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

April 21st, Sunday, 5:30 AM.

Chen Yu got up quietly. Qin Huairu was still fast asleep, and little Chen An was breathing evenly in his cradle. He quickly cooked some millet porridge and heated up some cornbread in the kitchen, leaving a portion for Jingxu. He ate quickly himself and then prepared to leave.

"Are we really going to West Mountain today?" Jingxu's voice came from the living room. The Taoist priest had already woken up and was meditating to regulate his breathing.

"Yes, Longquan Temple, Tanzhe Temple, and Jietai Temple are all over there. One day is just right." Chen Yu checked the items in his backpack—a water bottle, dry food, matches, a flashlight, and a few key items: three invisibility talismans, two explosion talismans, a Rejuvenation Powder, and most importantly, the Seven Star Key.

"The mountain paths over there in the west are complicated, so be careful when you're alone." Jingxu stood up and took out a yellow talisman from his robes. "This is a 'tracking talisman,' take it with you. In case of emergency, tear it up, and I will be able to sense your location."

"Thank you, Taoist priest." Chen Yu took the talisman and carefully put it away.

He went into the bedroom again to check on his wife and children. Qin Huairu seemed to sense something and groggily opened her eyes: "Are you leaving?"

"Yeah, I'm going to take care of some things in Xishan. I'll be back tonight."

"Be careful..." Qin Huairu reached out and took his hand. "Come back soon."

"must."

At six o'clock in the morning, Chen Yu walked out of the courtyard house. The alley was still quiet, with only a few early-rising elderly people walking their birds. He rode the old-fashioned bicycle he had borrowed from He Yuzhu, a canvas bag hanging from the handlebars, and headed west of the city.

"System, check-in for today." Chen Yu silently recited to himself as he rode his bicycle.

[Ding! Japanese visa successfully obtained]

[Received: 5 jin of national grain coupons, 2 industrial vouchers, basic wilderness survival skills (small), a 1964 Beijing Western Hills topographic map, a forestry worker's identification for disguise, and a spiritual protective jade pendant x1]

Wilderness survival skills include knowledge of navigation, finding water, and dealing with wild animals. The topographic map is much more detailed than a regular map, marking the locations of mountain paths, streams, and villages. The forestry worker's certificate can handle general checks. The protective jade pendant can withstand one attack from those below the mid-stage of Qi Refining, and triggers automatically.

Chen Yu put the jade pendant close to his body, which made him feel more at ease.

It's about 30 li (approximately 15 kilometers) from the city to Xishan, taking more than an hour by bicycle. The scenery along the way gradually changes from city buildings to farmland, and then to rolling hills. In April, Xishan is covered in newly green trees, dotted with wildflowers, and the air is fresh.

According to the topographic map, Longquan Temple is located on the southern slope of Miaofeng Mountain and is one of the oldest temples in Xishan, originally built in the Tang Dynasty. Chen Yu hid his bicycle in the woods at the foot of the mountain and hiked up.

The mountain path was rugged, but it was nothing to Chen Yu after his marrow cleansing. He walked briskly and soon saw a corner of a flying eaves peeking out from halfway up the mountain. At 8:30 a.m., he arrived at Longquan Temple.

The temple was more dilapidated than I had imagined. Only half of the main gate remained, the courtyard walls had collapsed in many places, and weeds grew on the roof of the main hall. Clearly, the temple had been severely damaged in the war and had not been repaired to this day. There were no monks or worshippers in the temple, only a few villagers from the neighborhood drying wild vegetables in the courtyard.

"Comrade, are you here for a visit?" a villager in his fifties asked.

"Hmm, I heard there's an ancient temple here, so I came to take a look," Chen Yu said, handing over a cigarette.

The villager took the cigarette and tucked it behind his ear: "There's nothing to see, it's all broken down like this. The tower is over there, it's about to collapse too."

Chen Yu looked in the direction he pointed and indeed saw a brick pagoda in the backyard of the temple, about seven stories high, leaning and with its top missing. He walked around to the base of the pagoda and quietly spread his spiritual senses.

There were no fluctuations in spiritual energy, and nothing unusual. The Seven Star Key also showed no reaction.

Chen Yu was somewhat disappointed, but he still climbed to the base of the tower to examine it carefully. There were some blurry characters engraved on the bricks, mostly Buddhist scriptures, nothing particularly special. He walked around the tower for half an hour, confirming that this was not his target.

It was 9:30 a.m. when we left Longquan Temple. Our next destination was Tanzhe Temple, about 15 li (7.5 kilometers) away by mountain road.

Tanzhe Temple is much larger than Longquan Temple, and its incense is more abundant. This temple is famous for its ancient ginkgo tree and Dragon Pool, and it houses a well-preserved nine-story stupa. Today is Sunday, and there are many tourists coming to offer incense; the temple is bustling with activity.

Chen Yu bought a ticket and mingled with the other tourists to enter the temple. He didn't go straight to the pagoda, but instead first walked around the main hall, observing the surroundings. Expanding his spiritual sense, he could detect several faint nodes of spiritual energy within the temple—naturally formed from years of incense offerings.

The stupa is located at the deepest part of the temple, guarded by monks who prevent tourists from climbing it. Chen Yu walked around the stupa courtyard, carefully examining the stupa with his spiritual sense. The stupa's spiritual energy fluctuations were stronger than those of Longquan Temple, but it was still not a restriction, merely a natural accumulation.

He found a stone bench outside the tower courtyard and sat down, pretending to rest, but secretly took out the Seven Star Key. The key was in his palm, but there was no reaction.

It's not here.

Chen Yu glanced at his watch; it was 11:00 AM. He decided to grab something to eat first and then head to Jietai Temple in the afternoon.

He bought two sesame seed cakes from a stall outside the temple and ate them with the water he had brought with him. As he was eating, a sudden realization dawned on him—someone was watching him!

It wasn't the gaze of an ordinary tourist, but a scrutinizing and wary one!

Chen Yu remained calm and continued eating his sesame seed cake, but his spiritual sense had already locked onto the person. It was a man around thirty years old, wearing a gray polyester shirt and black-rimmed glasses, looking like an intellectual. He sat on a stone bench not far away, holding a copy of the magazine "Red Flag," but his gaze kept glancing at Chen Yu.

It's surveillance again.

Chen Yu sneered inwardly. It seemed that the officials were not only keeping an eye on the temples in the city, but also on the ancient temples in the Western Hills.

After finishing his sesame seed cake, he got up and left. The bespectacled man didn't follow, but Chen Yu could sense that another aura had caught up with him—a more discreet follower whose presence was so well concealed that Chen Yu would have almost never detected it if not for his keen spiritual sense.

Chen Yu ignored him and headed straight for Jietai Temple. Jietai Temple was about ten miles east of Tanzhe Temple, requiring him to cross a mountain ridge.

The mountain path became increasingly remote, with few tourists around. Chen Yu quickened his pace, trying to shake off his pursuer. But the man followed closely, clearly a skilled martial artist as well.

Beyond the ridge lay a dense pine forest. Chen Yu slipped behind a large tree, holding his breath. A moment later, a figure appeared on the ridge—a middle-aged man in his forties, wearing blue overalls, lean and agile.

The man stopped and looked around, clearly having lost his target. Chen Yu stepped out from behind the tree: "Comrade, you've been following me all this way, is there something you need?"

The middle-aged man was startled, but quickly regained his composure: "Comrade, you've misunderstood. I'm just here to climb the mountain, it's just on my way."

"On the way?" Chen Yu sneered. "There are three roads from Tanzhe Temple to here, and you insisted on taking the most remote one with me?"

The middle-aged man's expression changed, and he suddenly raised his hand, sending a cold light shooting towards Chen Yu! It was a dart!

Chen Yu was prepared and dodged to the side, while at the same time a pebble shot out and hit the middle-aged man's wrist!

"Ah!" the middle-aged man cried out in pain as the dart fell to the ground.

Chen Yu flashed forward and was already in front of him, one hand gripping his throat: "Who sent you?"

"I...I don't know what you're talking about..." the middle-aged man struggled, but Chen Yu's hand was as firm as an iron clamp.

"Then don't blame me for being impolite." Chen Yu increased the pressure on his hand, and the middle-aged man's face turned purple.

"Wait... I'll talk..." The middle-aged man finally gave in, "It's... it's that my superiors sent me to follow you... saying you've been investigating the ancient temple recently... and they told us to keep an eye out..."

"Who's up there?"

"I can't say... I'll lose my life if I do..." Fear showed in the middle-aged man's eyes.

Chen Yu stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly released his grip: "Go back and tell your 'higher-ups' that I, Chen Yu, am only interested in ancient architecture and have no other intentions. If anyone follows us again, don't blame me for being impolite."

The middle-aged man scrambled away.

Chen Yu watched his retreating figure, his expression grave. The official attention he was receiving was closer than he had imagined.

At 1 p.m., Chen Yu arrived at Jietai Temple. This temple is famous for its ordination platform, and its ancient trees tower overhead, creating a serene environment. There were even fewer tourists here; only a few elderly people were playing chess under the trees.

The pagoda of Jietai Temple is located in the northeast corner of the temple. It is a thirteen-story brick pagoda with closely spaced eaves, and its body is covered with exquisite brick carvings. Chen Yu walked around the pagoda once, and his spiritual sense spread out.

Suddenly, he felt a jolt in his heart!

At the base of the pagoda, there was an extremely faint fluctuation of spiritual energy! The fluctuation was similar to that of the Five Pagoda Temple, but more concealed, as if it were deliberately suppressed by some kind of force!

Suppressing his excitement, Chen Yu carefully examined the base of the tower. The base was constructed of bluestone, with moss growing between the stones. Pretending to tie his shoelaces, he squatted down and gently touched the stones of the base.

The moment I touched it, the Seven Star Key felt slightly warm in my arms!

There's a response!

Chen Yu's heart pounded. He stood up, looked around to make sure no one was watching, and then quietly moved to the back of the tower. It was more secluded there, with several ancient cypress trees blocking the view.

He took out the Seven Star Key and affixed it to an inconspicuous bluestone at the base of the tower. The key didn't change noticeably, but he could sense a faint spiritual energy within it resonating with the restrictions on the tower's base!

"This is it..." Chen Yu murmured.

But he didn't act rashly. The book mentioned "the night of the full moon," and there were still four days until then. Moreover, the restrictions on the tower's base were extremely well-hidden; without the Seven Star Key, they would be completely undetectable. He had to wait until the night of the full moon, when the restrictions were at their weakest, before attempting to open them.

Chen Yu made a few inconspicuous marks around the base of the tower, then retreated to a distance, found a stone bench to sit on, pretending to rest, but actually observing the tower's condition.

He needed to memorize the surroundings: the location of the tower, the surrounding trees, possible hiding places... and how to sneak in on a full moon night without alerting the temple and official surveillance.

After observing for an hour, Chen Yu memorized the surrounding terrain. At three o'clock in the afternoon, he got up and left.

On the way back, Chen Yu's feelings were complicated. Finding the target location was good news, but safely activating the restriction was a problem. Official surveillance was tight, and there were likely other cultivators secretly watching...

Even more critically, Jietai Temple is more than 40 miles from the city. How could he leave the courtyard without arousing suspicion on the night of the full moon? Going out in the middle of the night would worry Qin Huairu, and the neighbors might also notice.

After pondering all the way, at 5:30 PM, Chen Yu returned to the foot of West Mountain to retrieve his bicycle. Just as he was about to ride away, his spiritual senses issued another warning!

This time it wasn't human, it was... the aura of some kind of wild beast! But it wasn't entirely wild beast; the aura was mixed with a cold, sinister energy!

Chen Yu immediately became alert and pushed his bicycle behind the bushes by the roadside. A moment later, a dark figure darted out of the forest and landed on the mountain road.

It was a black cat, a size larger than an average house cat, entirely black except for its eerie green eyes. It stopped in the middle of the road, turned its head, and stared intently in the direction where Chen Yu was hiding.

Chen Yu's heart skipped a beat. Something was wrong with this cat! Its aura was somewhat similar to the Heavenly Dao Alliance cultivator he had encountered in Hong Kong!

The black cat stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly meowed, its voice hoarse and unpleasant. It turned and disappeared into the depths of the woods in a few leaps.

Chen Yu waited for ten minutes before emerging, his back drenched in cold sweat. That cat was definitely a spirit pet controlled by a cultivator! The Heavenly Dao Alliance had indeed arrived in Beijing!

He dared not delay and rode his bicycle as fast as he could back. As night fell, he finally returned to the city.

When I returned to the courtyard house, it was already completely dark. Lights were on in every household, and the air was filled with the aroma of food.

"You're back?" Qin Huairu greeted her, her face filled with concern. "Why are you so late?"

"The mountain road is difficult to travel, which caused the delay." Chen Yu put down his backpack and went to check on little Chen An in the cradle. The little guy was sleeping soundly, his little face rosy.

Jingxu came out of the living room: "How did it go?"

Chen Yu glanced at Qin Huairu: "Let's eat first, then we'll talk."

Dinner was braised noodles made by Qin Huairu, which tasted very good, but Chen Yu ate somewhat absentmindedly. After dinner, Qin Huairu put the child to bed, while Chen Yu and Jingxu talked quietly in the living room.

"Found it, at Jietai Temple." Chen Yu recounted the events of the day in detail, including being followed, discovering the restrictions on the pagoda base, and the strange black cat.

Jingxu's expression was grave: "The Heavenly Dao Alliance has indeed arrived. That black cat is very likely a tool of the Beast Taming Sect. This sect is skilled in taming spirit beasts and often cooperates with the Heavenly Dao Alliance."

"The authorities are also watching; the person who followed me today was from the authorities."

"As expected." Jingxu nodded. "The Seven Star Key is of paramount importance; the authorities can't possibly ignore it. The question now is, how do we act on the night of the full moon?"

Chen Yu pondered for a moment: "I need a plausible excuse to go out late at night without arousing suspicion."

"Perhaps..." A glint flashed in Jingxu's eyes, "we can use 'illness' as an excuse."

"sick?"

"Pretend to have a sudden illness and need to be taken to the hospital. Taking someone to the hospital late at night is perfectly reasonable," Jingxu said. "Once you get to the hospital, find a chance to slip away. I can stay at the hospital to provide backup and create the illusion that you were there the whole time."

Chen Yu's eyes lit up: "Great idea! But we need Huai Ru's cooperation..."

"She will cooperate," Jingxu said confidently. "For your safety, she will be willing."

The two discussed the details until late at night.

Before going to sleep, Chen Yu entered his small world to cultivate. He had experienced too much today and needed to calm down and sort things out.

After cultivating for two hours, he exited the small world and was about to rest when he suddenly heard a slight noise in the courtyard.

It wasn't a person, it was... a cat's meow.

Chen Yu moved silently to the window and peered out through the crack. In the moonlight, a black cat perched on the jujube tree in the courtyard—the very same one he had seen in the Western Hills during the day! Its green eyes gleamed eerily in the darkness, fixed on Chen Yu's house.

Chen Yu held his breath, his hand resting on the Demon-Slaying Sword. But the black cat only watched for a moment before leaping down from the tree and disappearing into the night.

Is it a warning, or surveillance?

Chen Yu felt a heavy weight in his heart. It seemed that the night of the full moon would not be peaceful.

He went back to bed, but couldn't fall asleep. His mind kept replaying the plan, imagining all sorts of possible scenarios.

Outside the window, the moon has become a little fuller.

Four days left.

The night four days from now will determine many things.

And he must be prepared.