Celestial Human Diagram-Chapter 111 - 99: Boundary

Cheng Zitong led Chen Chuan up behind the man and said, "Old He, I’ve brought my student."

He Xiaoxing turned his head to the side, his shoulder-length hair lifting in the wind, revealing the strong, resolute contours of his face. He then turned around fully, his piercing gaze falling upon Chen Chuan.

Chen Chuan, in turn, looked at him.

The man’s imposing physique exuded an immense pressure. Especially after he turned to face him directly, Chen Chuan could sense a power within him, ready to erupt at any moment. It was like a volcano, dormant for years, waiting to explode; or like a deep vortex brewing beneath the sea, calm yet unpredictable.

Cheng Zitong said, "Xiaochuan, this is Old He, He Xiaoxing. You can call him Teacher He. The school originally wanted him to be your teacher, but he didn’t seem very interested at the time. It wasn’t until he heard you’d chosen Circulation Force that he seemed to change his mind."

He Xiaoxing finally spoke. His voice was deep and powerful, as if every word had been hammered into existence. "Fighting Skill is a deeply personal thing. If a Fighter is only influenced by the outside world instead of standing firm in their own choices, they won’t get very far."

Cheng Zitong agreed wholeheartedly, but sighed. "You’re right, Old He. That’s easy to say, but how many people truly know what they need? And how can anyone be certain they’re right? You can’t just throw away all the experience of your predecessors. Even I, a self-proclaimed member of the Intuition School, am no exception."

He Xiaoxing raised his head and looked toward the distant Inquiry Hall. His gaze was profound, yet like his aura, it kept all storms submerged beneath the surface.

"Three years ago, it was right here that I took Shen Zheng on as a student. He chose Profound Image Force, but he did so because it was the school’s expectation, and because I, his teacher, also practiced this Force Technique."

"But I knew it wasn’t the best fit for him."

"He knew it too, deep down, but he carried too heavy a burden. He was never willing to disappoint others, so he made that choice anyway. I knew then that his path was destined to be fraught with hardship. To climb to the Upper Layer of power, it would either be him crushing others, or others crushing him."

Cheng Zitong said, "His talent was exceptional. I remember... you only taught him for half a semester, right?"

"Three months, to be exact. After that, I left to train in the wilderness. I only left him a notebook of instructions. Whatever he learned, he learned on his own."

He Xiaoxing said in a low voice, "Later, when I heard the news of his incident, I was both surprised and not surprised."

Chen Chuan thought for a moment before asking, "Teacher, Teacher He, I’ve heard many upperclassmen mention this Senior Brother Shen, but none of them are willing to talk about him in detail. I was wondering what exactly happened back then?"

He Xiaoxing didn’t speak, just stood there in silence.

Cheng Zitong said, "Mm, it’s about time we told you about this. Especially now that you’ve earned your Weapon Permit, which means you’re qualified to test for the next certificate. This matter is related to that certificate. I originally planned to have Old He tell you while he was guiding you, but since it seems Old He can’t stay, I’ll explain it all to you now."

He paused, then said, "Normally, if you go through the standard progression of tests instead of taking the selection exam, it takes about two or three years to get a Weapon Permit. At that point, it’s difficult to test for any other certificates."

"But if you pass the selection exam, like you did, you have plenty of time to test for other certificates. One of them is called the ’Unlimited Defense Certificate.’"

He stressed his next words. "You can probably guess the meaning from the name. Once you have this certificate, as long as you perceive that someone is trying to harm you, or you believe you’re in a life-threatening situation, you automatically gain the right of unlimited defense."

"Furthermore, upon being granted this certificate, you can automatically be deputized with limited law enforcement authority during a national emergency. That’s why some people also call it a ’Law Enforcement Certificate.’"

"For the past few decades, this ’Unlimited Defense Certificate’ has been monopolized by the Recommended Students. Having this certificate makes it easier to claim the ’right of self-defense.’ Of course, even without it, the children of powerful families have plenty of ways to get what they want. But they still insist on getting the certificate. Do you understand why?"

Chen Chuan pondered for a moment and nodded in understanding. Defense is inherently reactive, but with power, that boundary can be blurred.

’For those with power, getting this certificate is just the icing on the cake; it’s not truly essential. The important thing is that by monopolizing it, the Recommended Students ensure that no other A-class students can obtain it.’

’So, looking deeper, it’s a way to guard against other social classes breaking through the rules. And the original intent of this certificate was likely to give certain classes a weapon to do just that.’

Cheng Zitong sighed. "Back then, Shen Zheng, like you, earned his Weapon Permit early. In fact, before his time, for various reasons, the atmosphere at the academy was terrible. Many A-class students treated B-class students like servants, ordering them around. The Mutual Aid Society was constantly absorbing talented students, only to tie them down with contracts after graduation. Meanwhile, the administration was hamstrung by the club, making the situation dire."

"To change the situation, the cycle had to be broken from within the student body. He saw this and led a group of students to form the ’Fenxin Society.’"

"He didn’t confront the Mutual Aid Association head-on. Instead, he and a group of like-minded students first worked to correct the oppressive attitude of A-class students toward B-class students. They provided guidance and help to underclassmen and even trained young people from outside the school who wanted to enroll in Wuyi."

"Although the Fenxin Society also charged fees, they allowed students to pay them back after graduation with no interest and none of the Mutual Aid Association’s harsh conditions. Even for those who failed to enroll, the repayment period could be extended to over ten years, and they could also recommend talented relatives and friends to come and learn."

Chen Chuan considered this. Correcting bad attitudes might not have directly concerned the Mutual Aid Association. But providing guidance to underclassmen and training prospective students without any special conditions was tantamount to digging up the Association’s roots.

He said with certainty, "Doing that would have definitely put him in conflict with the Mutual Aid Association."

Cheng Zitong said, "You’re right. The Mutual Aid Association clashed with him several times over this, and there were even a few arranged duels on campus."

’I figured things would develop this way,’ Chen Chuan thought. ’It was the simplest and easiest method. Everything Shen Zheng did was undoubtedly built upon his personal prestige and martial prowess.’

’But that also made it fragile. All they had to do was find someone to defeat him and shatter his credibility. After all, aside from a few students with firm convictions, the majority were just fence-sitters, swept along by the current.’

Cheng Zitong sighed again. "But the Mutual Aid Association never succeeded. Even the senior Recommended Students who were qualified to go to Central City couldn’t beat him in a duel."

’So Senior Brother Shen really did have the strength to back up his actions,’ Chen Chuan thought. But he didn’t feel optimistic. An open attack is easy to dodge, but a hidden one is hard to guard against. If they couldn’t beat you openly, they had plenty of other ways to deal with you in the shadows.

Cheng Zitong’s voice grew heavy. "And that brings us to the crucial part. The incident two years ago... the final trigger was likely him testing for—and successfully obtaining—the ’Unlimited Defense Certificate.’"

He paused, glanced at the silently standing He Xiaoxing, and said after a moment’s thought, "As for what happened next, I’ve only heard the results of the investigation. I’m not sure if it’s the whole truth."

"Shen Zheng was found in an abandoned factory. He was already dead when they found him. The report said that all the injuries on his body were self-inflicted, and that no one had tortured him. But as for why he did it... we still don’t know."

"We’re only certain that he wasn’t alone. There were many others present, and the school was even able to narrow it down to a specific group of students. But they couldn’t be charged with any crime because they never actually laid a hand on him. They were questioned for a day and then released."

"The investigation report’s explanation was that Shen Zheng, in his rush for success, had driven himself mad while practicing his Force Technique and died by self-mutilation. Of course, that flimsy excuse was just to close the case file. Everyone knows that’s not what really happened."

At this, he turned to He Xiaoxing. "Afterward, a certain group of people was on guard, expecting you, his supervising teacher, to come back for revenge. Some people at the school were on edge for quite a while."

He Xiaoxing said in a low voice, "That was the path he chose, and he had to be responsible for it to the end. He shouldered responsibilities that he shouldn’t have. Some burdens were beyond his capacity. I’m not surprised he was crushed by them." 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"And since those people chose to make a move, it means they had prepared for everything. If I had stepped forward, I would’ve just been jumping into the trap they’d set. It would have been meaningless, just adding one more victim. But as long as I’m still around, I am a blade hanging over their heads. The stronger I become, the more uneasy they will be."

Chen Chuan nodded. ’Teacher He made the right choice. Lashing out back then might have played right into their hands. But by choosing to take a temporary step back, he created room to maneuver. Besides, everyone knows this isn’t over. As he continues to grow stronger, it will undoubtedly be a source of prolonged torment for those people.’

’Just like how, after today, when the news of Tan Wang’s expulsion spreads, some people will probably be losing sleep.’

Cheng Zitong spoke with a mix of admiration and regret, "That student, Shen Zheng... he really did so much. It’s just that his sense of justice was too strong, and he shouldered too many burdens. He practically carried everything on his own."

"After he was gone, no one in the Fenxin Society could take up the mantle. Many people even left the society because of it. The remaining members have been hoping for someone to stand up and lead them back to their former glory."

As he spoke, he looked at Chen Chuan, his expression extremely serious. "Xiaochuan, you have your Weapon Permit now, and it shouldn’t be too difficult for you to get an Armor Certificate in the future. If you stop there, then there won’t be any problem."

"But if you decide to test for the Unlimited Defense Certificate, you will arouse the vigilance of the Recommended Students and the powers behind them. With Shen Zheng’s case as a precedent, their reaction might be even stronger. This isn’t just about competing with them for current benefits; it could genuinely harm their interests in the future. The more capable you are, the greater the threat you become. Do you understand?"

Chen Chuan nodded. "Teacher, I think I understand."

Cheng Zitong looked at him and asked, "So, what’s your decision?"

He Xiaoxing, still standing there, also turned his gaze on him at that moment.

The night wind blew past, rustling the clothes and hair of the three men.

Chen Chuan gazed at the lights at the foot of the mountain, then up at the faintly visible stars. He spoke slowly, "The shackles placed upon students are meant to be broken, one by one. If I can’t even overcome the difficulties right in front of me, then what’s the point of talking about the future? Looking at the grand scheme of things, I imagine the challenges I’m facing now are probably the easiest ones I’ll ever encounter, right?"

Cheng Zitong couldn’t help but laugh. "What do you think, Old He? What did I tell you? This is my student! Cheng Zitong’s student!"

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