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

dark.

The boundless darkness, like viscous ink, enveloped and dragged his consciousness, sinking it into an unfathomable abyss. Chen Yu felt himself falling, falling relentlessly, with the howling wind in his ears, and... the faint roars and the sound of ocean waves.

Suddenly, a glimmer of light appeared in the darkness. It was from a window of the courtyard house, casting a warm, orange glow. He saw Qin Huairu standing by the window, holding little Chen An, a gentle smile on her face. The child stretched out his tiny hands, babbling softly.

"Huai Ru... An'er..." He tried to call out, but no sound came out.

The scene shifts, and he sees Jia Zhangshi's mean face, uttering some vicious words; he sees He Yuzhu carrying braised pork, pushing open the door with a simple, honest smile; he sees Liu Yuhua organizing documents in the production department office, glancing up at him with a slight smile...

Finally, there was Zhao Wuji's grinning face, and that heavy, mountain-like hand that slammed down!

"ah--!"

Chen Yu suddenly opened his eyes, his chest heaving violently, his clothes soaked with cold sweat.

"Fellow Daoist Chen! You're awake!" Jingxu's voice came from the side, filled with obvious surprise.

His vision gradually cleared. He was lying in an unfamiliar room, on a hard bed, covered with a thin blanket. The room was small and simply furnished: a table, two chairs, and a landscape painting on the wall. The window was half-open, revealing a bamboo grove outside, sunlight filtering through the bamboo leaves and casting dappled shadows on the floor.

Jingxu sat on the edge of the bed, his face showing exhaustion, but his eyes were full of concern. Besides him, there was another person in the room—Master Liaokong, the old nun from the Kunlun Immortal Sect, who was sitting cross-legged on a futon in the corner, chanting scriptures with her eyes closed.

"Where...where is this?" Chen Yu asked, his voice hoarse.

"Tianjin, a branch of Tingtao Academy." Jingxu handed over a glass of warm water. "You've been unconscious for two days."

Two days? Chen Yu was startled and tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through his chest, causing him to groan.

"Don't move." Master Liaokong opened her eyes and walked over slowly. "Zhao Wuji's palm strike injured your heart meridian. Although you used pills to stabilize the injury, you need to rest for at least half a month."

Only then did Chen Yu realize that the flow of spiritual energy within his body was sluggish, and it felt as if a large stone was pressing on his chest, with each breath accompanied by dull pain.

"Where are the others? Senior Ye and Mr. Wen..."

"They're alright," Jingxu said. "That night, Abbess Liaokong and Master Huiming arrived in time, and with the intervention of the official army, the Heavenly Dao Alliance retreated. Fellow Daoist Ye suffered some minor injuries, but Mr. Wen is completely unharmed."

Chen Yu breathed a sigh of relief: "What about those...monsters?"

Jingxu's expression was grave: "The demonized man has been taken away by the authorities. Yang Jianguo—that officer—handled it personally. He said the higher-ups would investigate this matter and told us not to spread it."

Master Liaokong added, "Zhao Wuji escaped in the chaos, taking several core subordinates with him. But he lost at least twenty demonized humans and a batch of important supplies. He shouldn't be making any major moves in the short term."

Chen Yu tried hard to recall the last scene before he lost consciousness: "I think I saw... something in the sea..."

Jingxu and Master Liaokong exchanged a glance, their expressions both somewhat strange.

"There really is something." Jingxu lowered his voice. "It's a... sea beast. It's huge, at least thirty zhang long. It surfaced from the sea, glanced at the battle on the dock, and then sank back down. Yang Jianguo's men tried to track it with searchlights, but it vanished without a trace."

A sea monster? Chen Yu frowned. How could there be such a large sea monster near Tianjin Port? And why did it appear at that particular time...?

"That's no ordinary sea beast," Master Liaokong said slowly. "I can sense the fluctuations of spiritual energy emanating from it, and... it's very strong, at least equivalent to the Foundation Establishment stage."

Foundation Establishment stage! Chen Yu was shocked. The spiritual energy on Earth was scarce; even late-stage Qi Refining cultivators were rare. How could there be a Foundation Establishment stage sea beast?

"Can the nun tell its origin?"

Master Liaokong shook her head: "It appeared for too short a time; I only sensed an ancient and weathered aura. However... it seemed to have no ill intentions; it just glanced at me and left."

There was a moment of silence in the room. The sunlight moved, from the floor to the walls, and then from the walls to the ceiling.

"How long will it take me to recover?" Chen Yu asked.

"If it were just a common injury, seven days would be enough," said Abbess Liaokong. "But Zhao Wuji's palm strike contained Yin energy that has invaded your meridians and needs to be slowly expelled. It will take at least half a month, and you cannot fight anyone during this time, otherwise the Yin energy will backfire and damage your very foundation."

Half a month... Chen Yu was anxious. The Heavenly Alliance had suffered such a great loss; Zhao Wuji would definitely not let it go. Half a month without taking action was too dangerous.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, there's no need to worry." Jingxu saw through his thoughts. "Daoist Xuanji has already made arrangements. You can stay here to recuperate during this time. This branch of Tingtao Academy is protected by an array, so it's very safe. Moreover..." He paused, "Master Liaokong will stay to protect you until you recover."

Master Liaokong nodded: "My 'Purification Mantra' has the effect of dispelling evil spirits and can help you heal your injuries."

Chen Yu was deeply moved and struggled to get up to express his gratitude, but Master Liaokong held him down: "Benefactor Chen, there's no need for such formalities. Now that the Seven Star Alliance has been established, we are all one family. You were injured for the Alliance, so it is our duty to take care of you."

Over the next few days, Chen Yu began the arduous recovery process.

Every morning, Abbess Liaokong would chant sutras for him for an hour. Her chanting was peaceful and melodious, carrying a unique rhythm that soothed the mind and dispelled the restlessness caused by the yin energy. Chen Yu noticed that each time he listened to the chanting, the yin energy within him would weaken slightly.

After the chanting of scriptures came the medicinal bath. Wen Ruoxu retrieved various medicinal herbs from the academy's medicine storehouse: mugwort, safflower, chuanxiong, angelica... and boiled them into a medicinal soup for Chen Yu to soak in. The warm soup allowed the medicinal properties to penetrate the skin and nourish the damaged organs.

In the afternoon, Chen Yu would enter the small world and meditate by the spiritual spring to regulate his breathing. The spiritual energy of the spring water had a miraculous effect on injury recovery, and with the help of Qi-Nourishing Pills, the recovery speed was faster than expected. However, he dared not rush things, fearing that it might leave hidden dangers.

Jingxu spent most of her time by his side, occasionally going out to gather information. From the intelligence Jingxu brought back, Chen Yu gradually learned about the aftermath of the Tianjin Port incident.

The authorities took this incident extremely seriously. Yang Jianguo's department—which Chen Yu later learned was the "Ninth Bureau of the Ministry of State Security," specializing in handling special cases—had taken full control of the investigation. The corpses of the demonized humans were secretly transported away, and the supplies left on the ship by the Heavenly Alliance were also seized.

"Yang Jianguo came to see me yesterday," Jingxu said in a conversation. "He said the higher-ups' attitude was very clear: as long as matters in the cultivation world do not endanger national security or affect social stability, they can ignore them. But forbidden techniques like demonizing humans are absolutely not allowed to reappear."

"What about the Heavenly Alliance?"

"There's been no movement for now. After Zhao Wuji fled, the Heavenly Dao Alliance's strongholds in Beijing and Tianjin were empty; everyone had left. But Master Xuanji said this is just the calm before the storm."

On the fifth day, Chen Yu was able to get out of bed and walk around. Although his chest still hurt, it was much better. In the afternoon, Ye Gucheng and Wen Ruoxu came to see him.

Ye Gucheng's left arm was wrapped in bandages, but he looked quite well: "That old bastard Zhao Wuji, once my swordsmanship is fully mastered, I will definitely avenge this palm strike."

Wen Ruoxu waved his folding fan: "Brother Ye's swordsmanship is already quite formidable; that one strike almost severed Zhao Wuji's dragon-headed cane."

"It's a pity he still got away." Ye Gucheng sneered.

Chen Yu inquired about the sea beast in the ocean. Wen Ruoxu's expression was grave: "I checked the ancient books of the academy and found some clues. According to the records, there are indeed some ancient sea beasts in the depths of the East China Sea, some of which have even survived from ancient times. But it is very unusual for this sea beast to appear near Tianjin Port."

Why?

"Although Tianjin Port is located on the coast, it belongs to the Bohai Sea, which is an inland sea. The large sea monsters recorded in ancient books usually live in the deep sea or the open sea," Wen Ruoxu said. "Unless... something attracted it."

Attract it? Chen Yu's heart skipped a beat. What was on the dock back then? Demonized humans... Heavenly Dao Alliance supplies... and... the spiritual energy fluctuations from the battle?

"Oh, right, there's one more thing," Ye Gucheng suddenly said. "Master Xuanji sent word that the East Sea Sword Sect has recently discovered abnormal fluctuations in the spiritual energy deep within the East Sea. They suspect it might be related to the Eastern Azure Dragon Key."

The Azure Dragon Key! Chen Yu remembered that the old Taoist Xuanji had said that this key was in the hands of the East Sea Sword Sect.

"What exactly is the situation?"

"I don't know. Master Xuanji only mentioned it briefly, saying that we should wait until Fellow Daoist Chen recovers before we can all get together again to discuss it in detail."

On the seventh day, Chen Yu's injuries had healed by 70%, and he was able to move around normally. That afternoon, Yang Jianguo arrived.

The officer from the Ninth Bureau of the National Security Bureau was dressed in civilian clothes, carrying a net bag of fruit, looking like an ordinary visitor to the sick. But Chen Yu could sense that there were two people following behind him, their presence well concealed, both of them skilled in martial arts.

"Comrade Chen Yu, how is your recovery?" Yang Jianguo sat down by the bedside with a beaming smile.

"I'm much better, thank you for your concern, Comrade Yang."

"It's my pleasure." Yang Jianguo handed over an apple. "That night, thanks to your timely intervention, otherwise, if those monsters had run into the city, the consequences would have been unimaginable."

Chen Yu took the apple but didn't say anything.

Yang Jianguo didn't beat around the bush: "I'm here for two reasons: first, to check on your injuries, and second, on behalf of the higher-ups, to have a talk with your cultivation community... or rather, with your 'Seven Star Alliance'."

"Please speak."

"The higher-ups' stance is clear: as long as you follow the rules, we can ignore matters concerning your cultivation world. But there are a few bottom lines that cannot be crossed: First, you cannot endanger national security; second, you cannot affect social stability; and third, you cannot harm ordinary people." Yang Jianguo's expression was serious. "Forbidden techniques like demonizing humans are absolutely not allowed to reappear. If they are discovered again, we will take all necessary measures."

"I see."

"Furthermore..." Yang Jianguo paused, "The higher-ups know about the Seven Star Keys and that the Heavenly Dao Alliance is collecting them. They hope that if you need help, you can ask. After all, an organization like the Heavenly Dao Alliance is no good for anyone."

Chen Yu's heart skipped a beat: "Does what they mean is...we can cooperate?"

"Within certain limits, it's possible," Yang Jianguo nodded. "For example, intelligence sharing, or providing assistance in certain operations. But the premise is that you must abide by the rules."

This was an unexpected bonus. With official support, fighting against the Heavenly Alliance would be much easier.

"I will pass on the message to Master Xuanji."

"Okay." Yang Jianguo stood up. "Take good care of yourself. After you're discharged, remember to report to the steel rolling mill. The defense project review has been approved, and the transfer order will be issued next week."

After Yang Jianguo left, Chen Yu fell into deep thought. The official attitude was more open than he had expected, which might be a good thing. But he also had to be wary; dealing with a tiger for its skin could easily backfire.

On the tenth day, Chen Yu's injuries were basically healed. After examining him, Abbess Liaokong nodded and said, "Ninety percent of the Yin energy has been expelled. The rest you need to refine on your own. Starting tomorrow, you can begin restorative cultivation, but do not engage in combat with anyone for a month."

That evening, Chen Yu took a walk in the bamboo forest. The moonlight was beautiful, the bamboo shadows swayed gently, and the evening breeze rustled through the leaves. He walked deeper into the bamboo forest, found a stone bench to sit on, and took out the Seven Star Key.

The key gleamed faintly in the moonlight. Since the Tianjin Port incident, the key seemed to have changed slightly—when held in the hand, one could feel a peculiar pulse, like... a heartbeat.

He tried infusing it with a wisp of spiritual energy. The key trembled slightly, and the Big Dipper pattern on its surface lit up, emitting a soft white light. Even more miraculously, he vaguely sensed something in the distant east resonating with the key...

That's... the Azure Dragon Key?

"Friendly fellow Daoist Chen, you have an elegant interest." Wen Ruoxu's voice came from behind.

Chen Yu put away the keys: "Mr. Wen, you haven't rested yet?"

"I couldn't sleep, so I came out for a walk." Wen Ruoxu sat down beside him. "It seems that Fellow Daoist Chen's injuries have almost healed."

"Thanks to everyone's help."

"We're family, so let's not be so formal." Wen Ruoxu waved his folding fan. "Actually, I've come here because there's something I'd like to discuss with Fellow Daoist Chen."

"Please speak."

"Tingtao Academy has a branch in the South China Sea. Recently, news came that strange phenomena have appeared deep in the South China Sea, which may be related to the Southern Vermilion Bird Key," Wen Ruoxu said solemnly. "I would like to invite Fellow Daoist Chen to go to the South China Sea together once his injuries have fully healed."

The South China Sea... the Southern Vermilion Bird Key... Chen Yu's heart stirred. The silk scroll recorded that the Southern Vermilion Bird Key was "deep in the South China Sea," but its whereabouts were unknown.

"Why are you looking for me?"

"Because you possess the Central Qilin Key," Wen Ruoxu said. "The seven keys are interconnected. With you by my side, the chances of finding the Southern Vermilion Bird Key will be much greater."

Chen Yu pondered for a moment: "I need to discuss this with Master Xuanji, and I also need to explain it to my family."

"Of course," Wen Ruoxu said with a smile. "No rush, let's talk about it after you've fully recovered."

The two chatted for a while longer before Wen Ruoxu took his leave. Chen Yu sat alone under the moonlight, looking at the Seven Star Key in his hand.

The pulse of the key became clearer and clearer, and the feeling of resonating with the distance grew stronger and stronger.

Seven Keys... Celestial Pivot Realm... Heavenly Dao Alliance... Official...

A larger net is slowly unfolding.

And he was already in the center of the net.

The sound of the night watchman's gong came from afar; it was already midnight.

Chen Yu put away the keys and got up to go back inside.

Tomorrow, it's time to go home.

Qin Huairu and An'er must be getting impatient.