77: Chapter 77 Rising Fame, Taking a Break!
Back at the dormitory,
the first thing Zhou Heng did was rush into the bathroom, letting the warm water wash away the sweat and exhaustion from his cultivation.
Amidst the swirling steam, he looked at himself in the mirror and froze for a moment.
The youth in the mirror had a tall, straight posture, with smooth muscle lines full of explosive power; he no longer looked as thin as he once did.
Faint traces of lightning flowed beneath his skin, exuding a powerful vitality.
The youthful naivety had faded from between his brows,
replaced by a touch of sharpness and composure. His eyes were deep, occasionally flashing with electric sparks, carrying an indescribable confidence and... a faint murderous aura from surviving many battles.
A ring of dark stubble had appeared on his chin, making him look a bit weathered.
"Tsk, I'm almost becoming an uncle." Zhou Heng rubbed his chin, laughed self-deprecatingly, and picked up a razor to shave carefully. A sense of freshness immediately washed over him.
He dried himself off and changed into a clean training uniform. Looking at his refreshed self in the mirror, he felt much more energized.
"What a huge change..." he whispered to himself. It had only been a little over a month since he awakened his Divine Seal, yet it felt like a long time had passed.
He had experienced life-and-death battles, witnessed the treachery of the myriad races, received cultivation from his teachers, and gained partners to fight alongside... His strength had advanced by leaps and bounds, and his mindset had quietly shifted.
He was less flighty and more grounded. His blood was still hot, but he now understood restraint and reflection better.
He was still that same youth, but his shoulders seemed to carry more invisible responsibilities.
"Good." He smiled at the mirror, his eyes firm. This was the path he had chosen.
After drying his hair, he uncharacteristically did not continue practicing. Instead, he threw himself onto the bed and soon fell into a deep sleep.
Deep sleep was the best recovery.
A dreamless night.
The next morning, sunlight spilled into the room through the window.
Zhou Heng woke up naturally, feeling refreshed and full of energy. The mental strength and yuan energy he had consumed yesterday were fully restored, and his condition was at its peak.
"Comfortable!" He stretched, his joints letting out a series of crisp popping sounds.
Checking the time, there were still two days left until the Freshman Competition.
"No cultivation today. I'll relax and balance work with rest." He decided to give himself a short break.
It wasn't good to keep the bowstring taut all the time.
He changed into casual clothes and strolled toward the cafeteria.
Along the way, he saw many students hurrying about, their faces filled with tension and anticipation, clearly preparing for the upcoming competition.
After enjoying a hearty high-energy breakfast in the cafeteria, Zhou Heng acted on a whim. Instead of heading straight to the Combat Hall as usual, he decided to wander around the massive Donghuang Military University campus.
Having been here for so long, he realized he hadn't really taken a good look at his school.
As the highest military institution in the Eastern Brilliance Nation, Donghuang Military University covered a staggering area; it was less like a school and more like a fully functional militarized city.
Leaving the residential area, the view suddenly opened up.
The outer walls of the towering technology buildings were covered in flowing energy light, with hovercars and aircraft constantly taking off and landing.
Sounds of reading and energy fluctuations drifted from the solemn teaching buildings.
From the massive martial arts field of the Combat Academy came bursts of shouting and the clashing of metal.
The Research Academy area was much quieter, but occasional bursts of energy beams indicated dangerous experiments were underway. From the direction of the Armory Academy, the sounds of gunfire and tactical commands were constant.
Further off, giant mechs from the Mechanical Academy could be seen undergoing adaptability training on the test grounds...
Buildings of various styles stood in rows, where classical and modern intertwined, and technology and martial arts coexisted.
The air was filled with a faint scent of energy and the flavor of youthful passion.
"Now this feels like a university..." Zhou Heng strolled leisurely down the tree-lined path with his hands in his pockets, soaking in the rare peaceful atmosphere.
However, this peace was soon shattered.
"Look! It's Zhou Heng!"
"It really is him! The powerhouse on the forum who killed a second-rank Purple-Blooded Beast and a third-rank Cang Yao!"
"Wow! He's even more handsome than in the photos! His aura is so sharp!"
"I heard he's already a Bronze-rank Demon Slayer! He must be the first among the freshmen, right?"
"S-rank Annihilation Wind and Thunder! He's a favorite to win the Freshman Competition!"
He was quickly recognized.
Following the recent buzz on the forums and the confirmation of the Yuan City mission, Zhou Heng was now a famous figure among the freshmen of Donghuang Military University! He even had a bit of fame among some of the older students.
Students constantly cast curious, admiring, and even combative glances his way.
Many bold girls even swarmed around him.
"Zhou Heng! Can I take a photo with you?" a girl with flushed cheeks asked courageously.
"Brother Heng! You're awesome! You even took down the Cang Yao Clan! Give us an autograph!" several boys shouted excitedly.
"Student Zhou Heng, are you interested in joining our 'Thunder Club'? We're a club dedicated to researching lightning-type Divine Seals!"
"Zhou Heng..."
For a moment, a small crowd had gathered around Zhou Heng, catching him somewhat off guard.
He was usually either on missions or cultivating; he had never truly experienced this kind of "campus star" treatment.
Looking at the enthusiastic faces before him, Zhou Heng didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but he couldn't very well refuse them with a cold face.
He maintained a polite smile, doing his best to satisfy everyone's requests for photos and autographs while politely declining the club invitations.
"Thank you, everyone. I have something to attend to, so I'll be going now." After dealing with them for a while, his scalp felt numb, and he quickly found an excuse to slip away.
He subconsciously activated [Thunder Flash]. His body flickered, slipping through the crowd like a loach, instantly appearing over ten meters away before walking off quickly.
Leaving behind a group of fans who still wanted more.
"Wow! Such speed!"
"Brother Heng is shy!"
"Truly the style of an expert!"
Having walked far away, Zhou Heng wiped away non-existent cold sweat. "Hiss... this is more tiring than fighting the Cang Yao Clan... I'll have to wear a mask when I go out from now on."
Although he liked showing off, being stared at like this still felt a bit uncomfortable.
Having shaken off the crowd, he continued wandering aimlessly, unknowingly arriving at an artificial lakeside on campus.
The environment here was quiet, with many students walking, reading, or practicing and sparring by the lake.
The lake's surface shimmered, reflecting the blue sky, white clouds, and distant buildings. A gentle breeze blew by, bringing a hint of coolness.
Zhou Heng found a bench and sat down. Looking at the lake, his mind gradually relaxed.
Looking back on this month, it felt like a dream.
From an ordinary student to awakening an S-rank Divine Seal, entering the Military Martial University, making partners, becoming a disciple of Hong Sheng, and slaying the myriad races...
His strength had improved rapidly, and his horizons had broadened significantly.
There were blood-pumping battles, life-and-death crises, the joy of harvest, and the accumulation of growth.
"The road is still long..." he whispered to himself.
With myriad races standing tall and experts as numerous as clouds, there would only be more challenges in the future.
But there was not a trace of fear in his heart; instead, he was full of anticipation.
Just then, his tactical watch vibrated. It was a message from Chen Ye.
[Chen Ye: Where are you? Gravity Room, come spar.]
Zhou Heng smiled and replied: [Sunbathing by the lake, be there soon.]
It was a good chance to test the feel of his new spear and see if Ye Zi had made any progress these past few days.
He stood up, took one last look at the calm lake, and turned to walk toward the Combat Hall.