I Cultivate in a Government Office

Chapter 92: Chapter 82: Soul-Searching Technique

Yang Wenqing didn’t rush to study the Sword Formulas and Secret Technique in the jade slip. First, he sat cross-legged and meditated, following Vice Director Gao’s instructions to get himself into peak condition.

Drawing on the meditation experience he had cultivated since childhood, and having now shed the negative emotions from the previous night’s arduous training, his mind became completely tranquil after half an hour. With his body also in optimal condition, he finally took out the Jingzhe jade slip to read it.

The first part was the general Heart Method, which explained the essence of ’Concealed Edge’ and ’Startling Thunder.’ It emphasized the profound understanding of achieving a high degree of unity between Spiritual Qi, mind, and flying sword. Following that were the detailed force-channeling routes, Spiritual Qi compression techniques, and corresponding consciousness-guiding methods for the three basic Sword Formulas.

Yang Wenqing committed the Heart Method’s incantations and the force-channeling routes to memory, then closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into the Golden Core World.

Under the incomparably clear projection of the Golden Core World, his own condition and every wisp of flowing Spiritual Qi were rendered in minute detail. Thus, he began to simulate the basic force channeling of the Jingzhe formula’s first style, over and over again.

At first, the flow of his Spiritual Qi was clumsy and halting. It was difficult to precisely compress it and inject it into the flying sword’s specific Spiritual Attribute nodes, let alone achieve the restrained state of ’Concealed Edge’.

But with the Golden Core World’s almost cheat-like assistance, he could instantly see the problem with every failure. He continuously adjusted, corrected, and simulated again. Failure, analysis, adjustment, another attempt...

A process that might have taken months of fumbling in the real world could be mastered in just a few hours inside the Golden Core World.

Five hours later, Yang Wenqing had already simulated the first style’s basic force channeling over a thousand times in the Golden Core World. He went from being clumsy and stiff at the start, to smooth and natural, and finally to the point where he could successfully compress a stream of pure Spiritual Qi, inject it into the simulated sword’s body, and briefly maintain its ’charged but unreleased’ state.

Although he was still a long way from achieving ’striking like startling thunder,’ he had already taken the first step of ’gathering power with a concealed edge’!

After that, he didn’t continue practicing. The long period of simulation had left his mind and consciousness utterly exhausted, involuntarily reminding him of his state after the previous day’s difficult cultivation. He immediately collected his thoughts and entered meditation to rest.

When the first rays of morning sun streamed through the window lattice and into the meditation room, Yang Wenqing slowly opened his eyes. All traces of fatigue were gone, replaced by a sharp, eager glint.

When he arrived at the training ground, Vice Director Gao was already waiting for him.

”How did it go? Have you memorized the Heart Method? Is there anything you don’t understand?” Vice Director Gao asked.

”I’ve committed the Heart Method to memory, and I have a preliminary understanding of the force-channeling routes,” Yang Wenqing replied respectfully. ”I’d like to give it a simple try.”

”So soon?” Vice Director Gao was a little surprised, but he didn’t think much of it, assuming Yang Wenqing had only memorized the theory. ”Alright, go ahead and try. Don’t worry about the effect; just focus on feeling the process of channeling the force.”

Yang Wenqing nodded. He then focused his mind and calmed his breath, summoning the ’Cyan Blade’ shortsword to hover before him. Following the route he had simulated countless times in the Golden Core World the night before, he began to mobilize the Spiritual Qi from his Qi Sea. The Spiritual Qi then rushed rapidly along specific meridians. As it neared the flying sword, it was guided by his consciousness and systematically compressed.

To an outsider, the process looked unremarkable. Yang Wenqing just stood there, the flying sword hovering silently, with only the Spiritual Qi fluctuations around his body being slightly more intense than usual.

Then, in just an instant, the Spiritual Qi had completely enveloped the flying sword!

The casual look in Vice Director Gao’s eyes instantly turned to shock. He knew that while Jingzhe wasn’t some peerless, secret scripture, it was by no means a common, run-of-the-mill technique. Its Spiritual Qi circulation was complex and exquisite, placing high demands on a Cultivator’s comprehension, Spiritual Qi control, and mental strength.

An ordinary Cultivator, after obtaining the incantations, would find it impossible to get a preliminary feel for ’Concealed Edge’ without ten days to half a month of repeated study and practice.

Yet Yang Wenqing had done it in a single night. And judging by his posture just now, he hadn’t just blindly memorized it and gotten lucky; he had genuinely understood some of its essence and successfully taken the first step.

’What kind of talent is this?’

Vice Director Gao looked at Yang Wenqing, and the thought of cultivating him, which had originally been born from a desire to invest in and recruit him, now became incredibly firm, even tinged with a hint of fervor.

’This boy is a piece of fine jade that’s already beginning to show its luster. With just a little guidance from me, he’ll shine brilliantly!’

’As long as a genius like this doesn’t die prematurely, his future achievements will be limitless. If I can truly bring him into my own faction, my entire family could benefit for generations to come.’

”Excellent!”

Vice Director Gao suppressed his shock and walked over to pat Yang Wenqing on the shoulder. ”To grasp the basics on your first try... it seems your comprehension of Jingzhe is very high. For the next few days, focus on practicing the first style. When you can actually unleash the strike, I’ll spar with you.”

”Thank you, Director Gao!” Yang Wenqing’s face lit up with joy. This kind of Secret Technique was best improved through sparring.

”Try it two more times,” Vice Director Gao said, stepping to the side.

Yang Wenqing nodded and tried twice more. Thanks to the experience from his simulations in the Golden Core World, circulating his Spiritual Qi was effortless.

Vice Director Gao nodded repeatedly as he watched. He discussed some cultivation insights with Yang Wenqing before leading him to the dining hall for breakfast. After the meal, Vice Director Gao personally piloted the Flying Shuttle, taking Yang Wenqing back to the Qianjiao County Town Defense Bureau branch.

The Flying Shuttle landed in the branch’s rear courtyard just as the morning light was breaking.

Yang Wenqing strode into the Third Squad’s office. The cold, detached aura brought on by his arduous cultivation had completely dissipated, and the clarity had returned to his eyes.