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

The sea breeze suddenly turned fierce, whipping up white foam on the surface of the water between the two ships. Everyone on the "Chaoshan" fishing boat froze. The black star pistol in Scarface's hand gleamed coldly in the sunlight, its muzzle pointed directly at Chen Yu's chest.

"Boss Chen, think it over." Scarface's voice was somewhat distorted by the sea breeze. "On this vast ocean, accidents are all too common. Give us the box, and we'll all be fine."

Uncle Afu and the boatmen turned pale; they were just ordinary fishermen, never having seen anything like this before. The Taoist priest Jingxu's hand was still on the compass, but he dared not move—flesh and blood couldn't stop bullets. Su Man's fingertips had already touched the dagger at her waist, but she hesitated.

Only Chen Yu remained calm. With his Spiritual Eye activated, he could clearly see the mechanical structure of the firearm and even predict the bullet's trajectory. With his fifth-level Qi Refining cultivation and protective magic artifact, he was 70% confident he could react before the enemy fired. However, there were ordinary people on the ship; he couldn't risk it.

"Boss Li wants what's in the box?" Chen Yu asked slowly. "Sure. But I'd like to know, how did he know we were setting sail today?"

Scarface grinned: "Hong Kong isn't that big. Mr. Chen, your boat rental and equipment purchase has caused quite a stir. Boss Li is very well-informed in business."

This was only partly true. Chen Yu looked at Su Man, who shook her head slightly—it wasn't her who leaked it. The Taoist priest Jingxu also waved his hand gently.

That's what Boss Li found out himself. It seems the other party has more informants in Hong Kong than we thought.

"You can have the box," Chen Yu said, bending down to take the sandalwood box out of the iron box. "But I need to take a look at the contents to confirm. After all, we worked hard to retrieve it."

Scarface's eyes gleamed: "Don't try anything funny."

"What tricks can they possibly pull in front of everyone?" Chen Yu opened the wooden box, and the bronze key lay quietly inside.

The moment the key was exposed to the air, a strange thing happened!

Suddenly, the other four keys in Chen Yu's arms heated up simultaneously, resonating strongly with the Kaiyang Key! Five faint rays of spiritual light rose from the keys, intertwining in the air to form an incomplete Big Dipper constellation—Tianxuan, Tianji, Tianshu, Yuheng, and Kaiyang, with five stars lit up, but Tianquan and Yaoguang were still missing!

"What is that?!" Scarface exclaimed.

Taoist Jingxu and Su Man were also stunned. They hadn't expected such a noticeable phenomenon to occur when the Six Keys approached!

Chen Yu's heart stirred, and he seized the opportunity to channel his spiritual power into the key. The five beams of spiritual light suddenly intensified, projecting a blurry landscape image into the sky—a range of peaks, shrouded in mist, with a waterfall cascading down a cliff, and behind the waterfall, the entrance to a cave faintly visible!

"Xuanzhen Cave!" Taoist Jingxu exclaimed.

The afterimage lasted only three seconds before vanishing. But that was enough—everyone had seen the sight clearly and understood that the keys were worth far more than they had imagined!

A greedy glint flashed in the scarred man's eyes: "Hand over all the keys! Now!"

His finger tightened on the trigger. But then, something unexpected happened again!

A long blast of a ship's horn echoed from the distant sea. A British-flagged coast guard vessel was approaching!

"Damn it!" Scarface's expression changed. The Hong Kong coast guard frequently patrols the waters, especially in the open sea, where smuggling and illegal fishing are key targets.

"Boss, Coast Guard!" a burly man on the speedboat cried out in a panic.

Scarface gritted his teeth, still pointing the gun at Chen Yu: "Throw the keys over! Hurry up!"

Chen Yu laughed: "Boss Li, aren't you afraid of messing with the Shanghai Police? Illegal possession of firearms and robbery at sea, that's enough to put you in Stanley Prison for ten years."

The coast guard vessel drew closer, and the figures on the deck became visible. The scarred man was sweating profusely, clearly engaged in a fierce internal struggle.

Just then, the Taoist priest Jingxu suddenly let out a low shout, and the compass in his hand burst forth with dazzling golden light! The pointer on the compass spun wildly, and an invisible field of power spread out!

"An array?!" Chen Yu exclaimed in surprise. This Taoist priest Jingxu was actually able to set up a simple interference array in an instant!

Under the golden light, the three men on the speedboat suddenly lost their focus and froze. Scarface lowered his gun, as if his soul had been ripped from his body.

"Hurry up and go!" Taoist Jingxu roared, his face pale—clearly, the formation had consumed a great deal of energy.

Uncle Fu snapped out of his daze and rushed into the wheelhouse to start the fishing boat. The "Chaoshan" roared as it turned around and sped away. The people on the speedboat were still standing there in the golden light, while the coast guard boat, its vision obscured by the golden light, did not notice the small boat on the other side.

After the ship had traveled two nautical miles, the Taoist priest Jingxu removed the formation, slumped onto the deck, and gasped for breath: "My 'Bewitching Formation' can only last for a moment... they will soon regain their senses."

"Thank you, Daoist Master." Chen Yu helped him up and handed him a Qingxin San (a traditional Chinese medicine).

Jingxu took the pill, his expression softening slightly: "The strange phenomenon caused by Benefactor Chen activating the key just now... was that the true location of the cave?"

"It should be." Chen Yu nodded. "The five keys resonated, projecting the scene of the cave entrance. If all seven keys are collected, it should be able to pinpoint the location precisely."

Su Man recovered from her shock, her eyes shining with excitement: "That waterfall in that scene... I feel like I've seen it somewhere before."

She pulled out the book "Tales of Lingnan" from her bag and quickly flipped through the pages. Her gaze finally settled on a hand-drawn illustration: amidst the mountains, a waterfall cascaded down like a white ribbon, with the entrance to a cave faintly visible behind it. Below the illustration was a small caption: "The hermitage of Xuanzhenzi, behind the Lianshan Waterfall in northern Guangdong."

"This is it!" Su Man pointed to the illustration. "The book says that the entrance to the cave is behind the waterfall, hidden by an illusion array, and cannot be seen by ordinary people. Only the one who holds the Seven Star Key can break the illusion array and reveal the entrance."

Comparing the image to his memory, Chen Yu found it to be true. The waterfall was about thirty feet high, with a thunderous roar, surrounded by a primeval forest, a place rarely visited by humans.

"Two more keys are needed." The Taoist priest, having regained some strength, said, "Tianquan is in Miss Su's hands, and Yaoguang is in Macau. Once we collect them..."

Before he could finish speaking, the sound of a speedboat engine came from afar—Scarface and his men had caught up! The coast guard boat seemed to have left, leaving only the two of them in the area.

"It's relentless!" Uncle Fu gritted his teeth. "Boss Chen, what do we do? Our fishing boat can't outrun a speedboat!"

Chen Yu glanced at the pursuing speedboat, a cold glint in his eyes. Since they were relentlessly pursuing him, he had no choice but to take action.

"Uncle Afu, continue heading towards Hong Kong. Daoist Master, Miss Su, please take care of yourselves." After saying this, Chen Yu turned and walked towards the stern of the boat.

"What are you going to do?" Su Man asked.

"Solve the problem."

Chen Yu stood at the stern, watching the speedboat approach. When it was about a hundred meters away, he took out the Jiaqing Tongbao copper coin magic artifact and infused it with spiritual power. The coin glowed with golden light and floated in his palm.

On the speedboat, Scarface was now awake and aiming his gun. "Stop! Or I'll shoot!"

Chen Yu didn't answer, but instead formed a hand seal with his right hand. The Water Movement Technique was activated!

Suddenly, a two-meter-high wall of waves surged up from the sea, blocking the speedboat's path! Scarface was shocked and quickly turned around, but the wall of waves moved as if it were alive, always blocking the boat's path.

"What the hell is this?!" a burly man exclaimed.

Chen Yu continued casting his spell. He controlled the waves, creating whirlpools that trapped the speedboat within. The speedboat darted left and right, but couldn't break through the waves' blockade.

This is the water-based spell "Water Control," which can only be cast at the fifth level of Qi Refining. Although it is only a basic spell, it is very effective at sea.

Scarface panicked and fired three shots in Chen Yu's direction! But the bullets were swept away by the waves halfway through their flight and fell into the sea.

"Impossible!" Scarface exclaimed incredulously.

Chen Yu's eyes turned cold, and he no longer held back. He activated all his spiritual power, and three waterspouts suddenly rose from the sea, completely surrounding the speedboat! The waterspouts spun rapidly, and the speedboat was tossed about in the whirlpool, on the verge of capsizing!

"Spare me! Spare me!" Scarface finally panicked and begged for mercy.

Chen Yu didn't stop. Mercy to the enemy is cruelty to oneself. Since Boss Li dared to send people to hunt him down, he had to bear the consequences.

The waterspout suddenly closed, pulling the speedboat to the bottom of the sea! Three people fell into the water and struggled in the waves.

Chen Yu then withdrew the spell. The sea returned to calm, with only some wreckage floating on the surface. The fate of those three people... was now in their own hands.

He turned and went back into the cabin, his face somewhat pale—the continuous use of magic had taken a toll on him. The Taoist priest Jingxu and Su Man watched him, their expressions complex.

"Benefactor Chen, you have excellent skills," Jingxu said slowly.

"Just trying to protect myself." Chen Yu swallowed a Qi-nourishing pill. "Uncle Fu, hurry back to Hong Kong. What happened today..."

"I didn't see anything!" Uncle Fu quickly said. "I'm just a boatman. I go out to sea when my clients want to, and I know nothing else!"

Chen Yu nodded and handed over a thick envelope: "This is hush money. If what happened today gets out..."

"No, no!" Uncle Fu took the envelope, his hands trembling slightly. "I know the rules!"

At 2 PM, the "Chaoshan" returned to the Sai Wan Pier. Chen Yu and his two companions quickly disembarked, leaving with the sandalwood box and diving equipment. Uncle Fu, meanwhile, began cleaning the deck and destroying all traces of their presence.

Back at the Causeway Bay laboratory, the three entered the secret room. Chen Yu set up a simple soundproof barrier before retrieving all six keys.

The six keys—the Tianxuan Jade Pendant, the Tianji Bronze Seal, the Tianshu Iron Plaque, the Yuheng Wooden Talisman, the Kaiyang Bronze Key, and Su Man's Tianquan Jade Pendant—were placed on the table, subtly resonating with each other and shimmering with spiritual light.

"We still need Yao Guang," Su Man said softly.

"We must get to Macau as soon as possible," said Taoist Jingxu. "Boss Li will soon find out about what happened at sea today. He won't let it go easily. We must gather the seven keys before he does."

Chen Yu nodded: "I'm going to Macau. But I need a suitable reason."

"The reason is readily available," Su Man smiled. "Ho Hung-cheung is currently expanding his casino and needs a batch of high-end decoration materials. Explosion-proof coatings can be used for the casino's vaults and VIP room walls—both safe and classy. It's perfectly reasonable for you to go to Macau under the guise of business."

"Good idea. But will Ho Hung-cheung hand over the keys so easily?"

"That requires negotiation skills," Su Man said. "Ho Hung-cheung is a businessman, driven by profit. If he believes the value of the key is less than the actual benefit, he will be willing to exchange it. The key is whether you offer enough leverage."

Chen Yu pondered. What leverage could he offer? Explosion-proof coating technology, electromagnetic shielding materials, potential future collaborations... or perhaps some forward-thinking technological ideas?

"I'll make some preparations and go to Macau in three days."

"I will go with you," said Taoist Jingxu. "He Hongchang is a firm believer in feng shui and fortune telling. I can exchange ideas with him on this topic and use it as a starting point."

"What about Hong Kong..."

"Zhou's order is being monitored by Zhang Min's team, so there are no issues with the progress," Su Man said. "I'll keep an eye on Boss Li's situation. Also..."

She hesitated for a moment: "What if Boss Li investigates about those three people at sea today?"

"They won't trace it back to us," Chen Yu said calmly. "Disappearances at sea can be blamed on storms, undercurrents, or pirates. Fishing boats get into trouble in Hong Kong every day; one more won't make a difference."

Su Man gave him a deep look, but said nothing more.

After leaving the lab, Chen Yu returned to the Peninsula Hotel. He first contacted Pseudo-Man No. 7 via telepathy: "Check Boss Li's movements today."

"Master, Mr. Li went to a teahouse in Central at noon and met two people: one was Wang Shizhong from Taiwan, and the other was... Zheng Yurong."

"Zheng Yurong?" Chen Yu frowned. Wasn't this guy still in detention?

"He was released on bail yesterday. I heard it cost a lot of money. Boss Li probably contacted him to find out about your situation."

"Continue to monitor the situation. Also, prepare information for the Macau trip: a detailed background of Ho Hung-cheung, casino expansion plans, and potential needs."

"Yes."

After ending the communication, Chen Yu entered his small world. He needed to recover from today's losses, and he also needed to improve his strength before heading to Macau to face the gambling king.

Beside the spiritual spring, he sat cross-legged and began circulating the *Tai Xuan Zhen Jing*. As the five keys resonated, he sensed the ancient spiritual power contained within them. This power subtly echoed his cultivation technique, increasing his cultivation speed by fifty percent!

"The Seven Star Keys are not only keys, but also cultivation aids..." Chen Yu suddenly realized. No wonder Xuanzhenzi wanted to disperse the inheritance; these seven keys themselves have the function of guiding cultivation.

Two hours later, he not only recovered all his spiritual power, but his cultivation level also improved slightly. At this rate, he could break through to the sixth level of Qi Refining within a month.

After finishing his training, he began packing his gear for the trip to Macau. Besides the usual items, he had prepared a few things in particular:

I. Explosion-proof coating samples and test reports – the key to negotiation.

Two or three spiritual pearls – these can be given as a “special gift”, as pearls symbolize good fortune in traditional culture, which aligns with casino preferences.

Third, several newly drawn talismans: a protective talisman, a calming talisman, and a "wealth talisman"—although it's just a gimmick, it might be effective for people who believe in feng shui.

Fourth, that repaired copper coin artifact can save your life in a critical moment.

5. Miniature recorder to record the content of the negotiations.

After tidying up, Chen Yu exited the small world. Outside the window, the city lights were already on; Hong Kong's nightlife was just beginning.

He stood by the window, gazing at the dazzling night view, but his thoughts were on the north. Calculating the time, Qin Huairu's due date was at the end of April, less than two months away. He had to resolve things in Hong Kong before the child was born, at least laying a solid foundation.

The trip to Macau is a must.

But Boss Li, Zheng Yurong, Wang Shizhong from Taiwan... these people could all become variables.

And then there's the Taoist Jingxu. The array formations he displayed at sea today show he's been concealing his true strength. Is this Taoist's real purpose simply to share the resources of his cave?

And Suman... she was far too calm on the ship today. Would an ordinary woman react that way to a gunfight or witness a supernatural phenomenon?

Chen Yu rubbed his temples. The game in Hong Kong was becoming increasingly complex.

But in any case, the next move has already been made – Macau.

He took out the Kaiyang Bronze Key, which felt slightly warm in his hand, and resonated continuously with the other keys.

With six keys in hand, only one is missing.

The Mysterious Cave is right before our eyes.

Outside the window, a bright moon rises into the night sky.

Chen Yu's eyes were colder than the moonlight.