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

At six o'clock in the morning on April 11, the windows of the suites on the top floor of the Peninsula Hotel had not yet been replaced. The morning breeze, carrying the salty and damp smell unique to Victoria Harbour, blew in through the broken windows. Chen Yu stood by the window, watching Hong Kong awaken from the night—the streetlights gradually went out, the early morning ferries sounded their horns, and the shouts of newsboys could be faintly heard.

The bloodstains from last night's battle have been cleaned up, but a faint smell of blood and the sulfurous odor of exploding talismans still lingers in the air. The Taoist priest, Jingxu, has set up a simple warning array in the four corners of the room and is currently meditating cross-legged. His complexion is better than last night, but the burn on his left arm is still clearly visible.

Su Man emerged from the bedroom, now dressed in a dark blue Lenin suit. Her long hair was neatly braided, and she wore light makeup to conceal her fatigue. She carried two inconspicuous rattan suitcases—a style commonly seen in mainland China during the 1960s, specially requested by Chen Yu.

"Everything is packed." She put the box down. "Important items have been stored in three places, as you said. One is on me, one is for Master Jingxu, and the other... is in 'that place' you mentioned."

Chen Yu nodded. He had already stored most of his valuables in his small world last night, leaving only a small amount of cash, documents, and a change of clothes in his suitcase as a cover.

"System, check-in for today," Chen Yu silently announced to himself. Today would be a long day, and any assistance would be crucial.

[Ding! Japanese visa successfully obtained]

[Received: HKD 150, Basic Train Travel Knowledge (Small), First Aid Kit x1, Three Letters of Introduction for Disguise, Spiritual Amulet x2]

The train travel essentials section includes practical information such as the 1960s Guangzhou-Kowloon Railway timetable, stations along the route, and ticket inspection procedures. The first-aid kit contains hemostatic drugs, bandages, and anti-inflammatory medications available at the time. The letters of introduction are issued in the names of a state-owned factory in Guangzhou, a research institute in Beijing, and an agency in Shanghai, bearing convincing official seals. The spiritual amulet can withstand one magical attack from cultivators below the mid-stage of Qi Refining.

"Have you made contact with Master Cihang yet?" Chen Yu asked Jingxu.

"The contact is complete." Jingxu opened her eyes. "Four Buddhist disciples are waiting downstairs. They will disguise themselves as fellow pilgrims and escort us to the Luohu Port. However, once we enter the mainland, the Buddhist sect will not be able to intervene further."

Chen Yu understood. In mainland China during the 1960s, religious forces had to operate discreetly.

At 7:00 AM sharp, the three of them carried their luggage downstairs. In the hotel lobby, four young monks dressed in gray robes and carrying backpacks had been waiting for some time. The one in the lead was a handsome monk in his early twenties, whose Dharma name was "Huiming," and who had reached the fifth level of Qi Refining cultivation.

"Benefactor Chen, my master asked me to convey this message: once you cross the Luohu Bridge, it will be a completely different world. I hope you will take care." Huiming clasped his hands in a gesture of respect.

"Thank you, Master. Please also thank Master Cihang on my behalf," Chen Yu returned the greeting.

The group left through the hotel's back door. Two black Ford sedans were parked at the alley entrance; these were cars arranged by Stanley Ho—the gambling tycoon was meticulous, even considering the details of leaving Hong Kong.

The car drove along Queen's Road East, and Hong Kong appeared peaceful in the morning light. But Chen Yu's spiritual sense remained vigilant. He could sense at least three cars following him in shifts—they didn't seem to be from the Heavenly Alliance; their methods were more professional, and they were probably agents of the Hong Kong British authorities.

"Mr. He has already made arrangements, and the police won't stop us," the driver whispered. "But the political department personnel will still have to go through the motions; they'll leave before the border crossing."

The Political Department, the intelligence agency of the British Hong Kong government. Chen Yu understood—his various actions in Hong Kong had finally attracted the attention of the authorities.

The car passed through the Cross-Harbour Tunnel and entered the Kowloon Peninsula. At 8:20, it arrived at Kowloon Railway Station. It was an English-style building with red brick walls and arched doors and windows. The square in front of the station was already crowded with travelers—overseas Chinese carrying large bags and small packages returning home, cadres in Zhongshan suits, and blond-haired, blue-eyed foreigners.

Chen Yu and his two companions got out of the car. The four Buddhist disciples scattered around, seemingly casually, but in reality, they blocked all possible angles of attack.

"The express train is at 9:10, so there are still forty minutes to go." Su Man glanced at the station's clock.

I bought a ticket, went through security, and entered the waiting room. The whole process was unsettlingly calm. No one from the Heavenly Alliance showed up, and the tracking car from the Political Department had disappeared outside the station.

"It's too quiet," Jingxu whispered.

"The calm before the storm." Chen Yu sat down on the bench, his spiritual sense spreading out like mercury, covering the entire waiting room.

There were about a hundred people in the waiting room. To my left, a family of six overseas Chinese were sharing fried dough sticks; to my right, several young people in work clothes were arguing about technical issues; diagonally opposite, a middle-aged man wearing glasses appeared to be reading a newspaper, but the frequency with which he turned the pages betrayed his nervousness...

and many more.

Chen Yu's spiritual sense locked onto the middle-aged man reading the newspaper. He was at the fourth level of Qi Refining, but deliberately suppressed it to around the second level. The Sing Tao Daily in his hand was today's edition, but the way it was folded was unusual—three folds, with the corners aligned; this was some kind of code.

"Master Huiming," Chen Yu said to Huiming, who was not far away, through telepathic communication, "Pay attention to the middle-aged man reading the newspaper diagonally across from you."

Huiming nodded slightly and naturally adjusted his standing angle.

At 8:50, ticket checking began. Passengers lined up to pass through the ticket gates and boarded the dark green train. Chen Yu and his two companions bought tickets for the soft sleeper carriage—in these days, only people of status could afford soft sleeper carriages, which were relatively safe.

The carriage was carpeted in deep red, and the compartment door was made of solid wood. It was a four-person compartment, but He Hongchang's connections allowed them to have the entire compartment to themselves. After putting away their luggage, Chen Yu drew the curtains, leaving only a crack to observe the platform.

At 9:10, the train whistle sounded a long blast and slowly started moving. Hong Kong's skyscrapers gradually receded, replaced by farmland and village houses in the New Territories.

"First hurdle cleared." Su Man breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's not over yet." Chen Yu's spiritual sense remained extended. "The Heavenly Alliance won't let us leave Hong Kong so easily. The most likely place to make a move..."

"The Tai Po to Fanling section," Ching-Hsu interjected. "There's a mountain road there where the train slows down, and the sides are lined with trees, making it easy to ambush."

Chen Yu nodded. He took out a Hong Kong map—a bonus item he'd received as part of the smuggling route map from the sign-in event. His finger traced the railway line: "Tai Po Station to Fanling Station, about a fifteen-minute drive. If I were Zao Wou-Ki..."

Before he could finish speaking, the train suddenly shook violently!

"Clang—!"

Emergency brakes! The wheels screeched as they rubbed against the rails! Luggage slipped off the rack, and Su Man nearly fell, but Chen Yu caught her.

"What happened?" Jingxu quickly got up.

Chen Yu pulled back a corner of the curtain. The train was stopped between two mountains, and a huge broken tree lay across the tracks ahead! On the hillsides on either side, a dozen or so figures could be vaguely seen!

coming!

"Everyone stay in your seats! Don't move!" The train conductor's panicked voice came from the aisle.

But the door to the private room where Chen Yu was located had already been quietly pushed open.

Standing at the door wasn't a train conductor, but the one-eyed old man from last night! His eyes were bandaged, but his remaining eye was filled with venom: "Chen Yu, you think you can escape Hong Kong?"

Behind him, a cold, beautiful woman, a dwarf, and a stout monk appeared one after another. In addition, there were five unfamiliar faces—three at the mid-stage of Qi Refining and two at the early stage. The Heavenly Dao Alliance had mobilized nine cultivators this time!

"Where is Zhao Wuji?" Chen Yu asked calmly.

"I don't need Protector Zhao to deal with you personally," the cold and beautiful woman sneered. "Hand over the Seven Star Key, and I'll leave you with your corpses intact."

Other passengers on the train had already sensed something was wrong, and terrified screams came from other carriages. But strangely, no train staff came to check.

"You've taken control of the train conductor?" Su Man gripped the Flowing Moon Sword tightly.

"The entire train crew is 'asleep'," the dwarf sneered. "The aftereffects of the Soul-Capturing Bell will keep them asleep until the afternoon."

So that's how it is. Chen Yu understood why the Heavenly Dao Alliance dared to act in broad daylight—they used the Soul-Capturing Bell to put all the staff to sleep, and then used broken trees to force the train to stop. This mountain road, with no stations nearby, was the perfect place to strike.

"Four friends from the Buddhist sect," Chen Yu suddenly raised his voice, "you may now show yourself."

At either end of the corridor, four monks, including Huiming, walked slowly. They had removed their gray robes, revealing yellow kasayas underneath, and held monastic staffs in their hands, their expressions solemn.

"As expected, Buddhism has intervened." The one-eyed old man spat. "That old bald monk Cihang has really stretched his reach. But today there are only four of you and nine of us, the outcome is already decided."

"Not necessarily." Huiming stepped forward, a faint Buddhist light emanating from his body. "Evil heretics dare to speak so presumptuously about victory or defeat?"

The battle is imminent!

But Chen Yu suddenly laughed: "Who told you that these are the only people we have?"

He clapped his hands.

At the connecting point between the carriages, six dark figures silently appeared! They were none other than the imposters thirteen to eighteen! They were disguised as ordinary passengers, but their eyes were gleaming with a sharp light, and their cultivation levels were clearly between the fourth and fifth levels of Qi Refining!

"This...how is this possible?" The cold, beautiful woman's expression changed drastically. "Where did you find so many cultivators?!"

"Now," Chen Yu slowly drew the Demon-Slaying Sword, "it's nine against nine."

Without any unnecessary words, the battle erupted instantly!

Jingxu's Green Bamboo Sword transformed into thousands of bamboo shadows, entangling the one-eyed old man—he wanted to avenge the arrow wound he suffered the previous night!

Su Man's Flowing Moon Sword met the cold and beautiful woman's sword. The two women's swords clashed, and their sword energy crisscrossed!

Huiming led three Buddhist disciples to form the Vajra Subduing Demon Formation, trapping the fat monk and the dwarf!

The six imposters faced off against the five unfamiliar faces from the Heavenly Dao Alliance. Their cultivation levels were similar, but the imposters cooperated well and quickly gained the upper hand!

Chen Yu didn't immediately join the battle. Instead, he activated his spiritual senses to search for any potential hidden enemies. Zhao Wuji's absence was unusual. Given his personality, he wouldn't entrust such an important matter entirely to his subordinates.

Sure enough, at the edge of spiritual perception, on the top of the train, there was a faint aura—the eighth level of Qi Refining!

"Up there!" Chen Yu shouted, his figure soaring into the sky, and the Demon-Slaying Sword cleaved through the roof of the car!

Sunlight streamed in, illuminating Zhao Wuji standing on the car roof, his hands clasped behind his back, his robes fluttering. Beside him stood another person—the same middle-aged man with the gold-rimmed glasses from the auction!

"Chen Yu, we meet again." Zhao Wuji smiled. "Let me introduce you. This is Mr. Wen, the 'Ghost Hand,' the best antique craftsman in Hong Kong, and also... a respected figure in our Heavenly Dao Alliance."

Mr. Wen pushed up his glasses, his face expressionless.

"Are you in cahoots?" Chen Yu landed and confronted the two men.

"The fake Seven Star Compass was Mr. Wen's doing," Zhao Wuji said leisurely. "I originally intended to use the fake to lure out the real one, but I didn't expect you to be a step ahead and swindle me out of 1.5 million. Interesting, very interesting."

"So you came here today for revenge?"

"Revenge? No." Zhao Wuji shook his head. "Consider the 1.5 million as tuition. I'm here today to take back two things: the Seven Star Key and your life."

Before he finished speaking, he had already made his move!

He didn't use any magical artifacts, just a single palm strike! But the spiritual power contained in this palm strike was terrifyingly powerful; the air exploded wherever the palm wind passed!

Chen Yu dared not take the blow head-on. He activated the Minor Teleportation Talisman, and his body instantly shifted three meters to the side! A deep palm print appeared where he had been standing on the roof of the car, and the steel plate was dented!

"You can dodge it once, but can you dodge it ten times?" Zhao Wuji's figure was like a ghost, and he struck again with a palm!

This time, Chen Yu didn't dodge. He swallowed the Explosive Qi Powder, temporarily boosting his cultivation to the peak of the eighth level of Qi Refining! He unleashed the Demon-Slaying Sword with all his might!

"clang--!"

Their swords clashed, producing a metallic clang! Chen Yu staggered back five steps, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Zhao Wuji also took a step back, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes: "Explosive Qi Powder? You actually have such a life-threatening pill."

"Not only that." Chen Yu wiped away the bloodstains, took out three Qi Nourishing Pills from his pocket, and swallowed them in one gulp! The powerful spiritual energy surged into his meridians, temporarily stabilizing the side effects of the Qi Explosion Powder.

"Interesting." Zhao Wuji smiled. "Mr. Wen, would you please hold him off for a moment?"

Mr. Wen nodded and took out a judge's pen from his sleeve. With a flick of the pen, he drew a talisman in the air! A golden talisman appeared out of thin air, transforming into chains that wrapped around Chen Yu!

A talisman master! Chen Yu's heart skipped a beat. Talisman masters are extremely difficult to deal with among cultivators of the same level because they can attack from a distance, and their talismans are numerous and difficult to defend against.

The Demon-Slaying Sword slashed repeatedly, shattering the three chains. But Mr. Wen had already drawn a second talisman—this time a fire talisman! Blazing flames transformed into a firebird, swooping down on Chen Yu!

Just as Chen Yu was about to defend himself, Zhao Wuji suddenly turned around and lunged into the carriage! His target wasn't Chen Yu, but... Su Man!

"Not good!" Chen Yu wanted to go back to help, but the firebird was already in front of him! He could only deal with the immediate crisis first.

Inside the carriage, the battle had reached a fever pitch. Jingxu pierced the one-eyed old man's throat with his sword, but he himself was caught in the old man's dying counterattack, a poisoned dagger piercing his chest, his face instantly turning black!

Su Man and the cold, beautiful woman were evenly matched, but Zhao Wuji's sudden intervention broke the balance! With a palm strike, Su Man barely managed to block with her Flowing Moon Sword, but the sword bent, and she was sent flying backward, crashing into the carriage wall and spitting out a mouthful of blood!

"Su Man!" Chen Yu's eyes widened in fury, and he unleashed the full power of the Demon-Slaying Sword, annihilating the firebird in one strike! But Mr. Wen's third talisman had already arrived—this time it was an earth talisman, and the ground rose up, transforming into an earthen prison that trapped him!

"It's over." Zhao Wuji walked towards Su Man and reached for the Seven Star Key in her arms—he thought the key was with Su Man.

But at that moment, another unexpected event occurred!

The train suddenly started moving again! And it was reversing at an insane speed!

"What's going on?!" Zhao Wuji swayed.

A sharp whistle rang out from outside the carriage—it was the whistle of the Hong Kong police! It turned out that Ho Hung-cheung had not only arranged for Buddhist monks to provide protection, but had also used his connections to notify the police. A large police force arrived and was clearing fallen trees from the tracks!

"Damn it!" Zhao Wuji knew he couldn't delay any longer, and struck Su Man with all his might, intending to kill her!

At the critical moment, a streak of azure sword light shot in from outside the window! The sword light was like moonlight, clear and pure!

"Flowing Moon Sword - Moonlight Descends from Heaven!"

This isn't Su Man's swordsmanship; it's... a more refined version!

A woman in a white cheongsam floated in through the car window, caught the flying Flowing Moon Sword, and thrust it at Zhao Wuji!

This sword strike possessed the power of a ninth-level Qi Refining expert!

Zhao Wuji's expression changed drastically, and he defended with all his might!

"clang--!"

As their swords clashed, Zhao Wuji staggered back three steps, a deep, bone-revealing sword wound appearing on his arm!

The woman in white landed, her face beautiful and delicate, appearing to be around thirty years old, with an air of elegance like a fairy from the moon. She helped Su Man up, her gaze turning cold as she looked at Zhao Wuji: "The Heavenly Dao Alliance has overstepped its bounds."

"You are...from the Moon Palace?" Fear appeared in Zhao Wuji's eyes for the first time.

"Su Man is an outer disciple of my Guanghan Palace, how dare you touch her?" The woman in white pointed her sword at Zhao Wuji, "Go back to Taiwan, or I won't mind making a trip to the Heavenly Dao Alliance headquarters."

The Moon Palace! Chen Yu's heart skipped a beat. This was one of the hidden sects mentioned in the "Mysterious Daoist Canon," predominantly female, who cultivated the power of moonlight, and whose strength was unfathomable.

Zhao Wuji's expression shifted, but he finally gritted his teeth and said, "Fine! I'll give Guanghan Palace face! Let's go!"

He grabbed Mr. Wen and leaped off the train. Seeing this, the others from the Heavenly Alliance also retreated.

The train slowly came to a stop, and the police's shouts grew closer.

The woman in white glanced at Chen Yu: "You're Chen Yu? The successor of Senior Xuanzhenzi?"

"It is I. Thank you for saving me, senior."

"No need to thank me, I was entrusted by Mr. He," the woman in white said calmly. "I will take Su Man back to Guanghan Palace to heal her injuries. She has good aptitude and it's time for her to formally enter the sect. As for you..." She paused, "The Seven Star Key is of great importance, so take care of yourself."

After saying that, she picked up the unconscious Su Man, jumped out of the car window, and disappeared into the mountains and forests in a few leaps.

Chen Yu wanted to give chase, but Jingxu let out a muffled groan and collapsed from the poison.

"Daoist Master!" He quickly helped Jingxu up, took out the hemostatic and tissue-regenerating powder and fed it to her, and then used his spiritual power to expel the poison.

Ten minutes later, the police rushed onto the train. Leading the group was a British superintendent. He looked at the ravaged carriages, then at Chen Yu's identification, and finally waved his hand: "Mr. He has already given instructions; you can leave. The damage to this train will be classified as an 'accident'."

Chen Yu understood that this was He Hongchang's last favor.

At 2 PM, the train started moving again. Jingxu's poison was temporarily suppressed, but she needed treatment as soon as possible. Chen Yu sat alone in his compartment, watching the scenery rushing past the window.

Su Man was taken away to a place called Guanghan Palace. He didn't know if this was a good thing or a bad thing.

But at least, she's alive.

The train headed towards Luohu, towards the border, towards...home.

Qin Huairu is due to give birth in four days.

He had to get back.

Outside the window, the mountains of Hong Kong gradually recede into the distance.

Ahead lies the Shenzhen River, the Luohu Bridge, and another world.

The train rumbles, carrying one person's journey home and countless unfinished stories.