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

December 22nd, the winter solstice.

In the small courtyard in front of the gate, Chen Yu got up early in the morning. Today is the Winter Solstice, and according to northern customs, people eat dumplings. Qin Huairu had prepared the filling yesterday—pork and cabbage—and even chopped extra to send some to He Yuzhu's family and Aunt Zhang's family.

"Chen Yu, go and call Qiu Nan over to eat with us." Qin Huairu poked her head out from the kitchen. "That girl is spending the holiday alone; it's so lonely."

Chen Yu nodded, put on his coat, and went out.

Ding Qiunan's rented place wasn't far from the courtyard; it was a small, single-story house in an alley. Chen Yu walked to the door, about to knock, when suddenly his brow furrowed—

There are two people inside! One is Ding Qiunan's aura, and the other... is a strange man, and he has faint spiritual energy fluctuations on him!

He pushed the door open and entered.

Inside the room, Ding Qiunan sat on the edge of the bed, her face pale. Standing before her was a middle-aged man, dressed in a gray Zhongshan suit, with an ordinary face but sharp eyes, and a very faint aura of a cultivator surrounding him—the first level of the Foundation Establishment stage!

Upon seeing Chen Yu enter, the man paused slightly, then smiled: "Boss Chen? I've heard so much about you."

Chen Yu ignored him and looked at Ding Qiunan: "Qiunan, are you alright?"

Ding Qiunan shook her head, but the fear in her eyes was unmistakable.

"Comrade, you can tell me what's on your mind." Chen Yu stood in front of Ding Qiunan, staring coldly at the man.

The man sized up Chen Yu for a few seconds, then suddenly cupped his hands in greeting: "My name is Wu Yong, a specially appointed consultant at the Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine. I've come to ask Miss Ding to lend us her book, 'Ding's Medical Cases,' for a few days of study."

"Borrow?" Chen Yu sneered. "Your Zhou Mingyuan has come to borrow it several times, and Qiu Nan said no."

Wu Yong laughed: "Boss Chen, let's not beat around the bush. There are some things in that medical case book that concern national interests. Keeping it will only cause trouble. Handing it over will be better for everyone."

"National interests?" Chen Yu stared at him. "You represent the country?"

Wu Yong's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his smile: "Boss Chen, you've misunderstood. I was just making a suggestion. Of course, if Miss Ding is unwilling, we won't force her."

He stood up, walked to the door, and glanced back at Ding Qiunan: "Miss Ding, think it over carefully. I'll come back in three days."

After saying that, he pushed open the door and left.

Chen Yu watched him walk away before turning to Ding Qiunan: "When did he arrive?"

"I just arrived a little while ago." Ding Qiunan's voice trembled. "He said... if I don't hand over the medical records, he'll arrest me, saying my father is a 'reactionary academic authority,' and that I'm his daughter and should be reformed."

Chen Yu's eyes turned cold.

This is a blatant threat!

"Don't be afraid." He patted Ding Qiunan's shoulder. "With me here, they won't dare to touch you."

Ding Qiunan looked up at him, her eyes full of trust: "Brother Chen, I believe in you."

The two returned to the courtyard, where Qin Huairu had already cooked the dumplings. Seeing Ding Qiunan's pale face, she asked with concern, "Qiunan, what's wrong?"

Ding Qiunan forced a smile: "It's alright, Sister Qin."

Chen Yu didn't say much, but gave Qin Huairu a wink. Qin Huairu understood and didn't press the matter further, instead putting several dumplings on Ding Qiunan's plate: "Eat more, eating dumplings on the Winter Solstice will keep your ears from freezing."

Ding Qiunan nodded, lowered her head to eat dumplings, and almost burst into tears.

After the meal, Chen Yu asked Qin Huairu to accompany Ding Qiunan, while he went into the west wing and entered his own little world.

He sat down cross-legged, carefully recalling Wu Yong from earlier. A Foundation Establishment Stage 1 cultivator, a specially appointed consultant at the Chinese Medicine Research Institute—how could there be a cultivator at the Chinese Medicine Research Institute?

The only explanation is that Zhou Mingyuan has a cultivation force backing him up.

"Which organization is it this time?" Chen Yu frowned. The Temple of Fire Gods was destroyed, the Temple of the Dark Underworld was disbanded, could there be a third-party force?

He took out the system panel and checked his points—580 points. He had accumulated quite a few points through continuous daily check-ins.

[Exchange: 3 Advanced Tracking Talismans, 300 points required]

[Exchange: Foundation Establishment Stage Defense Formation Plate x1, requires 250 points]

I only have 30 points left, but it was worth it.

He exited the small world, called Ding Qiunan aside, and handed her a jade tablet: "This is a defensive array plate. Keep it close to your body. If you encounter danger, just input a little strength—the kind of strength you use when you're working—and it will automatically protect you."

Ding Qiunan took the jade pendant and carefully hung it around her neck.

"Thank you, Brother Chen," she said softly.

"Don't mention it," Chen Yu said. "You can stay in the courtyard these next few nights and sleep with Huai Ru; it'll be safer that way."

Ding Qiunan hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

The next two days were uneventful.

Wu Yong didn't reappear, and Zhou Mingyuan didn't come either. But Chen Yu knew this was just the calm before the storm.

December 24th, evening.

Chen Yu was teaching Ding Qiunan to identify medicinal herbs in the courtyard when there was a knock on the gate.

"Who?"

"Chen Yu, it's me."

The sound from outside the door made Chen Yu shudder—

It's that elder from the Xuanming Palace! The gray-robed old man he defeated before!

He quickly opened the door. Standing outside was indeed the old man in the gray robe, but this time his face showed no hostility, only weariness and sorrow.

"Elder? What brings you here?"

The old man in the gray robe looked at him, his eyes slightly red: "Benefactor Chen, something has happened at the Xuanming Palace..."

Chen Yu's heart skipped a beat: "Come in and talk."

The old man in the gray robe walked into the courtyard, saw Ding Qiunan and Qin Huairu, and hesitated for a moment. Chen Yu said, "We're all on the same side, so speak frankly."

The gray-robed elder nodded and said in a deep voice, "Three days ago, a group of people broke into the Xuanming Palace headquarters, stole the relics of the past palace masters, and injured several of our brothers."

"Who is it?"

"I don't know." The gray-robed elder shook his head. "They were dressed in black and their faces were covered, but their skills were excellent; they were all experts at least at the Foundation Establishment stage. The one in the lead had unfathomable cultivation, at least at the Golden Core stage."

Golden Core stage! Chen Yu's eyes narrowed.

"What did they steal?"

"The tokens of successive Palace Masters, cultivation manuals, and..." The gray-robed elder paused, "...a jade slip left behind by the Palace Master before his death, which contains a detailed map of the ancient battlefield."

Chen Yu was startled.

Map of the ancient battlefield!

Those people also want to enter the battlefield?

"Have you found out where it came from?"

"I've checked." The gray-robed old man took out a piece of cloth from his robes. "This was something they accidentally left behind when they escaped."

The cloth was black with a special texture, and embroidered with a dark red symbol—a symbol that Chen Yu had never seen before, but which he vaguely felt was familiar with.

"This symbol..." He frowned in thought, then suddenly a flash of inspiration struck him—

He had seen similar symbols on the scroll at the West Mountain Taoist Temple! Those were marks left by Huo Lingzi, representing…

"The Temple of Vulcan?" he blurted out.

The gray-robed elder was taken aback: "The Temple of Fire God? Wasn't it disbanded?"

Chen Yu shook his head: "Hua Tianxiong has disbanded, but that doesn't mean everyone has left. Perhaps some people haven't given up and have secretly reorganized the Vulcan Temple."

The gray-robed old man's face turned ashen: "If it was them, then they must have stolen the map to enter the ancient battlefield and search for treasures."

Chen Yu remained silent.

If someone is indeed secretly rebuilding the Temple of Fire, their target is undoubtedly the treasure in the ancient battlefield. He and Xuanming have just reinforced the seal; if someone were to enter now, it could very well break the seal and cause a great disaster.

"We must stop them," he said in a deep voice.

"What does Benefactor Chen mean?"

"I'm going." Chen Yu stood up. "Back into the battlefield."

"What?" The gray-robed old man exclaimed in surprise, "You just came out, and now you're going again?"

"We have no choice but to go," Chen Yu said. "If the people from the Temple of Fire enter the core of the battlefield and break the seal, the consequences will be unimaginable."

He looked at Qin Huairu.

Qin Huairu's face turned pale, but she didn't say anything. She just walked over and held his hand tightly.

"I'll wait for you," she whispered.

Chen Yu nodded, then looked at Ding Qiunan: "Qiunan, you'll stay in the courtyard with Huairu for the time being. Put on your defensive array plates, and don't open the door for anyone."

Ding Qiunan nodded solemnly: "Brother Chen, don't worry."

Chen Yu turned to the gray-robed elder: "Elder, I'd like to trouble you to stay in Beijing and look after them for me. As for the Xuanming Palace..."

"I've arranged for someone over there," the gray-robed elder said. "You can go there without worry; leave this to me."

After everything was arranged, Chen Yu entered the small world and began making final preparations.

He brought everything he might need: pills, talismans, magical artifacts, spirit stones… He didn't know how long he would be on the battlefield this time, so he had to be fully prepared.

Once everything was ready, he exited the small world.

In the courtyard, Qin Huairu and Ding Qiunan stood in the moonlight, quietly watching him.

Chen Yu walked over, hugged Qin Huairu, and whispered in her ear, "Wait for me to come back."

"Mmm." Qin Huairu's voice trembled slightly, but was extremely firm.

He then looked at Ding Qiunan: "Study medicine well, and I'll test you when I get back."

Ding Qiunan smiled through her tears: "Okay."

Chen Yu released them, turned around, and strode away.

Behind them, the moonlight, like water, shone on the two figures who stood silently.

Ahead, the night was deep, leading to an unknown battlefield.

But he didn't turn around.

Because he knew that someone was waiting for him behind him.

That was his reason for having to come back.