Yang Wenqing suppressed the excitement in his heart and examined the projection's blood and qi and viscera. He found that their cultivation progress had also reached the introductory stage. This was the result of the Golden Core World absorbing surplus spiritual energy to nourish them whenever he cultivated with the Spirit-Gathering Formation.
A thought struck him, and he turned his attention to the subsequent methods of the Ninefold Refinement Method.
He tried guiding spiritual energy along the route of the Third Refinement, "Blood and Qi Like Quicksilver," attempting to further temper his blood and qi. Yet the moment the spiritual energy touched the depths of his blood vessels, a sense of sluggish resistance and faint swelling pain arose. The area representing blood in the projection merely reddened slightly, and progress was extremely slow.
He immediately understood. His physical body was still not strong enough—especially his viscera—to support such deep tempering. Forcing it would instead risk damaging the foundation of his blood vessels.
He then tried the Fourth Refinement, "Viscera Containing Essence." The result was even more obvious. When the spiritual energy flowed into his five viscera and six bowels, it was as though an invisible barrier stood in the way, making it difficult to penetrate. The effect was negligible.
"Sure enough, rice has to be eaten one bite at a time."
Yang Wenqing was not discouraged. Instead, his path ahead became clearer. The improvement brought by completing the First Refinement was tremendous, but his subsequent cultivation still required steady, solid progress. He could not aim too high.
He gathered his thoughts and stopped attempting higher-level tempering. Instead, he focused on consolidating the results of the First Refinement while steadily advancing the Second Refinement through the method of "Skin Membranes Like Drums."
However, the Second Refinement required a new stabilizing formation, which had not yet been set up. For now, he could only carry out the most basic Qi Refining, silently drawing in spiritual energy with his Golden Core to nourish himself.
When he awoke from meditation again, he glanced at the clock on the wall. It was already two in the morning.
He immediately stopped cultivating for the day, repaired the damage to his skin membranes caused by cultivation, then shut down the Spirit-Gathering Formation. He took out the Azure Edge short sword and continued nurturing it with his own spiritual energy, while also resting with his eyes closed.
By the time he completed his daily nurturing routine, the fatigue in his mind had dissipated. Dawn was already breaking outside the window.
Yang Wenqing rose and walked to his desk, spreading out talisman paper to inscribe the Golden Light Bodyguard Spell. At this moment, he could more clearly sense the significant improvement in both his control over spiritual energy and his mental focus. When he felt that the Qi Sea within him was running low, twenty-five talisman papers shimmering with faint light lay neatly arranged across the desk!
That was five more than before. It meant that both his talisman-making efficiency and success rate had improved, and his daily income would increase accordingly.
Looking at those talismans, Yang Wenqing smiled in satisfaction. After putting them into his storage pouch, he looked up at the sky outside. It was already broad daylight, and the clock on the wall had reached eight. Yet he was in no hurry, because the Major Crimes Unit did not need to report for roll call on time. If anything truly came up, Liu Qin would notify him through the communication formation.
Only then did he carefully consider the personnel transfer discussed by Deputy Director Gao the previous night. He now understood the unspoken rule behind being promoted to a white shirt at a branch bureau: a position had to open up first. Otherwise, he would most likely be transferred elsewhere. And Director Zhang Qiming of the branch bureau was clearly in precisely that situation. He had passed the Senior Police Commissioner examination, but there was no local opening, so he could only be transferred to Thousand Reef County.
In Thousand Reef County, he was like a mascot. He had personally brought West City Public Security Station over to his side, yet for some reason, he had been sidelined. He could not even manage to transfer a Police Sergeant into the Major Crimes Unit.
Deputy Director Gao, meanwhile, was clearly more pragmatic. He had obviously long since broken through to the Marrow Cleansing Realm and had already reached the second step, yet he had not rushed to take the promotion examination. Clearly, he intended to consider it only after squeezing Zhang Qiming out.
It was nearly nine in the morning when Yang Wenqing finally appeared at the branch bureau. As soon as he reached the second-floor corridor where the Major Crimes Unit was located, Ding Lang, who had been waiting outside the forensic examination room, called out to him, "Captain Yang, hold on!"
Ding Lang still wore that smiling expression. When Yang Wenqing came before him, he lowered his voice and said, "Chen Dayong's corpse has yielded a new discovery after more than a month of continuous refinement by the Purification Formation."
Yang Wenqing's spirits rose.
"What discovery?"
"Captain Yang, come with me."
With that, Ding Lang headed toward the forensic examination room.
Yang Wenqing immediately followed.
The forensic examination room was brightly lit, and the air was filled with the faint smell of disinfectant mixed with some kind of purifying incense.
After passing through two sealed metal doors, the two entered an enclosed room. The most eye-catching feature of the room was the circular formation at its center, where a cluster of soft white light floated.
"We obtained the consent of Chen Dayong's wife and used this refinement formation to refine his corpse. It took more than a month in total."
Ding Lang pointed to a specially made glass dish at the edge of the formation. At its bottom lay a small amount of fine crystalline particles that flickered with faint blue light. They were blue, carrying an unnatural, unsettlingly cold sheen.
"This is the thing."
Ding Lang carefully picked up one grain with tweezers and examined it beneath the light. "It isn't any known common mineral or remnant left behind by a demon beast. Its structure is extremely stable. Even the refinement formation could not break it down, and could only barely separate it from the flesh and blood."
He looked at Yang Wenqing, his tone grave. "This thing is very likely the culprit—or at least the vessel—that caused Chen Dayong's life force to be rapidly drained after his heart was pierced. It contains an extremely hidden energy, but it is not evil in nature."
Yang Wenqing stared at the blue crystal, his brows tightly furrowed.
"Can its source be traced?"
he asked.
Ding Lang shook his head. "It should be an artificially made magical artifact, neutral in nature. You might want to let Director Gao take a look at it. He has served in the Major Crimes Unit for forty years. The cases he has seen are beyond anything you can imagine."
Yang Wenqing carefully stored the tiny amount of blue crystal in a specially made evidence bag. Though the lead remained faint, they had at least found a new direction for the investigation!
"Mm. I'll go find Director Gao right away."
After saying that, he looked at Ding Lang and said, "Thank you, Forensic Doctor Ding."
Forensic Doctor Ding shook his head. "Just doing my duty."
After exchanging a few more polite words, Yang Wenqing turned to leave. He did not even go to the Third Squad's office first, instead heading straight for Deputy Director Gao's office. A possible new lead was involved; reporting it to his superior was standard procedure.
He knocked on the office door. After receiving permission, he pushed it open and entered. Deputy Director Gao was seated behind his desk reviewing documents. When he looked up and saw Yang Wenqing, he gestured for him to sit.
"Director Gao, Forensic Doctor Ding has made a new discovery regarding Chen Dayong's corpse." Yang Wenqing did not waste words. He directly placed the specially made evidence bag on the desk. "After the corpse was processed by the refinement formation, this blue crystal remained."
Deputy Director Gao set down his pen and picked up the evidence bag, carefully inspecting it against the light. The moment he saw the crystal flickering with faint blue light, his brows drew together. The ease on his face vanished, replaced by a rare gravity.
"A Soul-Absorbing Crystal. It is also prohibited item No. 329 of the City Defense Bureau."
"A Soul-Absorbing Crystal?" This was Yang Wenqing's first time hearing the name.
"Mm!" Deputy Director Gao put the evidence bag back on the desk and leaned against the back of his chair. "This is a type of crystal whose refinement and use have been strictly prohibited. Moreover, refining it requires at least Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation."
Pointing at the blue crystal, he explained, "This thing appears structurally stable, neutral in energy, and harmless to humans and animals. But once implanted into a living creature, it silently draws away the host's flesh-and-blood spirituality and life essence until all life force has been drained!"
"It has already been prohibited? In other words, it appeared on a large scale before?" Yang Wenqing caught the key information.
"That's right. As early as eighty years ago, the General Bureau explicitly prohibited the refinement and use of this kind of magical artifact, because it was too sinister. It was often used in evil sacrifices or forbidden techniques for prolonging life." Deputy Director Gao tapped his fingers against the desk. "I never expected it to be used on an ordinary fisherman."
He looked at Yang Wenqing, his tone stern. "This case does not seem so simple after all. Go back to your office first. I'll retrieve the relevant files shortly. Don't spread word of this for now."
Before you continue