Chapter 554

After a short while, Zhang Jie opened his eyes.

“Ah Jie, you’ve worked hard.”

Xu San exclaimed with heartfelt gratitude.

But Zhang Jie shook his head: “Third Brother, it’s still too early to thank me.”

Xu San’s smile froze on his face: “Does that mean he hasn’t been cured yet?”

Zhang Chulan and the others also looked skeptical.

Although Xu Xiang wasn’t glowing with health, his complexion was ruddy,

and his spirit seemed fine—wasn’t that a sign of successful treatment?

“It’s not that simple.”

Zhang Jie’s expression turned grave: “Xu Shu’s current improvement is merely an illusion caused by my true Qi nourishing his body.

Once my true Qi is exhausted, Xu Shu will revert to his previous state—even worse.”

“Then just give Doggie a few more doses of true Qi, that’s all.”

Feng Baobao spoke with childlike innocence.

Since one dose of true Qi could prolong Xu Xiang’s life for a while,

wouldn’t several more doses extend his life several times over?

And judging by Zhang Jie’s unchanged expression and steady, relaxed breathing,

this one dose clearly wasn’t much of a strain on him.

Xu San and the others weren’t as naive as Feng Baobao; they all waited silently, their expressions solemn.

Zhang Jie spoke with such gravity—he wouldn’t be speaking nonsense.

“This isn’t a simple math problem, not an endless addition of 1+1+1…”

“My true Qi works instantly because Xu Shu’s body has never encountered true Qi before.

It’s like using medicine: the first dose has the strongest effect.

Subsequent doses grow weaker, producing tolerance,

and may even spawn super-resistant bacteria or viruses that backfire.”

Zhang Jie explained patiently.

“Oh.”

Feng Baobao, who had assumed Doggie wouldn’t leave her, sighed in disappointment.

Xu San and Xu Si were disappointed too, but felt this made perfect sense.

If Zhang Jie’s true Qi could truly grant infinite life extension,

wouldn’t that be like the Peaches of Immortality or Ginseng Fruit from myths?

Such things simply shouldn’t exist in this world.

Even the ancient sages who achieved enlightenment and ascended left no records of using true Qi to extend life so drastically.

“To breathe freely and deeply again—even just a few more times—I’m already satisfied.”

Xu Xiang, however, was remarkably carefree, as if the dying man Zhang Jie described wasn’t himself.

“Jie Ge, just tell us your solution—don’t keep us guessing.”

Zhang Chulan said.

Though he’d only known Zhang Jie for a few days—less time than he’d known Feng Baobao—

he understood Zhang Jie’s style well enough.

In short, he was a thoroughly unpleasant riddle-master.

If he weren’t outmatched by Zhang Jie and still needed his help in several places,

he’d seriously shout, “Riddle-man, get out of Gotham!”

“I have two options.”

Zhang Jie didn’t mind Zhang Chulan’s subtle teasing; he held up two fingers.

Zhang Jie paid no mind to Zhang Chulan’s subtle teasing and extended two fingers.

Xu Si asked eagerly, even forgetting the cigarette dangling from his lips had fallen to the ground.

‘Ah Jie is becoming even more inscrutable.’

Xu San, equally eager, sighed inwardly.

Many healers from both the occult world and the ordinary medical field had examined his father’s illness—all had given negative answers.

Yet Zhang Jie, after merely a brief contact, already had two solutions—unimaginable.

“I heard your father kept a rare medicinal herb?”

Zhang Jie didn’t answer directly but asked instead.

“Yes. Years ago, Father happened upon a three-hundred-year-old ginseng root from Mount Zhangbai.”

Xu Si confirmed.

“Is this treatment plan tied to that herb?”

Xu San immediately understood.

“Could this treatment be related to this divine medicine?”

Zhang Jie nodded slightly.

Before his crossing, he didn’t know whether century- or millennium-old ginseng was just hype—

after all, whether real or not, such ancient herbs cost tens, hundreds, even thousands of millions,

far beyond the reach of anyone with less than five-digit wealth.

But in this world, there were occultists, shamans, and cultivators who could harness Qi and wield miraculous abilities;

in the northeast, even cultivators who had trained for centuries were worshipped as Immortals by spirit mediums;

the Five Immortals—Willow (snake), Grey (rat), Yellow (weasel), White (hedgehog), and Fox—could awaken their spirits and gradually cultivate into Immortals;

similarly, herbs born in the wild gained miraculous effects:

some greatly increased true Qi, accelerated healing, or even, in legend, extended lifespan.

Among occultists, there was a profession equal to the Artificer—the Alchemist—

who could refine various elixirs from rare celestial materials.

But compared to the scarce Artificers, Alchemists were even rarer,

each treated as honored guests by occult sects, clans, and even corporations.

Xu San hesitated before speaking:

“We’ve used the ginseng before, but it seemed to have no effect.”

Zhang Jie had expected this. If the herb truly had such power and his family had it,

and Xu San and Xu Si were filial sons, why wouldn’t they have given it to their father?

Now Xu Xiang was on his deathbed, yet the ginseng remained untouched—

the only explanation was that Xu San and Xu Si had already tried it, with poor results.

“The reason the herb didn’t work on Xu Si isn’t because it’s ineffective,

but because Xu Shu’s body is utterly depleted—so weak it can’t even digest the herb.

But I can use my true Qi to refine the herb and use it to prolong his life—perhaps extend his years.”

“The reason the divine medicine failed on Xu Si is not because the medicine is ineffective,

Xu Si, who had once suspected the ginseng was fake and his father had been cheated, suddenly understood.

but I can use true Qi to refine the divine medicine, using it to prolong life, perhaps granting Uncle Xu a few more years.”

Hearing Zhang Jie’s assessment of Xu Xiang’s condition, Xu San’s face betrayed deep sorrow.

Though his father was over seventy—even with top medical care, he was elderly by ordinary standards,

and his passing would be considered a blessed end—he was no ordinary man.

He was a master, even among occultists.

After all, the head of the North China Region, representing the company and overseeing the entire region,

couldn’t possibly be a weakling.

Generally, the stronger an occultist, the longer their lifespan.

The four great families: Lu Ci of the Lu family, Wang Ai of the Wang family, Lu Jin of the Lu family,

and Zhang Zhiwei, the Grand Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain—all were over a hundred, still vibrant.

So their father Xu Xiang’s lifespan shouldn’t end so soon.

His premature depletion was surely due to overexertion,

exhausting his vitality until he had nothing left.

They are all centenarians who still leap and bound with vigor.

Feng Baobao’s large, clear eyes filled with sorrow.

and the reason they perish before their time is naturally due to excessive mental and physical strain,

Consumed too much energy, exhausting its original life.

Doggie.

Feng Baobao’s large, sharply defined eyes were filled with sorrow.

“Ha…”

Although he didn’t smoke, Xu Si still habitually exhaled, as a longtime smoker.

The only person their father, Xu Xiang, would exhaust his life to protect was Feng Baobao.

Over these years, to protect Feng Baobao, they repeatedly changed her appearance and enrolled her as a temporary worker in the North China region.

Temporary workers were assigned to handle tasks ordinary company employees couldn’t manage—fighting and killing were common.

For this reason, Xu Xiang had often picked up his blade and fought in person, sustaining countless injuries.

Bearing the title of regional director while doing the work of a regional temporary worker, it was practically a slow death from exhaustion.