After pondering throughout the entire night, Song Qing Shi decides to tackle the toughest problem last, focusing first on researching Yue Wu Huan's medical condition.
He reviewed all the relevant knowledge from both the celestial realm's psychology and modern psychology, yet still felt helpless about Yue Wu Huan's condition.
His Nascent Soul sporadically ached, reminding him of the sensation of emotional turmoil.
Serotonin levels were increasing, and rational thought was deteriorating.
Having lost his qualifications to be a psychologist, he pondered—should he just follow his heart?
Song Qing Shi organized a list of medications that could help soothe emotions, personally concocting a calming herbal decoction for Yue Wu Huan. Although medication offers limited help, Yue Wu Huan's body and mind have been tense for a long time, prone to overthinking, and nearly incapable of sleep—factors that could worsen his condition.
Yue Wu Huan accepted the herbal decoction with a smile and thanked him. He sniffed the aroma, then tasted it, "Su Chang Hua, Yue Ming Sha, He He Zhi, Gui Shi... all these are herbs for calming the mind and aiding sleep?"
Not only was he an expert in the pharmacopeia, but he also had keen senses that could discern subtle flavors, easily unveiling the intended effects of the herbal decoction.
Song Qing Shi had no choice but to nod in admission.
Yue Wu Huan pushed the decoction back, "Master, I'm perfectly healthy and don't need this medication."
Song Qing Shi explained, "You're not getting enough sleep, which is bad for your health."
"I do sleep, albeit briefly. It's enough to satisfy my body's needs," Yue Wu Huan replied, his smile growing softer and his tone more sincere, devoid of any traces of agony. "I don't like to sleep much; dreaming is a waste of time. Life is short and the journey long—I have so much to learn and accomplish."
Song Qing Shi held the decoction in his hands, attempting to persuade, "But..."
Yue Wu Huan looked into his eyes and said earnestly, "Master, I'm not sick."
Song Qing Shi conceded, "Alright."
Dejected, he left the chamber holding the herbal decoction, eventually pouring it into a drainage ditch.
Yue Wu Huan realized he had disappointed his Master's goodwill and felt somewhat uneasy. He thought for a moment and decided to find something entertaining to divert his Master's attention and bring a smile to his face.
The Blood King Vine reached out and wrapped around Song Qing Shi's waist, gently scratching him twice.
Song Qing Shi couldn't help but burst into laughter, "Wu Huan, that tickles!"
Yue Wu Huan emerged from a corner, smiling at the entwined figure. His divine consciousness was attached to the Blood King Vine, making it feel as if he were holding him in his arms. Despite wanting to playfully tease him, Song Qing Shi seemed too dignified to plead for mercy. In the end, Yue Wu Huan had to be the one to give in. He laughed and said, "Master, didn't you bring back many gifts? Let's distribute them to everyone; Qing Luan and the others have been looking forward to it."
"Yes," Song Qing Shi finally caught his breath, wiping away the tears induced by laughter. Remembering this important task, he had to also review the children's academic performance and award gifts based on their grades. "Wu Huan, accompany me, will you? I'm not familiar with them and am afraid I might misspeak."
Yue Wu Huan followed him, saying, "I was just thinking about gathering some materials to make kites."
Schools offer scholarships, and some professors even give small gifts to students they favor as a sign of encouragement.
Song Qing Shi had considered the futures of these children, who hail from humble, mortal origins. The celestial realm has no equivalent to civil service examinations. With their limited physical constitutions, they may not advance far on the path of cultivation. However, wisdom is a great equalizer.
Talismans, traps, pharmacology, medicine, alchemy...
In the halls of knowledge, there is no distinction between mortals, immortals, or hybrid beings. Everyone starts from the same point.
Song Qing Shi had discussed this issue with Yue Wu Huan before, saying, "It would be interesting if the world were to change because of mortals one day."
Yue Wu Huan found the idea fanciful and retorted, "What could mortals possibly accomplish? They're as fragile as ants, easily extinguished."
"I don't know," admitted Song Qing Shi, who, although unsure of his own ideas, had seen worlds composed of mortals with their own unique brilliance. "Wu Huan, have you ever heard of chaos theory? It's the idea that unpredictable or imprecise factors can lead to any possible outcome. For instance, the flap of a butterfly's wings might cause minuscule shifts in air currents, triggering a chain reaction that could culminate in a tornado miles away. The world is influenced by these seemingly insignificant details."
Yue Wu Huan became increasingly puzzled, "How would you know that a butterfly's wings could cause a tornado?"
Song Qing Shi attempted to explain concepts like deterministic systems, stochastic movements, and nonlinear systems, leaving Yue Wu Huan thoroughly confused. Somehow, the conversation veered into the toxicology of Black Death Butterflies, eventually transitioning into a harmonious discussion of pharmacology, and then even into the study of mechanical traps...
In short, he hoped these children would study hard, improve every day, change their lives, and become talents useful for the future!
When Song Qing Shi arrived at the school, Qing Luan was leading the children in identifying herbs and conducting experiments, filling the room with laughter.
He noticed that Qing Luan had blossomed since breaking free from her shackles. With her movie-star looks and Ivy-League intelligence—though not as prodigiously talented as Yue Wu Huan—she was undoubtedly a top-tier talent. She appeared particularly passionate about medical science, her eyes lighting up when studying lab animals, although her interest in toxicology seemed average.
Seeing the arrival of their Master, Qing Luan gestured for the children to quiet down.
Song Qing Shi asked the children to hand in their recent assignments for evaluation. Most were studying elixirs related to celestial cultivation based on his previous lessons. Qing Luan alone was focusing on mundane medicinal cures for various injuries. One medicine she was working on was an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agent for wound care, something Song Qing Shi felt he had already perfected. However, she was still attempting to revise the formula, seemingly for a different objective.
Although all her modifications were unsuccessful, the act of revising itself was intriguing.
Song Qing Shi called her over to discuss her thought process.
Qing Luan hesitated, "I'm trying to reduce the cost and complexity of making this medicine."
Song Qing Shi was puzzled, "But in doing so, you're compromising the medicine's maximum effectiveness."
Qing Luan nervously glanced at Yue Wu Huan for permission to speak. Once she received a nod, she began, "My father was an itinerant healer. Of course, he didn't have any profound medical skills, just enough to tend to minor ailments for villagers, earning a meager income. As a child, I used to accompany my father during his visits. A simple cold could snatch a child's life; a nail puncturing the sole could kill a blacksmith; a simple fall could be fatal for an elder. They couldn't afford expensive medications..."
Song Qing Shi paused. This was a realm he had never touched.
"Master's Purifying Elixir undoubtedly has the highest efficacy; there's no question about it," Qing Luan hesitated before speaking her mind, "I believe that many patients with timely intervention might not need such a high-grade elixir. I want to reduce the cost of Purifying Elixir and make it accessible, even for mortal physicians to use. It might be wishful thinking, but my father passed away from an infected wound caused by a falling rock while he was making house calls…"
Yue Wu Huan felt she was saying too much and softly cautioned, "Qing Luan, don't bring that up."
"I apologize for my ramblings," mist clouded Qing Luan's eyes, "I just think… if such medicine existed, if it were affordable for commoners, then my father wouldn't have died, and my family wouldn't have been shattered."
After a long pause, Song Qing Shi smiled, "You're right; you have the compassion of a healer."
Qing Luan looked up, surprised, making no effort to hide the tears in her eyes.
Song Qing Shi examined her proposal again and offered suggestions, "Try substituting the Sparrow Zhu Grass in the Purifying Elixir with Purple Zhu Grass, and reduce the ratio of Crane Cloud Stone. This was a failed formula I dismissed earlier for not being potent enough. You can try modifying it. Also, look into penicillin; it's very cost-effective and suitable for mortals. I'll organize some data on other low-cost antibacterial substances for you later."
Qing Luan was ecstatic, continuously expressing her thanks.
A peculiar feeling arose in Song Qing Shi's heart. Glancing at Yue Wu Huan, who seemed unconcerned with these minor matters, and then at the somewhat gloomy sky outside the window, he felt as if something was quietly changing.
...
Under Class Leader Qing Luan's strict supervision, the majority of the children excelled in their studies, except for He Qing Yun, who had no interest in academia. He was self-aware enough to prefer farming. Ming Hong was talented but not interested in medical studies; his aptitude for cultivation surpassed the other children. He aspired to master Yue Wu Huan's sword techniques and become a true cultivator, a protector of everyone.
Both of them had clearly expressed their ambitions.
People have different aspirations; it's no use to force them.
Song Qing Shi decided to let the students specialize later, aiming to allow everyone to pursue what they love.
Yue Wu Huan had finally found the right bamboo sticks and wooden blocks suitable for kite-making. He sat by the side, whittling the bamboo into shape to form the kite's skeleton. It looked like he intended to make a large, beautiful kite. Song Qing Shi was delighted, distributing a heap of gifts he had brought back from Nanhai City to everyone.
Qing Luan had the best academic performance. Despite her repeated refusals, she was given a golden step shake embedded with pearls and gemstones and a piece of blue brocaded silk. She also received a strangely-shaped wood carving and a colored glass bottle. She quickly discerned that the beautiful fabrics and jewelry were chosen by Brother Wu Huan and the bizarre items were certainly Master's picks.
Song Qing Shi was a spendthrift as long as his pockets had money. Most of his money was spent on gemstones for Yue Wu Huan—Dragon Jade, Merfolk Pearls, Moonstones, and such. The gems in the celestial realm were incredibly dazzling, far outshining mortal counterparts. Yue Wu Huan only kept the gemstones that his Master had given him years ago and had stopped collecting similar ones. Instead, he now had Gold Rock Jade and Glazed Spirit Pearls that he had incidentally found in secret realms.
This time, he had watched as Song Qing Shi shopped for jewelry. The shopkeeper's sales pitch led Song Qing Shi toward gaudy, oversized, and heavy unsellable items. He even tried to buy him a flamboyant gemstone collar, praising its beauty. Though Yue Wu Huan felt he could pull off such eccentric jewelry, stepping out wearing it might lead to misunderstandings about his taste.
Unable to bear it any longer, he intervened and reselected the jewelry and fabric gifts for Song Qing Shi.
Reflecting upon it now…
Song Qing Shi's taste seemed quite… indescribable?
"Does he praise my appearance in the same tone as he praises that gemstone collar?"
Yue Wu Huan sneaked a glance at the mirror, beginning to doubt his own beauty.