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

At four o'clock in the morning on July 5th, it was still pitch black.

When Chen Yu walked out of the courtyard with his canvas travel bag, there were only a few dim streetlights in the alley. He Yuzhu was already waiting at the gate, with a larger roll of luggage at his feet and a bulging cloth bag on his back.

"Chen Yu, over here!" He Yuzhu greeted in a low voice.

"Good morning, Brother Zhu." Chen Yu walked over and smelled the aroma of scallion pancakes. "This is..."

"My wife got up in the middle of the night to make these, so we can eat them on the way." He Yuzhu took out a paper package from his cloth bag and handed Chen Yu two still-warm pancakes. "They're filled with pork and scallions, and they smell delicious."

Chen Yu accepted the food, feeling a warmth in his heart. In these days, being able to bring such dry rations when traveling far away was already a very good privilege.

The two walked along the cobblestone path towards the alley entrance. The path was quiet, save for their footsteps and the occasional bark of a dog in the distance. Passing the Jia family's house, Chen Yu noticed a faint light coming from the window—Zhang Xiulan was already up. He nodded towards the window, and the figure inside nodded back.

As they reached the alley entrance, a tricycle was already waiting there. It was a vehicle that He Yuzhu had arranged in advance. The driver was an old man in his fifties, wrapped in a cotton-padded coat, and was dozing off.

"Master, to the train station." He Yuzhu patted the driver.

"Alright!" The driver woke up, started pedaling, and said, "Hold on tight, you two."

The tricycle traveled along the quiet streets. Beijing was still asleep in the early morning; only sanitation workers were sweeping the streets, and occasionally, workers rushing to their early shifts would hurry by on bicycles. In the distance, the whistle of a train drifted on, long and desolate.

"Chen Yu, have you ever taken a long-distance train?" He Yuzhu asked.

"No, this is the first time," Chen Yu said truthfully. The original owner of this body came to Beijing from Northeast China by train, but that was a short journey.

"That's going to be awful," He Yuzhu shook his head. "Two days and one night. A hard sleeper is okay, but a hard seat would be unbearable. Luckily, we managed to get sleeper tickets."

At 4:30, they arrived at Beijing Railway Station. While not large in the 1960s, Beijing Railway Station was already one of the top railway stations in the country. The Soviet-style architecture appeared solemn in the morning light, and the station square was already crowded with people, mostly travelers carrying large bags and bundles.

"Wow, there are so many people." He Yuzhu clicked his tongue in amazement.

"It's summer vacation, lots of people are visiting relatives," Chen Yu said, his spiritual sense quietly spreading out. His intermediate-level concealment technique made him appear as an ordinary passenger, but his spiritual sense's probing abilities remained unaffected. He "saw" the waiting room packed with people: officials, workers, students, and farmers with their families. The air was thick with the mixed smells of sweat, tobacco, and food.

Their train number was K15, an express train from Beijing to Guangzhou, departing at 6:00 AM. The two found their respective waiting room, had their tickets checked, and entered the station.

On the platform, the dark green train was already parked. It was a domestically produced Type 22 passenger car, with the slogan "People's Railway for the People" painted on its body. The hard sleeper carriage was in the middle, and the two found their berths—berths 13 and 14 in carriage 9.

"The middle bunk, it's neither here nor there." He Yuzhu stuffed his luggage under the bunk. "But it's still better than the top bunk. The top bunk is cramped, even more uncomfortable than a hard seat."

Chen Yu put his travel bag away and looked around the carriage. Each carriage had ten compartments, each with six berths, arranged in three tiers: upper, middle, and lower. Their compartment was already occupied: a middle-aged couple on the lower berth, a young man wearing glasses reading on the upper berth, and an empty middle berth.

"Comrades, where are you going?" The middle-aged man spoke first, speaking with a strong Shandong accent.

"Guangzhou," He Yuzhu replied. "And you two?"

"We've come to Wuhan to see our daughter," the woman said with a smile. "She teaches at Wuhan University and just had a baby."

During their casual conversation, Chen Yu learned that the couple's surname was Wang, and they were middle school teachers in Jinan. The young man in the upper bunk was surnamed Li, a student at Tsinghua University, who was doing an internship in Guangzhou.

At six o'clock sharp, the train whistle sounded a long blast, and the train slowly started moving. Outside the window, the platform of Beijing Station gradually receded, the outline of the city appeared in the morning light, and then slowly disappeared from view.

The train left the city and entered the countryside. In July, the crops on the North China Plain were growing vigorously, with fields of corn and sorghum flashing past the window. He Yuzhu leaned against the window to look at the scenery, while Chen Yu leaned against his berth, closing his eyes to rest, but actually projecting his spiritual senses to perceive everything around him.

The various characters on the train were quite amusing: in the next compartment, people were playing cards; in the next compartment, a child was crying; from the dining car, you could hear the sound of a chef chopping vegetables; and a train attendant was pushing a cart down the aisle, calling out, "Cigarettes, sunflower seeds, sausages, beer, drinks, mineral water..."

This sense of everyday life was something absent from the cultivation world. Chen Yu suddenly felt that this "human touch" might be one of the meanings of his transmigration—finding a balance between the extraordinary and the ordinary.

At 10:00 AM, the train stopped at Shijiazhuang Station. The platform was crowded with vendors, holding baskets and hawking sesame cakes, eggs, and boiled corn. He Yuzhu jumped off the train and bought a few tea eggs.

"Try these, they're tea eggs from Shijiazhuang, I've heard they're famous." He handed two to Chen Yu.

Chen Yu peeled the eggshell; the egg white did indeed have beautiful brown patterns, and it tasted quite good. As he ate, he used his spiritual sense to probe the platform. Suddenly, he sensed a familiar fluctuation of spiritual energy!

It was faint, but it definitely existed. Right at the other end of the platform, on a middle-aged man wearing a gray Zhongshan suit!

A cultivator? Chen Yu was startled. He activated his intermediate-level concealment technique at full power, while simultaneously using his spiritual sense to probe the area more discreetly.

The man was in his forties, with an ordinary appearance, carrying a black leather bag, and talking to a staff member on the platform. His spiritual energy fluctuations were very subtle; if Chen Yu hadn't just broken through to the eighth level and his spiritual sense hadn't been enhanced, he probably wouldn't have noticed them. Judging from the intensity of the fluctuations, he was probably around the fifth level of the Qi Refining stage.

"Brother Zhu, I'm going to the restroom." Chen Yu put down the tea egg, got up, and got out of the car.

He casually walked to the other end of the platform. His spiritual eye technique activated silently, and he looked at the middle-aged man.

The man seemed to sense something and suddenly turned to look in Chen Yu's direction. Chen Yu immediately lowered his head to tie his shoelaces, activating his Concealment Technique to its maximum. The man watched for a few seconds, found nothing amiss, and then turned back.

Chen Yu, however, saw clearly—a small jade pendant hung from the zipper of the man's bag, engraved with a complex rune. Although he couldn't see the details, Chen Yu could sense that it was a magical artifact.

The train whistled, signaling its imminent departure. Chen Yu quickly returned to the train and, through the window, saw the middle-aged man board, but not in their carriage; he boarded in the sleeper car behind them.

"What's wrong, Chen Yu? You look so serious," He Yuzhu asked.

"It's nothing, I might just be a little carsick," Chen Yu said casually.

The train continued its journey. At lunchtime in the dining car, Chen Yu saw the middle-aged man again. He was sitting alone in a corner, with a dish and soup in front of him, eating slowly and glancing around warily from time to time.

Chen Yu found a seat diagonally opposite him, sat down with his back to him, but kept his spiritual sense firmly locked onto the other person.

While the man ate, his left hand remained resting on his briefcase. Inside, besides the magical artifact, were several books and some documents. Chen Yu's spiritual sense attempted to probe into the books, but was blocked by a layer of restriction—not strong, but enough to prevent ordinary probes.

"There's a secret," Chen Yu thought to himself. But he didn't intend to cause trouble. The Heavenly Dao Alliance had just left, and he had encountered other cultivators, which made him even more vigilant. When traveling, it's best to avoid trouble.

In the afternoon, the train entered Henan province. The scenery outside the window changed to rolling hills, with occasional tributaries of the Yellow River visible. He Yuzhu took a nap, and after waking up, he started chatting with the people in his compartment.

Teacher Wang was very talkative, discussing everything from education to politics, from agriculture to industry. Student Li, on the other hand, was more introverted, but his eyes lit up when he mentioned his major—radio technology.

"The electronics industry in Guangzhou is developing very rapidly. Several of my seniors from our department went to radio factories in Guangzhou after graduation," Li said, adjusting his glasses. "This internship is for visiting and learning from them."

"Radio, that's high-tech!" He Yuzhu gave a thumbs up. "I heard there's something called a television that can bring movies home to watch, is that true?"

"It's true, but our country can't produce them yet; they're all imported," said Li. "But we're working on it, and I believe that in the near future, we'll be able to make our own televisions."

Listening to these conversations, Chen Yu was filled with emotion. People of this era, though materially impoverished, were full of spirit and confidence in the future. He knew that in just a few years, this country would undergo earth-shattering changes.

As evening fell, the train pulled into Zhengzhou Station. The platform became even more crowded, with people getting on and off the train almost blocking the passageway. Chen Yu noticed that the middle-aged man had also gotten off the train, but quickly got back on, still clutching his briefcase tightly in his hand.

After dinner, darkness fell. The train traveled through the night, with a few lights occasionally flashing past the window—those were the villages along the way. The light in the compartment came on, and in the dim yellow light, Teacher Wang was reading, Li was writing in his diary, and He Yuzhu was asleep again, emitting soft snores.

Chen Yu climbed onto his middle bunk, drew the curtain, and pretended to rest, but in reality, he entered his small world to cultivate for two hours. Cultivating on the train was certainly not as effective as cultivating in his small world, but it was better than nothing. He now circulated his cultivation technique every day to consolidate his power.

After finishing his cultivation, he exited the small world and suddenly heard people arguing in hushed tones in the corridor outside the private room.

"...I said no, and that means no!"

"But……"

"No buts! Proceed according to plan!"

The sound was very soft, but it didn't escape Chen Yu's ears. He extended his spiritual sense and saw two people standing in the aisle—the middle-aged man and a young man in his twenties. The young man was wearing a railway uniform and appeared to be a train conductor.

"The goods must be delivered on time, without any mistakes." The middle-aged man lowered his voice. "It's all arranged over there. Someone will meet you when you arrive at the station."

"What if we get investigated..."

"No, the paperwork is complete."

The two exchanged a few more words, and the train conductor hurriedly left. The middle-aged man stood there for a while before returning to his compartment.

Chen Yu's suspicions deepened. These two were clearly planning something, involving "delivery" and "assistance." Considering the magical artifact and the restrictions in the bag, this was definitely not an ordinary matter.

Should he get involved? Chen Yu hesitated. Logically, he shouldn't interfere in the affairs of cultivators. But what if this matter harmed ordinary people?

As I was thinking, the train suddenly shook violently and then slowed down abruptly! Everyone in the compartment woke up with a start.

"What's wrong? What's wrong?" He Yuzhu sat up from his bunk.

"It might have been an emergency stop." Teacher Wang also woke up.

The train slowly came to a stop. Outside the window stretched a dark field with a few scattered lights in the distance. The train conductor's voice came over the loudspeaker: "Passengers, there is a temporary situation on the track ahead. The train needs to make a brief stop. Please remain calm and stay in your seats."

But soon, a commotion and footsteps echoed in the aisle. Chen Yu extended his spiritual sense and saw several people in railway uniforms hurrying towards the rear carriages, their faces serious.

"Something happened?" Li asked anxiously, having also woken up.

Chen Yu didn't speak, his spiritual sense following the railway workers. They went straight to the sleeper car, stopped in front of the middle-aged man's compartment, and knocked on the door.

The door opened, and a middle-aged man poked his head out: "What is it?"

"Comrade, please come with us to the dining car. We have some questions to ask you." The leader was a train police officer in his forties, whose tone was polite but firm.

The middle-aged man's expression changed slightly, but he still nodded: "Okay."

The group headed towards the dining car. Chen Yu thought for a moment and said to He Yuzhu, "Brother Zhu, I'll go out and take a look."

Be careful.

Chen Yu got off his berth and headed towards the dining car. The dining car had been temporarily cleared out; the train police, the train conductor, and two men in plainclothes were sitting there, with a middle-aged man sitting opposite him. Train attendants were guarding the door, preventing ordinary passengers from approaching.

But Chen Yu's spiritual sense could easily probe in.

"...Please explain what's in the bag." An undercover officer opened the bag and took out the jade pendant, several books, and documents.

"This is a family heirloom jade, and these are ancient books. Is there a problem?" the middle-aged man said calmly.

"Ancient jade?" The plainclothes officer picked up the jade plaque and examined it closely. "The pattern on it is quite unique. And these books..." He flipped through a few pages, his expression growing even more serious. "Comrade, the content of these books is suspected of being related to feudal superstition and needs to be confiscated."

"Those are my research materials on folk culture!" the middle-aged man exclaimed anxiously. "I have letters of introduction and proof of employment!"

"We've seen the letter of introduction, but these items must be confiscated for inspection." The plainclothes officer remained unmoved. "Furthermore, someone has reported that you were making a private deal with a train conductor to transport contraband. Please cooperate with the investigation."

The middle-aged man's face turned ashen: "I want to see your leader!"

"I am the leader," the train conductor began. "Comrade, if you have no problems, the investigation will clear your name. But for now, please cooperate."

Chen Yu heard everything clearly from outside. It seemed the train conductor had been questioned and had implicated the middle-aged man. As for what contraband was being transported, that remained unknown.

Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly sensed a faint but urgent fluctuation of spiritual energy emanating from the dining car. It was the middle-aged man attempting to send a message!

Chen Yu's heart skipped a beat, and his spiritual sense locked onto the fluctuation. It was a very simple communication technique, and the destination was...south! He was sending a message to his accomplices!

The commotion quickly subsided, and the middle-aged man was apprehended by plainclothes officers. But Chen Yu knew that the news had already spread.

Back in the private room, He Yuzhu asked, "What happened?"

"It seems someone was carrying contraband and got caught," Chen Yu said simply.

"Sigh, the checks are strict now." Teacher Wang shook his head. "When you're out and about, it's best to behave yourself."

The train stopped for about an hour before restarting. The announcement explained it was a "routine safety check," but Chen Yu knew it wasn't that simple.

In the latter half of the night, Chen Yu remained vigilant. His spiritual sense occasionally swept across the rear carriages; the middle-aged man had been placed under separate surveillance, his bag and belongings sealed away. The train conductor had also been detained, and the two were locked in different rest rooms.

"This train journey is going to be fraught with danger," Chen Yu thought to himself.

But what he didn't expect was that an even bigger surprise was yet to come.

The next morning, the train entered Hunan province. The scenery outside the window changed to rolling green hills and rice paddies, and the air became much more humid. We had arrived in the south.

Around ten o'clock, the train stopped at Changsha Station. The platform was packed with people, with passengers jostling to get on and off. Chen Yu sat by the window, watching the scene on the platform, when suddenly, he spotted a familiar figure in the crowd!

Although it was just a fleeting glimpse, Chen Yu was certain he wasn't mistaken—it was Scarface! The mysterious man who had appeared at Kunming Lake and Xishan!

Scarface was dressed differently today, in ordinary blue overalls and a straw hat, but the scar on his left cheek was still faintly visible. He blended into the crowd, appearing as an ordinary passenger, but his eyes sharply scanned the carriages.

Chen Yu immediately lowered his head, activating his concealment technique to its maximum. His spiritual sense, however, remained firmly locked onto the scarred man.

Scarface paced a few steps on the platform, seemingly searching for something. Then, he glanced towards the sleeper carriages, his brow furrowing slightly. Clearly, he had also noticed the unusual situation there—the train police were on guard, and the atmosphere was off.

After lingering for a few minutes, Scarface turned and left, quickly disappearing into the crowd.

As the train started moving again, Chen Yu's heart was filled with turmoil. Was the scarred man's appearance on the southbound train a coincidence or intentional? What was he doing in the south? Could it also be related to the ancient cultivator's cave in southern Yunnan?

There are too many questions.

During lunch, He Yuzhu became visibly excited: "We'll be in Guangzhou in half a day! Chen Yu, when we get there, I'll take you to my cousin's place to try some authentic Cantonese cuisine!"

"Okay," Chen Yu replied absentmindedly.

At 3 p.m., the train entered Guangdong province. The scenery outside the window became even more southern: banana trees, lychee groves, rice seedlings planted in paddy fields, and farmers wearing straw hats working in the fields.

The train conductor's voice came over the loudspeaker: "Dear passengers, this train is about to arrive at its final destination, Guangzhou Station. Please gather your luggage and prepare to disembark..."

Chen Yu looked out the window, where the outline of the city was already visible in the distance.

Guangzhou, we've arrived.

And a new story will unfold here.