Book 4, Chapter 97: Steal

A regretful expression appeared on Ling Jianxing’s face after hearing the answer. “What a pity. I had high hopes for you. You aren’t from a powerful family and don’t have an outstanding background. You got to where you are through your own strength, so we share similar experiences and face the same obstacles. I thought you’d understand us.

“If you joined us, with your strength, we could have overcome all the obstacles and turned our dream into reality.”

Chen Chuan remained unmoved. He met Ling Jianxing’s gaze squarely and shot back, “To me, you aren’t that different from the obstacles you mentioned. You’re simply bypassing them because you can’t fulfill your dreams and spilling other people’s blood to build your ladder.

“You’re making it sound grand by saying that you’re doing this for all martial artists and everyone else, but you don’t care about them. You’re only treating them as a tool. That’s why you can send students to the tournament without feeling any guilt whatsoever and hang their brains on the tree in the name of your dream. You use it to comfort and put yourself on the moral high ground.

“It’s clear to see. For you to continue down this path, more brains are needed. This is no different from using other people’s lives to achieve your dream. How many of the people here willingly offered up their brains?”

However, this was not important to Ling Jianxing and the people supporting him. Everyone else was just blood they were willing to spill for the sake of their goal. Chen Chuan would be wasting his brain power if he considered this sort of path for an even extra second.

Ling Jianxing smiled. “Looks like you truly don’t understand our dream. This makes it difficult for us to see eye to eye, but that’s fine. For the sake of the dream, I don’t mind using some radical methods. In the future, you’ll thank us for including you in our grand plan.

“I don’t think you understand that while there aren’t many people as talented as you are in the world, they can be found. However, there is something about you that other people can’t compare to.”

He motioned behind him. “Did you know that the domain of consciousness won’t have everything in the beginning? The details and logical progression have to be continuously fixed and perfected. The more we add, the more complete the logical progression will become, and the closer we’ll get to emulating the real world.

“There have been people who shared the same thoughts as us before, and they were just as intelligent as we are, but even though the Tree of True Forms has always been here, they weren’t able to do it. That’s because they were constrained by the time they lived in. Their eras placed too many limitations on them.

“Think about it. In the past, forget simulating a real world, they couldn’t even simulate martial art techniques in the Tree of True Forms, because the number of martial artists they met at the same level as they were did not even reach the number of students and lecturers in a single Martial Valor University, be it a branch or main campus.

“How could they possibly make the Tree of True Forms create what they need?

“But now, the world is different. The advancement of time has allowed us to achieve what was formerly impossible.”

The branch under him started rising. “We’re standing on the precipice, so we need to seize this opportunity.”

His smile became unfathomable. “The Tree of True Forms isn’t just able to integrate human consciousness into itself. It can also integrate the consciousness of active biosentient entities.”

Upon realizing what that meant, Chen Chuan’s gaze sharpened.

They reached an even higher part of the tree, and Ling Jianxing smiled again. “Do you know why I came to Martial Valor University? Because there’s something here we truly value—Hongfu, Martial Valor University’s active biosentient entity. It’s our true goal.

“We don’t need to integrate the entire thing, just her manifested consciousness. This is rather difficult, though, since Hongfu has autonomy over her own consciousness.

“Fortunately for us, you came along.

“Lead Investigator Chen, you have high compatibility with Hongfu. When I asked her to support you, you brought out all of her strength. From that moment on, I knew that you were the most perfect person for us.

“If you work with us and draw Hongfu’s manifested consciousness to the Tree of True Forms, the tree will receive the techniques accumulated by Martial Valor University over decades, and we’ll complete this particular step of our plan.

“How grand would that be? All the consciousness in the tree would then be able to improve at lightning speed.”

A hint of regret showed up on his face, though he soon schooled his expression. “You might have rejected our offer, but that’s fine. Once we dig your brain out and put it on the Tree of True Forms, we’ll use it to draw Hongfu over and fuse it with the tree.

“With your talent, I’m sure that you’ll get even stronger inside. You may even stimulate the Tree of True Forms and make it reach a higher state.”

He spread his arms slowly, as if he was embracing something.

Roaring waves, exploding volcanoes, and collapsing mountains suddenly appeared in the simulated environment. Once they disappeared, only the huge Tree of True Forms remained.

“Perhaps it will become a higher life form that rivals all other higher life forms in the world. Then, it will fulfill our dreams.”

Chen Chuan stared at Ling Jianxing, who was immersed in his dreams. He said calmly, “Setting aside whether you can actually do that, what you’re saying right now is a blatant threat to the life of a Resolution Department lead investigator. You certainly have guts.”

“How can you say that I’m trying to kill you? We’re just asking you to join us. You won’t die. You’re just going to live in another way. As for everything else, didn’t you ask me why today is a good day to talk to you about this? It’s because someone asked us to take you out.

“While we didn’t say yes, all threats to your life won’t be a problem anymore once you join us.”

He pointed outside. “The Resolution Department has sent most of its officers out. They need to monitor the Linacrox Union and the Union and have no extra manpower for other things. This gave me ample time to set things up here.

“As for what’s going to happen next? There’s no need to worry too much about it.

“Once we get what we want, we’ll leave and head to the merged space to complete our subsequent steps.

“I’m about to do something you would have never expected.”

Suddenly, he shouted loudly, “Hongfu, open a tunnel to the merged space!”

The next moment, a cold voice spoke to them. “Understood. Received authorization. Opening temporary tunnel to the merged space.”

A huge hole appeared behind the tree with its edges looking like blazing fire. Behind it was a wide plain.

“Also, Hongfu,” Ling Jianxing called out.

Hongfu showed up on the other side of their branch. There was a goose-quill saber in her hand, while a red veil covered her face. Her red robes fluttered from the wind coming from the merged space.

Chen Chuan looked over and saw that Hongfu’s eyes were ice cold. None of the liveliness he usually saw when he met her was present.

“You don’t have to keep staring. I’m the vice chancellor’s assistant and have received the highest authorization. As the university’s active biosentient entity, Hongfu will only listen to my orders right now. She won’t recognize you or listen to you.

“I admit that you’re strong, but no matter how strong you are, you can’t possibly win against Hongfu.”

Ling Jianxing hadn’t been able to figure out Chen Chuan’s strength, but he didn’t have to fight himself. He could just send Hongfu to do it.

“Hongfu, take down Lead Investigator Chen!” he ordered.

With a whistle, the goose-quill saber was drawn, and Hongfu jumped to swing her saber at Chen Chuan’s head.

Her eyes were cold, which was a sign that she had locked out part of her self-awareness and was currently an entity that only listened to orders. This didn’t affect her strength, though.

Since this wasn’t a test of Chen Chuan’s potential, she didn’t hold back. When she swung her saber, she did so with full power. Hence, even though she had only brought her saber up, her refined force already reached Chen Chuan.

After sparring against Hongfu so many times that he couldn’t count anymore, Chen Chuan knew her strength clearly, so he didn’t take things lightly. With a single thought, he overlapped with his second self and brought the sheathed Frost King Saber up to block the attack.

Despite the blade being sheathed, he still laced it with refined force. However, this didn’t manage to make Hongfu budge an inch.

Chen Chuan didn’t budge either, since he had his second self withstand Hongfu’s refined force.

They swung their weapons again, and in an instant, they exchanged more than a hundred blows. Loud explosions resembling thunder rose around them.

Ling Jianxing gasped in amazement. He could understand the complexity of Hongfu’s attacks. She used countless Heartborn Forces, and her strength as well as speed were almost at the peak of the Third Limit.

But Chen Chuan was able to parry all of her attacks. Setting aside everything else, his tolerance toward refined forces already showed just how strong he was.

Because of it, Ling Jianxing’s desire to have Chen Chuan’s brain on the Tree of True Forms grew stronger.

Hence, he decided to tilt the scales further to his side. After all, this wasn’t a fair fight.

He made yet another sign, and the scenery around them changed once again. Flowers with jagged petals grew on the branch as he smiled. “Why fight, Lead Investigator Chen? Resistance is futile. Perhaps your limited understanding of the world is making you blanch at our dream, but once you join us, you’ll understand the benefits.”

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