For the next half month.
Chen Jinzhao and Tao Qiyue revisited old places.
However, their moods were quite different from before.
Tao Qiyue's demeanor was more reserved than before, lacking her previous straightforwardness.
Chen Jinzhao felt distressed for her.
Over the past two to three years, Tao Qiyue had likely endured much hardship.
Upon learning of Chen Jinzhao's thoughts, Tao Qiyue smiled and said, "Not really. Although I didn't like Wu Zhinian, he was indeed good to me. It was just that sense of isolation, of being cut off from the world, that gradually affected me over the years."
"But you don't need to worry about me."
"I'm also very grateful that you never stopped searching for me and brought me out of that place."
Chen Jinzhao was no longer the same Chen Jinzhao he once was.
Tao Qiyue felt she was no longer worthy of being by his side, so she proposed staying in Jiangnan.
Nowhere else.
Chen Jinzhao said with unwavering resolve, "You're coming back to the capital with me."
"Why?" Tao Qiyue asked, confused.
"Because I can't rest assured leaving you alone in Jiangnan. Wu Zhinian won't give up," Chen Jinzhao stated calmly.
His tone conveyed an unquestionable firmness.
Deeply touched, Tao Qiyue pursed her lips and said, "But if I go back to the capital, will it cause you trouble?"
"Sister Yu, she..."
Chen Jinzhao blushed slightly and said, "I'm a scumbag, does that answer satisfy you?"
"Regardless, I won't leave you alone in Jiangnan."
Tao Qiyue was still hesitant.
After all.
She couldn't overcome the hurdle in her heart.
Chen Jinzhao had no choice but to tell Tao Qiyue about his situation.
"If you don't mind, you can come back to the capital with me. Of course, I know this is selfish and unfair to you. But I still hope you can come back to the capital with me," Chen Jinzhao said, making Tao Qiyue hesitate. She faltered, "Will they...?"
Chen Jinzhao then said, "It was Mengzhi who asked me to find you."
With these words.
Tao Qiyue's heart settled, and she finally decided to return to the capital with Chen Jinzhao.
The next day.
The two returned to the capital.
Yu Mengzhi was very happy to see Tao Qiyue.
This eased Tao Qiyue's worries.
After settling Tao Qiyue, Chen Jinzhao finally felt at ease.
Now, only his father's whereabouts remained unknown, causing Chen Jinzhao great concern.
After spending a few days with his family.
And spending several more days playing with the two children, Chen Jinzhao began to focus on his work.
He knew that the Five Clans and Eight Houses would not give up.
Especially the Wu family of Lingnan, who would surely seize this opportunity to strike at him. Chen Jinzhao needed to devise a countermeasure.
Otherwise, he would be in a passive position.
Fortunately.
Good news arrived from the Kunlun Research Institute.
There had been a major breakthrough in directed gene modification, which could essentially eliminate side effects on the human body.
Upon successful implementation of this technology, individuals could gain the strength of primordial beasts and the agility of a cheetah.
More importantly, without any side effects.
This was a significant breakthrough.
Xu Nianqing toured Chen Jinzhao around the research institute, which greatly reassured him.
"It's just..." Chen Jinzhao hesitated.
He clearly still had some reservations.
Xu Nianqing understood Chen Jinzhao's hesitation. "Are you worried that this technology might violate human ethics? I had similar concerns, but you should know better that our modern civilization is already threatened by those extraordinary civilizations, teetering on the brink. If we don't make a decision soon, we will inevitably crumble instantly when facing these extraordinary forces."
"Jinzhao..."
"Your position does not allow for hesitation."
Chen Jinzhao took a deep breath and nodded, saying, "I understand. I will now select five hundred volunteer warriors nationwide to undergo the modification."
Xu Nianqing assured him.
This technology would not cause human bodies to mutate.
Chen Jinzhao felt slightly more at ease.
The five hundred volunteer warriors were quickly selected, and under Xu Nianqing's guidance, the Kunlun Research Institute began the modification process for these soldiers.
The results were extremely promising.
These warriors already possessed strong physical conditioning, and the success rate reached an astonishing 99%.
The few soldiers for whom the experiment was not successful did not experience side effects either, only a period of weakness.
The five hundred volunteer modified warriors all possessed strength around the S-class.
This greatly relieved Chen Jinzhao.
In addition,
The Kunlun Research Institute had also developed a new technology for organ regeneration.
Wu Chengyang became the first to benefit from this innovation.
Although the regenerated arm was not as good as the original, it was still better than losing an arm entirely, allowing Wu Chengyang to exert ninety percent of his original strength.
He was already quite content with this.
Wu Chengyang was astonished by the advancement of human civilization, which had reached the point of limb regeneration.
This made him even more sincerely subservient to Chen Jinzhao.
He pledged his life to serve Chen Jinzhao.
Chen Jinzhao was preparing for battle with great urgency, urging Xu Nianqing to mass-produce more S-class warriors as much as possible.
This was the seed of human modern civilization!
It was a crucial driving force for the continued advancement of modern civilization!
Beyond that.
Chen Jinzhao also learned the most important secret of the Five Clans and Eight Houses from Wu Chengyang—
How to cultivate powerful individuals at the extraordinary realm within these transcendent forces?
The two faced each other, a pot of freshly brewed tea on the table, emitting a fragrant aroma.
Yu Mengzhi stood beside Chen Jinzhao.
Wu Chengyang's admiration for Chen Jinzhao grew, and more importantly, he felt unprecedented respect from Chen Jinzhao. Previously, in the Wu family, although his status was high, he was never treated as a friend, only as an emotionless powerhouse.
However—
Everyone has emotional needs.
Chen Jinzhao offered him respect, and Wu Chengyang naturally wanted to repay Chen Jinzhao with all his might.
Upon hearing Chen Jinzhao's question, Wu Chengyang laughed heartily, "I thought you wouldn't ask this question."
Yu Mengzhi asked, "Should I step out?"
Chen Jinzhao shook his head, "No need. There's nothing you cannot know."
Yu Mengzhi stayed.
Wu Chengyang began to speak eloquently.
It turned out that within these transcendent forces, there existed a classical cultivation method.
This cultivation method was different from the legendary incantations; instead, it involved finding resonant parts of the body through peculiar breathing techniques. Over time, one could break through their limitations.
Yu Mengzhi exclaimed in surprise, "Can one become a Lock Realm expert simply through breathing?"
"Isn't that a bit too casual?"
Wu Chengyang said with a wry smile, "You might misunderstand. The breathing techniques of each transcendent force are different, and the effects they bring are also different. To be honest with you, among these transcendent forces, there is also a hierarchy of breathing techniques. For example, those sects that have existed for thousands of years possess more potent breathing techniques, and thus they have more Lock Realm experts."
"Breathing techniques are not easy to master. Any slight deviation can result in self-destruction."
"Every year, more than a dozen people die while practicing breathing techniques."
"Many more never find the resonant frequency in their lifetime and are forever estranged from the Lock Realm."
"So, you see..."
"We are greatly astonished that Chen Jinzhao could break through to the Lock Realm without a breathing technique."
"There have been individuals like this in history, and these prodigies eventually became the founding ancestors of certain transcendent forces, passing down coveted breathing techniques."
Chen Jinzhao was taken aback.
Why had he never felt so powerful before?