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

At six o'clock in the morning, the iron gate of the third workshop of Shanghai Machinery Plant slowly opened in the morning mist.

Chen Yu followed the thirty technicians from the training class into the workshop. The scene before him was breathtaking, even for someone born in 1962—a fifty-meter-long automated production line, resembling a giant steel dragon, gleamed with a cold metallic luster under the fluorescent lights. The conveyor belt moved at a steady speed, the robotic arms rhythmically grabbed and placed items, the stamping machines emitted dull "bang, bang" sounds, and the air was filled with the mixed smell of cutting fluid and machine oil.

"This is the ZG-63 production line." Chief Engineer Zhou Zhenhua, who led the team, said with pride, "From raw material loading to finished product unloading, the entire process is automated, requiring only eight operators to monitor. For the same output, a traditional production line would need fifty people."

The trainees gathered around the production line, some taking notes in notebooks, others taking photos—with permission, of course. Chen Yu activated his spiritual eye, and the production line appeared differently to him: power flowed orderly along the transmission mechanism, key connection points flashed red lights representing stress concentration, and there were faint vibrations at the gear meshing points...

"The essence of this equipment lies here." Zhou Zhenhua walked to the middle of the production line and pointed to a complex box. "The German Siemens PLC control system is equivalent to the brain of the entire production line. It took our factory's engineers three months to initially master the programming method."

Chen Yu leaned closer to examine it. The control box was filled with relays, timers, counters, and several circuit boards with German writing on them. In an era before computers were widespread, this was already top-tier industrial automation control technology.

"Chief Engineer Zhou, what is the failure rate of this system?" a trainee asked.

"In the three months since it started operating, there have been twelve malfunctions. Eight of them were due to sensor problems, three were due to wear and tear on mechanical parts, and only one was due to a control program error," Zhou Zhenhua said frankly. "German equipment is indeed highly reliable, but the maintenance costs are also high. If a sensor fails, there is no domestic replacement, and it has to be imported from Germany, which takes at least three months."

The trainees whispered among themselves. Chen Yu thought to himself: Isn't this the "bottleneck" problem that is often talked about later?

The theoretical classes were held in a temporary classroom in the workshop. Today's topic was "Sensor Principles and Applications," and the instructor was Mr. Zhang, the only electrical engineer in the factory who understood German. He was over fifty years old and wore glasses as thick as bottle bottoms.

"Photoelectric sensors determine location by detecting whether an object is blocking the light; proximity switches utilize the principle of electromagnetic induction..." Engineer Zhang drew a simple diagram on the blackboard, his German terminology mixed with Shanghai-accented Mandarin.

Chen Yu listened attentively while trying to perceive the internal structure of the sensors with his spiritual sense. He discovered that although these sensors were simple in principle, they were manufactured with extremely high precision, especially the photoelectric sensor, whose internal optical lens was polished to near perfection.

"Comrade Chen Yu, you seem particularly interested in these things?" Wang Zhiqiang, who was sitting next to him, asked in a low voice.

"Hmm, I was thinking, if we could make these sensors ourselves, we wouldn't have to be at the mercy of others."

"It's difficult," Wang Zhiqiang shook his head. "I've visited the Shanghai Instrument Factory. Their machining precision is only about 70% of that of German equipment, which is already quite good. Their materials and processes are not up to par."

Chen Yu remained silent, but an idea was already forming in his mind. Perhaps the material processing techniques in weapon crafting could improve the manufacturing processes of certain key components? For example, using spiritual energy to nurture metals and alter their microstructure...

After the morning classes ended, there was a half-hour break. Chen Yu and Wang Zhiqiang went out of the workshop to get some fresh air in the factory's small garden.

In November in Shanghai, the plane tree leaves had all fallen, but the holly bushes remained evergreen. Several female workers sat on a bench knitting. Seeing them approach, they greeted them with smiles: "Comrades from the training class, are you settling into Shanghai?"

"It's a habit, the food is too sweet," Wang Zhiqiang joked.

"That's because you northerners have a heavy palate!" a round-faced female worker giggled. "Comrade Chen Yu, right? I saw you in the cafeteria yesterday. You're from Beijing?"

Chen Yu nodded: "Yes, Beijing Steel Rolling Mill."

"My cousin also works in Beijing, and he says it gets really cold there in the winters." The female worker was quite talkative. "Your training course is three months long? Does that mean you'll be spending the Lunar New Year in Shanghai?"

This topic startled Chen Yu. Indeed, the training course wouldn't end until February next year, meaning they would definitely be spending the Spring Festival in Shanghai. He suddenly thought of Qin Huairu; she was currently five months pregnant, and would be seven months pregnant by the Spring Festival...

"Chen Yu?" Wang Zhiqiang nudged him. "Missing home?"

"A little," Chen Yu said truthfully. "My wife is pregnant; she should be seven months along by the Spring Festival."

"That's something to look forward to." The female workers showed understanding expressions. "But Shanghai is also lively during the New Year. You can go and see the lantern festival at the City God Temple and the temple fair at Yu Garden."

As we were chatting, a bell rang in the workshop—the afternoon's practical class was about to begin.

The practical lessons were conducted in groups, with students learning alongside experienced workers. Chen Yu, Wang Zhiqiang, and three others were assigned to the maintenance group, where they learned routine equipment maintenance from the factory's experienced technicians.

Their mentor, surnamed Li, was sixty years old and had worked at the Shanghai Machinery Factory for forty years, rising from apprentice to a level eight fitter with superb skills. The old man was a man of few words, but he had a keen eye; he could tell at a glance who was slacking off or who was distracted.

"Xiao Chen, come here." Master Li beckoned. "Take this gearbox apart and check the gear wear."

Chen Yu took the tools. There were twelve bolts on the gearbox casing. He first tried to tighten them with a wrench and found that two of them were already a little loose—this was caused by the vibration of the equipment during operation. Under his spiritual vision, he could see the metal fatigue marks inside the bolts.

"Mr. Li, these two bolts need to be replaced," Chen Yu said. "There are cracks inside."

Mr. Li was somewhat surprised. He took the bolt, examined it against the light, and then tapped it with a small hammer: "How did you know there was a crack?"

"The feel," Chen Yu made an excuse. "It didn't feel right when I was turning it."

Master Li gave him a deep look: "Good eye. Continue dismantling."

The gearbox contains a three-stage gear transmission mechanism. Following the procedure, Chen Yu first measured the gear clearance and then checked the tooth surface wear. His clairvoyance allowed him to see the minute scratches and pitting on the tooth surface—indications of poor lubrication or excessive load.

"The secondary gear has slight pitting; replacement is recommended," Chen Yu recorded the data. "In addition, the oil seal is worn and needs to be replaced."

After checking, Master Li nodded: "Everything's correct. Xiao Chen, did you do maintenance work at the factory in Beijing?"

"I learned a little from the master craftsman," Chen Yu said modestly.

"More than just a little." Master Li rarely smiled. "Your skill level is no worse than that of a technician who has worked in our factory for five years. Study hard, you'll have a bright future."

During the afternoon's practical class, Chen Yu's performance impressed his group members. Not only did he operate the equipment according to regulations and make accurate judgments, but he also worked efficiently, completing the inspection and maintenance of three pieces of equipment in one afternoon, and recording the data in a clear and organized manner.

As they finished work, Wang Zhiqiang said admiringly, "Chen Yu, you're amazing! Did you study this before?"

"Just observe and learn more." Chen Yu wiped the grease off his hands. "Engineer Wang, you're interested in control systems, we can exchange ideas more often."

"Great! I only know a little about electrical engineering, so I'd love to ask you for some pointers."

After dinner, Chen Yu did not go straight back to the guesthouse. Instead, he went to the Shanghai office of Mingyu Trading Company on Nanjing East Road, following the address provided by "Pseudo-Man No. 1".

The office was on the second floor of a Shikumen building. The storefront wasn't large, but the location was good, facing the street. Chen Mingyuan, the fake man number six, was already waiting—he was disguised as a businessman in his early thirties, wearing a gray Zhongshan suit and glasses, looking very capable.

"Manager Chen, please have a seat." Chen Mingyuan used the telepathic ability unique to pseudo-humans to transmit his voice, "As per your instructions, our business in Shanghai has begun to take shape."

He handed over a report. Chen Yu glanced at it: the main business was trading goods from both northern and southern China, transporting industrial products from Shanghai (thermos bottles, enamel basins, bicycle parts) to the north, and local specialties from the north (red dates, walnuts, Chinese medicinal herbs) to Shanghai. In one month, the turnover reached two thousand yuan, with a net profit of three hundred yuan.

"Good, proceeding steadily." Chen Yu nodded. "How's the investigation at Longhua Pagoda going?"

Chen Mingyuan's expression turned serious: "We checked the local chronicles. The Longhua Pagoda was originally built during the Chiwu period of the Three Kingdoms Wu, but the existing pagoda was rebuilt in the Song Dynasty. Interestingly, the local chronicles record that at the end of the Southern Song Dynasty, a wandering Taoist priest secluded himself in the pagoda for three years, and after emerging from seclusion, he disappeared without a trace. The Taoist priest's Taoist name... was 'Xuanzhenzi'."

Xuanzhenzi! Chen Yu's heart skipped a beat. It really was Xuanzhen Daoist!

"Is there anything unusual inside the tower?"

"The interior of the tower is generally not open to the public, but we managed to get in once," Chen Mingyuan said in a low voice. "On the seventh floor, which is the top floor, we found a special brick. There were runes on the brick, and they were similar to the patterns on your three pocket watches."

"Can you take it off?"

"Not for now. That brick is part of the load-bearing structure, and forcibly removing it might damage the tower," Chen Mingyuan said. "However, we have made a rubbing of the runes using rubbing paper. In addition, we have detected a cavity under the tower base with our instruments, but the entrance is unknown."

Chen Yu pondered for a moment: "Continue the investigation, but be careful. If Xuanzhen Daoist really left something in Longhua Pagoda, there might be protective measures in place."

"Understood. There's one more thing..." Chen Mingyuan hesitated for a moment, "We discovered another group of people investigating Longhua Pagoda. There are three of them, all skilled in martial arts, and one of them... has an aura similar to Zhao Tiangang's."

"The Hongmen!" Chen Yu's eyes turned cold. It seemed the Hongmen headquarters hadn't given up; they still had influence in Shanghai.

"Find out their identities and purposes, but don't alert them. If necessary, use force to protect the findings of the investigation."

"yes!"

It was already dark when I left the office. On Nanjing East Road, neon lights began to illuminate the street one after another—the sign of the "No. 1 Department Store" flashed red, the window of the "Shen Dacheng" pastry shop displayed various kinds of pastries, the tram jingled past, and women in cheongsams and men in Zhongshan suits walked side by side on the street.

Chen Yu didn't take a car; instead, he walked back. He needed to sort out his thoughts: the Longhua Pagoda held clues about the Taoist Xuanzhen, and the Hongmen were also keeping an eye on it; his studies in Shanghai would last three months, during which he had to improve his cultivation; back home in Beijing, Qin Huairu was pregnant and awaiting childbirth...

He stopped when he reached the Suzhou Creek. The water shimmered in the night, and white smoke billowed from the factory chimneys on the opposite bank. He wasn't far from the Longhua Pagoda, and he could faintly sense fluctuations of spiritual energy emanating from that direction.

"Perhaps I should go and see for myself," Chen Yu decided.

On Saturday, a day off, at five in the morning, Chen Yu quietly left the guesthouse. He changed into ordinary blue overalls, put on an old hat, and rode a bicycle he had borrowed from the factory towards Longhua Town in the southwest.

Shanghai was not yet fully awake in the early morning. Only early morning buses and milkmen's bicycles were on the streets, market vendors were just setting up, and smoke from stoves filled the alleyways. Riding along Caoxi Road, the buildings gradually thinned out, and farmland began to appear—this was the edge of Shanghai.

Longhua Town is located in the southwest of Xuhui District and is named after Longhua Temple and Longhua Pagoda. When Chen Yu arrived, the temple was not yet open, and only a few elderly people were practicing Tai Chi in the open space in front of the pagoda.

The Longhua Pagoda is forty meters tall, seven stories high, octagonal, and constructed of brick and wood. Its pale yellow color gives it an ancient and solemn appearance in the morning light. Chen Yu activated his spiritual eye technique, and sure enough, the pagoda was enveloped in a faint spiritual light, especially concentrated on the seventh floor.

He disguised himself as an ordinary tourist and walked around the base of the tower. At the northwest corner of the tower, he squatted down, pretending to tie his shoelaces, and placed his palm on the ground, infusing a wisp of spiritual energy into it.

The spiritual energy spread downwards like ripples on water, penetrating the soil. Sure enough, three zhang below the base of the tower, a cavity was sensed! The cavity was not large, about the size of a room, but it contained a world within—the spiritual energy that entered it sank like a stone into the sea, clearly due to the shielding effect of an array.

"Where could the entrance be?" Chen Yu pondered. He recalled the knowledge of ancient architecture he had gained in his previous life; these kinds of towers usually had underground palaces, and the entrance might be on the first floor inside the tower, or...

His gaze fell upon the ancient well in front of the tower. The wellhead was made of bluestone, and the well rope had worn deep grooves into it. Under the power of his spiritual eye, an extremely faint spiritual energy could be seen emanating from the wellhead.

"Could it be in the well?" Chen Yu approached the ancient well. The well water was very deep, with the surface about five meters below the wellhead, reflecting the sky. He pretended to draw water, setting down the bucket and attaching a wisp of his spiritual consciousness to it.

The bucket sank, and the spiritual sense followed. The well walls were made of brick and stone, covered in moss. Upon reaching the surface, the spiritual sense continued to probe downwards—three meters below the surface, there was a hidden opening on one side of the well wall!

Just as Chen Yu was about to investigate further, he heard footsteps behind him. He immediately withdrew his spiritual sense and pulled up the bucket.

"Comrade, are you here to fetch water so early?" An elderly monk in his sixties walked over, dressed in a gray robe, with a kind face.

"Good morning, sir. I'm here to visit, and I wanted to try drawing water from the well," Chen Yu explained with a smile.

"This well water is sweet; all the residents from the neighborhood come to draw it." The old monk clasped his hands together. "You look unfamiliar, aren't you from around here?"

"I'm from Beijing, and I'm studying in Shanghai."

"Oh, Beijing is a nice place." The old monk looked Chen Yu up and down. "You have a special aura about you."

Chen Yu was wary, but his expression remained unchanged: "Master is joking. What special aura could I, an ordinary worker, possibly possess?"

The old monk gave him a deep look, said nothing more, and turned to leave. But Chen Yu could sense that the old monk's steps were steady and his breathing was deep and even, clearly indicating that he was not an ordinary monk—he was very likely a practitioner!

After the old monk had walked away, Chen Yu looked at the ancient well again. His earlier investigation had confirmed the entrance, but going down in broad daylight was too risky, especially with that mysterious old monk around...

He decided to come back in the evening.

On his bike ride back to the city, Chen Yu's mind was in turmoil. The secret beneath Longhua Pagoda, the mysterious old monk, the members of the Hongmen... Shanghai's waters were indeed deep.

But the more this was the case, the more he wanted to find out. Since the Taoist Xuanzhen had left clues in the Longhua Pagoda, there was likely something more important here than the Beijing Secret Vault.

Back at the guesthouse, the receptionist said there was a letter for him. Chen Yu took it and saw it was in Qin Huairu's handwriting. He opened the letter; it was three full pages long, detailing things at home, happenings in the yard, and the baby's movements...

At the end of the letter, Qin Huairu wrote: "...Last night I dreamt that you came back and took me and the child to see the sea. When I woke up, my pillow was soaked. Chen Yu, please take good care of yourself while you're away. The child and I are waiting for you to come home."

Chen Yu pressed the letter to his chest and remained silent for a long time.

Outside the window, the Shanghai morning is slowly unfolding. The city's secrets await to be revealed, while family members far away await their return.

The road ahead is long, but he must keep going.