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

On March 9th, as dawn broke, Hong Kong was still shrouded in a thin mist. Chen Yu, the Taoist priest Jingxu, and Su Man stood on the platform of Kowloon Railway Station, several inconspicuous canvas backpacks beside them—containing minimal expedition gear. To avoid suspicion, they disguised themselves as a geological survey team, and their briefcases even contained letters of introduction from the University of Hong Kong.

"System, check-in for today." Chen Yu silently read aloud as the train whistle sounded.

[Ding! Japanese visa successfully obtained]

[Received: HKD 150, Basic Wilderness Survival Skills Experience Pack (Small), 1964 Northern Guangdong Climate and Vegetation Atlas, Antidote Recipe x1, Spiritual Compass x1]

Wilderness survival skills were immediately put to use, and knowledge of building shelters, finding water sources, and identifying edible plants was added to their minds. The climate map detailed the temperature, humidity, and common weather changes in the mountainous areas of northern Guangdong in March. The antidote recipe was a timely help—the deep forests were teeming with poisonous insects and snakes. The spiritual compass was no different from an ordinary compass, but after being infused with spiritual power, it could sense changes in the concentration of spiritual energy, which was very helpful in finding caves.

"These are your soft sleeper compartments, gentlemen." The train attendant led them onto the train.

This train from Kowloon to Guangzhou was the best service available at the time. The soft sleeper compartment had four berths and was clean and tidy. After closing the door, the three of them finally relaxed a little.

"It takes five hours to get to Guangzhou, then I'll take a long-distance bus to Lianshan County, and then find a guide to go into the mountains." Su Man spread out a map. "If all goes well, we should be able to reach the outer edge of Dawu Mountain by tomorrow afternoon."

The Taoist priest Jingxu sat cross-legged on the lower bunk, closing his eyes to rest: "I hope everything goes smoothly. If the Heavenly Dao Alliance moves quickly, they might only be a day or two behind us."

Chen Yu remained silent, taking out a spiritual compass from his backpack and infusing it with a wisp of spiritual energy. The needle trembled slightly, pointing northeast—the very direction the train was traveling—and the concentration of spiritual energy he sensed was slowly increasing.

"Sure enough, the closer we get to the Great Fog Mountain, the denser the spiritual energy becomes," he murmured.

As the train left the New Territories, the scenery outside the window changed from the city to the countryside, and then to rolling hills. The Guangdong-Hong Kong Railway of that era still retained many natural features, with occasional glimpses of paddy fields and villages, and wisps of smoke rising from chimneys.

At 10:00 AM, the train made an unscheduled stop at Dongguan Station. The platform was bustling with noise, and vendors were hawking roast goose and sticky rice. Chen Yu's eyes suddenly sharpened—at the other end of the platform, he saw a familiar figure!

Jung Yu-young!

Although he was wearing a hat and sunglasses, Chen Yu would never mistake his gait and build. Zheng Yurong was accompanied by two other people, one short and stout, the other tall and thin, both dressed in ordinary worker's clothes, but with sharp, unusual eyes.

"Fake Man No. 7," Chen Yu immediately communicated via telepathy, "Zheng Yurong is at Dongguan Station. Who are the two people with him?"

"Master, those two are thugs newly hired by Boss Li. They are said to be skilled in martial arts. Zheng Yurong left Hong Kong yesterday, saying he was going to Guangzhou to discuss business, but his destination may be Lianshan."

As expected! Boss Li was unwilling to accept defeat and sent people to follow them!

The train started moving again, but Zheng Yurong and the other two did not board. Instead, they headed towards the bus station outside the station—they might take a bus on the road, which would be more flexible and less likely to be noticed.

"Someone's following us," Chen Yu whispered to Su Man and Jing Xu. "Zheng Yurong brought two dogs and got off in Dongguan. They might take the highway to Lianshan."

Su Man's expression changed slightly: "How did they know our itinerary?"

"They might have found your ticket record at the train station, or..." Chen Yu looked at Jingxu, "Daoist Master, did anyone inquire about your whereabouts before you set off?"

Jingxu shook his head: "This humble Taoist priest is staying at Xuanmiao Temple, refusing visitors, and has only said that he is traveling."

"That means Boss Li has informants at the train station," Su Man gritted her teeth. "There are really no secrets in Hong Kong."

"It's alright," Chen Yu said calmly. "They might not be faster than us on the highway. And once we're in the mountains, it's uncertain who will be following whom."

He took out three amulets and handed them to the two men: "Keep them close to your body; they can block an attack in a critical moment."

Su Man took the talisman, feeling its slight warmth to her touch, and a look of surprise flashed in her eyes: "Mr. Chen knows so much."

"A trivial skill."

The train continued north. It arrived at Guangzhou Station at 1 p.m. The three of them quickly exited the station and had a simple lunch at a state-run restaurant next to the station—poached chicken, stir-fried bok choy, and rice, which cost three yuan.

"The long-distance bus to Lianshan departs at 2:30 PM, and there's only one bus a day," Su Man said, looking at the timetable. "We need to hurry."

The Guangzhou Long-Distance Bus Station is located in Yuexiu District, in an old three-story building. The waiting room was crowded with people, mostly farmers carrying loads on shoulder poles and workers with luggage on their backs. The air was thick with the smells of sweat and tobacco. Slogans such as "Never forget class struggle" were posted on the walls, and revolutionary songs were playing from loudspeakers.

Chen Yu bought three bus tickets to Lianshan County, each costing 1.2 yuan. While waiting for the bus, he noticed a man in the corner of the waiting room reading a newspaper, but holding it upside down—clearly, he was spying.

"The one at ten o'clock, wearing a gray hat," Chen Yu said in a low voice.

The Taoist priest glanced at him out of the corner of his eye: "He's not one of Zheng Yurong's men. His demeanor doesn't seem like that of a thug, but rather... a government official."

A government employee? The police? Or someone from another department?

The man seemed to sense that he was being watched, put away his newspaper, and got up to leave. As he passed by Chen Yu, Chen Yu smelled a faint medicinal scent—not Western medicine, but Chinese medicine, mixed with sandalwood.

"A cultivator?" Chen Yu's heart skipped a beat. But the other party did not stop and walked straight out of the waiting room.

"The car is here!" Su Man reminded.

The dilapidated long-distance bus pulled into the station, its exterior covered in mud. Passengers surged forward, jostling to put their luggage down and grab seats. Chen Yu and his two companions finally managed to squeeze onto the bus and found three adjacent seats in the last row.

The bus bumped along the potholed national highway, dust billowing in through the cracks in the windows. Inside, some people smoked, some ate oranges, and others held chickens and ducks—this was the norm for long-distance buses in China in 1964.

Two hours into the journey, we entered the mountains. The road became winding and treacherous, with cliffs on one side and deep valleys on the other. The driver drove very carefully, honking the horn at every turn.

Chen Yu leaned against the car window, holding the spiritual compass in his hand. The needle trembled more and more noticeably; the concentration of spiritual energy had reached three times that of Hong Kong! Although it was still thin, it was already an excellent place for cultivation.

"No wonder Xuanzhenzi chose to cultivate here." Daoist Jingxu also sensed it. "This spiritual vein node would have been considered a blessed land in ancient times."

At six o'clock in the evening, the car finally arrived in Lianshan County. It is a small county town built on the mountainside, with narrow streets and low houses. There are only a few state-run shops and guesthouses on the main street.

The three of them stayed at the county guesthouse—a two-story gray brick building. The rooms were simple but clean. Dinner was provided by the canteen: rice, stir-fried cabbage, and tofu soup. Each person paid four ounces of grain coupons and two mao (0.2 yuan).

After dinner, Chen Yu studied the map in his room. Dawu Mountain was thirty li southwest of the county town, with several villages at its foot. According to their plan, they were to go to a nearby village to find their guide early the next morning.

"Knock knock." A knocking sound rang out.

Chen Yu opened the door, and there stood the Taoist Jingxu, his face grave: "Benefactor Chen, I was meditating in the courtyard just now when I sensed the presence of other cultivators in the county town, and there was more than one."

"Can you pinpoint the location?"

"They're located east of the county town, the exact location is unknown. But their cultivation levels are all quite high, at least at the fourth level of Qi Refining."

At least three people at the fourth level of Qi Refining. Were they from the Heavenly Dao Alliance who arrived early? Or is there another force involved?

Chen Yu pondered for a moment: "No matter who it is, we'll proceed according to the original plan. We'll head into the mountains first thing tomorrow morning and get ahead of them."

Night deepened, and Lianshan County quieted down, broken only by the occasional bark of a dog. Chen Yu didn't sleep; instead, he entered his small world to cultivate. In a place rich in spiritual energy, cultivation was twice as effective, and he wanted to seize every minute to improve his strength.

Two hours later, he broke through to the peak of the fifth level of Qi Refining, just one step away from the sixth level. His spiritual power became more condensed, and the range of his spiritual sense expanded to sixty feet.

As he exited the small world, he heard soft footsteps outside the window—very light, but not hard to miss. Someone was lingering outside their room!

Chen Yu silently moved behind the door and activated his Spiritual Eye Technique. Through the crack in the door, he saw a blurry figure linger in the corridor for a moment before leaving. The person's gait was peculiar; the balls of their feet touched the ground first, as if they had practiced light-footed martial arts.

He is not an ordinary person.

Chen Yu didn't chase after him, but instead memorized the man's scent. He'd settle this score after they entered the mountains tomorrow.

At 5 a.m. on March 10th, before dawn, Chen Yu and his two companions had already packed their belongings, ate breakfast at the guesthouse canteen—porridge, steamed buns, and pickled vegetables—and then set off.

The county town was still asleep, with only sanitation workers sweeping the streets and early-shift workers on the road. They walked out of town, heading southwest along the dirt road.

The morning mist shrouded the mountains, reducing visibility to only a few dozen meters. Terraced fields and bamboo groves lined both sides of the road, and occasionally, early-rising farmers would lead their cattle past, curiously observing the three outsiders carrying large bags.

After walking for about ten miles, we arrived at a small mountain village called "Yunwu Village". Under the old banyan tree at the entrance of the village, several old men were smoking and chatting.

"Hey fellow villager, do you know any guides in the village who are familiar with the roads in Dawushan?" Chen Yu asked in Mandarin, handing over a pack of "Daqianmen" cigarettes.

An old man with a wrinkled face took the cigarette and looked them over: "What are you going to do in the Great Fog Mountain? That place is not easy to travel."

"We are a geological survey team from the University of Hong Kong, and we are going into the mountains to collect rock samples." Su Man handed over a letter of introduction.

The old man was illiterate, but seeing that the official seal looked very formal, he believed it to some extent: "If you want to know the area best, you have to find the old hunter, Yang the Cripple. But he has a strange temper and may not be willing to lead the way."

"Could you take us to see him?"

The old man led the way through the village. Yunwu Village had only about thirty households, all in mud-brick houses, with chickens and ducks running rampant in the yards. Reaching a detached wooden house at the far end of the village, the old man called out, "Yang the Cripple! A guest is looking for you!"

The wooden door creaked open, and a man in his fifties stepped out. He had a slight limp in his left leg, but was lean and wiry, with sharp, eagle-like eyes, and carried an old-fashioned hunting rifle on his back.

"What is it?" Yang the Cripple asked in a hoarse voice.

"These are professors from Hong Kong who would like to ask you to be their guide into the Great Smoky Mountains."

Yang the Cripple sized up Chen Yu and his companions, his gaze lingering on the Taoist Jingxu for a few seconds longer: "Deep in the Great Fog Mountain, there's miasma, wild beasts, and... unclean things. Are you sure you want to go?"

"Confirmed. The payment is negotiable." Chen Yu pulled out twenty yuan directly—which was equivalent to a month's wages for an ordinary worker in 1964.

Yang the Cripple's eyes flickered when he saw the money: "When are you leaving?"

"Now."

"Prepare three days' worth of dry rations and bring enough water. There's nowhere to resupply in the mountains."

Half an hour later, Yang the Cripple was ready: a cloth bag of fried rice, several sweet potatoes, a bamboo tube of pickled vegetables, and a large pot of water. He also brought a machete, a bundle of rope, and several packets of homemade herbs.

"There are many poisonous insects in the mountains. Sprinkle this powder around the tent and snakes and rats will stay away." Yang the Cripple handed Chen Yu a packet of powder.

Chen Yu smelled it; it was a mixture of realgar, mugwort, and sulfur, and it did indeed have an insect-repelling effect. He secretly used his spiritual eye technique to check, but found no problem—Yang the Cripple was just an ordinary hunter, not a cultivator.

The group left the village and officially entered the foggy mountain area. The mountain road became increasingly steep, and the forests denser. Towering ancient trees blocked out the sun, and the ground was covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves, soft and yielding underfoot. The sounds of birds and insects filled the air, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of grass and trees and the smoky smell of decaying earth.

Yang the Cripple walked at the front, his steps steady, showing no sign of his limp. As he walked, he explained, "This path was made by herb gatherers; there's no path further in. The Great Fog Mountain has seventy-two peaks, and no one has ever been to Eagle Cliff at the deepest part—it's too dangerous."

The pointer of the spiritual compass in Chen Yu's hand trembled violently, pointing towards Eagle Cliff. The concentration of spiritual energy there was already five times that of Hong Kong!

"Master, did you sense it?" he asked in a low voice.

Taoist Jingxu nodded, the compass in his hand glowing faintly: "It's just ahead, no more than twenty li away."

At noon, the group rested by a stream. The water was crystal clear, and small fish could be seen swimming around. Yang the Crippled fetched water, boiled it, and soaked fried rice for lunch.

"Master Yang, you've been hunting in the Great Fog Mountain for so many years, have you ever seen anything strange?" Su Man asked tentatively.

Yang the Cripple was silent for a moment: "There are indeed some strange things in the mountains. For example, in some places, compasses malfunction; in some caves, cold air comes out in the summer; and in some places, animals don't come near... The elders say that those are the territory of the mountain god, and we shouldn't disturb them."

"Where exactly?" Chen Yu asked.

"Below Eagle Cliff, there's a waterfall, and behind the waterfall, there's supposedly a cave, but no one has ever gone in," Yang the Cripple said in a low voice. "When I was young, I didn't believe in such things and wanted to go in and see. But as soon as I got close, I felt dizzy and my whole body went cold, like I'd fallen into an ice cave. If I hadn't escaped quickly, I might have died there."

The cave behind the waterfall! That's it!

Chen Yu and Jing Xu exchanged a glance, both seeing certainty in each other's eyes.

After resting for an hour, they continued their journey. The afternoon's path was even more difficult, requiring them to climb steep slopes and traverse thorny thickets. Although Su Man was in good physical condition, she was also panting heavily. Chen Yu secretly placed a lightness talisman on her, which made her feel a little better.

Around four o'clock in the afternoon, Yang the Cripple suddenly stopped and signaled everyone to be quiet.

"There's some noise ahead." He lowered his voice and took out his hunting rifle.

Chen Yu extended his spiritual sense and sensed three figures moving rapidly two hundred meters ahead! One of them had a familiar aura—it was the same person who had been spying outside the guesthouse last night!

"Not a wild beast, but a human being," Chen Yu said.

"How could there be anyone in this deep mountain forest?" Yang the Cripple wondered.

The Taoist priest Jingxu's expression was grave: "They might be after us. Benefactor Chen, what should we do?"

Chen Yu thought for a moment: "Let's go around them. Our goal is the cave, not to fight."

Yang the Cripple led the way, taking a more secluded path. But the other side clearly also had skilled trackers; an hour later, Chen Yu sensed the three men were following again, only a hundred meters away!

"We can't shake them off." Chen Yu stopped in his tracks. "Prepare for battle."

He gestured for Yang the Cripple to hide behind a tree: "Master Yang, no matter what you see later, don't come out or make a sound."

Although Yang the Cripple was puzzled, seeing Chen Yu's serious expression, he did as he was told.

Chen Yu, Jingxu, and Su Man stood in a triangle formation, facing the direction from which the people were approaching. Chen Yu held three fireball talismans in his hand, Jingxu's compass was already activated, and Su Man held a dagger—this was no ordinary dagger; it was a magical artifact she had brought from her family's collection, with fine runes engraved on its blade.

The footsteps drew closer. Three figures emerged from the woods.

The leader was a muscular man in his thirties with short hair, dressed in a black outfit, and carrying three throwing knives at his waist. To his left was a tall, thin man in his forties, holding a staff that reached his eyebrows. To his right was a woman in her late twenties, with a cold and beautiful face, carrying two short swords on her back.

"What brings you three here all this way?" Chen Yu asked in a cold voice.

The short-haired man clasped his hands in a fist and said, "I am Zhao Tieshou, and these two are my junior brothers and sisters. We have been ordered by our sect to ask you three to hand over something."

"What is it?"

"The Seven Star Key," Zhao Tieshou said, staring at Chen Yu, "and the location of the Xuanzhen Cave."

They really came for the cave!

"Master? Which master?" asked Taoist Jingxu.

"I can't disclose that. As long as the three of you hand over the items, we'll leave immediately and won't cause you any trouble."

Chen Yu laughed: "What if I say no?"

Zhao Tieshou's eyes turned cold: "Then I'll have to offend you!"

Before he finished speaking, the throwing knives at his waist had already been drawn! Three cold lights shot straight at Chen Yu's face!

Chen Yu was prepared, and the fireball talisman was activated instantly! Three fist-sized fireballs met the flying knife head-on!

"Boom!" The fireball collided with the throwing knife, bursting into a dazzling flash of light! The throwing knife was blasted away, but the fireball also dissipated.

At the same time, the tall, thin man's staff swept towards Jingxu's lower body! The woman, meanwhile, drew both swords simultaneously, attacking Suman!

The Taoist priest Jingxu spun his compass, golden light protecting his body, and withstood the blow, his figure swaying slightly. Su Man brandished her dagger, clashing with the twin swords, sparks flying!

"Qi Refinement Level 4...all three of them." Chen Yu instantly judged the opponent's strength. He himself was at the peak of Qi Refinement Level 5, Jingxu was at Qi Refinement Level 4, and Su Man was only at Qi Refinement Level 2, so their overall strength was not superior.

But combat is not simply a matter of comparing levels.

Chen Yu held back no longer, unleashing his full power at the fifth level of Qi Refining! His spiritual energy surged forth, transforming into an invisible wall of energy that forced Zhao Tieshou back three steps!

"Qi Refinement Level 5?!" Zhao Tieshou's expression changed. "The intelligence was wrong!"

"It's too late to know now." Chen Yu formed hand seals and activated the Water Movement Technique!

The dew on the surrounding trees and the moisture in the air instantly condensed, turning into countless ice needles that rained down on the three of them!

Zhao Tieshou hurriedly swung his throwing knife to parry, but the ice needles were too numerous and too dense, leaving him with more than a dozen bloody gashes. The tall, thin man and the woman also dodged in a sorry state.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, the Taoist priest Jingxu activated the compass, and golden light transformed into chains that wrapped around the tall, thin man's legs! Su Man bit her fingertip and smeared the blood on the dagger—the dagger immediately glowed red and its power increased greatly, cleaving the woman's short sword in two!

"Retreat!" Zhao Tieshou made a decisive decision when he saw that the situation was not good.

The three turned and fled, disappearing into the dense forest in a few leaps.

Chen Yu did not pursue. One should not pursue a desperate enemy, and besides, he didn't know if the enemy had reinforcements.

The battle was over, and the woods were a mess. Yang the Cripple emerged from behind a tree, his face pale: "You...you're not ordinary people..."

Chen Yu looked at him: "Master Yang, about what happened just now..."

"I didn't see anything!" Yang the Cripple said quickly. "I just heard a few claps of thunder, and then those people ran away."

Very savvy. Chen Yu nodded and handed over another ten yuan: "Continue leading the way, another twenty yuan when we reach Eagle Cliff."

Yang the Cripple took the money, his hands still trembling, but his eyes were firm: "Come with me."

The group continued onward. But Chen Yu knew this was just the beginning.

There must be an even greater force behind Zhao Tieshou and his two companions.

The cave dwelling is just ahead.

Time is now even more pressing.