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

Chapter 146 The Three-Year Agreement: The Path to the Golden Core

November 22nd, early morning.

In the small world, sunlight streamed through the windows of the bamboo house, casting warm dappled patterns on the ground. Chen Yu sat cross-legged in the cultivation room, his brows slightly furrowed before him, holding the scroll of "Fire Spirit Child's Secret Record of Alchemy" that he had brought from the cave heaven.

Three years to break through to the Golden Core stage is impossible with normal cultivation. The only hope is the Nine-Turn Golden Core. But the Nine-Turn Golden Core requires forty-nine kinds of medicinal herbs, and most of the stock was used up during the last refinement. There is only enough left to refine two more batches.

"Two furnaces, at most twelve pills can be produced." Chen Yu calculated in his mind. "Theoretically, it takes nine pills to go from the eighth level of Foundation Establishment to the Golden Core stage. But everyone's physique is different; some people need more, some need less. I must prepare for the worst."

He closed the book, got up, and went downstairs.

Qin Huairu was busy in the kitchen, porridge was cooking in a pot, and pickled vegetables were being chopped on the cutting board. Seeing him come down, she looked up and smiled, "Are you hungry? It'll be ready soon."

Chen Yu walked over and gently hugged her from behind: "Huai Ru, for the next three years, I will probably be in seclusion for most of the time."

Qin Huairu paused for a moment, then continued chopping vegetables: "I know. You focus on your cultivation, I'll take care of things at home."

"you……"

"Don't worry about me." Qin Huairu turned to look at him. "There's food and drink in the little world, a vegetable garden and chickens, and I can even grow some medicinal herbs. It's not boring. But you, don't push yourself too hard, take care of your health."

Chen Yu felt a warmth in his heart and gently kissed her forehead: "Thank you."

After finishing his meal, Chen Yu began to plan his next training session.

First, two more batches of Nine-Turn Golden Elixir need to be refined. Regarding the medicinal herbs, the main ingredient is still missing a thousand-year-old Ganoderma lucidum—the one from last time has already been used. A few auxiliary ingredients are also missing, but these can be grown in the spirit fields of the small world.

"Plant the herbs first," he decided.

Over the next ten days (small world time), Chen Yu and Qin Huairu reorganized the spirit field. Following the methods in "The Secret Record of Fire Spirit Alchemy," they divided the land into different areas and planted seeds of various spiritual herbs. Some seeds were brought back from the cave heaven, while others were exchanged from the system shop.

"How long will it take for these medicinal herbs to mature?" Qin Huairu asked.

"A normal time would take a few months, but a precious time would take more than a year," Chen Yu said. "However, time can be adjusted in the small world. I can adjust the flow of time in the spirit field area to be faster than outside."

He tried setting up a small time array around the spirit field—this was array knowledge he obtained from the system shop, which could locally adjust the flow of time, but it consumed a lot of spirit stones.

"Let's give it a try." He put in ten low-grade spirit stones and activated the formation.

Instantly, the concentration of spiritual energy in the spiritual field area increased significantly, and the newly planted seeds began to sprout and grow at a visible speed.

"Too fast!" Qin Huairu exclaimed.

Chen Yu was overjoyed. At this rate, medicinal herbs that would normally take a year to mature could be ready in just one month.

"That's great!" He hugged Qin Huairu. "Now we can make it in time for alchemy!"

In the days that followed, Chen Yu cultivated while tending to the spirit field. Qin Huairu was responsible for the daily watering, weeding, and fertilizing, keeping the spirit field in perfect order.

One month later (small world time), the first batch of medicinal herbs matured.

Chen Yu began refining pills.

This time, he was more skilled than before, and with the aid of the time array in the small world, his success rate in alchemy greatly increased. The first batch yielded seven pills of good quality; the second batch yielded eight pills of excellent quality.

Two furnaces, fifteen Nine-Turn Golden Elixirs!

Looking at the jade bottle before him, Chen Yu felt reassured. Fifteen golden pills were enough for him to break through to the Golden Core stage.

He took the first pill and began his cultivation.

In this little world, time flies by.

With one Golden Core, his cultivation level rose from the peak of the eighth level of Foundation Establishment to the peak of the eighth level, just one step away from the ninth level.

Two golden cores broke through to the early stage of the ninth level of Foundation Establishment.

Three Golden Elixirs, mid-stage of Foundation Establishment Level 9.

Four Golden Cores, late stage of Foundation Establishment Level 9.

Five Golden Cores, the peak of the ninth level of Foundation Establishment.

When Chen Yu took the sixth Golden Core pill, he finally reached the threshold of the Golden Core stage.

That barrier was more solid than any barrier used during the Foundation Establishment stage. It was like an insurmountable chasm, lying across their path.

"Now!"

Chen Yu circulated his cultivation technique with all his might, his true essence surging towards the barrier like a torrent—

Once, the barrier remained completely still.

Twice, it trembled slightly.

Three times, a tiny crack appeared.

Four times, the gap widened.

When the medicinal power of the seventh golden pill was added, the barrier finally shattered!

Within his dantian, the pool of golden spiritual liquid began to swirl faster and faster, finally condensing into a golden sphere the size of a soybean—the Golden Core!

Breakthrough successful! First level of Golden Core stage!

Chen Yu opened his eyes, his gaze flashing with a sharp light that illuminated the entire training room.

He stood up, feeling the surging power within his body. The true essence of the Golden Core stage was more than ten times stronger than that of the Foundation Establishment stage. If the Foundation Establishment stage was a small stream, the Golden Core stage was a great river.

"Finally..." he murmured.

Stepping out of the bamboo house, Qin Huairu was feeding chickens by the spirit field. Seeing him emerge, she was first taken aback, then ran over excitedly: "You broke through?"

"You've broken through." Chen Yu hugged her. "Golden Core stage."

"That's wonderful!" Qin Huairu's eyes reddened slightly. "You succeeded!"

Chen Yu gently patted her back. He knew this was only the first step. Entering the battlefield at the first level of the Golden Core stage was still dangerous. He needed to continue improving, at least to the third level of the Golden Core stage, before he could be confident.

He looked at the spiritual field; the medicinal herbs were still growing. There were also eight Nine-Turn Golden Pills left, which could be consumed further.

"I'll go into seclusion for a while longer," he made up his mind.

In this small world, several more months have passed.

When Chen Yu consumed the last Nine-Turn Golden Elixir, his cultivation level stabilized at the third level of the Golden Core stage.

The three-year agreement has two and a half years left.

But he was already prepared.

On this day, he left the small world and appeared in the front courtyard.

As soon as he stepped out, he sensed a familiar presence—Xuan Ming was standing on the courtyard wall, quietly watching him.

"Golden Core Stage 3?" A hint of surprise flashed in Xuan Ming's eyes. "How did you manage to go from Foundation Establishment Stage 8 to Golden Core Stage 3 in just two months?"

Chen Yu didn't answer, but instead asked, "Why are you here?"

"The three-year agreement is still two and a half years away." Xuanming leaped down from the wall. "I've come to tell you something—the seal is collapsing faster than expected, and we might not be able to wait three years."

Chen Yu's heart skipped a beat: "How long?"

"At most two years," Xuanming said in a deep voice. "Therefore, we must act ahead of schedule."

"In advance to when?"

"One year from now," Xuanming looked at him, "one year from now, we will enter the battlefield."

One year. Only by progressing from the third level of the Golden Core stage to at least the fifth level can one have a chance of surviving on the battlefield.

Chen Yu took a deep breath: "Okay, one year from now."

Xuanming nodded and turned to leave.

"Wait a minute," Chen Yu called out to him, "You still haven't told me what preparations are needed to enter the battlefield."

Xuanming turned around and smiled slightly: "You'll find out when the time comes."

As soon as he finished speaking, his figure disappeared into the night sky.

Chen Yu stood in the courtyard, looking at the night sky.

One year. Only one year.

He must become stronger.

He turned around and entered the small world again.

Inside the bamboo house, Qin Huairu was waiting for him. When she saw him come in, she didn't ask anything, but simply hugged him gently.

"Going into seclusion again?"

"Um."