Standing on the balcony, Xu Ze was bare-chested, wearing only a pair of long, comfortable, thin trousers. He gazed out at the beautiful North Lake and let out a soft sigh. Lifting the violin to his shoulder, he gently closed his eyes, listening to the soft whisper of the wind around him. His right hand drew the bow while the fingers of his left hand lightly pressed the strings. With effortless movements, a clear, distant, and beautiful melody gradually filled the air…
“Castle in the Sky”… a piano and violin duet Xu Ze had once loved deeply. Now, though lacking the piano accompaniment, the music from his violin remained ethereal, distant, and incredibly moving…
Feeling the gentle breeze drift past, Xu Ze’s handsome eyebrows gradually relaxed, and his expression grew more serene. The bow in his hand moved even more freely and naturally. Every note, every tone, began to come alive, vibrant and spirited…
In the virtual space, Xiao Dao sensed Xu Ze’s spiritual energy swelling and growing along with the soaring violin melody. He smiled with satisfaction. Xu Ze’s energy accumulation was nearly sufficient. The only thing holding him back from breaking through to the next level was a slight deficiency in spiritual energy. As his violin skills improved, his spiritual energy was greatly tempered and steadily increasing…
At this rate, within a few days, breaking through the eighteenth cycle and officially stepping into the second level was not far off… Xiao Dao thought joyfully. Once he reached the second level, his operational efficiency would take a significant leap forward, and some related functions would gradually expand and activate…
With his eyes lightly closed, Xu Ze poured his entire heart and soul into the music. A piece he usually struggled with now flowed smoothly, growing more melodious and expansive as his spiritual energy flourished and radiated. The music captivated several neighbors nearby, who paused their activities and stepped onto their balconies to listen curiously…
That evening, Tang Zhi sent Xu Ze several images of gifts prepared by the old master via the internet, asking him to choose one.
Looking at the items on the computer, Xu Ze quickly took a liking to a sapphire pendant. Designed by the renowned Italian jeweler Opal Marsha, it featured a two-carat sapphire accompanied by several smaller sapphires, all set in platinum.
Seeing that Xu Ze had made his choice, Tang Zhi replied with satisfaction: “The gift will be ready for you on the 30th. Your flight ticket has also been booked—a direct flight to Yanjing at 9 a.m. on the first day of the new year. Make sure you’re prepared…”
“Alright, Brother Tang. Thank you… I’ll keep that in mind,” Xu Ze replied.
“Hmm… You’ll be alone in Yanjing, so be careful. Remember to call Li Yue in advance. If he agrees to look out for you, that’d be ideal…” Tang Zhi sighed softly as he looked at the computer. The truth was, he was a bit worried about Xu Ze going to Yanjing alone. After all, the social circles there were notoriously exclusive. If Xu Ze were part of their inner circle, like Gua Gua and the others, there’d be no need to worry. But Xu Ze wasn’t…
Although Xu Ze was now the old master’s honorary grandson, and the older generation would show him respect for the old master’s sake, the younger generation wouldn’t be so easy to deal with…
Following Tang Zhi’s reminder, Xu Zhe thought for a moment, took out his phone, found Li Yue’s number, and dialed. The phone rang for a while with no answer, but just as Xu Ze was about to hang up, a voice came through: “Xu Ze?”
“It’s me, Li Yue,” Xu Ze replied with a light smile. For some reason, he found it difficult to keep his distance from this man everyone considered troublesome. He always felt at ease around him.
“Heh… I was wondering who’d be calling me at this hour…” Li Yue sounded pleased. “What’s up? Planning to come to Yanjing for a visit?”
“Yeah… the day after tomorrow, actually. I’ll be in Yanjing then,” Xu Ze said calmly.
“The day after tomorrow?” Li Yue paused, then laughed. “You’re not coming for Sun Lingfei’s birthday, are you?”
“Yeah… I promised her I’d go,” Xu Ze replied softly, biting his lip.
Hearing the subtle tone in Xu Ze’s voice, Li Yue sensed something more. He took a light breath, and though Xu Ze hadn’t said much, a thought flashed through his mind. After a moment of hesitation, he asked with a hint of surprise, “You promised her?”
“Mm,” Xu Ze confirmed.
“Wow… you’ve got guts…” Li Yue sighed lightly, then laughed. “How did you and Sun Lingfei even get involved with each other?”
“We’re classmates.”
“Classmates?” Li Yue was taken aback. “But aren’t you working at the hospital?”
“I’m still a junior in college,” Xu Ze said with a light smile.
“What?! You’re still a junior? And you dared to operate on me all by yourself at the hospital? No wonder you look so young!” On the other end, Li Yue was stunned. After gritting his teeth for a moment, he exclaimed, “I’m going to report your hospital! Practicing medicine without a license, pretending to be an experienced doctor… and you operated on my leg and chest!”
“Go ahead… go ahead. I’ll be in Yanjing in a couple of days. If you’re still upset, you can pay me back then,” Xu Ze couldn’t help but laugh at Li Yue’s exasperated tone.
“Alright, fine… But seriously, you and Sun Lingfei—is it really like that? Did she really invite you?” Li Yue still seemed unable to believe the situation between Xu Ze and Sun Lingfei.
“Yeah… I promised I’d go,” Xu Ze said without hiding anything from Li Yue.
Li Yue sighed softly. “Don’t you know about the Sun family’s current situation? Sun Bipo, that old man, wants to… Ah, forget it… Does Old Master Tang know about this?”
“He does,” Xu Ze replied calmly.
“And he agreed?” Li Yue was surprised, but quickly collected himself. “Old Master Tang is truly something—just as bold and decisive as ever. I can’t believe he agreed…”
“……” Xu Ze didn’t know how to respond to Li Yue’s praise. The old master had only agreed for his sake; otherwise, he would never have approved.
“Alright then… When’s your flight?”
“Nine o’clock tomorrow morning.”
“Okay, I’ll arrange for someone to pick you up,” Li Yue said lightly. “I’ll go with you that day… Otherwise, those little brats will definitely try to bully you… I’ll teach them a lesson…”
Hearing this, Xu Ze felt relieved and smiled. “That’s great… I was worried you wouldn’t come with me.”
“Don’t worry. Take advantage of the summer break and enjoy your time in Yanjing.” Li Yue chuckled. “I’ve got to go now… Someone’s here with me… Haha…”
Listening to the dial tone on the other end, Xu Ze smiled faintly and put down his phone.
Since Li Yue had agreed to accompany him, there was nothing left to worry about.
Turning off the computer, Xu Ze stepped outside. The moonlight on the balcony was exquisite, and the evening breeze gently dispersed the lingering heat, lifting his spirits.
Standing on the balcony, Xu Ze looked out at North Lake, now barely visible under the sliver of moonlight, its surface glimmering softly. He let out a soft sigh. “Lingfei… I promised you I’d come, and I will.”
Countless energy particles in the surrounding air once again gathered around Xu Ze, flowing into his body. Tiny energy particles passed through his skin and muscles, merging into the energy mass in his Ren and Du meridians, where they were slowly refined and circulated.
Caressed by the gentle night breeze, Xu Ze stood as still as a statue on the balcony, silent and unmoving.
Countless energy particles surged from the surface of the lake, filling the space around him. One by one, they silently merged into him, as if this process would never end.
The energy cycle within Xu Ze continued to circulate slowly and steadily, growing stronger with each cycle.
One cycle, two cycles, three cycles…
Fifteen cycles, sixteen cycles, seventeen cycles…
Upon reaching the seventeenth cycle, Xu Ze stopped without hesitation and began the cycle anew, starting again from the first cycle.
Over and over, cycle after cycle, he continued.
In the virtual space, Xiao Dao nodded frequently, watching as Xu Ze accumulated energy cycle by cycle without any strain.
Only with this mindset, maintaining the best state and accumulating sufficient energy, could he break through this barrier and advance to a higher level.
The night breeze drifted by, the moon and stars shifted across the sky, and Xu Ze remained standing in place, as motionless as if centuries had passed. His jade-like back remained straight and poised, and the cool night breeze brushed past him without leaving a trace on his smooth skin.
Time passed minute by minute, but Xu Ze still stood in place, as if truly turned to stone. His feet remained firmly planted, not shifting an inch.
Within the capillaries in his legs, his blood circulation continued unchanged, just as it had been hours before, with no congestion despite his prolonged standing.
The stars in the sky shifted, and gradually, the sky began to lighten. A faint glow of dawn appeared on the horizon. Sensing the fresh energy in the air, the energy particles gathered around him grew more active. After completing who-knows-how-many cycles of the seventeenth round, Xu Ze softly exhaled a breath of turbid air.
Then, he gently inhaled a breath of fresh air and began a new major cycle.
As this cycle commenced, the energy mass in his dantian, now incredibly refined after countless cycles, began to circulate slowly and steadily once more.
One cycle, two cycles, three cycles… up to the seventeenth cycle. At that moment, a faint golden light shone upon Xu Ze.
Without any hesitation, Xu Ze continued to push the energy cycle, embarking on the eighteenth cycle…
