Starting to Gain Experience from Push-Ups Chapter 1296 - 629: Riding the Jetstream

Hoo——

With arms folded, Fang Cheng braced against the final remnants of thin clouds above, unleashing a fierce surge of power from his waist and abdomen.

Like a fish breaching the water's surface, propelled by the momentum of his ascent, he soared to greater altitudes.

The instant he broke through the heavy rain clouds, the surrounding tempestuous winds and icy pellets abruptly ceased.

At an altitude exceeding ten thousand meters, an overwhelming silence prevailed.

Above him stretched a deep, navy-blue sky, almost black.

Below lay an immense expanse of swirling white clouds, resembling formidable, angry waves.

By this point, the daylight had fully illuminated the sky.

Though the sun hadn't entirely crested the horizon, the visibility at this height was unparalleled.

This was the domain where commercial aircraft typically cruised, a stark contrast to the volatile weather spectacle unfolding beneath.

The airflow was predominantly horizontal, with virtually no vertical convection or turbulent buffeting, and minimal moisture or dust content.

It could truly be described as a realm as vast as the heavens and as tranquil as the sea.

Fang Cheng ceased his leg movements, flattening his body and relying entirely on the inertia and aerodynamics achieved during his high-speed sprint, gliding effortlessly above the sea of clouds.

He drew a deep breath of the pure, crisp stratospheric air, allowing every taut muscle to relax.

His exposed skin keenly registered the sensation of the airflow caressing his fingers and shoulders, eliciting a thrilling shiver.

The consistent, powerful westerly winds of the stratosphere acted like an unseen force, steadying his form and carving a distinct aerial path.

At this elevation, it felt as though Earth's gravitational pull had slightly lessened, making Fang Cheng remarkably light.

He experimented by twisting his waist and tilting his left shoulder.

With mere subtle adjustments to his center of gravity, his body gracefully veered, harmonizing with the surrounding airflow, becoming one with the sky.

Thus, Fang Cheng followed the wind-carved corridor, smoothly tracing a vast arc spanning several hundred meters.

There was no oppressive downward pull, no chaotic disruption from the air currents.

Only the steady rhythm of his own heartbeat in his ears and a panorama stretching to the very intersection of sky and earth.

He could even discern the subtly curved horizon of the planet.

Below, the cloud formations, like frozen waves, extended infinitely.

Sunlight filtered through the edges of the clouds, casting a delicate golden luminescence upon their crests.

Fang Cheng simply extended his arms wide, allowing the wind to carry him swiftly above the cloudscape.

With the entire sky beneath his feet and liberation from earthly constraints, his heart pounded with exhilarating excitement.

In this moment, he was akin to the wind itself—the most liberated, unfettered entity in this immense expanse.

Just then.

"Buzz buzz buzz——"

A deep, resonant mechanical hum was faintly audible from beneath the clouds.

Fang Cheng tilted his head slightly.

He observed a gleaming white Airbus A380, a colossal wide-body jet, slowly materializing approximately ten kilometers away, to his left and rear.

It was ascending steadily, its trajectory a clean pierce through the cloud layer with a determined climb angle.

The aircraft's immense structure reflected the bright morning sun, resembling a titan of steel navigating the heavens.

Its four powerful turbofan engines expelled streams of superheated air, leaving behind four distinct contrails against the high-altitude sky.

Upon witnessing this marvel of human industrial achievement, Fang Cheng's inherent competitive spirit ignited.

"Why not catch a ride?"

A wicked grin spread across his face, his eyes narrowing with a sudden flash.

He then adjusted his stance, tucking his arms tightly against his body and bringing his legs together, dramatically reducing his frontal surface area to achieve a streamlined form.

"Boom!"

Every pore on his legs and the back of his torso opened, expelling True Qi like the fiery exhaust of a rocket.

Concurrently, he executed a forceful backward kick, generating opposing momentum.

Accompanied by successive, thunderous sonic booms, Fang Cheng transformed into a golden projectile, rocketing directly towards the airliner's flight path.

Had he been on the ground, he could have utilized his muscle strength for a solid anchor, generating sufficient counterforce to easily surpass the sound barrier.

However, in the rarefied air of the stratosphere, the absence of a dense medium prevented such an impact.

Relying solely on True Qi for supplemental propulsion would be insufficient to match the velocity of a modern airliner cruising at nearly 900 kilometers per hour.

Consequently, he was compelled to alter his approach, opting not to pursue from behind.

Instead, he altered his course to intercept the airliner's path, intending to be 'overtaken' by the airborne behemoth.

Ten kilometers... eight kilometers... five kilometers...

The wind distorted his facial features into a blur, and the approaching scenery warped due to his incredible velocity.

He closed the distance to the airliner with astonishing speed.

One kilometer... five hundred meters... fifty meters.

The A380’s nose loomed, its immense pressure bearing down.

Fang Cheng unleashed his Core Power, attempting to slice through the violent boundary layer airflow surrounding the colossal aircraft like a delicate feather.

In the split second the massive fuselage swept by, he extended his right hand. His fingers, akin to iron hooks, accurately targeted the base of the communications antenna atop the plane's rear.

Zi——

His fingertips lightly brushed the cold metal paint, igniting faint sparks in the vast expanse of the sky.

However, the terrifying kinetic energy, fueled by a speed nearing 900 kilometers per hour, was simply too much for his suspended, force-less state to grip firmly.

Fang Cheng felt his palm slide away.

Instantly, a powerful turbofan backwash, like a wave shifting mountains and overturning seas, surged forth, violently pushing his hand aside.