Chapter 212 - 208: Legacy

Words : 1240 Updated : Sep 23rd, 2025

Chapter 212: Chapter 208: Legacy Ling Chen smiled bitterly in his heart, unsure of how to respond. Recently, he had deliberately avoided thinking too much about Zhu Xiaozhu. Although he admitted that there was mutual affection between him and Zhu Xiaozhu, there was Zhu Hong standing between them. Zhu Hong’s presence was like an insurmountable barrier. As long as this barrier was not removed, there would never be any hope for them. Moreover, he was well aware that, given Zhu Hong’s status, it was impossible for him and Zhu Hong to reconcile. In this silent battle, it was either Zhu Hong’s demise or his own, with no other options available. Once Zhu Hong was killed, he could foresee that even if Zhu Xiaozhu forgave him, they would no longer associate with each other. On one hand, there were national affairs; on the other, romantic feelings. As an elite trained by the Ghost, he had already made his choice and decision. Zhu Hong must die! Therefore, he intentionally avoided thinking about Zhu Xiaozhu, trying to extricate himself from her life. This was the best outcome for both him and Zhu Xiaozhu. Seeing him not speaking, Little Hua, growing impatient, asked, "Big brother, what’s wrong? Did you and sister Xiaozhu have a falling out?" "Alright, kids shouldn’t ask about adult matters." After saying that, Ling Chen quickened his pace and headed straight to the main hall of the Martial Arts Academy. Little Hua stamped her foot, snorted, and muttered to herself with a pouting face full of displeasure, "Who’s a child? You should be calling me sister." Entering the main hall, he saw He Ziyun sitting leisurely in front of an exquisite tea tray, brewing kung fu tea. "Mr. He." "You’ve arrived at the perfect time, try my tea-making skills." He Ziyun smiled warmly and handed him a cup of brightly colored, richly fragrant tea. Ling Chen took the tea cup and drank it all in one gulp, nodding in approval, "Not bad." He Ziyun shook his head, "That comment is as good as none. This is a premium Da Hong Pao that Xiaozhu gifted me. I usually don’t even bring myself to drink it." Ling Chen touched his nose and smiled sheepishly, "Mr. He, I’m a layman and a rough one at that, I can’t get into such elegant interests." "Alright, enough about tea. Here’s something Qiao Zhen sent over." He Ziyun took a paper box from under the tea table and placed it beside him. Ling Chen quickly unwrapped it. Inside the box was a cell phone. His previous phone, given by Han Bing, had broken, so a replacement was sent to him. This type of phone was custom-made, not available on the market. Moreover, all the data from the old phone, including contacts and call logs, had been synced to this new device. After unlocking it, Ling Chen saw several missed calls—all from Tang Shiyun. He had promised to attend her concert last time but bailed at the last minute; surely Tang Shiyun wasn’t happy. He should call her back when he had time to cheer her up and apologize. After storing the phone safely, Ling Chen turned his attention back to more serious matters, asking, "Mr. He, do you know about the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?" "Any true martial artist knows the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. What about it?" After a moment, as if remembering something, He Ziyun suddenly chuckled, "See, my memory fails me. I almost forgot, you are now ranked tenth on the Tiger List." "Mr. He, how much do you know about the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?" "Many people know OF the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, but not many truly UNDERSTAND it." "Is the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion that mysterious?" Ling Chen was somewhat surprised. He Ziyun smiled, "It’s beyond mysterious. You must know about the Secret Society, another mysterious organization dedicated to gathering intelligence. Their intelligence capabilities are undeniable. But the Secret Society, despite over a decade of efforts, has failed to unearth any substantial information about the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. That shows how deep the Pavilion is hidden. Of course, I do have some understanding of it which I wouldn’t mind sharing if you’re interested." Ling Chen nodded, then leaned forward attentively. "You should be familiar with the Heaven and Earth Dragon and Tiger Four Rankings. It is rumored that the mysterious Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is a master from the Heavenly List. Only those on the Heavenly List are invited to join the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. The Pavilion’s external mission is to revive and pass on Huaxia martial arts, nurturing more talents. In this era of technology, wars depend on the strength of military equipment, making individual prowess secondary. Moreover, today’s youth are too restless, few willing to calm their minds to learn martial arts or endure the hardships associated with it, resulting in gaps in the transmission of Huaxia martial arts, leading to many martial arts styles created by predecessors becoming lost." "For hundreds of years, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion has dedicated itself to the development of martial arts. They’ve collected secret manuals from various schools and sects, compiled them, and then looked for suitable candidates to train and teach martial arts to. Once these individuals grow, they establish their own schools and continue the transmission of martial arts. The martial arts community today owes much of its resurgence to the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Therefore, in the eyes of martial artists, the Pavilion is revered as the authority in the martial arts world." "When I first established the Ghost, I thought of collaborating with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. Since the Ghost focuses on individual strength, it was impossible to cultivate a group of experts quickly, so I wanted to borrow some experts through collaboration with the Pavilion. However, the Pavilion Master inherited the character of ancient martial artists from the Martial Arts World and absolutely refused to get involved in national affairs." Ling Chen smiled slightly, finding it interesting, "That Pavilion Master sounds like an intriguing person." "Not only intriguing but also very young." "Young?" Ling Chen was taken aback, "Mr. He, didn’t you just say that the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is a master on the Heavenly List?" "Being on the Heavenly List doesn’t mean they are all old. That Pavilion Master is an exception." Ling Chen nodded appreciatively, "Mr. He, how do you know the Pavilion Master is not old? Did someone tell you?" He Ziyun shook his head, "I once had the chance to chat with the Pavilion Master. You might not be familiar with the rules of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, but every high-ranking individual on the Earthly List gets one chance to have a long conversation with the Pavilion Master—any question can be asked, and the Pavilion Master will answer them. However, it’s just a conversation, you won’t see them. During our talk, there was a curtain separating us, and I could only see a vague silhouette." "Didn’t you feel the urge to pull the curtain open and see for yourself?" "Of course," He Ziyun laughed, "Everyone is curious, I’m no exception. But as much as I wanted, I didn’t dare to break the rules. Besides, there’s a cautionary tale in place, who would dare to breach such code? I heard that a previous high-ranking individual on the Earthly List couldn’t contain his curiosity and pulled open the curtain. He was never seen again."

Chapter 212 - 208: Legacy

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