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

November 5th, late at night.

Eagle Mountain, deep within a cave.

Chen Yu sat cross-legged in the core hall, his body surrounded by surging spiritual energy. Five elemental spirit pearls floated above his head, their five colors flashing alternately, illuminating the entire space in a dreamlike manner.

He has been cultivating here for a full seven days—seventy days in the small world time.

He had already consumed the seventh Nine-Turn Golden Elixir, raising his cultivation level from the early stage of the seventh level of Foundation Establishment to the late stage. However, he was still one step away from breaking through to the eighth level.

"Almost there..." Chen Yu sensed the surging true energy within his body, only a hair's breadth away from that barrier.

Just then, he suddenly opened his eyes—

A violent tremor came from the entrance to the cave!

Someone forced their way in!

Chen Yu abruptly stood up, extending his spiritual sense with all his might. In the passageway leading to the cave entrance, four powerful auras were rapidly approaching—three at the eighth level of the Foundation Establishment stage, and one at the seventh level!

They're from the Xuanming Palace!

"They came quickly." Chen Yu sneered, but felt no fear. A seventh-level Foundation Establishment cultivator against three eighth-level cultivators seemed like a certain death, but this was his home turf—within the cave heaven, empowered by the Five Elements Spirit Pearls, he was confident he could fight!

He put away the four ritual implements and strode outside.

Four men in black were moving quickly through the passageway. The three leading figures, all at the eighth level of Foundation Establishment, exuded an aura of profound darkness, their bodies shrouded in a chilling black aura, clearly practitioners of evil arts. The last one, an old man in gray robes, was the elder whom Chen Yu had defeated last time.

"Elder, are you sure he's here?" a man in black asked.

"I'm sure." The gray-robed old man gritted his teeth. "My tracking technique is never wrong; he's deep inside the cave."

"Fine." The leader of the men in black sneered, "Today, we'll make sure he can't escape."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a burst of light suddenly appeared in the passageway ahead—the Vermilion Bird Lantern Mirror hurtled towards them, its flames soaring into the sky!

"Be careful!"

The four men in black attacked simultaneously, bracing themselves against the raging flames. But the Vermilion Bird Lantern Mirror was merely feinting; the real killing move was yet to come—

Chen Yu burst out from the shadows, protected by the Azure Dragon Cauldron, empowered by the White Tiger Cong, and with the Black Tortoise Armor providing solid defense, he threw a punch at the man in black at the front!

"Bang!"

The man in black hastily met the attack, but was forced back three steps by the punch. His expression changed slightly: "Seventh level of Foundation Establishment?"

"No, he's only at level seven, but his combat power is comparable to level eight!" another man in black shouted. "Attack together!"

The four of them attacked Chen Yu simultaneously!

Instead of retreating, Chen Yu advanced, unleashing the full power of the Four Symbols Ritual Artifacts, and engaged the four in battle.

"Boom!" "Bang!" "Thud!"

The tunnel was filled with constant rumbling, rocks were cracking, and shockwaves were flying everywhere. Chen Yu was fighting four opponents alone. Although he was at a disadvantage, he managed to withstand the four-person attack by relying on the Four Symbols Ritual Artifacts and the advantages of the Cave Heaven.

But the eighth level is still the eighth level, and its true essence is much more abundant than his. After fifty moves, Chen Yu began to show signs of fatigue, and blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

"Kid, you're not bad," the leader of the men in black sneered, "but today, you must die!"

He formed hand seals, and black energy surged around him, transforming into a giant black python that opened its jaws to bite Chen Yu—

Chen Yu gritted his teeth and activated the Four Symbols Ritual Artifacts with all his might to withstand the attack.

"boom!"

The giant python crashed into the Azure Dragon Cauldron, causing the protective barrier to flicker violently and nearly shatter. Chen Yu was jolted back seven steps, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

"Chen Yu!" In the small world, Qin Huairu sensed his danger and cried out in alarm.

"Don't come out!" Chen Yu hissed, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth and staring intently at the four people.

We cannot retreat, we cannot escape. If we retreat, what will happen to Qin Huairu? What will happen to Dongtian?

He took a deep breath, a resolute glint in his eyes.

"Since you're all courting death, then we'll all die together!"

He formed a hand seal to communicate with the Five Elements Spiritual Pearls—

Instantly, the entire cave trembled! The Five Elements Spirit Pearls flew out from the core hall, hovering above Chen Yu's head, their five-colored light shining brightly, illuminating the entire passageway!

"This is... the Five Elements Spirit Pearl?!" The four men in black's expressions changed drastically.

Chen Yu stopped wasting words, activated the power of the Spirit Pearl, and unleashed his full power—

Five-colored light swept out like a torrent, annihilating everything in its path!

The four men in black retreated in terror, but there was no way to escape. The light engulfed them, and screams rang out, only to quickly disappear.

When the light faded, only Chen Yu remained in the passageway.

The four men in black, three at the eighth level of Foundation Establishment and one at the seventh level of Foundation Establishment, were all reduced to ashes.

Chen Yu knelt on the ground, panting heavily. Activating the power of the Five Elements Spirit Pearls had consumed too much energy; his true essence was almost completely depleted, and he couldn't even stand up.

But the crisis is not over yet—

From the depths of the cave, a strange fluctuation emanated. The fluctuation was cold, violent, and full of killing intent, completely opposite to the gentleness of the Five Elements Spirit Pearl.

Chen Yu's heart skipped a beat, and he used his spiritual sense to probe the source of the fluctuation—

It's an ancient battlefield! He just activated the power of the Five Elements Spirit Pearls, unintentionally triggering the battlefield's seal!

The seal has been broken!

The fluctuations grew stronger, as if something was about to burst forth from the battlefield. Chen Yu could even hear distant roars, like some ferocious creature sealed away for millennia was awakening.

"Damn it..." He struggled to his feet and stumbled toward the main hall.

The seal must be reinforced, otherwise, if the ferocious creatures on the battlefield break free, not only him, but the entire western Yunnan region could be in danger!

In the core hall, the Five Elements Spirit Orbs had flown back to their original positions, but their light was much dimmer than before. Chen Yu reached out and touched them, sensing that most of the energy within the orbs had been consumed.

Following the method left by Huo Lingzi, he poured the last of his true essence into the spirit pearl in an attempt to strengthen the seal.

The spirit pearl slowly lit up, but the fluctuation only weakened and did not disappear.

"Not enough...not nearly enough..." Chen Yu gritted his teeth.

Just as he was in despair, he suddenly sensed a familiar presence—

Abbot Zhou!

The old monk had entered the grotto at some point and was slowly walking along the passageway. His steps were slow, but each one was incredibly firm.

"Abbot Zhou, what brings you here?" Chen Yu exclaimed in surprise.

Abbot Zhou did not answer, but walked to the Five Elements Spirit Pearl, put his hands together, and chanted the sutra in a low voice.

As the chanting began, a faint golden light emanated from his body. The golden light was warm and gentle, intertwining with the five-colored light of the Five Elements Spirit Pearl and gradually merging into it.

The fluctuations of the seal are getting weaker and weaker.

Chen Yu stared blankly at the scene, a surge of indescribable emotion welling up inside him.

Abbot Zhou... is no ordinary person.

After a long while, the chanting stopped. Abbot Zhou opened his eyes, looked at Chen Yu, and smiled slightly: "Benefactor Chen, this old monk has guarded this temple for sixty years, waiting for this day."

"Abbot Zhou, you..."

"My Dharma name is 'Shouzhen,' and I am a descendant of the Huolingzi lineage," Abbot Zhou said softly. "The mission of successive abbots has been to protect the grotto-heaven and the Five Elements Spirit Pearls. Now, that mission is complete."

His body began to become transparent, as if it were about to dissipate.

"Abbot Zhou!" Chen Yu exclaimed.

"Benefactor Chen, there's no need to be sad." Abbot Zhou's smile remained gentle. "I've lived for ninety-three years, that's enough. However, the seal has only been temporarily reinforced, not completely repaired. Within ten years, someone must enter the battlefield and find the true core of the seal, otherwise..."

He didn't finish speaking, but Chen Yu understood.

Ten years. Only ten years.

"Go, benefactor." Abbot Zhou gave him one last look. "You bear the weight of more than just your own destiny."

As soon as he finished speaking, his figure completely vanished, turning into specks of golden light that merged into the Five Elements Spirit Pearl.

The spirit pearl suddenly shone brightly, regaining its former brilliance.

Chen Yu knelt on the ground and did not get up for a long time.

After a long while, he stood up and bowed deeply to the spirit pearl.

"Abbot Zhou, I've got it."

He turned around and strode towards the exit of the cave.

In her little world, Qin Huairu was still waiting for him.

And he must become stronger.

Within ten years, enter the battlefield and find the sealed core.

This was the mission that Abbot Zhou entrusted to him with his life, and it was also the destiny he had to bear.

As we stepped out of the cave, the sky was already turning white.

Standing atop the mountain, Chen Yu gazed at the rising sun, a sense of unprecedented resolve welling up within him.

The Xuanming Palace will not give up easily. The threat from the ancient battlefield still exists, but no matter how difficult the road ahead may be, he will not back down.

Because behind him are people he wants to protect.

Everything he wanted to protect.