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

November 7th, evening.

Beijing Railway Station.

Chen Yu carried his simple luggage out of the station. The early winter evening wind blew on his face, carrying the dry chill unique to the north. The square in front of the station was bustling with people: people picking up passengers, vendors hawking their wares, and tricycle drivers soliciting customers. Everything was so familiar, as if he had never left.

But Chen Yu knew that everything was different now.

Abbot Zhou's last words still echoed in his ears—ten years, only ten years. Within ten years, they must enter the ancient battlefield and find the true core of the seal. Otherwise, the ferocious creatures on the battlefield will break the seal and wreak havoc on the world.

He took a deep breath, suppressed the heaviness in his heart, and walked towards the front door.

When I passed by "Huaixiu Snacks", the lights were still on inside. Through the glass window, I could see Zhang Xiulan tidying up the dishes, and several regular customers sitting at the table chatting.

Chen Yu pushed open the door and went in.

"Xiao Chen?!" Zhang Xiulan greeted her with delight. "You're back? Where's Huai Ru?"

"She's still in her hometown, I had something to do so I came back first," Chen Yu replied with a smile. "Aunt Zhang, how's business at the shop?"

"It's great!" Zhang Xiulan beamed. "I'm earning over ten yuan a day these past few days, which is much better than working a regular job!"

Chen Yu nodded, greeted a few regular customers, and then took his leave.

In the small courtyard in front of the gate, the wall that had collapsed halfway had been rebuilt, and the roof tiles had been repaired. Chen Yu stood in the courtyard, scanning the area with his spiritual sense, but found nothing unusual.

He closed the door and entered the small world.

Inside the bamboo house, Qin Huairu was cooking. Hearing a noise, she turned around and almost dropped the spatula in her hand.

"Chen Yu!" She rushed over and hugged him tightly. "You're finally back!"

"You're back." Chen Yu gently patted her back. "I'm sorry to have worried you."

Qin Huairu looked up, her eyes red-rimmed, but with a smile on her face: "It's good that you're alright. Are you hungry? I made some food, come sit down and eat."

The two sat in the bamboo house, eating a simple meal. Chen Yu told her everything that had happened in the cave—the siege by the four masters of the Xuanming Palace, the eruption of the Five Elements Spirit Pearls, the sacrifice of Abbot Zhou, the sealing of the ancient battlefield, and the ten-year deadline.

Qin Huairu turned pale upon hearing this and gripped his hand tightly.

"So... what are you planning to do next?" she asked softly.

"Cultivation," Chen Yu said. "In ten years, I want to break through to the Golden Core stage, or even higher. Only then will I be qualified to enter the battlefield."

"Golden Core Stage..."

"Yes." Chen Yu looked at her. "Huai Ru, in the days to come, I'll probably be spending most of my time cultivating in the small world. You..."

"I'll stay with you," Qin Huairu interrupted him. "You can cultivate inside, and I'll cook for you, grow herbs, and do your laundry outside. As long as I can be with you, anywhere is fine."

Chen Yu felt a warmth in his heart and pulled her into his arms.

"Thank you, Huairu."

The days that followed were peaceful and fulfilling.

During the day, Chen Yu would occasionally go out for a stroll, check on the business of the snack shops, chat with He Yuzhu and the others, and create the illusion that he was "still in Beijing." At night, he would enter his small world, adjust the time flow to the highest ratio of one to ten, and cultivate frantically.

Qin Huairu settled down in the small world. She cultivated a small vegetable garden next to the bamboo house, growing some greens and radishes; she also raised a few chicks by the spirit field—chicks hatched from wild eggs that had appeared out of nowhere in the small world. Every day, she cooked, planted vegetables, fed the chickens, and occasionally, like Chen Yu, watered and weeded the spirit herbs.

"This isn't spiritual practice, it's more like a vacation," Chen Yu once joked with her.

"Isn't it all to serve you?" Qin Huairu rolled her eyes at him, but her eyes were full of laughter.

Days passed by like this. In this little world, time flew by.

One hundred days passed in the small world, and Chen Yu broke through to the late stage of the seventh level of the Foundation Establishment stage.

Two hundred days passed in the small world, and he broke through to the eighth level of the Foundation Establishment stage.

When three hundred days had passed in the small world, he reached the peak of the eighth level of the Foundation Establishment stage.

He was just one step away from reaching the Golden Core stage.

But this step is also the most difficult. The transition from Foundation Establishment to Golden Core is a qualitative change, requiring not only the accumulation of spiritual energy, but also a profound understanding of the Dao and a deep comprehension of its principles.

"There's no need to rush," Chen Yu told himself.

That day, he exited the small world and returned to the front courtyard. As soon as he came out, he sensed a familiar presence—He Yuzhu was lingering outside the courtyard gate.

He opened the door, and He Yuzhu's eyes lit up when she saw him: "Xiao Chen! You've finally come out! Where have you been these past few days?"

"I'm staying at home," Chen Yu said with a smile. "Brother Zhu, did you need something?"

"Something big has happened!" He Yuzhu whispered, "Xu Damao is in trouble again!"

"What is it?"

"He's missing!" He Yuzhu said. "He went out three days ago and hasn't come back since. Lou Xiao'e was so worried that she called the police, but they came and searched and couldn't find him."

Chen Yu's heart skipped a beat. Xu Damao had disappeared? Could it be related to the Xuanming Palace?

"What did the police say?"

"They said he might have left on his own, or maybe..." He Yuzhu paused, "...was murdered."

Chen Yu nodded and said nothing more.

After seeing He Yuzhu off, he returned to the small world and told Qin Huairu the news.

"Xu Damao has disappeared?" Qin Huairu frowned. "Could it be related to those people?"

"That's possible." Chen Yu pondered. "Xu Damao had been in contact with them before. Maybe he was silenced, or..."

He didn't finish speaking, but both of them understood—Xu Damao had probably been taken away by the Xuanming Palace.

"What should we do then?"

"Let's wait and see," Chen Yu said. "If it really was the Xuanming Palace that did it, it means they haven't given up yet. We need to be fully prepared."

Over the next few days, Chen Yu cultivated while secretly keeping an eye on his surroundings.

Sure enough, he noticed something unusual—several unfamiliar faces had appeared in the alley. Although they were disguised as ordinary pedestrians, they couldn't escape his spiritual sense. They were all Qi Refining stage cultivators, probably spies sent by the Xuanming Palace to monitor them.

"They're waiting," Chen Yu deduced, "waiting for me to make a mistake."

But he wasn't in a hurry. With the small world around him, he could disappear at any time, leaving his spies empty-handed.

November 20th, late at night.

Chen Yu was cultivating in the small world when he suddenly sensed intense fluctuations of spiritual energy coming from the direction of the courtyard—someone was forcibly breaking the formation!

He suddenly opened his eyes and exited the small world.

In the courtyard, three men in black were attacking the defensive array he had set up. The array's protective barrier flickered violently, on the verge of shattering.

All three are at the seventh level of the Foundation Establishment stage!

Chen Yu snorted coldly and pushed open the door to leave.

"Oh, so you've finally come out?" the leader of the men in black sneered. "You've been hiding for so many days, I thought you'd never show yourself."

Chen Yu remained silent, merely staring coldly at them. The Four Symbols Ritual Artifacts hovered around him, ready to strike at any moment.

"Chen Yu, come with us," another man in black said. "The Palace Master wants to see you."

"Palace Master?" Chen Yu raised an eyebrow. "Palace Master of the Xuanming Palace?"

"That's right."

"Why did he want to see me?"

"Enough with the nonsense!" the third man in black shouted. "You'll find out when you get there!"

Chen Yu laughed: "Just the three of you?"

The three men in black exchanged a glance and attacked simultaneously!

Instead of retreating, Chen Yu advanced, fully activating the Four Symbols Ritual Artifacts—a peak eighth-level Foundation Establishment cultivator against a seventh-level Foundation Establishment cultivator, completely overwhelming him!

In less than thirty moves, all three men in black fell to the ground.

Chen Yu stepped on the leader's chest and said coldly, "Go back and tell your palace master that if he wants to see me, he should come himself."

The man spat out blood, glared at him hatefully, but dared not say anything more, and fled in a sorry state with his two companions.

Chen Yu watched their disappearing figures, his eyes flashing with cold light.

Is the Xuanming Palace finally going to take action itself?

Very well, he also wanted to meet that legendary palace master.

Let's see if the Golden Core stage is more powerful, or if his Four Symbols Power at the peak of the eighth level of the Foundation Establishment stage is stronger!