NOVPUB"Elementary level..."
The two masters were already over a hundred years old, and even then, they had spent their entire lives learning but had only managed to scratch the surface of pharmacology.
That was merely the level of elementary students, so what did that make them? Nothing at all!
But upon closer thought, Zhang Menglong had created this elixir in just five minutes. For him, this craft, which had been lost for a thousand years, seemed indeed to be a piece of cake. Saying it was elementary level didn't seem to be a problem at all.
"Qin Feng, give it to the old master to take. It should work very quickly," Zhang Menglong said.
"Are you sure this thing is edible?" Many people in the Qin Family remained skeptical.
With their understanding of alchemy, didn't it require an alchemy furnace and forty-nine days of refinement before producing an elixir? Could something made so casually actually be effective?
This thing was concocted from a dirty, garbage-like iron pot—what if it was ineffective, or worse, harmful? Given the old master's current condition, wouldn't that mean he'd breathe his last right there and then?
"I've made the thing for you. Take it or leave it, I'm not begging you to use it!" Zhang Menglong directly handed the item to Qin Feng.
"Menglong, don't be angry. Everyone is just worried about the old master's well-being," Qin Feng quickly intervened to console him.
"What's there to worry about? If anything happens, I'll take responsibility!" Qin Feng's father, Qin Shouzheng, also stepped forward. It was a case of trying anything in a desperate situation.
With Qin Shouzheng saying so, how could the rest of the Qin Family have any objections?
"Menglong, this pill is so large, I'm afraid my grandfather might..."
"I know," Zhang Menglong nodded, "Leave it to me."
This elixir was extremely potent; if the old master were to swallow it directly, he would probably die very quickly. It needed some subtle techniques to make the effects of the elixir a bit milder.
The room was very dim, with only a few life-support machines and vital sign monitors, aside from the lone hospital bed.
The old master lay on the bed, his face nearly devoid of color, a complete contrast to the dignified appearance he had shown at the last military parade.
"Menglong, we are entrusting our family's elder to you."
"Don't worry," Zhang Menglong patted Qin Feng's shoulder. This task was not difficult for him at all.
Zhang Menglong disconnected the old master's ventilator, and the old man's vital signs immediately began to plummet.
"This..."
"Don't panic!" Qin Shouzheng held back the others.
Zhang Menglong gently pressed on the old master's chest, and incredibly, the latter's previously still chest began to rise and fall.
Zhang Menglong placed the red pill into the old master's mouth. Using his inner strength, he helped the old master digest the power of the elixir while also stimulating the bioelectric current to enhance the old master's autonomous vital signs.
The power of the medicine permeated into the cells, beginning to repair the mutated DNA, restoring the old master's ability to produce white blood cells. Then, Zhang Menglong continued to use his own energy to stimulate the growth of white blood cells.
"The white blood cell count is increasing!"
"It's miraculous; it's only been a few minutes!"
"Is this the ancient art of alchemy? No wonder alchemists were called immortals back then; this is truly a lifesaving skill!"
...
"That's enough for now. Just make sure to eat well for some time, and a recovery is possible in a month or two," Zhang Menglong said, "But this has somewhat overdrawn the old master's lifespan. Originally, he had about ten years left, but after this ordeal, it's probably down to five or six."
"That's already quite good," Qin Shouzheng gave Zhang Menglong a deep bow, "Menglong, thank you for this."
"Menglong, great kindness needs no thanks," Qin Feng also bowed to Zhang Menglong, "Buying a car with Wang Ling at that store might have been my luckiest day."
"Stop grossing me out," Zhang Menglong showed a look of disgust, "Anyone who didn't know better would think you're about to confess your love to me. I've got a girlfriend, okay?"
"Get lost, man!"
"Hahahaha!"
...
Old Master Qin's health had already recovered, so Zhang Menglong's mission was completed. Since he was already in Yanjing, he simply brought Lu Yiyao over.
The New Year's Eve dinner this year was the most incredible one Zhang Menglong had ever had in his life.
It wasn't that the meal was particularly luxurious; it was the guests at this New Year's Eve dinner that were impressively formidable.
Ministers, generals, academicians—there wasn't a single average person among them.
But Zhang Menglong didn't fall short in stature either. Just being the youngest Nobel Prize laureate in the world was enough to warrant extremely respectful treatment from everyone.
"By the way, Menglong, what are your plans after the New Year? I remember you're still a postgraduate student at Jiangnan University of Science and Technology, aren't you?" At the dining table, nobody brought up state affairs, and Elder Zhou casually asked a question.
"Our school's graduation requirements are pretty simple; just one SCI paper is enough. Now that I've published so many papers in Nature and Science, a lot of universities have invited me to be a visiting professor. So, I just need to attend the end-of-semester exams, and I'm kind of too lazy to go to school," Zhang Menglong replied.
"It's remarkable that someone as young as you has achieved so much in scientific research," Elder Zhou went on to praise Zhang Menglong, "By the way, after the New Year, there's a global scientific research achievements exchange competition in April. Are you interested in checking it out?"
"What's that for?"
"Strictly speaking, it's sort of a scientific symposium," Elder Zhou explained, "Nearly all the world's top scholars will be there, including those who have won the Nobel Prize and equivalent honors. If you have time, it might be worth going to learn something."
The phrase "to learn something" made Zhang Menglong almost laugh and cry. With his current knowledge, it was others who needed to learn from him; there was really no reason for him to learn from them.
For instance, Zhang Menglong's highest achievement in physics was the Nobel Prize in Physics, not because that's all he was capable of, but because it was the highest honor in physics to date.
While the other Nobel laureates were also quite formidable, they still fell short compared to him.
"There will also be a very intense academic debate, something you definitely can't see on ordinary occasions."
"Oh? So, there will be a scene of 'scholars wittily contesting with one another'?" Zhang Menglong chuckled.
"Yes, during the previous event two years ago, our Professor Qian Miao had an intense debate with a dozen scholars on the concept of hyper-mysterious spaces and ultimately left them all speechless. It was truly satisfying for everyone!"
"Now, that I'd be interested to see!" Zhang Menglong was genuinely intrigued. Professor Qian Miao was currently the finest scholar in spatial science and physics in Huaxia.
"This time, Professor Qian Miao is leading the team. You might even have the chance to exchange ideas with him. What he's preparing for the academic report this year has caught the whole world's attention," Elder Zhou suddenly looked around, "Hmm? Where is Academician Qian?"
Elder Zhou remembered that Academician Qian Miao was also on the list of invitees to this New Year's Eve dinner, but now that the banquet had begun, his seat remained empty. 𝘯𝑜𝘷𝘱𝘶𝘣.𝘤𝘰𝑚
"I'll give him a call and check." Elder Zhou immediately took out his cell phone and called Professor Qian.
After several rings, a young girl's voice finally came through.
"You're Qian Miao's granddaughter Qian Sijia, right? Has your grandfather left the house?"
"What? He suddenly fell ill today?" Elder Zhou's expression changed abruptly.
If something happened to Academician Qian Miao, the upcoming academic conference would have no leader; this was not good news.
"You guys go ahead and eat; I'll go see Old Qian!" Elder Zhou excused himself, ready to leave.
"Elder Zhou," Zhang Menglong had Lu Yiyao stay at the banquet, "Let me accompany you. I'd like to see what this strange illness is about. As you know, there's not an ailment in the world that I can't cure!"
