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

On Saturday morning, just as dawn was breaking, Chen Yu woke up.

Today was the autumn outing to Fragrant Hills organized by the steel mill's union, which also gave him a legitimate opportunity to go to Fragrant Hills for reconnaissance. He got up and entered his small world, where he cultivated for an hour at 1.2 times the time flow. The spiritual energy circulation of the "Tai Xuan True Scripture" became smoother and smoother, bringing him one step closer to the third level of the Qi Refining stage.

Exiting the mini-world, it was only six o'clock in real time. Chen Yu finished washing up, changed into the dark gray sweater knitted by Qin Huairu, and put on a Zhongshan suit over it. The young man in the mirror looked energetic, his eyes steady with a hint of anticipation—both for the autumn outing and for the reconnaissance that was about to begin.

"System, check-in for today." Today is Saturday. Although it's not a weekly or monthly check-in, accumulating daily check-ins is still very important.

[Ding! Japanese visa successfully obtained]

[Received: 3 jin of national grain coupons, 2 chi of cloth coupons, a small basic wilderness survival skills experience pack, and 5 yuan in cash]

Wilderness survival skills? Perfect timing! Chen Yu immediately put them to use, his mind flooded with knowledge of navigation, water source finding, building makeshift shelters, and wilderness first aid. Although they were only basics, they would be of great benefit to his trip to Xiangshan.

He packed his backpack: two lunch boxes (for himself and Qin Huairu), a water bottle, a small bottle each of hemostatic and tissue-regenerating powder and calming powder, and the miniature camera—he was going to take pictures of the terrain of Fragrant Hills today, especially the situation behind Biyun Temple.

At seven o'clock, Chen Yu pushed the borrowed bicycle out of the courtyard. The alley was quiet in the early morning, with only a few women emptying their chamber pots. He got on the bike and rode towards Qin Family Village.

An hour later, Qin Huairu was already waiting under the old locust tree at the entrance of Qin Family Village. Today she was wearing a brand new floral jacket, dark blue trousers, and two long braids tied behind her head, revealing her smooth forehead. On her wrist was the Shanghai watch that Chen Yu had given her, which glittered in the morning light.

"Have you been waiting long?" Chen Yu stopped the car.

"No, I just arrived too." Qin Huairu blushed slightly. "Chen Yu, can I really go? I don't know anyone at your factory..."

"We'll get to know each other better after a while." Chen Yu took the cloth bag from her hand. "Come on up, we need to hurry, we need to meet at the entrance of Fragrant Hills at 8:30."

Qin Huairu sat sideways on the back of the bicycle, her hands gently gripping Chen Yu's clothes. The bicycle bumped along the country dirt road, the morning breeze ruffling her hair, the air filled with the crisp scent of autumn.

At 8:20, the two arrived at the entrance of Xiangshan Park. A large number of steel mill employees and their families had already gathered there, creating a bustling and lively atmosphere. Liu Yuhua waved from afar, "Chen Yu! Over here!"

Chen Yu pushed the cart over, and Qin Huairu followed behind him, looking somewhat reserved.

"This must be Huai Ru, right? You're so beautiful!" Liu Yuhua warmly took Qin Huai Ru's hand. "I'm Liu Yuhua, Chen Yu's colleague. You can just call me Sister Liu."

"Hello, Sister Liu..." Qin Huairu said softly.

Zhou Xiaomei also came over. When she saw Qin Huairu, her eyes darkened for a moment, but she quickly smiled and said, "Hello, Comrade Huairu. I'm Zhou Xiaomei from the Statistics Department. I've heard that Comrade Chen Yu's fiancée is very beautiful, and it's true what they say."

"Hello, Technician Zhou." Qin Huairu nodded politely.

Several female workers gathered around, praising Qin Huairu for her beauty and poise. Qin Huairu gradually relaxed, and a smile appeared on her face.

At 8:30, the union chairman blew the whistle: "Comrades! Our steel rolling mill's autumn mountain climbing activity is now beginning! The destination is Xianglu Peak. We'll meet at the platform for a picnic at noon! Be careful and look out for each other!"

The crowd began to ascend the mountain. Fragrant Hills was ablaze with autumn colors, the mountainsides ablaze with fiery red leaves, the air filled with the sweet fragrance of pine needles and fallen leaves. Chen Yu, holding Qin Huairu's hand, slowly followed the flow of people up the mountain, his spiritual sense already fully activated, carefully observing the surrounding terrain.

Biyun Temple is located on the eastern slope of Xiangshan Mountain, and the back mountain is the direction they are heading. Chen Yu noticed that there are several forks in the road leading up the mountain that lead to areas rarely visited by tourists, one of which vaguely points to the back mountain of Biyun Temple.

"Chen Yu, look over there, the red leaves are so beautiful!" Qin Huairu pointed to a maple forest in the distance, her eyes filled with joy. This was her first time visiting Fragrant Hills, and she was deeply attracted by the beautiful scenery before her.

"Yes, it is beautiful." Chen Yu smiled, while secretly taking photos of several key locations with a miniature camera—these were the reconnaissance materials that Zhao Tieying needed.

When Chen Yu reached the halfway point of the mountain, his spiritual sense suddenly activated, and he detected a familiar aura. Without making a sound, he turned his head and looked over, vaguely seeing Zhao Tieying's figure flash by in a pine forest in the distance. Zhao Tieying nodded slightly to him and made a gesture—indicating that he had noticed something.

Chen Yu, knowing what was going on, continued leading Qin Huairu uphill. Liu Yuhua and Zhou Xiaomei walked ahead, occasionally turning back to chat and laugh with them.

"Chen Yu, I heard you got promoted to deputy leader of the technical innovation team? That's impressive!" A worker from the same workshop came over. "Looking forward to it from now on!"

"It's all thanks to the leaders' kindness; we've all progressed together," Chen Yu said modestly.

"Oh, right, Xu Damao came today too." The man lowered his voice, "with a few strangers, acting all sneaky, I wonder what they're up to."

Xu Damao is here too? Chen Yu's heart skipped a beat. It seems that not only was he conducting reconnaissance, but Xu Damao was also preparing for the secret vault.

Where is he?

"I just saw them heading in the direction of Biyun Temple."

Chen Yu nodded, having made up his mind. He found an opportunity and said to Qin Huairu, "Huairu, you go upstairs with Sister Liu and the others first. I'm going to the restroom and will be right back."

"Okay, hurry up."

Chen Yu broke away from the group and headed towards Biyun Temple. He chose a secluded path, activated his concealment technique, and quickly blended into the woods.

Biyun Temple is an ancient temple, its red walls and yellow tiles nestled among the red leaves. Chen Yu circled around to the back wall of the temple, where few tourists were present, only a few old monks sweeping fallen leaves. He activated his spiritual eye technique and carefully observed the terrain of the mountain behind.

According to the map on the pocket watch, the entrance to the secret vault was located at the foot of a cliff on the back mountain, surrounded by three ancient pine trees arranged in a triangular pattern. Chen Yu quickly found the three pine trees—sure enough, they were about a hundred meters outside the back wall of the temple, at the foot of a steep cliff.

He approached stealthily, scanning the surroundings with his spiritual sense. Weeds grew rampant at the foot of the cliff, and there were several cracks in the cliff face, but no obvious entrance was visible. Chen Yu memorized the location and took several photos with his miniature camera.

Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly heard footsteps and voices in the distance. Chen Yu immediately dodged behind a boulder, activating his Concealment Technique to its maximum.

Three people arrived: Xu Damao, a dark-skinned middle-aged man, and a tall, thin man. The dark-skinned man had a scar on his left eyebrow—he was the Tianjin man Yan Bugui had described!

"Is this the place?" A Tianjin accent rang out; it was a dark-faced man speaking.

"This area is marked on the map," Xu Damao said, pointing to the cliff. "But the exact entrance is unclear; it will only appear when the three pocket watches come together on the night of the Double Ninth Festival."

The tall, thin man squatted down and touched the cliff face: "Third Master Hei said we have to get our hands on the pocket watch. We can't touch Boss Li, but that Chen Yu... I heard he's just an ordinary worker?"

"He's not simple." Xu Damao shook his head. "I live in the same courtyard as him. This kid has changed a lot lately. He got a promotion and a raise, and he even found a beautiful wife. I suspect he has a pocket watch, or at least knows some clues."

"Let's start with him." A fierce glint flashed in the dark-faced man's eyes. "I heard he's here today too, with his fiancée..."

Chen Yu, who was behind the boulder, heard everything clearly, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes. These people actually had designs on Qin Huairu!

"Don't touch his fiancée," Xu Damao surprisingly advised. "That girl is from the countryside; touching her will cause big trouble. Our target is the pocket watch, not trouble."

"Womanly compassion!" the tall, thin man scoffed. "But Brother Xu is right, things are tense right now, so we should be cautious. Black Third Master's idea is to find out the situation first and make our move before the Double Ninth Festival."

The three discussed for a while, made a few marks around the area, and then left.

Chen Yu waited until they were far away before emerging from behind the boulder. He stared at the direction the three had disappeared in, his face grim. It seemed the danger of the trip to Fragrant Mountain was greater than he had anticipated.

It was already eleven o'clock when they returned to the main road. Chen Yu quickened his pace and found the main group on the platform below Xianglu Peak. Qin Huairu was sitting with Liu Yuhua and Zhou Xiaomei, with plastic sheets spread out in front of them, on which were the food that each family had brought.

"Chen Yu, why have you been gone for so long?" Qin Huairu asked with some concern.

"I got lost, I went in a big circle." Chen Yu smiled and sat down next to her.

Liu Yuhua handed over a lunchbox: "Eat up, we've almost finished. This is for you."

The lunchbox contained dumplings, still steaming hot. Chen Yu thanked him and took the food, eating while observing his surroundings. Xu Damao was indeed in the distance, sitting with several strangers. When he saw Chen Yu looking over, his eyes darted away.

After lunch, it was free time. The workers strolled around the mountain in twos and threes, taking pictures. Chen Yu took Qin Huairu for a walk nearby, while continuing to observe the terrain.

"Chen Yu, you seem to have something on your mind today?" Qin Huairu asked sensitively.

"No, it's just work-related." Chen Yu squeezed her hand. "Huai Ru, we're getting married next month. After the wedding, I'll take you to Beidaihe."

"Really?" Qin Huairu's eyes lit up. "I've never seen the sea before."

"Really, I promise."

At three o'clock in the afternoon, the autumn outing ended, and everyone began to descend the mountain. Chen Yu, holding Qin Huairu's hand, walked at the back of the group, constantly monitoring the surroundings with his spiritual sense. He could sense several unfriendly gazes being secretly watching him.

After descending the mountain, Chen Yu pushed his bicycle to take Qin Huairu back to Qin Family Village. On the way, he hesitated several times before speaking.

"Chen Yu, are you hiding something from me?" Qin Huairu finally couldn't help but ask.

Chen Yu stopped his bicycle and looked at her seriously: "Huai Ru, there's something I need to tell you. I might have gotten into some trouble recently, and someone might come looking for me. But don't worry, I can handle it. Just... be careful during this time, try not to go out too much, and if you need anything, find Aunt Zhang or come directly to the factory to find me."

Qin Huairu's face paled: "What trouble? Is it dangerous?"

"It's not dangerous, I can handle it," Chen Yu reassured him. "It's just a precaution. It'll be fine after the Double Ninth Festival."

"Double Ninth Festival...the ninth day of the ninth lunar month?" Qin Huairu suddenly remembered something. "My grandmother said that the Double Ninth Festival, with its full moon, is an important day for cultivators...Chen Yu, are you...?"

She didn't finish speaking, but her eyes were full of worry and doubt.

Chen Yu was startled. Qin Huairu's grandmother actually knew about cultivators? It seemed that in this era, there were still quite a few hidden traditions among the common people.

"Huai Ru, there are some things I can't tell you right now. But believe me, when the time comes, I will tell you everything."

Qin Huairu stared at him for a long time before finally nodding, "I believe you. But you must be careful, and don't forget, we're getting married next month."

"I will."

After seeing Qin Huairu off at the village entrance, Chen Yu did not enter the village. He watched her walk away, then rode his bicycle back to Beijing.

It was already late when Chen Yu returned to the courtyard house. As soon as he entered the front yard, he saw Yan Bugui pacing anxiously at his door.

"Xiao Chen! You're finally back!" Yan Bugui rushed over to greet him. "The police came this afternoon to ask about you!"

"The police station?" Chen Yu frowned. "What's the matter?"

"They say they're investigating Xu Damao's case of trafficking in cultural relics, and they need your cooperation in questioning," Yan Bugui said in a low voice. "But I feel something's not right. I don't recognize the police officers who came, and they're asking about your personal life—whether you've been to Tianjin, whether you've been in contact with any suspicious people..."

Chen Yu understood immediately. This was definitely something that Boss Li or Third Master Hei was up to behind, trying to find out about him through official channels.

"Thank you, Uncle. I understand."

"Xiao Chen, you'd better be careful," Yan Bugui said worriedly. "The taller the tree, the more the wind will blow. Now that you've been promoted and are getting married, it's inevitable that some people will be envious."

Back inside, Chen Yu immediately contacted False Man No. 1: "Check who the police who came to the courtyard this afternoon came from."

"Yes, Master. Also, Zhao Tieying is already waiting at the usual spot, saying he has made an important discovery."

"Tell him to wait, I'll be right there."

Chen Yu changed his clothes and quietly went out. He didn't go directly to Gulou Back Street, but circled around a few times to make sure no one was following him.

The back street of Gulou was even quieter at night than during the day. Zhao Tieying was squatting under the eaves. When he saw Chen Yu arrive, he immediately stood up.

"Chen Yu, I spotted two groups of people on the back mountain of Biyun Temple today," Zhao Tieying said gravely. "One group was Xu Damao and the Tianjin Black Third Master's men, and the other... was Boss Li's men. They set up traps and ambushes on the back mountain!"

"trap?"

"Yes, I peeked inside. There were tripwires, traps, and several places where things were buried, probably explosives." A flash of anger crossed Zhao Tieying's eyes. "These bastards will stop at nothing for the sake of the secret vault's inheritance!"

Chen Yu pondered for a moment: "They will definitely set up an ambush at the entrance on the Double Ninth Festival. We need to find a way to break through."

"I've memorized the locations of all the traps." Zhao Tieying pulled out a hand-drawn map. "This is a map of the terrain and trap distribution in the back mountain. But Boss Li's men are very vigilant, so I don't dare get too close; there might still be some I've missed."

Chen Yu took the map and examined it carefully. The map was drawn in great detail, clearly marking the locations of the three ancient pine trees, the cracks in the cliff face, and more than a dozen traps in the surrounding area.

"Well done." Chen Yu put away the map. "How's the equipment preparation?"

"Ropes, tools, and self-defense equipment are all prepared and hidden in a cave near Fragrant Hills," Zhao Tieying said. "I've also contacted my men; three fellow disciples are absolutely reliable. But they can only provide support from the outside; they can't enter the secret vault—that's a rule of our sect, and those who aren't inheritors are not allowed inside."

"Understood. The outer perimeter support is enough." Chen Yu thought for a moment, "There's one more thing—Xu Damao and Black Third Master's men mentioned me today, they might make a move against me before the Double Ninth Festival."

Zhao Tieying's eyes turned cold: "Then let's strike first. Chen Yu, what do you need me to do?"

"Keep an eye on them and figure out their plans," Chen Yu said. "Also, I might need some special medication..."

He recalled several special pills recorded in the intermediate alchemy manual: mind-control powder, muscle-weakening powder, and mantra pill... Although they were complicated to make, he could give them a try if necessary.

The two discussed things until late at night before parting ways. Chen Yu returned to the courtyard house at one o'clock in the morning.

Instead of going to sleep immediately, he entered the small world and began studying special pill formulas from intermediate alchemy techniques.

The Bewitching Powder requires Datura flowers as its main ingredient, which are hard to find in this era. The Muscle-Weakening Powder requires poisonous herbs like Arisaema and Aconite, making its preparation risky. The Mantra Pill is even more complex, requiring special alchemy techniques...

"Looks like we'll have to think of another way," Chen Yu frowned. He suddenly remembered several simple magical artifacts recorded in "Basic Introduction to Weapon Refining": a warning bell, a fog talisman, a immobilization talisman...

Although he couldn't forge a true magical artifact with his current cultivation level and available materials, he could create simplified versions. For example, he could use ordinary copper bells and spiritual energy to inscribe simple warning runes, and use herbs and lime to make basic fog bombs...

Without further ado, Chen Yu took out some materials he had obtained from previous check-ins: brass blocks, cinnabar, talisman paper, and some special herbs grown in the small world.

At 1.2 times the time flow rate, it took him three hours (equivalent to two and a half hours outside) to finally create a few simple items: three warning copper bells, five fog bombs, and two simplified immobilization talismans—although the effect could only last for a few seconds, they might be life-saving in critical moments.

By the time he finished, it was almost dawn. Chen Yu exited the small world, lay on the bed, but couldn't fall asleep.

There are eighteen days left until the Double Ninth Festival. In these eighteen days, he must complete wedding preparations, deal with possible attacks, and prepare for the trip to the secret vault... He cannot afford to fail in any of these tasks.

But Chen Yu did not back down. Having transmigrated to this era and obtained a system and a cultivation inheritance, he was destined to walk an extraordinary path.

The first major test on this journey will be the Double Ninth Festival, eighteen days later.

Outside the window, the east was beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn.

A new day has begun, but the countdown continues.

Chen Yu closed his eyes and began his cultivation for the day.

No matter how many difficulties and obstacles lie ahead, he will overcome them one by one.

Because at the end of the road lies a wider world.