Chapter 431 - 226: Liu Fu’s Showtime
Chapter 431: Chapter 226: Liu Fu’s Showtime
Breaking through to the Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer was a joyous occasion.
The Magical Power coursing through his body was more potent, his Spiritual Sense grew sharper, and casting Magic became increasingly effortless. His very essence, energy, and spirit felt as if they had undergone a cleansing.
However, every gain came with a loss.
As autumn deepened and a cold wind began to blow, the pesky yet "precious" mosquitoes and insects vanished, rendering the "Demon Extermination Array" in the backyard useless.
The "Four-winged Cold Kun" that the bone ocarina could command also disappeared, either having turned into pupae to overwinter or having reached the end of their lives.
The steady income of contribution points, which had lasted for months, came to an abrupt halt.
However, Yang Qi wasn’t worried.
After a full summer and half an autumn of diligent harvesting, combined with rewards from his usual tasks and rescues, he had accumulated enough contribution points to exchange for a substantial amount of Spirit Stones. It was more than enough to cover his cultivation needs for the next several months.
His supply of Spirit Rice was even more plentiful, enough for his and his Guardian Beasts’ daily meals.
Come late spring and early summer of the next year, when life returned and insects began to swarm, he could simply restart the "Demon Extermination Array." Aided by the bone ocarina to command a new generation of "Four-winged Cold Kun," his days of earning a steady stream of contribution points would return.
Thus, Yang Qi’s daily routine remained undisturbed. In fact, thanks to the Five Elements Array Plate, his cultivation efficiency had soared, becoming far more consistent and effective.
Every night, boosted by the new Five Elements Spirit Gathering Array, each of his cultivation sessions yielded remarkable results, solidifying his realm at the Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer and allowing him to advance steadily toward its middle stage.
He handled his daily work in the mornings.
Feeding, cleaning, and recording behavioral observations—he performed each task meticulously.
Stone was recovering well. It had gained weight, its coat had grown glossy, and under Yang Qi’s care and training, it could now follow simple commands and was no longer perpetually on edge. It had also grown familiar with the keeper who took over the next shift.
Afternoons were usually for study and research.
He would complete the assignments from his mentor, Song Chunfang, and read the latest literature on animal behavior.
Under Song Chunfang’s careful guidance, Yang Qi combined his daily work with insights gained from his Guardian Beasts to write a paper titled "On the Early Identification of Stereotypic Behavior in Captive Carnivora and Intervention Strategies Based on Environmental Enrichment."
In the paper, he used real-life case studies—such as Xiong Ba’s stress reactions and the gray wolf Happy’s unusual vigilance—as his foundation. Combining detailed data with cutting-edge theory, he proposed several practical methods for early identification and models for intervention.
On Song Chunfang’s recommendation, the paper was submitted to a leading national journal in the field of animal behavior.
To his surprise, it was quickly accepted for publication and drew considerable attention within the field.
Many of his peers expressed interest in his observational approach—so nuanced it was "as if he could read the animals’ minds"—and his innovative intervention strategies. Research teams from two different universities even emailed him, hoping to engage in deeper discussion and collaboration.
However, these academic ripples had little impact on Yang Qi’s daily life at Donghua Zoo.
He remained the same dedicated zookeeper and special consultant, still donning his work uniform each day to spend his time with the animals.
He made occasional trips to the Police Dog Base to run laps with the dogs in training. He also selected two more, performed Spirit Awakening on them, implanted them with Spirit Seeds, and accepted them as his Guardian Beasts.
After the zoo closed in the evening, he would stroll along the deserted paths with the giant panda Tuantuan, or Happy, or the pair Huan University and Huan the Second.
The real disruption, however, came from the outside.
The construction progress of "Xianlai" Wildlife Park could no longer be hidden.
The once-barren stretch of mountain in the Northwest Corner of Cangshan Mountain was now a forest of tower cranes. The frameworks of new enclosures were taking shape, and construction vehicles of all kinds bustled in and out. The scale of the project was immense.
As "Xianlai" began posting job openings, the news of its compensation packages—salaries at least 30% above the industry average and generous benefits—combined with its backing from Dazhuang Group and its claim as the "province’s largest zoo," sent ripples through Donghua Wildlife Park like a boulder tossed into a still lake.
Employees with permanent, state-secured positions—the so-called "iron rice bowls"—were able to remain calm. At most, they would gossip in private, envious of the enticing salaries.
But for the contract and temporary workers, "Xianlai’s" job postings were incredibly tempting.
Everyone was just trying to make a living; who wouldn’t want to go to a place with higher pay, better benefits, and seemingly greater opportunities?
Of course, no one would openly discuss jumping ship.
But in private chat groups and break room conversations, the topic was constantly buzzing.
In the private WeChat group Chen Ze had created—which included Yang Qi, Hu Haodong, Xiaoli, and about a dozen other young keepers and technicians—the feed had been completely flooded with talk about "Xianlai" for the past few days.
Chen Ze: Alright, guys, fess up. Who secretly sent their resume to "Xianlai’s" official website? (Smirking emoji)
As soon as the message was sent, a string of slyly grinning emojis immediately followed.
Hu Haodong: (Dog head emoji)
Xiaoli: (Eating popcorn emoji)
Xiaozhang: (Observing from the shadows emoji)
...
Chen Ze: Stop with the sly grins. It’s just an application, not like you’re signing your life away. Even if the zoo finds out, what are they gonna do? What century is this? Are they gonna stop people from trying to better themselves?
Xiaoli: That’s a good point. Brother Chen, judging by your tone, does that mean you applied?
Chen Ze: I’m about to! (Fist pump emoji) "Xianlai" is backed by Dazhuang Group, so they’re loaded. You don’t have to worry about them missing payroll. Plus, it’s going to be the best in the province, maybe even one of the top parks in the whole country. The prospects are amazing. I don’t even need to spell it out, right?