Chapter Fourteen: The Social Gathering

On the way back, everyone wore cheerful smiles, and no one asked why. Perhaps they all understood without words. In any case, today had been a pleasant day. There was a sense of anticipation for tomorrow’s arrival—a sentiment shared by each person at that moment. With a quiet joy in their hearts, Hua Feng and his three companions returned to their dormitory to prepare for the day ahead. At five in the morning, dawn was just about to break.

The dormitories of the Flying Dragon Camp were simple yet functional, more comfortable to live in than some college accommodations. After practicing meditation for several cycles, most of them soon fell asleep.

Only Hua Feng dared not slacken, unwilling to waste a single moment in his pursuit of self-improvement. He meditated and practiced until daybreak. These days, Hua Feng had been consolidating his level twenty-one cultivation; it seemed a breakthrough was approaching, and all he needed was to let his accumulated strength erupt at the right moment.

At night, he secretly contacted Xiao Meng and discovered that she had also reached the King level in her cultivation. Her rapid progress amazed Hua Feng, and the pressure on him grew ever greater; after all, if his strength was insufficient, he would not be able to protect her. Thus, Hua Feng was even less willing to relax his efforts! Sigh! He tried not to dwell on it, washed up, and headed out to train.

The next day. Mount Lu. Flying Dragon Camp. The sky was clear and the air fresh.

Everyone woke up in excellent spirits. After morning exercises, they returned to the dormitory for another round of meditation. Two hours later, most had finished. Hua Feng called Li Long, Wang Yue, and Yang Tian; the four went together for breakfast, which was as sumptuous as ever. All necessary nutrients were carefully considered. Meals here followed the principle of “an emperor’s breakfast, a minister’s lunch, a beggar’s dinner,” thoughtfully addressing the students’ physical needs—a point Zhang Yu felt Flying Dragon Camp had done exceptionally well.

Although their dependence on food was no longer as strong as before—going ten days without eating, drinking only water, was not a problem—faced with delicious fare, it was hard to resist indulging. This earned a scoff from Li Long, who always ate sparingly, and the others often teased him as well. Still, among brothers, such jokes were harmless, and over time everyone grew used to it.

After breakfast, Hua Feng and his friends took in the clouds and mist surrounding Mount Lu, lost in thought for a while, then went together to the Third Battalion of Flying Dragon Camp to find Yun Meng, Wang Yuxuan, Shuang Ning, Bai Lu, Weike, and Yang Qing. After seeing them, they returned to their camp for two cultural classes in the afternoon. Before long, night had fallen.

Hua Feng and his three companions attended the Third Battalion’s social gathering as promised. The event was held in a usually vacant hall. Over a hundred people attended, and in the lively atmosphere, students got to know each other, built friendships, and fostered camaraderie. This was something the camp commanders and instructors were pleased to see, so they tacitly allowed the gathering to take place in Flying Dragon Camp, even though it was a special training base.

After greeting Xiao Meng and exchanging a few words with others, Hua Feng and Xiao Meng left the hall and sat together on a stone bench outside. Words were few; Xiao Meng leaned against Hua Feng’s shoulder, listening to his heartbeat as he gently stroked her hair, silent and serene.

As if by mutual understanding, after a while, they both spoke at once: “I want to…” “You go first…”

Then Hua Feng and Xiao Meng talked about their former teachers and classmates, about Wang Yuxuan, and even discussed the likelihood of future wars no longer involving large-scale nuclear conflict. All the words left unsaid over the years were spoken freely that night. Unknowingly, midnight arrived and the gathering had ended. Gazing at the star-filled sky and holding Yun Meng in his arms, Hua Feng suddenly felt his internal energy surging, as if it wanted to break free of some constraint. Xiao Meng sensed Hua Feng’s anomaly as well.

“Hua Feng, what’s wrong?” she asked with concern.

“Xiao Meng, I’m fine. It seems that this unexpected insight has allowed me to break through from level twenty-one to the King domain. Don’t worry—just stay by my side and make sure no one disturbs me,” Hua Feng said, sweat pouring down his forehead.

“Alright, don’t worry. Focus on your breakthrough; leave the rest to me!” she replied, and immediately became alert to her surroundings.

Hua Feng sat cross-legged, quietly channeling his true energy to breach the barrier. Two hours later, with a roar reminiscent of a dragon’s cry, Hua Feng broke through—not only advancing past the initial and intermediate stages of level twenty-two but reaching its peak.

He knew this was thanks to his long preparation, but also to the guidance of the Flying Dragon Technique; without it, such rapid progress would have been difficult. At this moment, Hua Feng’s strength was roughly equivalent to the legendary Grandmaster Bruce Lee.

Hua Feng and Xiao Meng, who had kept watch by his side, exchanged a smile and embraced tightly. The starry sky seemed to shine even brighter.

In the depths of the cosmos, within a space, a middle-aged man with silver hair, snowy white sword-like brows, dressed in a purple scholar’s robe, sat on a black dragon throne in a magnificent palace. The dragon heads on the armrests glowed faintly. Suddenly, he opened his eyes, gazed at the stars, and let out a soft sigh in the direction of Earth—a sigh as ancient as the universe itself. Everything about Hua Feng’s breakthrough had been witnessed. Slowly, he closed his eyes once more.

Several days later, on a sunny Sunday, though it was autumn, the weather was not hot, even a bit chilly.

Hua Feng and Wang Yue discussed inviting Xiao Meng and her friends to go hiking. Unexpectedly, they agreed immediately. Xiao Meng and Wang Yuxuan were easy enough to persuade, but Yang Qing, Bai Lu, Weike, and Wang Yaxin’s willingness was likely due to the credit of the recent social gathering.

Mount Lu was not especially tall, but neither was it low. At 1,473 meters, though it seemed modest compared to surrounding peaks like Shennongding, its scenery was unmatched. The mist was particularly unique—a factor in Flying Dragon Camp’s establishment here. While the camp was a special training base, apart from necessary drills, students’ private lives were not strictly regulated. Thus, Zhang Yu found time to hike and relax with his brothers and newly acquainted female friends.

Mount Lu bordered Lake Poyang, the humidity making it an ideal place to live. Since the disaster of 2052, humanity’s population had been effectively controlled; presently, China had only two hundred trillion people. Economically, it had become the leading developed nation in the world, with the United States second and Russia third. Russia had returned the territories it seized during the Qing Dynasty, and China’s land now exceeded ten million square kilometers. Today, the national economy and all aspects were developing rapidly, presenting a flourishing scene.

Ten people joked and played, viewing the mountains and mist, eventually reaching the summit in high spirits. Yang Qing, who had studied art, sketched and painted all the way up, and once at the top, made a portrait for each person. Bai Lu and Wang Yaxin were the most lively, constantly joking with everyone and keeping the atmosphere harmonious. Amid laughter and conversation, noon approached. Throughout, Xiao Meng quietly held Hua Feng’s hand and spoke softly to him.

Everyone decided to have a picnic atop the mountain. As for ingredients, careful Wang Yuxuan and Weike had brought them along. This time, the girls were the chefs, while Hua Feng and the other boys gathered dry branches and fallen wood for firewood. Although there was a solar stove, everyone wanted to enhance the experience and opted for an open flame. Weike worried about the risk of fire, but with so many experts present, there was no real danger.

“Xiao Feng, don’t you think sending us big men to gather firewood is a bit of a waste of our talents?” Li Long complained.

“Alright, quit your whining. For the ladies and for our stomachs, let’s get to work!” Hua Feng replied with a wry smile.

As the saying goes, many hands make light work, and soon the firewood was ready. Each of the six girls made two dishes; though not quite professional chef quality, the meals were full of color, aroma, and flavor. Yang Tian kept calling for more, his astonishing appetite making the girls laugh repeatedly. Embarrassed, Yang Tian scratched his head and smiled in a polite, awkward way.

After an enjoyable afternoon, a sudden birdcall drew everyone’s attention—a little bird had accidentally fallen from its nest. Bai Lu and her friends were anxious, Bai Lu especially so, looking to Hua Feng and his companions: “Who will help it up? It’s so sad it can’t find its mother!”

Li Long stepped forward: “I’ll do it!” Yang Tian had wanted to help, but Li Long, eager to impress his beloved, looked up at the bird’s nest in the tall pine tree, easily over ten meters high. Bai Lu worried he might embarrass himself in front of everyone, but Li Long was confident.

He took a few steps back, then rushed forward, channeling his energy to leap up, cradling the bird in one hand and grabbing the thick trunk with the other to climb. A meter from the nest, he surged forward instead of retreating, channeled his true energy, and vaulted onto the treetop, gently placing the bird in the nest. Descending was much easier. After this feat, Bai Lu’s gaze toward him changed, as though she were looking at her hero.

The sun was setting, and everyone descended the mountain together, their silhouettes bathed in the afterglow. In this corner of Mount Lu, such a scene was singularly beautiful.