"What does this mean?" Chen Zhenjun muttered, as if trying to grasp something just out of his reach. Although he had some inkling that his father's words were of astonishing significance, he still found it difficult to grasp the full concept.

Because of his current position and having grown up so smoothly, Chen Zhenjun, despite hearing of such things, was actually very far removed from the world of dark underground forces like the Tiger Leopard Hall. It was as if they existed in different worlds. This was the real reason he seemed so dazed at this moment.

As if guessing his son's thoughts, Old Master Chen focused his gaze on Chen Zhenjun, first shaking his head and then sighing with emotion. "Your generation hasn't experienced those war-torn years, so you can only recognize the importance of power and wealth. You fail to realize that in the face of absolute martial force, both wealth and power are as ephemeral as flowers in a mirror or the moon's reflection on water."

At that, Old Master Chen paused abruptly before continuing, "You must have had contact with people from the Four Departments of Capital City before, right? They are the quintessential example. With a wave of their hand, they can evade a hail of bullets; even missiles cannot threaten them. Don't you find people like that terrifying?"

"Of course, they're terrifying. It's just..."

Hearing this, Chen Zhenjun was somewhat stunned, not expecting his father to suddenly be filled with such deep feeling. But then he couldn't help but ask, "But Dad, is Chen Fei really that formidable? After all, a person's energy isn't infinite, nor do they have that much time. Considering his already astonishing medical skills, even if he's a genius, a prodigy, it's impossible to truly master two things at once, right? Besides, how old is he now? Is he even thirty?"

Clearly, he truly couldn't believe someone could be so formidable! In just over twenty years, even if one started learning from the womb, possessing such godlike skill in one area would already be an incredible feat! How could it be possible to excel in both medicine and Ancient Martial Arts, reaching the pinnacle of both simultaneously? This wasn't a movie!

"But that's precisely what's so terrifying!"

Old Master Chen narrowed his eyes slightly. "Let's not talk about Chen Fei for now. Take Old Man Huang Xing, for instance. He was the first director of the Central Guard Bureau, and during his tenure, the Central Guard Bureau always remained at the top of the Four Departments of Capital City, unabashedly suppressing the other three. This situation lasted for over twenty years without ever being overturned. Can you imagine that?"

"This..." Chen Zhenjun's hand, holding a cigarette, trembled, his face a mask of disbelief.

He was not from that era, so he knew very little about Old Man Huang Xing, who had now retired from the limelight to enjoy his later years.

But after hearing his father's words, his preconceived notions seemed to be shattered as if by a torrent. Just how terrifying and capable must a person be to achieve something like that!?

In that era, anyone who could ascend to the leadership of the Four Departments of Capital City possessed unmatched talent and ambition that soared to the heavens within the Republic. Such people would never accept being suppressed from start to finish, let alone for over two decades. What did that even mean?

"So, I can tell you clearly now, not even Old Master Xuu could easily force Old Man Huang Xing to do something unless he was willing. Do you understand what I'm saying? If Old Man Huang Xing willingly chose to stand up for that young man on his own accord... If that's truly the case..." As he spoke, the helplessness and emotion in Old Master Chen's eyes deepened.

To have earned the appreciation of Old Man Huang Xing, not out of a life-saving debt like in Old Master Xuu's case, meant that, in some ways, the young man was even more outstanding and distinguished than he, Chen Bingzhang, was. After all, back in the day, even he had only managed to earn a "not bad" from the man. That was a far cry from the kind of appreciation that would move him to personally step forward and offer his backing, as he was doing now.

Hearing this, Chen Zhenjun was shocked into silence. That's right, if it's true, if Old Man Huang Xing is personally and willingly taking a stand for that kid, the implications are so staggering it's hard to believe. It's enough to make anyone's jaw drop.

"Sigh."

At this thought, he couldn't help but sigh and blurt out, "The misunderstanding is just too deep. Otherwise, if Chen Fei were willing to acknowledge his heritage and return to the family..."

"If that young man were willing to acknowledge his ancestry and return, our Old Chen Family lineage would be secure for at least a hundred years, and even the other two families would have to remain suppressed by us! But unfortunately..." Old Master Chen interjected with an extremely certain tone, but by the end, he couldn't help but shake his head and sigh.

If not for the deep-seated conflicts between them, perhaps our Old Chen Family wouldn't need to worry about the impending storm and the family's gradual signs of decline, would we? Come to think of it, there really aren't many days left until that deadline, are there?

"Dad, you..." Chen Zhenjun hadn't expected his father to value Chen Fei so highly, but he couldn't help shaking his head in resignation.

After all, Chen Fei and his mother were abandoned by the family back then, and they nearly lost their lives. Given the circumstances, even the most magnanimous person would surely harbor resentment and bitterness, right? Besides, Chen Fei doesn't seem like a particularly forgiving person.

Thinking this, Chen Zhenjun couldn't help but ask again, "Dad, what do we do now?"

"We'll observe for now. However, I still need to go pay him a visit." Old Master Chen sighed, then his eyes twinkled as he spoke.

「...」

Around two or three in the afternoon, Chen Fei was planning to head to the Central Guard Bureau to plan with Old Man Huang Xing about challenging the Celestial Group to a 'sparring session'. However, he received an unexpected call from Old Master Xuu, who summoned him to the Xuu Family Courtyard, claiming there was something to discuss.

Yet, when he arrived in the backyard of the Xuu Family Courtyard, he saw two white-haired elderly men sitting across from each other at a stone table, holding black and white stones, deeply absorbed in a game of Go. One of these elders was Old Master Xuu, but Chen Fei didn't recognize the other.

The moment he stepped into the backyard, the elder he didn't recognize glanced at him furtively. The look was complex yet distinct, causing Chen Fei to frown slightly.

Does this old man know me? But I don't recognize him.

"You're here? Come, have a seat. Wait for us to finish this game. If you understand it, you can watch," Old Master Xuu said upon noticing Chen Fei's arrival. Without lifting his head, he called out casually, as if to a family member. At his words, the complex expression in the other elder's eyes intensified, and he seemed to let out an inexplicable sigh.

"Playing Go?" Chen Fei immediately lost interest upon hearing this, as he didn't know the first thing about it. But he still did as he was told, pulling up a small stool and sitting down beside Old Master Xuu to watch quietly.

At that moment, the other elder finally seemed to have a legitimate reason to openly scrutinize Chen Fei. His aged, cloudy eyes twinkled before he chuckled and said, "Old Master Xuu, who is this young man? Won't you introduce us?" Hearing this, Old Master Xuu, who was still studying the board, chuckled.

"Him? Just a young lad with the surname Chen, barely in his twenties, always disrespectful and overly familiar. Nothing much to introduce. Let's continue, continue. It's your move," he then laughed softly.

Just a young lad with the surname Chen, nothing worth introducing... Upon hearing Old Master Xuu's clearly loaded words, the other elder remained expressionless, but inwardly, he couldn't help but smile wryly and shake his head. This Old Master Xuu really doesn't give even the slightest of chances.

With this thought, his gaze swept imperceptibly over Chen Fei's face before he lowered his head to the board, pretending to study the game intently. He tapped his fingers lightly on the stone table, producing a clear and very orderly rhythm that made even Chen Fei squint and watch him intently.

Just then, the other elder suddenly laughed and shook his head. "As expected of Old Master Xuu, solid as a fortress and steady as a mountain. This strategy of yours is truly giving me a hard time."

"Don't flatter me, kid. I know my own skill level; compared to you, I'm far behind. Go on, make your move. I know you have a way to break this." Old Master Xuu replied with a smile.

Solid as a fortress? He was just spouting pleasantries. I haven't even started to really try. Otherwise, how could this man be so easy to see? Alas, if that young man knew the truth, I wonder if he'd resent this old man for being a meddler? It seems anything is easy to do these days, except being a meddlesome do-gooder. That's truly difficult. And here I am, worrying about things that aren't my business for no reason. What a busybody, what a busybody.

The other elder gave a helpless laugh. "A way to crack your move? Old Master Xuu, you really think too highly of me." He suddenly turned his head toward Chen Fei, who was sitting beside Old Master Xuu, and said with a kindly smile, "Young man, you must know a little something about this game, right? Can you give this old man some advice on how to salvage this losing game?"

"Me?"

Startled by the question, Chen Fei was stunned for a moment, then shook his head in embarrassment. "You've got the wrong person, old sir. When it comes to Go, I don't know the first thing about it. You've really asked the wrong person."

At these words, the grin already on Old Master Xuu's face seemed to grow even wider. He even lifted his gaze from the board to smile at the other elder, as if waiting to see what method he would use to break the current deadlock.

Speaking of which, ever since Old Man Chen passed away, this kid seems to have become much more steadfast than before! It seems the burden on his shoulders has been truly heavy lately.

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