Chapter 638: The Gift
Chapter 638: The Gift
At 3 p.m., Talu returned from Ro Wang Island.
Olber was relieved to see her safe return, unaccompanied, and showing no signs of being reprimanded.
Chen Chuan, however, found this perfectly normal.
The Single Stream Pavilion, secluded in a remote area, rarely posed any significant threat. Neither Canglong Corporation nor the Far Ocean Expansion Group would likely take any harsh measures against the Pavilion right from the start, nor was there a need for it.
A Third Limit Combatant, if handled well, could become an asset. Choosing to oppose them would only increase costs and spread fear among other martial arts practitioners, making the situation harder to control.
Upon Talu's return to the hut, after drinking the water handed to her by a disciple, Olber inquired about the situation with concern.
Talu wiped her mouth and replied, "They just want me to re-register the martial arts pavilion and strictly control the number of practitioners. If a Third Limit Combatant appears, it must be reported immediately. Also, they require us to train a batch of students for them every year, and in addition to the necessary tuition fees, they will provide us with subsidies and support."
Olber contemplated this and thought that training students for outsiders wasn't necessarily a bad thing; it could even earn them some money.
The Single Stream Pavilion's secret techniques weren't something they guarded closely, but he worried that over time, these companies would have more influence over the martial arts pavilions, eventually making decisions on their behalf.
Talu added, "They said it's not just our Single Stream Pavilion; they'll do the same with other martial arts pavilions, including the Big Three Pavilions."
"Oh?"
Olber found this news encouraging.
If everyone was subjected to the same restrictions, the Big Three Pavilions would undoubtedly face more constraints than them. Especially the Anyao Pavilion, which would make it difficult for them to take any further actions against the Pavilion in the future.
Chen Chuan's mind shifted, and he realized that if these rules were implemented, the Big Three Pavilions would undoubtedly be significantly affected.
This was inevitable, as the Big Three Pavilions and the Ferris Wheel Corporation had varying degrees of involvement with each other.
Especially the Fenglin Pavilion, which had the closest ties with the Ferris Wheel Corporation in recent years and received the most resources, resulting in the highest number of disciples among the Big Three Pavilions.
With the Ferris Wheel Corporation now absent, the Big Three Pavilions would undoubtedly face continuous targeting and suppression from the two companies.
Talu continued, "They also mentioned plans to build a power station on the island, providing us with experts and specialists. They even offered to help us construct roads, establish schools, and set up windbreak facilities, as well as provide us with planting techniques and other resources.
There's a lot, but not everything is free. They said they could provide low-interest and interest-free loans. I don't understand it, but I've brought back the documents."
She gestured, and a disciple immediately retrieved a large stack of documents from his shoulder bag.
Olber took the documents with care, skimmed through them, and sighed, "We don't need these, but the villagers below could benefit from them."
After some thought, he put away the documents, intending to review them later. He asked with concern, "Talu, did they try to inquire about the Rift?"
He worried that these were all excuses, and their primary goal was the Rift, as the anomalies in the nearby waters were evident. The Far Ocean Expansion Group, upon arriving here, could easily investigate and understand the specific situation.
This was a Rift, and it was unlikely that these large companies would ignore its existence.
Talu shook her head, "No."
Olber breathed a slight sigh of relief. "But Talu has already obtained the secret technique from the Rift. After Mr. Chen uses it this time, if we don't have any special circumstances, we'll try to keep it hidden. They won't be able to find it."
Chen Chuan didn't respond to this. The Rift, strictly speaking, currently belonged to the Pureline Sect, and the sect would undoubtedly have plans for its disposal.
Seeing that Talu was unharmed this time, he bid farewell to the two and made his way to the Lotus Throne.
The following period was calm and peaceful, without any disturbances, and in a flash, it was August 20th.
Chen Chuan emerged from his cultivation, glanced at his watch, and stood up. The light in front of him dimmed and closed.
Today was the last day of his planned cultivation, and he intended to return home.
He assessed his spiritual energy and found that after such a long period of cultivation, his spirit had significantly improved compared to before. It could be said that his progress was immense.
However, he hadn't yet reached the pinnacle of perfection, as his physical foundation was exceptionally robust, implying that his spirit had an even higher ceiling.
This was a positive development, but it also meant that the cultivation resources and time he needed to invest would increase.
Therefore, upon his return, he would have to consider other ways to enhance his cultivation further.
Regarding the Rift...
He pondered for a moment, and ideas began to form in his mind.
However, that was a matter for later; for now, it was time to leave.
He picked up the Snow Lady Saber, grabbed the waterproof bag, and exited the Rift, heading towards the shimmering seawater.
Upon reaching the cliff platform, he made a gesture, and the morning cry of the sky descended with a piercing whistle, landing beside him.
After tidying up, he found Talu and Olber and said, "It's time for me to leave.
"A few days ago, he had mentioned this matter, so the two of them were prepared.
Olber smiled and said, "Mr. Chen, you've helped us at Single Stream Pavilion, and after discussing with Talu, we wanted to give you some gifts as a token of our gratitude. There aren't many good things on the island, but we do have some local specialties."
He took a can and patted it, saying, "When Master Hongfa first came here from the East, he only had a scroll of scriptures and a bamboo staff.
The staff was later planted on the island, and a bamboo grove grew from it. Every year, it bears a fruit called 'Enlightenment Fruit.'
These fruits have a certain potential to enhance a person's abilities, and people of all ages can consume them. However, some find them effective, while others don't. If you don't feel anything the first time, repeatedly consuming them won't make a difference. This year's harvest is all we have, and I'd like to present this can to Mr. Chen."
Upon hearing this, Chen Chuan knew that this was indeed a valuable item. He nodded and said, "Well, then I'll accept it."
Olber smiled and took a set of clothes from one of his disciples nearby.
"This set of clothes is made from the silk threads of sea silkworms, which we collected from the sea. It's woven using traditional methods, and all our previous pavilion masters and elders wore such garments. They provide excellent protection and are very breathable. Although they may not compare to modern bio-fabricated clothing, they are much more comfortable to wear. Please keep it as a memento, Mr. Chen."
Chen Chuan nodded. "Thank you."
"And there's this..."
Olber brought over a long, cloth-wrapped package and opened it in front of Chen Chuan. Inside was a long bone with a serrated ridge along its edge, resembling the spine of some creature.
"One of our elders once killed a massive sea monster in the sea. It emerged from the Rift and, upon opening its abdomen, we found this object.
We've been trying to figure out its purpose, and later discovered that anyone who has cultivated spiritual energy can use this object to fight the sea monster in their dreams and gain insights from the experience.
They say that the company refers to this as a 'Relic'..."
"A Relic..."
Chen Chuan's heart stirred slightly, as he was familiar with this term. Both the government and companies were actively seeking to collect these relics, and many corporate technological developments were rumored to be related to them. He never expected Single Stream Pavilion to offer him such a gift.
This relic would be of significant value if sold to the government or companies.
"Sir Olber, Talu, this gift is too precious," he said.
Olber earnestly replied, "Mr. Chen, we are aware of the value of this relic, but we've never intended to sell it. It's merely a memento and a tool to assist in cultivation.
And since you've helped us obtain those secret teachings, this relic is of no further use to us."
Talu added, "Yes, my teacher and I have used this relic several times, but with little gain. It's of no use to us, Mr. Chen. We truly have nothing else to express our gratitude, so please accept it."
Chen Chuan thought for a moment and nodded. "Thank you both. If you ever encounter any situations or difficulties on the island in the future, please let me know."
Talu smiled and said, "Of course, fellow fighter!"
Chen Chuan nodded.
After bidding farewell to the two of them, he descended the mountain. As he walked down, his students, whom he had taught, offered him various gifts from their homes.
He had arrived with just a simple suitcase, but now he was carrying a bag full of items.
Upon reaching the dock, he took a group photo with everyone and then boarded the ferry, seeing them off.
He had arrived on a sailboat but was now on a small ferry, a gift from the Far Ocean Expansion Group to facilitate travel between the two sides.
The ship was given for free, but he had to purchase the required algae oil. However, Single Stream Pavilion had its own land and plantation, so they could afford the expenses.
As the ship departed from the shore, Chen Chuan stood in the open-air cabin, watching Talu, Olber, and their disciples waving goodbye on the dock. Some of them were not very tall, so they jumped and waved to ensure he could see them.
He couldn't help but smile and waved back at them.
Morning Cry circled overhead a few times, especially around the teenagers and children, before catching up with the ship.
As Fei Guang Island gradually shrank in the distance, he finally sat down.
The ship sped swiftly back, taking an entire morning for his initial journey but now, on the return trip, it took less than two hours to reach Ro Wang Island.
As they passed by the area where a 50,000 reward was offered for retrieving a ring, he noticed that there were no ships left.
He asked the ship's crew, who replied that the Far Ocean Expansion Group had dispersed those people a few days ago, claiming that the ring was not valuable and the reward was fake, so no one returned.
Chen Chuan thought to himself that the ring might be fake, but the purpose of seeking certain items was genuine. In a moment of reflection, the dock of Ro Wang Island came into view ahead.
(End of Chapter)
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