<h4>Chapter 1149: Chapter 1156: Tong Zhentian’s Concerns (2)</h4>


    "Zhou Qian, you and the others can go back first. I want to have a private chat with Ling."


    "Yes, we won’t disturb you then." Zhou Qian quickly responded. From Tong Zhentian’s tone, it seemed he wasn’t nning to pursue the matter further, which was good news for him. He dared not say more and immediately left with Ren Han and his son.


    Among the three of them, Ren Chong was the most upset. He originally hoped to leave a good impression in front of Tong Zhentian and make a mark. But in the end, not only did he fail to make a mark, he didn’t even leave a good impression. It was obvious that the position of Registered Disciple was out of his reach. Thinking that all of this was caused by Ling Chen, Ren Chong was furious.


    "Alright, stop overthinking. Take this as a lesson, and be more humble in the future. Don’t go looking for trouble everywhere." Ren Han, understanding his son’s thoughts, scolded softly, trying to dissuade him from thoughts of revenge.


    Ren Chong, unwilling to ept it, said, "Dad, I was injured by that guy and lost the qualification to be a Registered Disciple. Shouldn’t I seek revenge?"


    "Revenge? Hmph! You have the nerve to talk to me about revenge." Ren Han felt utterly exasperated, wondering how he had raised such a foolish son. "Ignoring the fact that Tong Zhentian is backing him, just that kid’s strength is enough to crush you with a single finger. You still think of revenge? Don’t end up losing your life in the process."


    Silent all this while, Zhou Qian asked, "Ren, you fought with Ling Chen. Is he very strong?"


    Ren Han nodded, his expression grave, "Extremely strong. Although I didn’t use my full strength, that kid was also holding back. Moreover, judging by his confident demeanor, his skills shouldn’t be much inferior to ours."


    "How interesting. Such a young Earthly List expert, I thought only the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion could produce one. Do you think he might be..."


    Ren Han’s face slightly changed, and he whispered, "You suspect that Ling Chen is from the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion?"


    "Very likely. When Elder Tong spoke to him just now, you heard it too. He didn’t call him by name directly but addressed him as ’Ling.’ Such treatment isn’t something an ordinary person can enjoy. Ren, luckily they didn’t pursue the matter, or we’d all be in deep trouble."


    Ren Han drew a cold breath, feeling a profound sense of fear.


    "You useless thing, it’s all because of you that we almost got ruined. Tonight you’ll fly back to Beijing and stay at home obediently. Without my permission, you’re not allowed to go out. If you dare disobey, I’ll break your leg," Ren Han said coldly, venting his anger entirely on Ren Chong.


    Inside the hotel.


    "Elder Tong, Tian is my friend. I heard you’re recruiting Registered Disciples, and he’d like to give it a try. Could you give him a chance?"


    Tong Zhentian scrutinized Tian Hanzhong, then nodded, "Since you rmend him, I’ll give him a chance. But let me be upfront, I don’t ept just anyone. If he doesn’t meet the standards, I’ll choose someone else."


    "Of course."


    "Alright! Leave your contact information, and you can head back. I’ll have someone notify you when the test is scheduled."


    "Yes." Tian Hanzhong quickly replied, "Thank you, Elder Tong, Ling."


    After Tian Hanzhong left, only Ling Chen and Tong Zhentian remained in the spacious living room.


    Tong Zhentian brewed a cup of tea and ced it in front of Ling Chen, asking casually, "What’s your rtionship with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion now? Still at a deadlock?"


    Ling Chen smiled wryly, "Elder Tong, after what happened, do you think it’s possible for me to have any dealings with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion? Honestly, I’m thankful they’re not causing me trouble."


    "Su Zhengyang and his wife’s death had nothing to do with you, so what are you afraid of? Elder Su is not senile yet. Besides, you were his disciple, so he ought to remember that bond."


    "I’ve severed ties with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion. I think... Elder Su won’t recognize me as his disciple anymore." At this point, Ling Chen didn’t want to continue this topic and changed the subject, "Elder Tong, those two guys from the Martial Arts Association just now are really unimpressive. Although their skills aren’t weak, their character is too poor."


    "I know." Tong Zhentian sighed helplessly, "I’ve been dealing with them for so many years. Don’t I understand what kind of people they are? But what can I do? I’m at a point where I have no choice but to pin my hopes on them. Otherwise, I would’ve asked them to leave right away."


    Hearing this, Ling Chen was puzzled and asked, "Elder Tong, what do you mean by that? Do you really care about people like them?"


    "Ling Chen, you don’t understand the Martial Artsmunity’s current state. The Martial Arts world is facing a huge crisis. If it’s not handled well, there might be a break in the heritage, and countless skills left by our predecessors will be lost. It would be a heavy blow for the future of Martial Arts," Tong Zhentian exined. "What I’m doing now is trying to save the situation and keep a glimmer of hope for the Martial Arts world."


    "Zhou Qian and Ren Han are influenced by bureaucracy, focusing solely on their interests and disregarding the future of Martial Arts. But among the many candidates, those two are considered the better ones. So I’m hoping to persuade them to join me in fulfilling this mission."


    "Elder Tong, you’re a leader in the Martial Arts world with significant influence. Why not take action yourself? Besides, since you’re closely connected with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, their support would likely double the effectiveness."


    Tong Zhentian chuckled, "You think too simply. From what you know of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, do you think they’d support me? Ling Chen, there’s no one else here; I’ll be honest. While I’m on good terms with the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, it’s only on a personal level. In terms of the bigger picture, the real issue is with the Pavilion. They possess countless cultivation techniques, including some lost ones. However, the Pavilion keeps these techniques locked up, and even their members receive only selective instruction. Forget about outsiders; they don’t even have a chance to ess them. As a result, martial artists are highly protective of their techniques, unwilling to easily share them with outsiders, sometimes even withholding some secret techniques from their disciples. Think about it, in such an environment, how can Huaxia’s Martial Arts be passed down and progress?"


    "When Su He was in charge, I brought this up, but he saw it as a trivial matter, a mere joke. So, the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is the epitome of outdated customs, but no one can change it due to its status and influence in the Martial Arts world, which has always been my headache. Because the Pavilion won’t cooperate, I can only turn to the Martial Arts Association to convey my ideas and raise awareness among more people."