Chapter 63: Check Up?

 The man's voice was rather deep, but not overbearing nor oppressive. However, the aura around him struck him as unique. Seeing this, Willow recalled the day she indirectly met Altor at the presentation event in college. However, unlike the sensation that made her want to follow him, this man's was like that as if in pure admiration, nothing else.

 Finding this rather strange, Willow recalled that this man had made his own business, which made her wonder the methods this man used to achieve it.

 The son quickly brought up the question, "There was actually something I wanted to ask you about."

 "Yes?" Willow raised a brow.

 "It's that array you drew this morning." The man clarified, "I've studied that form before, but I've never made a wall as solid as that barrier. Not to mention, it could reflect magic and abilities twice the power. Could you share with me how you did it?"

 "Ah, that one..." Willow nodded with a firm look as she sighed, "That'd be the Interlocking Space array. The array is capable of trapping space from the inside creating an invisible jail."

 "That's right. But, the spell has the role of a jail trapping those inside cutting off the space from the outside."

 Willow nodded again, "That's right. Which was why I studied the transfer and function of spiritual energy and magic to modify an array using the drawing of the Interlocking Space as the base. Then, I added and removed some parts of the lines and materials used for it. In the end, it turned out like that this morning, but lacks more power and a smoother transfer of magic. I'm still working on it, though. So, it's a little embarrassing for someone else to have seen the incomplete results. I've made it so that people can't enter the array, but could leave instead. However, the formation still requires more modification. It must be larger and withstand against stronger attacks."

 Hearing her words, the smile on his face began to ache.

 Incomplete?! Since when was it said that the Interlocking Space was only a few feet? It was a jail for a reason! Until the creature or object can erase the formation on them The formation would continue to stand!

 Yet, here she is telling him that she's turned an intermediate level of array into a high level that could've still been approved on!

 Just what is she planning to use this for? War?!

 Despite his outraged thoughts, the man quickly laughed and shook his head quickly in denial, "Incomplete?! Please, miss. I've never seen such a creation before. If studying the flow of energy and magic was as simple as studying science, my father and I would've already made our own book of spells, Miss Willow. You have outstanding talent in this field. Have you had any experience before learning from my father?"

 "Nope." Willow responded, "I've only found out about my lineage just before the end of last year."

 Her words finally created a break in his expression as he faltered into a coughing fit.

 So, around December?! That's only a few months ago! Somebody save his pride, please...

 It wasn't known whether the guy was fond of flattering others, but Willow wasn't fond of the words this man used and only forced a wry smile as she said, "I would like to talk more, but I need to speak with Teacher, if that's not a problem."

 "O-Oh!" The son looked up in surprise, "Of course. Sorry about that."

 "There's no need for apologies." Willow responded with a little more genuine smile.

 "Ah, right. I didn't introduce myself." He responded nervously, "My name is Xia Chang. I'm not as much of a professional as my father in this field since I'm still working, but let me know if you need any help. My old man can sometimes be rather cryptic, so his words sometimes don't make sense."

 Despite the oddity of his name, Willow nodded, "All right. Thanks!"

 After having seen saw the man walk back to his room on the opposite side of the small residence, Willow went ahead to see her teacher.

.....

 "You want to head South?" The old man raised a brow and looked to her in confusion before he nodded with a sigh, "If that is the case, then you should go on an errand."

 "Errand?" Willow raised a brow.

 "I have a cousin who lives West of here." Teacher said and took out a piece of paper and pencil before he started writing.

 As per usual, the old man would not touch as much electronics as the modern generation, So a lot of the things he did was by hand and less digitally. There were no microwaves or ovens. The majority of the food was made with the old stovetop where the wok hung over the bundle of pine firewood and dried husks of corn. Aside from the refrigerator powered by magic, there was nothing else more to the place, but it provided a roof over their head and a place to study and create stuff.

 She recalled the first thing she made was just after her teacher gave her a severe scolding for trying to use the wok to make her concoctions. It was then that he had taught her how to make a small furnace. It was one of the first hands-on projects supervised by him and it wasn't the first one she exploded when the temperature rose too high.

 Recalling those memories brought a feeling of uncertainty to her. Just what was it that the old man wanted her to do this time?

 "It's almost summer. My cousin lives in the countryside of Yunan. He'll need help this year with the harvest since just one of his children left for the city." The teacher explained, "During the time of two and a half weeks, you'll be learning herbology and materials from him."

 As he said this, Willow nodded upon understanding, "So training camp. Yunan's countryside has a lot of wild herbs and materials known to the seasons. Now that it's spring, those must be abundant with the amount of rain they must be having."

 She had often checked the weather forecast on her phone as they didn't have any televisions or radio. Phones were their only source for any news or such. She had often heard of Yunan's diversity and thick forestry. Those living in the countryside could go into the forest and pick wild herbs and plants alongside their harvests for daily consumptions.

 "My cousin is also a craftsman, but he's more well-versed with herbology. I've long been unable to travel to his place as we're both not as energetic as before, so I want you to go there with my son." The man thought for a bit before adding, "You should also take that child Li Yan with you."

 "Li Yan?" Willow raised a brow in confusion.

 The old man nodded, "You said that she's taken on spells well? I have a feeling that her mother must've been someone related to magic. You should teach her Chinese herbology as well. Take it slow and steady. The child is still very young."

 Willow smiled, "I see. This could be very interesting."

 Hearing this, her teacher could only shake his head with an inaudible sigh. Just what is this gal up to now?

 "Anyway," The old man grumbled, "I've already sent a letter to my cousin of the Li Family's presence. All you have to do is take them there."

 "All right." Willow responded before taking the piece of paper her teacher handed to her.

 "Now, you said that you want to ask me about something?"

 Willow nodded and the two began talk to about Herbology again.

.....

 "Yunan?" Li Yun looked to Willow in surprise and troubled expression as she spoke in Chinese, "But, is it really all right for me to travel right now?"

 "Not ideally. No." Willow responded in the same language, "You need another few months before we can take off the support."

 She said this as she gestured to the white cushion helmet wrapped around her bandaged head. Since she was bald, Willow bought her a new wig and discarded the old one she picked up from a broken-down store in Beijing.

 Wigs here weren't cheap, but it wasn't all that bad. So, she bought the mother a black pixie style wig. For the three weeks, she couldn't take off her helmet unless it was for sleep.

 Belen now sleeps in the other guest room with Yang Wei on most occasions, which sadly annoys the big guy since he often doesn't get to sleep till past midnight. After their adventure, the little boy has been pumped to learn Foreign language that he has been trying to communicate with Belen in broken English. Despite what Belen says, Willow finds his determination quite admirable.

  "Then, we will still be going there?" Li Yun asked curiously.

 Willow nodded, "That's right. It'll be safer than staying here where I won't check for a month."

 Li Yun found the demigod's words hard to refute when she heard this. So, the mother looked up to her hesitantly, "They're... a family of demigods, right?

 "That's right." Willow responded as she sat back in her plastic white chair with an exasperated sigh, "I don't know much about the type of people they are, but I don't think his cousin would be too bad if my teacher and his son isn't behaving negatively about it. I'll be bringing Belen with us. I doubt he'll have a better time staying locked up here."

 Instead, the poor guy probably wants a place to have his own personal space thanks to the children clinging on him. However, she can't really be promising about him having a lot of space.

 Li Yun nodded with an apologetic smile, "Yes. He's been watching over the kids for me for so long. I can't do much to repay him..."

 Willow shrugged, "All you have to do is focus on getting better. I'll go get ready for the trip. We'll be leaving in two days."

 "So fast?" Li Yun looked to her in bewilderment.

 Willow sighed, "It wasn't my choice to make sadly. I've tried talking with my teacher for more time, but he's stubborn about it."

 "I understand..." The mother responded in resignation.

.....

 Willow walked out of the room to find Belen helping Li Yan with her English home assignment, basically homework their mother assigned.

 Belen up looked to her from the paper with a raised brow, "How did it go with their mom?"

 "She's tense about the situation, but she isn't against it for better or worse." Willow responded, "We should be careful how far to push this idea."

 "This teacher of yours didn't say anything else about this cousin of his?"

 Willow frowned, "Just some vague details. Like how he's a farmer in the countryside of Yunan and has a number of relatives living under one roof. The place isn't small, but it's a little rundown thanks to the age. Because his granddaughter is moving out to live with her husband in the city and his grandson is going to study abroad in Canada next semester, there's space and need of hands on the land."

 "With Li Yun and her children coming along, we won't have to worry about anyone coming to check up on us. What about Lia and the others?"

 "I've already notified Hannah and her friends."

 Belen raised a brow, "They're going too?"

 "Not possible." Willow responded bluntly, "They know that we're not going to be in the city for a while."

 Since their departure, the group of five continued to rent a different apartment room and found some odd jobs to do. As for where they are now, Willow only knew where they work, not where they live. They didn't want her interference, after all.

 As for Willow, she didn't really mind it all.

 "Check up? Are we going to see hospital?" Yang Wei spoke up in broken English as he looked to them curiously from his math work.