Start with push-ups to gain experience

The two men stood upright, clasped their hands above their heads, and then bowed deeply in worship.

The loud voice echoed in the empty cave, drowning out the crackling sound of the tallow torch burning in the corner.

This sudden turn of events left Fang Cheng stunned in place.

His fist, which had been secretly gathering its strength, loosened slightly, and a look of astonishment appeared in his eyes.

The twelve newly promoted elite members who were still kneeling on the ground behind them all opened their mouths and stared wide-eyed.

Their gazes darted back and forth between Fang Cheng, who was wearing only red shorts, and the two leaders kneeling in respect.

Everyone's faces were filled with utter shock and curiosity at this "family reunion drama".

Inside the underground cave, water seeping from the cracks in the rock walls slowly gathers into beads.

It fell to the ground with a "thud," its sound remarkably clear.

Fang Cheng took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his astonishment.

He looked down at the two respectful-looking old and young people below, his mind racing.

"You've mistaken me for someone else."

Fang Cheng opened his right hand, looked at the silver key in his palm, and replied calmly:
"As I just said, this was a gift from a friend. I am not your president."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Hongxin did not get up.

The elderly vice president remained kneeling, only slowly raising his head.

His face, covered with age spots, showed not the embarrassment of rejection, but rather an extremely confident look.

"You don't need to test us."

Zheng Hongxin swallowed hard to moisten his dry throat, and then said:
"The rules of the True Desire Guild have been passed down through generations. The Silver Key is the guild's supreme heirloom, and it is only handed over to the next successor when the previous guild master decides to step down or encounters an unavoidable change. Therefore, seeing this item is like seeing the guild master himself."

Fang Cheng raised an eyebrow and retorted:

"Since it's a keepsake, it's possible that someone else lost it and I just happened to find it?"

"There is absolutely no such possibility."

Zheng Hongxin knelt on the ground with both hands and shook his head:

"Even if you found the Silver Key by sheer chance, you absolutely could not have crossed space to get here if you were not the successor appointed by the guild master."

He raised his hand and pointed to the Truth Monument behind Fang Cheng, which had regained its deep blue luster.

"To activate the spatial anchor point set by the Silver Key, a special ancient and obscure incantation must be used."

"The pronunciation of that incantation is very strange and does not belong to any language system in the world today. In the early years, the guild secretly hired many of the world's top linguistics professors to try to decipher it, but all of them failed."

Zheng Hongxin paused, his gaze fixed on Fang Cheng's eyes, his voice hoarse yet resolute:
"In this world, there is only one person who knows the correct pronunciation of this incantation and can successfully trigger the resonance of the Stone of Truth."

"That is our former president, Mr. Su Jing'an."

"Since you are here, it means you must know the complete activation method, which can only be taught to you personally by Chairman Su."

After listening to this well-reasoned and logically sound analysis, Fang Cheng was momentarily speechless.

He couldn't very well tell the other person that he had dived 10,000 meters into the deep sea and found the key in the ruins of an ancient city on the seabed.

Those so-called mysterious incantations and activation methods were entirely comprehended and mastered directly through their own talent.

Once this fact is revealed, not only will it expose our true intentions, but the group of fanatical believers on the other side might also react in an extreme way.

Just as Fang Cheng remained silent, Chen Jiandong, who had been kneeling beside Zheng Hongxin, looked up and carefully examined Fang Cheng's face by the firelight.

At first, Chen Jiandong only felt that the new president's bronze skin and strong physique were extremely intimidating.

But as he looked at it, his brows gradually furrowed, and a strange sense of familiarity welled up in his heart.

That sharply defined, somewhat aloof face seemed to have appeared somewhere in my memory.

Chen Jiandong suddenly recalled the group of "Sunny Island Tour" members from six months ago.

At that time, as a mentor sent by the True Thought Society, he was responsible for teaching the tourists basic meditation techniques and secretly screening potential talents for awakening.

Among them, there seemed to be a quiet young man who always sat in the back row.

The facial features and contours of the man before him were strikingly similar to those of the naked, god-like chairman.

Chen Jiandong's pupils dilated slightly, and his heart began to pound uncontrollably.

No way?
Six months ago, he was just an ordinary tourist who hadn't even touched the threshold of meditation. Six months later, he actually held the Silver Key, crossed space, descended to the altar, and became the successor of the True Thought Society.

Fang Cheng's senses were extremely sharp, and he immediately noticed the change in Chen Jiandong's eyes.

His gaze shifted, and he met Chen Jiandong's eyes.

With just one glance, Fang Cheng instantly recognized the other party's identity.

It was the same Mr. Chen who was always stern-faced and in charge of teaching when I attended a meditation class on Yong'an Island half a year ago.

Their eyes met.

Chen Jiandong immediately lowered his head to show respect.

But his mind was full of doubts, and he continued to think carefully.

In my memory, that student wore gold-rimmed glasses, had a refined and reserved demeanor, and looked like a recent college graduate who was weak and helpless.

Compared to the new president in front of him, whose muscles were bulging and whose blood flowed like a furnace, the difference in their temperament was like heaven and earth.

Fang Cheng's expression remained unchanged as he calmly looked away, pretending not to recognize him at all.

I was already certain in my heart that these people in front of me were members of the Truth and Meditation Retreat Group.

Therefore, it can be inferred that this place should still be on Yong'an Island, perhaps located in a hidden underground sacrificial site somewhere within the headquarters of the True Thought Society.

Thinking of this, Fang Cheng's eyes flickered slightly.

I decided to go with the flow and use the title of "chairman" to clarify the many questions in my mind.

Especially regarding the origins of the ancient city underwater and some details about the "Silver Key".

"You all stand up and speak first."

Fang Cheng looked down at the two of them, neither admitting nor denying it.

Zheng Hongxin was overjoyed to see that Fang Cheng's attitude had softened.

He supported himself on his knees with both hands and slowly stood up with Chen Jiandong's help, a blush of excitement appearing on his wrinkled old face.

"President, you are unaware of the situation. The Truth Society is now on the verge of life and death."

Zheng Hongxin sighed and took the opportunity to complain:
"We've lost touch with Chairman Su for far too long since he decided to go to the Long Abyss Trench three years ago to find the source of his bloodline."

"Now, I really think I'll be led by this old, useless man. There's no leader, and we're declining day by day."

“Externally, we have made many enemies over the centuries. Those guys have been secretly watching us, waiting for us to show signs of weakness so they can retaliate.” “Especially that extremist organization called ‘Noah,’ they’re like sharks that have smelled blood. Although we thwarted their raid to steal the relics of the saint half a year ago, they will never give up and could launch a full-scale attack back to Yong’an Island at any time.”

As the old man spoke, he coughed twice and patted his chest.

"The situation inside is even worse. Old bones like mine, and the core members of the older generation in the guild, have been overusing the power of their bloodlines for years. The erosion of their bodies and minds is already close to the critical point. Softening of bones and scaling of skin are the least of their problems."

"Maybe one night, I won't be able to bear the whispers in my head and will completely mutate and go insane."

His words revealed deep weariness and anxiety as he looked up at Fang Cheng, who stood atop the altar.

That look in his eyes was like that of a drowning person grasping at the last straw.

They were eagerly anticipating that the other party would provide clear and reliable information to lead them out of their predicament.

"The teacher is right."

Chen Jiandong chimed in at the opportune moment:

"The entire guild is in a state of panic right now, like a leaky ship that could sink at any moment."

"Although the Stone of Truth underwent an unknown change and regained some of its spirituality, it only gave us a little more time to prolong our lives; it's a temporary fix, not a fundamental cure."

"so."

Zheng Hongxin stepped forward, his eyes filled with eager anticipation:

"We urgently need Chairman Su and you to come back to take charge and stabilize public morale."

Fang Cheng listened quietly to their requests, secretly making plans in his mind.

The current situation of the True Thought Society seems to be fraught with crisis, beset by both internal and external troubles.

But he had no interest in continuing to play the role of taking over a sinking ship and getting himself into trouble.

However, I am quite interested in the so-called "Chairman Su" and the other world he may be going to.

"Since you've decided that I'm the new president, then let me ask you a question."

Fang Cheng crossed his arms and looked down at Zheng Hongxin:
"I'd like to know more about the other world and the place where our bloodline originated, which you mentioned earlier."

Zheng Hongxin was slightly taken aback, then a glimmer of hope ignited in his eyes, and he eagerly asked in return:
"President, that's exactly what we wanted to ask you. Does President Su have any message he'd like you to relay to us?"

Fang Cheng shook his head and responded calmly:

"He only mentioned some things about his background to me, saying that he was the president of the association he really wanted to join, but he didn't say much else."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Hongxin's face showed a slight disappointment, and he quickly asked:

"How is he now? Why hasn't he come back after giving you the key?"

Chen Jiandong couldn't help but ask:
"Where exactly did Chairman Su go? Has he already found the door to the other world?"

Fang Cheng lowered his eyelids slightly, looking at the two of them who were eagerly anticipating his arrival.

That Chairman Su is most likely already dead in the ruins of the ancient city, thousands of meters deep in the sea. Even his bones have turned into sea ash. How could he possibly come back?

But looking at Zheng Hongxin and Chen Jiandong's expectant eyes, he simply couldn't bring himself to say something like, "Your former chairman is long dead."

If these people's beliefs collapse and they go crazy on the spot, it would be troublesome if they started fighting in this closed underground cave.

Fang Cheng stroked his chin and casually made up a story:

"He...did indeed enter the other world."

Upon hearing the words "enter the other world," Zheng Hongxin and Chen Jiandong, who had been eagerly watching Fang Cheng, both breathed a sigh of relief.

The two of them finally felt relieved.

"He said he had found a way to enter that door and was going to do something very important there, something that concerned the secret of the bloodline's origin."

Fang Cheng continued in a deep, enigmatic tone:

"Moreover, he mentioned that it was the only opportunity to completely sever the guild's bloodline backlash curse, and he had to personally complete the final step of the plan."

"As for his current situation, I'm not too sure. He left in a hurry before he left, as if he was trying to evade some organization's pursuit."

"That's great! President Su's wish has come true!"

Upon hearing this, Zheng Hongxin burst into tears and nodded repeatedly.
"As long as he is there, there is hope that Zhenxiang will meet again."

Chen Jiandong was also beaming with excitement, clenching his fists tightly in front of him, as the gloom that had been weighing on his heart for many days finally dissipated.

After wiping his eyes, Zheng Hongxin immediately followed up with a question about a specific detail:
"May I ask, President, around when did you meet President Su and receive the inheritance, oh, this key?"

"About... more than half a year ago," Fang Cheng casually gave a timeframe.

"More than six months ago?"

Zheng Hongxin frowned slightly, a hint of doubt flashing in his cloudy eyes.

He lowered his head and muttered to himself.

“That’s not right… President Su clearly left Yong’an Island three years ago to search for the other world, and there has been no news from him since then.”

"If he handed the key to you six months ago, does that mean he once returned from the other world?"

The more the old man thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed. He looked up at Fang Cheng:

"But since the guild leader has successfully returned to the real world, why doesn't he go back to Yong'an Island to explain the mission and the situation to the guild members?"

Fang Cheng appeared calm and collected on the surface, but inwardly he felt completely bewildered.

He originally just wanted to make up a lie to get by, but he didn't expect the old man to be so sensitive to the timeline.

One lie leads to countless more to cover it up.

He absolutely cannot continue to be questioned on this topic, otherwise he will be exposed sooner or later.

With this in mind, Fang Cheng decisively adopted a proactive strategy.

"How can we presume to know Chairman Su's whereabouts and plans?"

Fang Cheng's face darkened, and he took the initiative to refute:

"Whether it was six months ago or three years ago, since he chose not to come back, he must have his own unspeakable reasons."

"What I really want to know now is what you meant by the other world and the place where your bloodline originated?"

"This is very likely related to Chairman Su's final whereabouts and his safety."

Seeing the new president's displeasure, Zheng Hongxin quickly suppressed his doubts and became even more respectful.

"The president is absolutely right. I was too talkative and short-sighted."

Zheng Hongxin bowed slightly, gathered his thoughts, and began to explain in detail:
"According to the surviving ancient records of the guild, the so-called Otherworld is not the underworld after death, but another mysterious world hidden beneath the deepest ocean of Earth, isolated by a spatial rift." (End of Chapter)