I Cultivate in a Government Office

Chapter 182: Chapter 112: The Internal Affairs Inspection Case (3)

’So this is what brute-force cultivation feels like.’ Yang Wenqing wasn’t surprised. After all, even a genius could only skip the first five refinements; they still had to stop and cultivate arduously for the Sixth Refinement. But he happened to possess the Golden Core World, which made his progress on this step even faster than a genius’s.

With this knowledge firmly in mind, Yang Wenqing began following the method for the Fifth Refinement of the *Nine Refining Secret Skill*. He guided the abundant Spiritual Qi within him, circulating it along the paths of the Twelve Main Meridians.

At the same time, he sent a wisp of his consciousness into the acupoint between his brows. The newly opened space of his Sea of Consciousness there was only the size of his thumb. Following the visualization technique for the Sixth Refinement—"Initial Opening of the Sea of Consciousness"—he focused on manifesting a single point of ethereal Spiritual Light.

Aided by his Golden Core, this step went exceptionally smoothly. The Spiritual Light quickly stabilized and, with a subtle shift in his thoughts, began to slowly expand and contract as if it were breathing.

Time flies when one is cultivating. By the time Yang Wenqing felt a warm, swelling sensation in his meridians from the high-speed circulation and a hint of fatigue in his Divine Sense, the morning sun was already streaming through his window.

He let out a long, turbid breath, the sharp glint in his eyes softening.

He then concluded his meditation and stood up. Pushing open the door to the Quiet Chamber, he felt the crisp morning air rush into his lungs, sweeping away the stuffiness from a long night of sitting. He then walked straight to the training grounds.

As usual, he first practiced the *Jingzhe* Sword Formulas.

When his Cyan Blade shortsword transformed into a crimson line of fire, the illusory flames became more corporeal. Their heat was contained, yet they concealed an even greater penetrating power. When he executed the Earth Dragon Flipping Sword Formulas, the invisible furrows carved into the ground by his Sword Qi were deeper, and the sharp blast of air it stirred up had a wider range.

Next, he attempted to inscribe the Rejuvenation Seal. This time, the emerald Spiritual Light gathered at his fingertips much faster and was far more concentrated.

In one go, he inscribed thirty sheets of Rejuvenation Seal rune paper!

This was three times more efficient than when he was at the Fourth Refinement, and he could feel he was far from his limit. His Spiritual Qi was still plentiful, and his internal organs felt no strain whatsoever.

A satisfied look appeared on Yang Wenqing’s face. The increase in his strength was tangible, which was more reassuring than any empty fame. He carefully put away the rune paper, used the Dust Clearing Skill to whisk away the light sheen of sweat, and then headed for the dining room.

During the meal, Yang Wenjian and Yang Wenning came downstairs as well.

Yang Wenjian was even more silent than usual, keeping his head down as he ate. Yang Wenning, however, was fidgety. After taking a few small sips of her porridge, she couldn’t help but whisper, "Brother, I... I heard from Uncle Yang Tie that you got a promotion?"

Hearing this, Yang Wenqing smiled gently and patted his sister’s head, but didn’t answer.

Seeing her brother’s expression, Yang Wenning knew she wouldn’t get an answer. She pouted, then seemed to remember something else. "Did something happen last night?" she whispered.

Yang Wenqing’s smile didn’t waver. He explained in a lighthearted tone, "It was nothing serious, just some routine inspections for work. Your main job right now is to study hard. You don’t need to worry about this stuff."

He paused, then added in a tone that was both joking and serious, "If you get good grades on your final exams, I’ll take you to that new place in the city, the Hundred Flavors House, for a nice meal."

Sure enough, Yang Wenning’s attention was diverted. Her eyes lit up for a moment, but then she seemed to recall something and said, without much confidence, "I... I’ll work hard!"

Looking at his brother and sister, Yang Wenqing’s thoughts turned to Ye Yong’s degenerate, cowering state. He also recalled the puppet in the alley that had tried to ensnare him.

’This promotion brings more than just status and power,’ he mused. ’It means deeper whirlpools of trouble and more prying eyes. I’m already in the thick of it and have to be careful with every step. But my brother and sister are still young and naive; they’re much more vulnerable to the world’s temptations and even its malice.’

He made a mental note. He would have to instruct Yang Tie and Yang Yong to pay extra close attention to Wenjian’s and Wenning’s daily whereabouts, their social circles, and the information they were exposed to going forward.