I Cultivate in a Government Office

He had just perfected the Second Transformation. The risks of rashly attempting to condense his Spirit Sea, without any of the cultivation or mental adjustments for the Third Transformation, were unknown.

So, he had no choice but to forcefully suppress his Cultivation Technique’s automatic circulation and the agitation in his Sea of Consciousness. He then took a deep breath, resolutely stood up, and walked out of the Quiet Chamber.

In the hall, Tang Yuan was speaking in low tones with Gao Zhen and Yang Wenjian. Seeing Yang Wenqing emerge so quickly, he couldn’t help but ask, “Junior Brother, is something wrong?”

Yang Wenqing didn’t beat around the bush. “Senior Brother Tang,” he said directly, “just now, during Introspection, I discovered that after perfecting the Second Transformation, my Cultivation Technique has automatically pushed itself to the verge of the Third Transformation’s ‘Spirit Platform Cleansing’ perfection. A nascent Spirit Sea has already appeared, and it seems poised to condense at any moment.”

“It’s just… I haven’t gone through the cultivation for the Third Transformation, much less made any preparations to deal with the Heart Demon. I don’t dare attempt it rashly. What are your thoughts on this, Senior Brother?”

Tang Yuan was startled at first, but then his expression shifted to one of realization and admiration. “Junior Brother, the speed of your progress in Cultivation is truly far beyond that of an ordinary person. But the Heart Demon trial of the Third Transformation isn’t as terrifying as you imagine.”

He motioned for Yang Wenqing to sit down and explained in detail, “The Heart Demon of the Marrow Cleansing Realm’s Third Transformation mostly stems from a Cultivator’s own lingering mortal attachments that they haven’t completely severed. It’s not a true Heart Demon. For the vast majority of Cultivators, as long as their everyday disposition is sound and they are vigilant beforehand, it’s not too difficult to overcome.”

He paused for a moment and looked at Lan Ying on Yang Wenqing’s shoulder, a unique glint flashing in his eyes. “Besides, Junior Brother, you have a one-of-a-kind advantage.”

“Lan Ying?” A thought stirred in Yang Wenqing’s mind.

“Precisely!” Tang Yuan nodded. “You and Lan Ying are connected heart and mind. As a Spirit Beast, her Spiritual Attribute is pure, and her fate is intertwined with yours. Her consciousness can act like a beacon, providing a stable anchor to awaken you or pull you back to reality should you be temporarily bewildered by the Heart Demon’s illusions.”

Hearing herself mentioned, Lan Ying immediately puffed out her little chest and said proudly in his Spirit Sea, “Don’t worry, Qingqing, I’m here!”

Yang Wenqing felt a little more at ease hearing this.

Tang Yuan glanced at the sky. “It’s still fairly early…”

He mused for a moment before suggesting, “Junior Brother, why don’t you contact Martial Uncle Qin right now and hear his venerable opinion? If Martial Uncle Qin thinks it’s feasible, you could make an attempt right away. With your foundation and Lan Ying’s help, I estimate you could succeed within two hours.”

“Even if you don’t succeed on the first try, as long as you withdraw your power in time, it won’t cause you too much harm. You can always try again tonight after you get back from the lot drawing.”

Yang Wenqing agreed. This matter concerned the very foundation of his Cultivation, so getting his master’s guidance would be the safest course of action. Without further hesitation, he walked to a corner of the Quiet Chamber and activated the encrypted Communication Array that connected to his master, Qin Huaiming.

The Array connected, and Qin Huaiming’s voice came through at once. “Wenqing, what is it? Have you run into trouble on your trip to the Provincial Government?”

“Master, it’s not trouble, it’s…” Yang Wenqing quickly and clearly explained his situation in detail.

“Tang Yuan is correct. The Third Transformation’s Heart Demon is mostly formed from worldly attachments. With your willpower, it is nothing to fear. And having a Spirit Pet like Lan Ying connected to your mind as an ‘anchor’ makes it a surefire strategy.”

“Since you can sense your Spirit Sea condensing, you can’t just ignore it. You might as well make one attempt, but you must remember two things. First, if you feel any discomfort, withdraw your power immediately—your safety is the top priority. Second, limit yourself to two hours. Whether you succeed or not, you must immediately disperse the nascent Spirit Sea gathering on your spirit platform and wait for another time to try again.”

“I understand!” Yang Wenqing acknowledged.

“Mm.”

With his master’s approval, Yang Wenqing’s last shred of hesitation vanished. He returned to the hall and said to Tang Yuan, Gao Zhen, and Yang Wenjian, “Master has given his permission. I’m going to make the attempt right now. I’ll have to trouble you to stand guard for me, Senior Brother. The time limit is two hours. I’ll come out then, regardless of the outcome.”

“Don’t worry, Junior Brother!”

Tang Yuan said with a serious expression.

Yang Wenqing wasted no more time on pleasantries. He took Lan Ying and entered the Quiet Chamber again. After sitting down cross-legged, he called out in his Spirit Sea, “Lan Ying…”

“Mhm! I’m ready!”

Lan Ying flew down and stood firmly on Yang Wenqing’s knee. Her body began to emit a soft, sapphire-blue Spiritual Light, and their consciousnesses connected in an instant.

Yang Wenqing closed his eyes and completely released his suppression of the Cultivation Technique circulating within him.

Immediately, the Heart Method for the Third Transformation, ‘Spirit Platform Cleansing,’ from the *True Manual of Xuanyue Bone Marrow Cleansing* began to circulate on its own, accelerating faster and faster. Within his Sea of Consciousness, the tiny Spirit Sea whirlpool spun violently, generating an immense suction force that frantically devoured Yang Wenqing’s vast Divine Sense.

A moment later, Yang Wenqing felt his consciousness being pulled by an invisible force, continuously sinking and expanding. At the same time, a peculiar, lucid sensation spread through him, his perception touching upon the vaster Inspiration World.

Miscellaneous fragments of consciousness and spiritual residue drifted past the edge of his perception like dead leaves in a stream. These were the unavoidable stray thoughts and emotional aftershocks of living in a densely populated area for a long time.

A faint cacophony began to echo in his ears, like countless people whispering, sighing, laughing, and crying from far, far away. The sounds were indistinct and jumbled, yet they subtly tugged at his heartstrings.

This was the initial connection between his Divine Sense and the Inspiration World. Fortunately, he was in the Provincial Government city, where the spiritual environment was relatively stable and orderly. Although this external information and noise existed, it was as if filtered through a thick sheet of frosted glass—blurry and weak, not nearly strong enough to cause any substantial mental interference.

As the Spirit Sea whirlpool continued to absorb his Divine Sense, Yang Wenqing’s own consciousness became exceptionally active and sensitive. Thoughts normally suppressed by reason and his cultivation began to surface uncontrollably.