Courtyard Check-in: Starting with a Small World of Cultivation

June 19th, 6:00 AM.

Chen Yu opened his eyes in the small world, ending his night of cultivation. Although the Water Spirit Orb was concealed by layers of cover, its nourishing effect on the small world had begun to show—the water volume of the spirit spring had increased by one-third, and even a faint white spiritual mist was rising from the springhead. The gray mist at the edges of the space, which was originally ten acres in size, seemed to have thinned out, and vague outlines in the distance could be vaguely seen.

"The spiritual energy of the water truly has the effect of nourishing the space." Chen Yu got up and walked to the spiritual spring, scooping up a handful of water. The water was even sweeter, and the spiritual energy it contained was nearly 50% more concentrated than before. Although ordinary people cannot cultivate immortality by drinking this spiritual spring water for a long time, the effects of strengthening the body and prolonging life will be very significant.

He exited the miniature world and returned to his real room. Outside the window came Jia Zhangshi's wailing, intermittent and continuous, dating back to last night. Chen Yu frowned slightly; this endless noise was torture for everyone in the courtyard.

Pushing open the door, I saw several people already gathered in the courtyard. Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and He Yuzhu were there, along with a few neighbors. Zhang Xiulan sat on the threshold, clutching a stick, her eyes vacant, tears still wet on her face. Jia Zhangshi sat on the ground, slapping her thigh and crying out, "My poor child... wronged... Heaven is blind..."

"Sister-in-law, don't cry. Things are already like this," Yi Zhonghai advised. "Dongxu broke the law, and it's only right that he undergoes reform. Your current outburst is not good for anyone."

"How am I supposed to live... How am I supposed to manage this family..." Jia Zhangshi wouldn't listen to a word she said.

Liu Haizhong stood with his hands behind his back, his expression complex. He had only recently been released himself and knew all too well what it was like inside, but he still said, "Sister-in-law, you must trust the organization. If Dongxu is truly innocent, the organization will investigate and find out the truth."

That sounds like a guilty conscience. Everyone saw the cultural relics the police seized last night; the evidence is irrefutable.

He Yuzhu quietly approached Chen Yu and whispered, "I heard that Jia Dongxu will get at least five years in prison, and Yan Bugui will get even more. He's the ringleader and a teacher, so he knows the law and breaks it. He'll get at least ten years."

Chen Yu didn't reply, his gaze falling on Zhang Xiulan. This former militia member, a close friend of the original owner's parents, now resembled a soulless puppet. Bang Geng nestled in her arms, his little face filled with fear and confusion—he didn't fully understand what had happened, only knowing that his father had been arrested by the police, his grandmother was crying, and his mother was silent.

"Aunt Zhang," Chen Yu walked over and squatted down, "you have to pull yourself together. Banggeng is still young and needs you."

Zhang Xiulan slowly raised her head, looked at him, and tears streamed down her face again: "Xiaoyu... Aunt Zhang has had such a hard life... I've never had a good day since I married into this family... Now Dongxu is in jail again, how will we live from now on..."

Chen Yu was silent for a moment, then took out ten yuan from his pocket and stuffed it into her hand: "Take this first, buy some food for Bang Geng. I'll ask about the job for you; there should be temporary positions available at the neighborhood office."

"This...how can this be..." Zhang Xiulan tried to refuse.

"Take it, consider it my way of repaying the favor my mother did for you back then." Chen Yu stood up. "No matter how hard life gets, we have to keep going. You were a militia member, you're stronger than anyone else."

These words seemed to touch Zhang Xiulan. She wiped away her tears, stood up while holding the stick, and said, "Xiaoyu, thank you... In this courtyard, you're the only one who still remembers our old friendship."

When Jia Zhangshi saw that Zhang Xiulan had accepted Chen Yu's money, she immediately exploded: "Zhang Xiulan! Have you no shame? Taking money given by outsiders? Our family isn't that poor!"

"Mom!" Zhang Xiulan said, unusually firm. "What right do you have to say that now? If you hadn't always encouraged Dongxu to do those crooked things, would he be where he is today? This family is ruined because of you!"

"You...you've gone too far!" Madam Jia Zhang got up and was about to pounce on him.

Yi Zhonghai quickly stopped them: "Alright, alright! Let's all keep quiet! Isn't it chaotic enough already?"

Chen Yu shook his head, turned, and went back into the house. He couldn't and didn't want to deal with the chaos in the courtyard. Everyone has their own cause and effect; the Jia family's current situation was the result of years of accumulation.

At eight o'clock in the morning, Chen Yu arrived at the research institute on time. As soon as he entered the office, Lin Zhenhua excitedly pulled him aside: "Chen, great news! Your 'Materials Microstructure Optimization Scheme' project has been officially approved! The project codename is 'Microstructure Project,' and you are the second person in charge; I am the overall person in charge!"

Chen Yu's heart skipped a beat: "So fast?"

"The institute's leadership attaches great importance to this and is handling it as a special case," Lin Zhenhua said in a low voice. "I heard there are instructions from above to accelerate technological breakthroughs in the field of materials. Your proposal has come at just the right time."

"above?"

Lin Zhenhua pointed mysteriously to the ceiling: "I don't know the specifics, but it's definitely the higher-ups' idea. Xiao Chen, this is a huge opportunity! As long as you achieve results, your future is limitless!"

Chen Yu nodded. He could roughly guess the reason—the country was going through a special period, and the defense and industry had an urgent need for high-performance materials. Although his plan was simple, the idea was novel, and it was very likely that it had touched a nerve with some leaders.

"How many people are in the project team?" he asked.

"There are six of us, including you and me." Lin Zhenhua handed over a list. "They're all key members of the institute. Oh, and Su Hongmei is on it too."

Su Hongmei… Chen Yu thought of that short-haired, capable female technician. Well, having an acquaintance there makes collaboration easier.

At 10:00 AM, the project team held its first meeting in Conference Room 2. Besides Lin Zhenhua and Chen Yu, there were four technicians: Su Hongmei, a middle-aged man wearing glasses named Wang Jianguo, a female technician in her early thirties named Li Fang, and an elderly engineer with gray hair named Zhou.

Lin Zhenhua chaired the meeting: "The goal of the 'Microscopic Observation Project' is very clear: to identify defects and optimization directions in the microstructure of materials by optimizing observation methods. Xiao Chen is the proposer of the plan; let's ask him to explain the thought process in detail."

All eyes were on Chen Yu.

Chen Yu was prepared. He stood up, walked to the blackboard, and began to explain: "Traditional material observation mainly relies on microscopes, but due to limitations in magnification and resolution, many subtle defects are difficult to detect. My approach is to use special sample processing methods and multi-angle observation techniques, combined with the observer's experience and intuition, to find those overlooked details..."

He didn't use any special techniques, but instead used scientific terms like "visual sensitivity developed through special training" and "intuitive judgment formed through accumulated experience" to explain it. He also proposed a complete experimental procedure: sample preparation → multi-angle observation → defect labeling → analysis and summarization → improvement suggestions.

"The key lies in the second and third steps." Chen Yu drew a flowchart on the blackboard. "We need to design a standardized observation and recording method to ensure that the results obtained by different observers are comparable and reproducible."

Su Hongmei asked, "What exactly does 'special training' refer to? How do you ensure that different people's 'intuition' is consistent?"

"Good question." Chen Yu nodded. "I suggest we conduct a two-week training session first. I will teach everyone the methods I have summarized, and then we will observe a batch of standard samples together, compare the results, and gradually form standards."

Wang Jianguo adjusted his glasses: "Theoretically feasible, but practically difficult. Material defects vary greatly; how do you classify them? How do you quantify them?"

"That's exactly what we need to solve," Chen Yu said calmly. "I've initially envisioned a 'defect scoring system' that gives a comprehensive score based on the type, size, location, and impact on performance of the defect. The specific scoring criteria need to be developed together."

The meeting lasted for over two hours, with lively but fruitful discussions. After the meeting, Lin Zhenhua patted Chen Yu on the shoulder: "Chen, you spoke well! Your thinking was clear and your considerations were thorough. I think this project has potential!"

"You flatter me, Mr. Lin. We still need everyone's joint efforts."

Back in his office, Chen Yu began preparing training materials. He couldn't directly teach the art of spiritual vision, but he could teach techniques to improve observation skills—such as how to adjust the angle of light, how to focus on details, and how to memorize and compare images. These techniques, combined with some principles of spiritual vision, should effectively improve the observation skills of ordinary people.

At lunchtime, Su Hongmei sat down with her lunchbox and asked, "Chen Yu, isn't your observation method a bit similar to the 'inspection' method in traditional Chinese medicine?"

Chen Yu was taken aback for a moment, then laughed: "Why did you think of that, Sister Su?"

"My father was a traditional Chinese medicine doctor. I watched him treat patients since I was a child, using the four diagnostic methods of observation, listening, questioning, and palpation. He was particularly meticulous in his observation," Su Hongmei said. "He always said that a skilled doctor can tell at a glance what's wrong with a patient, relying on years of honed eyesight and accumulated intuition. Your method seems to have a similar effect."

"There are indeed similarities," Chen Yu continued, "Both involve observing appearances to deduce underlying problems. It's just that one looks at people, and the other looks at materials."

"So, does your method also require a long period of practice to master?"

"Of course. Two weeks of training is just the beginning; true mastery may take months or even years," Chen Yu said frankly. "But as long as we establish standards, even at the beginner level, we can discover many problems that we previously overlooked."

Su Hongmei nodded: "I understand. I will cooperate fully."

In the afternoon, Chen Yu finished his work ahead of schedule and made an excuse to leave the research institute. He didn't return to the courtyard house, but went to Xishan instead.

After obtaining the Water Spirit Orb last night, he had an idea—water-based spiritual energy has the effect of nourishing all things. What would happen if he could use it to cultivate spiritual herbs? The Western Mountains are a remote and inaccessible place, perfect for conducting experiments.

Finding a secluded valley, Chen Yu entered his small world and took out a small bottle of spiritual spring water—an upgraded version nourished by the Water Spirit Pearl. He also took out several common herb seeds: ginseng, astragalus, and angelica.

He chose a shady, damp spot in the valley, planted the seeds, and watered them with the spiritual spring water. For comparison, he planted the same seeds next to them and watered them with ordinary spring water.

After doing all this, he sat cross-legged on a rock and began to observe.

Under the Spiritual Eye Technique, the life energy inside the seeds watered with the spiritual spring water was noticeably more active, absorbing water and nutrients much faster. In just half an hour, tender shoots broke through the soil! Meanwhile, the seeds watered with ordinary spring water were only just beginning to swell.

"The effect is so obvious?" Chen Yu was surprised. He carefully plucked a tender bud and chewed it in his mouth. A faint medicinal fragrance was mixed with a trace of spiritual energy!

Success! Herbs cultivated with spiritual spring water truly possess spiritual energy! Although it's very faint, it has already surpassed ordinary herbs!

He excitedly recorded the experimental data: seed variety, planting environment, amount of spiritual spring water, germination time, spiritual energy content of tender shoots... This was a complete set of valuable data on the cultivation of spiritual herbs!

Just as they were about to continue observing, their spiritual senses suddenly issued a warning—someone was coming! And not an ordinary person, but a cultivator!

Chen Yu immediately concealed his aura and hid behind a rock. He activated the Concealing Breath Technique at full power, slowing his heartbeat and lowering his body temperature, making him seem to blend into his surroundings.

A moment later, two figures appeared at the entrance to the valley.

A man and a woman. The man was in his forties or fifties, wearing a gray Zhongshan suit, with an ordinary face but sharp, eagle-like eyes. The woman was in her early thirties, with short hair, wearing blue overalls, looking like an ordinary worker, but her steps were light and her landings were silent.

"Senior brother, this is the place." The woman stopped and looked around. "The spiritual energy fluctuations from last night dissipated in this area."

Senior Brother? Chen Yu's heart skipped a beat. It was the Heavenly Dao Alliance! They really had come to investigate the strange activity at Kunming Lake!

The man closed his eyes and sensed for a moment, then shook his head: "The spiritual energy has dissipated, and its source cannot be traced. However... there is a faint trace of wood-elemental spiritual energy remaining here."

He walked to the spot where Chen Yu had planted the herbs and squatted down to examine it. Chen Yu's heart leaped into his throat—the area had just been watered with spiritual spring water, and although it had seeped into the soil, traces were still inevitably left.

"These are newly planted herbs." The man picked up a bit of soil and smelled it. "The soil is moist; it was just watered. But this water... is a bit unusual."

The woman squatted down as well: "It seems to be water rich in spiritual energy. Could it be that some rogue cultivator is cultivating spiritual herbs here?"

"Possibly." The man stood up. "There aren't many independent cultivators in Beijing, and even fewer who have access to spiritual water. Check who has been collecting herb seeds recently."

"Yes."

The two searched the area again but found no further clues before leaving. Chen Yu waited until they were far away before slowly exhaling.

That was close! We almost got caught!

It seems the Heavenly Alliance's tracking capabilities are stronger than he imagined. The movements at Kunming Lake and the use of the spiritual spring water could all leave clues. He must be even more careful in the future.

He carefully transplanted the experimental seedlings back into the small world, and meticulously cleaned up the traces at the scene, confirming that no spiritual energy fluctuations remained before leaving West Mountain.

It was already evening when they returned to the courtyard. The courtyard was unusually quiet—Jia Zhangshi had finally stopped crying after she had cried herself to sleep. Zhang Xiulan was cooking in the kitchen, and Banggeng was squatting by the door playing with pebbles. The doors of the other houses were all closed, as if they were deliberately avoiding something.

"Chen Yu." He Yuzhu came out of the house with a serious expression. "Third Auntie just came to see me. She said that Yan Bugui's case may implicate other people in the compound. The police are investigating whether there are any accomplices."

"Accomplices?" Chen Yu raised an eyebrow.

"Hmm. Yan Bugui confessed to some things, which involved some old scores in the institute." He Yuzhu lowered his voice, "I heard that Xu Damao was involved in the illegal sale of cultural relics, and Yan Bugui was also involved in the profit sharing. And Liu Haizhong... In short, something big might happen in the institute."

Chen Yu remained silent. Yan Bugui was trying to drag others down with him. But it was fine; it was best to clean up what needed to be cleaned up.

"Brother Zhu, be careful and don't get involved."

"I know, I didn't do those things." He Yuzhu paused, "But Chen Yu, I always feel... there's more to these things in the hospital than meets the eye. It's like there's an unseen hand pulling the strings."

Chen Yu's heart skipped a beat. He Yuzhu may look rough and rugged, but he is actually quite thoughtful.

"Don't overthink it. The net of heaven is vast, and though its meshes are wide, nothing escapes it." Chen Yu patted him on the shoulder and went back inside.

After dinner, Chen Yu entered the small world and began processing today's harvest.

The transplanted medicinal herb seedlings grew well, growing even faster in the rich spiritual energy environment of the small world than outside. He specially designated an area as a medicinal herb garden and set up a simple spirit-gathering array.

Then, he began to study the second use of the Water Spirit Orb—refining water-based elixirs.

The *Tai Xuan Zhen Jing* records several methods for refining water-based elixirs, the simplest of which is the "Water-Nourishing Elixir," which nourishes the meridians and harmonizes the five elements. The main ingredient is a water-based spiritual herb, supplemented with common medicinal materials. Now that he has herbs cultivated with spiritual spring water and the spiritual energy emanating from the Water Spirit Pearl, he should be able to refine it.

He took out the bronze alchemy furnace and lit the Earth Fire Talisman. Following the alchemy formula, Chen Yu added the medicinal herbs one by one. This refining process went much more smoothly than before—although the Water Spirit Orb wasn't used directly, its spiritual energy permeated the small world, enveloping the entire alchemy process in a warm, water-based spiritual energy.

An hour later, the pills were complete. The moment the furnace was opened, nine pale blue pills flew out, each one round and crystal clear, with faint water ripples on its surface.

[Successfully Refined: Moisturizing Pill (Good)]

【Efficacy: Nourishes the meridians, harmonizes the five elements, and slightly enhances affinity with the water element】

[Quality: Good (Nourished by the spiritual energy of the Water Spirit Pearl, 70% of the medicinal effects are retained)]

Excellent quality! And it's a water-based elixir!

Chen Yu swallowed one pill. As soon as the pill entered his stomach, it transformed into a warm, cool current that flowed to his limbs and bones. The trace of fire energy that had accumulated from cultivating the "Tai Xuan True Scripture" (caused by refining pills with the Earth Fire Talisman for a long time) was instantly neutralized, and his meridians felt as if they were being cleansed by a clear spring, leaving him feeling incredibly comfortable.

"What a fine pill!" Chen Yu exclaimed. Although this kind of pill cannot directly improve cultivation level, it can regulate the body and lay a better foundation for future breakthroughs.

He carefully put away the remaining eight pills and left the small world.

Night deepened, and the courtyard house fell into slumber. But Chen Yu knew that this courtyard, this city, this world, was far from as peaceful as it appeared on the surface.

The Heavenly Alliance is investigating, the courtyard is in turmoil, and the country is undergoing changes.

He stands at the intersection of spiritual practice and worldly life, seeking both the path to immortality and the preservation of his present life.

This road is destined to be bumpy.

But Chen Yu is ready to face all challenges.

Outside the window, the moonlight was as clear as water.

And a new chapter is quietly unfolding.