Chapter 655: Communication
Chapter 655: Communication
As soon as Chen Chuan held the Snow Lady Sword, he felt a profound connection with it, as if the sword were an extension of himself.
Previously, it was due to the matching Adaptation Organ within the sword, but now, there seemed to be a mental link, as if the sword were an extension of his own consciousness.
As he communicated with the sword mentally, a certain message was transmitted from the sword into his awareness, causing his eyes to flicker slightly.
In that moment, he understood what this sword was capable of.
He reached out with his other hand to grasp the hilt, intending to draw the sword, but he hesitated. If it were truly so, he couldn't test it here.
After some thought, he removed his Handling Bureau Dimensional Token and put on an old-fashioned one instead. Then, he went downstairs alone, found the Gader Vehicle in the parking lot, drove out of the Wu Yi Academy, and directly onto the elevated highway.
After more than an hour, he exited the highway, heading west along the National Highway out of the city. Three hours later, ensuring he was far enough from Central City, he stopped at a location.
Stepping out of the vehicle, he looked around; the surroundings were somewhat familiar as this was where he had slain Zhao Qian and the Toad Sword.
At this location, there was no longer any surveillance from any field.
Currently, there were no people or vehicles passing by. The north and west of Central City, unlike the south and southwest, were not filled with industrial areas and factories. Both sides of the National Highway were wildlands teeming with hidden armed bandits. Aside from transport convoys, vehicles rarely passed through this area, as many preferred to travel by airship.
This place was perfect for his current needs.
He returned to the vehicle, took out the Snow Lady Sword, gripped the hilt, and with a light touch, the scabbard slid off, revealing a radiant blade in the sunlight.
In the next instant, strands of light fog, as if freed from their bonds, burst outward, covering the ground around him in a five-meter radius.
At this moment, Chen Chuan felt that through this sword, his spirit seemed to connect to a certain place, but it was very vague, as if a thick barrier stood in the way, preventing a direct connection.
This barrier was omnipresent; although his physical body could move freely within it, his spirit seemed tightly confined.
He carefully sensed the vague surroundings, holding the sword with one hand, and after a brief pause, he slashed diagonally downward! In an instant, a flashing blade aura sliced through the air, and a shallow blade scar appeared in front of him.
This strike seemed to tear a slit in the thick barrier, and immediately, strands of light, intermittent and fragmented, seeped out from within.
He sensed a familiar feeling emanating from the other side of the slit.
However, this slit seemed to be a superficial wound, and it didn't last long; after only a few breaths, it slowly closed like a healing wound.
Chen Chuan closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and once again raised the Snow Lady Sword high above his head, this time gripping it with both hands. After a moment, he let out a shout from his chest and slashed downward toward the empty space in front of him!
This time, he channeled most of his mental power into the strike, and as the sword light carved an arc in the air, he seemed to hear something solid and dense tearing open. Immediately after, a brighter and wider crack appeared in front of him, illuminating his face.
Light poured out from the crack, but despite the external force trying to contain it, there was also a force within attempting to expand outward.
Chen Chuan maintained the sword-drawing posture, and with a glance, he noticed the Second Self above him showing signs of substantialization. Mentally, he sensed an endless stream of essence flowing from the other side.
Beyond the slit was indeed the other world!
The Snow Lady Sword, combined with his spirit, had torn open a rift!
However, due to the constraints of the World Ring, he felt that this rift might not last long, perhaps disappearing after a while. So, if he wanted to use this rift for extended cultivation, there was only one way—to cross over to the other side.
But once there, could he return smoothly to his original position? That was uncertain.
Moreover, the other side might have many other entities, and if he crossed over, there was no guarantee he wouldn't encounter them, making peaceful cultivation unlikely.
Recalling the rift on Fei Guang Island, if not for a senior protecting him from the other side, he wouldn't have been able to cultivate peacefully. He might have faced constant interference.
Not to mention, there might also be a joint government and corporate monitoring force, with elite patrols preventing dimensional leaps.
The uncertainties were too numerous, so even if he decided to do this, he needed to prepare thoroughly.
However, he didn't have such plans yet.
He stood across from the rift, waiting quietly and absorbing the essence flowing from the other side.
As time passed, the rift, unable to withstand the absorption and solidification of the World Ring's power, slowly closed and completely disappeared after more than an hour.
Chen Chuan stared at the rift before him, which had now disappeared. He pondered for a moment; theoretically, he could strike another blow, thus achieving uninterrupted cultivation. However, he could sense a feeling of fatigue emanating from the Snow Lady Saber, and the surrounding light fog that had enveloped them was slowly retracting back into the blade.
This indicated that there was a cost to opening the rift, and it would likely be impossible to continue for a short while. After carefully assessing the situation, Chen Chuan determined that the Snow Lady Saber would likely recover within a day or two.
With this in mind, he could cultivate for over an hour every two days, which, although not a long time, was far better than using incense and medicinal herbs. Furthermore, he thought that if he had suitable supplements, he might be able to shorten this time.
Immediately, he thought of something. Whether it was Vermouth or the Active Conscious Entity, a significant portion of their maintenance relied on high-energy nutrients. Perhaps this substance could help reduce the recovery time.
Given the current situation, the object that had merged with the Snow Lady Saber seemed capable of further growth. When it became more robust, it should be able to cleave even larger rifts and maintain them for longer durations.
However, this meant that Chen Chuan might need to leave for cultivation every one or two days, which wasn't too troublesome for the time being.
He glanced around, confirming there were no traces left behind, then took a few steps and bent down to pick up the scabbard. Sheathing the Snow Lady Saber, he returned to the Gader vehicle and drove back towards the Central City.
By the time he reached the Wuding District, it was already past three in the afternoon. He decided to make a detour to Lu Fang's place to check on Xiao Jin's condition, but while still on the road, the Dimensional Token rang. It was a call from the Institute, so he answered it.
Ling Assistant's voice sounded from the other end, "Mr. Chen, this is Ling Jianxian. Do you have time now? There's something I'd like to discuss with you."
"Is it related to the Institute?" Chen Chuan asked.
"Yes," Ling Assistant confirmed.
"Alright, I'll come over right away," Chen Chuan replied.
He immediately turned the steering wheel and headed towards the Mystic Palace Tower.
Ten minutes later, he entered the underground parking garage through a dedicated lane and took the elevator to the ninetieth floor, as directed by Ling Assistant.
After the elevator doors opened, he followed a female assistant teacher's guidance into an enormous sky garden with a vast dome. As soon as he entered, he felt the air become exceptionally fresh, and he could hear the sounds of trickling streams and melodic birdsong by his ears.
Ling Assistant was waiting for him ahead. He had streaks of white hair on his temples, a neatly trimmed beard, and a smile on his face. Dressed in a deep gray imported suit, he exuded maturity and charm.
Ling Assistant asked the female assistant teacher to leave, then gestured to a long chair backed by greenery, "Mr. Chen, please have a seat."
Chen Chuan walked over, and Ling Assistant took a cup of beverage and approached him. He handed the drink to Chen Chuan, "This is Valley Essence Juice, a treasure from the Fusion Zone. I like it very much. Why don't you give it a try, Mr. Chen?"
Chen Chuan took a sip and felt a surge of energy that seemed to invigorate his mutated insects. He seemed to enjoy the drink, and he commented, "It's indeed good."
Ling Assistant smiled, took a few steps towards Chen Chuan, and sat down on the long chair opposite him. Holding the cup, he said, "Today is already the tenth of September. In a few days, the Linaxus diplomatic team will be arriving here, which I'm sure you're aware of, Mr. Chen.
This diplomatic delegation will include a team from the Institute, consisting of several dozen teachers and students. The Institute has already received the notification. During this visit, they may engage in a friendly exchange with us."
He took a sip from his cup before continuing, "The exchange will primarily involve students, but it doesn't exclude teachers. The conflict between our Great Harmony and the Linaxus Federation has always existed, and the competition, both covert and overt, has never ceased. Since this exchange is taking place on our home turf, we must not lose."
He looked at Chen Chuan, "So, I'd like to add you to the list of exchange teachers. Are you willing, Mr. Chen?"
Chen Chuan said, "This isn't a decision I can make. Aside from being a teacher at the Wu Yi Academy, I'm also the Investigation Director at the Handling Bureau, with my own task priorities. All I can say is that if time and conditions permit at that time, I wouldn't mind exchanging ideas with them."
Ling Assistant smiled and said, "That's great." He tapped the Dimensional Token, "Here's a list of students. Please take a look, Mr. Chen, and let me know if there are any issues."
Chen Chuan glanced at the list that was handed to him and found that it included students from the Wu Yi Academy who were among the top performers, including Wei Dong's name.
"I have no objections," Chen Chuan said. "In fact, Ling Assistant shouldn't have asked me about this. As a teacher at the Institute, I have no authority, and as the Investigation Director at the Handling Bureau, my responsibilities do not include Institute matters."
Ling Assistant put down his cup and smiled, "In that case, I won't trouble you with Institute matters, Mr. Chen. But personally, I do have some things I'd like to discuss with you."
...
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(End of Chapter)
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