Chapter 189: Chapter 147: New Magic, The Song Clan
Of course, there was a downside: it consumed a great deal of power.
With Yang Qi’s current cultivation at the Third Level of Qi Refining and the total amount of Magical Power stored in his Dantian, he could only cast it about five times in a row at full capacity.
But this was well within an acceptable range. After all, this kind of magic wasn’t meant for indiscriminate bombardment but for resolving problems at critical moments.
Bart was back to normal, and Yang Qi had gained a new magic.
’Not bad, not bad at all!’
...
He woke up feeling refreshed and invigorated.
Yang Qi went to the Red Star Zoo again.
As soon as Zhao Mingfeng saw him, he said happily, "Advisor Yang, great news! Bart started eating normally late last night, and he polished off his entire breakfast this morning."
"Plus, the keepers observed that after he ate, he kept glancing at the lioness in the next enclosure. While there hasn’t been any specific interaction yet, his gaze is clearly... well, much more normal!"
Yang Qi smiled and nodded. "It seems he’s back to normal. His reproductive instincts have been awakened."
Lu Gangsheng was also there and agreed. "From a behavioral perspective, that’s certainly the case. However, to be safe, I suggest we keep him in isolation for another two days of observation. Once we’re sure his mood and appetite are completely stable and he shows a more active interest in the lioness, we can then consider the next step of reintroducing him to the pride."
"Director Lu, your plan is very thorough."
Naturally, Yang Qi agreed with the cautious approach.
...
Since he was already in the Provincial Capital and the matter was mostly resolved, Yang Qi decided to pay a visit to his mentor, Professor Song Chunfang.
The elderly woman had been living in the faculty housing complex of Handong University since her retirement.
Yang Qi first found a high-end health supplement store and bought some daily tonics suitable for the elderly, all in tasteful packaging.
After a moment’s thought, he took out a Strengthening Pill, dissolved it in a bottle of high-quality aged yellow wine, and shook it until it was evenly mixed. This created a bottle of "medicinal wine" that looked ordinary but actually had a mild, body-strengthening, and nourishing effect.
He placed it in an exquisite gift box, then hailed a ride-share to Handong University.
Arriving at the entrance of the quaint and quiet faculty housing complex, Yang Qi took out his phone and dialed Song Chunfang’s number.
The first time, it rang for a long time with no answer.
Yang Qi, slightly puzzled, dialed a second time.
This time, it rang for even longer. Just as Yang Qi was thinking no one would pick up and prepared to try again later, the call finally connected.
"Teacher Song, it’s Yang Qi. I’m in the Provincial Capital for some business and had some free time, so I wanted to come see you. Are you home? I’m at the main gate right now."
Yang Qi said respectfully.
But the voice that came from the other end of the line was that of an unfamiliar middle-aged woman.
"The old stubborn fool is in the hospital, getting ready for surgery."
’What’s going on?’
Startled, Yang Qi quickly asked, "Who is this? Is Teacher Song in the hospital? Which hospital and which department is she in?"
The person on the other end quickly rattled off the hospital address, the inpatient building, and the corresponding floor and ward.
But she didn’t identify herself before hanging up.
Yang Qi put his phone away, his brow furrowed.
’Song Chunfang was suddenly hospitalized? And needs surgery?’
He glanced at the supplements and medicinal wine in his hands. It was obviously inconvenient to "deal with" them at the busy entrance of the complex.
He immediately walked quickly to a deserted, unmonitored corner. With a mere thought, he stored the items in his Hundred Pouches Belt.
Then, he immediately used an app on his phone to call another ride-share, heading straight for the Provincial Third Hospital.
Upon arriving at the hospital, he found the surgical inpatient building and went up to the correct floor, just as he’d been told on the phone.
He then found the operating room area.
In the hallway outside the operating rooms, many people were waiting—men and women, old and young.
Yang Qi didn’t recognize any of them and was about to call again to ask for the specific operating room number.
Just then, a pretty girl who looked to be seventeen or eighteen, with her hair in a ponytail, walked over. She sized up Yang Qi for a moment before tentatively asking, "Are you... Yang Qi? Little Martial Uncle?"
"Yes, I’m Yang Qi."
Yang Qi nodded quickly. "And you are...?"
"My name is He Yuan. Song Chunfang is my grandmother."
The girl explained, then quickly added in a lowered voice, "...You’re even more handsome in person than in your photo."
With his sharp hearing, Yang Qi naturally heard her, but he was in no mood to pay attention to that right now. Pretending he hadn’t heard, he asked urgently, "Hello, He Yuan. How is Teacher Song doing? Has the surgery already started?"
"Yes, Grandma is already in the operating room."
He Yuan pointed to a large door not far away, where a red light indicated "Surgery in Progress." "The person who answered your call was my mom. She’s a doctor here too, and she’s busy with work right now."
"Come on, Little Martial Uncle, I’ll introduce you to your senior martial brothers and sisters. They’re all waiting over there."
With that, she began to lead the way.
Yang Qi hurried to follow, unable to resist asking again as they walked, "He Yuan, what exactly is wrong with Teacher Song? Why does she suddenly need surgery?"
Hearing this, He Yuan sighed and lowered her voice. "It’s not a sudden emergency. It’s a chronic issue that’s built up over many years. Problems with her spine and joints from her fieldwork back when she was young, and her heart isn’t in great shape either."
"This time, it’s mainly a severe problem with her lumbar spine. It’s compressing a nerve, and conservative treatments haven’t worked, so the doctors recommended surgery."
Hearing that it was a chronic condition that had developed over many years, Yang Qi felt a little more at ease.
’Looks like I’ll have to change the plan for the medicinal wine made with the Strengthening Pill,’ he thought to himself.
The Strengthening Pill was more suitable for daily health maintenance. For Teacher Song, who was recovering from surgery and a major illness, the Nourishing Essence Pill would be a much better fit.
The Nourishing Essence Pill was a product from the System, designed to restore one’s vital energy after a major illness. It also had a faint healing effect, promoting wound closure and accelerating the recovery of physical and mental energy. Its properties were also milder than the Strengthening Pill’s, making it more suitable for a frail elderly person post-surgery.
