Chapter 110.3
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Qiao Zhiya returned home with the blood and scales, but as soon as the hovercar was out of Fan Xiangnan’s sight, his expression immediately fell, and his ears drooped. He remembered how Chu Rong had initially intended to personally accompany him but ended up staying in the office with a furrowed brow. He felt a sense of melancholy.
Chu Rong was off, very off. It wasn’t just his emotions but also his spiritual energy, and he had been suppressing and disguising this imbalance, unwilling to let Qiao Zhiya notice.
Why? Was he afraid of worrying him?
He also recalled Chu Rong’s behavior, how despite his unstable emotions and reluctance, he had still complied with Qiao Zhiya’s requests as much as possible. Qiao Zhiya’s head drooped lower, feeling utterly dejected.
He should have noticed sooner. Chu Rong had been trying to make time to come home and spend time with him lately, and they had been together for quite a while. But how could he be so foolish and not notice Chu Rong’s distress?
He slapped his forehead in frustration, berating himself for a while before quickly rallying. Thinking about the blood and scales brought back his determination, and he walked briskly towards the main residence — he had to be faster! Once he resolved the issues troubling Chu Rong, he wouldn’t be so tired anymore! As long as he tried a little harder!
That night, Chu Rong returned home late again, and Qiao Zhiya was already asleep. He quietly washed up, took a dose of potion to stabilize his spiritual energy, then climbed into bed and pulled the sleeping Qiao Zhiya into his arms, closing his eyes contentedly.
Half an hour later, just when Qiao Zhiya should have been sound asleep, he stirred and adjusted his sleeping position, gradually enveloping both of them in magic.
Time passed quickly for Qiao Zhiya, who was immersed in his research, and for Chu Rong, who became increasingly busy. Suddenly, the holiday arrived, and a spaceship from the Empire slowly arrived at the Federation’s Capital Planet.
Chu Rong frowned as he carried Qiao Zhiya out of the laboratory after a few days of confinement. After changing into a fresh set of clothes, he took Qiao Zhiya by the hand and led him out.
After boarding the hovercar, Qiao Zhiya yawned, lazily snuggling into Chu Rong’s embrace. Sensing his fatigue, Chu Rong gently tugged at his ear, asking, “What time did you go to bed last night?”
Qiao Zhiya twisted in his arms, leaning back into his embrace, and replied, “9:30.”
9:30?
Chu Rong paused in his ear-pinching and asked, “And what time did you wake up today?”
“6 AM. I had lean meat congee and buns for breakfast, meat chops and salad for lunch, and took a nap in the afternoon. I only went to the lab right before you came back,” Qiao Zhiya lazily recounted his day’s schedule, hanging limply on Chu Rong.
It was a very healthy routine and diet. Chu Rong frowned, reaching up to touch his head, and asked in confusion, “Then why are you…”
Qiao Zhiya lifted his head at the opportune moment, his face no longer showing signs of sleepiness. With a slight blush, he leaned in to kiss Chu Rong on the cheek, then wrapped his arm around Chu Rong’s neck, nuzzling against his neck, and complained, “You haven’t been coming home on time for several days…”
‘Ah, so, he was looking for an excuse to act spoiled.’
Chu Rong’s expression softened, tightening his arms around him. He turned his head to kiss Qiao Zhiya’s cheek gently and apologized, “I’m sorry. After this period, I’ll take a break and spend time with you.”
Qiao Zhiya then released his magic, snuggling closer. Chu Rong hesitated for a moment but ultimately accepted his affectionate gestures, allowing himself to be comforted. Qiao Zhiya succeeded in making him smile, nuzzling Chu Rong’s neck contentedly, pointy ears fluttering.
As the symbol of the nation, the Presidential Palace was still in ruins. Therefore, the reception for the Imperial visitors was arranged at the military’s reception building. The Imperial delegation had arrived in the morning, and Chu Rong had already officially entertained them with Chu Huai. Now, he was taking Qiao Zhiya there for a private meeting.
And the reason for arranging this private meeting in such a hurry and personally coming back to pick him up…
“Imperial High Advisor is sick?” Qiao Zhiya’s smile disappeared as he listened to Chu Rong’s explanation. He looked up and asked, “What’s wrong? Is it serious?”
“I don’t know. The doctor only said he’s physically weak, but they couldn’t find the cause.” Chu Rong comfortingly pinched his drooping ears and added, “All his physical indicators are above normal values, but he’s been in a coma, and Jian is very worried. He hopes you can go take a look.”
Qiao Zhiya’s worry intensified upon hearing this, especially recalling his recent research on the blood and scales. His relaxed attitude when leaving home completely dissipated.
When the hovercar arrived at the military headquarters, it stopped directly in front of the reception building. Chu Rong led Qiao Zhiya out of the car, bypassing the main building and heading towards a nearby annex.
“Jian has refused all requests to visit the Imperial High Advisor, including mine. He insists on staying in this annex with the Imperial High Advisor,” Chu Rong explained as he led Qiao Zhiya to the master bedroom on the second floor of the annex. He smoothed out Qiao Zhiya’s furrowed brow and said, “So far, all examinations of the Imperial High Advisor have been done by Jian under the guidance of doctors. Jian has requested to see you, so I brought you here. But if you don’t want to go in, I can take you away now.”
During this time, he had been learning to listen more to Qiao Zhiya’s voice, trusting his every word and action. Although he was very reluctant for Qiao Zhiya to make this trip, because the memory tampering incident was likely related to the Imperial High Advisor, he couldn’t rest assured letting Qiao confront him while the Imperial High Advisor was unconscious. But Jian was Qiao’s friend, and the Imperial High Advisor was someone Qiao knew. Given Qiao’s character, he would definitely worry and try to help when he found out someone he knew was in trouble.
This was Qiao’s nature, and Chu Rong didn’t want Qiao to have any regrets in the future, so he brought him here.
As expected, after listening to his words, Qiao Zhiya almost immediately chose to enter, his eyes filled with anxiety.
Chu Rong carefully examined his expression, hesitated for a moment, then reached out to knock on the door, saying, “I’ll wait for you outside.”
The door opened quickly, and Jian appeared at the doorway. At the same time, a gentle force that Qiao Zhiya had felt from the Imperial High Advisor before emanated from the room. Qiao Zhiya’s heart tightened, and without exchanging greetings with Jian, he hurried into the room.
Chu Rong and Jian locked eyes. Chu Rong furrowed his brow and said, “Ensure his safety.”
Jian was momentarily stunned, guessing that Chu Rong might have discovered something. He nodded and replied, “I will.”
As the door closed, Chu Rong stood outside, his spiritual energy, which had already stabilized considerably, beginning to fluctuate again. He furrowed his brow, rubbed his temples, and took out another dose of medication, swallowing it.
Upon entering the room, the presence of that force in the air became even more apparent. Qiao Zhiya walked a few steps to the bedside and gasped in shock when he saw the appearance of the Imperial High Advisor.
The Imperial High Advisor was indeed unconscious, looking surprisingly healthy, but there were some scales on the side of his face that closely matched his skin tone. It wasn’t ugly, but it appeared extremely eerie and strange.
“What’s going on?” Although Qiao Zhiya had guessed that the Imperial High Advisor might belong to an alien race related to beasts, seeing the “non-human” appearance so directly still shocked him.
Jian stepped forward to tidy the Imperial High Advisor’s hair and gently took out his hand from under the blanket, pulling up the loose sleeve of his pajamas. Turning to Qiao Zhiya, he said, “This is it. Father has ‘beastified.'”
Qiao Zhiya’s gaze shifted to the Imperial High Advisor’s arm, seeing that it was covered with scales, and his nails had turned into claws. His small face tightened immediately, leaning closer with a serious expression, and asked, “How did this happen? Beasts that can take human form only do so when their powers decline or when they are seriously injured. Could it be that the Imperial High Advisor…”
“No, Father’s powers may not be as strong as before, but it’s related to his self-sealing from years ago. Father has been very cautious in the use of his powers over the years, and there is no sign of decline. These symptoms appeared slowly after boarding the ship,” Jian explained, putting the Imperial High Advisor’s arm back under the blanket. He turned to Qiao Zhiya, his eyes filled with pleading, and said, “I haven’t inherited this part of Father’s bloodline, so I can’t help him. But you are of the same race as Father, and you can save him, right?”
Qiao Zhiya sensed Jian’s helplessness, and he also wanted to help, but… hesitating for a moment, he honestly replied, “Actually… I don’t even know what species of beast your father is, nor do I understand why he always said I am of his kin. Apart from the recent atavism phenomenon, I had no idea there were beast genes in my body before.”
Last time he contacted the Imperial High Advisor, the Imperial High Advisor didn’t provide a direct answer either, so he had been in a rather confused state regarding this matter.
Jian was stunned by his words and asked, “You don’t know what species my father is?”
Qiao Zhiya nodded, then looked at him and whispered, “So, if I may ask, your father…”
“I don’t know either.” Jian interrupted him, and the two of them stared at each other, completely dumbfounded. Jian explained, “Father said the more you know, the greater the risk of harm. To prevent tragedies from recurring, he has kept many things from me.”
“…” This sounded somewhat familiar, as Chu Rong sometimes did the same.
After a few seconds of frozen silence, the two naive children who had been deceived and kept in the dark by the adults were at a loss. Finally, Qiao Zhiya tentatively reached out, conjuring a bit of magic, and said, “I… I’ll try using magic first. In theory, magic should have a calming effect on beasts as well.”
Jian quickly got up and gestured for him to sit on the bed.
The wood-element magic slowly spread out. Qiao Zhiya tightened his grip on his palm, gently holding the hand of the Imperial High Advisor, whose scales and strange nails covered it. Suppressing the discomfort brought by the strange sensation of the scales, once the magic enveloped the Imperial High Advisor completely, he began to direct the magic into the Imperial High Advisor’s body.
The sound of blood flowing, the beating of the heart, the sound of breathing, the sound of power surging through the body… The wood-element magic spread smoothly throughout the Imperial High Advisor’s body, digging into all the secrets within him.
Subconsciously, Qiao Zhiya closed his eyes, slowed his breathing, and directed his power towards the Imperial High Advisor’s brain.
However, to his surprise, he found nothing there. Unlike the human mind and his magic pool, the Imperial High Advisor’s brain was empty. His power core was not in his brain.
Qiao Zhiya’s eyelashes fluttered, he tightened his grip on the Imperial High Advisor’s hand, and once again spread the wood-element magic throughout the Imperial High Advisor’s body.
‘Where could it be…’ he searched while nourishing the Imperial High Advisor’s body with his magic, searching for his power core, his breathing slowing down.
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Qiao Zhiya returned home with the blood and scales, but as soon as the hovercar was out of Fan Xiangnan’s sight, his expression immediately fell, and his ears drooped. He remembered how Chu Rong had initially intended to personally accompany him but ended up staying in the office with a furrowed brow. He felt a sense of melancholy.
Chu Rong was off, very off. It wasn’t just his emotions but also his spiritual energy, and he had been suppressing and disguising this imbalance, unwilling to let Qiao Zhiya notice.
Why? Was he afraid of worrying him?
He also recalled Chu Rong’s behavior, how despite his unstable emotions and reluctance, he had still complied with Qiao Zhiya’s requests as much as possible. Qiao Zhiya’s head drooped lower, feeling utterly dejected.
He should have noticed sooner. Chu Rong had been trying to make time to come home and spend time with him lately, and they had been together for quite a while. But how could he be so foolish and not notice Chu Rong’s distress?
He slapped his forehead in frustration, berating himself for a while before quickly rallying. Thinking about the blood and scales brought back his determination, and he walked briskly towards the main residence — he had to be faster! Once he resolved the issues troubling Chu Rong, he wouldn’t be so tired anymore! As long as he tried a little harder!
That night, Chu Rong returned home late again, and Qiao Zhiya was already asleep. He quietly washed up, took a dose of potion to stabilize his spiritual energy, then climbed into bed and pulled the sleeping Qiao Zhiya into his arms, closing his eyes contentedly.
Half an hour later, just when Qiao Zhiya should have been sound asleep, he stirred and adjusted his sleeping position, gradually enveloping both of them in magic.
Time passed quickly for Qiao Zhiya, who was immersed in his research, and for Chu Rong, who became increasingly busy. Suddenly, the holiday arrived, and a spaceship from the Empire slowly arrived at the Federation’s Capital Planet.
Chu Rong frowned as he carried Qiao Zhiya out of the laboratory after a few days of confinement. After changing into a fresh set of clothes, he took Qiao Zhiya by the hand and led him out.
After boarding the hovercar, Qiao Zhiya yawned, lazily snuggling into Chu Rong’s embrace. Sensing his fatigue, Chu Rong gently tugged at his ear, asking, “What time did you go to bed last night?”
Qiao Zhiya twisted in his arms, leaning back into his embrace, and replied, “9:30.”
9:30?
Chu Rong paused in his ear-pinching and asked, “And what time did you wake up today?”
“6 AM. I had lean meat congee and buns for breakfast, meat chops and salad for lunch, and took a nap in the afternoon. I only went to the lab right before you came back,” Qiao Zhiya lazily recounted his day’s schedule, hanging limply on Chu Rong.
It was a very healthy routine and diet. Chu Rong frowned, reaching up to touch his head, and asked in confusion, “Then why are you…”
Qiao Zhiya lifted his head at the opportune moment, his face no longer showing signs of sleepiness. With a slight blush, he leaned in to kiss Chu Rong on the cheek, then wrapped his arm around Chu Rong’s neck, nuzzling against his neck, and complained, “You haven’t been coming home on time for several days…”
‘Ah, so, he was looking for an excuse to act spoiled.’
Chu Rong’s expression softened, tightening his arms around him. He turned his head to kiss Qiao Zhiya’s cheek gently and apologized, “I’m sorry. After this period, I’ll take a break and spend time with you.”
Qiao Zhiya then released his magic, snuggling closer. Chu Rong hesitated for a moment but ultimately accepted his affectionate gestures, allowing himself to be comforted. Qiao Zhiya succeeded in making him smile, nuzzling Chu Rong’s neck contentedly, pointy ears fluttering.
As the symbol of the nation, the Presidential Palace was still in ruins. Therefore, the reception for the Imperial visitors was arranged at the military’s reception building. The Imperial delegation had arrived in the morning, and Chu Rong had already officially entertained them with Chu Huai. Now, he was taking Qiao Zhiya there for a private meeting.
And the reason for arranging this private meeting in such a hurry and personally coming back to pick him up…
“Imperial High Advisor is sick?” Qiao Zhiya’s smile disappeared as he listened to Chu Rong’s explanation. He looked up and asked, “What’s wrong? Is it serious?”
“I don’t know. The doctor only said he’s physically weak, but they couldn’t find the cause.” Chu Rong comfortingly pinched his drooping ears and added, “All his physical indicators are above normal values, but he’s been in a coma, and Jian is very worried. He hopes you can go take a look.”
Qiao Zhiya’s worry intensified upon hearing this, especially recalling his recent research on the blood and scales. His relaxed attitude when leaving home completely dissipated.
When the hovercar arrived at the military headquarters, it stopped directly in front of the reception building. Chu Rong led Qiao Zhiya out of the car, bypassing the main building and heading towards a nearby annex.
“Jian has refused all requests to visit the Imperial High Advisor, including mine. He insists on staying in this annex with the Imperial High Advisor,” Chu Rong explained as he led Qiao Zhiya to the master bedroom on the second floor of the annex. He smoothed out Qiao Zhiya’s furrowed brow and said, “So far, all examinations of the Imperial High Advisor have been done by Jian under the guidance of doctors. Jian has requested to see you, so I brought you here. But if you don’t want to go in, I can take you away now.”
During this time, he had been learning to listen more to Qiao Zhiya’s voice, trusting his every word and action. Although he was very reluctant for Qiao Zhiya to make this trip, because the memory tampering incident was likely related to the Imperial High Advisor, he couldn’t rest assured letting Qiao confront him while the Imperial High Advisor was unconscious. But Jian was Qiao’s friend, and the Imperial High Advisor was someone Qiao knew. Given Qiao’s character, he would definitely worry and try to help when he found out someone he knew was in trouble.
This was Qiao’s nature, and Chu Rong didn’t want Qiao to have any regrets in the future, so he brought him here.
As expected, after listening to his words, Qiao Zhiya almost immediately chose to enter, his eyes filled with anxiety.
Chu Rong carefully examined his expression, hesitated for a moment, then reached out to knock on the door, saying, “I’ll wait for you outside.”
The door opened quickly, and Jian appeared at the doorway. At the same time, a gentle force that Qiao Zhiya had felt from the Imperial High Advisor before emanated from the room. Qiao Zhiya’s heart tightened, and without exchanging greetings with Jian, he hurried into the room.
Chu Rong and Jian locked eyes. Chu Rong furrowed his brow and said, “Ensure his safety.”
Jian was momentarily stunned, guessing that Chu Rong might have discovered something. He nodded and replied, “I will.”
As the door closed, Chu Rong stood outside, his spiritual energy, which had already stabilized considerably, beginning to fluctuate again. He furrowed his brow, rubbed his temples, and took out another dose of medication, swallowing it.
Upon entering the room, the presence of that force in the air became even more apparent. Qiao Zhiya walked a few steps to the bedside and gasped in shock when he saw the appearance of the Imperial High Advisor.
The Imperial High Advisor was indeed unconscious, looking surprisingly healthy, but there were some scales on the side of his face that closely matched his skin tone. It wasn’t ugly, but it appeared extremely eerie and strange.
“What’s going on?” Although Qiao Zhiya had guessed that the Imperial High Advisor might belong to an alien race related to beasts, seeing the “non-human” appearance so directly still shocked him.
Jian stepped forward to tidy the Imperial High Advisor’s hair and gently took out his hand from under the blanket, pulling up the loose sleeve of his pajamas. Turning to Qiao Zhiya, he said, “This is it. Father has ‘beastified.'”
Qiao Zhiya’s gaze shifted to the Imperial High Advisor’s arm, seeing that it was covered with scales, and his nails had turned into claws. His small face tightened immediately, leaning closer with a serious expression, and asked, “How did this happen? Beasts that can take human form only do so when their powers decline or when they are seriously injured. Could it be that the Imperial High Advisor…”
“No, Father’s powers may not be as strong as before, but it’s related to his self-sealing from years ago. Father has been very cautious in the use of his powers over the years, and there is no sign of decline. These symptoms appeared slowly after boarding the ship,” Jian explained, putting the Imperial High Advisor’s arm back under the blanket. He turned to Qiao Zhiya, his eyes filled with pleading, and said, “I haven’t inherited this part of Father’s bloodline, so I can’t help him. But you are of the same race as Father, and you can save him, right?”
Qiao Zhiya sensed Jian’s helplessness, and he also wanted to help, but… hesitating for a moment, he honestly replied, “Actually… I don’t even know what species of beast your father is, nor do I understand why he always said I am of his kin. Apart from the recent atavism phenomenon, I had no idea there were beast genes in my body before.”
Last time he contacted the Imperial High Advisor, the Imperial High Advisor didn’t provide a direct answer either, so he had been in a rather confused state regarding this matter.
Jian was stunned by his words and asked, “You don’t know what species my father is?”
Qiao Zhiya nodded, then looked at him and whispered, “So, if I may ask, your father…”
“I don’t know either.” Jian interrupted him, and the two of them stared at each other, completely dumbfounded. Jian explained, “Father said the more you know, the greater the risk of harm. To prevent tragedies from recurring, he has kept many things from me.”
“…” This sounded somewhat familiar, as Chu Rong sometimes did the same.
After a few seconds of frozen silence, the two naive children who had been deceived and kept in the dark by the adults were at a loss. Finally, Qiao Zhiya tentatively reached out, conjuring a bit of magic, and said, “I… I’ll try using magic first. In theory, magic should have a calming effect on beasts as well.”
Jian quickly got up and gestured for him to sit on the bed.
The wood-element magic slowly spread out. Qiao Zhiya tightened his grip on his palm, gently holding the hand of the Imperial High Advisor, whose scales and strange nails covered it. Suppressing the discomfort brought by the strange sensation of the scales, once the magic enveloped the Imperial High Advisor completely, he began to direct the magic into the Imperial High Advisor’s body.
The sound of blood flowing, the beating of the heart, the sound of breathing, the sound of power surging through the body… The wood-element magic spread smoothly throughout the Imperial High Advisor’s body, digging into all the secrets within him.
Subconsciously, Qiao Zhiya closed his eyes, slowed his breathing, and directed his power towards the Imperial High Advisor’s brain.
However, to his surprise, he found nothing there. Unlike the human mind and his magic pool, the Imperial High Advisor’s brain was empty. His power core was not in his brain.
Qiao Zhiya’s eyelashes fluttered, he tightened his grip on the Imperial High Advisor’s hand, and once again spread the wood-element magic throughout the Imperial High Advisor’s body.
‘Where could it be…’ he searched while nourishing the Imperial High Advisor’s body with his magic, searching for his power core, his breathing slowing down.
Qiao Zhiya returned home with the blood and scales, but as soon as the hovercar was out of Fan Xiangnan's sight, his expression immediately fell, and his ears drooped. He remembered how Chu Rong had initially intended to personally accompany him but ended up staying in the office with a furrowed brow. He felt a sense of melancholy.Chu Rong was off, very off. It wasn't just his emotions but also his spiritual energy, and he had been suppressing and disguising this imbalance, unwilling to let Qiao Zhiya notice.Why? Was he afraid of worrying him?He also recalled Chu Rong's behavior, how despite his unstable emotions and reluctance, he had still complied with Qiao Zhiya's requests as much as possible. Qiao Zhiya's head drooped lower, feeling utterly dejected.He should have noticed sooner. Chu Rong had been trying to make time to come home and spend time with him lately, and they had been together for quite a while. But how could he be so foolish and not notice Chu Rong's distress?He slapped his forehead in frustration, berating himself for a while before quickly rallying. Thinking about the blood and scales brought back his determination, and he walked briskly towards the main residence he had to be faster! Once he resolved the issues troubling Chu Rong, he wouldn't be so tired anymore! As long as he tried a little harder!That night, Chu Rong returned home late again, and Qiao Zhiya was already asleep. He quietly washed up, took a dose of potion to stabilize his spiritual energy, then climbed into bed and pulled the sleeping Qiao Zhiya into his arms, closing his eyes contentedly.Half an hour later, just when Qiao Zhiya should have been sound asleep, he stirred and adjusted his sleeping position, gradually enveloping both of them in magic.Time passed quickly for Qiao Zhiya, who was immersed in his research, and for Chu Rong, who became increasingly busy. Suddenly, the holiday arrived, and a spaceship from the Empire slowly arrived at the Federation's Capital Planet.Chu Rong frowned as he carried Qiao Zhiya out of the laboratory after a few days of confinement. After changing into a fresh set of clothes, he took Qiao Zhiya by the hand and led him out.After boarding the hovercar, Qiao Zhiya yawned, lazily snuggling into Chu Rong's embrace. Sensing his fatigue, Chu Rong gently tugged at his ear, asking, What time did you go to bed last night?Qiao Zhiya twisted in his arms, leaning back into his embrace, and replied, 9:30.9:30?Chu Rong paused in his ear-pinching and asked, And what time did you wake up today?6 AM. I had lean meat congee and buns for breakfast, meat chops and salad for lunch, and took a nap in the afternoon. I only went to the lab right before you came back, Qiao Zhiya lazily recounted his day's schedule, hanging limply on Chu Rong.It was a very healthy routine and diet. Chu Rong frowned, reaching up to touch his head, and asked in confusion, Then why are youQiao Zhiya lifted his head at the opportune moment, his face no longer showing signs of sleepiness. With a slight blush, he leaned in to kiss Chu Rong on the cheek, then wrapped his arm around Chu Rong's neck, nuzzling against his neck, and complained, You haven't been coming home on time for several daysAh, so, he was looking for an excuse to act spoiled.'Chu Rong's expression softened, tightening his arms around him. He turned his head to kiss Qiao Zhiya's cheek gently and apologized, I'm sorry. After this period, I'll take a break and spend time with you.Qiao Zhiya then released his magic, snuggling closer. Chu Rong hesitated for a moment but ultimately accepted his affectionate gestures, allowing himself to be comforted. Qiao Zhiya succeeded in making him smile, nuzzling Chu Rong's neck contentedly, pointy ears fluttering.As the symbol of the nation, the Presidential Palace was still in ruins. Therefore, the reception for the Imperial visitors was arranged at the military's reception building. The Imperial delegation had arrived in the morning, and Chu Rong had already officially entertained them with Chu Huai. Now, he was taking Qiao Zhiya there for a private meeting.And the reason for arranging this private meeting in such a hurry and personally coming back to pick him upImperial High Advisor is sick? Qiao Zhiya's smile disappeared as he listened to Chu Rong's explanation. He looked up and asked, What's wrong? Is it serious?I don't know. The doctor only said he's physically weak, but they couldn't find the cause. Chu Rong comfortingly pinched his drooping ears and added, All his physical indicators are above normal values, but he's been in a coma, and Jian is very worried. He hopes you can go take a look.Qiao Zhiya's worry intensified upon hearing this, especially recalling his recent research on the blood and scales. His relaxed attitude when leaving home completely dissipated.When the hovercar arrived at the military headquarters, it stopped directly in front of the reception building. Chu Rong led Qiao Zhiya out of the car, bypassing the main building and heading towards a nearby annex.Jian has refused all requests to visit the Imperial High Advisor, including mine. He insists on staying in this annex with the Imperial High Advisor, Chu Rong explained as he led Qiao Zhiya to the master bedroom on the second floor of the annex. He smoothed out Qiao Zhiya's furrowed brow and said, So far, all examinations of the Imperial High Advisor have been done by Jian under the guidance of doctors. Jian has requested to see you, so I brought you here. But if you don't want to go in, I can take you away now.During this time, he had been learning to listen more to Qiao Zhiya's voice, trusting his every word and action. Although he was very reluctant for Qiao Zhiya to make this trip, because the memory tampering incident was likely related to the Imperial High Advisor, he couldn't rest assured letting Qiao confront him while the Imperial High Advisor was unconscious. But Jian was Qiao's friend, and the Imperial High Advisor was someone Qiao knew. Given Qiao's character, he would definitely worry and try to help when he found out someone he knew was in trouble.This was Qiao's nature, and Chu Rong didn't want Qiao to have any regrets in the future, so he brought him here.As expected, after listening to his words, Qiao Zhiya almost immediately chose to enter, his eyes filled with anxiety.Chu Rong carefully examined his expression, hesitated for a moment, then reached out to knock on the door, saying, I'll wait for you outside.The door opened quickly, and Jian appeared at the doorway. At the same time, a gentle force that Qiao Zhiya had felt from the Imperial High Advisor before emanated from the room. Qiao Zhiya's heart tightened, and without exchanging greetings with Jian, he hurried into the room.Chu Rong and Jian locked eyes. Chu Rong furrowed his brow and said, Ensure his safety.Jian was momentarily stunned, guessing that Chu Rong might have discovered something. He nodded and replied, I will.As the door closed, Chu Rong stood outside, his spiritual energy, which had already stabilized considerably, beginning to fluctuate again. He furrowed his brow, rubbed his temples, and took out another dose of medication, swallowing it.Upon entering the room, the presence of that force in the air became even more apparent. Qiao Zhiya walked a few steps to the bedside and gasped in shock when he saw the appearance of the Imperial High Advisor.The Imperial High Advisor was indeed unconscious, looking surprisingly healthy, but there were some scales on the side of his face that closely matched his skin tone. It wasn't ugly, but it appeared extremely eerie and strange.What's going on? Although Qiao Zhiya had guessed that the Imperial High Advisor might belong to an alien race related to beasts, seeing the non-human appearance so directly still shocked him.Jian stepped forward to tidy the Imperial High Advisor's hair and gently took out his hand from under the blanket, pulling up the loose sleeve of his pajamas. Turning to Qiao Zhiya, he said, This is it. Father has beastified.'Qiao Zhiya's gaze shifted to the Imperial High Advisor's arm, seeing that it was covered with scales, and his nails had turned into claws. His small face tightened immediately, leaning closer with a serious expression, and asked, How did this happen? Beasts that can take human form only do so when their powers decline or when they are seriously injured. Could it be that the Imperial High AdvisorNo, Father's powers may not be as strong as before, but it's related to his self-sealing from years ago. Father has been very cautious in the use of his powers over the years, and there is no sign of decline. These symptoms appeared slowly after boarding the ship, Jian explained, putting the Imperial High Advisor's arm back under the blanket. He turned to Qiao Zhiya, his eyes filled with pleading, and said, I haven't inherited this part of Father's bloodline, so I can't help him. But you are of the same race as Father, and you can save him, right?Qiao Zhiya sensed Jian's helplessness, and he also wanted to help, but hesitating for a moment, he honestly replied, Actually I don't even know what species of beast your father is, nor do I understand why he always said I am of his kin. Apart from the recent atavism phenomenon, I had no idea there were beast genes in my body before.Last time he contacted the Imperial High Advisor, the Imperial High Advisor didn't provide a direct answer either, so he had been in a rather confused state regarding this matter.Jian was stunned by his words and asked, You don't know what species my father is?Qiao Zhiya nodded, then looked at him and whispered, So, if I may ask, your fatherI don't know either. Jian interrupted him, and the two of them stared at each other, completely dumbfounded. Jian explained, Father said the more you know, the greater the risk of harm. To prevent tragedies from recurring, he has kept many things from me. This sounded somewhat familiar, as Chu Rong sometimes did the same.After a few seconds of frozen silence, the two naive children who had been deceived and kept in the dark by the adults were at a loss. Finally, Qiao Zhiya tentatively reached out, conjuring a bit of magic, and said, I I'll try using magic first. In theory, magic should have a calming effect on beasts as well.Jian quickly got up and gestured for him to sit on the bed.The wood-element magic slowly spread out. Qiao Zhiya tightened his grip on his palm, gently holding the hand of the Imperial High Advisor, whose scales and strange nails covered it. Suppressing the discomfort brought by the strange sensation of the scales, once the magic enveloped the Imperial High Advisor completely, he began to direct the magic into the Imperial High Advisor's body.The sound of blood flowing, the beating of the heart, the sound of breathing, the sound of power surging through the body The wood-element magic spread smoothly throughout the Imperial High Advisor's body, digging into all the secrets within him.Subconsciously, Qiao Zhiya closed his eyes, slowed his breathing, and directed his power towards the Imperial High Advisor's brain.However, to his surprise, he found nothing there. Unlike the human mind and his magic pool, the Imperial High Advisor's brain was empty. His power core was not in his brain.Qiao Zhiya's eyelashes fluttered, he tightened his grip on the Imperial High Advisor's hand, and once again spread the wood-element magic throughout the Imperial High Advisor's body.Where could it be' he searched while nourishing the Imperial High Advisor's body with his magic, searching for his power core, his breathing slowing down.
