Chinese Novel

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Chapter 43: Unexpected Events and Long-standing Illnesses

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On a Saturday at eleven in the morning. Zhang Yuanqing yawned as he woke up, still half-asleep. Since becoming the Night Wanderer, he had trouble sleeping at night, spending entire nights playing games, leaving him lethargic and constantly drowsy during the day. Two days after his conversation with Ling, Li Dongze and Guan Ya had been frequently out, actively involved in the investigation of the Black Unseen and his subordinates. As a result, Zhang Yuanqing's combat training had been postponed. Originally, according to Li Dongze's plan, Guan Ya was to begin combat training for Yuan Shi, which, given the Night Wanderer's physical condition, should have been achievable within a short period. However, due to the Cup and Register incident, the training had been delayed—staffing shortages in the second team made it necessary. Zhang Yuanqing had once asked Li Dongze about the teammates who had never appeared, but when Shizhang's expression turned slightly awkward, as though there was something unspoken. The considerate Yuan Shi Tianzun chose not to press further. Additionally, Wang Qian from the Zheng Sha Palace had agreed to serve as his informant, showing unexpectedly strong cooperation and a clear sense of dedication. Due to the Ou Xiangrong incident, the administration at Songhai University has become significantly stricter, with the university now prohibiting on-campus students from going out at night, thus putting off all social events. After a simple bath, Grandma's lunch was still not ready, so Zhang Yuanqing returned to his room to entertain the infant spirit. At this moment, he was arranging a "first steps" ceremony for the little enthusiast. After experiencing 50%, the purity and density of the Yin energy had both increased. He then noticed that the infant spirits nurtured by this Yin energy showed a slight improvement in intelligence. Zhang Yuanqing placed textbooks around the round and charming infant spirit—mathematics on the left, Chinese on the right, English and physics in front and back. "You're so talented, with such rich knowledge—your little one can't fall behind. Choose one." The little enthusiast blinked his black, shiny eyes, tilted his head, and pondered for a while before finally grasping Zhang Yuanqing's meaning. Then, he swiftly moved his limbs and quickly crawled toward the physics textbook. "Oh, a promising child..." Just as Zhang Yuanqing's face broke into a smile, he saw the little one leap over the physics textbook and embrace the PS5 gaming console, tumbling down in a clumsy heap because he couldn't reach it physically. "A waste! Nothing like me at all!" Zhang Yuanqing scolded angrily. "When I was your age, I could already compose seven-character poems by heart." Ah! He sighed in disappointment. To elevate the infant spirit's intelligence and nurture it into something truly remarkable, he would need to master the night-wanderer's skill of tending ghosts—something that required upgrading. Time was running short; the second spiritual realm mission was approaching. After lunch, Zhang Yuanqing went into the bedroom, poured warm water into the teacup, and opened the nightstand drawer to retrieve a white medicine bottle. "Honestly, I've been so busy lately that I've completely forgotten to take my medicine—now it's been delayed for two days..." He murmured while pouring the medicine, tipping a few small pills into his palm. Suddenly, Zhang Yuanqing's expression froze. Yes, I've delayed my symptoms by two days—why hasn't my chronic condition flared up? My condition has clearly worsened; the frequency of episodes should only increase, not slow down. Is it because I've become a nocturnal wanderer, and my physical condition has transformed? "Actually, since I was promoted to a nocturnal wanderer, I haven't experienced any symptoms at all—perhaps I've truly recovered?" He felt elated, yet hesitated, so he decided to try it out. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and mentally envisioned his father's somewhat blurred face. After an unknown duration, his heart suddenly thumped, and his mind surged with activity—various noises poured into his consciousness, and fragmented images began to revive. Yet, in the next moment, the noises became organized, and the images no longer fragmented. Not exactly that the sounds and images became orderly—rather, his brain's ability to process information had strengthened. He heard his uncle dancing in the living room, with the background music playing "Scrambled Eggs and Pancakes." His aunt was watching TV in the bedroom, occasionally complaining: "It's too loud—please quiet down." The kitchen is the sound of Grandma washing dishes. The bed downstairs creaks softly, and through the analysis of the sounds of collision, Zhang Yuanqing confidently concludes that the mistress is lying on her side. Her brain continues processing information... "Guan Ya always carries an indescribable confidence, and Colonel Shi treats her with considerable courtesy—unlike how he treats me and Wang Tai. When I mentioned those team members, Colonel Shi looked embarrassed and helpless. There's something off with the conductor Wang Qian; he was dismissive toward me yesterday..." "Little one, so close to Auntie, so close to Auntie..." At that moment, the bedroom door suddenly opens, shattering Zhang Yuanqing's elusive, almost mystical state. "Let's go," Jiang Yu E says with a soft, youthful voice. "I'll take you shopping." Today, she wears a knee-length pleated dress, white shoes, and a loose, light blue blouse. With her sweet, approachable appearance, she looks both serene and well-mannered—fresh, calm, and charming. Jiang Yu, with her graceful and pleasant demeanor, has become a sought-after figure in the dating scene. Confident men find it easy to handle women who are both beautiful and composed, while men who feel less assured also find it easier to connect with such elegant and approachable women. Zhang Yuanqing stared at his aunt, stunned, and suddenly expelled two streams of warm, fresh blood from his nasal passages. "Captain, he..." the assistant lowered her voice, saying, "he's been dating a beautiful woman. He's staying at the airport, refusing to leave, insisting on deepening their emotional connection..." Fu Qingyang's forehead tightened, veins pulsing. "Tell him whether it's he who comes out on his own, or if I have to go in and pull him out." The assistant nodded and then hung up. A few minutes later, she led a young man into the underground parking garage, walking toward the business vehicle. The young man wore loose, off-white pants and a light blue shirt, his sleeves fluttering gracefully with each step—elegant and fluid. He had a refined appearance, his eyes half-closed with a warm, smiling gaze, exuding a deep-rooted ease and relaxation. Approachable, relaxed, harmless. That was the first impression the young man made. Fu Qingyang remained cold, saying, "No wonder he's a 'flower prince'—everywhere he goes, women seem to fall for him." "This renowned flower prince, truly embodying his name, is a quintessential flower prince—his father is the head of the Taiyuan Sect, and his family is distinguished. With his exceptional talents, he is surrounded by countless admirers. If he were merely handsome and fond of women, he wouldn't quite measure up to Fu Qingyang. He's called a flower prince not just for his charm, but because he truly understands women and enjoys an excellent reputation among them. Facing criticism, Ling Jun narrowed his eyes and smiled, 'Don't make it so ordinary. A beautiful woman is an artwork—her grace must be carefully appreciated and gradually understood to truly reveal her beauty. That is refinement.' Fu Qingyang frowned, 'Because of your refinement, I've lost an entire hour—my affairs have been delayed.' 'Qingyang, life isn't only about career; there are countless beautiful things worth discovering,' Ling Jun said, smiling gently. 'I'm already aware of the matter concerning the Ghost-Eye Judge. I will fully assist you. My father is deeply concerned about the Ghost-Eye Judge's passing.' 'Why so?' Fu Qingyang asked, looking at him." "This person's time of death is very close to that of the demon king, and Father suspects there may be a connection between them." "Why does the Master insist on the demon king's death and keep searching for the demon king's heir?" "Because, before he passed away, the demon king left behind something very significant on his character card." "What was it?" "I can only tell you that it represents the ultimate—something that embodies the very essence of the spiritual realm." ... Lunghua Department Store, a tea and milk shop. Zhang Yuanqing sat down, carrying a stack of shopping bags, lifted his glass cup, and took a deep, satisfying sip of the milk tea with ice cubes floating in it. He immediately felt revitalized. The most exhausting part of accompanying his aunt around the mall wasn't physical—it was the mental strain. Fortunately, the youthful energy and graceful posture of the young women helped ease that fatigue. As he sipped his milk tea, Zhang Yuanqing felt cheerful and at ease. He had confirmed one thing: his chronic illness had been effectively alleviated. In addition to a reduced frequency of episodes, he now finds it easier to actively trigger his chronic conditions, and most importantly, symptoms such as headaches and nosebleeds after onset have significantly improved. Perhaps in the future, he could freely manage his state of mental agitation—then he could delegate writing papers to Wang Tai. Hah! No, that would be too lackluster. Zhang Yuanqing quickly pushed this appealing idea out of his mind. "Ah, this month's salary isn't enough to cover my expenses," his aunt sighed. Zhang Yuanqing glanced at her with disdain. "When have you ever had enough salary to cover your expenses? You're always drawing from your grandparents' funds." Her aunt is still an intern physician with a modest salary, yet she never lacks in luxuries—most of her expenses come from her grandparents. The grandparents have substantial savings, their eldest daughter has a successful career, and their eldest son married into a wealthy family—so they're always well-off. That leaves the savings to be depleted by their younger daughter. Jiang Yu, pursing her lips and acting helpless, said, "Indeed, indeed—how could I be any use? Without earning money, I can only rely fully on my father." While chatting casually, Zhang Yuanqing pulled out her phone and habitually logged into the official forum to check if there were any interesting posts. The official forum served two main purposes: first, it issued important announcements and updates; second, it provided a platform for regional spiritual travelers to exchange information and share intelligence. In Zhang Yuanqing's view, the forum was a rapidly effective way to broaden one's horizons.