Clinic Gathering

New York's streets were as busy as ever. Lin Hai dragged his suitcase out of the airport and took a deep breath of the familiar city air. Though he missed the fresh mountain breeze of Ta Lo Village, this steel forest was where he lived.

Instead of heading straight back to his apartment, Lin Hai hailed a taxi and gave the driver the address of the Chen-Style Chinese Medicine Clinic.

"Driver, please hurry." Lin Hai patted his backpack, which was stuffed with mountain specialties from Ta Lo Village—wild mushrooms, dried herbs, specially made honey, and sauces pickled by the villagers themselves.

Although he had left some for his parents, there was still plenty left. Giving it to Master Chen was the obvious choice. To ordinary people, these might have been nothing more than local specialties, but in the hands of someone knowledgeable, they were rare treasures.

The car wound through New York's streets. Lin Hai watched the scenery fly past outside the window, but his thoughts drifted back to Ta Lo Village. The ancient buildings, beautiful surroundings, warm villagers, and the divine beast Azure Dragon—he could not bear to part with any of it.

"We're here." The driver's voice pulled him back to reality.

Lin Hai paid the fare and carried his suitcase and backpack toward the clinic. When he pushed open the door, the familiar scent of medicinal herbs washed over him. Master Chen was sitting behind the counter sorting herbs. When he looked up and saw him, surprise flashed in his eyes.

"You're back?" Chen Bing put down what he was doing and came over with a smile.

"Yeah, I just got off the plane." Lin Hai set his backpack on the table and unzipped it, revealing the carefully packed local specialties inside. "Master, these are some good things I brought back from the mountains. Take a look."

Chen Bing took a packet of mushrooms and gave them a light sniff. His brows rose. "Wild matsutake? The quality is exceptional."

"And this. The villagers gathered it themselves. Completely natural, no additives at all." Lin Hai took out another jar of amber-colored honey.

Approval flashed in Chen Bing's eyes. "Thoughtful of you. Leave these with me. I'll make a feast this afternoon."

Lin Hai grinned slyly. "That was exactly what I was thinking."

Chen Bing burst out laughing and made a mock swat at him. "You brat, you're getting bolder and bolder. You actually dare order your master around and make me your cook?"

Lin Hai dodged aside. "Come on, it's because your cooking is so good. I haven't had your medicinal cuisine in so long—I've been craving it like crazy~"

He continued, "Master, you get back to work first. I'll go back to my apartment and put my things away, then message Peter and the others so they can come try your feast too."

Chen Bing was busy identifying the wild herbs Lin Hai had brought back. Without even looking up, he waved a hand to show that he understood.

After leaving the clinic, Lin Hai returned to his apartment and quickly unpacked. Then he took out his phone and sent messages to Gwen, Harry, and Peter: [Dinner at Master Chen's clinic later. Good stuff—get here fast!]

Before long, replies from all three popped up one after another—

Gwen: [You're finally back! I brought some chocolate back from Switzerland. I'll bring it over so everyone can share.]

Harry: [I'm in the lab, but for good food, I can drop everything immediately!]

Peter: [The streets have been peaceful lately. I'm bored out of my mind. I'll be there soon.]

Lin Hai smiled and shook his head. The moment medicinal cuisine from Master Chen was mentioned, Peter and Harry ran faster than anyone.

The back courtyard of the Chen-Style Chinese Medicine Clinic, which had been quiet for so long, gradually became lively as everyone arrived.

Gwen was the first to arrive, carrying a box of exquisite Swiss chocolate. Her golden hair glimmered beautifully in the sunlight.

"Welcome back!" She smiled and gave Lin Hai a hug. "How was your 'adventure' this time?"

"I'll tell you all about it later." Lin Hai took the chocolate and winked. "Master Chen is going all out today."

Soon after, Harry and Peter arrived one after the other. Harry still looked like an elegant young man from a wealthy family, though there was now a little more steadiness between his brows. Peter, meanwhile, had a mess of curly hair, clearly having done a quick cleanup before rushing over.

"Lin!" Peter waved excitedly. "You disappeared for so long this time. Did you find some peerless martial arts manual?"

Lin Hai smiled mysteriously. "You'll find out later."

Chen Bing looked at the young people and smiled as he pointed toward the kitchen. "Don't just stand there. Come help."

They immediately got to work, each taking on a clear task—

Peter was in charge of picking vegetables. His technique was clumsy, but he was earnest about it, even muttering as he worked, "The roots of these vegetables have the highest nutritional value. We can't waste them."

Gwen rolled up her sleeves and washed the vegetables. Water splashed and flowed as her careful hands worked quickly, and before long, she had cleaned a whole pile of vegetables spotless.

Harry handled the tools, pulling out all kinds of pots, bowls, and utensils from the cabinets and arranging them neatly. He even sharpened the kitchen knife while he was at it.

Lin Hai took charge of the knife work. After training in Ta Lo Village, his knife skills had become even more refined. Under his hands, the ingredients became evenly cut shreds, slices, and chunks, drawing repeated exclamations from Gwen.

Chen Bing was naturally the head chef, overseeing everything. From time to time, he gave Lin Hai, who was cooking beside him, a few pointers: "Turn up the heat." "Add that herb last"...

The kitchen steamed with heat, and fragrance filled the air. Before long, more than a dozen dishes came out one after another. More than half were everyday dishes, while the rest were medicinal cuisine.

The everyday dishes included garlic lettuce, braised pork ribs, fish-fragrant shredded pork, mapo tofu, cola chicken wings, and more. The medicinal dishes included angelica and ginger lamb soup, ginkgo chicken cubes, steamed eggs with reishi, and more.

Every dish looked, smelled, and tasted wonderful. The aroma alone was enough to make everyone hungry.

New York's snow had completely melted, and the early spring sunlight was warm without being harsh. Chen Bing had Lin Hai move the large table into the backyard. Together, they set out the tableware and brought each dish to the table.

"Dig in!" Chen Bing announced with a smile.

Everyone sat around the table. Chopsticks and forks flew as the conversation gradually unfolded.

Gwen took a spoonful of steamed eggs with reishi, and her eyes lit up. "This flavor is so unusual, but it's really good!"

Peter had already wolfed down half a bowl of rice. He asked through a mouthful of food, "Lin, hurry up and tell us. What kind of place is Ta Lo?"

Lin Hai set down his chopsticks and gathered his thoughts. "It's hidden deep in the mountains and cut off from the outside world, but the scenery is beautiful and the villagers are simple and kind."

He left out Azure Dragon's mission and the Soul-Eating Beasts, focusing instead on the villagers' way of life, their martial arts heritage, and the energy projection technique he had learned through Azure Dragon.

Then he took out the old-fashioned camera and handed it to Gwen. "These are the photos I promised you. Take a look?"

"Really? Hehe, I've been thinking about them for ages. Let me see~" Gwen's eyes brightened as she reached out and took the camera.

Peter, Harry, and Chen Bing all wore knowing smiles as they quietly watched the two of them.

"So they have a duty to protect something?" Harry sharply noticed that Lin Hai's gaze toward him and Peter was a little unfriendly. To make sure that he would not have to be carried home after training with Lin Hai, he immediately asked the question he had wanted to raise earlier.

Lin Hai gave him a look that said, At least you know what's good for you, then nodded. "Yes. It's very important. If they fail, it could cause no small amount of trouble."

Although Peter was overflowing with curiosity, he was sensible enough not to press for details. He merely waved his chopsticks excitedly. "Then you have to show us your new ability later!"

Gwen shared her experience in Switzerland. "The snowy scenery in the Alps was so beautiful. And this time, there was no work interrupting the trip. My dad actually didn't answer a single phone call the whole time."

Harry and Peter looked at each other and shrugged. "Things were much more boring over here. The weather was cold, and even criminals were too lazy to go outside. Street crime dropped by several levels."

Listening to the young people chatter away, Chen Bing could not help but smile. "Being young is wonderful."

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, and everyone had just finished cleaning up together, Peter impatiently urged, "Lin, hurry up and show us your new move!"

Lin Hai smiled helplessly, stood up, and walked to the center of the backyard. He took a deep breath and slowly raised his hands as the energy inside him began to flow.

The next moment, a faint emerald-green glow appeared in his palms. With a movement of his hands, a wave of energy shot out and struck a wooden post several meters away.

Bang! The wooden post trembled slightly, and a clear mark was left on its surface.

"Whoa!" Peter's eyes widened. "That looks way cooler than your previous moves!"

Gwen could not help clapping. "So you can use your own energy for long-range attacks now?"

Lin Hai nodded. "I've only mastered the basics. I still need a lot more practice."

Harry stroked his chin thoughtfully. "If this ability can be used in actual combat, the results should be incredible."

Chen Bing stood nearby, satisfaction flashing in his eyes. He knew that this disciple's future was destined to be anything but ordinary. Yet he did not envy him. Everyone had their own path to walk. Lin Hai's path belonged to Lin Hai alone and had nothing to do with him. All he needed to do was walk his own path well, then watch how far Lin Hai could go on his. As his master, that was enough to satisfy him.

As the sun set, the laughter in the backyard gradually faded. Gwen checked the time and stood to say goodbye. "I need to get going. My dad is on duty today, and I have to bring him dinner."

Harry and Peter stood as well. "Let's go together. We're headed the same way."

Lin Hai walked them to the door and waved. "Let's get together again next time."

When he returned to the backyard, Chen Bing was stretching and doing some post-meal exercise to aid digestion. Seeing Lin Hai return, Chen Bing asked, "You gained quite a lot from this trip, didn't you?"

Lin Hai paused, then smiled. "Yeah. I learned a lot."

Chen Bing patted him on the shoulder without asking further. "Digest it well. You still have a long road ahead of you."

The night grew deeper, but New York's lights still shone brilliantly.

Lin Hai stood at the entrance of the clinic, gazing at the distant skyline as he silently thought, Yeah, the road is still long. This new journey has only just begun.