Chapter 52: ’Sword Control Technique’ Accomplished
Chapter 52: Chapter 52: ’Sword Control Technique’ Accomplished
As evening fell, Yang Wenqing returned to the restaurant known as Full House Pavilion. He settled into the same small, street-facing private room as before, ordered some food and wine, and began drinking by himself.
About two hours passed before Wu Yan rushed in, carrying the faint scent of alcohol with him.
"Sorry, I’m late!" Wu Yan said as he sat down, immediately downing a glass as a self-imposed penalty.
"Coming from a dinner with the Wangs, father and son?" Yang Wenqing asked, not seeming to mind.
"That’s right," Wu Yan nodded.
"How were they?" Yang Wenqing asked.
Wu Yan set down his glass and thought for a moment. "The Wangs were very courteous. They kept a low profile and made it clear they wanted to be on friendly terms. They even offered to sponsor our Squad Three with a brand-new ’Windrunner B-4’ Flying Shuttle."
"’Windrunner B-4’?" Yang Wenqing raised an eyebrow. Its market price was around 150,000—not too extravagant, but not cheap either.
"Yes."
"No reason to turn down a freebie. Have them go through the proper channels." A thought flickered through Yang Wenqing’s mind, but he quickly extinguished it.
"Got it."
Wu Yan seemed particularly cautious tonight.
Yang Wenqing studied him for a moment, then picked up the wine pot and personally refilled his glass. "Old Wu," he began, "I called you here about Zhenyuan Mining. Director Gao has given his tacit approval. The investigation can continue, but it needs to go underground—become more covert. I’ve thought it over, and you’re the best person for the job."
Hearing this, Wu Yan subconsciously sat up a little straighter.
Yang Wenqing slowed his pace. "But don’t use any department resources. Leave no paper trail. All information stays between you and me. If necessary, you can report directly to Director Gao."
Wu Yan’s eyes flickered as he was clearly weighing his options. After a moment, he gave a solemn nod. "Captain, I understand the stakes. Leave it to me!"
He paused, a flicker of pride, almost imperceptible, crossing his face. He lowered his voice. "Actually, back when we were investigating the smuggling case, I was already keeping my ear to the ground. I identified a potential informant inside Zhenyuan Mining. After making contact a few times, it’s looking promising. But to really get him on our side, we’ll need to pay an informant fee, and there will likely be ongoing costs."
Yang Wenqing’s eyes lit up. "Our squad has a dedicated budget for informant fees that we’ve never had a chance to use. This is the perfect opportunity."
With Yang Wenqing’s approval, Wu Yan was reassured. "Now that I have your go-ahead, Captain, I know exactly what to do. Don’t worry, I’ll get it done."
Yang Wenqing raised his glass. "This is highly confidential. Be careful."
Wu Yan raised his glass as well. The two men clinked them together in a moment of unspoken understanding.
...
「Time flew by, and soon it was April.」
Yang Wenqing’s life remained as disciplined and full as ever. By day, he handled his duties at the precinct. By night, he followed an unwavering routine of diligent cultivation, aided by the Zhenyuan Nourishing Vein Array and hundred-year-old Stone Marrow Liquid.
The five hundred grams of hundred-year-old Stone Marrow Liquid he’d ordered from the Rain Pavilion had long since arrived. He had also purchased another hundred grams from the logistics department. To do so, he’d spent nearly all of his savings, leaving only some emergency cash in his account. And he had already used up almost half of these resources.
His income was actually quite good now. His rank as a senior sergeant brought in a fixed monthly salary of five thousand, a seniority stipend of six hundred, and his position as a Major Case Team squad leader added another two thousand in allowances. On top of that, drawing Rune paper provided a stable extra income of nearly ten thousand a month. In this world, a monthly income of over ten thousand definitely placed him in the high-earner bracket.
However, the cost of his cultivation was even more astonishing. His Spirit Gathering bracelet required a monthly replacement of a piece of Huang Jade worth ten thousand. Although he could buy it on credit, he had no intention of going into debt unless it was absolutely necessary.
Then there was the Zhenyuan Nourishing Vein Array, which required nearly five thousand a month just for replenishing the silver sand. These fixed expenses were like a bottomless pit. That wasn’t even mentioning massive expenditures like the hundred-year-old Stone Marrow Liquid, which cost tens of thousands at a time. Once these six hundred grams of Stone Marrow Liquid were gone, he would have to slow his cultivation, save up money, or find a way to exchange his accumulated merits for more resources.
As for Zhenyuan Mining, the ’Windrunner B-4’ Flying Shuttle sponsored by the Wangs had arrived, significantly improving Squad Three’s transportation. However, the secret investigation into them had yet to yield any breakthroughs.
The one thing weighing on Yang Wenqing’s mind was his family’s response regarding the recommendation spot for the Police Academy. His first letter had gone unanswered for a long time. Half a month ago, he had sent a follow-up to press the issue. It wasn’t until three days ago that his family sent word through a messenger, saying someone would be coming to the county town soon to discuss the matter with him in person.
Late one night, Yang Wenqing was at home nourishing his Cyan Blade short sword. As the Spiritual Qi from his body flowed into the blade like a steady, trickling stream, he suddenly felt an unprecedented change.
A subtle, two-way resonance had formed between the Spiritual Qi in his Qi Sea and the short sword. It was as if a dormant node of Spiritual Attribute within the blade had been quietly awakened. It began to beat like a faint heart, gently responding to the pulse of Yang Wenqing’s Spiritual Power with a unique frequency.
’It worked!’
An irrepressible wave of excitement washed over Yang Wenqing. After nourishing it for so long, the Cyan Blade had finally established a preliminary spiritual connection with him, allowing him to cross the most basic and crucial threshold for practicing the Sword Control Technique.
Even though it was already two in the morning, he felt no fatigue. A powerful urge compelled him to rise, grab the short sword, and head out the door. He walked briskly toward the open training ground within the Dongning Community, an area specifically designated for Cultivators to practice their arts.
The training ground was deserted in the dead of night. Yang Wenqing came to a stop in the center of the field and took a deep breath to calm his racing heart. Forming his right hand into one of the Sword Formulas, he followed the basic principles of the > to guide a wisp of pure Spiritual Qi. At the same time, his mind locked firmly onto the Cyan Blade.
’Rise!’
He commanded silently, pointing forward with his fingers held in the sword-formula position.
The Cyan Blade, which had been resting quietly in his left hand, let out a soft HUM. The blade glowed with a faint cyan light and then, trembling, it floated into the air, hovering about a foot off the ground!
’Success!’
Yang Wenqing suppressed his elation, focusing all his concentration on maintaining the output of his Spiritual Qi and his mental control.
The short sword wobbled forward about three meters, its tip drooping slightly as if under great strain. Yang Wenqing could feel the Spiritual Qi in his Qi Sea draining rapidly, and a wave of mental fatigue washed over him. He quickly flicked his fingers, recalling the sword to his hand.
After catching his breath, he once again guided the Spiritual Qi from his Qi Sea...
For the rest of the night, Yang Wenqing practiced repeatedly: making the short sword levitate, moving it simply forward, backward, left, and right, and recalling it with precision. With each successful maneuver, his fine control over his Spiritual Qi and his connection to the flying sword grew a little stronger.
He didn’t stop until the sky turned the fish-belly white of dawn. He deactivated the Spirit Gathering Array on his bracelet and reluctantly finished his practice. On the way back, he kept the flying sword hovering in front of him to better familiarize himself with the Sword Control Technique. He even kept it secretly levitating by his side while sitting at his desk in the precinct.
This Sword Control Technique couldn’t be rushed. In its early stages, it was less effective than even a basic firearm. But when cultivated to an advanced level, it could cleave mountains and part seas. It was one of the primary offensive measures used by the City Defense System.
As his control over the Sword Control Technique grew more precise, the day of the precinct’s annual assessment drew ever closer.