Training Room

Early the next morning.

Yang Wenqing woke at his usual time. This time, he did not take any White Dragon Ginseng. He simply sat cross-legged on his bed and meditated, guiding the abundant spiritual energy within him through three Greater Circulations to ensure he remained in peak condition.

When he opened the door and stepped outside, he saw a woman holding a child sitting beside the open door across from his. She glanced at Yang Wenqing and said, "Something good happened, Wenqing?"

Yang Wenqing replied with a smile, "No, Sister Wang."

At that moment, a man poked his head out from inside and said with a grin, "The Public Security Office is starting its rotating leave schedule, isn't it?"

"That's right!"

Yang Wenqing answered politely. By the time he reached the stairwell, he had already concealed the obvious joy on his face.

Today was the last day of the first lunar month. The festive atmosphere in the county town had gradually faded, and beginning today, the Public Security Office would also begin rotating leave. Yang Wenqing had five days off, though the exact timing depended on the schedule.

During last year's holiday, Yang Wenqing had gone home to pay New Year's respects to the elders of his clan. He had the same plan this year, but he wanted to try advancing first. He could attempt the breakthrough in the branch office's training room. It was somewhat expensive, but retired officers from the bureau kept watch there, so if anything went wrong, he could receive treatment in time.

All these thoughts rushed into his mind at once, stirring up feelings that had long lain dormant. His steps unconsciously quickened, and he arrived at the Public Security Office ten minutes early.

Even so, Li Ming, who usually arrived precisely on time, had gotten there before him. He was clearly waiting for Yang Wenqing. The moment he saw him, he hurried over from the entrance and said, "People from a research institute in the city are here. They came specifically to collect the cultivator skeletons we obtained before the New Year."

He stared at Yang Wenqing as he said that. "You still have that skeleton, right?"

Yang Wenqing nodded.

Li Ming immediately pulled Yang Wenqing toward the office, saying as they walked, "We're about to go on leave anyway, so we might as well sell it for some money. Otherwise, I'll look too shabby when I visit my father-in-law's house."

When they reached the office area of the Second Patrol Squad, Yang Wenqing took out the skeleton. Li Ming accepted it and examined it for a moment, a faint smile appearing on his face. "This holiday should be a little more secure now."

"Did you find out how much it can sell for?"

Yang Wenqing asked.

Li Ming's smile deepened. "Ours is in very good condition. It'll most likely fetch over ten thousand yuan. If we had other channels, it might even sell for a hundred thousand."

He raised his eyebrows at Yang Wenqing as he said the last sentence.

Yang Wenqing nodded silently. There were many lunatics in this world, people who did not mind taking unconventional paths of cultivation. They were also key targets of the City Defense Bureau, so naturally, the two of them could not trade with such people.

As for whether that so-called research institute engaged in such business, that was not something small fry like them needed to consider.

"I already went to the captain's house to request leave. I'm going to the branch office to exchange it for money now. I'll be back within an hour at the latest," Li Ming told Yang Wenqing as he wrapped up the skeleton. Without waiting for a reply, he headed for the door and nearly bumped into Sister Liu as she came in.

"What's so urgent? Is your wife having a baby?"

"My wife gave birth before the New Year."

"The baby's already a month old? Why haven't I seen you hand out any candy?"

"Another day!"

After hurriedly greeting Sister Liu, Li Ming rushed out.

When Sister Liu entered the room and saw Yang Wenqing, her eyes visibly lit up. She immediately walked over and said, "Wenqing, come here. Let me show you a photograph."

As she spoke, she took a color photograph from her shirt pocket and handed it to Yang Wenqing.

Yang Wenqing's gaze shifted to it instinctively. He saw a delicate-looking girl wearing a light purple collared jacket over a simple white cotton top. Her long hair fell smoothly over her shoulders, and she wore no excessive adornments. Her features were not stunning, but she possessed a clean, gentle beauty.

"What do you think?" Sister Liu asked expectantly as she studied Yang Wenqing's expression.

"She's a very pretty girl," Yang Wenqing commented.

"She's my niece, my cousin's eldest daughter. She turned eighteen last year and was assigned to the General Affairs Division of the County Administrative Office. I think you two would make a good match. Do you want to meet her?" Sister Liu asked with a smile.

"This..." Yang Wenqing truly did not know how to respond. He did not want to start dating so early, but Sister Liu had always taken good care of him, so it would not be appropriate to refuse her outright.

"Young people should spend some time together. My cousin's family is in about the same circumstances as yours. If you get along, you can date. If not, just consider it making a new friend." Seeing Yang Wenqing hesitate, Sister Liu made the decision for him, deliberately mentioning the girl's family background.

Yang Wenqing knew this was not something he could refuse, so he nodded in agreement. Whether they would actually meet was another matter entirely. After all, at least half of blind dates ended after both sides merely looked at each other's photographs.

Satisfied, Sister Liu returned to her desk.

At that moment, Captain Xiao Liang finally entered the room. Yang Wenqing stepped forward and said quietly, "Captain, I want to talk to you about something."

Xiao Liang glanced at the wall clock and nodded slightly. He then walked to the corner on the left side of the room, activated the soundproofing formation set up there, and said to Yang Wenqing, "Go ahead. What is it?"

Yang Wenqing said directly, "I want to rent a training room at the county bureau for three days."

Xiao Liang gave Yang Wenqing a serious look, then smiled faintly. "Before the New Year, I noticed that whenever you cultivated, you could precisely control the intensity of your spiritual energy circulation. Your Qi Sea also refined spiritual energy faster than ordinary people's. You remind me of someone."

"He is Wang Jianchao, now the deputy leader of the Major Crimes Unit at the county bureau. His aptitude was ordinary at first, but he had unique insights into seal formulas. He derived a unique Spirit-Gathering Seal and successfully advanced to the Qi Refinement Realm at the age of twenty. Some time ago, I heard that he had also derived a Thunder-Calling Seal. Unfortunately, those seals are too profound and difficult to understand, so they cannot be memorized."

An image of a frail middle-aged man surfaced in Yang Wenqing's mind. Wang Jianchao had once taught them a seal formula course at the Security Academy in the city. Seal formulas were actually a profound form of technique, like scientific formulas that could be further analyzed and derived, but those who could not understand them simply could not understand them.

"Leader Wang and I were in the same cohort. Back then, I was even with him..." Xiao Liang abruptly stopped there. He shook his head, then looked at Yang Wenqing and said, "Your situation is different. Your consciousness is powerful. There is a corresponding note in your Security Academy file, personally approved by the dean."

"A powerful consciousness allows you to refine spiritual energy faster and sense the condition of the spiritual veins within your body. That was why I agreed to let you cultivate by gathering energy with a cultivator skeleton."

Yang Wenqing was startled. He truly had not known that his file contained such a note. Hearing Xiao Liang's words now, he immediately recalled a meditation session not long after entering the academy. At the time, he had cautiously gathered a portion of the Golden Core's energy, and it seemed that the dean had noticed him.

Over the years, he had carefully carried out a few experiments and had already confirmed that others could not sense the Golden Core in his mind. He had never expected that what they sensed was his powerful consciousness.

"What realm is the dean in?" Yang Wenqing asked quietly.

"At least the Entry Realm!" Xiao Liang's tone carried unmistakable longing as he answered.

Yang Wenqing understood. To reach the Entry Realm, one had to pass through Qi Refining, Marrow Cleansing, and Foundation Establishment. Every step required the accumulation of time, and it was not something he needed to consider now.

Xiao Liang patted Yang Wenqing on the shoulder and said, "After we wrap up patrol this afternoon, I'll take you to the county bureau. Someone from my cohort happens to be in charge of the training rooms."