ago, during a battle, our Single Stream Pavilion's last Fist Sage was killed by the An Yao Pavilion's Sword Sage. Since then, our pavilion has been in decline."
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(End of Chapter)
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