Chen Kefa looked at Wang Jian with complicated feelings.
As the saying went, warriors had to fight for what they wanted!
Anyone who had risen to his position and earned a title of his own must have had some special opportunity.
Chen Kefa had.
So had his father-in-law, Du Chun.
Even the highly respected Grandmaster Wang Anguo standing before him must have fought others for opportunities when he was young.
The path of martial arts was a bloody road, like thousands of soldiers trying to cross a single-plank bridge.
Martial arts techniques, pills, rare natural treasures...
Behind every resource, there might be hidden struggles and schemes no one knew about.
Yet now, a teenager was offering up a spiritual martial arts technique powerful enough to unleash bloody turmoil and perhaps even change the future of the entire human race, so casually and without compensation, in front of everyone.
What kind of magnanimity was that?
What kind of selflessness?
By comparison, his own impatience and perfunctoriness over an escort mission seemed so laughable, so insignificant!
Du Chun stood to one side, looking at his disciple with pride and satisfaction in his eyes.
He said nothing, but his straightened back made his position clear.
This was my disciple!
Grandmaster Wang Anguo remained silent for a long time. His eyes, which seemed capable of seeing through the ways of the world, rested on Wang Jian.
At last, he slowly stepped forward, but did not take the booklet.
"Son, have you... cultivated it yourself?"
The Grandmaster's voice was soft, yet it struck everyone's heart like a heavy hammer.
That was right!
With a technique this precious, anyone else would probably have secretly practiced it first, then made plans after confirming it was genuine.
Wang Jian shook his head, his tone utterly sincere.
"Reporting to you, Grandmaster, I didn't dare."
"The senior risked his life to save me and passed this technique on. I don't know if it's genuine, or whether it contains any dangers."
"This technique is too important for me to make such a decision on my own. It should be left to the Alliance to decide."
Well said—"I didn't dare make such a decision on my own"!
A dazzling, terrifying glint suddenly flashed in Wang Anguo's eyes!
He nodded, a trace of approval in his voice.
"You did the right thing."
"A technique of unknown origin could be an incredible opportunity—or a deadly trap."
"If spiritual martial arts were really that easy to invent, the Association wouldn't have been stuck on it for so many years..."
"None of us knows what that wandering cultivator was really after."
Wang Anguo suddenly changed his tone, his voice growing grave.
"Besides, unless one has reached the Grandmaster Realm, it's very difficult to tell whether he really died."
What?!
Was he pretending to be dead?
His words stunned everyone!
Wang Anguo paid no heed to their astonishment. Looking at Chen Kefa, he slowly revealed a shocking secret.
"The path of martial arts determines that warriors only begin to truly cultivate spiritual power after breaking through to the Grandmaster Realm."
The Special Investigation Team members and the Association experts present all changed expression.
Grandmaster Wang was revealing such a secret in front of everyone?
Wang Anguo seemed not to notice their reactions. He continued, "In ancient times, the pass to the Grandmaster Realm was also called 'Knocking on the Heavenly Pass' or 'Opening the Ancestral Aperture.'"
"In truth, it means carefully guiding the qi and blood you've cultivated to its utmost limit, drop by drop, into your skull, to gently wash, nourish, and temper the brain—the most intricate and fragile part of the body."
"The process is extraordinarily painful and carries tremendous risks. The slightest mistake could mean brain death."
"When qi and blood converge with spiritual power at a single point in the center of the brain—the depths of the brow—then compress and finally detonate..."
"Success opens up an Ancestral Aperture, a space between the real and the unreal. From then on, your spirit can leave your body and roam the world."
"Failure means the end of everything."
Chen Kefa's whole body shuddered!
He suddenly realized that Grandmaster Wang's words seemed to be an explanation, but in truth... they were meant for him.
He was only twenty-five and already at the peak of the fifth professional rank. In the future, he might have a chance to challenge this pass.
The advanced professional ranks were only one step away from becoming a Martial Arts Grandmaster!
Yet that one step separated heaven from earth!
The Grandmaster's few words were like a guiding lamp. They had instantly given him a vague but invaluable understanding of the road ahead!
The experts and team members around them realized it, too. They looked at Chen Kefa with undisguised envy.
To receive such direct guidance from a Grandmaster—what an opportunity beyond imagining!
Of course, that was assuming you had the talent and the hope of reaching the Grandmaster Realm!
Grandmaster Wang Anguo finally reached out and solemnly took the Mystic Meditation Method from Wang Jian.
His movements were slow and steady, as if he were carrying the future of the entire human race.
"I'll take this technique back to headquarters myself."
"After that, I'll work with the Association's top experts to verify it."
Wang Anguo looked around at everyone, his voice ringing with conviction.
"We'll use the strictest standards and the most advanced equipment. We may even... conduct trials on human subjects to confirm its safety and effectiveness."
"Once it's verified, the Alliance will spare no expense in making it available!"
"Wang Jian, you've rendered an immortal service to the entire human race!"
After speaking, Wang Anguo wasted no time. He turned and left with the experts accompanying him.
This was beyond the Jiang City branch's ability to handle. The Alliance had to be notified at once.
Du Chun and Wang Jian stayed behind to take care of the remaining handover and reward procedures.
Chen Kefa drew a deep breath, tamped down his agitation, and hurried after them.
His duty was to escort the Grandmaster safely away.
Though the Grandmaster... might not need his protection...
The black sedan started up silently once more and merged into traffic.
The atmosphere inside the car was somewhat heavy.
Wang Anguo rested with his eyes closed, apparently deep in thought.
Chen Kefa sat ramrod straight behind the front passenger seat, but inside, he was torn by conflicting feelings.
He wanted to speak up.
For Yu Lei.
The brother who had once fought alongside him and faced life and death at his side.
The fool who was now lying in a special care ward, unable to care for himself, smiling stupidly at everyone.
He wanted to ask the Grandmaster to help, even if there was only the slimmest hope.
But... what right did he have?
Who was the other man, and who was he?
A pillar of the human race!
He was merely the captain of a Special Investigation Team in Jiang City, and he had only just received a few words of guidance from the Grandmaster.
If he asked for help with such a personal matter now, wouldn't he be taking shameless advantage?
Wouldn't he be pushing his luck?
Chen Kefa unconsciously clenched his hands on his knees, released them, then clenched them again.
Images flashed through his mind of all the Special Investigation Team members' faces when they mentioned Yu Lei's name—their fury, grief, and helplessness.
To hell with saving face!
To hell with being shameless!
For his brother, he didn't care what it cost him today!
Chen Kefa suddenly lifted his head, as if he had made the biggest decision of his life.
"Grandmaster Wang!"
His voice was hoarse and dry with nerves.
Wang Anguo slowly opened his eyes and looked at him calmly.
"Captain Chen, is something the matter?"
"Grandmaster, I... I have a favor to ask!"
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