In the afternoon, Long Xiao and Ah Hu sat chatting in the villa while Ah Long supervised the renovation to alter the villa's layout.
Xue Meiqin took the opportunity to ask Long Xiao many questions about Feng Shui. Since this didn't require any cultivation foundation, Long Xiao answered every question with detailed explanations.
To speed up the work, Ah Hu paid double the wages. The foreman hired two excavators and more than twenty people, completing the renovation in one afternoon.
As dusk settled, Ah Long paid the construction crew and saw them off. Long Xiao returned to the courtyard.
With the villa's layout changed, Long Xiao concentrated and observed, soon detecting a subtle influx of vital energy entering the villa and heading straight for the master bedroom.
The residual malevolent energy in the bedroom would be dispelled by the vital energy within two to three days. Thus, Long Xiao told Ah Long they could move back into the original bedroom after three days.
Ah Long's matter was now completely resolved. After dinner, Long Xiao called Lin Xuan. Feeling a bit restless, he decided to take a walk up the small hill next to the villa.
Accompanied by Ah Hu and Xue Meiqin, they followed a small mountain path and soon reached the summit.
The general principles of the 'Xing Long Guan Qi' cultivation method in "Long Zang" stated that the qi patterns in cities and the wilderness are completely different. Cities are influenced by human qi, while only natural qi represents the true qi pattern of the world.
Standing at the mountaintop, Long Xiao concentrated and began observing the qi coordination patterns of the small mountain.
An hour later, Long Xiao finally had an epiphany. He realized he had a significant flaw in his observation of qi patterns – he was being influenced by human qi.
In essence, humans and other animals differ only in their level of intelligence; there are no fundamental differences in other aspects.
Humans, like all other animals, are part of nature and should be observed as such when analyzing qi patterns.
Soon, Long Xiao noticed the surrounding qi patterns changing rapidly, becoming increasingly dazzling.
After another ten minutes, Long Xiao could no longer bear it and closed his eyes.
Various forms of qi were still flowing at high speed before his eyes, and he couldn't block them out, so he continued to observe.
Another hour passed, and Long Xiao finally opened his eyes. The dazzling flow of qi before him had vanished.
"So that's how it is. Wonderful, truly wonderful," Long Xiao murmured to himself.
"Brother Long, what did you discover?" Ah Hu asked, having stood with Long Xiao for two hours.
Long Xiao chuckled and said, "Everything I thought before was wrong. If I'm not mistaken, I'll be able to break through soon."
Hearing that Long Xiao could break through, both Ah Hu and Xue Meiqin were happy for him.
Returning to Ah Long's villa, Long Xiao sat cross-legged on the bed and cultivated all night. The next morning, he didn't feel tired but rather more energetic than the day before.
With Ah Long's issue resolved, Long Xiao, along with Brother Hu from Xicheng and Xue Meiqin, hurried back to Donghai.
Upon returning to Donghai, Long Xiao contacted Luan Jiping and confirmed their departure in two days. He began to ponder how to explain his imminent departure to Lin Xuan shortly after his return.
After much thought, he couldn't come up with a good solution. Long Xiao decided to invite Lin Xuan out for a meal with Luan Jiping to explain things directly.
He knew Lin Xuan wasn't a jealous woman, and explaining it clearly shouldn't be a problem.
Once the dining time was set, Long Xiao called Luan Jiping to brief her on the situation.
"No problem, little brother. As long as you're willing to accompany me back to the capital, I'll convince your wife."
Luan Jiping agreed readily, appearing to be completely confident.
After confirming, Long Xiao booked a private room at the Donghai Grand Hotel and then called Lin Xuan, telling her someone wanted to treat her to a meal.
"Long Xiao, is it that beautiful woman who's inviting me to dinner to have it out with me?"
Lin Xuan's voice was filled with playful mockery and authority, as if she were about to confront Long Xiao.
Long Xiao quickly replied with a smile, "Wife, I am loyal to you. I won't cheat, nor dare I. This dinner is with a friend who needs my help. She invited you because she's afraid you might be unhappy and wants to clear things up."
"Is she a beauty?" Lin Xuan asked.
Long Xiao hummed in affirmation. "She's somewhat of a beauty. You'll see when you get there. I'll be waiting for you at the entrance of the Donghai Grand Hotel at 6:30."
After settling things with Lin Xuan, it was only two in the afternoon. Long Xiao had Xue Meiqin drive him to Xinglin Caotang.
He had made the call in the car, so Xue Meiqin had heard everything he was planning to do.
All the way there, Xue Meiqin had a sullen face and ignored Long Xiao.
As they arrived in front of Xinglin Caotang, Long Xiao discreetly glanced at Xue Meiqin. Seeing she was still unhappy, he smiled and said, "Nurse sister, who's made you unhappy?"
Xue Meiqin glared at Long Xiao and said, "Of course, it's you, the ungrateful boss."
"My dear aunt, how have I offended you again?"
"Hmph, you only remember taking your wife out for a grand meal and forgot about Nurse Sister."
Long Xiao burst into laughter. "So you're just craving a feast. That's easy to arrange. Come with us tonight."
Xue Meiqin immediately beamed. "That's more like it. Given your good behavior, this Nurse Sister won't be jumping ship."
"Jumping ship? You still want to jump ship? You lost a bet, I didn't invite you here. Get the facts straight, Nurse Sister."
"I remember, you don't need to remind me," Xue Meiqin said, getting out of the car and slamming the door shut.
The two entered Xinglin Caotang. A long queue of people had formed, stretching into the courtyard. Mi Tianfu and Ming Yue were busy attending to patients.
Seeing how tired they looked, Long Xiao thought that with the increasing number of patients, it was time to find them some helpers.
Xue Meiqin, seeing the crowd, immediately helped maintain order, fetching chairs for the elderly and pouring water for women and children. Long Xiao scanned the people in line and, seeing that the dozen or so ahead were ordinary patients, began helping them by dispensing medication.
With Long Xiao's appearance, the speed of consultations clearly increased, which caused some dissatisfaction among patients.
"Young man, Dr. Mi hasn't even told me what's wrong, and you're already giving me medicine?" a young man asked.
Long Xiao smiled and said, "Dr. Mi and I have developed a tacit understanding. A single glance is enough for me to know your ailment."
"I don't believe you."
Long Xiao put down the medicine he was holding and said, "You just have a common cold. A bowl of modified Xiao Chai Hu Tang will cure it. Ask Dr. Mi if I'm wrong."
A few minutes later, while dispensing medicine for an elderly man, the elder asked, "I have a cold too. Is the medicine you're giving me also Xiao Chai Hu Tang?"
Long Xiao shook his head. "Elder, your body cannot be compared to that young man's. I've added Yang Xin Tang to this prescription for you; otherwise, you wouldn't be able to withstand such a strong dosage."
The elder looked at Mi Tianfu, who nodded and said, "He's right. Just take the medicine, and you'll see results in two days and be fully recovered in three."
Soon, all twenty-plus patients were seen. Just as Long Xiao took a breath, he heard a commotion outside the door.
"Hey, you! How can you cut in line?"
"Get the hell out of my way, or I'll get physical!"
A burly man pushed through the crowd and entered the room. Behind him was a woman in red, pushing a wheelchair in which sat a middle-aged man with a broad back and strong physique.