Grandma Thompson maintained this posture for an hour, until the qi in William Thompson's body completed a full cycle, then she withdrew her hand, breathing slightly heavily.

William Thompson was getting into the groove, absorbing external spiritual energy to nourish himself.

"His aptitude for cultivating qi is pretty average." Grandma Thompson thought worriedly, tearing open a bag of chips and taking a crunchy bite, instantly forgetting that little bit of worry.

Chips are so delicious, I really love this era, her eyes squinting into crescent moons.

This process continued until 10:30 at night. Outside, thick fog shrouded everything, and inside it was quiet. Grandma Thompson kept a careful watch at his side.

At that moment, William Thompson's breathing suddenly became rapid, his rhythm of inhaling and exhaling disrupted.

"Huff!"

"Huff!"

He seemed like a drowning man desperate for air, gasping a few times, then suddenly opened his eyes, snapping out of his meditative state. His eyes were bloodshot, and his voice was hoarse: "Grandma Thompson, I think I've suffered a qi deviation."

Chapter Six

My Grandma Thompson Is the Juice Queen

Midnight, Fudan Affiliated Hospital.

William Thompson lay in a temporary ward, looking defeated, an IV in the back of his hand. At this hour, there were very few people in the hospital. The corridor was quiet, with only the occasional nurse or patient passing by.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I'm dying." William Thompson's voice was still hoarse, and he coughed violently from time to time.

Grandma Thompson sat at the bedside, her elegant brows furrowed, unable to figure it out: "That's impossible. The method was correct, the breathing rhythm was correct. I was the one who opened your father's heavenly gate back then, so why is there a problem with you?"

William Thompson sighed softly: "It's not your fault, it's the world's fault."

He looked at Grandma Thompson beside him, feeling warm inside. Being sick and having someone by your side is the best healing for the soul. If it weren't for Grandma Thompson, he'd probably be alone in the hospital, unable to sleep because he had to keep an eye on the IV drip.

After being forced to interrupt his breathing practice, William Thompson experienced dizziness, coughing, and fever. He was almost scared out of his wits, thinking he'd suffered a qi deviation. Turns out, cultivating qi isn't that simple—just like in martial arts novels, those who rush things always end up with a qi deviation.

Then comes the chance for the heroines to sacrifice themselves, yin and yang harmonize, acupuncture points are entered, the young hero is fully restored, and they become an immortal couple, deeply in love.

He didn't have any heroines by his side, only a Grandma Thompson. So he had to call a ride-hailing car and have the driver take him to the nearest Fudan Affiliated Hospital for emergency care.

After examining his symptoms, the doctor declared, "Smog poisoning!"

"Huh?" William Thompson felt like his barely rebuilt worldview had collapsed again. He quickly said, "Doctor, I want a blood test, and if possible, an ultrasound too. There might be something seriously wrong with me, like severed meridians or a shattered dantian or something."

The doctor said, "Sore throat, dry cough. Increased nasal secretions, dry eyes, and a high fever. Other than that, no pain or abnormalities. This is smog poisoning. I was going to ask you—today was a red alert for smog, but it's not enough for severe poisoning. Did you take apart your air purifier at home and lick it or something?"

William Thompson didn't believe it and insisted on a blood test, so the doctor let him have his way.

When the blood test results came back, there were no other issues.

It really was smog poisoning.

It really wasn't Grandma Thompson's fault; the world was to blame.

This time, the world finally took the blame and wasn't wronged.

William Thompson muttered, "Grandma Thompson, you slept for twenty years, and after you woke up, the world has completely changed. Maybe we're living in the end of the age of magic?"

A human mouth isn't an air purifier; it can't automatically filter out toxins in the air. And during breathing practice, along with absorbing spiritual energy, you also inhale toxic substances from the air at dozens of times the normal rate.

Cultivating qi to the point of getting smog poisoning—how are cultivators supposed to cope with that?

It must be the end of the age of magic.

Grandma Thompson said, "Miasma has existed since ancient times. Tomorrow, let's find a new feng shui spot."

William Thompson covered his face silently: "You don't understand, the smog is everywhere in the country now."

My dream of cultivation had just begun, and it's already over.

Damn it!

Grandma Thompson frowned: "Is that so? Oh dear, I slept too long this time. I've never slept this long before. The world has really changed after I woke up."

William Thompson: "You didn't used to sleep like this?"

Grandma Thompson: "Every time a great-grandson dies, I fall into a deep sleep—sometimes for months, sometimes for years. Before they die, the great-grandsons give me a bit of energy, and I usually wake up on my own, then go find the next descendant of the Li family. This time, I was sealed. It wasn't until the bead entered your body that your bloodline awakened me."

William Thompson thought to himself, I always thought you appeared naked every time.

So you weren't naked every time you showed up—guess I lucked out this time.

Grandma Thompson added, "But sometimes I can't sleep; I have to be responsible for educating the next great-grandson. For your father's generation, I didn't sleep. Your grandfather died early, so I started raising your father when he was very young. He respected me a lot."

William Thompson: "......"

So, my dad had kidney deficiency since he was a kid?!

"What exactly is the bead?"