[Reward: Spiritual Qi Absorption +30%]

’Spiritual Qi absorption?’

Yang Qi was confused at first, but then he understood.

This bonus referred to his absorption efficiency.

One of the reasons those geniuses cultivated so quickly was their one-hundred-percent absorption efficiency.

If not one hundred percent, then at least ninety.

Yang Qi’s previous absorption efficiency was less than half that.

With this 30% bonus, his absorption efficiency could reach about eighty percent!

This 30% shouldn’t be underestimated. Right now, since Yang Qi couldn’t break through to the next realm, it didn’t make much of a difference.

But once he had a Cultivation Technique that allowed him to break through realms and increase his Cultivation, his speed would be several times faster than before.

All in all, this was a pretty good reward.

...

After the blood draw was complete, Yang Qi didn’t leave immediately.

Instead, he accompanied the mother and son clouded leopards on a slow stroll through the mountain forest for about an hour. This allowed them to enjoy their rare reunion and let the little leopard reacquaint itself with its mother’s scent.

Only when the sun was high in the sky and the mist in the forest had dispersed did Yang Qi start walking out of the mountains, holding the little leopard, who was reluctant to leave and kept looking back at its mother.

...

At the entrance to the back mountain, Zhao Dalong kept glancing at his watch before looking up at the quiet mountain forest again.

"Don’t worry, Xiao Yang will be fine."

Huang Zhongmu, on the other hand, seemed quite calm. He offered some comforting words, "Xiaochen and the other young folks were right. Xiao Yang is like a modern-day Druid. In the mountains, he’s as comfortable as if he were at home. Nothing will happen to him."

"I hope so."

Zhao Dalong nodded, but the worry on his face didn’t completely disappear.

"I once knew someone who animals were naturally drawn to,"

Tang Ji said quietly, "but their abilities were nowhere near as prominent or magical as Xiao Yang’s."

"Huaguo is a vast and abundant country, always producing exceptional people. It’s not that surprising for there to be a few remarkable individuals like Xiao Yang,"

Cheng Xiaoou added in agreement, though her eyes also never left the mountain path.

Just as Tang Ji was about to say something more, Zhao Dalong suddenly cried out in pleasant surprise, "Look over there! Is that Xiao Yang coming back?"

Hearing this, Huang Zhongmu, Cheng Xiaoou, and the others immediately looked up, following the direction Zhao Dalong was pointing toward the forest.

Sure enough, they saw Yang Qi walking briskly down the mountain path, his posture steady, carrying the Little Clouded Leopard in his arms.

The light of dawn shone on him, seemingly coating him in a layer of gold.

"Director, Chief Zhao, Professor Tang, Director Cheng." Yang Qi approached and greeted them with a smile.

"It’s good that you’re safe! It’s good that you’re safe!"

Zhao Dalong stepped forward and patted Yang Qi’s shoulder firmly, a relieved smile spreading across his face.

Huang Zhongmu also smiled and nodded, his eyes full of approval.

Cheng Xiaoou opened her mouth, looking at Yang Qi with anticipation.

Yang Qi understood and promptly handed over the carefully preserved blood sample.

"Director Cheng, this is the mother clouded leopard’s blood."

"Good! Good! This is wonderful!" Cheng Xiaoou was overjoyed, accepting the tube of crimson blood as carefully as if it were a priceless treasure.

The moment Cheng Xiaoou took the blood, a notification sounded in Yang Qi’s mind.

[Sincere gratitude from the Inheritance Hall Master. Contribution Points +20]

’Only twenty points?’

Yang Qi pouted inwardly.

’Well, every little bit helps. At least they’re free,’ he thought.

"Xiao Yang."

Tang Ji stepped forward and asked with concern, "About the mother clouded leopard... did she agree to let the little leopard be raised at the Zoo?"

"Yes."

Yang Qi nodded and explained, "The mother is very smart. She knows the little one’s current condition and understands that staying with me and being cared for by the Zoo is better for it."

"I made an agreement with her. I’ll bring the little leopard into the mountains once every three days so mother and son can see each other."

"Excellent!"

Hearing this, Huang Zhongmu’s face instantly lit up with an excited smile.

"Xiao Yang, you’ve performed a great service this time. Since the mother clouded leopard trusts you so much, why don’t you take primary responsibility for raising and caring for this little one from now on? Any problem with that?"

"No problem!" Yang Qi agreed. This was exactly what he wanted.

"Alright then. You’ve been running around all night and for more than half the day. You must be exhausted. Go back and get some rest. Don’t work yourself to the bone," Huang Zhongmu said with concern.

"Alright, Director. I’ll head back now."

With that, Yang Qi took his leave, carrying the little leopard.

"I need to get back to the office and get busy!"

Huang Zhongmu watched Yang Qi’s departing figure and said with excitement, "I need to prepare the materials right away to report to the higher-ups and apply for special management rights for the back mountain, as well as arrangements to seal it off."

Cheng Xiaoou was equally excited. Holding the tube of the mother leopard’s blood, she hurried back to the conservation research center.

Only Zhao Dalong and Tang Ji were left.

Tang Ji gazed at the lush, quiet back mountain, thinking of the remarkably intelligent mother clouded leopard, and couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh.

...

Yang Qi returned to his villa at the foot of the mountain, still holding the little leopard.

As soon as he walked in the door, he called over Xiaojiu, who was sunbathing on the windowsill.

"Xiaojiu, come here. Let me introduce you to a new friend."

Yang Qi placed the little leopard on the floor and pointed at it, speaking to Xiaojiu.

"Its name is Ta Xue."

He chose this name because the fur on the little leopard’s four paws was whitish, as if it had been treading on snow.

"MEOW?"

Xiaojiu leaped gracefully from the windowsill. It tilted its head, its amber eyes filled with curiosity as it sized up this furry little creature, which was slightly larger than itself.

"MEOW MEOW?"

The little leopard, Ta Xue, was also curious about Xiaojiu. It cautiously approached and gave a sniff with its nose.

"MEOW!"

Seeing this, Xiaojiu raised a front paw and pressed it onto Ta Xue’s little head, as if declaring its status as the "senior."

"Xiaojiu, no bullying Ta Xue."

Yang Qi stopped it with a laugh, then instructed, "You keep an eye on it. Don’t let it run around or chew on things it shouldn’t. I’ll give you both a tasty treat for lunch."

"MEOW!"

Xiaojiu retracted its paw and obediently responded.

[Okay]

"Ta Xue, you need to behave, understand?" Yang Qi added, instructing the little leopard.

"MEOW MEOW?"

The little leopard, Ta Xue, shook its head, looking completely bewildered.

...

After settling the two little ones, Yang Qi went up to his second-floor bedroom.

With a thought, he materialized the Meditation Cushion he had received as a system reward and placed it in the center of the floor.

The cushion appeared to be woven from some kind of unknown dried grass and emitted a faint, calming fragrance.

Yang Qi sat cross-legged on the cushion and immediately felt a cool, tranquil energy flow into his body from it. His mind, which had been slightly restless from a sleepless night and constant activity, quickly calmed down, and his focus sharpened.

After a slow exhale, Yang Qi took out a round, crystalline Qi Condensing Pill, placed it in his mouth, and swallowed it.

The pill dissolved the moment it entered his mouth, and a pure, gentle stream of Spiritual Qi instantly spread through his body.

Sensing this energy, Yang Qi fully activated the "Moon-Gazing Qi Refining Art," guiding the surging medicinal power to circulate through the pathways of the Cultivation Technique. He refined and absorbed it, converting it into his own Magical Power.

As he operated it at full power, Yang Qi immediately noticed a stark difference from his previous cultivation sessions.

The most direct change was that the speed at which the pure medicinal power from the pill was absorbed and converted had increased dramatically.

It was as if an invisible vortex was spinning inside him, greedily drawing in the energy without letting any of it leak or go to waste.

This was the system’s "Spiritual Qi Absorption +30%" reward taking effect!

Under this highly efficient absorption and conversion, the Spiritual Qi contained within the Qi Condensing Pill was fully utilized.

When Yang Qi finished his cultivation, he was pleasantly surprised to find that the Magical Power in his Dantian had increased significantly.

A single Qi Condensing Pill had produced a full thirty wisps of Magical Power!