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

On the morning of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Guangzhou was still immersed in the languid atmosphere of the Lantern Festival. Chen Yu stood on the balcony of his suite on the fifth floor of the Overseas Chinese Hotel, holding a cup of hot tea in his hand, but his gaze went beyond the Pearl River to the west—towards Xinghu Lake in Zhaoqing.

The delicate aroma of Longjing tea wafted from his cup, but his mind was preoccupied with his experience at Shuiyue Cave the previous night. The men in black had discovered the item had been taken, and Xinghu Lake would undoubtedly be heavily guarded on the fifteenth of the first lunar month. The Dragon Seeking Society had obtained official permission and would conduct a large-scale search of the lake. As for himself... he needed to safely escape this chaos.

"System, check-in for today." On the day of the full moon, there may be a special reward.

[Ding! Japanese visa successfully obtained]

[Received: Lantern Festival Special Rewards - Skill Upgrade Coupon (Small) x1, Spirit Jade Fragment x3, 1964 Hong Kong Map (Detailed Version), HK$20 Cash]

Skill Upgrade Ticket! Chen Yu's eyes lit up. He immediately chose to upgrade "Beginner Pharmacist Skill". A flash of light, and the skill advanced to "Intermediate Pharmacist". His mind gained more complex principles of drug interactions, advanced medicinal processing techniques, and... poison identification and antidote skills.

The fragments of spirit jade were an unexpected delight—three pale green jade stones, each about the size of a fingernail, with spiritual energy flowing within them. According to the "Records of the Mysterious Truth, Part Three," this was one of the materials used to refine basic magical artifacts.

Unfolding the map of Hong Kong, it meticulously marks the streets, docks, commercial districts, and factory areas of Hong Kong in 1964, even showing the locations of several prominent family residences. This will be of immense value to my upcoming trip to Hong Kong.

"Pseudo-human Seven, what's the situation at Xinghu?" Chen Yu asked through his consciousness.

"Master, Xinghu Lake has been bustling since dawn. The Dragon Seeking Society's 'exploration team' arrived at six o'clock with two boats, carrying underwater photography equipment and metal detectors. The black-clad men's fishing boat is moored on the east side of Yuping Rock, pretending to be fishing, but there are five people on board, all carrying weapons."

"Where are the police?"

"The Zhaoqing Public Security Bureau sent two police officers to the scene to 'assist the scientific expedition,' but they only watched from the shore. Three people from the cultural relics department came and sat in a makeshift tent drinking tea."

Chen Yu pondered. The three forces had converged, but all remained relatively restrained. They were all waiting—waiting for the person who had "taken the item" to appear. The man in black knew the item had been taken, and although the Dragon Seeking Society didn't know, they would search with all their might.

Where are our people?

"Numbers Two and Three are disguised as tourists, taking photos on the east bank of the lake. Number Seven is on the mountain south of Yuping Rock, monitoring the entire situation with binoculars. Master, is there anything you need to do?"

"Hold your positions and record everyone's movements," Chen Yu ordered. "Especially whether there has been any contact between the men in black and the Dragon Seeking Society."

"clear."

At nine o'clock in the morning, Chen Yu left the hotel and headed to the Guangzhou Shipyard. Lin Wanru was coming to check on the mass production progress of the coating today; this was important business and couldn't be delayed.

In the shipyard laboratory, Engineer Li had already prepared the first batch of production samples—twelve rolls of coated canvas, each roll fifty meters long, neatly stacked on the worktable.

"Engineer Chen, following your process, we adjusted the temperature and speed of the production line, and the yield rate reached 92%!" Engineer Li excitedly pointed to the sample. "China Resources has already prepaid 30% of the payment, and said the rest will be paid upon delivery."

"What about the quality inspection data?"

"Here it is." Engineer Li handed over a stack of reports. "The corrosion resistance meets the standard, the color stability test is passed, and the adhesion... is slightly lacking, but it is still within the acceptable range."

Chen Yu carefully reviewed the report. The adhesion was indeed 5% weaker than the laboratory sample, an unavoidable loss in industrial production. But overall, it far exceeded the standards of this era.

At 10:00 sharp, Lin Wanru arrived on time. Today she wore a beige trench coat and a silk scarf, looking both capable and elegant. She carefully inspected each roll of sample, even scratching the coating with her fingernail.

"Can the adhesion be improved further?" she asked directly.

"Yes, but the cost will increase by 15% and the production speed will decrease by 20%," Chen Yu answered truthfully.

"Alright then, this level is sufficient." Lin Wanru nodded in satisfaction. "Mr. Chen, when can the first batch of goods be shipped to Hong Kong?"

"Loaded into the ship in three days, arriving at port in five days."

"Okay." Lin Wanru took an envelope from her handbag. "This is the bank draft for the final payment, from the Bank of China. It can be cashed in Hong Kong. Also..."

She lowered her voice: "Mr. Chen, some people in Hong Kong are very interested in you. Besides coating technology, they want your help in solving some... special material problems. The price is negotiable."

"What materials?"

"Bulletproof material, lightweight and high-strength," Lin Wanru said in an even lower voice. "We'll collaborate privately, not through a company. If you're interested, we can discuss it in detail after you arrive in Hong Kong."

Chen Yu understood. The clients in this kind of business were probably not ordinary businessmen. But he needed capital and connections, and this kind of gray-area cooperation was sometimes more efficient than legitimate business.

"I need to understand the specific requirements and risks."

"Of course, I will provide detailed information at that time." Lin Wanru smiled. "Then... February 15th, 'Red Star', I look forward to seeing Mr. Chen at the Hong Kong pier."

After seeing Lin Wanru off, Chen Yu returned to the laboratory and began researching the crafting method of the Key Finding Disc. According to the records, the Key Finding Disc requires seven materials: black iron, star sand, spiritual spring water, purple copper, white jade, sandalwood, and the essence blood of the craftsman.

The most difficult to find is Xuan Tie—it's ancient meteorite iron, almost extinct in modern times. However, the records mention it can be replaced with "Hundred-Refined Steel," though the effect will be diminished. Stardust is a mineral powder containing spiritual energy; Chen Yu can grind the fragments of spirit jade he has to use. He has spirit spring water readily available. Purple copper, white jade, and sandalwood are all easy to find. Essence blood... needs to be dripped from his fingertip during refining.

"Mr. Li, does the factory have any particularly good steel? The kind that has been repeatedly forged," Chen Yu asked.

"It's really good..." Engineer Li thought for a moment, "There are several pieces of imported alloy steel in the warehouse, which are used for warship parts. They are extremely pure and have been forged seven or eight times. But to use them, we need the factory manager's approval."

"Help me ask around, I'll pay for a small piece."

"Okay, I'll give it a try."

In the afternoon, Engineer Li brought back a palm-sized, silver-gray steel block, heavy and with fine forging patterns on its surface. "The factory manager said this piece is scrap, and ten yuan will suffice. But Engineer Chen, you have to write an IOU, saying it's for experimental use."

"No problem." Chen Yu paid the money and wrote an IOU. Although this piece of refined steel was not as good as black iron, it should be enough.

Other materials were gradually prepared: copper was peeled from the wires, a piece of white jade was bought as a scrap, sandalwood was found as a scrap of old furniture, fragments of spirit jade were ground into powder, and a small bottle of spirit spring water was taken from the small world.

Back at the Overseas Chinese Hotel in the evening, Chen Yu began preparations for his alchemy. He set up a simple alchemy area in the bathroom, placing the bronze furnace on the sink and attaching the Earth Fire Talisman to the bottom of the furnace. All the materials were arranged in order.

Crafting magical artifacts is more complex than alchemy, requiring precise control of the heat and the infusion of spiritual energy. Chen Yu took a Qi-Nourishing Pill to adjust his condition to its optimal state, and then ignited the Earth Fire Talisman.

The first step was to melt the refined steel. Orange flames enveloped the steel block, and the temperature gradually increased. After ten minutes, the steel block began to turn red-hot, and after twenty minutes, it melted into molten steel. Chen Yu used his spiritual energy to envelop the molten steel, removing impurities and refining its essence.

The second step involved adding purple copper and white jade powder. The three materials fused together in the alchemy furnace, their color changing from silver-gray to pale gold. Chen Yu controlled the fusion process with hand seals, spiritual energy seeping into the materials like threads, altering their structure.

The third and most crucial step is shaping. Following the diagram recorded in the inscription, Chen Yu used his mind to guide the material into a disc shape. It was three inches in diameter and three-tenths of an inch thick, with the Big Dipper pattern carved on the front and bleed grooves left on the back.

This process lasted for an hour. Chen Yu's forehead was covered in a fine sweat, his spiritual energy greatly depleted. He gritted his teeth and persevered, and as soon as the disc was basically formed, he immediately added star sand powder and spiritual spring water.

"Hiss—" White mist billowed out, and fine starlight spots appeared on the surface of the disc. Seventy percent success!

The fourth step was to drip in his blood essence. Chen Yu bit his left index finger, and three drops of blood fell into the blood groove on the back of the disc. The blood was quickly absorbed, and the disc emitted a faint red light, resonating with his aura.

The final step is nurturing. Simmer over a low flame for half an hour to allow all the ingredients to fully blend and for the essence and blood to completely permeate.

After the alchemy furnace went out and the disc cooled, Chen Yu took out the finished product. It felt warm to the touch, neither gold nor jade. The Big Dipper pattern on the front was clear, with the three stars of Tian Shu, Tian Xuan, and Tian Ji glowing faintly, while the other four were dim. The blood groove on the back had disappeared, replaced by the character "Xuan" similar to that on the token.

[Successfully crafted: Seven Star Key Finder (Beginner)]

[Quality: Basic (Materials substitute, refiner's cultivation level insufficient)]

【Function: Sensing the location of the Seven Star Key; the closer the distance, the stronger the sensing】

[Limitations: Can be used once every three days, each lasting for the time it takes for one incense stick to burn]

Although it's only at the beginner level, it's enough! Chen Yu infused a wisp of spiritual energy, and the Tianquan star on the key-finding disk immediately lit up faintly, with the pointer pointing to the northwest—that's the location of Danxia Mountain!

"The fourth key is in Danxia Mountain..." Chen Yu noted the location. With this tool, the subsequent search efficiency would be greatly improved.

After finishing the refining process, he was so exhausted that he almost collapsed. He took two Qi-nourishing pills to regain some energy. Looking at the time, it was already eight o'clock in the evening, and the full moon of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month was rising in the night sky.

"Pseudo-Man Seven, how's it going at Star Lake?"

"Master, something's happened!" The voice of Pseudo-Man Seven was urgent. "Around dusk, the Dragon Seeking Society's underwater detector discovered a cave entrance on the east side of Jade Screen Rock—the fake cave we set up! They thought they'd found Water Moon Cave, and Gu Wenyuan personally went underwater to check, but..."

"What was the result?"

"The result triggered the makeshift mechanism we set up, and a large amount of fluorescent powder sprayed out of the cave, turning Gu Wenyuan into a 'fluorescent man'! Now the entire expedition team is in chaos, and the people from the cultural relics department think they've discovered something incredible and have called back to their unit for backup!"

Chen Yu almost burst out laughing. The fluorescent powder was a "surprise" he had asked the imposter to add, and he hadn't expected it to work so well.

Where is the man in black?

"When the men in black saw that the Dragon Seekers had found the 'cave entrance,' they thought it was real and wanted a piece of the pie. Their fishing boat approached the Dragon Seekers' boat, and the two sides confronted each other on the lake! Two police officers shouted from the shore, but no one listened."

"The show is about to begin..." Chen Yu walked to the balcony and looked west. Although he couldn't see Xinghu Lake, he could imagine the chaotic scene there.

"Master, is there anything we should do?"

"No need, let them make a scene. You continue to monitor the situation and report back if anything unusual happens."

After hanging up the call, Chen Yu brewed a strong cup of tea and sat by the window to rest. Crafting the key-finding disk had been too taxing; he needed to recover. But his mind was preoccupied with Danxia Mountain—the fourth key was there, and he had to retrieve it as soon as possible.

"I'll go on the sixteenth of the first lunar month. I'll rest well today." With that thought, he gradually drifted off to sleep.

I don't know how much time had passed, but suddenly a rapid alarm sounded in my mind!

"Master! Emergency!" Pseudo-Man Seven's voice was almost a shout. "The men in black have opened fire! The Dragon Seekers' ship is on fire, and someone has fallen into the water!"

Chen Yu suddenly woke up with a start: "What?"

"Just ten minutes ago! The men in black tried to force their way onto the Dragon Seeking Society's boat to search it. Zhao Gang tried to stop them, and a scuffle ensued. Suddenly, one of the men in black pulled out a gun and shot Zhao Gang in the shoulder! The Dragon Seeking Society retaliated, firing a flare at the men in black's fishing boat. Now both boats are on fire!"

"Casualties?"

"Zhao Gang was shot and fell into the water. Sun Xiaoliu jumped in to save him. Gu Wenyuan and Li Xiuzhen were rescued by the police. On the other side of the men in black, the one who fired the shot was hit in the head with a shovel by the Xunlong Society and also fell into the water. His fate is unknown. The other men in black escaped in a small sampan."

"Where are the police? Did they fire?"

"Police fired warning shots, but the men in black had already fled. Two boats are currently on fire on the lake, and rescue efforts are underway for the people who fell into the water. The Zhaoqing Public Security Bureau has dispatched a large number of officers, and Xinghu Lake has been cordoned off!"

Chen Yu took a deep breath. Things had escalated. Shooting, arson, multiple injuries... this was no longer an ordinary treasure hunt conflict; it was a criminal case.

"Have our people been evacuated?"

"Numbers Two and Three have already evacuated. I'm continuing to observe from the mountain. Master, the police are checking all suspicious individuals who have recently visited Xinghu. We... might be in trouble."

Indeed. Chen Yu did appear at Xinghu, although he didn't leave any obvious traces. However, if the police investigate further, they might find his way to the Overseas Chinese Hotel, Lin Wanru, and even his job at the shipyard.

"Pseudo-Man Seven, immediately dispose of all traces we left at Star Lake. In particular, remove all the materials used to set up the fake entrance."

"It's already being done. The fluorescent powder dissolves in water, the stone slabs sink to the bottom of the lake, and the bone fragments and rust were eaten by the fish... Basically, there's no evidence to be found."

"Okay. Continue to monitor the police's movements and report back immediately if anything comes up."

After the call ended, Chen Yu couldn't fall asleep again. He walked to the window, looked at the full moon, and his thoughts were churning.

Both the man in black and the Dragon Seekers have suffered heavy losses and are unlikely to be able to continue their treasure hunt for some time. This is good for him, as it reduces competition. However, police intervention also increases the risk.

He needed to leave Guangzhou as soon as possible. Fortunately, his trip to Hong Kong was confirmed, and he had his ferry ticket for February 15th. Before that, he needed to go to Danxia Mountain to get the fourth key.

On the morning of the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, Chen Yu checked out of his room at the Overseas Chinese Hotel. The receptionist handed him a telegram—it was from Beijing.

The telegram was simple: "The matter has been completed. Stay at the factory for observation. Zhang."

It was Zhang Xiulan. It seems she really did manage to get Jia Dongxu a "probationary period at the factory" arrangement. Although it was a demotion and a pay cut, at least he kept his job. Chen Yu put away the telegram, feeling a little relieved—he had repaid part of the favors owed to him by the people in the courtyard.

He hailed a pedicab and went to the post office to wire fifty yuan to Qin Huairu, with a note: "All is well, don't worry. I'll be back in March." Then he went to the shipyard to say goodbye to Chief Engineer Zhang and Engineer Li.

"Xiao Chen, are you really going to Hong Kong?" Chief Engineer Zhang asked, somewhat reluctant to see you go. "The factory is planning to promote you to deputy head of the technical department!"

"Chief Engineer Zhang, my going to Hong Kong is also a contribution to the country," Chen Yu said with a smile. "China Resources needs someone to follow up on their business, and we also have cooperation with Ms. Lin. Once I've established myself in Hong Kong, I might be able to bring in more orders for the factory."

"That's true..." Chief Engineer Zhang patted him on the shoulder. "It's good for young people to go out and explore. Remember, no matter where you go, you'll always be one of our steel rolling mill's people!"

"must."

After leaving the shipyard, Chen Yu went to Guangxiao Temple. The monk Huijue was copying scriptures in the meditation room. When he saw Chen Yu arrive, he put down his pen.

"Is Benefactor Chen preparing for a long journey?"

"Master has discerning eyes. I'm going to Hong Kong for a while, so I've come to say goodbye."

"Hong Kong..." Huijue pondered, "Buddhism and Taoism are mixed there, and foreign religions are prevalent. Please be careful. If you encounter any difficulties, you can go to Po Lin Monastery and find a nun named 'Miaoyin'. Tell her that I recommended her."

"Thank you, Master." Chen Yu bowed and left a small porcelain bottle containing three Qi-Nourishing Pills. "These are medicines I prepared myself. Please take care of yourself, Master."

"You are very kind, benefactor."

Emerging from Guangxiao Temple, Chen Yu took one last look at the ancient temple, a place with a history of over a thousand years. The spirit-gathering array was still operating, and the spiritual energy from the ancient well nourished the temple's vegetation. This was his first base after heading south, and now that he was leaving, he felt a pang of reluctance.

But he knew that the road ahead was still long.

Danxia Mountain, Luofu Mountain, Xiqiao Mountain, Baiyun Mountain... four keys are waiting for him to retrieve.

Hong Kong, yacht clubs, specialty materials business, unknown opportunities... a new stage awaits him.

In the end, with all seven keys gathered, the Xuanzhen Cave opened, and the true path to immortality awaited him.

Chen Yu shouldered his bag and headed towards the train station.

The sunlight on the sixteenth day of the first lunar month fell on my shoulders, warm and bright.

A new journey has begun.