The process of condensing Magical Power was, in itself, a deep tempering of the body.
When that faint yet undeniably real wisp of Magical Power was finally born in his Dantian, Yang Qi felt as if a gentle, pure energy had washed over his entire body, expelling deeper impurities and leaving him feeling light and clear.
He savored this marvelous, transformative feeling for a moment before getting up and heading to the kitchen. He ate all the leftover Spirit Rice from last night to replenish his energy.
Afterward, he sat cross-legged again and circulated the Moon-Inviting Qi Refining Art. He guided the nascent wisp of Magical Power to slowly wander through specific meridians, drawing on the energy from the Spirit Rice to condense even more Magical Power.
By dawn, the Magical Power in his Dantian had grown to six wisps!
Though still faint, he could clearly feel them swimming slowly in his Dantian and Qi Sea, like docile little fish.
"Not bad, not bad."
Having Magical Power felt truly extraordinary.
Yang Qi felt no fatigue from staying up all night. On the contrary, he was full of energy. His mouth was naturally moist, his breath was fresh, and his face was so smooth and clean it seemed he could skip his morning wash.
He got out of bed in a great mood, filled Xiaojiu's bowl with cat food and fresh water, and then headed out, full of vigor, to the warehouse to pick up food and start his workday.
First, he fed the wolf pack.
The moment Happy saw Yang Qi, it immediately reverted to its old antics, rushing to the front of the enclosure with its tail wagging like a propeller, jumping in excitement.
[OUTSIDE]
[EAT GOOD FOOD]
Yang Qi ignored it as usual, strictly portioning out the food.
Seeing this, Happy deflated like a popped balloon. Its ears drooped, and it plopped onto the ground, whimpering pitifully.
Yang Qi paid it no mind.
The Wolf King, Ao Tian, also paid it no mind, maintaining his cold and aloof demeanor. He calmly finished his portion of meat. Then, with those icy wolf eyes, he first shot an emotionless glance at Happy, who was playing the victim on the ground, before turning a cold, scrutinizing, and arrogant gaze upon Yang Qi.
The stark contrast—one warm, one cold; one foolish, one cunning—made Yang Qi chuckle.
Happy and Ao Tian were simply the two extremes of the wolf pack.
After feeding the wolf pack, he went to feed the raccoons in a nearby enclosure.
Afterward, he headed to the staff cafeteria for breakfast.
As he walked through the zoo grounds, Yang Qi noticed many of his colleagues, both men and women, stealing glances at him. The looks in their eyes were strange.
Puzzled, he subconsciously touched his face.
Just then, Nurse Xiaohan from the Veterinary Station, an acquaintance of his, was walking toward him. Yang Qi stopped her and asked, "Morning, Nurse Han. Hey... why is everyone looking at me today? Do I have something on my face?"
Nurse Xiaohan didn't speak. She just lifted her gaze and stared intently at Yang Qi's face for a few seconds. A blush suddenly crept up her cheeks, and she looked away, lowering her head and mumbling a reply.
"N-no."
With that, she scurried away.
'What was that about?'
Yang Qi was even more baffled as he walked into the cafeteria, completely bewildered.
What he didn't realize was that with the birth of his Magical Power, his aura had undergone a subtle change. His skin had become smoother, his eyes clearer and more profound, and building on his already handsome features, he now exuded a unique, attractive air.
It was more effective than a maxed-out beauty filter, and with an added touch of Spiritual Qi.
...
After buying and finishing breakfast, Yang Qi returned to his assigned section and began cleaning the enclosures.
First up was the raccoon enclosure. The little guys were quite cooperative, just watching him work with curiosity.
Next was the wolf enclosure.
The other wolves were already used to the cleaning routine; most of them were lying around lazily or simply stayed out of the way.
Happy, however, was still a bundle of excess energy. It ran circles around Yang Qi as he tried to clean, occasionally nudging his pant leg with its nose and seriously disrupting his work.
Yang Qi scolded it a few times, but to little effect.
An idea suddenly struck him. Looking at this "Husky Wolf" with what seemed like terminal ADHD, he decided to run an experiment.
He focused his mind, mobilized five wisps of Magical Power from his Dantian, and cast a [Basic Spirit Awakening Technique] at Happy.
FWIP~
A nearly imperceptible ray of Spiritual Light shot from his fingertip into Happy's forehead.
Instantly, Happy froze mid-motion.
It shook its head. When it looked up again, its eyes, which had always held a goofy look, now contained an obvious spark of intelligence and contemplation.
Yang Qi seized the opportunity to warn it.
"Listen up, Happy. Be good and stop causing trouble. If you behave, I'll take you out for a treat next time I get the chance."
"Arf~"
[OKAY]
Happy had actually understood and given a clear response.
It stopped circling Yang Qi, ran to the other side of the enclosure, and lay down on its own.
However, unlike its previous state of blissful ignorance, the newly intelligent Happy didn't stay quiet for long.
It began to observe its surroundings outside the enclosure with greater curiosity.
When its gaze swept over its fellow wolves, a faint hint of disdain appeared in its eyes.
The other wolves weren't as perceptive; they just thought Happy was acting a bit strange today and didn't pay it much mind.
That is, until Happy's scrutinizing and faintly disdainful gaze accidentally met that of the Wolf King, Ao Tian!
Ao Tian was jolted from his light sleep. He shot to his feet, a low, cold growl rumbling in his throat. His majestic wolf eyes locked onto Happy, and an invisible pressure filled the air.
Startled by the sudden movement, Happy flinched, instinctively tucking in its neck. It quickly turned its head away, lowered its body, and stuck out its tongue in a gesture of innocence and submission.
Ao Tian snorted a warning through his nose and continued to watch Happy coldly for a long moment. After confirming the other wolf had no intention of further provocation, he lay back down. Even so, his vigilant gaze continued to sweep over Happy from time to time.
Yang Qi watched the entire exchange, laughing to himself.
'A king's majesty cannot be challenged!'
Happy's intelligence had increased, but that didn't mean its combat prowess had improved in tandem. In front of the Wolf King, it still had to cower when necessary.
Averting his gaze, Yang Qi continued with his cleaning.
After finishing the cleaning, he also disinfected the area. By the time he completed the entire process, it was only just noon.
He was far more efficient than the other keepers.
Just as he finished putting away his tools and was about to head back to his dorm for a break, his phone rang. It was an invitation for a WeChat video call. The caller ID read: Cheng Yao.
The moment Yang Qi answered, Cheng Yao's urgent voice came from the other side.
"Yang Qi, are you free right now? Can you come to the panda exhibit immediately? Something seems to be wrong with Tuantuan!"
"I'll be right there!" Yang Qi's expression turned serious as he replied instantly.
He hung up and, without breaking stride, immediately turned and rushed toward the giant panda exhibit.
By the time he reached the exhibit, a crowd of tourists, drawn by the unusual commotion, had already gathered outside the panda enclosure, pointing and murmuring about the scene inside.
At the scene, besides a frantic-looking Cheng Yao, was the panda's dedicated keeper, a delicate-looking young woman named Hu Jing. Dr. Zhang and Nurse Xiaohan from the Veterinary Station had also arrived and were observing the situation from behind the safety railing.
Inside the enclosure, one of the Zoo's biggest stars, the giant panda Tuantuan, was acting completely contrary to its usual lazy self, appearing agitated and restless.
It would occasionally raise its head to let out a cry—a sound unlike its usual bleat. This cry carried an obvious tone of agitation, frustration, and pain. The panda kept rubbing its head against the walls and the wooden climbing frame.
"What's the situation?" Yang Qi strode forward to ask Hu Jing, the keeper who knew Tuantuan best.
The moment he spoke—
[Task Triggered: A distressed "Ancient Iron-Eating Beast" has been discovered. Host, please resolve its troubles as soon as possible.]