Chapter 714: Guidance
Chapter 714: Guidance
Just before Longhu Station, a loud bell announced the arrival of a passenger train, which slowly came to a halt at the platform.
Chen Chuan and Chang Dong, along with Gao Yanjun, were waiting at the station. Chang Dong checked the train number and glanced at his watch, confirming, "Yes, this is the right train."
As the train doors opened, passengers carrying various luggage began to disembark, most of them young and energetic men and women. They exited swiftly.
Chang Dong's gaze was fixed on the disembarking passengers. After a while, he spotted Mr. Zhuang carrying a briefcase, stepping down from the train. A sense of relief washed over him, and a smile appeared on his face. He called out, "Over here."
Chen Chuan nodded in agreement, thinking to himself that it was indeed appropriate for Mr. Zhuang to arrive by train. This way, both his arrival and departure would be well-facilitated... Hmm.
The three of them approached Mr. Zhuang.
"Mr. Zhuang?"
Upon seeing them, Mr. Zhuang immediately turned away. When he turned back, his face was already covered by a mask, transforming his entire demeanor from dull and taciturn to mature and wise, with an air of openness and eloquence.
With a smile, he greeted them, "Good day to all of you."
He stepped forward and shook hands with Chen Chuan and the other two.
Chang Dong enthusiastically said, "Mr. Zhuang, please come aboard. We'll head to a temporary site first."
For a fighter to enter the central city, it would undoubtedly impact various aspects, especially during this sensitive period. Therefore, their negotiations had to be conducted outside the city for the time being.
The industrial area was abundant in factories, warehouses, and buildings. Knowing from the telegram that Mr. Zhuang was coming, Chang Dong had purchased a small warehouse here and ordered some daily necessities, intending to use it as a hidden outpost outside the city.
This time, Chang Dong volunteered to be the driver. After a short ten-minute drive, they arrived at a secluded warehouse.
As the car stopped in front of the warehouse, a few wild cats basking in the sun meowed and leaped onto the higher parts of the nearby buildings.
Chang Dong carried the briefcase under his arm and walked up to the warehouse. He took out a key and opened the door. As he pulled it, a cloud of dust rolled out.
He waved his hand a few times and stood at the entrance, saying, "This place was just acquired, and we haven't had time to tidy it up yet. Please don't mind it, Mr. Zhuang."
Mr. Zhuang smiled and replied, "The Jinbei Road Branch was just rebuilt, and the conditions are limited. I understand, and I'm not particular about such things. As long as there's a place to talk, it's fine."
After entering, Chang Dong led them to a partitioned area, which was surprisingly clean and well-equipped with sofas and chairs.
Once they were seated, Gao Yanjun brewed tea for them and handed a cup to each person.
Mr. Zhuang thanked her and took the tea, chatting casually with the others for a while. After Gao Yanjun returned and sat down, he finally began to discuss the main issue.
"Headquarters received your telegram and understood the situation from that year. Headquarters also attaches great importance to it, but considering that it may involve a fighter, and this is beyond the capacity of the Jinbei Road Branch, headquarters has sent me this time.
Headquarters' opinion is that, before the Jinbei Road Branch is fully rebuilt, the matter from that year can be temporarily put aside. It can be revisited and advanced when conditions are more mature in the future."
Chang Dong felt a sense of relief. With this, things would be much easier to handle. He asked, "What about Tian Rui? Did headquarters give any instructions regarding him?"
Mr. Zhuang replied, "Regarding Tian Rui, headquarters' opinion is to leave him alone for now. We'll deal with him together after the entire matter is concluded."
Chang Dong understood. At this stage, the branch's primary focus was on defense rather than taking the initiative. He leaned back, patted his slightly smaller belly, and sighed, "With Mr. Zhuang here, I can finally eat a few more bowls of food without worry."
Mr. Zhuang smiled and said, "You guys were so quick to investigate the incident from the past and restore part of the truth. Headquarters acknowledges the efficiency of the Jinbei Road Branch."
Chang Dong immediately added, "All the previous efforts, including locating Tian Rui, were driven by Director Chen. We can only assist and ensure we don't cause any trouble for Director Chen."
Chen Chuan spoke seriously, "Mr. Chang, there's no need to say that. The Jinbei Road Branch is a unified entity, with each member facing different directions. Everyone is indispensable."
Mr. Zhuang smiled and said, "By the way, how's the progress on your branch's construction?"
Chang Dong replied, "Due to the threat from the Swamp Training Camp, we didn't stay there long. We're temporarily residing in the safest area within Wei Guang District.
However, the construction of the branch has been ongoing these days, and a rough outline has emerged. That area is quite vast, making future expansions more convenient."
Chang Dong was well-prepared. He took out a stack of documents from his briefcase, which included financial records for this period, construction progress reports, and photos taken at each stage.
Mr. Zhuang glanced through them and nodded, then said, "If there's anything lacking, you can contact headquarters. I'll sign off on it. The Jinbei Road Branch is essentially starting from scratch, and there will be many challenges, pressures, and difficulties to face. Headquarters understands this."
Chang Dong smiled and said, "There's nothing else, just a lack of funds. But we can overcome everything else here, and it's indeed different from other places. I'll draft a report with you later, Chang Tongpao, and we'll submit it together."
Chang Dong's face lit up with a smile, "Great, then I'll trouble you with that, Mr. Zhuang."
Mr. Zhuang said, "I'll be staying in Jinbei Province for a while." He looked around, "This place isn't bad, so there's no need to trouble ourselves further."
Chang Dong said, "Then we'll trouble Mr. Zhuang." He was very perceptive and could tell that Mr. Zhuang and Chen Chuan had something to discuss, so he stood up and said, "In that case, I'll go and draft the report now."
Then, turning to Gao Yanjun, he said, "Gao Tongpao, if Mr. Zhuang is staying here, he'll need quite a few things. I'll leave it to you to keep an eye out for them."
Gao Yanjun, adjusting her decorative glasses, said, "Leave it to me."
The two men apologized to Mr. Zhuang and then left.
After they left, Mr. Zhuang turned to Chen Chuan and said, "Chen Guanli, now that we've discussed official matters, we can talk about your personal cultivation."
As one of your induction mentors, I have the obligation to guide your cultivation.
I mentioned before that after you attain purity and fulfill your current stage of self-requirements, I will explain the key points of the next stage of cultivation."
He looked at Chen Chuan, and although he couldn't see the specific expression behind the faceguard, his eyes clearly showed surprise and admiration.
"In just a few months, your spiritual power has progressed so quickly that you're already showing signs of completeness.
Your talent is something I've rarely seen."
He paused, as if recalling something, "In the sixth month of the ninth year, I read a version of a book that had no errors!"
"Well, given that you're about to reach the stage of completeness in the third limit, I think I can teach you some key points and methods for entering the fourth limit in advance."
Upon hearing this, Chen Chuan's spirit was lifted, as he knew that entering the fourth limit required both spiritual and physical completeness.
However, how to break through this stage and what to pay attention to during the process were things he had only vaguely heard about from other sources.
The opportunity to be personally instructed by a master of combat was indeed rare.
Mr. Zhuang's tone became more serious, "You should know that after a fighter reaches the third limit, it's impossible to progress further solely relying on their physical body, as the body has its limits.
To break through, one must rely on the power of the spirit.
Entering the fourth limit primarily involves the elevation of the spirit, which is the most crucial key to transcending the limits.
In general, it requires the fighter's spirit to connect and communicate with the opposing force, and by doing so, turn the impossible into possibility, achieving the goal of transcending the boundaries.
However, the opposing force is like a giant wave, and to anchor oneself without being swept away requires an extremely resilient and robust spirit.
The best approach is to forcefully break through with one's own power, achieving it naturally. But this is just an ideal state, and although some may be able to do it, I personally have not seen or heard of anyone who has.
The spirit of the physical body is ultimately not strong enough to withstand the opposing force. Fortunately, the wisdom of our ancestors is boundless, and there is a method to make up for the deficiency.
To gain something, one must first give something up. This is almost a necessary step for all those entering the fourth limit. The more you cherish what you give up, the more power you can gain in return.
You can also make a vow, promising to do something from now on and persistently stick to it without wavering.
This must be something you've always hated, something that makes you feel disgusted, fearful, and nauseous just by thinking about it. Once you make this vow, you'll have to persistently practice it day after day, and you can also achieve your goal."
He smiled and said, "But after you pass this hurdle, what you hate today may become what you love."
...
(End of Chapter)
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