I Cultivate in a Government Office

Chapter 84: Chapter 79: Opponent’s Profile

Vice Director Gao, knowing the way well, walked straight through the main gate. Immediately, an attendant in a simple, elegant blue robe peeked his head out. Upon seeing Vice Director Gao, his face lit up with a respectful, yet not fawning, smile. ”Master Gao, you’ve arrived. Please, come in. Your private room has been kept ready for you.”

Vice Director Gao nodded slightly and led Yang Wenqing and Deputy Director Zhou inside. Just past the entrance was an exquisite courtyard with a rockery and a flowing stream, partially hidden by lush green bamboo. The air was filled with the faint scent of sandalwood and flowers. As they walked deeper along a covered corridor, the melodious sound of string and wind instruments drifted over, elegant but not disruptive.

The attendant led the three of them through several Moon Gates to a private room. The room was decorated with extreme elegance, with ink wash landscape paintings on all four walls. In the center was a red sandalwood tea table surrounded by several comfortable couches. The window looked out onto a small lotus pond in the courtyard. Under the night sky, the expanse of lotus leaves held a unique charm.

”The usual, please. A pot of this season’s green tea and a few light pastries,” Vice Director Gao instructed the attendant.

”Right away, Master Gao, Master Zhou, and you, sir. Please have a seat. The tea and pastries will be here shortly.” The attendant bowed and withdrew, gently sliding the room’s door shut. This blocked out the outside noise, leaving only the pleasant music, now like a gentle background melody.

The attendant quickly brought the tea and pastries. The tea was this year’s spring harvest, with a clear, bright liquor and a delicate, serene aroma. The pastries were also exquisitely made—small, delicate, and sweet without being cloying.

The three men sipped their tea, listening to the faint, melodious music. The atmosphere was remarkably relaxed.

Vice Director Gao leaned back on a couch, his gaze casually drifting over the courtyard outside. At some point, a troupe of dancers had appeared on the small stage by the lotus pond. They were dressed in light gauze, the style bold yet not vulgar. Their graceful figures were half-hidden in the hazy light as they danced elegantly to the melodious music.

Their dance was gentle and beautiful, with a hint of allure. Their movements were perfectly synchronized, and their gazes were filled with charm. A single glance was enough to tell they were highly trained professionals who had mastered their art.

Deputy Director Zhou merely glanced at them before looking away, continuing to sip his tea at a leisurely pace. It was as if the vibrant, alluring scene before him was less interesting than the unfurling of the tea leaves in his cup.

It was also Yang Wenqing’s first time seeing such a professional dance performance in this kind of setting, and he couldn’t help but feel a little stirred. However, he quickly composed himself and refocused his attention on the tea and his two superiors.

After watching the dance for a moment, Vice Director Gao turned to Yang Wenqing. The relaxed look on his face faded slightly as he retrieved a file from his Storage Bag, placed it on the red sandalwood table, and pushed it in front of Yang Wenqing.

”This is Wu Qianjun’s file. Take a good look,” he said, pointing to the document. ”Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.”

Yang Wenqing immediately sat up straight and picked up the file with a serious expression. Deputy Director Zhou also put down his teacup, his gaze shifting over, clearly interested as well.

The first page of the file contained Wu Qianjun’s basic information and a half-body portrait. The man in the picture was about thirty-five or thirty-six years old, with a resolute face, dark skin, and a clear scar on his left brow bone.

”Wu Qianjun, thirty-five years old, a former member of the Northern Border Army’s ’Elite Soldiers’ unit,” Vice Director Gao added from the side. ”He’s a man who truly clawed his way out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood. He rose to the rank of patrol leader step by step on military merit. After retiring due to injury, he was recruited by the Zhang family. For Director Zhang to send him here to Qianjiao County... I suppose we’ve really pushed him into a corner.”

Yang Wenqing continued reading...

Wu Qianjun was at the peak of the Qi Cultivation Fifth Refinement, the ’Meridian Expansion’ realm, just one step away from the Sixth Refinement, ’Initial Divine Sense’. His primary Cultivation Technique was the common military manual, the *Garrison Soldier Formulas*. His Spiritual Power was deep and solid, granting him strong explosive force and formidable defense.

His Magical Artifact was a standard-issue military long-saber named ’Armor-Piercer’, inscribed with armor-piercing and sharpness runes. Although not a famous weapon, its power in his hands could not be underestimated. He also possessed a tempered steel shield named ’Immovable’, his life-saving reliance on the battlefield, which offered extremely strong defense.

He was proficient in various military combat techniques for both group and solo fighting, such as the ’Breaking Army Slash’ and ’Mountain-Sundering Style’. His moves were simple and direct, aimed at a one-hit kill. The fusion of his Spiritual Power circulation and physical strength was perfect, making him an extreme threat to Qi Cultivation Stage Cultivators.

More importantly, he possessed an iron will forged in the border army, making common Illusion Techniques and Mind-Confusing Class methods largely ineffective against him.

At the end of the file, a speculated weakness was noted in red text. It said he was overly reliant on military-style combat; while his moves were fierce, they might lack variation. If one could catch him by surprise, it might be possible to find an opening.

Vice Director Gao waited until Yang Wenqing had more or less finished reading before saying with a smile, ”See? His Cultivation, experience, and practical combat skills are all superior to yours. Especially those military combat techniques of his—they involve highly concentrating Spiritual Power and instantly unleashing it with physical strength. A lot of flashy, complicated spells are useless against him. An ordinary ’Golden Light Body Protection Spell’ might not be able to withstand a full-power ’Breaking Army Slash’ from him.”

After saying that, he added, ”Firearms are prohibited in the ring. The only thing you can do is wear him down in a battle of attrition!”

Deputy Director Zhou shot a surprised look at Vice Director Gao. ”You really intend for Wenqing to beat him?”

”What do you think?”

Vice Director Gao retorted.

Deputy Director Zhou thought for a moment before saying, ”Men retired from the military are masters of endurance warfare, and their willpower is as solid as a rock.”

”We can use a Spirit Gathering Array in the ring, right?”

Yang Wenqing asked.

Vice Director Gao nodded. ”Of course!”

Hearing this exchange, Deputy Director Zhou recalled Yang Wenqing’s file. He couldn’t help but start running scenarios in his mind. Then, his eyes lit up slightly, because he realized that Yang Wenqing actually had a chance of winning.